Dr. Couch, what does the word epiphany mean? I understand it is used in the Bible to refer to the second coming of Christ.
Yes, indeed. But it is used sometimes also to describe the rapture of the church.
The word epiphany literally means "the out shining." The
preposition "epi" intensifies the word "phaneo" which means "to shine,"
"give forth light." In Titus 2:11 and 3:4 the verb is used to describe
the fact that the gospel, and the love of God, has "appeared" (shines
brightly) to men through our Savior.
In 2 Timothy 1:10 epiphany is used to describe the Lord’s first
coming to earth to bring salvation. In 1 Timothy 6:14-15 the word (appearing)
is used to describe His coming kingship and sovereignty at the second
coming to earth in which He is to reign and rule. The same in 2 Timothy
4:1. "I charge you," Paul writes, "in the presence of God and of Christ
Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom; ... "
2 Timothy 4:8 could be referring to the rapture because Paul speaks
of "the future" at which time he will receive "the crown of
righteousness" along with others "who have loved His appearing." It is when the church is taken to glory that rewards are given out.
In Titus 2:13 the word "epiphany" is used definitely to describe the
rapture of the church. Paul says we are to be "looking for the blessed
hope and the epiphany of the glory of our great God and
Savior, Christ Jesus." The "blessed hope" is the present anticipation,
for the church saints, of the soon coming of the Lord—the rapture, the
catching away suddenly of those in Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:8 is about the second coming of Christ to earth in
which He will "slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by
the appearance of His coming" the antichrist. This is His coming to rule and reign on the throne of David.
Other related words are used such as in Acts 2:20. Here epiphanees
speaks of the Lord’s second coming, and calls it "the great and glorious day of the Lord [which] shall come."
Epiphany is a wonderful and graphic word that tells us, whether it
is referring to the rapture or to the second coming, His appearing will
be full of brightness and clarity!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
