One of the hottest topics within Christianity is the second coming of Jesus.
Ideas and speculations of how Jesus’s return will take place have been circulating for thousands of years now. Everyone seems to have their own understanding and expectations of it.
Some wish for it to happen soon, so they can escape the miseries of this world and be raptured to heaven. Others feel uncertain of what to do or how to face it. Some avoid thinking about it altogether and focus on the present moment. There are still others who dread the day of the Lord’s return because they believe that day will literally be the end of the world. A kind of doomsday apocalypse.
But what about you? Which category do you fall into? What if the reality of Jesus’s second coming turns out to be the complete opposite of what we thought? Let’s take a look at how to prepare ourselves for this time, according to the Bible.
The Promise to Return
Jesus came as the Messiah to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. But that wasn’t the completion of his work. The Bible says that the work of salvation would be completed at Jesus’s second coming.
So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28
Today, it has been approximately 2,000 years since Jesus left. We didn’t physically see him or witness his works with our own eyes. But we’ve been able to root down our faith in Jesus through the testimony his disciples and early Christians spread. Through the words recorded in the scriptures, we know that Jesus also left us with promises and hope to await his return.
We may each have different thoughts and expectations about how Jesus’ second coming will be, based on how we understand the Bible. But when that day arrives, it will not happen how we assumed it to be. It will happen how God, the One who promised it through Jesus, willed it. And with his return, our purpose of carrying out a life of faith will be achieved: salvation.
Do We Know When It Will Happen?
We know that Jesus will come back, but the question still lingers: When will it happen? Matthew 24:36 says that no one knows the day or hour. But Jesus did speak of his return using parables and prophecies for us to use to recognize it when the time comes.
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
Matthew 13:34
For example, Jesus spoke of signs that will occur – earthquakes, famines, and wars, that will signify his return. He said that we need to keep watch for these things, so that we could recognize him. But think for a moment though, don’t we hear of those events happening almost every day? What are these signs really pointing towards? And we should also consider: are these literal events that Jesus is referring to? If he spoke in parables, wouldn’t they in fact be figurative?
How Prophecies Are Recorded in the Bible
All throughout the Bible, God’s prophecies are given in parables. They use figurative language – giving an example of something we know and can understand – to recognize something that hasn’t happened yet. Let’s look at one example where Jesus spoke using a parable.
Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as being like a net.
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
Matthew 13:47-49
This net was let down to catch all kinds of fish. Then, there is a separation between the good fish and bad fish. Have you ever imagined heaven to be like fish caught in a net? But if Jesus spoke of it, wouldn’t it carry a deeper meaning than just some fish, a net, and the sea?
We have to be alert because this parable will be explained in a spiritual context when prophecies are fulfilled. If we misinterpret the meaning, we could miss the whole point and won’t be able to recognize the true meaning. And if you can’t recognize the reality of the parable, are you able to follow it? And if you can’t follow it, do you think you’d be able to get into the kingdom of heaven which the parable describes?
So now we know, it’s vital to know about the parables Jesus spoke. Especially those concerning the kingdom of heaven and his return. That’s because wherever Jesus returns to is where God and salvation will be as well. In order to understand how he will return, let’s also take a look at how Jesus came the first time.
How Did Jesus Come to Earth the First Time?
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God spoke through the Old Testament prophets about His plans to send a Messiah. He then tasked those prophets to make those prophecies known so that the Jewish people could be prepared to recognize him. When the Messiah came, the Jewish people were supposed to follow that person for salvation because he was sent by God. As promised, Jesus came and fulfilled everything written about him. From birth to death, he testified that he was the reality of the prophecies. He was the Word that became flesh (John 1:14).
But did the Jews acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah? Unfortunately, we know that he was rejected by the very people he was sent to save. (John 1:11)
How Did the Jews Miss the Signs?
In John 5:39-40, we can see that the Jews were very religious and passionate about God. Yet, they couldn’t recognize the very Messiah that God had sent because they didn’t understand the prophecies and signs. Why?
During the time between the prophecies being made and fulfilled, they made up their own ideas of what the Messiah would be like. Thus, they misunderstood God’s words, and instead of accepting Jesus, they hated, persecuted, and ultimately hung him on the cross.
Did the Whole World Know Jesus Came?
This entire event of Jesus’s ministry and work was an isolated event that took place in the small area around Jerusalem. The whole world did not know the savior had come. The testimony of Jesus’s ministry and gospel remained relatively unknown. That is, until the disciples and early Christians spread the news far and wide. Because of their testimony, Christianity has now become one of the most widely practiced religions in the world. So you’d think that with so many Christians and so many people knowing about Jesus, it would be easy to recognize him when he returns.
However, in Luke 18:8, Jesus questioned if he would find faith amongst believers when he returned. Jesus himself expected that people wouldn’t recognize or believe in him. And if we think about how he came in the past, quietly, unknown to the majority, we have to consider if it could happen in a similar way for the second coming. So how can we make sure we don’t miss him and prove his question correct?
What Can We Do to Recognize Jesus?
Past historical accounts were written not for us to find fault with the Jews for not recognizing their Messiah, but instead, to sincerely ask ourselves, would I have been any different? (1 Corinthians 10:11). As believers who hope to meet the Lord at his return, what actions does God require of us? It is to know the prophecies, to clearly recognize the signs and parables Jesus foretold. We were given the word in advance so that we could believe it if and when we see the reality of it.
I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
John 14:29
Let’s not be misled by our own thoughts but have an open heart and look for those signs to be spiritual, not literal. It has been told to us many times that we need to know and obey Jesus’ teachings (including his prophecies and parables). We shouldn’t repeat the same mistake of the people of old due to our misunderstanding or confusion. What would Jesus say if we fail to keep his commands even after all of these warnings?
Let’s really take this time to seek God closely. Let’s ask Him for help in learning and knowing His Word, where all of the promises and prophecies are recorded. We can’t forget that God’s desire is for each of us to attain salvation. He will be there every step of the way to help us achieve that.
Written by Your Soul and Heaven
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Check out these other posts that answer questions about salvation and how to make sure we can recognize Jesus’s return!
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The Danger of Adding Our Own Thoughts to the Bible
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