according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”. (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5) The coming kingdom of the Lord is the new heavenly kingdom.  This new ruling power, the Messiah, is invisible, and will be invisible to human eyes, but will establish in the earth visible agencies and representatives, namely, a new social and political order of things.  We should not, therefore, expect the Lord’s second coming to be in a body visible to human eyes, but should expect that he would be present, exercising his power in his own sovereign way.

[371]In many places in our Bible referring to the second coming of the Lord the word translated into the English as “coming” is properly translated presence.  The proper meaning is distinguished by the Greek word used, from which the English is translated.  The Greek word parousia (pronounced par-oo-see-ah) means presence, and refers to the invisible presence of the Lord and is used in the following Scriptural texts.  We here quote the texts as they appear in the King James Version, putting in brackets the proper word immediately following the word “coming”.

[372]"What shall be the sign of thy coming [presence]?”—­Matthew 24:3.

[373]"As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [presence] of the Son of man be.”—­Matthew 24:37,39.

[374]"They that are Christ’s at his coming [presence].”—­1 Corinthians 15:23.

[375]"Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming [presence]?”—­1 Thessalonians 2:19.

[376]"To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming [presence] of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—­1 Thessalonians 3:13.

[377]"We which are alive and remain unto the coming [presence] of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.”—­1 Thessalonians 4:15.

[378]"I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming [presence] of our Lord Jesus Christ.” —­1 Thessalonians 5:23.

[379]"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming [presence] of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—­2 Thessalonians 2:1.

[380]"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming [presence] of the Lord.”—­James 5:7.

[381]"For the coming [presence] of the Lord draweth nigh.”—­James 5:8.

[382]"Where is the promise of his coming [presence]?”—­2 Peter 3:4.

[383]When Jesus was taken up into heaven, the angels standing by the disciples said to them:  “He shall come in like manner”.  The manner of his going or being taken away was quiet, without observation, except by a few.  In a similar manner we should expect his return.  Those watching for his coming necessarily would be the first to observe his presence.  This is in exact harmony with the thought expressed by the apostle Paul when he wrote:  “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord