Will Christ come again?
Much of the Bible is dedicated to the theme of the Second Coming. There are over 1500 prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming recorded in the Bible. For every prophecy of His first coming mentioned in the Old Testament, there are eight predicting His Second Coming. Christ’s return is also mentioned once in every five verses in the New Testament. Christ's Second Coming is foretold, under Divine Inspiration, by John the writer of the Revelation.
Many passages in the Bible devoted to this subject indicate how important it is. As the four gospels portray Christ in His first coming, so the book of Revelation portrays events before and after the future second coming of Christ. In Revelation 19:11-16, He is described as coming on a white horse, a symbol of victory, to judge the world; He is followed by the armies of heaven. He has the power to strike down the nations (verse 15), and the prediction is He will rule "with an iron scepter." Christ is called "the King of kings," in his glorious return, and will institute his Millennial Reign (1000 year Kingdom) on earth. His coming will express the wrath of God against wickedness in the human situation. It is clear that the heavens will be ablaze with the glory of God accompanied as He is by millions of holy angels and saints, who are moving from heaven to the Mount of Olives in preparation for the millennial kingdom. Satan and the unsaved alike will realize that this is the second coming of Christ, but it is too late for those who are not ready for His second coming.
In Titus chapter 2, verses 11-13, we find these words: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” There are two threads that run all the way through the Bible. One is the scarlet thread of Redemption ;( It is History) Titus 2:11 described it as “Grace has appeared” other is the golden thread of the Second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (It is prophecy) Titus 2:13 describe it as “Glorious appearance” Oh, how wonderful it is to trace both of these all the way through the Bible. There are many ideas and opinions about the end-times, but the Bible gives us few details of exactly what will happen. World history is barreling toward the conclusion that God ordained. It isn't an end that will come as a result of nuclear war, environmental irresponsibility, or alien invasion; it is the one that comes by the purpose and plan of God, foretold in Scripture.
The Bible presents God's work of redemption as an ongoing process. Throughout the Old Testament, He leads His chosen people toward truth and righteousness. The final phase of the process of redemption began with the first coming of Jesus and will culminate in the events surrounding His Second Coming. There will be a final judgment of all people, living and dead. The faithful will receive new spiritual bodies for eternal life; the wicked will be cast into hell. There will be a final defeat and destruction of all evil -- Satan, sin, suffering and death. The kingdom of God will come to its fulfillment at last. Jesus left no doubt that He will return again to complete His mission of salvation for mankind:
In fact, Jesus promised His disciples that He would come again. John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your heart be troubled...In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” This brings us back to the whole reason Jesus came, lived, died, rose, left, and is coming again. When that Day comes, we won’t have to wait any longer. We will be citizens of the new heavens and the new earth, the place in which justice dwells. Jesus is coming back to set the world right, to restore Creation to its original intention.
The Old Testament is full of Messianic promise—that promised is its main focus. From beginning (Genesis 3:15) to end (Malachi 4:2), the entire Old Testament is filled with prophecies of the coming Deliverer—at least 333 distinct promises, by one count. Of the more than 100 prophecies dealing with the first advent of Christ, all of them were fulfilled precisely, literally. His riding on a donkey, the parting of his garments, the piercing of His hands and feet, and the vivid prophecies of His rejection by men in Isaiah 53—all these might have been interpreted symbolically by Old Testament scholars before Christ. But the New Testament record repeatedly reports that such things were fulfilled in the most literal sense, so "that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" (Mathew 26:56; cf. 2:15; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 21:4-5; 27:35;john 12:38; 15:25; 19:24, 28). Bible says God "cannot lie" and that He will not change His mind (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). What He has promised, He will do. The truthfulness of the Bible is at pledge in the Second Coming.
It is natural for us to want to know the timing of everything (Mark 13:4). But no one knows the day or the hour of Christ's second coming, except the Father (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32). Nobody can say with any degree of certainty when Jesus is coming again, because He said clearly that even the angels in heaven do not know that day (see Mark 13:32). No man knows that day, and the Son of God, when He was on the earth, did not know either. This knowledge, the Lord Jesus said, was strictly reserved for the Father. Christ will be sent by the Father at the appointed time (Acts 3:20, 21). Christ's coming will be at the unexpected moment (Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:40) - in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). His coming will be sudden (Mark 13:36) - like lightning (Matthew 24:27) or a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 16:15).The world will be totally unprepared for the second coming of Christ even as it was unprepared for the coming of the flood in the time of Noah (Matthew 24:38).
There is no delay regarding the Lord's coming (Hebrews 10:37): the only reason for any appearance of delay in the Lord's return is God's patience, in that He does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The coming of the Lord Jesus approaches with the passing of each day (Hebrews 10:25). His coming will be soon (Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:12, Revelation 22:20).His coming is always to be considered as being at hand (Romans 13:12; 1 Peter 4:7). The Bible tells of many events that will occur before the Second Coming and which will be signs that the end is near. Everywhere we look we find people with concerns about the future. While we live in a world where knowledge is exploding, world events and growing uncertainty about tomorrow entice many who do not know God to pursue extraordinary and unusual means to do evil. Unable to find the answers that only God can give about tomorrow, they turn to psychics and those who make merchandise of their "insight" into the future. The Word of God promises, however, that believers can look toward tomorrow with expectation and excitement.
We can also see certain signs or indications (see Matthew 24:3, Luke 21:7), that His coming is approaching. Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars, revolutions, widespread famine, disease, and earthquakes in many different places (see Matthew 24:6-7, Luke 21:10-11). There would be an increase of lawlessness and anarchy. The apostle Paul said, "That day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God" (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). Along with the "man of sin" will come what is called an apostasy, or a falling away. Many of the believing people will grow cold in their faith (see Matthew 24:12). There will be persecution of Christians and an increase in wickedness. I think all these things are happening with increasing frequency.
Another event that had to happen before Jesus could return was the re-establishment of the state of Israel. (Ezekiel 36:8-12, 37:21) The original Israel disappeared from the globe hundreds of years ago. In 1948 a new state of Israel was established. The regathering of Jews to Israel is a clear sign, in both the Old and New Testaments that our age is just about over. Jesus prophesied that the reunification of Jerusalem as a Jewish City would be a sign that gentile influence over the Promised Land, and indeed the world, was coming to an end (Luke 21:24). Fulfillment of this prophecy began in 1967, when Jerusalem became an undivided Jewish city again, and scholars saw it as another major sign that the End of the Age had begun. On June 6, 1967, the Jews, for the first time since Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., took over control of the entire city of Jerusalem, thus signaling the approaching end of Gentile world power. The Lord said that at the End of the Age He will make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling, an immovable rock for all nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves (Zechariah 12:2-3). The Bible tells us Jerusalem won’t really be free of Gentile “trampling” until the Lord returns. Daniel’s prophecy that Gentile Dominion will not end until the Lord establishes His kingdom (Daniel 2:36-45), the fact that Jerusalem is back in Jewish hands is another big sign that the End is coming soon.
Christ's earthly teaching was filled with references to His Second Coming (Matthew 24-25; Luke 21). When He was on trial for His life, Jesus defended His own deity with a bold declaration of the Second Coming in the most triumphant terms. He told the High Priest, "You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62). Jesus said, however, that the one major thing which would herald His coming would be the proclamation of the gospel. He said, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). These are signs of the times. We are to hold ourselves always ready for our Lord's return. But nobody knows the day and hour when that will be. Jesus said the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39) While we are still living, or until Jesus comes again, we have every opportunity to repent (change our ways from evil to good). But in the end we will all be judged. Because no one knows when Jesus will come again for the final judgment, we must always be prepared. Jesus' Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mathew 25:1-13) speaks directly to the need to be spiritually prepared for the final judgment.
My friend, Jesus is coming soon: Are you ready? All the signs of the times point to it — the signs of nature, the signs of society, the signs of a spiritual nature, the technological signs, the world political signs, and the signs of Israel. God is in the heavens shouting, “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book."(Revelation 22:7)
God does not wish that any should perish but all should be brought to repentance. Are you ready? My friend let me tell you something, the Bible says “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” I urge you to simply bow your head in prayer, and then receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you have already received Jesus as your Savior, I have a message for you too, the best way we can prepare for the Savior’s coming is to accept the teachings of the Bible and make them part of our daily lives. That is the call of the Holy Spirit upon believers in the end times — to commit their lives to holiness. And then to yearn, yearn for the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Listen to these glorious words from 2 Timothy 4 which Paul wrote from prison right at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; and in the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Revelation 22:12 Jesus said "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
