The first chapter of Revelation introduces the second coming of Christ to earth. His coming “will be with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.”(Rev 1:7) He will return after the tribulation according to Matthew (24:29). In doing so He will rescue Israel from total annihilation (Matt 24:22; Jer 30:11; Zech 13:9) and will remove the wicked and unbelieving from the earth. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” (Matt 24:37) In Noah’s day God brought judgment upon the whole world through the floodwaters. The wicked were taken away to judgment while the righteous remnant was left to repopulate the earth.
His second coming will follow the same pattern. Jesus said there would be two women grinding at the same place and one would be taken and one would be left. (Luke 17:35) The significance of this illustration is that His disciples asked, “Where Lord?” They certainly weren’t asking about the ones being left on earth, but wanted to know where the ones were going who were taken. He answered, “Where the body is, there also will the vultures be gathered. ” (Luke 17:37) Matthew refers to the bodies as corpses (24:28). Since vultures gather to eat carrion, the ones taken have been physically killed and their soul has been confined to Hades until the Great White Throne judgment. Just as in Noah’s day, the righteous will be left on the earth. Then they will enter into the Millennial Kingdom, the 1000 year reign of Christ. Thus at His Second Coming, Christ will have subjects to rule and reign over when He establishes His throne in Jerusalem (Is 9:7; Ezek 43:7).
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