Is Second Coming of Jesus imminent? Is it almost at the Door?

Continuing from my previous blog, is the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ imminent? Is it almost at the door?

For centuries devoted Christians were waiting and longing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Even the Apostle Paul and his contemporaries were expecting the return of the Lord any time in their own life-time. It slowly dawned on them that it was not going to be that soon. Ever since Christians have speculated that the end times, when Jesus will appear in the clouds, was at hand.

 

This expectation might have been due to one or two promises of the Lord when he was with his disciples on earth. When Jesus was transfigured on a mountain, before the eyes of the disciples Peter, James and John, as narrated in the gospels, (Mt.17:1-8 and elsewhere), his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as snow and he was seen talking to Moses, the Law giver and Elijah the Prophet of renown.

A week before this experience, Jesus while prophesying about his Second Coming,  had told his disciples that ‘there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Mt.16:28.

In Mark 9:1, it is reported that Jesus told his disciples, “…there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” Luke 9:27, repeats the same prediction that “…there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

These are the predictions and sayings of Jesus Christ, which might have given the impression to the disciples that some of those who were standing with him then, would not die before the coming of the Kingdom of God in power, which will be indicated when the Lord returns to earth, this time in power and glory, accompanied by His angels to judge the world.

Three of the disciples did get to see Jesus in His Glory as he transfigured on the mountain in the sight of Peter, James and John. He was in His glorified body and was seen talking to the renowned prophets of old, who had died long ago. That was the kingdom of God that Jesus mentioned, which is yet to come in full, and a foretaste of which the three disciples were given on earth.

This must have given rise to the belief that Jesus will return before some of the disciples had died, but very soon they discovered this was not what Jesus had meant. Having clarified this issue, I will move on to clarify another saying of Jesus which might have given rise to such expectations of early return of the Lord.

The resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to seven disciples at Galilee, where they had gone to resume fishing, now that their Leader and Mentor Jesus has died and presumably gone, and commissioned Peter to be His shepherd to feed His sheep, after restoring him.

During that appearance when Peter asked Jesus what about the disciple John, and Jesus said, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” John 21:22. This also gave rise to a speculation that this particular disciple, John will not die, but this is not what Jesus meant.

What he really meant was to ask Peter, ‘why are you bothered about the work or fate of another person? You do what I have asked you to do.’  This is a weighty principle which every one of us may have to keep in mind as we do our secular or ministerial calling.

This statement of Jesus also could have given rise to the thinking that Jesus will return soon enough, when some of them were still alive. Every time there were terrible things happening in the world, like the Black Death in Europe or the Crusades or the two World Wars or the holocaust, or presently the horror of ISIS, people have speculated that the time of the return of Christ was imminent. But the world as we know is still going on, so some non-believers and even believers might point out.

Jesus had told a few other things when he was on earth. He famously said, “in My Father’s house are many mansions;…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 to myself; that where I am, you may be also.” John 14:2, 3.

This is one of the explicit messages that Jesus gave to indicate that he will come back again and will take with him his disciples so that they could also be with him, where ever he would be. But he also said in Mt.10:23, “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man returns.”

Though many interpretations are offered for this passage, it clearly indicates that before Jesus Christ, the Son of Man returns, his disciples wouldn’t have been able to cover all the villages and cities where Gospel, the Good News has to be announced. It was as if he was saying, “There is work to do folks, so do not get killed unnecessarily, just flee when persecution strikes, so that you will live to tell the News elsewhere.”

I am sure all the nooks and corners of the world are not yet covered with the Good News that Jesus Christ could save us by forgiving us our sins, because of what He did on the cross and give us the hope of resurrection and eternal life to spend eternity with Him. This is the message and the good news for humankind to hear and accept.

God does not want anyone to perish, so He is patient with us, so we could repent and return to Him, which is the core of the teaching and message of Jesus Christ. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. He has and is and will give plenty of time for mankind to hear the Good News and accept Him through Jesus Christ. So have two millennia passed without the world really ending as it should have been.

The present question is has the time come now? Is the world ready for the Second Coming and the judgment that will follow it?

More of it in the next week.