As I mentioned in a previous article, there seems to be many people who are a bit confused about the difference between the appearance of Christ to rapture His Church, and the Second Coming or the Return of Christ to defeat His enemies and set up His Millennial Kingdom on the earth. In the first video, I gave a full description of the Rapture of the Church and what that entails. If you missed that video, please go back and watch it after you finish this one so you will have a better understanding of the two events.

In this lesson, I will discuss the Return of Christ and how it will appear different than the Rapture, and when, in the sequence of events, the Bible says this will take place. So buckle up, be sure to hit like on the video and subscribe to this channel for future content and let’s get started. 

The scriptures that are most prominent in detailing the Second Coming, or the Return of Christ, are found in Revelation Chapter 19 and 20. I want to look at those chapters, but I will pare them down to make it more understandable. 

First, I want to look at verses 1-10 for context. In these verses, the rapture, or what Paul called being “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” as he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, has already happened, and the marriage supper of the Lamb is taking place. Let’s read that portion of the scripture now: 

“After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” 

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”  And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:1-10) 

The beginning of this portion of scripture says, “After these things”, so you may be wondering, after what things? The previous chapter talks about the fall of the “great city Babylon”. This is an interesting study in itself, but the rest of these scriptures talk about what is going on in Heaven AFTER the rapture takes place, and the multitudes of people who have joined Jesus in Heaven are partaking of enormous worship and praise of God. Then, we see the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” taking place. This is descriptive of a traditional wedding ceremonial meal that is shared during a middle eastern wedding. The Father of the Groom has sent His Son and His Groomsmen to receive the Bride and to take her to the Father’s house where there is a huge dinner prepared in celebration of the union of the Bride and Groom. And in this particular situation, we don’t know how long this celebration will take place, but it will be a particularly AMAZING celebration as the Bride has finally been united with Her Groom Who has sacrificed His life that she might be with Him forever. 

But during the time of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, horrible things are happening on the earth. This is when God begins to pour out His wrath upon a rebellious world who has committed horrible sins against Him. This is the time that Jesus called “the GREAT tribulation” and this is when literally, all hell is breaking loose on the earth. 

And then, at the end of the celebration in Heaven, whenever that may be, we see this next part in scripture that says: 

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: 

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

(Revelation 19:11-16) 

So Friends, this is the beginning of the Second Coming of Christ, when He will appear on a White Horse with the Name King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and who He is followed by can be confusing. Some believe these are His Warrior Angels come to join Him in battle to conquer the enemies of God. And others believe that they are the Saints that have been previously raptured returning to the earth with Christ to reign with Him during the Millennium. Whichever you believe, we know that Christ has returned to the earth to conquer the nations, and to win victory over the enemies of God and to put an end to the death and destruction that has been taking place on the earth. The battle will consist of Jesus and His warring angels against Satan and his fallen demons, along with all those who were still alive on the earth who desired to follow after Satan. And what we read next are the gory results of that battle. It’s a very astonishing scene as we read: 

“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” 

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:17-21) 

So you see the horror that awaits those who rebel against Christ, and what their future will hold. God does not hold back. He releases His full wrath against Satan and ALL those who follow him that are living on the earth at the time of Christ’s return. They WILL be defeated…they will all be killed and they will become food for the birds to feast upon. What a horrible sight to think about, but this is what scripture tells us will take place. 

As we continue to look at the return of Christ, turn with me to the 20th chapter of Revelation. In verses 1-3, we are told what will happen to Satan. It says:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:1-3) 

Here I want you to understand that Satan is named by 3 different titles…so there can be no mistaking who John is talking about. He is called “the dragon”. This is the one who gave the Antichrist and the False Prophet their power. He is also called the Devil and he is called Satan. Whatever you call him, you can know for certain that he will no longer be allowed to roam about the earth seeking whom he may devour. He is thrown into the bottomless pit for 1000 years and he will not be able to tempt anyone to sin. But after 1000 years, he will be released to tempt those who will be on the earth again to sin…but only for a short time, and then Christ will know ALL those who belong to Him in their hearts, and they will be with Him forever. Those who choose not to follow Christ will be judged with all those who have come before them at the end of the 1000 years.

Revelation chapter 20, verses 4-6 says: 

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4-6) 

The first sentence says that John saw thrones, and the Believers who sat on the thrones, to them was committed judgement. I believe the people on the thrones are the saints of God who had been previously raptured and were judged in Heaven according to their works, and now have returned with Christ to reign and rule with Him, just as Paul wrote to his son in the spirit, Timothy,

“This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.

If we endure,

We shall also reign with Him.

If we deny Him,

He also will deny us.” 

(2 Timothy 2:11-12) 

And after he talked about those people, he says that he saw the souls of the martyrs who had not worshiped the beast and did not receive his mark…so these must be those who had received Christ after the rapture and placed their trust in Christ and became martyrs. 

So here we see two groups of people mentioned…those who were seated on the thrones and judging the nations, and those who had been martyred. And from the way the scripture reads, the martyrs were resurrected, and they also were given authority to reign with Christ. And then we see the words “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” 

And there is a third group that the scripture didn’t mention. Those would be the people who lived through the great tribulation and were now living among the nations…those would be the people who Christ and the saints would be reigning over from Jerusalem, and these people would still be able to marry and produce children during the Millennium. 

At any rate…it is during this time when every promise that God made specifically to the Nation of Israel will be fulfilled. He will make the nation as the sand of the sea, the stars of the sky, He will make the nation blessed among all nations, and He will give them all the land where the soles of Abrahams feet walked, that land would belong to Israel…from the Great Sea to the Euphrates River. ALL of it will belong to Israel. AND…God promised that He will make them a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation". We see ALL those promises fulfilled in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. 

I hope this 2-part explanation of the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming or the Return of Christ has helped you to better understand the difference between the two. But the most important thing I want to tell you is that before you understand any of that, you need to understand why Jesus came the first time. He came the first time to live the perfect life before God that no other human being has ever been able to live, and he came to offer the perfect sacrifice that no other human being has ever been able to sacrifice. He died a horrendous death so that you wouldn’t have to live forever separated from God and so that you could inherit eternal life to live with Him forever, if you will repent of your sins and put your trust in Him as your Savior and Lord. If you have never received Christ as your Lord, won’t you consider doing that today? There is no more important decision you will ever have to make in this life than where you will spend eternity. Please give your life to Christ today. 

John wrote in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” 

Well Friends…I will end this discussion about the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. I do encourage you to comment below what you think about this study and be sure to share it with your friends. Until I see you back here next time, God bless you and have a Jesus-filled week.