The Bible’s Teaching of the Two Coming of the Messiah

The Bible’s Teaching of the Two Coming of the Messiah

Selected Scriptures

Purpose: Today we shall see the Bible’s teaching of two coming of the Messiah so that we would appreciate that God and the Messiah has been gracious and merciful so that in our appreciation we live for Him.

Isaiah’s Teaching of Two Coming

Daniel’s Teaching of Two Coming

Zechariah’s Teaching of Two Coming

I. Isaiah’s Teaching of Two Coming

1. Proof
   1. The book of Isaiah predicts the Messiah to come more than any other book in the Old Testament.
   2. A Glorious Coming of the Messiah Predicted: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)
      1. Due to the holiday of Christmas we are familiar with Isaiah 9:6 as referring to the Messiah’s incarnation fulfilled by the Messiah.
      2. This prediction in Isaiah 9:6 is incredible for it is no ordinary child being born:
         1. “the government will rest on His shoulders”àSingular “government,” referring to the one worldwide government that should be under the Messiah’s rule.
         2. His title shows He is God: “Mighty God” yet He is born as a Child!
      3. Then verse 7 shows more about details about His government.
         1. “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace”àHis rule will be forever!
         2. The rule will be “with justice and righteousness” which will be glorious contrast with Isaiah’s days of evil kings.
         3. Seems almost impossible? The end of the verse reminds us “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”
      4. Overall don’t miss the victorious and glorious nature of the Messiah’s coming described here!
   3. Yet this truth of His glorious coming is contrasted with Isaiah 53. Let us read the whole chapter of Isaiah 53.
   4. How can Christ be both victorious in His rule and also be killed for our sins? The way we synthesize this is there is two coming of the Messiah.
2. Practice
   1. Aren’t you glad that Christ came on earth the first time to die for our sins first before He rule?
      1. If He came to rule first back in the first century AD, we won’t be here.
      2. If He came to rule first, we won’t be able to be in His kingdom because of our sins.

 

II. Daniel’s Teaching of Two Coming

1. Proof
   1. Daniel was written when Israel and Judah was in exile.
   2. A Glorious Coming of the Messiah Predicted in Daniel 7
      1. The Messiah in His glory is here called “Ancient of Days:” ““I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. 10 “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:9-10)
         1. This is before His coming. This is a scene in heaven.
         2. What details about the Messiah stood out to you?
         3. Note His glory: “His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire” (9b)
      2. “Then I desired to know the [r]exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all [s]the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and [t]which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the [u]saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was [v]passed in favor of the [w]saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the [x]saints took possession of the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:19-22)à Notice in verse 22 the Ancient of Days coming victoriously to pass judgment against this wicked ruler against God’s people.
   3. Yet this truth of His glorious coming is contrasted with Daniel 9:24-26: “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and [w]prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a [x]decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [y]Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with [z]plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the [aa]Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And [ac]its end will come with a flood; even to the end [ad]there will be war; desolations are determined.”
      1. Here we see the term “Messiah” being mentioned in verses 25 and 26.
      2. Note the Messiah will “make an end of sin” ( 24)
      3. Note the Messiah will “make atonement for iniquity” ( 24)
      4. Since the Messiah is to make atonement for iniquity “after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off” ( 26)
      5. The Messiah also will “have nothing” ( 26)
   4. How can Christ be both victorious in His rule and also be cut off and have nothing to make atonement for our sins? The way we synthesize this is there is two coming of the Messiah.
2. Practice
   1. Again aren’t you glad that Christ came on earth the first time to die for our sins first before He rule?
      1. If He came to rule first back in the first century AD, we won’t be here.
      2. If He came to rule first, we won’t be able to be in His kingdom because of our sins.
   2. Christ’s first coming has already happened. His Second Coming is next.  This time He will judge sins and rebellion.  Have you trusted in Christ dying for your sins already before it is too late?

 

III. Zechariah’s Teaching of Two Coming

1. Proof
   1. Zechariah is a Post-Exile Prophet who returned back to Jerusalem among the Remnant.
   2. A Glorious Coming of the Messiah Predicted in Zechariah 14:1-5: “ Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as [a]when He fights on a day of battle. 4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. 5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with [b]Him!”
      1. Notice how there will be a future war against Jerusalem (1)
      2. This verse teaches the Messiah coming as a warrior.
      3. What direction will the Lord come from? “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south”
   3. Yet this truth of His glorious coming is contrasted with Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the [h]foal of a donkey.”
      1. Here Christ comes for our salvation!
      2. Here Christ comes humbly.
      3. Here Christ comes on a donkey; He’s not even on a horse overlook others but eye to eye with others standing!
   4. How can Christ be both victorious in His rule and also come humbly on a donkey for our salvation? The way we synthesize this is there is two coming of the Messiah.
   5. Think now of Palm Sunday. Read Mark 11:1-11.  Note the anti-climatic ending of verse 11 “Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late” and then the next verse tells us that the next day Jesus was hungry.  Is this anti-climactic description making a point?  Yes!  This is the Messiah’s first coming being done with humility!
2. Practice
   1. Again aren’t you glad that Christ came on earth the first time to die for our sins first before He rule?
      1. If He came to rule first back in the first century AD, we won’t be here.
      2. If He came to rule first, we won’t be able to be in His kingdom because of our sins.
   2. Again Christ’s first coming has already happened. His Second Coming is next.  This time He will judge sins and rebellion.  Have you trusted in Christ dying for your sins already before it is too late?