Title: From East to West: How the Second Coming Unfolds

Topic: Second Coming

Summary: We look at the striking statement in Matthew 24:27 that the Second Coming will take place like lightning coming from the east and flashing to the west. What other clues does the Bible contain to what this might mean?

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Matthew 24:1, 27
Luke 17:20-30
Exodus 19:16; 20:18
2 Samuel 22:10-16
Matthew 28:2
Revelation 11:19
Numbers 3:23
Leviticus 16
Matthew 21:1
Luke 19:37
Numbers 34:6
Isaiah 9:2
Malachi 3:1; 4:1
Zechariah 14:1
Ezekiel 10:18; 11:22; 43; 44; 46; 48
Matthew 24:26-27
Hebrews 4:12
Luke 2:34-35

5482. 'And he took Simeon from them' means faith in the will. This is clear from the representation of 'Simeon' as faith in the will, dealt with in 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4507. The reason faith in the will was separated from them is that the intermediary, represented by 'Benjamin', was not yet present. For the inflow of truth from the Divine, represented by 'Joseph', goes through the intermediary into the good of faith, and then through this into the truth of faith; or what amounts to the same, it passes into the desire for truth, and then through this into the understanding of truth. Or what also amounts to the same, it passes into charity towards the neighbour, and then through this into faith. There is no other path along which it can flow in the case of one who has been regenerated; nor is there any other path along which it can do so in the case of angels.

[2] This may be compared to the sun flowing into objects on earth. When it reproduces these from their seed and renews them, it flows in with heat, as it does in springtime and summertime, and also with light, and so reproduces them. Absolutely nothing at all is reproduced by light alone, as is evident from those objects in wintertime. Spiritual heat is the good of love, and spiritual light is the truth of faith. Also, spiritual heat present in objects in the animal kingdom gives them their vital heat, while spiritual light gives them life, which springs from that vital heat.