The coming of the Lord
In your opinion, what would be the biggest event that could happen on the world stage? Another world war? The discovery of a cure for a terrible disease? World peace, once and for all? Maybe the contact to extraterrestrial intelligence? For millions of Christians, the answer to this question is simple: the biggest event that will ever happen is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The central message of the Bible
The entire biblical story of the Old Testament focuses on the coming of Jesus Christ as Redeemer and King. As in 1 Mose 3 As described, our first parents broke their relationship with God through sin. However, God foretold the coming of a Redeemer who would heal this spiritual break. To the serpent that tempted Adam and Eve to sin, God said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (1 Mose 3,15)This is the earliest prophecy in the Bible about a savior who would conquer the power of sin, which holds sin and death over humanity. “He will crush your head.” How would this happen? Through the sacrificial death of the Redeemer Jesus: “You will strike his heel.” He fulfilled this prophecy at his first coming. John the Baptist recognized him as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (Joh 1,29)The Bible reveals the central importance of God's incarnation at Christ's first coming and that Jesus now enters the lives of believers. It also states with certainty that Jesus will return, visibly and with great power. Jesus will indeed come in three distinct ways:
Jesus has already come
We humans need God's redemption—his salvation—because we have all sinned and brought death into the world. Jesus made this salvation possible by dying in our place. Paul wrote: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Kol 1,19-20)Jesus healed the rift that occurred in the Garden of Eden. Through his sacrifice, the human family is reconciled with God.
The prophecies of the Old Testament pointed to the Kingdom of God. The New Testament begins with Jesus proclaiming "the good news of God": "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near," he said. (Mk 1,14-15)Jesus, the King of this kingdom, walked among the people and offered “a single and ever-valid sacrifice for the guilt of sin.” (Hebr 10,12)We should never underestimate the significance of the Incarnation, the life and work of Jesus about 2000 years ago.
Jesus is coming now
There is good news for those who believe in Christ: “You too were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to live according to the ways of this world… But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, made us, who were dead in our sins, alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2,1-2; 4-5).
"God raised us up with us and instituted us in heaven in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (verses 6-7). This passage describes our present condition as followers of Jesus Christ!
When the Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come, he replied: “The Kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will people say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Lk 17,20-21)Jesus Christ brought the Kingdom of God in his person. Jesus now lives in us. (Gal 2,20)Through Jesus in us, he expands the influence of the Kingdom of God. His coming and life in us point to the final revelation of the Kingdom of God on earth at Jesus' second coming.
Why does Jesus now live in us? We remember: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2,8-10)God has saved us by grace, not because of our own efforts. Although we cannot earn salvation through works, Jesus lives in us so that we may now do good works and thereby glorify God.
Jesus will come again
After Jesus' resurrection, when his disciples saw him ascend, two angels asked them: "Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Apg 1,11)Yes, Jesus is coming again.
At his first coming, Jesus left some messianic prophecies unfulfilled. This was one of the reasons why many Jews rejected him. They expected the Messiah to be a national hero who would liberate them from Roman rule. But the Messiah had to come first to die for all humanity. Only later would he return as a victorious king, not only exalting Israel but establishing his eternal kingdom over all the kingdoms of the world. “The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Offb 11,15).
Jesus said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (Joh 14,3)Later, the Apostle Paul wrote to the congregation: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” (1 Thess 4,16)At Jesus' second coming, the righteous who have died—that is, the believers who have entrusted their lives to Jesus—will be resurrected to immortality, and the believers who are still alive at Jesus' return will be transformed into immortality. All will go out to meet him in the clouds (verses 16-17). 1. Kor 15,51-54).
But when?
Over the centuries, speculation about the second coming of Christ has caused a multitude of disputes - and countless disappointments as the various scenarios of the forecasters proved wrong. Overemphasizing "when Jesus will return" can distract us from the central focus of the gospel. This is Jesus' work of redemption for all people, accomplished through His life, death, resurrection, and outpouring of grace, love, and forgiveness as our heavenly High Priest. We can get so caught up in prophetic speculation that we fail to fulfill the rightful role of Christians as witnesses in the world. Rather, we are to exemplify the loving, merciful, and Jesus-centered way of life and proclaim the good news of salvation.
Our focus
It is impossible to know when Christ will return, and therefore unimportant compared to what the Bible says. What should we focus on? Ideally, being ready when Jesus returns, whenever that may be! “Therefore you also must be ready,” Jesus said, “because the Son of Man will come at an unexpected time.” (Mt 24,44)"But whoever remains steadfast to the end will be saved." (Mt 24,13)The Bible's focus is always on Jesus Christ. Therefore, our lives as followers of Christ should revolve around him. Jesus came to earth as both man and God. He now comes to us believers through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ will return in glory "to transform our lowly body so that it may be like his glorious body." (Phil 3,21)Then “creation will also be set free from its bondage to decay and will be given the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Röm 8,21)Yes, I am coming soon, says our Savior. As disciples of Christ, we all answer with one voice: “Amen, yes, come, Lord Jesus!” (Offb 22,20).
by Norman L. Shoaf
