HLR1003 The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, PT.1

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message about the Second Coming.

Oh, we don't fear His coming. It's what the Bible calls our blessed hope. Today's message is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, we'll be having a two-part message series, and the uniqueness is, you don't really hear it as much on the radio, but the reality is it's coming from the Holy Land. This is something that we put together with Dr. Wilton live from Golden Gate, just outside the Golden Gate of the Holy Land. And though you won't see that on the radio, you will hear the uniqueness of the message standing there at the Golden Gate from our pastor, Dr. Don Wilton. And as he shares God's Word and gives us a very clear picture about what's coming at the Second Coming of Jesus. Know that we're available for you both online at theencouragingword.org and 866-899-WORD.

And now, Dr. Don Wilton. Hello, my dear friends. I'm just so delighted to be able to share God's Word with you today, mostly because this is God's encouraging Word.

I mean, is there any greater joy than that? But I want to tell you specifically because where I am today, you're going to hardly believe this. I'm preaching to you and teaching you today right under, I mean literally standing under the Eastern Gate of the Temple Mound in Jerusalem. I'm right here at the most disputed territory in all the world, the hottest place that you could possibly be. But the single most significant place for those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, just to contextualize, I'm looking directly into the camera at Mount Scopus. And right below me here is the Garden of Gethsemane, and to my right is the beautiful Mount of Olives, which is just so deeply significant. Of course, right behind me, we're looking back toward the southern steps of the Temple Mound. To my left here is the Dome of the Rock right next to me.

And I'm standing right under the Golden Gate as we know it, or the Eastern Gate of the Temple. And I've got so much to talk with you about today, and I just hope you're ready because these messages are going to be fantastic. So I just want to pray for you right now. Dear Lord, I'm praying for all of us right now. I'm praying for me as I preach here in this very tumultuous place. I'm very mindful even as I speak that I could be interrupted at any minute.

Not unlike the Lord Jesus, who was just interrupted all the time in everything that he did. I feel it in this place, Lord. I pray for those who are listening today. I pray for the encouraging word broadcast. I pray for lives to be changed. I'm going to claim people for Jesus right now because of this spot, because of where I am, because of what you say in your word. In Jesus' name, Amen. All right, you're going to need your Bibles. We're going to be looking at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What an incredible subject. Let me just get this out the way. Jesus is coming back again.

Now, folks, listen carefully. See where I'm standing here? Jesus is coming. He's going to pass right by here. He's going to go through that gate that has been sealed until he's coming.

And I'm going to talk to you about that. I'm going to show you where that is in the Bible. I'm going to take you to some prophecies. We're going to understand some of these deep truths from God's word.

You ready? The second coming. Let's try and understand this together. All right, first, I want to begin in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11. So if you've got your Bibles, you might want to turn there with me and follow along, or maybe you would just like to listen for a little while. We're going to be in Revelation just to begin with, but get ready. I'm going to be in the book of Zechariah. I'm going to be in the book of Ezekiel. So you might want to get ready there and put a little tab in Zechariah, in Ezekiel, and maybe some other Bible places we're going to go to because I believe in what God's word has to say.

That's why this is the encouraging word. It's God's word. God's word is absolutely true.

Every word from Genesis to Revelation. If I want to know about Jesus coming, when he's coming, how he's coming, what he's going to do when he's coming, how am I going to be involved in his coming, what does this mean? I'm going to go to God's word, and God is going to teach me about these things, and he's going to show me these things in his word.

So this is very exciting. So in Revelation chapter 19, at the end of three unbelievable tribulations, judgments that are poured out upon this earth, here's what the Bible says, Revelation 19 and verse 11. I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True. By the way, why is Jesus riding on a white horse? Because white represents victory. You can go back into history.

All the emperors, the times of the Romans, all the conquerors rode on white horses. So there's a symbolic symbol here for us, and heaven opens up there. Heaven opens. Remember in Revelation chapter 4, verses 1, 2, and 3, at the time of the rapture, heaven opens, but Jesus doesn't come out of heaven. He receives us into heaven.

In Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11, which is at the end of the book of Revelation, the angels announced the second coming of Jesus. And the Bible says, I saw heaven standing open. There before me was a white horse whose rider is faithful and true, with justice he judges and make war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, also riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of God Almighty, and on his robe and on his thigh, he has this name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

All right. I want you now to turn with me to Zechariah. Get your Bibles and turn with me to Zechariah. I put a little marker in my Bible so I could get there quickly as we study God's word together. Isn't this exciting when we study the word together and from a place like this?

I can hear the sounds, the traffic. I wouldn't be surprised if we hear the criers crying out the prayers of their religion in just a little while. That's this place, this melting pot of people, and Jesus is coming again. And this is what the Bible says. So in Zechariah chapter 14, we find somewhat of the description of what's going to happen. I'll begin in verse 2. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it. Verse 3, then the Lord will go out of Jerusalem and he will fight against those nations who come against him as he fights in the day of battle. That's a reference to the battle of Armageddon.

I'm going to be talking about that in another message. In fact, I'm going to be speaking to you right there from the battlefields of Armageddon. Verse 4, on that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.

Right there, right there, right next to me as you go through the Kidron Valley and up onto the Mount of Olives. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley with half of the mountain moving north and half of the mountain moving south. Verse 6, on that day there will be no light, no cold. It will be a unique day without daytime or nighttime, a day known to the Lord and when evening comes there will be light. And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem.

Half will go to the eastern sea and half to the western sea. The Dead Sea is going to come back to life again and everything is going to be changed and we know that. So here's what I want to speak to you about for just a few moments. As we hear the bells ringing in the churches in the background, this melting pot, this place, folks I wish you could feel the vibe. I told those that were with me just a little while ago that there's a deep kind of spiritual emotion in my heart.

I want to tell you that as I stand here in a place that very few people like me are able to come. It really in many ways just a miracle that we even were given permits to be able to come and stand right here at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, right at the base of this place, this gate that means so much, this place that will be opened only when Jesus lands on the Mount of Olives and walks down through the cemeteries, the Jewish cemetery and up through the Muslim cemetery where I am and he'll walk triumphantly through the Golden Gate and he will retake his rightful seat. He doesn't need any construction company.

He doesn't need any building material. He won't have to build another temple because he is the temple. Christ is the temple and he's coming back to rule and to reign forever and you know when he sets up his headquarters for heaven here, this will be his permanent place because as we're going to learn later on in Revelation chapter 21, the Bible says I saw a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven and God from the throne said from now on I'm going to make my dwelling place among men. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word and he'll be back in just a moment with more of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

As a matter of fact, over these next couple of days, we're going to stay in this thinking of understanding better how the days that we live in right now and the end times that are described in Revelation will both work together to give us insight on how we need to live every single day. While we're doing this, if you're interested in more information on the end times and other resources of Dr. Don Wilton, you'll find them on our website at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org and while you're there, I would challenge you to consider signing up for The Daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don. It's a wonderful tool that can be used to literally launch your day in God's Word with a great application and insight from Dr. Wilton. Again, it's called The Daily Encouraging Word email. It's available in a number of ways but I suggest the email. It's a great way to start if you love it and decide, well, I'd like a hard copy.

We print these in quarterly versions as well, maybe something as my bride would do and keep it over her visor to use during carpool lines and other elements. Just know that it's available for you both by calling this number, 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 and asking for The Daily Encouraging Word hard copy. We'll send that to you absolutely free or you can sign up right now online at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Sign up for The Daily Encouraging Word email. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. So what can we say about the coming of the Lord Jesus?

Well, I just want to share a couple of things with you. First of all, I want to remind you that Jesus will come back just as He left this earth. That's what the Bible tells us in Acts chapter 1, that He's going to come back just the same way as He left this earth. How did He leave this earth? Well, the Word of God said that He went to the Mount of Olives. Remember what happened, how that they came to Him right there in the Garden of Gethsemane.

I'm pointing at it, right there in front of me, right here at this spot. And here's what happened. He went right there in the Garden of Gethsemane and He prayed, sweating drops of blood, praying, Father, take this cup from Me, nevertheless not My will but Thine be done. And they took Him and they dragged Him through the Kidron Valley and to Caiaphas' house. And then they took Him up and the Romans got a hold of Him and the Jews scourged Him and they took Him to Golgotha and they crucified Him and they buried Him and He took upon Himself the sin of the world, but by the power of God He was raised on the third day. And then He went and He appeared to over 500 and after that He went to the Mount of Olives, didn't He? And right there on the Mount of Olives, He was suddenly taken up in the book of Acts in chapter 1. The Bible says that He was taken up out of their sight and those disciples, the men from Galilee, were standing there.

Can you just imagine the consternation of their hearts? Can you just imagine them looking up wondering where did Jesus go? And all of a sudden an angel of the Lord came to them, appeared to them and said to the men of Galilee, don't be afraid, don't worry, don't be overly concerned because this same Jesus that you've seen taken up into heaven, this same Jesus is going to come back down from heaven and the book of Zechariah confirms it. The prophecy of God's servant confirms it, that He's going to land on the Mount of Olives in person, bodily.

And guess what's going to happen, folks? We're going to be with Him. I'm going to be with Him because I've given my life to Christ. I'm going to be with Him because I'm a child of God. I know you are too. And if you haven't given your heart to Jesus, why don't you do that today?

I'm begging you to do that. You see, in just a little while I'm going to explain to you what's going to happen right here with the eastern gate. I'm going to explain to you what the Bible teaches us concerning the fact that this gate is closed. No man will ever open it. It's been closed for over 500 years, by the way.

Nobody's going to open it. Nope. He's the one who comes in all of His glory riding on a white horse, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's coming back as conqueror. He's coming back as the one victorious. He's coming back as the one who promised that He would come back. So how is He coming?

Well, you got it. He's going to come just as He left. But you know what? He's also going to come back very, very suddenly. Now I want to talk to you about that for just a minute. Very, very suddenly.

What does suddenly mean to you? You know, you and I have got a thing about time, don't we? By the way, have you ever kind of felt like you've got forever to live?

Well, maybe. I suppose it just depends on how old you are, right? You know, I can just see myself going up to one of my grandkids who's four or five years of age and say, you know, how much time you got left on this earth?

They'd look at me, wouldn't even understand the question. You know what I've discovered the older I get? I think one of the things that I've discovered the older I get is that I'm not quite so sure how much time that I've got left. The word suddenly begins to take on a new meaning. And sometimes it's something that I don't really like to think.

You know, I've even had some of my close friends die suddenly, unexpectedly. You know, that's what Jesus is trying to tell us. He said, listen, I'm going to come back suddenly. You know how Jesus left this earth?

I want you to just take a little walk with these disciples. Now remember that He rose from the dead and then He appeared to over 500 of His people. He was trying to show them, by the way, amongst many other things, what you and I are going to look like after we die. By the way, it's a different subject. Have you ever wondered what you're going to look like in heaven?

Well, just ask the question. You know, Paul, writing to the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15, told us about it. He said, if you want to know what you're going to look like after you die, look to the man from heaven, the one who came from heaven, who came from heaven, Jesus.

He did. In fact, right over my shoulder here in that direction, if we were to just keep looking back there, you'd end up in Bethlehem, that place where Jesus was born, Bethlehem of Judea. What a grand celebration we have at Christmas time as we celebrate the Christ child. And the Bible tells us very clearly that Jesus is going to come back suddenly. You see, those disciples, they walked with Him on this journey. He appeared to them after He rose from the dead, tried to show them. He talked to them, walked with them, thought with them.

By the way, here's good news. He even had breakfast with them right there on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Isn't that great? I think God is giving us a picture of what we look like in our resurrected bodies because Paul said it, he said, as in Adam all die, but in Christ we're made alive. We're going to have resurrected bodies. We're going to be raised with Christ to walk in newness of life.

I mean, that's just an amazing thing. And so after He appeared to them on the road to Emmaus and after He appeared there at the Sea of Galilee and He disappeared and He appeared and He disappeared, they went with Him right there onto the Mount of Olives and as they were talking with Him they had no idea and suddenly Jesus was taken up from them into heaven. Angels said He's going to come back the same way. How is He coming back? He's coming back just as He left.

He's coming back suddenly. I want to say something to you before I begin to really unpack this, the meat of the second coming, because I want to share with you some great truths about exactly what happens when Jesus lands on the Mount of Olives. What I want to talk to you about for just a minute is you. You might say to me, well, Pastor Don, why would you want to talk about me? Because my friend, you need to know that you can stand where I'm standing.

So I'm just going to get to the end of the story. When Jesus lands on the Mount of Olives, marches down into the Kidron Valley, crosses over and goes through this eastern gate, this golden gate, reclaims the Temple Mount, I'm going to be with Him. I'm right there.

You know how I know that? Because I've given my heart to Jesus. Now that's an encouraging word, isn't it? When Jesus comes, I'm going to be with Him. I'm going to be with Him because He will have taken me to be with Himself at the time of the rapture of the church. Or if I were to die prior to the rapture, I will immediately be in His presence because Paul told us, by the way, he said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Isn't that fantastic?

I love that. Are you going to be present with the Lord? Yes.

You've given your life to Christ? Yes. That means you're going to be with Him? Yes. That means when heaven opens in Revelation chapter 19, to let Jesus out, to come riding on a white horse, the armies of heaven are going to be there riding on white horses. That's me.

That's you. Have you made certain that your life belongs to Him? Give your heart to Jesus today. Trust Him as your personal Savior and Lord, and you will have a peace and a joy that you and I can never, ever, ever explain. I want you to know how much I love you, and I'm so looking forward as we begin to unpack this incredible truth about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ together. What an exciting start to this wonderful time of studying the second coming of Jesus Christ and understanding how it brings peace and comfort.

You know, many of us, we hear this, and we go, wow, I hope I'm alive. I want to be one to rise in the mirror in the rapture and meet Jesus. But there also may be some of you that are hearing this, and the teaching has begun to make you concerned, and you're wondering, have you made the decision to say yes to Jesus Christ?

Because that's all it takes to change fear from the end of times to comfort and excitement about the end of days. I pray that you would open your heart right now and take a moment and listen to these next most important words from our pastor and chief encourager, Dr. Don Wilton. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ?

Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner, and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today, I repent of my sin, and by faith, I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name, my friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Jesus Christ, welcome to the family of God, and I encourage you, tell somebody about that news. Maybe you just rededicated your life.

You need to proclaim that as well. Let somebody in on the joy of what's taking place in your next, and we'd love to be one of those you include. As a matter of fact, Dr. Don would love to hear your story. You can email him, Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. That's Don at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. Not only would he love to hear about it, but he will pray with you. We would love to pray with you even now.

You can connect with us. We have friends ready to take your call right now at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, not just now during the broadcast, but any time, day or night, 24 hours a day, we're here to take your calls because right now in this particular season with this time of separation and distancing and the fear that the pandemic has brought about, sometimes one of the most powerful tools in the body of Christ is having another Christian believer pray with you and for you, and we'd love to do that right now. Again, the phone number is 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.

Or connect with us online keyboard to keyboard at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. That's T-E-W online dot O-R-G. And before we get away, let me say thank you. Many of you are choosing to prayerfully and financially support the ministry as every single day people are giving their lives to Jesus Christ. It's fruitful ministry, and if you'd like to know how to become an encourager, here's Liz with all the details. Have you been praying about how you can make a difference in the world? We would love to have you join us by becoming an encourager ministry partner.

Call us at 866-899-WORD to request an encourager brochure today. There is no greater gift that you can give than to help spread the gospel. Together we can do much to impact the world for Jesus Christ.

Make a commitment to help spread the gospel in 2020. The Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening today. What a great day here at The Encouraging Word. You can hear it again, this particular message and others on our website at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. But I want to challenge you to grab a friend, and encourage them to join us tomorrow at the same time with more of this Second Coming of Jesus Christ message from Dr. Don Wilton. I assure you that there's more insight that we can gain. It's not just about knowing what's going to happen, understanding the predictions of the future in scripture, but it's also knowing how it affects the way we live our lives each and every day in anticipation of that future. Again, we're here for you at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. I would love to pray with you at 866-899-9673.