The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

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Christ’s Second Coming not a Fable

It is stated in the second epistle of Peter that “we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 17 GSAM 26.1

In this scripture the apostle refers to the transfiguration on the mount as a proof of the second coming of Christ. Previous to this scene our Saviour had said to his apostles, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom” 18—as recorded by Luke, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.” 19 GSAM 26.2

This promise was literally fulfilled in the transfiguration itself. In this “vision” on the mount they saw Jesus glorified, as he will appear when he comes in his kingdom. They saw Elias (Elijah), who was taken to heaven without tasting death, representing those who will be translated—changed from mortal to immortal—“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” when the Lord comes. 20 There was also Moses, one who had died, representing those who will be raised from the dead to meet the Lord. So in this “vision” they had a view of Christ coming in his kingdom, as he had promised them. GSAM 26.3