Most Bible-believing Christians wait Jesus’ second coming after 2000 years.
We are told that Jesus’ return will be unexpected. People point to Matthew 24:36, which states, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
But in that same discourse to the same disciples, Jesus said I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34.
Jesus’ words are precisely why the early Christians expected Jesus to return very soon, even within their lifetimes. As we read the letters of the apostles, we see that evidence repeatedly.
How could the apostles be so sure? The answer is they believed Jesus.
There are over one hundred passages in the apostles’ letters. These passages show how the first believers were more than confident of his return in their lifetime.
Just as these ‘timing’ passages confine Christ’s Second Coming to the first-century generation, they saw the end of the age squarely in that generation as well. See e.g.
-Phil 3:20. . And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
-Titus 2:11f. . . . . we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior
-2 Thes 2:1. . . about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.
James 5:8-9. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
But when his Second Coming did not appear to happen, how could the delay be explained? Some scholars suggest that early Christians misinterpreted Jesus’ words, leading to disappointment when the Second Coming did not occur as anticipated. Even C S Lewis blatantly said Jesus was mistaken! He said Jesus did not come back as he said he would. (See his book “The World’s Last Night”). That is also the view of many liberal scholars, atheists and Islamic writers.
He failed to show up?
But is there any biblical reason to believe anyone would optically ‘see’ him coming in his glorified resurrected body to earth? Paul described the ascended Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see.
(1 Timothy 6:13-16).
This demand for him to be seen optically is a grave mistake. It discredits Jesus. These teachers fail to look at the rest of the New Testament. The evidence is there. The disciples believed him. He had to come on time. If not, Christianity would be falsified. Yet we know it is true.
It further appears that Jesus intended the disciples to believe in His imminent return. He often urged His followers to whom he spoke face to face to “be ready”. These passages show this:
Mark 13:33. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert[
Luke 12:40. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”
Luke 21:36. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”
These passages must be seen in their historical context—Jesus was speaking to Jewish disciples not to us.
Paul hoped to see the resurrection before he passed away, see:
Philippians 3:11, I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
And 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. That is resurrection!
And most importantly, the author of Hebrews wrote:
For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come a second time, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:24-28.
Did you catch that?
It is a fact that Jesus’ sacrificial death assures us of sins forgiven. He has effectively dealt with our sins by his death on the cross, as the apostles’ letters in the New Testament attest. We believe this today.
However, there is more!
The Jews in the Old Testament eagerly awaited the high-priest’s coming out of the temple on the Day of Atonement each year. His emergence alive from the Holy of Holies meant their sins were atoned for.
In like manner, Jesus would come to bring completed salvation to all believers, eagerly awaiting His coming a second time.
Without his return, those First Century believers would have expected to pass away and go to Sheol. There they would await the resurrection.
That’s why he had to come a second time.
Of course, few today believe we go to Sheol, but to Heaven. That’s what we hear and sing about at every funeral of a Christian!
Now because of his return we will enjoy the resurrection and Heaven!
I am not saying here that you, dear reader, lack complete salvation today.
Why?
Because He has already come and completed your salvation—even if you don’t believe that!
Ian Thomson 