Our Lord Cometh: Thoughts on the Olivet Discourse by William J Rowlands.
THE theory of the two-stage coming of the Lord is indeed very dear to the hearts of many of God’s people, who feel that if their belief in a secret, any moment rapture of the church were taken from them, the value and power as well as the joy of the Blessed Hope would be lost.
The idea that the church has been for 1,900 years expecting an any-moment coming,that may still be today or many years hence, is vague and unsatisfying. It has given room for the Lord’s enemies to say "Where is the promise of His coming?" and, since some have asserted that"the church’s hope waits on no sign," there is, in this theory, no relief, until the longed-for moment arrives. I write sympathetically; for I write for those whom I love in truth. Every prophesied event for this age, connected with the Jews or Gentiles or the church of God, precludes the thought thatthe church at Pentecost expected an any-moment coming, and if we expect what they could notexpect, our hope is different from theirs.
Outstanding passages such as Luke 21:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, Revelation3:10 are helpfully dealt with and Matthew 24 and 25 fully so. By this production the Truth will beserved and we may expect God’s blessing on it.
