Jesus’ Triumphant Return

Overview:

            Whilst the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah is the foundation upon which Christianity is built - His return (parousia in Greek) is eagerly awaited by many believers around the world – and yet there is much confusion, and opinion regarding the timing of his return.

Even in the face of this disagreement, Jesus himself adds clarity to the situation where he states, in Matthew 24:36…

Matt 24:6 - “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”

            While we cannot be certain of the timing of his return, we have been given ongoing descriptions of his return in both the Old and New Testaments. They show that there are three phases to, and specific signs which will precede Jesus’ return.

            The phases are:

A)   The Calling Up – where Jesus will appear in the sky, and will call all the believers, both dead and alive to him. But he will not step foot on the Earth at this time. This is known more commonly as the ‘Rapture’, from the Latin word ‘rapturo’ – it is also known as the ‘harpazo’ in Greek. The key scripture that refers to the ‘Rapture’ is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, where it says…

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

B)   The Judgement/Tribulation – When Jesus physically returns to the Earth he will be doing so in judgement of those who have turned their back on God, are unrepentant in their sinfulness, and for their worship of Satan and the Anti-Christ. This time of judgement is a 7-year period known as ‘The Tribulation’. Much of the discussion of the ‘Second Coming’ and what happens during this time is found in the seemingly cryptic book of Revelation, which was written by the Apostle John. In John 5:22,30, Jesus states that God is not going to judge to world, but rather the Son of God will. Matthew 25:31-46, outlines that Jesus will usher in the Kingdom of God, by separating out those who truly believe in Him, and those that don’t – from all the nations. The tribulation, in part, aims to bring the nation of Israel back to a relationship with God, and a belief in Jesus as their Messiah.

C)   The Millennial Kingdom – The Millennial Kingdom, as found in Revelation 20:1-6, is a period of 1000 years when Jesus will physically reign from Jerusalem with the tribulation saints, and possibly with other believers, who ascended to Heaven during the ‘Rapture’. During this time, Satan and his minions will be banished and locked in the abyss. Then at the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be released, and he will deceive the nations and a final battle against evil will be held, and the forces of God will triumph one last time – Revelation 20:7-10. After these events, God will re-create both the heavens and the Earth, and we will then enter into eternity with Him – Revelation 21.

The signs are:

In Matthew 24:3-14, Jesus outlines several very significant signs of the times that will herald his return to Earth. These signs are a mix of warnings aimed at the believer.

In verse 13, there is a blessed statement made by Jesus in the midst of this discussion. It says…“ But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” – It is a hope that we as believers can hold onto – a hope that if we keep the faith, and hold Jesus close to our heart, mind and soul – we will be saved from the terrible wrath of God that is to come upon the world in increasing measure.

The return of Jesus our Messiah will be a blessed time for us believers as it will usher in his glorious kingdom, it will bring about justice, and it will lead to the cleansing of all evil from the cosmos. And more importantly, it will re-unite us with our Heavenly Father, and we will be blessed with the glory of his presence around us for eternity. However wonderful this time will be, it will also be a time of great trouble and upheaval, and Christian will face serious persecution prior to their calling up to be with Jesus. We should continue to seek the Lord in our study of his word, and through communion with Him in our prayerful considerations in the spirit.