Important events:
- Jesus’ incarnational birth
- Jesus’ perfect life
- Jesus’ atoning death
- Jesus’ victorious resurrection
- Jesus’ glorious ascension
- Jesus’ promised return
Here is how Jesus described His return:
Matthew 24:29-31
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the celestial powers will be shaken. 30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
From Jesus’ words, we can be confident of these four aspects of His return.
Jesus will return suddenly. Verse 29 says that Jesus will return “immediately.” In Matthew 24:27, Jesus had compared His return to the sudden way that lightning flashes from the east to the west. From a theological viewpoint, there is nothing left for Jesus to do to provide redemption for mankind, therefore in one sense His return could be at any moment. Those who hold particular views of eschatology are looking for specific events to usher in the Great Tribulation, which will then lead to the sudden return of Christ.
Jesus will return visibly. According to verse 30, the people on earth will be able to see Jesus when He returns. Scholars believe that the “sign of the Son of Man” that Jesus spoke of and people are looking for is not an ichthus (aka, “Jesus fish”) or a cross in the sky or anything else, but rather Jesus Himself. His return will be the sign that the last days are truly upon us. With our modern media and social media, imagine how easy it will be for people all over the world to view the return of Christ in very real time. Without the technology of our day, such a worldwide viewing would not be possible. Incredible!
Jesus will return powerfully. In verses 29-30, creation itself is aware of and subject to the return of Christ. Jesus is described as coming on the clouds. The sun and moon will be darkened, stars will fall from the sky and celestial powers will be shaken. Scientists do not know exactly what will be going on in the heavens at the exact moment Christ returns, but one thing we do know: the Bible says it will be powerful.
Jesus will return sovereignly. The first time He came, Jesus was born humbly and He lived the life of a servant leader. When He returns, He will come as eternal judge and victorious king. He will send His angels to the four corners of the earth to gather people before Him. He knows the condition of each person’s heart. He knows those who are His elect (v31), those who have surrendered their lives to Him as Lord and Savior.
If you are reading this and you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then trust in Him today. Surrender your life to Him. Check out these posts:
If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, thank Him for your salvation. And then tell someone else how they can be saved.