40.
The coming of the Lord Jesus will be a day of punishment for those who have refused the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their punishment will be everlasting destruction and separation from the presence and glory of the Lord. 2 Thess. 1:8-9 Again, where ever the second coming is placed, this fact is certain, that if the ungodly are from that moment on, cut off entirely from the presence of the Lord, as Paul stated here, then there is no possibility of sinners finding their way into the millennium.
Jesus Himself warned, that not all who would claim to be doing the works of the Lord would find their way into the kingdom of heaven. Even though there were obvious signs and wonders wrought by them, Jesus would say that; “He never knew them.” Mt. 7:21-22 Therefore He would command them to depart from Him because they were workers of iniquity. Mt. 7:23 Those who will be accepted into His kingdom are they who do the will of the Father. Mt. 7:21 To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams. 1 Sam. 15:22 Consider also the words of Peter; “if the righteous scarcely be saved , where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
1 Pet. 4:18 What possible expectation can the ungodly and the sinner have of being on earth during the Millennium?
Would you believe that not all who anticipate the second coming of the Lord Jesus will be caught uninformed and unprepared. Jesus gave a parable concerning faithful and unfaithful servants and associated it with His coming. The faithful servant is the one who is truly prepared for the return of his master. They are properly attired and their lamps are brightly burning. Luke 12:35 They are a people who have put on Christ. Gal. 3:27 Their commitment and dedication to the Lord is full and complete. They have been set free from the works of the carnal man. Rom. 13:14 The new man created in Christ Jesus is their life. It is a manifestation of His holiness and righteousness lived out in them. Eph. 4:24 The new man is a person of spiritual comprehension, understanding the things of the Spirit. They are created in the image and likeness of the Most High. Col. 3:10
In keeping within the order of events in the end of the age it is vital that we see that the master is returning from the wedding. Luke 12:36 The second coming is not the next item on the agenda of the Lord. First, there will be a mighty move of the Spirit of the Lord. It will be the final harvest, culminating in a wedding. Mt. 22:8-10.