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ADVENT AND THE SECOND COMING
Advent begins this coming Sunday. Advent is the beginning of the Christian annual calendar, not the end. The word, Advent, comes from the Latin adventus, meaning coming. It is a crucial time of remembrance, observation, and reality in the liturgical calendar. Advent represents a cycle of light present in a dark world. The season is not synonymous with Christmas, as some might think; yet, Advent presents a place from which Christmastide may continue in the trajectory of Christ’s life. A common misconception of Advent, however, is that the season prepares for a celebration of the First Coming of Christ. By intent, Advent focuses primarily on the Second Coming of Christ. Advent’s focus on the First Coming should only be considered in relationship to the Second Coming, i.e. the church’s connection to Israel in awaiting the Messiah. Furthermore, the Second Coming significantly impacts how one views the First Coming and certainly impacts the way one worships because of both. My aim here is to offer an enhanced perspective on Advent and the Second Coming.
Brief
Overview of Interpretations
The
goal here is not an exhaustive eschatological study but rather a brief overview
of the common perspectives on the return of Christ. There are three primary
views of Christ’s return, all with respect to the meaning of the millenial
reign. I will briefly discuss each view so that there is a spacious
understanding.
First, there
subsists the postmillennial view, which suggests that Christ will return after
an unrelenting advance of the gospel in the world, i.e. Christ reigns not only
from heaven but also on earth. Some scriptures that support this view are Psalm
2, Isaiah 2:2-4, Matthew 13, Matthew 28, and John 12. Known theologians who
hold this view are Jonathan Edwards, B.B. Warfield, Greg Bahnsen, and Kenneth
Gentry. A unique aspect of this view is that many elements hold levels of
disagreement even within the same eschatological camp. For example, there is
disagreement over whether the millenial reign is a literal thousand years or
simply an extended frame of time. Additionally, some postmillennial theologians
argue that Satan was bound by Jesus (similar to amillennialism), while others
would argue it remains a future event (in agreement with premillennialism). A
postmillennial view does not include the concept of a rapture, as Christ’s
second-coming and the rapture are one and the same. The postmillennial position
also agrees with amillennialism in that the church is the fulfillment of
Israel.
Another
commonly held view is the premillennial view. Most American Evangelical
ministers hold such a view, which argues that Christ will return before a
millenial reign. Similar to the postmillennial view, there is debate over
whether such a reign will be a literal thousand years or if such language is
figurative, although, generally, those who hold a premillennial perspective
interpret Scripture rigidly without much room for figurative language.
Moreover, a subcategory of premillennial thought exists: dispensationalism,
which teaches that God works in disparate ways throughout history depending on
the timeframe or dispensation, of which there are seven. The current
dispensational period would be considered the Age of Grace. Dispensationalists
also propose a literal rapture of the church prior to the seven-year
tribulation, while a historical premillennial view contends that such a rapture
will occur after that tribulation timeframe. Supporting theologians are Wayne Grudem,
Robert Gundry, Ben Witherington III, and Craig Blomberg. John MacArthur holds a
dispensationalist premillennial view.
A
third viewpoint is the amillenial view, which suggests a figurative approach to
the thousand years and does not support a literal anti-Christ. In this view,
Satan has been bound by Christ; thus, the impact of sin has been greatly
diminished. Amillenialism shares supporting scriptures with premillennialism,
e.g. John 5:28-29, Romans 8:17-23, 2 Peter 3:3-14, and 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10.
Known supporting theologians are Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Louis
Berkhof, C.S. Lewis, and R.C. Sproul.
My aim here is not to advocate for one eschatological view or another but to provide a broad overview of perspectives. Many respected ministers and theologians throughout Christian history have fallen into various categories relating to end times. While it is good to understand various perspectives, it is more important to understand that the return of Christ is certain and we should be ready for it at all times.
Christian
Connection to Ancient Israel in Awaiting the Messiah’s Coming
A significant aspect of Advent, for Christians, is the connection to God’s chosen people in ancient Israel, for as such people awaited the coming of Messiah, so we also await Christ’s coming but through his Second Coming. We hold a substantial association with the children of Israel in the fact that we have been grafted into the chosen people (Rom 11). Advent, for believers, does not focus primarily on the First Coming of Christ but the Second Coming, for as Israel long-awaited the coming of Messiah, God’s people now yearn for his Second Coming. Israel, a people in bondage, broken, tortured, and hated, longed for the one who would come to save them, although their idea of such a person was vastly disparate from the one who is truly Messiah, Jesus Christ. We also await the Second Coming of Christ as a people who live in exile and are but sojourners in a foreign land. When a Christian prays for the Lord to come quickly, it is an Advent prayer; when believers see the utter evil in the world and long for a better place that is home, it is an Advent longing; and indeed, when the church sings of God’s reign on earth, it is an Advent proclamation that realizes a world where Messiah reigns and evil is banished much in the same manner Israel longed for a savior. That savior has come and is here; yet, he will also come again to take his people, his heirs, to rule with him. Advent points to the Second Coming so that God’s people may rejoice in the hope that presently exists.
How
Should a Realization of Advent Impact Christian Life and Worship?
The
realization of Advent should not be misunderstood or dismissed. Current trends
suggest a falling away from the hope of Advent. More churches seemingly dismiss
the importance of Christmastide in their church year and subsequently separate altogether
from Advent celebrations. Both are vastly important; yet, Advent offers a
deliberate way to worship Christ by honoring the promise of his Second Coming.
In a hopeless world, Advent offers hope, which is certainly foundational to
Christian worship. As believers worship in the coming weeks, my prayer is that
Jesus would be magnified and hope offered to the church by remembering not only
his First Coming but also the hope found in the surety of his Second Coming.
