① THE TIME OF THE ADVENT
The Advent will take place immediately after the end of the Seven-year Great Tribulation; this is to say the Advent will take place before the beginning of the Millennium. For the purpose of the Advent lies in the realization of the Millennium, at the time of Our Lord’s Advent Satan will be bound and confined to the abyss for a thousand years. In other words, the time of the Advent will be just prior to the beginning of the Millennium. In order for the Millennium to be realized, Satan must be bound.
② THE APPEARANCE OF THE LORD'S ADVENT
▶Visible to all ▶With angels ▶In clouds ▶With the sound of a trumpet ▶In power and glory ▶At an unexpected time
③ THE LOCATION OF THE ADVENT
Prior to the Lord’s Advent, He will appear in the air, drive out the devil? “the prince of the power of the air”? and make room in the air for the Seven-year Wedding Banquet.
④ THE PURPOSE OF THE ADVENT
▶Jesus is coming to receive the believers.
▶Jesus is coming to establish the kingdom of righteousness.
▶Jesus is coming to judge the living and the dead.
① THOSE WHO ARE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT
▶Fallen angels
▶Mankind
② STANDARDS OF THE JUDGMENT
01 STANDARD OF THE CONSCIENCE
In judging people who had not lived during the era of the gospel ? much less the law ? God will not hold them responsible for failing to keep the law or believe in the gospel. Instead, He will make their conscience and disposition the standards of judgment.
02 STANDARD OF THE LOW
People who lived during the era of the law will be judged according to the law.
03 STANDARD OF THE GOSPEL
People who lived during the era of the gospel will be judged with the gospel as the standard of judgment, and the Bible is clear on this: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18).
People who face death in the era of the Gospel will be judged according to the standards of faith in Jesus Christ before the Throne of God.
③ THOSE WHO ARE NOT SUBJECT TO CONDEMNATION
Before God’s White Throne, all people are subject to judgment. However, while there are people to be condemned, there are those who will not face condemnation. People whose names are recorded in the book of life will not be condemned but those whose names are not found in the book of life shall be condemned.
④ PURPOSE OF THE JUDGMENT
▶The Judgment is necessary because if the state of a righteous person – as that state is often in the future and thus cannot be seen – the righteousness and fairness of God cannot be verified.
▶Only at the Judgment can the overall influence in the life of a human being be evaluated in terms of good and evil.
The said influence can be measured in terms of good and evil only at the Last Judgment
▶The Judgment is necessary to reveal true characteristics of man.
① THOSE DESTINED TO HELL
Hell is a dwelling place God has prepared for the wicked. The concept of “the wicked” people here include all those non-Christians who do not believe in God and those who have become corrupt and fallen away from His grace.
▶People who do not believe in God
▶People who became corrupt and fell away from God’s grace
▶The devil and its messengers
① THOSE DESTINED TO HELL
In the Four Gospel of the New Testament, the expressions “the kingdom of heaven” and “the kingdom of God” appear. Therefore, “the kingdom of heaven” and “the kingdom of God” can be interpreted as one and the same.
② THE APPEARANCE OF HEAVEN
Heaven is described in Revelation 21:2 as “as a bride adorned for her husband.” This will be understood easily if one remembers what the Christ has told us, “I go to prepare a place for you.” It can also be thought as a beautiful place God has prepared and ornamented for His brides, the believers.
“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).
While musing over a new creation, Prophet Isaiah confessed as follows: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem [for] rejoicing, And her people [for] gladness” (Isaiah 65:17-18).
Peter’s descriptions on the impending changes and new order were very vivid: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up … But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10-13).
▶Be prepared with unwavering faith
▶Have oil prepared
▶Be spiritually awake