Zucco

OK, I'm a little confused by the whole "second coming" thing. What is the point of this? What is Jesus going to accomplish this time that he didn't the first?

Similarly, what is the point the Armageddon? God supposedly created mankind to live on earth, die, and then be judged to go to heaven or hell. So where does the end of the world fit in with this?
Is he just getting tired of creating humans? Once the world ends, are the populations of heaven and hell set for eternity? Or will god start the whole process again on some other insignificant planet?

Can anyone logically explain the Christian thinking on these matters?

jfryejr

According the OT and Jewish thought at the time (and now, but a small minority I think), the Messiah would be a king of the line of David who would unite Israel, make it a beacon to the Gentiles, and generally prove the might of the tribal god Yaweh.

This guy Jesus comes along and claims to be the Messiah. He has all of these followers. Problem is, he dies. The messiah shouldn't die. A few of them see him a few days later (I've seen god too, just not soberly) but they all hide themselves away until he appears to the eleven 40 days later (pentecost). Paul "buys" into this and starts spreading the word until eventually a new Risen Saviour religion is started. (The only unambiguously "provable" claim here is that Paul wrote these letters.) Paul, I don't think, addresses the issue of the differences in Messianic thought. I'm still learning as I go, but I'm sure the more educated people here will correct me where I'm wrong.

Now Christians, later I think, dig and dig throughout the OT to find passages/reinterpret passages to explain the suffering servant messiah. They can't, however, exclude the other passages regarding the mighty conqueror without losing all credibility, so they decide that Jesus must come...again. To rule over Israel and all of the world, trample satan underfoot, and take all of those collections that people have tithed.

The OT mentions the end times where Yaweh will judge all those according to their deeds and so forth. He just decides to do it, I think. Maybe to many Nike commercials are being produced. I don't think he ever gives a reason, but hey, he's god right...who are we to question and so forth...

The NT (Revelation) seems to me to be more of a "Ha! all of us were right and all of you were wrong...look at 'em burn baby!! There's my algebra teacher in the lake of fire!". But, I also think here Yaweh has just decided the time is right.

So, the Christians are sitting around waiting for the 2nd coming so they can prove to everyone else that their god has the biggest penis, they were right, the rest of the homo/liberal/freethought/scientific/rational world were wrong and are going to burn in a lake of fire for all eternity.

Oh, before someone else says this...Christian thought is an oxymoron.

I mean this to apply to the fundies...there are some rational christians who accept their faith as just that...

Calzaer

Because there were prophecies he forgot to fulfill the first time around, so if he doesn't come back it'll prove he wasn't actually the Messiah.

Wrap your brain around that for a minute, I'm sure it'll make sense eventually.

Zucco

But why is god putting on this epic dog-and-pony show when the end result is merely that everyone will die and be judged for heaven and hell? Why doesn't he just drown us all again and be done with it?

Please understand I don't buy a bit of this crap, but I'm interested in hearing the Christian rational on it.

JaeIsGod

God probably want to show how great he is by putting on a decent show. Just letting us all die wouldn't be impressive enough I guess =p

Magus55

Basically, Jesus will "rapture" all believers both dead and alive and bring them to Heaven. Then Jesus will unleash the 7 seals and cast Judgement on the world that now consists of nothing but unsaved sinners. After the 7 years of judgement ( known as the Tribulation), Jesus will return to Earth (His second coming) at the mount of Olives, and rule over the world for 1000 years ( the Millenium Kingdom). This will be a time of complete and absolute peace. The people that live during this time will be those that survived the Tribulation and accepted Jesus as their Savior. After the Millenium kingdom, God will bind Satan and the fallen angels to the Lake of Fire, destroy the Earth and recreate it to perfection, and then the Great White Throne Judgement, where God judges the lives of every human and whether they received Christ or not. Those who are judged guilty and without a Savior will be cast into the Lake of fire for eternity, those that are judged blameless through Christ will spend the rest of eternity in New Jerusalem ( Heaven on Earth).

Magus55

God is giving those who aren't saved yet, 7 years ( provided they survive) to accept Christ before Judgement. Its the last opportunity for the world to accept Jesus. The only things that would make it impossible for you to ever be redeemed at this point is 1) dying before finding Salvation and 2) accepting the Mark of the Beast and worshipping the Antichrist.

Mageth

Basically, Jesus will "rapture" all believers both dead and alive and bring them to Heaven. Then Jesus will unleash the 7 seals and cast Judgement on the world that now consists of nothing but unsaved sinners. After the 7 years of judgement ( known as the Tribulation), Jesus will return to Earth (His second coming) at the mount of Olives, and rule over the world for 1000 years ( the Millenium Kingdom). This will be a time of complete and absolute peace. The people that live during this time will be those that survived the Tribulation and accepted Jesus as their Savior. After the Millenium kingdom, God will bind Satan and the fallen angels to the Lake of Fire, destroy the Earth and recreate it to perfection, and then the Great White Throne Judgement, where God judges the lives of every human and whether they received Christ or not. Those who are judged guilty and without a Savior will be cast into the Lake of fire for eternity, those that are judged blameless through Christ will spend the rest of eternity in New Jerusalem ( Heaven on Earth).
...
God is giving those who aren't saved yet, 7 years ( provided they survive) to accept Christ before Judgement. Its the last opportunity for the world to accept Jesus. The only things that would make it impossible for you to ever be redeemed at this point is 1) dying before finding Salvation and 2) accepting the Mark of the Beast and worshipping the Antichrist.

Not if Frodo and his faithful companion can reach the Crack of Doom and cast the cursed ring to its destruction in time...

Zucco

And why are only present-day humans treated to this wonderous event? What about the billions of people who have already lived and died? Once again, it seems like a colossal inequity. It seems silly that the vast majority of humans who have ever existed don't participate in what is surely the most important event in god's plan.

Biff the unclean

Cool, not only will we get a dog and pony show but there will be seals too! Great, I love seal acts. I hope they will play "Lady of Spain" on bicycle horns like they used to do on Ed Sullivan.
Behold a pale rider on a pale pinniped will now balance a basketball on his nose