We hear much about the fact that Christ is soon to return to the earth. We hear little about the PURPOSE of His coming. WHY is He coming? Is it (a) to DESTROY all unsaved people by the brightness of His coming, or (b) to meet US -- the saints -- as we are resurrected and rise to meet Him? Let us search the Scriptures.

1. Did Jesus’ disciples believe that He was going to establish the Kingdom of God immediately, in the disciples lifetime? Luke 19:11-27 In this parable that Jesus gave to His disciples, did Jesus indicate that the servants were going to have to give account to their master?

2. Did the Prophet Micah prophesy that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would judge many people and rebuke strong nations? Micah 4:3 Did he also prophesy that there would be no more war and that the people would beat their swords into plowshares?

3. Do the Scriptures teach that the same Jesus who trod the earth in human flesh shall ever return to earth? Acts 1:11; John 14:3.

4. Why did Jesus leave the earth and go to heaven? John 16:7, 14:2; Luke 19:12. What are the three reasons?

5. Were Jesus’ apostles interested in the subject of His returning to the earth and what question did they ask Him? Matthew 24:3.

(NOTE: Jesus answers His disciples question by giving this end time prophecy on the Mount of Olives. Read the entire chapter of Matthew 24 to see what all has to happen before Jesus will return.)

6. After Jesus answered their question by telling them of many conditions that would come upon the world, and important events that would happen, what did He say of His returning to the earth? Will the wicked people mourn at the return of Christ to the earth? Matthew 24:29-30. Will some people try to hide from Christ? Revelation 6:15-17.

7. Is it possible for anyone to know the day and hour of Christ’s coming? Matthew 24:36, 42. What does Jesus tell us to watch for? Luke 21:31.

8. Will the Saints be resurrected when Jesus returns to this earth? When Jesus returns will it be a secret or will there be noise and the sound of a trumpet? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Will every eye see Him? Rev. 1:7.

9. Jesus has gone to heaven UNTIL what time? Acts 3:20-21. (NOTE: Dictionary definition of "restitution" is "the act of RESTORING something that has been taken away or lost. Restoration to a former condition or position.")

10. When God finished Creation, was everything perfect and beautiful?

Genesis 1:31. Did a CURSE come upon even the ground as a result of sin? Genesis 3:17-18.

11. Is it given of God for ALL people to UNDERSTAND the Gospel and be converted NOW, in this dispensation? Mark 4:11-12. Why did Jesus speak in parables? Was it so that outsiders would remain blinded to God’s way of life?

12. If those who are now called, surrender and are converted, continue GROWING in grace and knowledge, overcoming sin, enduring trials and tests unto the end, will they be given a work to do in the restoration of truth, peace, righteousness, and happiness through the Kingdom age? Revelation 2:26-27, 3:21; I Corinthians 6:2. Will the Saints help Christ judge and rule the world? I Corinthians 6:2.

13. Will some be "kings" -- ruling politically, one over ten cities, another over five, etc., -- while others are "priests," ministering the TRUTH and salvation? Luke 19:11-27. Where does this say we shall reign with Christ? Revelation 5:10.

14. When Jesus comes TO RESTORE all things, what will happen to the false preachers, teachers and prophets? Ezekiel 34:10-12. God considers priests to be shepherds of His people which He compares to a flock of sheep. Did these false preachers take advantage of God’s people (flock)?

15. Is Jesus our good and true shepherd? Is it His job to protect His flock from robbers? John 10:1-16.

(NOTE: The shepherd‘s life was hard and dangerous and it was the shepherd’s job to protect the flock from wild animals, especially wolves and from robbers, who were ready to steal the sheep. The true shepherd had to love his flock.)

16. Does the Apostle Peter call Jesus our Chief Shepherd? 1 Peter 5:2-4.

17. Why does God allow false prophets to be among His people? Is it because God is testing His people? Deuteronomy 13:1-8. What are the seven things that God’s people are to do to pass this test? Deuteronomy 13:3-4.

18. When Jesus comes, what will happen to the kingdoms and governments of this world? Revelation 11:15, 19:15-16; Daniel 2:44.

19. Is the KINGDOM the PLACE Jesus went to prepare? Matthew 25:34.

The Lord is My Shepherd! - Learn more about the responsibilities of a shepherd and Jesus being our Shepherd.

Micah 4:3 (NKJV) "He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more."

(Acts 1:11 NKJV) "who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.""

(John 14:3 NKJV) ""And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

(John 16:7 NKJV) ""Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."

(John 14:2 NKJV) ""In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

(Luke 19:12 NKJV) "Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return."

(Mat 24:3 NKJV) "Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?""

(Mat 24:29-30 NKJV) ""Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. {30} "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

(Rev 6:15-17 NKJV) "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, {16} and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! {17} "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?""

(Mat 24:36 NKJV) ""But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

(Mat 24:42 NKJV) ""Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."

(Luke 21:31 NKJV) ""So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near."

(1 Th 4:13-17 NKJV) "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. {14} For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. {15} For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. {16} For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. {17} Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

(Rev 1:7 NKJV) "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen."

(Acts 3:20-21 NKJV) ""and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, {21} "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."

(Gen 1:31 NKJV) "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

(Gen 3:17-18 NKJV) "Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. {18} Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field."

(Mark 4:11-12 NKJV) "And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, {12} "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.'""

(Rev 2:26-27 NKJV) ""And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; {27} 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'; as I also have received from My Father;"

(Rev 3:21 NKJV) ""To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

(1 Cor 6:2 NKJV) "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"

(Rev 5:10 NKJV) "And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.""

(Ezek 34:10-12 NKJV) "'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them." {11} 'For thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. {12} "As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day."

(John 10:1-16 NKJV) ""Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. {2} "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. {3} "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. {4} "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. {5} "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." {6} Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. {7} Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. {8} "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. {9} "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. {10} "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. {11} "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. {12} "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. {13} "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. {14} "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. {15} "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. {16} "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd."

(1 Pet 5:2-4 NKJV) "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; {3} nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; {4} and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."

(Deu 13:1-8 NKJV) ""If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, {2} "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'; which you have not known; 'and let us serve them,' {3} "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. {4} "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. {5} "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst. {6} "If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, {7} "of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, {8} "you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him;"

(Rev 11:15 NKJV) "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!""

(Rev 19:15-16 NKJV) "Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

(Dan 2:44 NKJV) ""And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

(Mat 25:34 NKJV) ""Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"