The doctrine of future things (1)

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Message Jesus Christ will return and take the bridal congregation home.

Contents The return of Christ

The marriage in heaven
The great tribulation
The coming of the Lord with power and great glory

Catechism CNAC-QA 549, 574 (address in the lesson)

CNAC-QA 550–573 (background information)

1 Lead-in
What does the How do we know about the events of the future?
Catechism say? This question is answered in CNAC-QA 549 (please read together and
discuss).

Ask What events do we await in the future?

Hint The answers are written on the board (only the terms in bold) and then
put into the correct chronological order. Any missing elements should be
supplemented.

The sequence of events from the return of Christ to the resurrection of the
martyrs incorporates the following elements:

– the Lord Jesus will return: return of Christ.

– the dead in Christ will resurrect, and the living who have allowed themselves
to be prepared for this event will be transformed. Together they, the
firstlings, will be caught up to God (1 Thessalonians 4: 15–17; 1 Corinthians
15: 50–52): rapture of the firstlings; bridal congregation caught up to
God; start of the first resurrection.
– after this, the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place in heaven
(Revelation 19: 6–9): marriage in heaven.
– after the return of Christ, a time will begin on earth in which evil will manifest
great power (Revelation 3: 10): the great tribulation.
– following the marriage supper in heaven, Christ will return to the earth with
the firstlings and put an end to the great tribulation: the coming of the Lord
with power and great glory.
– Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit (Revelation 20: 1–3): Satan
is bound.
– the martyrs from the time of the great tribulation will resurrect: resurrection
of the martyrs; conclusion of the first resurrection.

The first resurrection thus incorporates everything from the rapture and
resurrection of the bridal congregation to the resurrection of the martyrs from
the great tribulation.

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Workbook The confirmands do exercise A in the workbook. Here the Catechism in

exercise A Questions and Answers will prove helpful (CNAC 550–573). The responses
are discussed and supplemented where necessary.

2 The return of Christ

Explain Jesus Christ has promised to return:

A student “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My
reads aloud Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also”
(John 14: 1–3).

Explain In the Father’s house there are many mansions. However, Jesus states that
He will prepare a place for His own. This place is heaven. It is there that the
marriage supper of the Lamb will take place (Revelation 19: 6–9).

Apostle Paul describes the day of the Lord very vividly. At the return of Christ,
the dead in Christ will resurrect, while the living in Christ will be transformed,
and together they will be caught up to the Lord.

A student “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and
reads aloud remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are
asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will
rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with
the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:
15–18).

Hint The answers to the following three questions can be recorded in point form
on the board. They are components of exercise B in the workbook, which is
to be taken up afterward.

Ask Who will be caught up to God at the return of the Lord Jesus?

Listen to answers The rapture at the return of Christ is promised first and foremost to those who
and supplement have been reborn out of water and the Spirit, who believe in Jesus Christ,
and who follow Him. Whether other Christians who have not received all the
sacraments and yet believe in Christ and follow Him will also be granted the
grace of the rapture is beyond human assessment.

Ask Which souls from the beyond will resurrect and be caught up to God?

Listen to answers On the one hand, this group includes the dead in Christ, namely those who
and supplement have been baptised and sealed, who have led a life in accordance with the
gospel, and who have aligned their lives by the return of Christ. On the other
hand, it also includes those who have received Holy Baptism and Holy Sealing
in the divine services for the departed, who have overcome sin and have

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longed for the return of Christ—along with all those whom God grants grace to
this end. All of these souls will receive a resurrection body and will be caught
up to God.

Ask When will Christ return to take the bridal congregation home?

Listen to answers We do not know the point in time at which Christ will return in order to take His
and supplement own unto Himself. However, we believe that this promise will soon be fulfilled.

Workbook The confirmands do exercise B in the workbook. The notes on the board
exercise B will prove helpful. The responses are discussed and supplemented as
needed.

3 The marriage in heaven

Explain At His return, Jesus Christ will take His own unto Himself. In this context, the
book of Revelation talks about the “marriage supper of the Lamb”.

Bride and … Concerning the bridal congregation we read: “And to her it was granted to be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of
the saints” (Revelation 19: 8).

… bridegroom Jesus Christ is described differently:

– He is the bridegroom who takes the congregation, the bride, unto Himself.
– He is the Lamb, namely the crucified and resurrected Lord.

It is with the marriage of the Lamb that the indissoluble fellowship of the bridal
congregation with the triune God begins.

A student “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and
reads aloud give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made
herself ready. … Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of
the Lamb” (Revelation 19: 6–7, 9).

4 The great tribulation

Explain The events that will transpire on the earth during the marriage of the Lamb are
described in vivid fashion. Following the return of Christ, a time will begin on
earth in which evil will manifest great power. Scripture uses the term “great
tribulation” to describe these happenings (Matthew 24: 21; Revelation 7: 14).
Nevertheless, even during the time of the great tribulation, there will be spiritual
protection for those who belong to the church of Jesus Christ but who have
not been caught up to God. Some from among this group of believers will be
killed as martyrs for their profession of Christ (CNAC-QA 569–570).

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5 The coming of the Lord with power and great glory
Explain After the marriage in heaven, Jesus Christ will return to the earth with those
who have resurrected. This event is described as the “coming of the Lord
with power and great glory”, because it is at this point that Jesus Christ will
reveal Himself on earth in His divine power. He, the King of all kings, will take
all power from Satan and thereby bring the great tribulation to its end. Satan’s
followers will be judged. Satan himself will be held captive for a thousand years
“so that he should deceive the nations no more” (Revelation 20: 1–3). It is at
this point that the resurrection of the martyrs from the great tribulation will take
place.

This concludes the first resurrection.

What does the What events comprise the first resurrection? This question is answered in
Catechism say? CNAC-QA 574 (please read together and discuss).

The main points

I also want to … … participate in the marriage supper in heaven.

Homework The confirmands read the Ninth Article of Faith and occupy themselves with its
contents.

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