The Second Advent Of Jesus

BIBLE AND THE SECOND COMING OF MESSIAH Perhaps there would be any person in the history of mankind, who has more mysterious personality than Jesus of Nazareth. There are lot off controversies about Jesus Christ in different religion, even in different denominations of Christianity. His birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, ascension to heaven and his second advent are the controversial issues. But all these issues can be solved easily in the light of the Holy Bible. And to understand the Bible, it is necessary to have understandings about its terminologies, the proverbs or the parables used in it. This time I want to elaborate about the second advent of Christ. If we study the Bible, there are many prophecies concerning to this issue. These prophecies not only give the details of the signs related to the appearance of the Christ but also pinpoint the time of his appearance. There are several signs mentioned in the Bible, but I would discuss some of the most important.

SIGNS ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF MESSIAH (1). Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. (Matthew 24/7) It is a so great and visible sign, that no body can deny that this sign is not fulfilled. It is true that the wars are not started only in this age, and there is always blood shed since the appearance of Edam, but the wars, which took place within the last hundred years, have no parallel in the history of mankind. Within the last hundred years, in more than 200 wars, more than 50 million people have been killed around the globe. In this period on any given day, there have been, on the average, 10 wars going on somewhere in the world. And there is always continuous threat of another war, every moment. Such great destruction never happened, in the last 6 thousand years. The Nuclear weapons existing this time in the world are enough to destroy every soul on the earth, even 50 times more the existing population. Bible also gives horrible scene of the wars of this age, like atomic explosion. “And the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 peter3/10) Then it is mentioned. “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.” (2peter3/12)

Is it not what happened during the Second World War when the atomic bombs were dropped upon Japan? Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Are these not the living proofs of it? (2).” And there shall be famines (food shortages). (Matthew 24/7) This sign is also fulfilled, and there is not even iota of doubt about its appearance, There is more than one forth of the total population of the world which could not get enough to eat, even in some places where food is plentiful, but the people are too poor to buy it. Millions of peoples are dieing in hunger only in Africa every year. And if I am not wrong billions of people are suffering with starvation all over the world. It is calculated that after every 8 second someone dies in an under developed country as a result of illness caused by malnutrition. After the 1st world war greatest famine appeared in the world history, when in china alone more than 15,000 people died every day with starvation. (4). “There will be pestilences in divers places” (Luke 21/11) This sign also appeared in a very clear way in different parts of the world, within the last hundred years. Millions of people died with epidemic in the last century. After the 2nd world war more than 20 million people died with Spanish flu. Million of people died with smallpox in India after the 2nd World war. And more then million people die every year with cholera alone. Actual word in Greek, which is translated as pestilences, is “Loy-Mos” and its true translation is plague. If we study plague that spread in the last century, it is horrible. Millions of people died with plague in India alone, and more than that in Europe. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) warned the world especially India, ahead of time about the appearance of that plague. And that plague appeared at the end of the nineteen-century as it was predicted by Promised Messiah (a.s). Promised Messiah (a.s) also predicted about another type of plague especially for the Christian countries, which appeared in this age in the form of Aids. And this plague I mean Aids has infected especially Christians as it was predicted. Aids is a horrible disease, which is chopping the hearts of the people and still no cure is found for it, and there is no hope in the near future also. Every day its graph is going higher and higher, covering the entire globe. (5). “There will be earthquakes in one place after another” 24/7)

(Matthew

In the last hundred years more than 50 great earthquakes took place, and nearly three million people died in these major earthquakes, and the property of trillions of dollars was destroyed during these disasters. In 1908, 75,000 people died in earthquakes, in Messina, Italy. Then in 1915, 30,000 people died in Avezzano, Italy. In 1920, more than 200,000, people died in kansu Province, China, during an earthquake. Then one after another earthquake occurred, and

millions of people died. In 1923, nearly 150,000 people died in Japan, 70,000 in china, in 1932. 60.000 in Quetta, India (Now Pakistan). 66,000 in Peru, in 1970. Then again in China 240,000 people died in 1976. These are some of the figures of the big earthquakes. Such earthquakes did not happen even in the last one thousand years. People have a very bitter experience of this divine sign, all over the world. Over 30,000 people died last year in India alone, and the property of millions of dollar was damaged and destroyed. So the whole world is witness of this sign. (6). “The sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21/25) Hurricanes are another type of disasters, every year thousand of people become the victim of such clematis, and property worth of billions of dollars is destroyed within no time. More than one hundred thousand people died in different hurricanes, in the United States only, within the last hundred years. And the property worth of 50, billions dollars, was destroyed and Damaged. Such hurricanes appear every year, in different part of the world, even worse than America, like Bengla Desh, India, Burma and Ceylon, where every year thousands of lives become the victim of the hurricanes and millions of people become homeless, and the property of billions of dollars is destroyed. (7). “Increase of violence and lawlessness”(Matthew 24/12) It is also the sign of the coming of Messiah. So when we see the world through this angle, we know that crimes of violence, such as murder, rape and robberies, are spreading like the Wild fire all over the world, there is not any corner of the world which is free from such evils. And the graph of the crimes of violence is going higher and higher every moment, and there looks not any solution for this lawlessness. (8). “Corruption of the faith” (Luke 18/8) It is also one of the signs of the coming of Messiah, that there would not be faith left on the earth. When we see the world through this angle, we see that really people want to be free from the responsibilities of the religion. People have adopted their own ways, different from the Devine teachings, and their practice is entirely different form the religious teaching. It is not what is related to Christianity alone, but the Muslims, Jews and the other religions are also facing the same problems. This is why Christianity is divided in to thousands of denomination, and in the same way the Muslims and also other religions. If there was no corruption in the religion, and no differences, then there was not any need to split up in to different groups and sects. So this prophecy is clearly fulfilled, that there will be no faith left on the earth, when the Messiah would appear. (9). “People lovers of pleasures more than the lovers of God”

(2 Timothy 3/4) It is also the prediction of the Bible that in the later days people would become inclined towards the pleasures rather than God. So undoubtedly the majority of the people have shown by their deeds and actions that, they are more interested in pleasure than in the love of God. Fornication, adultery, drug abuse, drunkenness and disrespectful to the parents, all these indecencies, show that there is no room for God in the heart of the people. So this is the sign of the later days and the sign of the appearance of Messiah. (10). “Disobedience to parents”

(2 Timothy 3/2)

In this age the children are disobedient to the parents, and the parents have a very little control over them, youth crimes have reached to its climax, like murder, burglary, rape, and robbery. All these evils are the fruits of disobedience to the parents. Hatred and disobedience to the parents has reached to such extent, that the children divorce to their parents. This is one of the reasons that when parents reach to the old age, they prefer to live in the nursing homes than with their children, or some time children, force them To leave the home and take shelter in the nursing homes. So like the broad daylight, these words of the Bible have become true, that the Children would become disobedient to their parents in the later days. (11). “Men’s hearts failing them for fear” (Luke 21/26). In this age fear of mind is the root of all the troubles, and diseases. According to the scientific research, all major diseases, like cancer, heart troubles, mental disorders, even ulcer and diabetes, are caused by fear and mental dissatisfaction. Once an atomic scientist, Harold C. Urey said; “We eat fear sleep fear, live in fear and die in fear”. How accurate are the words of Urey. Which part of the world is free form fear? 99 out of 100, people living in the world, are suffering form mental depression, and I would not be wrong to say, that every person, men and women, young and old have become faint out of fear. So how accurately the words of the Bible have been fulfilled, about Second Advent of the Christ? (12). “The gospel would be preached in the whole world” (Matthew 24/14) This is another sign of the coming of Messiah, that the Bible would be preached in the whole world. And this prophecy is also fulfilled within the last hundred years. In the last century, the Bible is translated into thousands of languages, to approach the people of the entire world. In this age no body can deny that the Biblical teaching are not reached to him, so by preaching the gospels, in the whole world, and in all the nations, the prophecy of the coming of Christ has been fulfilled.

(13). “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24/21) The graph of the Human sufferings, and afflictions has reached to its highest point in this age, it is well understood, and accepted by every individual, and every nation, that may be the third world country, or the super power. All the nations, developed and under developed, are facing the similar problem. Social, economic, racial, even the religious problems have gone beyond the human approach, to be solved. On the other side different types of diseases, has made human beings helpless in this age. The wars, and the confrontations of the different nations have made this world, worse than hell for the people. There is no peace of mind left, on the individual, national, or the global level. So likeness of these tribulations never occurred in the human history. SPECIFIED TIME ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF MESSIAH, THE CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE (1). Behold I am coming as a thief.

(Revelation 16/15)

As nobody knows about the coming of the thief, in the same way Messiah would come unexpected, this is why the people would reject him ignorantly, but those who would remain alert, and watch carefully, about his appearance, they would recognize him through the signs given in the Bible, this is why, Christian Scholars calculated, the time of the appearance of the Christ in the light of the Biblical teachings, and majority of the scholars, were agreed, that Christ would appear, at the end of the 19th century. Books were written and articles were published on this subject that the appointed time for the coming for Christ has reached. And this is why, many people claimed to be the Messiah, at the head of the 19t century, like J.H.Smyth, Pigott, in England claimed to be the Messiah, and gathered thousands of people around him, specially the women. Similarly in the United States, John Alexander Dowie, of Zion, claimed, to be the Elijah, of this age, and the reason behind was, that the Biblical prophecies, and the signs, were giving the green signal, for the coming of Messiah. And it was the appointed time about which the Gospel speaks. “Lo, here is Christ, or, lo, he is there, believe him not”

(Mark 13/21)

Because, that was the appointed time for the coming of Messiah, so many false prophets, also appeared in that age. But Messiah must have been appeared, in that age according to the Bible. And perhaps that is the reason, that a well known sect of Christianity, Jehovah’s witness believe, that the Biblical evidences, shows that in the year 1914 C.E. God’s time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling. There are many guidelines given in the Bible to know about the actual time of the appearance of Christ.

(2) Parable of the fig tree: “From the fig tree learn its lesson as soon as its branches becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the door”. (Matthew 24/32-33) In this parable it is very clear that, when the signs start appearing, mentioned in the gospels, then think that Jesus Christ is at door. As when the summer appears the branches of the fig tree becomes tender. So if the signs mentioned in the gospels are fulfilled, within the last hundred years, then it means Jesus has already appeared. And people could not recognize him, in his second advent, as people could not recognize his appearance. (3) “ Sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its lights” ( Matthew 24/29) This is the most important sign given in the Bible, predicted by different prophets, like prophet Joel, Isaiah, and Jesus Christ. And not only in the Christian literature, but this prophecy is also found in the Hindu, sikh, Jewish and Islamic literature. Sun and the Moon eclipse, is the divine sign, mentioned in the religious Scriptures, which is beyond human power to produce. And this sign is not an ordinary sign of sun and moon eclipse, every year eclipse of sun and moon, occurs at different part of the world. But the sign predicted by all the major religions must be unique in its nature. When we study the Islamic literature, regarding to this sign, we see more details, about this sign, which really makes this sign unique, and such sign never appeared before, in the human history. Holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), states about this sign in the following words: “ For our Mahdi (The Messiah), there are two signs which have never appeared before, since the creation of the heaven and the earth, namely, the Moon will be eclipsed on the first night in Ramazan (on the first nights on which a lunar eclipse can occur) and the sun will be eclipsed in the middle of it (on the middle one of the days on which a solar eclipse can occur). And these signs have not been appeared since God created heaven and earth” (Daar Qutni). The above mentioned prophecy is the same which is given by all other prophets, but here it gives every detail, that the moon and sun eclipse would appear in the Islamic month of Ramazan, on the specified dates (13th and 28th of Ramazan, respectively). This unique sign appeared in 1894, in the eastern hemisphere, and in 1895, in the western hemisphere, on 13th and 28th of the month of Ramazan. So this grand prophecy of the Bible, and of the other major religions was fulfilled 100 years before.

In the prophecy by the prophet Isaiah where the, sign of the moon and sun eclipse is mentioned, the time of the sun eclipse is also given. And when this divine sign appeared, on April 6th, 1984, it was exactly the same time, which is mentioned in the Bible. “ The sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light” (Isaiah 13/10) So the sun eclipse started in the morning, and form 7 AM to 9 AM, the whole sun remained dark. And it is exactly what is mentioned in the Bible, that the sun will be dark at its rising. (4) “Freedom of Jerusalem, from the captivity if the gentiles” “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of gentiles, until the time of gentiles is fulfilled. ( Luke 21/24) It is also one of the greatest signs of the appearance of Christ, that Jerusalem will be trampled on by the gentiles and Jerusalem would be freed by the appearance of Messiah. And it is a well-established belief of the Jews, that the Messiah would redeem them from the bondage of slavery, from the Gentiles as it is mentioned in Ezekiel, “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more, until he comes whose right it is, and I will give it to him.” ( Ezekiel 21/27) It shows that the freedom of Jerusalem has a great concern with the coming of Messiah, the Christ. And nearly half century before Jerusalem got freedom, with the appearance of Israel, as an independent state. So it shows that Messiah has already appeared. (5) Days of Noah as witness, about the appearance of Christ. According to the Bible it is very clear, that all the clematis, disasters and the tribulations, would appear, after the appearance of Messiah, the Christ, as a punishment to the disbelievers. And in support to this belief, we see a very nice example and prophecy given by Jesus Christ, about his second Appearance, and that is; “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark.

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the son of man be” (Matthew 24/37-39) So it is a very clear guideline, for us to recognize Jesus Christ in his second advent. The people of Noah, were not destroyed, unless Noah preached the word of God, to his people, and they rejected, the divine call, then they were warned by the, prophet about the wrath of God, and when they did not show any positive response, then finally they were destroyed, from the face of the earth, with the greatest flood, in the history of mankind. So in the same way Christ would appear, and would preached the world of God, and would be rejected, and then due to the disobedience of God’s messenger, the people would face the terrible days, like the days Noah. Otherwise it makes no sense to destroy the innocent people, without giving them any warning. So if it is true that, the world is suffering with, different clematis and disasters, like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and diseases, then that is the alarming moment, that some thing had already happened, it is an indication that these punishments are the result of human carelessness. So if the signs regarding to second advent of Christ are appearing, especially the natural disasters, then undoubtedly Messiah, the Christ has appeared already. If this is the age of Second Advent of Christ, then why He did not appeared? And if He appeared, then where? When? And who appeared? To answer all these question, and to have a better understanding about the answers, is necessary to have an eye on the religious history, and specially on that divine reformers, like Edam, Abraham, Moses, Christ and the prophet of Islam, peace be upon them. How they claimed, and how they were treated by their people. And if we know the history, then it is clear form the history that, there not appeared, even a single prophet, on this earth, who was welcomed by the people. They were all rejected, and not only rejected, but also were severely persecuted, by the people. According to the people, some time the prophets did not appeared, in the land, they were waiting for, some time they could not fulfilled the imaginary signs of the people, and some time the reformers and their teachings could not match to their standard. So such were the excuses of the people, at the appearance of the prophets and the messengers of God. This is why; Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Prophet of Islam were persecuted, suffered by the hands of their own people. Abraham was thrown into the fire, Moses was forced to leave Egypt, Jesus was hanged on the cross, and the Holy prophet of Islam migrated form his own motherland having tears in his eyes. Can you believe that Jesus Christ appeared as Messiah two thousand years before, and still, Jews don’t believe in Christ, and don’t accept him as Messiah and Christ? Same way they don’t believe in the Holy prophet of Islam, why? Because, these prophets could not fulfill, their self established criteria.

In the light of the past circumstances we must be alert, that the similar, situation, could have been happened, with the second advent of Christ. Let us watch the coming of Christ, according to the gospels, in the following guidelines. (1). Would the Christ, descend from heaven? According to the existing belief of Christianity, Jesus was ascended to the heaven, and the same Christ would descend form heaven again. This issue can be solved easily in the light of the Biblical teaching, because there is a similar issue between the Jews and the Christians, and that is about the coming of Elijah. The ascension of Elijah to heaven with his physical body is so clearly mentioned in the Bible (2 kings chapter 2 verses 7-12), that there is not even iota of doubt to the Jews, about his ascension, and in the Book of Malachi is clearly mentioned about the second advent of Elijah, as follows; “See, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful days of the lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” (Malachi 4/5) So in the light of the Biblical teachings, Jews are waiting for Elijah from heaven, since thousands of years, even when Jesus appeared two thousand years before, Jews rejected him, only because, they believed, the Elijah must come first, from heaven. And Jesus replied them, in a very clear, and a beautiful way, in the following words; “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering with violence. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He, who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 11/12-15) So with one stroke, Jesus solved the centuries old issue of the Jews. But they still rejected Jesus, and followed their false belief. So in the light of the statement of Jesus Christ, we can easily understand, about the second advent of Christ and that is the likeness of John the Baptist. As John the Baptist appeared instead of Elijah, in the same way some body appeared instead of Jesus Christ. And that is Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India, who claimed to be the Messiah of this age. And all this happened according to the words of Jesus. As Jesus says; “For I say to you, you shall see me no more till you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord.” (Matthew 23/39)

It means that some one would come in the name of the lord (Jesus), not Jesus himself, and people should recognize him in the form of another person. (2). If Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is a Messiah of this age then why he is from the Muslims, not from the Christians? It is also according to the prediction of Jesus Christ, and he actually warned to his followers, that if they would not follow the true path, and not follow the commandments of God, then the divine kingdom would be taken away form them, and would be given to another nation, as he says; “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken form you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder”. (Matthew 21/43,44) So according to the words of Jesus, all this happened, and the kingdom of God was taken form the Israelites and was given to the Ishmaelite. This is why the second advent of Christ took place in Islam, in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India. (3). Why Mirza Ghulam Ahmad did not appear, in the land where all other prophet appeared? It is misunderstanding that all the prophets appeared in Palestine, rather prophets appeared all over the world, and about the appearance of Christ, there are some prophesies, which indicate, that the Christ, in his second appearance would come form east, as Jesus Christ says; “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the son of man be” ( Matthew 24/27) It shows that Messiah would appear in the east and his message would reach to the west. And this is what happened with the appearance of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India. Quadian is exactly to the east of Jerusalem, where Jesus predicted about the coming of Messiah. And then the joyous news of Messiah reached to the west, and now his followers are in more than 170 countries, in the whole world. Prophet Isaiah. Gives the same message in the following words: “ They lift up their voice, they sing for joy over the majesty of the lord they shout for joy, from the west, therefore in the east give glory to the Lord” ( Isaiah 24/14-15)

In the above given quotation, there is a very clear indication about the glory of the Messiah from the east which will ultimately reach to the west. Then there is a prophecy by the prophet Isaiah, about the coming of a reformer, who would speak a different language, and would convey his message, in a different tongue: “ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, for with stammering lips and another tongue, he will speak to this people” (Isaiah 28/10-11) This prophecy was very nicely fulfilled, in the person of Hazart Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India. There are two aspect of the prophecy mentioned above, and the both were fulfilled. (A). He would speak with stammering lips: Hazart Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, used to feel hindrance in his tongue, during conversation, with the people, and during his speech He had involuntary stops and difficulties in uttering syllables and words. And it was according to the above-mentioned prophecy. (B). He would speak in another tongue: This part of the prophecy was also fulfilled, because, he was neither Hebrew, nor Arab, so he conveyed his message in a different tongue, and in this way this part of the prophecy was also fulfilled. (4). Physical appearance of Christ, in the light of the Biblical teachings, Some of the Christians, believe that it is true that the time for the coming of the Christ, with the physical body is over, but he has started spiritually ruling the world. It might be good, for their own satisfaction, but it is against the Biblical teachings, because the Bible speaks about the bodily appearance of Christ. John has given the name of Antichrist, to those, who believe, that Jesus would not come with physical body; “ For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist” (2 John, verse # 7) So at the appointed time, the physical appearance of the Messiah of this age occurred, according to the Biblical prophecies and that was Hazart Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India. He faced the similar opposition, as the other prophets faced. But a mighty hand of God was always in his favor, so in spite of all the hurdles, he always remained successful in his mission. He and his followers passed through the sever channel of persecution, in one city after another. So the words of Christ became true, as he said;

“ Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and you shall be hated of all the nation of all the nations for my name’s sake.” (Matthew 24/9) The above mentioned persecution of the people in the name of Christ, before his second appearance is not about the existing Christians rather it is about another nation, the followers of the later day messiah, and that is only and only one group in this age, the group of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is over hundred years that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is bearing all the sufferings, hardships, and persecutions, in different parts of the world, in the name of the Christ, the later day Messiah. It is a very great sign of the truthfulness of Hazart Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Quadian, India, the Messiah and Mahdi of this age.