Just so
the presence of the Lord. He quietly appears and his presence begins to
shed light in all parts of the earth.
[385]The Prophet of the Lord also used the sun to illustrate the Lord
Jesus, saying: "The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his
wings". (Malachi 4:2) Again Jesus likened his faithful followers unto
the sun when he said: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their Father".--Matthew 13:43.
[386]In examining the evidence, then, with reference to the Lord's
second appearing, if we will keep always in mind that his appearance is
not and will not be visible to human eyes, but that it will be gradually
discernible in the physical facts which will occur in fulfillment of
prophecy, we shall be better enabled to understand the various
Scriptural texts bearing upon the subject.
TIME OF HIS COMING
[387]The time of the Lord's second appearing is of great importance to
all, and Christians, since the days of the apostles, have been watching
for some evidence of his presence and asking the question, When will the
Lord appear? While those who love the Lord discuss the important
question, some have answered saying, 'The Lord is liable to come any
moment. He may come tonight,' These expect the Lord's appearing in a
visible body. Others who have no real desire for his coming, because it
would interfere with their selfish plans, say: 'He will not come in my
time; he will not come for fifty-thousand years or more; hence there is
no reason for our concerning ourselves about his coming'.
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