Divine teaching, it has always been with some new aspect, and with the purpose of effecting some new blessings by means of it. We believe this is the way in which He will make His second coming, and that the design of it is to promote the wisdom and happiness of men. His first advent was as the Word made flesh, and thus as the Word in humiliation. His second advent is to be as the Word made spirit, and thus as the Word in its exaltation. As His first coming was a natural and personal manifestation to men, so His second coming is to be a spiritual and influential revelation among them. He expressly said the Son of man shall be revealed.[1] All the characteristics of that event are implied in the terms of the prediction respecting it. Those characteristics have been already mentioned, and their meaning in reference to the world of spirits has been indicated; we now therefore come to notice their significance in reference to the world of men.
As the Lord has completed His Word, it may be evident that He will come to men by means of it alone. He expects that they will see Him in that which He has taught them concerning Himself. We could not know half so much about Him by any natural sight, as we can learn from that which He has been pleased to tell us in his Word; therein He has mercifully revealed all that can be spiritually and intellectually known concerning Him, and therefore it is unreasonable to suppose that any personal appearing in the natural world is denoted by the predictions which refer to His second advent.
The heaven of which the Scriptures treat is a state of love, light, and holiness within us, for the Lord said, "The kingdom of God is within you." "The sign of the Son of man" is the testification of the Word concerning Him.
