Kingdom Disciples

Revelation moves inexorably from the death of Jesus to the final day when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous . At the conclusion of his ‘ Olivet Discourse ,’ Jesus gave his parable of the Sheep and the Goats. On the day when the “ Son of Man arrives in glory ,” his angels will gather all nations before him for judgment, and he will divide them into two groups. One will receive “ everlasting destruction ,” and the other, “ everlasting life .”

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians was written in the months following his departure from the city. The first epistle expressed his joy at the good news that the church remained faithful despite local opposition. The second letter addresses three main issues: Persecution, believers who refuse to work, and questions about the “ arrival ” of Jesus and the “ Day of the Lord .”

According to Jesus,  the “ Son of Man ” will arrive “ upon the clouds with great power and glory ” at the end of the present age. At that time, he will dispatch his angels to gather his elect, and he will “ render to each man according to his deeds .” And to those he finds worthy, he will declare, “ Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ” – (Matthew 24:27-28).

Several Greek terms are used in the New Testament for the return of Jesus at the end of the present age. They include parousia (“arrival”), erchomai (“coming”), and epiphaneia (“appearance”). Regardless of which one is used, in each case, it is always singular, and refers to only one future “ coming .” The term parousia is applied to his return most often in the letters of Paul, though not exclusively so. It signifies an “ arrival ” rather than the process of someone or something “coming.”