[360]When Jesus stood before Pilate accused of sedition because he taught concerning his kingdom coming, Pilate asked him: "Art thou the King of the Jews?" And Jesus answered: "My kingdom is not of this world". (John 18:33,36) By the word world here is meant a social and political order. The Scriptures show that from the time of Zedekiah's overthrow until he whose right it is sets up his kingdom, the gentiles are in power and that these lie in the wicked one, Satan, who is the god or invisible ruler of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:3,4) Jesus speaks of him as the prince of this world. (John 12:31) Satan's rule has been unrighteous, wicked, and devilish; and when he comes whose right it is, he will establish a righteous kingdom in the place or stead of the unrighteous order of Satan. By these words, then, addressed to Pilate we would understand the Master to mean that his kingdom from that time is future, yet definitely showing that in the future time he would have a kingdom.
[361]Jesus gave to his disciples a parable designated the parable of the pounds, in which he pictured himself as a certain nobleman going into a far country to receive a kingdom and to return; and he shows that this nobleman does return. "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.... And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given money." (Luke 19:12-15) A similar picture and lesson is taught by the parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14) As further evidence of his return, Jesus said: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations."—Matthew 25:31,32.
[362]Just a short time before his crucifixion he was teaching his disciples. They understood, though imperfectly, that he was to be taken from them. His disciples were troubled at this information. Then Jesus, speaking plainly to them, said: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3) This is indisputable proof of his second coming.
[363]After his resurrection he had stated that he would ascend unto God the Father in heaven. (John 20:17) Forty days after his resurrection he was with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, instructing them to go to Jerusalem and there wait until they should receive the power of the holy spirit, that they might thereafter be witnesses for him. "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11) Without a doubt these men who here stood by the disciples in white apparel were angels or messengers sent of the Lord thus to witness to them, which angels doubtless materialized in human form for that very purpose and afterward dematerialized and disappeared. This additional testimony was given, however, that the faith of the disciples might be complete that the Lord would come again.
[364]This fact was so definitely established in the minds of the apostles that they often spoke and wrote of the second coming of the Lord. In fact, it is the great event to which they and all other true followers of the Master have looked forward. (1 Corinthians 1:7; 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; James 5:7,8; 2 Peter 1:16; Acts 3:19-21; Philippians 3:20) Of his coming again and the blessings his presence will bring to those that love him further testimony was given by the apostle Paul when he wrote to Timothy: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."—2 Timothy 4:6-8.
[365]The book of Revelation in our Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ which he gave after his glorification. He concludes this revelation by stating to St. John: "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly"; to which St. John replies, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus".—Revelation 22:20.
[366]That the Lord is to have a kingdom of righteousness, that Jesus Christ is to be the great King of that kingdom, and that he is coming a second time for the purpose of thus reigning, is so abundantly established by the Scriptures that all possible doubt is removed. An important question, therefore, for us to determine is
HOW HE COMES
[367]We must make up our minds at once that the Bible testimony concerning the manner of our Lord's coming is to be taken as conclusive. A careful examination of this will disclose the fact that the Bible does establish definitely and reasonably the manner of his appearing. Many have supposed and yet suppose that the Lord will come again in his body of humiliation, the very body in which he was crucified and which has the marks upon it, and that such is to be visible to human eyes. The words of Jesus disprove this conclusion. When instructing his disciples just before his crucifixion, Jesus said: "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also". (John 14:19) Thus he establishes the fact that his faithful disciples will see him as he is, but that the world will see him no more. And why is this true? We answer, Because Jesus was raised from the dead not a human but a spirit being, with divine nature or organism. The nature is determined by the organism or body. He now has a glorious body, which no man hath seen nor can look upon and live. (1 Timothy 6:15,16) We have heretofore examined the Scriptural evidence showing that no one of the different organisms or bodies in which Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection was his glorious body, but that such bodies were created by him for the purpose at the time.
[368]He was put to death a human being. He was raised from the dead a spirit. (1 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:45) St. John definitely shows that the body in which Jesus will appear is not his human body because he says: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but ... we shall be like him". (1 John 3:2) Jesus is no longer human, but divine; therefore we could not expect human eyes to see him. He is now the express image of Jehovah. (Hebrews 1:3) Because he is no longer human and has not a body of flesh, but a spirit body, the apostle Paul under inspiration wrote: "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more".—2 Corinthians 5:16.