Sunday
August 15
1. EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM
a. What promise did Jesus leave His beloved disciples as they longed to remain continually in His presence? John 14:1–3; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28.
“The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of His true followers.”—The Great Controversy, p. 302.
b. Will this coming be invisible, secret, or something that everyone will be able to see? Matthew 24:23–27; Acts 1:9–11; Revelation 1:7.
“[When Christ returns,] the whole world will know and understand. They will realize who and what they, poor, feeble, finite beings, have been warring against.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 739, 740.
c. Describe the terror that will take possession of the wicked when they see Christ coming in glory. Revelation 6:14–17.
Monday
August 16
2. HOW WILL JESUS COME?
a. Describe the manner of Christ’s coming. Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38.
“[Christ] the Lord of life and glory, would be seated at God’s right hand. He would be the judge of all the earth, and from His decision there could be no appeal. Then every secret thing would be set in the light of God’s countenance, and judgment be passed upon every man according to his deeds.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 708.
b. What happened to the soldiers guarding the tomb of Christ when an angel appeared to them in his glory? Matthew 28:2–4.
“At sight of the angels and the glorified Saviour the Roman guard had fainted and become as dead men. When the heavenly train was hidden from their view, they arose to their feet, and as quickly as their trembling limbs could carry them, made their way to the gate of the garden. Staggering like drunken men, they hurried on to the city, telling those whom they met the wonderful news. They were making their way to Pilate, but their report had been carried to the Jewish authorities, and the chief priests and rulers sent for them to be brought first into their presence. A strange appearance those soldiers presented. Trembling with fear, their faces colorless, they bore testimony to the resurrection of Christ. The soldiers told all, just as they had seen it; they had not had time to think or speak anything but the truth. With painful utterance they said, It was the Son of God who was crucified; we have heard an angel proclaiming Him as the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory.”—Ibid., p. 781.
c. How will the nations react at the coming of Christ in glory? Matthew 24:27, 30; Isaiah 13:6–9.
Tuesday
August 17
3. THE HARVEST
a. Describe the spiritual harvest that will be reaped at Christ’s second coming. Revelation 14:14–16; Matthew 24:31.
“Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when ‘the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed’ (1 Corinthians 15:52). A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us ‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy’ (Jude 24). Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, ‘When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh’ (Luke 21:28).”—The Desire of Ages, p. 632.
b. How will the saints be rewarded at the coming of Christ? Matthew 16:27; 25:34; 2 Timothy 4:7, 8; 1 John 3:2, 3.
“[Matthew 16:27 quoted.] The reward will not be according to his faith but according to his works, and the life will be eternal with Jesus.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 98.
“Good works will be rewarded according to the motive that prompted them; that skill and intellect used in the service of God will prove a success, and will be rewarded according to the fidelity of the worker. Those who have had an eye single to the glory of God will have the richest reward. Selfishness, indolence, worldliness, pride, covetousness, and human ambition will appear in their true and hateful character, as the works of Satan; while every work done from love to Jesus, with a sincere desire to glorify Him, will appear as the height of human excellence and wisdom.”—The Signs of the Times, November 20, 1884.
Wednesday
August 18
4. THE RESURRECTION MORNING
a. At the coming of Christ, what will happen to the righteous dead and to the living righteous? Where will they meet Jesus? 1 Corinthians 15:51–58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.
“Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: ‘Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!’ Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. . . . And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.
“All come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb. Adam, who stands among the risen throng, is of lofty height and majestic form, in stature but little below the Son of God. He presents a marked contrast to the people of later generations; in this one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race. But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth. In the beginning, man was created in the likeness of God, not only in character, but in form and feature. Sin defaced and almost obliterated the divine image; but Christ came to restore that which had been lost. He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body. The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave. . . .
“The living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’ (1 Corinthians 15:52). At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels ‘gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ (Matthew 24:31). Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers’ arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.”—The Great Controversy, pp. 644, 645.
b. What protection do those who are resurrected at Christ’s coming receive? Revelation 20:6.
Thursday
August 19
5. WATCH AND BE SOBER
a. What should be our main concern in view of the expectation of Christ’s coming? Mark 13:35–37; James 5:7–9.
b. Is Jesus going to come as a surprise to the waiting saints? 1 Thessalonians 5:1–6. When are we going to know the exact day and hour of Jesus’ coming? Revelation 16:17, 18.
“As God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah, and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully solemn. And at the end of every sentence the saints shouted, ‘Glory! Alleluia!’ Their countenances were lighted up with the glory of God; and they shone with the glory, as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai. The wicked could not look on them for the glory. And when the never-ending blessing was pronounced on those who had honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, there was a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.”—Early Writings, p. 34.
Friday
August 20
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
a. What is the most glorious event of all ages?
b. Describe the second coming of our Lord and Saviour.
c. Will the unconcerned multitudes, who are without God and without salvation, have a second chance at the coming of Christ or at any time thereafter?
d. Who is resurrected at the second coming?
e. How can we get ready for His second appearing?