Articles
Wonderful World Tomorrow   
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September 03, 2010

CHRIST’S RETURN – A DAY OF WRATH
 
If you believe what Jesus Christ said, you believe in a day of wrath to come. If you were to quote all the scriptures in the Bible that foretell a time on this earth of global catastrophe, you would have a book equaling one-third of the Bible. Yet very little effort is made by modern Christianity to teach this central theme of the Bible.

Christianity claims to be the religion of Christ. But little effort is made by organized Christianity to proclaim Christ’s warning about a coming day of wrath. Very little is taught about what Christ himself warned concerning the future of mankind on the earth. You will not hear mainstream Christianity using scriptures such as the following:

Matthew 24:21-22
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. KJV

Mark 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. KJV

Luke 21:22-26
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. KJV

Luke 21:34-37
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. KJV

These are just a few of the words Christ wrote on this topic. But after his resurrection, after his being placed at the right hand of God the Father, Christ had his closest disciple, John, write down the revelations that were given to him by the father. John’s transcriptions of Christ’s revelations about a time of wrath yet to come fill 22 chapters of the book of Revelation. The entire book of Revelation is dedicated to showing the servants of Christ -- Christians -- things to come in the future that will disrupt this earth as never before. These prophecies were so important for John to properly transmit to Christians that Christ “sent and signified” (marked for emphasis) them by an angel:

Revelation 1:1-3, 7
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand…..7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. KJV

The entire time Christ walked this earth, one of his central message was that mankind’s corrupt ways would eventually bring on a time of wrath never before seen on this earth. After his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to the throne of God the Father, Christ used the apostle John to tell Christians that before his return there would be a time of tribulation so great that if he did not return, no human being would be left alive.

Matthew 24:22
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. KJV

Upon Christ’s ascension to heaven his disciples did not fail to sound this warning. The apostle Paul, considered by most theologians to be the most in-depth writer in the New Testament, warned continually of the coming “wrath of God.”

Romans 1:18
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; KJV

In the first chapter of Romans Paul gives an extended description of the sins of the society he lived in. He ends the indictment with a powerful warning:

Romans 2:5-8
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, KJV

Paul refers to God’s wrath that comes on those who refuse to obey God no less than nine times in the book of Romans alone (for example, see Romans 4:15, 5:9, 9:22, and 13:4). It should be clear that a major message of the church founded by Jesus Christ must be that there is a day of God’s wrath coming.

What does the word translated as wrath in the New Testament mean? The word translated wrath in the New Testament is number 3709 in Strong’s exhaustive concordance. It is defined as violent passion, vengeance, and abhorrence. Properly understood, it reveals that God violently abhors the modern society of our time, especially its moral and spiritual degeneracy. The first two chapters of the book of Romans tell us He will take vengeance on this world and those who practice what Paul condemned so vehemently.

By whom will this wrath come? The same messenger who is quoted extensively in the four Gospels as delivering the message that there is a day of wrath coming. Jesus Christ, is the one coming to this world a second time with great vengeance. He will not come as a sacrificial lamb as he did the first time, coming into Jerusalem as the Prince of peace riding the colt of a donkey:

John 12:15
15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. KJV

When these words were written, a king who was coming in peace road a young donkey. A donkey Is not a steed for war. Christ showed his peaceful purpose at his first coming by riding a donkey into Jerusalem, signifying that he was on a mission of peace. The response he received to his mission of peace was his violent murder. At his second coming Christ will not subject himself to mans’ wrath. Instead he will be riding a horse -- symbolically a mount for war.

Revelation 19:11
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. KJV

At his second coming he will come with a fierce wrath that has been brewing for two millennia, the likes of which this earth has never seen before:

Revelation 19:12-13
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. KJV

Upon his return he will conquer the nations; and after his wrath is spent, no one will oppose him:

Revelation 19:15-16
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. KJV

To deny that there is a day of wrath coming on this earth is to deny Christ himself. That time will strike fear in all men’s hearts because it will be the most disruptive time this earth has ever known:

Matthew 24:19, 21
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!….21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. KJV

Thankfully, the coming day of wrath was not Christ’s only message. His entire message is a message that also declares the solution to all the war, starvation, and poverty that continue to plague the world. The good news that Christ brought is that he, as the ruling monarch, is going to return to bring a global government with him that will produce peace and prosperity for all humanity. To understand Christ’s full message, download or request our free booklet, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHRIST.