Matt 16:38,17:8 Coming in his Kingdom CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The last verse of Matt 16 alerts us to what’s going to happen in the first nine verses of the next chapter. The Lord is going to show what it will be like when he returns. The text doesn’t say “until the Son of man comes in his kingdom;” it says, “till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” They “see” Jesus coming in his kingdom in the first few verses of Matt 17. From his appearance on the Mount of Transfiguration, we learn a lot about Jesus’ second coming:

We know that he’s coming in his kingdom

The Disciples’ prayer in Matt 6 says “thy kingdom come.” The Lord’s Supper is in remembrance of Jesus death till he comes (1 Cor 11:26). Acts 1:11 says he’ll come back the same way he ascended. There are more prophecies on his 2nd coming than any other doctrine in the Bible.

We know about when he’s coming

Matt 17:1 says “after 6 days,” whereas Lk 9:28 says “about an 8 days.” After 6 and about 8 is 7. So the 7th day is when he appeared to them. When you cross reference this with 2 Pet 3:8, you see that we are at the end of the 6th one thousand year period since Genesis 1. Bishop Ussher has Adam in the garden in 4004 BC. If each day is as a thousand years and there 6 days of creation, then after 6000 years, Jesus should return. The 7th day is a day of rest (Gen 2:1) and the thousand year reign of Jesus matches the 7th day as a period of rest. We must be close to his coming.

We know that he will be like the sun (that’s why people worship the sun god)

He was transfigured before them – like the sun, his raiment was white as the light (Mal 4:2, Ps 19:4-6) – Since the church age is pictured as night (1 Thes 5:2), therefore the 2nd Advent is pictured as daybreak or morning (Mk 13:35; 2 Pet 1:19) – John said Jesus was the light of New Jerusalem so that there would be no need of the sun (Rev 21:23)

We know that Moses and Elijah will come before him as the two witnesses

Moses & Elijah appeared with him – the context is the 2nd Advent – therefore, the 2 witnesses of Rev 11 are Moses & Elijah not Enoch & Elijah – Moses and Elijah

1. Were both on the Mt. of Transfiguration with Jesus: Matt. 17:1-5.
2. Were the last two men mentioned in the Old Testament: Mal. 4:4-5, (the context is the Second Coming).
3. Were both taken to heaven from the same place: Deut. 34:6; 2 Ki. 2.
4. Both fasted 40 days just like Christ: Ex. 24:18; 1 Ki. 19:8; Matt. 4:2.
5. Were both on Mt. Sinai (Horeb), which is probably the same wilderness in which Jesus was tempted: Ex. 24:16; 1 Ki. 19:8; Lk. 4:1-13.
6. Both destroyed men with fire: Rev. 11:5; Num. 16:35; 2 Ki. 1:10.
7. Both stood by the Lord on the earth: Zech. 4:14; Ex. 33:20-21; 1 Ki. 19:11.
8. Both stopped the rain: Rev. 11:6; Ex. 9:33; 1 Ki. 17:1; Jas. 5:17.

We know that the time will be in the fall

Peter said that they should build 3 tabernacles (Lk 9:33 not knowing what he said) – this is a clue to the time of the 2nd Advent – it will be at the feast of tabernacles (see Deut 16:16) – the Crucifixion was at Passover (feast of unleavened bread) – the coming of the Holy Ghost was at Pentecost (feast of weeks Deut 16:9-10) – that leaves the feast of tabernacles for the remaining big event, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Some suggest, therefore, that the rapture will be at springtime at the feast of weeks [Song Of Sol 2:10-13])