The second coming of Jesus is a future event that is well predicted in scripture. It is mentioned over three times as much (some say over 900 verses) as the first coming of Jesus and will be fulfilled just as accurate as his first coming. Only a handful of verses will be discussed.
The second coming of Jesus will be in two parts. The first part will be the rapture. Only saved believers will see Jesus as he calls them home to be with him. The second part will be after the seven year tribulation when Jesus will return visibly on a white horse with his bride for the whole world to see. Shortly after this he will start his one thousand year millennium reign. When Jesus comes visibly he will land on the mount of Olives near Jerusalem just as he said in Acts.
The first part will be the rapture when Jesus will come in the clouds to receive his bride the church. Jesus will be invisible to unsaved people and will not set foot on the earth, but remain in the clouds. The dead in Christ will rise first, followed by those saved people who are living at the time of his return. {I Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.) (I Corinthians 15:51-54 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.)
There are many professing Christians who do not believe in the rapture and say the word is not found in scripture. I have just shown a few verses that show there will be a rapture. Enoch and Elijah were types of the future rapture. The word is not found in scripture just as trinity is not found, but the concept is as I have shown. The trinity is known in scripture as the Godhead and many verses show the existence of the trinity and the same is true of the rapture. Theologians often need a word to describe certain truths. The word rapture is from the Latin word rapere or rapio which means to snatch or caught up as seen in the English. There are different opinions on the timing of the rapture. There is the pre-tribulation rapture view, the mid-tribulation, post tribulation, and the post tribulation pre wrath view. The difference is when it occurs compared to the tribulation. I believe the pre-tribulation view is the correct view. God has always taken his people out prior to his judgment. He does allow man’s judgment, but his people are saved from his wrath, such as Noah and his family before the flood or Lot and his family prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Revelation 3:10-11 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.) There is a possibility that the post tribulation wrath view is correct since God does remove his people from his wrath, but not man’s tribulations. God did say we will have tribulation. Matthew 24:29 says Jesus will come after the sun and the moon go dark and Revelation 6:12 says after the sixth seal is opened the sun and moon are dark. Starting with the sixth seal judgment, the rest of the judgments are the wrath of God, the first five having been the tribulation of man. I am not completely convinced on this view and for now I believe the pre-trib view is the correct view. For more on the pre wrath view, see Dr. Kent Hovind’s WOE videos, What On Earth is About to Happen … For Heaven’s Sake? Believers will get their glorified bodies at the time of the rapture.
The second part of Jesus’ second coming will be when Jesus returns to earth visibly for the world to see along with his bride, the church with all riding on white horses. This is often referred to as the Glorious Appearing to distinguish it from part one, the rapture. (Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;) He will land on the mount of Olivet (Olives) just as the angel said when he ascended into heaven. (Acts 1:9-12 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.) When Jesus returns, the mount will split into two. (Zechariah 14:1-5 1
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 ¶ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.)
Jesus said that no one will know the day or the hour of his second coming. It will be unexpected. (Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.) (Mark 13:32 ¶ But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.) (Matthew 24:42 ¶ Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.) (Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.) (Matthew 24:36-39 36 ¶ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.) This fits today. This is why everyone needs to get saved now if they are not already saved so they will not miss out on the rapture and eternal life with Jesus. Today is the day of salvation. I do believe it is possible that the rapture will occur on the day of the feast of trumpets (today called Rosh Hashanah) which falls normally in September, but can occasionally occur in early October. All of the past significant events of Jesus always occurred on a Jewish holiday and most likely his second coming events will as well. No matter when it will be I do believe it is very soon and in my lifetime.
Jesus said he will come quickly. (Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.) (Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.) (Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.)
Jesus warned us to pay attention to the signs of his future coming. There will be scoffers of his second coming. (II Peter 3:3-4 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.) There will be a falling away, just as there is today, and the antichrist will be revealed. (II Thessalonians 2:1-4 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.) These signs show Jesus will return soon. (Luke 21:25-31 25 ¶ And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.)
Jesus said he would not drink wine again until he set up his kingdom. (Mark 14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.)
Jesus will return with signs from heaven. (Matthew 24:29-31 29
¶ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.)
The Jews will see the Messiah they pierced. (Zechariah 12:10-11 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.)
Jerusalem will be surrounded before his return. (Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.)
Jesus shall separate the nations and judge them. The holy angels will come with him in his return. (Matthew 25:31-34 31
¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:)
Jesus will reign forever. (Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.)
A strong delusion will come to unbelievers. (II Thessalonians 2:11-12 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.)
Jesus came the first time as a baby to save the lost. The second time he will come as King and Judge. (Psalm 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.) (Psalm 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.) (Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.)
Jesus will come in power and with vengeance. Vengeance belongs to the LORD. (Zephaniah 1:14-15 14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,) (Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.)
All the world will worship Jesus. (Philippians 2:9-11 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.)
Those who look forward to his return will be rewarded. (II Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.) (James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.)
Jesus is coming so we must be ready. If there is someone who is not saved, I plead that today might be the day. Jesus is coming sooner than we think and you do not want to be left behind. For those Christians who are not living right with God, today is the day to get right with God. Even so come Lord Jesus.
