Sign Of His Coming

When Jesus said, “Take, eat; this is My body,” was the bread His body or the symbol of it? 

When He said, “I am the door,” was He a door or was the door a symbol?

When Revelation one says the seven candlesticks are the seven churches, were they the seven churches or symbols of them?

When Jesus destroyed Jerusalem, was it His coming or the symbol (i.e. sign) of it?

When Jesus said Jerusalem would be destroyed in that generation and not one stone of the Temple would be left standing, did the disciples ask when He was coming or what would be the sign of His coming?

“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mat. 24:3)

When did “these things” happen? Jesus answered: “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Mat 24:34). They happened 40 years after Jesus prophesied it.

Was that the end of the Old Testament age? Obviously, it was. No more sacrifices and ceremonial laws.

Was the destruction of the Temple His coming or the sign (symbol) of His coming? It was the sign that He had already come to the Ancient of days when He ascended with the clouds and came in His glory, and sat on the throne of His glory (Mat 25:31). Was the bread His body or the symbol of it?

When Jesus said He was coming soon, did He mean His coming was the literal second coming or the symbol of the second coming?

When Isaiah said, “Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt” (Isa 19:1), and the commentaries report that He came with the Assyrian invasion (Isa 20), was He speaking literally or symbolically?

When David described his deliverance from Saul and his other enemies by saying, “He bowed the heavens also, and came down,” was he speaking literally or symbolically?

The two following verses are prayers for the Lord’s coming in revival.

“He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth” (Ps 72:6).

“Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down” (Ps 144:5).

The kingdom of God came when Jesus ascended to the Ancient of Days. The disciples knew nothing of a second coming. They did not even know He would die and be resurrected. The first time they ever learned of a second coming was after He ascended in Acts 1.

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