When Is Jesus Coming Again?

Jesus Is Coming Back Very Soon

Now is the season!

Nathan E.Jones contributed to this article.Jesus Christ will return to this planet in the not-too-distant future.Now, Jesus Himself has stated unequivocally that we will not be able to predict the exact day of His coming.Specifically, Jesus claimed in Matthew 24:36 that ″no one, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, knows what day or hour it is, but only the Father knows it.″ It is also made very plain in the Bible that individuals who have the Holy Spirit living within them — that is, those who trust in Jesus as their Savior — will be able to comprehend and predict the nature of the events that will herald His coming (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6).And, my friends, the time has come for the Lord to return!

We are nearing the conclusion of one era and the beginning of another, both of which will take place here here on earth, under the reign of Jesus Christ.

Signs that Show How to Know

What does God disclose to us in the Bible that demonstrates that the time has come for the Lord to come back?In the Old Testament, there are almost 500 predictions about Jesus’ Second Coming, and in the New Testament, one out of every 25 passages describes Jesus’ Second Coming.In these predictions, God provides us with a plethora of indicators that we should be on the lookout for in order to determine how soon Jesus will return.Signs of a Developing Society What exactly are these indications?One of the types of signals to be on the lookout for has to do with the character of society, as you might expect.″It will be much like the days of Noah,″ Jesus declares in Matthew 24:37, referring to His second coming.

According to this verse, the Lord is stating, ″I’m going to come back at a time when the earth is in the same condition as it was during the times of Noah.″ In other words, world civilization will complete a full circle and revert to the level of wickedness that it was during those times.
″Mankind’s imaginations were set upon wickedness,″ according to Genesis 6, during Noah’s time on the earth.
It was impossible to avoid wickedness and violence throughout Noah’s time on earth.
According to the Apostle Paul in detail (2 Timothy 3:1-4), ″Remember this, that in the end days severe circumstances will come.″ Then there are others who are self-centered and money-driven; boastful and haughty; revilers; disobedient to their parents; ungrateful and irreconcilable; spiteful gossipers; harsh; haters of good; treacherous; reckless; egotistical; lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…″ That is, without a doubt, the state of society today.
Signs of Technological Advancement Another type of end-time signals relates to the incredible improvements in technology that have occurred recently.
At the conclusion of this era, according to Daniel 12:4, there will be an explosion of knowledge, as well as a rise in the speed with which transportation may be accomplished.

Several scenarios described in the Bible rely on mass communication, satellite television, the Internet, computer technology, and medical improvements, all of which are just now becoming a reality in our day and age, according to the Bible.
Examples include Jesus’ comments in Luke 21 about people ″fainting from dread″ because the ″powers of the sky have been disturbed,″ and how people will want to shelter underground to avoid the devastation caused by nuclear weapons (Revelation 6:15).
Consider how incredible it is that humans started out on horseback and ended up in a rocket in the twentieth century.
In the world of politics, there are signs.
World Politics is another another group of indications that can be found.
The Bible predicts a fairly definite structure of nations at the conclusion of the world’s history.

For the first time in decades, Israel is shown as a nation that is surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors who are determined to destroy it.The Middle East has been like this since the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May of 1948, and it will continue to be like this indefinitely (Ezekiel 35:1-36:7; 37:21-22).The prophecy of Daniel predicted that the Roman Empire will be resurrected.This process began with the establishment of the European Union (Daniel 2:36-41).The Bible predicts the rise of a great power that will be based in ″distant portions of the north.″ It is predicted that this nation will pose a threat to Israel in the end times, and that it will eventually lead an invasion of Israel with certain partners, all of which are modern-day Muslim governments (Ezekiel 38:1-39:16).

Russia and its Muslim friends are perfect examples of this definition.Spiritual Signs and Symbols Another indication that Jesus will come soon is the fact that we are nearing the conclusion of this age.There will be an abundance of spiritual signals.

Several times in Matthew 24, Jesus warns that the end of this age would witness an increase in false prophets claiming to be Christ, culminating in an increase in cult followings that will divert many people’s attention away from the biblical teachings on real religion.Various forms of Satanism, including witchcraft, New Age, and the occult, were foretold to become popular, and this has already occurred.1 Timothy 4:1 states that ″the Spirit expressly declares that in the later times people would slip away from the faith, paying attention to deceptive spirits and teachings of devils,″ according to Paul.Apostates will be found in large numbers of congregations, who will repudiate Jesus and refuse to follow His moral standard.In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, the apostle Paul says concerning individuals who pretend to be Christians: ″The time will come when they will not bear sound doctrine…

and will stray aside to falsehoods.″ However, not all of the signals point to doom and gloom.We have been assured that there would be some really encouraging spiritual indicators during these latter days.Consider the statement made by Jesus, who stated that the Good News of salvation will be spread over the entire globe.″And this gospel of the kingdom will be spread throughout the entire globe as a testament to all nations, and then the end will come,″ Jesus stated (Matthew 24:14).Along with this, there will be a significant outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as well as increased interest in and comprehension of Bible prophecy (Matthew 24:14; Joel 2; Daniel 12).Nature’s Tell-Tale Signs The indications of Nature will multiply in number as a result of all of this turning away from the Creator.

People are being called to repent and return to a love connection with God through natural calamities of all kinds that are becoming more frequent and intense, such as ″birth pangs″ (Matthew 24:8).There will be tremendous earthquakes, and plagues and famines will be afflicting different parts of the world, according to Jesus’ prediction in Luke 21:11, as well as terrors and great signs from heaven.Signs that Israel is under attack Though they are not the most significant of all prophetic signs, those that pertain to Israel are the most significant since the Jews serve as God’s prophetic time clock.

In practice, this implies that the Scriptures frequently link a prophesied future event with something that will directly affect the Jewish people.It is possible to find an example of this in Matthew 24, in which Jesus predicted that the restoration of Israel would be a portent of the end of the world’s history.He used the fig tree as a metaphor of Israel, and He predicted that the generation that witnesses the re-blossoming of the fig tree will be the generation that will witness His return.Well, the fig tree re-bloomed on May 14, 1948, when the country of Israel was re-established, indicating that our age will be the generation to witness the Lord’s return to the earth.An analogous prophesy was made by Jesus for the city of Jerusalem.

At the end of Luke 21:24, he predicts that the Jews would be expelled from Jerusalem and taken as captives among the many countries.He then instructed them to keep an eye out for their return to Jerusalem because, when they do, it will signal the beginning of the season of His return.Jews were expelled from Jerusalem in 70 AD in accordance with this prophesy; they were allowed to return only in June 1967, so establishing this date and period as ″the season of the Lord’s return″ (Luke 21; Zechariah 8:4-8).There are additional prophesies involving Israel that point to the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ.One example is given in Isaiah 35, where we are informed that the destroyed and barren country of Israel shall once again thrive.Early in the twentieth century, Jewish settlers began to regain their ancestral homeland in fulfillment of this prophesy.

Today, Israel has risen to the status of the Middle East’s breadbasket.
Israel will become a military superpower in the end times, according to Zechariah 12.
Today, the little nation of Israel is ranked fourth in the world by military experts, despite its small size.

An further major prophetic sign relating to Israel in the end times is the one whose fulfillment we are already experiencing — the international community’s attention being drawn to the country of Israel (Zechariah 12:2-3).Over the subject of who governs the city of Jerusalem, all of the world’s countries, including the United States, are uniting against Israel.Israel’s restoration as a country nearly 1900 years after its establishment is a miracle, and it serves as unmistakable proof that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that the prophesies contained within it have come to pass in this time.

The Nature of Christ’s Return

So, what is the purpose of God sending us all of these signals to alert us to Jesus’ imminent return?He is back for a reason, and that is what is important to understand.After His ascension, Jesus will return to deal with resistance, or sin, before establishing His Kingdom on earth.God’s gracious and loving nature is such that He would notify us in advance when He will come in justice and judgment, giving us the opportunity to repent.Specifically, 2 Peter 3:9 states that ″God does not intend for any to perish, but rather that everyone should be led to repentance.″ God’s response to sin is either grace or anger, depending on the circumstances.A person is either under the protection of God’s favor or under the wrath of God.

There isn’t a middle ground here.
Being under the protection of God’s favor is a wonderful thing.
It implies that you have the assurance that Jesus will arrive one day soon and take you out of this world in an event known as the ″Rapture″ before He deals wrathfully with those who have rebelled against Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
People who have accepted Jesus as their Savior during this time period will be saved from God’s wrath, according to the Bible, which says this over and over again.
According to Romans 5:9, ″by Him we will be rescued from the wrath of God.″ According to 1 Thessalonians 1:10, we are looking forward to ″His Son from heaven…
who will free us from the wrath to be revealed.″ One of the New Testament’s most famous promises is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:9: ″God has not predestined us for wrath, but for redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ.″ Those who are under God’s anger because they have not asked for forgiveness of their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior will be left behind and will endure a wrath beyond anything you have ever experienced before in your life.

According to the Bible, this will take place during ″The Tribulation,″ a period of seven years during which the wrath of man, the wrath of Satan, and the wrath of God will all be let loose throughout the globe.
Earth will be ravaged for seven awful and horrific years, during which time billions of people will be annihilated before Jesus returns in His Second Coming.
God is a God of love, as we all know.
″For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whomever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,″ Jesus says in John 3:16, referring to God’s love for the world.
God, on the other hand, is a God of justice.
It is said in the Bible in John 3:36 that ″whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life; but anyone refuses to obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God will remain on him.″ God’s fundamental essence is to love, but His love necessitates that wickedness be dealt with in the strictest of terms.

In the Bible, it is plainly stated that God never executes His wrath without first giving notice, since He is a just and loving God who does not intend for anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).He has done this in order to make us aware that we are on the verge of the Tribulation and that Jesus Christ will come at a time when we are least prepared.

Decide

What are your thoughts?Is it possible that you are under God’s wrath because you haven’t accepted His free gift of salvation, or that you are under God’s mercy because you have accepted it?Will you be one of those who are raptured before God’s wrath, or will you be one of those who suffer under its fury?Is it possible for you to honestly state that you are prepared for Jesus’ return?You need to make a choice right now.Follow the instructions in Mark 1:25, if you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior.

″The hour has come…the coming of the kingdom of God is imminent.″ ″Repent and put your faith in the good news!″ Believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and you will have eternal life.
Having accepted Jesus as your Savior, you may rest certain that your sins have been forgiven and forgotten, and you can look forward with expectation to the glorious day when Jesus will come in the clouds of the skies.
Make certain that Jesus is also Lord of every aspect of your life during these latter days so that when He returns, He will find you prepared.
″So keep an eye on things since you never know when the owner of the house may return – whether it is in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at morning.″ If he appears out of nowhere, do not allow him to discover you asleep.
″What I say to you, I tell to everyone: ‘Keep an eye on things!’″ (Mark 13:35-37, New International Version)

When Is Jesus Coming Back? Is it Soon?

In one popular argument to Christianity, non-Christians assert that because Christians think Jesus is returning soon and that He has not returned, it follows that He will not return at all.Today, many people associate the phrase ″coming soon″ with the act of driving through the drive-thru at their favorite fast-food restaurant.They thus believe that Jesus will return in a short period of time when asked the question ″Is Jesus coming back soon?″ When Jesus talked of His return, He used the word ″soon″ rather than the word ″immediately,″ implying that He would return in the near future.In Revelation 22:20, Jesus declares, ″Surely, I will come quickly.″ The words ″Amen″ are then added by John.″Come, Lord Jesus,″ the choir sings.

When Is the ‘Soon’ for Jesus’ Return

The Greek word for ″soon″ is tachu, which may be rendered as ″as soon as possible″ or ″without undue delay.″ Throughout the New Testament, the word tachu is most frequently used in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7,12,20).By ″soon,″ we mean that the sovereign events of history have been put in action, ensuring that Christ’s coming will take place without any additional delay.Thus, history is progressing in accordance with God’s schedule, who is in complete command of the entire historical narrative.Not only does the Lord Jesus speak of the Lord Jesus’s imminent coming, but so do others.According to 2 Peter 3:9a, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some regard slowness, but is patient with you, not intending for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.In other words, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some regard slowness, but is patient toward you.

The Lord Jesus’ return is imminent — in the sense that God’s plan is progressing and is only being postponed so that the elect may be rescued (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:5).

The Return of the Lord Jesus Is Imminent

This means that the Lord Jesus’ return is not only impending, as we must comprehend, but it is also immediate in the sense that it might occur at any time.
As early as 1 Corinthians 10:11, the apostles speculated that the Lord Jesus’ return may occur within their lifetime.
They referred to the Lord Jesus’ return as taking place in the end days (1 Peter 1:20; Hebrews 1:2), and they exhorted God’s people to be prepared and on the alert.

Because Jesus employed the language of being ″ready,″ He means for the people of God to think that He is about to return at any moment (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36; Mark 13:33).
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus also emphasizes that no one can predict the day or hour of His coming, thus Christians should live their lives in the expectation that He will come at any time.
Jesus desires that every generation live in the consciousness that He may visit unexpectedly and that all individuals will be required to give an account of how they will locate them when He does.
As a result, the answer to the question, ″Is Jesus coming back soon?″ is a loud yes, and He will come without further delay than is required.

He told them, ″It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has determined by his own authority,″ which is a confirmation of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:36.Jesus said this when the disciples inquired as to whether or not He intended to rebuild Israel.No one knows when Jesus will return, but the point made by Luke in Acts 1 and Jesus in Matthew 24 is that He will return at some time in the future.

Anyone who believes in Christ is able to predict when He will return, because Scripture is quiet on the specific day and time of His return.This issue is explained in detail in Matthew 24:36-44, which offers a basic premise that is essential to understanding it.There is no way to predict when the Lord Jesus will return, and Scripture makes no encouragement for the people of God to guess when he will come.Christians, on the other hand, are instructed to ″…remain alert, for you do not know on when day your Lord will come″ (Matthew 24:42).″Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not anticipate,″ Christians are instructed (Matthew 24:44).According to the teaching of Matthew 24:36-44, no one can predict the day or time of the Lord Jesus’ return on the earth.

This essay has frequently emphasized the scriptural concept of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:36-44 because many people throughout church history have sought to foretell the exact date of His return and claimed to know the exact time He will arrive.
Despite the fact that several dates have been offered, all of them have been and will continue to be incorrect.
The majority of preachers who foresaw the return of the Lord Jesus had problematic, if not heretical, theological stances on a wide range of important Christian topics.
As a result of Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7, we may infer from Scripture that it is not God’s purpose for Christians to calculate the precise day or hour of the Lord’s return, and that anybody who attempts to do so is misdirected in his or her efforts.

What is essential is that the people of God live their lives in light of the Lord Jesus’ approaching return to earth (2 Timothy 4:8).

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus is referenced 1,500 times in the Old Testament, and one out of every twenty-five verses in the New Testament makes reference to the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming, which is a significant number.
″For the Lord God accomplishes nothing unless he first reveals his secret to his servants the prophets,″ writes Amos 3:7, emphasizing the importance of this information.
What Amos says is important because it helps Christians comprehend that the return of Christ heralds the establishment of God’s Kingdom, which is defined as God’s total authority over all of His creation.

To accomplish this, Jesus ushers in two distinct judgements, two distinct resurrections, and two distinct eternities: the first and the second.
The book of Revelation 19:11-16 describes how the Lord will be prepared for war when the nations of the world gather to fight against the city of Jerusalem.
In Zechariah 14:2, we are told that this will be the day of the battle of Armageddon, and that it will also be the day when He will return (Revelation 19:4).
Furthermore, this will be the day prophesied in Revelation 19:6-7, on which the enemies of God, including the Antichrist and the false prophet, will be overcome in their entirety (Revelation 19:20).

The Kingdom of God will be established by Jesus at that point (Zechariah 14:9).Jesus will judge those who are living at the time of His Second Coming as part of the process of establishing His Kingdom.The judgment of the sheep and the goats, or the judgment of the nations, is the one of which we are speaking today, according to the Bible (Matthew 25:31-46).

A thousand years of peace will be enjoyed by those who survive this judgment as a result of their trust in Jesus Christ.In Matthew 25:41, it is said that those who are found guilty of not believing in the Lord Jesus will be condemned to the lake of fire, where Satan will be restrained and prohibited to do anything (Revelation 20:1-3).There will also be a resurrection of all Christians, according to the Bible (Revelation 20:4-6).Christians who have been raised from the dead will be united with the entire church of God who are living at the time of Christ’s Second Coming, as well as those who Christ takes to heaven with Him, and they will dwell with Him throughout the thousand-year earthly reign of Christ.At the conclusion of the thousand-year period, Satan will be freed, and a final fight will take place, which will be conquered by the Lord Jesus Christ on the spot (Revelation 20:7-9).As a result, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.

Then there will be a second resurrection, followed by another judgment.
Non-Christians will be revived and judged at this time, in what is known as the Great White Throne Judgment, and will be consigned to the lake of fire based on their deeds, which will be revealed later (Revelation 20:11-15).

Two Different Eternities

There are two eternal fates, one with the Lord Jesus and one without Him, as a result of the Lord Jesus’ return being a reality (Malachi 4:1-2).
When the Lord Jesus returns, evil will be destroyed, the planet will be restored, and the Lord will triumph!
If you believe in the first coming of the Lord Jesus, your response to his return will reveal whether or not you believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus.

Christian believers have a great hope in that they will not only be admitted to heaven, but that they will also be with the Lord Jesus for all of eternity in heaven.
Your response, dear reader, to the topic ″Is Jesus Coming Back Soon?″ is critical because it expresses your understanding of the Lord Jesus’ first coming as well as your understanding of His finished and adequate work.

We Are Not Promised Tomorrow

We cannot guarantee tomorrow, and the Lord knows not just the number of hairs on your head or the content of your thoughts at any one time, but also the length of all of your days.
God longs for your repentance, for you to turn back to Him, and for you to put your confidence in Christ – because Jesus is mighty to rescue by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.
You must not cower in fear, but instead must stand firm on the Lord Jesus and proclaim the glory of Christ to everyone.

Will Jesus Really Return to Earth?

As Christians, we gladly proclaim that Jesus Christ will, in fact, return to the world again and again.
It’s critical for us to remember that Jesus Himself stated that He will return to the world at some point.
His disciples gathered on the Mount of Olives when He spoke to them, and He promised them that He would come in might and great splendor.

According to the angels, Jesus Christ would return.
As mentioned in Acts Chapter 1, when Jesus ascends to His Father, angels appear and proclaim, ″He will return in the same manner that He has gone.″ When you look at church history, one of the intriguing things you will see is that, although though various Christians throughout church history have had diverse viewpoints on the end of time, they have always agreed on some fundamental truths concerning the end of the world.
And one of them was the belief that Jesus Christ will return to the planet.
When you look at the church fathers, all of these various men, one of the things you will see is that they all believe at least three things about the end of time, about the coming of Jesus.

It is the belief that Jesus Christ will physically return to the planet.Not only that, but God will also resurrect both the righteous and the sinful to be judged in the end.And, finally, that Jesus Christ will bring about a restoration and a fresh beginning in the world.

We may say that there will be a restoration of sorts.All of these considerations are critical.All of these things have been admitted by Christians throughout history, notwithstanding their differing views on the end of the world.It’s even a part of the Apostles’ Creed, which was written in the fourth century.When you read the Apostles’ Creed, you will see that it mentions Jesus Christ having risen to His Father.He will then return to judge both the living and the dead once His time on earth is through.

Not only will He come to judge the living and the dead, but there will also be life eternal, or life unending, as a result of His return.
Is it possible that Jesus will return?
Yes.
Not unwillingly because we believe, ″Oh, He’s going to return,″ but joyously, we as Christians proclaim this truth.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus, since Jesus Christ will truly return.Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Tinnakorn for the photo.Jorruang Dave Jenkins and his wife, Sarah Jenkins, are in a happy marriage.He is a writer, editor, and public speaker who resides in the lovely state of Oregon.

On Why Jesus Hasn’t Come Back Yet (And the Answer May Shock You)

Yes, that final sentence was intended to be click bait—or perhaps it wasn’t.
The question, ″When is Jesus coming back?″ has probably been asked a thousand times.
It all depends on how you feel about a subject that bothers a lot of Christians, including myself: what the hell is holding Jesus from accomplishing what he promised to do: return soon?

Dr.
Christopher M.
Hays has written a new book, When the Son of Man Didn’t Come: A Constructive Proposal on the Delay of the Parousia, which he has collaborated on with several authors, including Dr.
C.

A.(Casey) Strine, who will be his co-blogger for this series.Today’s post is the first of three parts on that very topic, and it is based on a new book, When the Son of I believe you will enjoy the candor with which they present the situation, as well as the originality of their suggestion for delaying the parousia (which is Greek for ″appearance″ or ″coming″ and is used in theological studies to allude to the Second Coming).

And certainly, for some, the solution may be more surprising than the problem itself, but that’s just how life is, so let’s just dive in headfirst and see where it takes us.The author of Luke’s Wealth Ethics and Renouncing Everything: Money and Discipleship in Luke, Hays is also a co-editor of Evangelical Faith and the Challenge of Historical Criticism.He has earned degrees from Wheaton College and the University of Oxford, among other institutions (D.Phil.New Testament Studies).As a missionary with United World Mission, he is presently a Professor of New Testament at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia, where he also serves as a missionary.A former wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn and a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Theology, he now works as a research associate at the University of Oxford.

Strine is a Lecturer in Ancient Near Eastern History and Literature at the University of Sheffield, where she teaches ancient Near Eastern history and literature.
His D.Phil.
is from Oxford, and his book Sworn Enemies is published by Oxford University Press.
The Divine Oath, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Polemics of Exile were named the winners of the 2015 Manfred Lautenschläger Award for Theological Promise, which was presented in Berlin.

At the moment, he is investigating the possibility of using the study of involuntary migration to help in the interpretation of the ancestral story found in Genesis 12–50.Post 1: Was Jesus incorrect about the end of the world?(Submitted by Christopher M.Hays.) In the middle of a bright and brilliant afternoon at the University of Bonn, I felt the proverbial clouds of doubt begin to gather over my expectation of Jesus’ second coming.I’m blaming it on the Germans.

During a lively Q&A session following a thought-provoking course on eschatology, I observed that churches in the United States today continue to appeal to the imminence of Christ’s return in order to inspire people to repent and convert.
″The rapture might occur at any moment, so repent while you still have the opportunity!″ I was thinking of summer camp altar calls.
It is possible that Jesus will return at any time.
Alternatively, right now.
Alternatively, right now!″ DC Talk performs I Wish We’d All Been Ready in a music video, which is then cut away.

When this was brought up, a senior scholar raised an eyebrow and stated emphatically, ″Ja, and I believe that this demonstrates a troubling lack of attention to theological advancement.″ The underlying message of this admonition was that because Jesus has not returned, it is time for theology to go on without the parousia as a goal.
Indifferent (due to the effervescent assurance that comes from a powerfully fundamentalist catechesis), I believed that this mistrust was the consequence of careless New Testament exegesis, and I was correct.
So I raced to the biblical text, where I discovered…
difficulties.
I was faced with problems for which I had no solutions.

In response, I turned to friends from a variety of theological disciplines and Christian traditions, and we collaborated on a book on the subject: an Anglican Old Testament scholar, Casey Strine; a Dominican friar and New Testament scholar, Richard Ounsworth OP; a Greek Orthodox patristic scholar, Julia Konstantinovsky; and a Russian Orthodox systematic theologian, Brandon Gallaher.
Fortunately, my pals were able to figure out what I couldn’t: a new idea for the postponement of the parousia, which we believe is, in some ways, not that new after all.
In my first piece, I’m going to put on my devil’s hat and explain the problem of the delay in the return of Jesus Christ.
In our next piece, my friend Casey will don the white Stetson and begin to describe the answer we’ve come up with for this problem.

The fundamental reason for the debate over the timing of Christ’s return is that Jesus promised the first generation of his disciples that he would return before the last of that group passed away: ″Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power″ (Matthew 24:36).(Mark 9:1).’Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have occurred,’ he informed them (13:30), with ″all these things″ evidently includes reference to the ″Son of Man coming in clouds with great grandeur and glory.″ Taking into consideration that promise, Jesus instructed them to ″be vigilant…be awake…be attentive″ repeatedly (Mark 13:33-37), for ″truly I tell you, until the Son of Man arrives, you will not have passed through all of Israel″ (Matt.

10:23).Although Jesus stated that no one would be able to predict the ″hour or the day″ of his return, he did predict that he would come before the end of the first century, in general terms.And given the fact that we are still here, it appears that he was completely wrong!

Other answers have, of course, been proposed by scholars, but none have struck me as particularly satisfactory.
For example, N.T.
Wright (see Jesus and the Victory of God, pp.
348-68) has made the very compelling case that the ″coming of the Son of Man″ language in Mark 13:26-27 refers to Jesus’ enthronement in heaven following his death, rather than his final descent to earth in judgment.

This is a very persuasive argument.
Since Mark explicitly relates to Daniel 7:13, in which the ″one like a son of man coming″ is certainly enthroned in heaven, this is an intriguing option.
Although Mark 8:35-38 suggests that the Son of Man would return in judgment, rather than ascending to rule in heaven after his death, the rest of the Bible says otherwise.
The similar concept appears to be evident in Luke 12:40 and Matthew 24:44.

Furthermore, both Mark 8:34-9:1 and Matthew 13:24-31 state that the advent of judgment is expected to take place within a generation.As a result, because I do not believe that the judgment took place within the first century, I find it difficult to accept Wright’s argument as a source of support.Still, it appears as though Jesus made an error in his predictions about his return occurring before the first generation of apostles passed away.At the risk of stating the obvious, the fundamental difficulty with claiming that Jesus was mistaken regarding the imminence of the culmination of the eschaton is that the imminence of the Kingdom of God was key to Jesus’ message of salvation.In a sense, this is the thesis statement of Mark’s Gospel, which was the first canonical Gospel to be written: ″The time has come; the Kingdom of God is close; repent, and trust in the good news″ (Mark 1:15).

In addition, since the fundamental teaching of Jesus was incorrect, how can anybody expect to achieve ″salvation″ by placing their confidence in him?More specifically, why are people continuing to live and die in the expectation of being accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven when the parameters of that offer (the fact that it is close) appear to have expired nineteen centuries ago?If Jesus’ prophesy concerning the date of the Kingdom’s arrival was not fulfilled, isn’t it fair to say that this whole Christianity thing is a complete and utter failure?Actually, that’s not the case.

For you see, even while Jesus did promise that he would return before the first generation of disciples died, it’s crucial to remember that he was making a prophecy at that time.In addition, as Casey will show in our next column, contrary to common assumption, prophesies do not attempt to predict specific future occurrences in the present.Prophecies are always conditional by their very nature.In the end, whether or not a prophesied consequence occurs is entirely dependent on how an audience responds to the prophet’s word.

Even more so, when one examines attentively the texts of the New Testament, it is clear from the context that diverse authors understood the time of Jesus’ return and the eschatological culmination to be not set, but dependent on human behavior.
That being the case, it is possible that the fault is not with Jesus’ message itself.
Perhaps we are the source of the delay in the arrival of the parousia.

Jesus is Coming Soon!

We are living on borrowed time.

Dr.
David R.
Reagan contributed to this article.

Due to Jesus’ statement that He will come as a ″thief in the night,″ many people think there is nothing that can be known regarding the date of His return (Matthew 24:42-44).
In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, Paul makes it plain that Jesus’ words does not apply to believers: ″But you, brethren, are not in darkness, lest the day should overtake you as if by surprise…″ This is followed by an explanation of why: ″since you are all sons of light and sons of day.″ So, because we are neither of the night nor of the dark, let us not sleep as the rest of the world does, but rather remain vigilant and sober.″ Naturally, Paul is referring to the light of the Holy Spirit, who resides inside all true believers and who, through our study of Scripture, may help us determine the time of the Lord’s coming (1 John 2:27).

God’s Attitude

According to the nature of God’s character, he is bound to warn the world about the impending coming of His Son.
The reason for this is because Jesus is returning in tremendous fury to ″judge and make war″ (Revelation 19:11), and God never pours out His wrath without first giving notice of his intentions.
God does not intend for anybody to perish, but rather that all people be brought to repentance and salvation (2 Peter 3:9).

As a result, God always issues a warning before executing His wrath.
For 120 years, he sent Noah to warn the rest of the world.
Through Abraham, he issued a warning to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He dispatched Jonah to warn the pagan city of Nineveh, and 150 years later, He dispatched Nahum to the same city to warn the Jews.

In the same way, God is announcing to the world now that His Son is soon to come again.He is pleading with the entire world to repent.This is the message of the hour for unbelievers: ″Flee from the wrath to come by escaping into the loving arms of Jesus right now.″ Jesus came to earth for the first time as a manifestation of God’s love; He came to die as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

His coming will be a time of retribution, when He will unleash the wrath of God on those who have rejected God’s love and kindness.The imminent return of Jesus brings with it a message for everyone who trust in him.Christians who are lukewarm or carnal are being exhorted to dedicate their life to holiness: ″The night is nearly through, and the day is approaching.As a result, let us throw away our acts of darkness and put on the armor of light.Let us conduct ourselves correctly as we would during the day, refraining from carousing and intoxication, sexual promiscuity and sensuality, and quarrel and jealousy.Make no provision for your body in terms of its lusts, but rather put on the Lord Jesus Christ″ (Romans 13:12-14).

God’s Method of Warning

God is sending out ″signs of the times″ to warn Christians about the imminent return of His Son, which are referred to as ″signs of the times.″ Prophesies about world events that we are instructed to keep an eye out for, prophecies that will pinpoint the season of the Lord’s return, are included in this section.
These indicators may be seen in abundance throughout the Bible.
There are around 500 prophesies in the Old Testament that are related to the Second Coming of the Messiah, according to a recent study.

One out of every twenty-five passages in the New Testament is focused with the return of Jesus Christ.
In fact, there are so many symptoms that it’s impossible to keep track of them all at once.
The most effective approach I’ve discovered to achieve this is to organize them into categories: First, we are instructed to keep an eye out for natural disasters such as earthquakes, famine, disease, and signs in the skies (see Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11).
There are a variety of reasons why this is the least acknowledged category of indications.

For starters, many people simply shrug their shoulders and say, ″Natural disasters have always occurred, so what more is there to be surprised about?″ It’s important to note that Jesus compares these symptoms to ″birth pains″ (Matthew 24:8), implying that they would become more frequent and intense as the time for His return approaches.In other words, earthquakes will become more violent and more frequent as time progresses.That is exactly what is taking place right now.

Yet another reason why these indications are paid little regard is because most Christians are so rationalistic that they do not truly believe in the supernatural, and as a result, they find it difficult to accept the idea that God communicates with the world through natural signs.Nonetheless, the Bible teaches this precept from beginning to end.God dealt with the sin of the world during the days of Noah by sending a catastrophic flood (Genesis 6).He urged the people of Judah to repentance by sending a devastating locust infestation onto the land (Joel 1).In a same vein, He called on the people of Israel to repent by sending drought, wind storms, mildew, locusts, hunger, and plague upon the land, among other things (Amos 4:6-10).The prophet Haggai used a drought as proof that God was asking the people to reassess their priorities in order to be successful (Haggai 1:10-11).

The beginning of the New Testament is marked by an unique light in the skies signaling the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2:2).
An earthquake and three hours of darkness occurred on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, according to tradition (Matthew 27:45-51).
Moreover, when Jesus arrives, the world will be shaken to its core by the most powerful earthquake in human history, with every mountain being dropped, every valley being lifted, and every island being shifted (Revelation 16:17-21).
God has always communicated with mankind via natural phenomena, and He continues to do so now.

We’d best pay close attention to what they’re saying.When it comes to society, Jesus predicted that it would become increasingly lawless and immoral as the time for His return approached.In fact, He predicted that it would become as terrible as it had been during the days of Noah’s flood (Matthew 24:12,37-39).In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the apostle Paul presents a terrifying vision of end-time civilization.Specifically, he predicts that it would be defined by three loves: the love of one’s own self (Humanism), the love of money (Materialism), and the love of pleasure (Plurialism) (Hedonism).

Following that, he points out that the result of this carnal lifestyle will be what philosophers refer to as Nihilism — or, in other words, a society that is mired in sorrow.
Because of the depravity of men’s minds (see Romans 1:28), people will start calling evil good, and good evil, and vice versa (Isaiah 5:20).
We are witnessing the fulfillment of these predictions right in front of our eyes right now as we watch our culture reject its Christian heritage and plummet into a horrible abyss of lawlessness, immorality, and hopelessness.
Our nihilism is being exported over the world through immoral and violent films and television shows, which is a tragedy in and of itself.
3) The Signs of the Spirit — There are spiritual indications that we should be on the lookout for that are both positive and harmful.

For example, the advent of false christs and their cults (Matthew 24:5,11,24), the defection of the professed church (Titus 2:13), the spread of Satanism (1 Timothy 4:1), and the persecution of true Christians are all examples of bad outcomes (Matthew 24:9).
When Christian cults first began to arise in the mid-19th Century, these negative spiritual indicators began to manifest themselves.
The Mormons were the first, followed by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and subsequently a wide range of spiritualist organizations such as the Church of Christ Scientists and the Unity Church.
During the 1920s, the German school of higher criticism infiltrated American seminaries and began to undermine the authority of the Scriptures, teaching that the Bible is Man’s search for God rather than God’s revelation to Man.
This marked the beginning of the end of the mainline Christian denominations.

Satanism emerged on the American landscape in the 1960s and has since been propagated around the world through American films, literature, and television shows, among other means.
Astrology, numerology, crystal gazing, transcendental meditation, and channeling are just a few of the esoteric practices that have grown prevalent in modern times.
The New Age Movement, with its doctrine that man is God, has brought the entire trend to a close, culminating in its appearance.
In recent years, authentic Christianity has been under growing threat as society has become more secular.

Those who still cling to Judeo-Christian ideals, which were previously considered the cornerstone of Western Civilization, are now publicly criticized by the media, while those who do not are labeled as ″intolerant fundamentalists.″ Among the positive spiritual indicators are the preaching of Jesus Christ to the entire world (Matthew 24:14), a vast outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32), and spiritual enlightenment to comprehend prophesies that have been ″locked up″ until the end of time (Daniel 12:4,9).The good indicators are being realized in our day and time, just as we are seeing the bad signs fulfilled.The Gospel has been preached across the world in this century, thanks to the use of contemporary technologies, and the Bible has been translated into every major language.The tremendous end-time outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as was promised by the prophet Joel, has also begun to take place.Joel referred to it as ″the later rain″ (Joel 2:23), and he predicted that it would come after the Jews had returned to their homeland.

In 1948, the state of Israel was formally re-established.Billy Graham and Oral Roberts were anointed by God in 1949, and their ministries would go on to have a global effect in the years that followed.Afterwards, in the 1960’s, there was the Charismatic Movement, which encouraged worshipers to rediscover their spirituality while also putting a strong focus on the continued validity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The publication of Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth, in 1970 marked the beginning of a significant acceleration in the knowledge of Bible prophecy.
Many prophesies that had been ″locked up″ until the end times appeared to be opened up to common comprehension as a result of this (Daniel 12:4, 9).
Amazingly, it went on to become the world’s best-selling book for the following 10 years, with the exception of the Bible, as the world’s most popular book.
4) The Signs of Technological Advancement – According to the Book of Daniel, there will be an explosion of knowledge in the end times, and people will move fast (Daniel 12:4).

In the Bible, there are numerous predictions that cannot be interpreted without the aid of contemporary technology.
Think about how the entire world must have felt when they saw two bodies strewn over the streets of Jerusalem (Revelation 11:8-9).
The ease with which modern television satellite technology makes it possible.
When it comes to creating an image of the Anti-Christ that looks to be living (Revelation 13:15), how does the False Prophet do it?

The answer, of course, is found in the field of robotics science.It’s difficult to understand how the False Prophet can demand that everyone on earth receive the Anti-mark Christ’s in order to purchase and trade (Revelation 13:16-17).It would not have been conceivable without the use of computers and lasers.Because of the dreadful nature of the Tribulation, Jesus predicted that all life on earth would cease to exist if He did not intervene and shorten the period (Matthew 24:21-22).Before nuclear weapons were developed, it was difficult to imagine how all life might be imperiled.

One other possible allusion to nuclear power may be found in Luke’s assertion that men in the end times will ″faint with terror″ because ″the powers of the heavens will be disturbed″ (Luke 21:26).If you listen closely, you can definitely hear an allusion to the splitting of the atom.5) The Signs of World Politics – According to Bible prophecy, there will be a definite pattern of world politics that will characterize the geopolitical map of the end times.This pattern is known as the Tribulation Pattern.

The re-established state of Israel will be the primary emphasis (Zechariah 12:2-3).In the ″distant reaches of the north,″ a hostile nation known as ″Rosh,″ or modern-day Russia, will besiege the city, causing it to be destroyed (Ezekiel 38:2,6).There will also be a potentially dangerous nation to the east, notably China, which will be capable of sending an army of 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:13-16 and Revelation 16:12-13).The Arab countries that surround Israel will become a third source of peril for the Jewish state..

They will be envious of the country and will want to seize it from the Jews (Ezekiel 35:10 and 36:2).
As a second major participant on the international political stage in the end times, a coalition of European states that will establish a confederation based in the region of the former Roman empire will emerge (Daniel 2:41-44, Daniel 7:7,23-24, and Revelation 17:12-13).
These alliances will serve as the political foundation for the Anti-ascent Christ’s to power and the establishment of his universal reign (Daniel 7:8).
War and rumors of war (Matthew 24:6), civil conflicts (Matthew 24:7), and widespread worldwide terrorism and lawlessness are examples of other international political signals (Matthew 24:12).

6) Israel’s Signs and Wonders — The number of signals relating to the state of Israel is enormous, and they are quite significant.The Old Testament prophesy that the Jewish people will be regathered from the ″four corners of the world″ in the end times is the one that is most commonly repeated (Isaiah 11:10-12).According to the Bible, the re-establishment of the state of Israel will be one of the outcomes of this regathering (Isaiah 66:7-8).

According to the Scriptures, after the Jews have returned to their homeland, the land itself will undergo a miracle of restoration (Isaiah 35).
It is expected that the desert would flourish, prompting the exclamation, ″This desolate country has become like the Garden of Eden″ (Ezekiel 36:35).
The restoration of the Hebrew language will be yet another end-time miracle to occur (Zephaniah 3:9).

Although most people are unaware of the fact, when the Jews were expelled from their homeland in 70 AD, they were no longer able to communicate in the Hebrew language.
The Jews who immigrated to Europe created a new language known as Yiddish, which is a blend of German and Hebrew words.
Those Jews who made their way to the Mediterranean basin developed a language known as Ladino, which is a blend of Hebrew and Spanish.
We are also instructed to keep an eye out for other significant signs of Israel that we should look out for in the end times, such as the re-occupation of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24), the resurgence of Israeli military strength (Zechariah 12:6), and the re-concentration of world politics on Israel (Zechariah 12:7).
(Zechariah 12:3).

All of these prophecies have come to pass in this century alone.A new nation has been founded, the land has been recovered, the old language has been restored, the Jews have returned to Jerusalem, and Israel has emerged as the focal point of international affairs.In Luke 21:28, Jesus tells us that when these signs begin to manifest themselves, we should ″straighten up and lift up our heads″ because ″our redemption is drawing close,″ as the verse states.

The Key Signs

Most significant are the signs that pertain to Israel since God employs Jews as His prophetic time clock throughout the Scriptures, making them the most significant signals.
This means that when the Lord is revealing a significant event that will take place in the future, He would frequently refer to the Jewish people and declare that when a specific occurrence occurs in their lives, the significant event will also take place.
A strong illustration of this idea may be found in Daniel 9, specifically in the prophesy of the ″Seventy Weeks of Years.″ In this passage, the prophet warns us to keep an eye out for a decision that would enable the restoration of the city of Jerusalem.

Afterwards, he claims that the Messiah will appear sixty-nine weeks (483 years) after the edict is proclaimed to the Jewish people.
There are two major prophesies that link the return of Jesus to events that have transpired in Jewish history since 1948.
The first is found in the book of Revelation.
As a result of these two occurrences, it is apparent that the time period in which we are currently living is the season of the Lord’s return.

The State of Israel

The first is the re-establishment of the state of Israel, which took place on May 14, 1948, after a long period of absence.
This particular occurrence was picked out by Jesus as the one that would herald His imminent coming.
In the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-35), which He told as part of His Olivet Discourse, He fulfilled His prophecy.

He had placed a curse on a barren fig tree the day before He made this discourse, causing it to wither (Matthew 21:18-19).
This was a symbolic prophecy that God will soon pour out His wrath on the Jewish people as a result of their spiritual barrenness as a result of their refusal to accept His Son as their Messiah.
The following day, Jesus brought up the fig tree with His followers.
He advised keeping an eye out for it to blossom again.

In other words, He warned us to be on the lookout for Israel’s revival.The fig tree would bloom again, and He would be at the gates of Heaven, ready to return, according to him (Matthew 24:33).Furthermore, He made an unusual observation: ″I truly believe that this generation will not pass away until all of these things have taken happened″ (Matthew 24:34).

What generation are we talking about?The generation that gets to witness the blossoming of the fig tree.That generation is the one we belong to.The fig tree has begun to bloom.Jesus has arrived at the city’s gates.

The City of Jerusalem

As recounted by Luke, Jesus foretold the second major event in the same speech, which was that Jerusalem ″will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be brought captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are completed″ (Luke 21:24).
The first half of this prophesy came true in 70 A.D., forty years after Jesus said the words.
The second half came true in 70 A.D., forty years after Jesus stated the words.

It was in that year that the Romans, led by Titus, captured Jerusalem and dispersed the Jews across the Roman Empire.
On June 7, 1967, Israel retook control of Jerusalem after 1,897 years of Gentile occupancy.
The city had been under Gentile control from the beginning of recorded history.
The Jewish re-occupation of the city of Jerusalem is unmistakable evidence that we are living in the latter days before the Lord’s second coming.

According to Jesus, this would herald the end of the Gentile Age.

A Call to Action

No matter how hard we try, we can’t avoid the conclusion that we’re living on borrowed time.
There is a clamoring for our attention from the signals of the times, which are all around us.
Are you ready to take on the world?

Do you think Jesus would be your ″blessed hope″ (Titus 2:11-14) or would He be your ″holy terror″ (Revelation 6:12-17) if He came back today?
If you haven’t yet accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, now is the moment to make the decision to do so.
You must repent of your sins and call on the name of the Lord in order to be saved (Acts 2:14-39).
Is it possible for you to live as though Jesus may return at any moment if you are a Christian?

Have you made a decision to live a life of holiness?Are you praying for the lost and sharing your faith with others when the opportunity presents itself?Do you long for the Lord’s return?

Do you long for the Lord’s return?You are a candidate for a ″crown of righteousness,″ according to Paul, since you have spent your life ″in the love of His coming″ (2 Timothy 4:7-8).Can you say the same about yourself?

When will Jesus return to earth?

Throughout His teachings, Jesus stated that He will return one day, and that when He does, He will judge all the ills of this world and establish His perfect reign of justice and peace on earth.
God, according to the Bible, ″has fixed a day when he will judge the world with justice via the man he has anointed″ (Acts 17:31).
When is this going to happen?

According to the Bible, God has not disclosed the precise hour to anybody, not even to the angels or to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
″No one, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father knows what day or hour it is,″ Jesus replied.
″No one, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father knows″ (Mark 13:32).
(Incidentally, the phrase ″the Son″ plainly refers to Jesus, who is the only one who is God’s Son; see, for example, John 5:22).

As you point out, some people have claimed to know the precise time of Jesus’ return despite the fact that this warning has been sent (although their predictions turned out to be wrong).Unfortunately, their failure frequently led to people dismissing the Bible’s teachings on Christ’s coming and denying its warning that this world would be judged at some point in the near future.We ignore these realities, however, at our risk, for the day will come when each and every one of us shall appear before God.

Despite the fact that we do not know when Christ will return, the Bible does provide us with a number of indicators that He is on His way back.For example, Scripture states that He will come only once the Gospel has been preached across the entire world—and, thanks to modern methods of communication, it is possible that this day is becoming closer (see Matthew 24:14).Are you prepared for the next event?Become one of them right away by pledging your life to Jesus Christ without hesitation.

Jesus knew that we would want to know when He is coming back. He wants us to eagerly await that day! But does the Bible answer, When will Jesus return?

Is it possible that Jesus will come in 2028?
Do detailed charts and statistical research indicate that the year 2034 is more likely?
It was via basic Google searches that I discovered these audacious forecasts.

A number of years in the past have been foretold as the year of Christ’s return.
These include the years 1000, 1836, 1844, 1914, 1975, and 2011.
It is possible that many individuals may make predictions concerning the date of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming.
But what does the Bible have to say about it?

Will Jesus return to earth?If that’s the case, when will Jesus return?

Will Jesus return?

First and foremost, does the Bible state that Jesus Christ will return to the earth?
Yes, it does—and in a variety of settings.
Angels spoke to Jesus’ followers as they were standing on the Mount of Olives, watching Him ascend into heaven after His resurrection.

″Men of Galilee, why are you standing here gazing up into heaven?″ the angels said.
It will be the same Jesus who was carried up from you into heaven who will return in the same manner in which you witnessed Him ascend into heaven.″ (12 who also remarked, ″Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the sky?″ It will be the same Jesus who was carried up from you into heaven who will return in the same manner in which you witnessed Him ascend into heaven.″ Acts 1:11), New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version 1982 by Thomas Nelson″>The Holy Bible, New King James Version ″What will be the sign of Your coming, as well as the indication of the end of the age?″ they had inquired of Jesus a few weeks previously.
(The Signs of the Times and the Coming of the End of an Era) 3 The disciples approached Him privately as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, asking, ″Tell us, when will these things take place?″ ″And what will be the sign of Your coming, as well as the indication of the end of the age?″ says the Lord.
Matthew 24:3), New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version 1982 by Thomas Nelson″>Matthew 24:3), New King James Version (NKJV) They were aware that He was bor