The Promised in Christianity
part 1
What is offered in this article as Promised in Christianity is according to the Gospel, and is very different from what is known today a Zionism Christianity.
Christians and Christ’s Second Coming
The idea of Second Coming of Jesus (PBUH) constitutes one of the beliefs of Christian community. This enthusiasm and expectation has been reflected well in the older parts of New Testament like the first and second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. But in subsequent epistles, such as Paul’s epistle to Timothy and Titus as well as Peter’s epistle, the social dimension of Christianity has been taken in to consideration.
This was due to the fact that over time Christians believed that Second Coming of Christ, despite what they thought, would not be close. However a minority of them believed that Jesus would come soon and would establish his thousand-year reign, the reign which will last till the Judgment Day.
Therefore some small groups of Christians called Millennium-oriented were formed in Christianity from long time ago. All their effort is to prepare people for reappearance of Jesus at the Apocalypse.
Of course there are some verses in the bible that intensify the expectation for reappearance of Jesus and consider it sudden, since its date is not specified.
For example in gospel of Matthew it has been quoted from Jesus (PBUH):
“You can’t know the date of my reappearance, for it is just in God’s power. No one knows when that moment comes (reappearance time), even angels, only God knows its date and time.” (1) Or from Gospel of Luke has been quoted that: “Christ says: You must be always ready, because I will come at an hour when you do not expect.” (2)
The topic of Expectation is one of the important and key issues in Christianity, especially in the Bible. For example in some parts of bible is written:
“Get dressed and be ready for service and keep your lamps burning. Be like servants waiting for their lord to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks on their door they can immediately open the door for him. Blessed are those servants who are awake when they lord comes. You must be ready too, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (3)
It should be noted that in this part of bible, the Son of Man is clearly mentioned as Promised savior. This is the title that Jesus (PBUH) attributed to the final Promised. It must be said that experts believe that the Son of Man does not refer to Jesus. Because according to Christians beliefs, Jesus is Son of God. Therefor Son of Man is different from Son of God and they refer to different people.
In the other parts of bible, characteristics of the Son of Man have been described clearly. These characteristics and specifications are very close to the characteristics of the Promised in Twelver Shiism religion and in some cases they are identical.
It should also be said that Christianity, emphasizes on the unexpected Second Coming of Jesus and his reappearance, and also evaluates the purpose of his Second Coming as establishment of divine reign in the direction of divine reign of heavens. In addition, they consider reappearance of Christ as the only solution for the survival and life of people, and introduces Jesus as the savior of mankind and the king of the kings. They believe that Christ, according to the words of Daniel, will change social, economic, political, educational and religious system of the world and will establish a world on the basis of the ways of God.
Christians also consider some signs for the reappearance of Jesus Son of Mary:
Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will not shine anymore, and the moon will be darkened, the stars will lose their light and will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then the signs of reappearance of the heavenly man will appear, and then all the nations on the earth become worried and sad then the Christ descends from the clouds of sky, with power and great glory. (4)
In the Gospel of Mark the above mentioned issues are emphasized. It also reads that Christ collects disciples:
Then Jesus will come with great power and glory and he will send the angels that are at his service all over the world and he will gather his elect from around the world from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (5)
...To be continued
PS:
- Gospel of Matthew 24:36
- Luke 12:40
- Luke, chapter 12. Verse 35,36
- Gospel of Matthew 24:29-30
- Mark 13:24-27
Part 2
Islamic narratives affirm Second Coming of Jesus (PBUH). For example, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “«وَالَّذي نَفْسي بِيَدِهِ لَيُوشَكَنَّ اَنْ يُنَزَّلَ فيكُمُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ حَكَما عَدْلاً وَ اِماما مُقْسِطا» (1), I swear to God, whom my life is in his hands, that, Jesus, Son of Mary, will certainly descend among you as a righteous judge and a just leader.”
The commentators also, in interpretation of verse 159 of Surah Nisa, relate it to Second Coming of Christ at the Apocalypse and consider this verse in this regard. Anyway, issue of descending of Christ and his Second Coming at the Apocalypse is one of the common thoughts of expectation between Muslims and Christians.
But Islam has introduced Imam Mahdi (PBUH) as the promised savior, and introduced him as Leader of the Apocalypse: ««كَيْفَ بِكُمْ (اَنْتُمْ) اِذا نَزَلَ عيسَي بْنُ مَرْيَمَ فيكُمْ وَ اِمامُكُمْ مِنْكُمْ؛: how you will be when Jesus Son of Mary descends among you and your leader will be from yourselves. (Bihar al-Anwar, volume 51, p 88)
Or in another hadith narrated from Imam Baqir (PBUH) we read:
«يَنْزِلُ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيامَةِ اِلَي الدُّنْيا فَلا يَبْقي اَهْلُ مِلَّةِ يَهُوديٍّ وَ لا نَصْرانيٍّ اِلاّ آمَنَ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَ يُصَلّي خَلْفَ الْمَهْديِّ»
Before the resurrection, Jesus will descend to the world, and no one of Jewish and Christian nations are left unless they believe in him before their death, and that majesty (Jesus) will pray after Imam Mahdi (PBUH) as his follower. (Bihar al Anwar, volume 53, p 51)
Undoubtedly, it’s clear for every aware researcher that Islamic narratives and Christian beliefs are so close to each other in relation to reappearance.
Comparing of reports from Islamic narratives with regards to the unimaginable advances in science in reappearance time, creating social welfare, signs of reappearance and other things with what were mentioned will clearly prove this claim.
This issue can provide discussion and same thinking between Islamic and Christian expectation.
It should be noted that even in some gospels accepted by a group of Protestants, reappearance of a savior is clearly mentioned who is descendant of Arabic Prophet: “In his will, Jesus tells Simon Peter: Simon! God told me I advise you to Master of prophets who is major of Adam’s children and illiterate Arabic Prophets. He comes at the period when advent is close and prophecy is widespread and fills the world like flood.”
Annunciation of reappearance of Imam Mahdi in Bible
Based on many annunciations mentioned in Bible, Jesus Christ will appear in Palestine, following the uprising of Imam Mahdi- Allah hasten his reappearance –, and will rush to help him and will say his prayer behind him to let Jews and Christians and his followers know their duties and convert to Islam and become supporters of Imam Mahdi (PBUH).
Thus, in last days of life and perhaps during his life, he had strict recommendations and commands to his companions and disciples about his Second Coming to earth. He asked them to wait for his Second Coming and ordered them to be aware, alert and ready for it. Here are some parts of his recommendations that are brought as a proof to our claim and to awaken the Muslims.
Some of the annunciations of Bible are as follows:
- Gospel of Matthew
A1. Gospel of Matthew Page 41, Chapter 24, verses 1- 8, 23- 28, 29-37, 42 and 46
So Jesus left the temple when his disciples came up to him to show him its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you; here no stone is put on the other, unless it is fallen.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your Second Coming and the end of the world?”
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For, many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and wars news, but don’t be upset, because these happenings are necessary; however, the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and a country against the other. There will be famines, cholera, and earthquakes in various places…
At that time if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christ and false prophets will appear and they will perform great signs and miracles to deceive people, and if it was possible, they would even deceive the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.
So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man…
Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will lose its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory…
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So when you see all these things, know that reappearance is near, even, right at the door. Truly I tell you…
Heaven and earth will decline, but my words will never decline.
“But no one knows when that day or that hour will be, not even the angels in heaven, except the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the reappearance of the Son of Man…
Therefore be aware, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept awaking and would not have let his house be broken into.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Who is the faithful and wise servant then, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
A2. Gospel of Matthew, p. 44, chapter 25, verse 31-34
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, along with all sacred angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate each nation from the other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are bestowed by my Father’s blessings; and take your inheritance, the kingdom that was prepared for you since the creation of the world.
A3. Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, verses 28 and 29
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the resurrection, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
Source: masaf-intl.com
