The second coming represents a branch of theological study called eschatology, the study of the end times. The Bible contains numerous references to what evangelicals call the second coming, second advent, or, in the Greek, parousia. Parousia is the most illustrative. It is often taken to mean presence after absence or the arrival of a ruler. Jesus established his kingdom beachhead during his earthly ministry. It has steadily expanded since through the work of the Holy Spirit-empowered Church. Jesus, the king, has been absent, but the Bible assures believers that he will assume complete control on his promised return. Many believe he will come for his Church first, an event commonly called the “rapture.”
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus spoke with his followers in person for the last time. They were curious about when he would establish his earthly kingdom. He did not directly answer their question. Instead, he promised to empower them to spread the gospel to every part of the earth. The proliferation of the gospel is directly linked to his return. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14 | NIV). Most pastors disagree. A study involving 1,000 Protestant pastors conducted in 2019 by LifeWay Research found that over half (54 percent) did not believe sharing the gospel with all people groups would influence the timing.
After promising the Holy Spirit, “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11 | NIV). This was the first post-resurrection public proclamation that the story of Jesus had not ended. It had only just begun. Jesus previously shared a glimpse of God’s plan on the night of his betrayal. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3 NIV).
The Sequence of Christ’s Return
The Thessalonian church worried about what would happen to believers who died during Christ’s absence. The apostle Paul clarified things for them in a letter. “According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
When Jesus returns, those believers who have died will be raised to new life to inhabit eternal bodies. Living disciples will not die, but they will be like Jesus. “Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, right now, and we can’t even imagine what it is going to be like later on. But we do know this, that when he comes we will be like him, as a result of seeing him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 | TLB).
Shortly after Paul had taught about what would happen when Jesus returned, he heard that false teachers were spreading “fake news” that Jesus had already returned and that they had missed it. Paul pulled out his pen and sent them this.
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
Even though the exact timing of Christ’s return is uncertain, Paul and Jesus provided a few clues. (See Matthew 24:3-35) There is sufficient scriptural support for his return and reign, but the timing remains unclear. Jesus did not know when it would happen. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”(Matthew 24:36 | NIV).
Second Coming in a Nutshell
Evangelicals generally agree on four points regarding the second coming:
- Jesus is returning
- When he does, everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected and restored to life.
- Satan and his fallen angel minion will be confined to a lake of fire for eternal punishment.
- The saved will spend eternity with God, while the lost will be separated from God.
The exact how and why is subject to debate. There are a lot of theories but little fact. The easiest way to wrap your mind around it is to listen to the advice of an old preacher who summed it up in three short sentences. “Jesus is returning. We don’t know when. Be ready.” More than half of evangelical Christians believe he will return by 2050. A Pew Research Center study released in 2010 disclosed that 58 percent of white evangelical Christians believe Jesus will return by 2050. In a 2006 Pew survey, 79 percent of American Christians believed he would return someday, with 20 percent of respondents believing it would occur in their lifetime.
A Conquering Warrior King
Christ’s second coming will be like the Jewish people of his day expected—as a conquering warrior-ruler. One explanation for why many of the religious leaders did not accept Jesus as Messiah was they did not understand he would come to earth twice. The prophesies they read in the Old Testament did not differentiate between a first appearance as a suffering servant and a second as an invincible king. They were awaiting the arrival of one who would rid them of Roman oppression, a man of war rather than the Prince of Peace.
His second coming will differ from his first as a helpless infant. “And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30 | NIV). Most, if not all, of the faithful will all be gone at that time. Those who witness the second coming will reluctantly kneel and confess that “Jesus is Lord” before being sentenced to a place of eternal torment. The only thing that has likely prevented Christ’s return before now is God’s mercy. He is allowing the gospel to reach every people group. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But the clock is ticking toward an event that is only on God’s calendar.
Regardless of when Jesus returns, for genuine believers, the troubles of this life will be in our rear-view mirrors. But we can’t forget that we are on a battleship, not a cruise ship. We have been warned to remain vigilant, watching, praying, and sharing gospel hope with a lost world. We are expected to be on the lookout, not focused on the pool, bar, or buffet. “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34-36).
Revised: 01/30/2023