This listing of many Bible references shows us the importance of that great event. Not too long after the death of the apostles, men rose up who spiritualized the return of Jesus Christ. The same thing is happening right up to this day. Men die, but the spirits do not. They seize those who are ready to propagate wrong doctrines. The theory of the organization which claims that the Kingdom of God was born and established on earth in 1914 is quite commonly known. Similar teachings in connection with the setting of dates were in circulation before and after this time. Once again the phrase “the parousia of Christ” is presently in common usage. Those who teach the “parousia doctrine” assert that Christ has come already and that He is now judging and so forth. Again the actual return of Christ is being spiritualized, and those who do this speak about a special revelation, special faith, special this and special that and say that these things will be known only by a special group. The same is claimed every time. Preaching is being done with much enthusiasm, and people don’t realize that they are actually being taken away from the Truth, and robbed of the glorious hope.

Such assertion may sound very pious, but they are wrong and misleading. The Greek word “parousia” in itself means “presence” which always makes a personal appearance or coming necessary. Para-ousia means “present substance”. For instance, if the president of the United States enters the White House, that is parousia. Parousia is not fantasia; actual parousia is only existent after the visible and bodily coming of a person. Therefore there is no parousia of Christ without Him coming personally. Such a doctrine is simply nonsense. As His first presence or “epiphany” (parousia at His first coming) was truthful and real, in the same way His personal bodily coming (“parousia” or presence) at His return will be equally truthful and real. A doctrine about the parousia of Christ without Christ personally appearing has no logical and no biblical foundation.

The return of Jesus Christ and the events connected with it are not imagination or doctrine, they are realities. Paul writes, “Be-hold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (I Cor. 15: 51). Everyone can read in Mt. 17 from verse 2 what changing or transfiguration means and how it transpires: “Jesus was trans-figured before them; and his face did shine like the sun, and his raiment was as white as the light.” John saw our Lord with the same countenance on the isle of Patmos, “His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire” (Rev. 1: 12-18).

The transfiguration involves that “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor. 15: 53). In this completion and perfection there will be no growing older, but eternal youth. In Job 33: 23-28 we find the thought expressed that we shall be changed so that we are youthful again. There we read about the atonement and the intercessor: “one among a thousand”. Then in verse 24 the ransom which was found is described. In verse 25 it says, that the chosen would return to the days of their youth, in verse 26 that they shall pray to God, and that He will be favourable to them. Yes, we shall be brought back into the prime of our youth in the resurrection body. The changing will happen, “ina moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Cor. 15: 52).

This great event does not only concern the living at that time, but also those who went before us with this hope of glory. Job also expressed the resurrection by faith and said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19: 25–26).

At the return of our Lord those who sleep in Christ will receive a res-urrection body, as it is written, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (I Cor. 15: 42-44).

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (I Th. 4: 14). Whoever teaches that Christ has already come must tell us where those are whom God brought with Him. Secondly such a teaching places the living into a direct advantage compared with those who are asleep and this would contradict the clear statement of the Holy Scriptures: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (I Th. 4: 15-17).

Notice, the Lord does not return to the earth, but the over-comers, those who are asleep in Christ, will rise first and those who are alive will be changed, and together they will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air. “… and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Th. 4: 17).

The Lord is present throughout the time of grace, as He promised, in spirit form. He is with His own, and where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in their midst. On the day of Pentecost He came in the Spirit to dwell in the redeemed, as He promised (Jn. 14: 18). “… and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus“ (Eph. 2: 6). The true believers are pilgrims and strangers on the earth, they seek the blessed city whose builder is God. At the same time they are already, “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2: 19).

At the return of Christ all who are ordained to be in Glory, whether they are asleep or whether they are alive, will receive immor-tality by the quickening power of God and will be taken up to meet Him in the air. All, from His first coming right down to His return, who truly believed the Word of God preached in their day and experienced it, will meet Jesus Christ Who was their hope of glory. Amen! Paul puts it like this, “Hence-forth 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” (II Tim. 4: 8). In every church age there were those who believed what the Spirit said unto the churches and believed that the return of the Lord would happen in their generation. They used the word “Maranatha” — the Lord cometh, because the longing was so deeply rooted in their hearts. They prayed, “So come, Lord Jesus.” They were not mistaken, neither were they disappointed. They just went before us and are waiting until all have come into the Kingdom of God. Right now, at this very end of time, a total harmony of Word-Bridegroom and Word-Bride is taking place, so that finally the Spirit and the Bride say the same thing (Rev. 22: 17).

The chosen ones of the Old Testament period rose with Christ accord-ing to Mt. 27: 51-54. “And these all, having received witness through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Heb. 11: 39-40). They are waiting in paradise anticipating the hour, when all will see the completion. At that time the elect from the Old and the New Testament period will be at the great supper in Glory. Our Lord referred to it when He said, “And I say unto you that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 8: 11).

This listing of many Bible references shows us the importance of that great event. Not too long after the death of the apostles, men rose up who spiritualized the return of Jesus Christ. The same thing is happening right up to this day. Men die, but the spirits do not. They seize those who are ready to propagate wrong doctrines. The theory of the organization which claims that the Kingdom of God was born and established on earth in 1914 is quite commonly known. Similar teachings in connection with the setting of dates were in circulation before and after this time. Once again the phrase “the parousia of Christ” is presently in common usage. Those who teach the “parousia doctrine” assert that Christ has come already and that He is now judging and so forth. Again the actual return of Christ is being spiritualized, and those who do this speak about a special revelation, special faith, special this and special that and say that these things will be known only by a special group. The same is claimed every time. Preaching is being done with much enthusiasm, and people don’t realize that they are actually being taken away from the Truth, and robbed of the glorious hope.

Such assertion may sound very pious, but they are wrong and misleading. The Greek word “parousia” in itself means “presence” which always makes a personal appearance or coming necessary. Para-ousia means “present substance”. For instance, if the president of the United States enters the White House, that is parousia. Parousia is not fantasia; actual parousia is only existent after the visible and bodily coming of a person. Therefore there is no parousia of Christ without Him coming personally. Such a doctrine is simply nonsense. As His first presence or “epiphany” (parousia at His first coming) was truthful and real, in the same way His personal bodily coming (“parousia” or presence) at His return will be equally truthful and real. A doctrine about the parousia of Christ without Christ personally appearing has no logical and no biblical foundation.

The return of Jesus Christ and the events connected with it are not imagination or doctrine, they are realities. Paul writes, “Be-hold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (I Cor. 15: 51). Everyone can read in Mt. 17 from verse 2 what changing or transfiguration means and how it transpires: “Jesus was trans-figured before them; and his face did shine like the sun, and his raiment was as white as the light.” John saw our Lord with the same countenance on the isle of Patmos, “His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire” (Rev. 1: 12-18).

The transfiguration involves that “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor. 15: 53). In this completion and perfection there will be no growing older, but eternal youth. In Job 33: 23-28 we find the thought expressed that we shall be changed so that we are youthful again. There we read about the atonement and the intercessor: “one among a thousand”. Then in verse 24 the ransom which was found is described. In verse 25 it says, that the chosen would return to the days of their youth, in verse 26 that they shall pray to God, and that He will be favourable to them. Yes, we shall be brought back into the prime of our youth in the resurrection body. The changing will happen, “in  a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Cor. 15: 52).

This great event does not only concern the living at that time, but also those who went before us with this hope of glory. Job also expressed the resurrection by faith and said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19: 25–26).

At the return of our Lord those who sleep in Christ will receive a res-urrection body, as it is written, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (I Cor. 15: 42-44).

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (I Th. 4: 14). Whoever teaches that Christ has already come must tell us where those are whom God brought with Him. Secondly such a teaching places the living into a direct advantage compared with those who are asleep and this would contradict the clear statement of the Holy Scriptures: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (I Th. 4: 15-17).

Notice, the Lord does not return to the earth, but the over-comers, those who are asleep in Christ, will rise first and those who are alive will be changed, and together they will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air. “… and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Th. 4: 17).

The Lord is present throughout the time of grace, as He promised, in spirit form. He is with His own, and where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in their midst. On the day of Pentecost He came in the Spirit to dwell in the redeemed, as He promised (Jn. 14: 18). “… and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus“ (Eph. 2: 6). The true believers are pilgrims and strangers on the earth, they seek the blessed city whose builder is God. At the same time they are already, “fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2: 19).

At the return of Christ all who are ordained to be in Glory, whether they are asleep or whether they are alive, will receive immor-tality by the quickening power of God and will be taken up to meet Him in the air. All, from His first coming right down to His return, who truly believed the Word of God preached in their day and experienced it, will meet Jesus Christ Who was their hope of glory. Amen! Paul puts it like this, “Hence-forth 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” (II Tim. 4: 8). In every church age there were those who believed what the Spirit said unto the churches and believed that the return of the Lord would happen in their generation. They used the word “Maranatha” — the Lord cometh, because the longing was so deeply rooted in their hearts. They prayed, “So come, Lord Jesus.” They were not mistaken, neither were they disappointed. They just went before us and are waiting until all have come into the Kingdom of God. Right now, at this very end of time, a total harmony of Word-Bridegroom and Word-Bride is taking place, so that finally the Spirit and the Bride say the same thing (Rev. 22: 17).

The chosen ones of the Old Testament period rose with Christ accord-ing to Mt. 27: 51-54. “And these all, having received witness through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Heb. 11: 39-40). They are waiting in paradise anticipating the hour, when all will see the completion. At that time the elect from the Old and the New Testament period will be at the great supper in Glory. Our Lord referred to it when He said, “And I say unto you that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 8: 11).