Why Christ Returns

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.—Acts 3:20,21

Larry McClellan

The main object of our Lord’s return as declared by the apostle Peter is the "restitution of all things." Along with the object of "restoration," there are other features as well. Christ comes: 1) to judge the saints, the institutions of the world, and the human race itself; 2) to destroy; 3) to subdue; 4) to prepare and educate the world for a final inspection by Jehovah God.

Restitution

The Scriptures speak mainly of restoring the earth, Israel, and the world of mankind. The restoration of the earth is ultimately to the perfection surrounding Adam, God’s first human creation. Adam had dominion over all of the earth including all of God’s creation on the earth (Genesis 1:26). He and his wife Eve enjoyed all their God-given rights and liberties until the sin of disobedience occurred. Had they not sinned, God would have allowed them to have much more than they already had. As a result of disobedience, they lost their rights and liberties, and finally they lost their lives which they and their children could no longer claim as a right (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:17–19).

Jesus was the only other perfect man. When Jesus "kept the law" by perfect obedience, he claimed rights granted by the law of God to the ownership of the earth—rights Adam had lost through disobedience—as well as the "life rights" granted by the Law (Romans 10:5; Leviticus 18:5; Galatians 3:12).

Jesus’ first advent was mainly to "redeem" Adam and his race; his second advent is to "restore" Adam and his race. Although Jesus did have the rights to earth’s dominion at Jordan when he presented himself perfect, he consecrated himself and sacrificed those earthly rights. He withheld his claim to earth’s dominion and restoration until the proper time at afuture second advent. This provided time forthe development and selection of his bride-to-be—the second Eve, the little flock. (See 1Corinthians 15:45; Luke 12:32; Daniel 7:13,14.)

Peter said that the object of Jesus’ return would be "the restitution of all things." That will eventually mean all that Adam lost—earthly life for him and the whole human race, and the rights and liberties of a restored earth (1 Corinthians 15:21,22). As the promise given to Abraham declares: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:8,16,29; Isaiah 35).

Many equate the Lord’s return with the restoration of rights to the people. This seems indicated by the name of the last church in Revelation—Laodicea, meaning "justice for the people"—and the biblical picture of Israel’s jubilee. This trend seems further indicated with the twice-repeated Scripture that "every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low" (Isaiah 40:4; Luke 3:5).

We have begun to see some evidence that rights are being restored to people who have long been subjected to injustice, such as women and black people. Since slavery was abolished in the 1860s, the blacks have become more liberated in the United States. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. In 1964, the strongest civil rights bill in U.S. history ordered restaurants, hotels, and other businesses that serve the general public to serve all people without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. It protected a person’s "freedom" to seek employment without discrimination. On the international scene, the fall of apartheid in South Africa and the establishment of a government under Nelson Mandela has demonstrated the fall of yet another racial barrier.

Women have had their rights suppressed for millennia by selfish men. In 1890 the National American Women Suffrage Association was formed because women were not allowed to vote in public elections in the United States. In 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote. In 1893 New Zealand granted women voting rights, Australia in 1902. Sweden and England gave women full voting rights in 1921 and 1928, respectively. In 1918 the Soviet Union instituted maternity leave, government funded child care, equal pay for equal work, equal education, and the right to hold any political office. The U.S. Equal Pay Act of 1963 required equal pay for men and women doing the same work. Jesus said no feature of the Law could fail until all had been fulfilled (Matthew 5:18). We have seen at least a beginning "restoration" of rights and liberties to some of earth’s billions of women as well as civil rights for minority groups.

Judgment

Christ’s reign on earth will be "to subdue and to prepare" humanity for the final inspection given by God during the little season (1Corinthians 15:24–28; Revelation 20:7–9; Revelation 2:26,27). Those who pass that inspection will be privileged to have everlasting life on earth during the "ages to come" (Revelation 22:1–3; Ephesians 2:7).

Peter declares that it will be a "day of judgment" (2 Peter 3:7) for indeed, all judgment hath been committed unto the Son (John 5:22). Judgment, also according to Peter, "must first begin at the house of God," the Gospel Age Church (1 Peter 4:17).

Paul tells us that in that day the "righteous judge" shall give his faithful saints a "crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8). The apostle John informs us that at Christ’s second advent he rewards the saints during a time when the nations are angry—due to the commotion of judgment brought about by his return and reign (Revelation 11:17,18). In the parable of the nobleman Jesus points to this object of his return, namely, judgment and rewarding of his saints (Luke 19:12–27).

But the judgment of that day continues and extends to the "institutions" dominated and deluded by Satan, the "god of this world" (2Corinthians 4:4). Christ’s object is also "to destroy" the unrighteous and misleading doctrines and practices of these institutions beginning with the gradual destruction of spiritual Babylon. "The heavens shall pass away with a great noise" (2 Peter 3:10). Heavens symbolize "spiritual powers." It is obvious from a comparison with Matthew 24:31 that the heavens are symbolic because Christ doesn’t gather his saints from heaven if that is where they are going.

Babylon represents the "systems" of Christendom in the widest sense (not the people), primarily the Papacy which is styled "the mother of harlots" in Revelation 17:5. These systems have committed "spiritual harlotry" with the "kings of the earth." The Papal system in particular has a long history of illicit relationships with earthly kingdoms. It is styled "Jezebel" who "seduced" God’s servants to commit spiritual fornication (Revelation 2:20–23).

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Paul taught that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20, NAS). So nominal Babylon is "judged and destroyed" as an object of Christ’s return particularly for their adulterous relationships and "coalition" with the nations and politics of the world (Revelation 14:8; 18:1–21; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Destruction Begins

There is evidence that Christian church institutions today are beginning to "melt with a fervent heat," losing attendance in their pews compared to centuries past. Fewer people are attending Catholic and Protestant churches today compared to 50 or 100 years ago. Most of the churches are in a "tailspin" of downward financial support from the masses and are frantically trying to stay afloat on a restless (and faithless) sea (Revelation 18:17–20).

Peter states that an object and result of Christ’s return is that "the elements [political, religious, social, and industrial elements] shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth [societal institutions] also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up [consumed wholly]." (2 Peter 3:10)

The heat of public discussion, debate, and investigation by a more and more educated and informed people has been destroying the way political leadership has been perceived. The "core" of human society—the family unit—has been melting into dysfunctional relationships because of the breakdown of societal standards and traditional marriage moral values. Partly because of the trouble of the past century caused by all the wars, and with education awakening an awareness of rights and liberties, we have seen the social and political organizations that society once had "dissolve" at an accelerated rate.

The societal combustion of strife and friction from the home to the Office of the President has been the effect of a world illuminated by education that has become more widespread over the past 100 years. Real and fancied rights have been demanded by a selfish and proud society. Knowing about rights is there, but the "heart" has not caught up to it nor to God’s righteous laws. Therefore there is a great deal of trouble in the world (Zephaniah 1:14–18; Hebrews 12:26,27).

We are told to "judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (1 Corinthians 4:5). The mass media has played a large part in manifesting things that, prior to this century, were hidden from the eyes of the public. What presidents did in the past, they cannot hide today. Exposing immoral leadership has caused a further breakdown of respect for leaders in organized society under the tottering domain of Satan (Isaiah 24:19–23).

Education and Preparation

The Lord’s anger will burn against every kind of injustice and iniquity in the world of Satan. The light of truth will expose the many superstitions and erroneous practices of the past with its bondage to sin and unrighteousness. This will tear down the old order and plow up the ground for God’s kingdom, preparing the hearts of mankind for the seeds of truth and righteousness. Indeed, one of Christ’s objects is "to teach." He will awaken, correct, resurrect, and teach mankind the universal righteous laws of love and justice. He will teach mercy and humility. Christ will pour out the spirit of God upon the entire race and become the light that will "lighten every man" (John 1:9).

Christ’s reign on earth will be to subdue and to prepare humanity for the final inspection given by God during the "little season" (1Corinthians 15:24–28; Revelation 20:7–9; 2:26,27). Those who pass that inspection will be privileged to have everlasting life on earth during the "ages to come" (Revelation 22:1–3; Ephesians 2:7).

Christ’s kingdom will be the "desire of all nations." His object is the restoration and the reconciliation of the entire race of humanity with the great God of all creation, Jehovah (Ephesians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Revelation 22:17).