Jesus Will Return

coral pink fluffy clouds
Almost two thousand years ago, Jesus left this Earth and ascended back to Heaven.  The record of such is recorded in the book of Acts.  “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).  It was at that time that He returned to the Father.  Jesus was given a place of honor by being seated at the Father’s right hand.  “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:11-13).  The writer of Hebrews also wrote, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).  Let us notice however, that almost immediately after Jesus left, the apostles were told that Jesus would return.  “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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” (Acts 1:10-11).

            Jesus will return!  That truth must not be ignored.  Scoffers may claim that His return is nothing but fiction, but God has decreed such in His Word (2 Pet. 3:3-12).  Therefore, we should not doubt, but rather prepare for when Jesus comes again.  The Lord Himself stated, “Watch therefore:  for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:42).  Each day, Christians should be anticipating the return of Christ.  While the exact time of His return is uncertain, with each passing moment it gets nearer and nearer.  Jesus also said, “Therefore be ye also ready:  for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:44).

            Much has been written and said about what men think will happen when Jesus returns.  A great amount of that material is incorrect and gives false hope.  Let us simply take what the Bible has to say about His return without mixing false doctrines and man’s theories.  Paul wrote, “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.  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:  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” (1 Thess. 4:15-17).  Please notice that nowhere does it say that Jesus will ever step foot on the Earth again.  Instead, the faithful will “meet the Lord in the air”.  The notion that Jesus is returning to set up His kingdom, and that He will rule for 1,000 literal years, is a false doctrine espoused by a misunderstanding of Revelation chapter 20.  Jesus is already ruling over His kingdom.  The kingdom of Christ is the church of Christ (Matt. 16:18-19).  Paul correctly wrote that some in the first century were already in the kingdom.  “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:12-13).

            There is also another idea that some may have about Christ’s return.  Instead of obeying the Gospel now, some might believe that they can currently live as they want, and obey later.  Friend, when Jesus returns, there will not be enough time to obey then.  Consider the following:  “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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” (1 Cor. 15:50-52).

            While some reject Christ’s impending return, let us do now what we can to prepare for such.  I hope that we all can have the same attitude that John had long ago.  “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
~ Corey Barnette