As the world races into this new millennium, have you ever considered what our greatest need is? What do men and women living in the twenty-first century need most? If you were starving to death, it might be food. If you were homeless, it might be a place to live. If disease ravaged your body, it might be medicine. If you were lonely and discouraged, it might be love. Is there one thing that, if you had it, could take you through any difficulty you might face in life? Is there one thing that can make the human spirit soar? All over the world people are desperately looking for hope. Someone has well said, “What oxygen is to the lungs, hope is to the human spirit.” Hope buoys up our spirits. It lifts our vision from what is to what will be. It is a candle in the darkness. It provides encouragement for the future. The Bible is filled with the best hope of all—the hope of our Lord’s return.
1. What hopeful promise did Jesus give in John 14:1-3?
The Bible Answer:
I will come again.
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. "
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He assured His followers, “I will come again.” The fact that Jesus is coming to the world a second time is as certain as the reality that He lived on this earth 2,000 years ago. There is hope on the3 way.
2. What does the apostle Paul call the second coming of Christ? Titus 2:13
The Bible Answer:
The blessed hope and glorious appearing.
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3. Have Bible prophets predicted the coming of Christ throughout the centuries? Psalm 50:3; Jude 14
The Bible Answer:
Yes. Now Enoch…behold the Lord comes with thousands of His saints Our God shall come and shall not keep silent.
Psa 50:3 "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. "
Jud 1:14 "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,"
Bible writers down through the ages have predicted the coming of the Lord. For every prophecy in the Old Testament predicting the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem’s manger, there are eight on the second coming of Christ. His coming is mentioned in every book of the New Testament except the small book of Philemon.
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4. How will Christ return when He comes to this earth? Will His coming be a real, literal event or simply a spiritual coming into our hearts? Acts 1:9-11
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from
The Bible Answer:
This same Jesus, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.
Jesus’ ascension to heaven was a real, literal event. His return will again be a very real, literal event.
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5. How many will see Jesus when He comes? Revelation 1:7
The Bible Answer:
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Both the righteous and the wicked will see Jesus coming in the clouds of the sky when He returns again the second time. Every living inhabitant of our globe will witness the Second Advent. Christ’s return will overshadow every other event on Planet Earth. No one will need to tell you when Jesus returns. You will see His coming!
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6. What does the Bible compare Jesus’ coming to? Matthew 24:27
The Bible Answer:
For as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
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7. Will Christ’s return be a secret, silent coming? 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
The Bible Answer:
Descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God—
Jesus’ coming will be like a mighty blast of a trumpet. Everyone everywhere will hear it.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
8. Who will return with Jesus when He comes? Matthew 16:27
The Bible Answer:
Come in the glory of His Father with His angels
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Jesus’ second coming will be the mighty climax of all the ages. He will be surrounded by all His holy angels. Try to imagine what that glorious scene will be like.
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9. How does the Bible describe the awesome majesty of our Lord’s return? Matthew 24:30; Matthew 16:27
The Bible Answer:
Coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory
Mat 24:30 And 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.
Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works
Jesus came silently once. Although angels sang “Glory to God in the highest” in shepherds’ fields outside of Bethlehem, only a few had any idea the baby born in Bethlehem was the eternal Son of God. When He comes the second time, He will come in “power and great glory” in spectacular splendor visible to the entire world.
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10. If someone tells you Christ’s coming will be in secret, should you believe it? Matthew 24:23-26
The Bible Answer:
Do not believe it.
Matthew 24:23-26 "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.Behold, I have told you before.
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not."
11. What thrilling climactic event will take place when Christ returns? 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
The Bible Answer:
The dead will be raised incorruptible; we will be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 "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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. "
12. Everyone on earth will have one of two reactions when Jesus comes:
A. What will be the reaction of the lost? Revelation 6:14-16
The Bible Answer:
Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks
Revelation 6:14-16"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:"
Filled with guilt and fear, the unsaved run from the Christ who loves them and longs to save them. They have rejected His mercy and turned their backs on His love. Now frightened, they flee to shield themselves from His glory. What a tragic ending.
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B. What will the reaction of the righteous be? Isaiah 25:9
The Bible Answer:
We have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
Isaiah 25:9 "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."
The saved long for His return. Their hearts are filled with joy. He is their Friend, their Savior, their Lord and their King. They delight in His presence here and will delight in it through all eternity
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13. When is the time to prepare for the coming of the Lord? 2 Corinthians 6:2
The Bible Answer:
Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation
2 Corinthians 6:2 " (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"
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14. What event does Jesus liken His coming to? Why? Matthew 24:42, 43
The Bible Answer:
He will come swiftly, quickly, at a time when we least expect Him, the thief would come—not allowed his house to be broken into
Matthew 24:42, 43"But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."
Jesus likened His coming to a thief breaking into a house. This does not mean Christ will come secretly. It means He will come swiftly, quickly, at a time we least expect Him.
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15. Since Jesus is coming unexpectedly, what counsel does He give us? Matthew 24:44
The Bible Answer:
Be ready—
Matthew 24:44 "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh"
To be ready for the coming of Jesus means to eagerly anticipate His coming. It means a heart-longing for His return. It involves a life committed to doing His will. Love for Him leads us to long to be with Him throughout eternity.