The second coming of Christ dominates the Bible; it’s referenced 1,845 times. Next to faith, no subject is more discussed in Scripture. For every mention of the first coming, the second coming is mentioned eight times. For every time the atonement is mentioned, the second coming is mentioned twice.
Jesus personally referred to His second coming twenty-one times, and we’re urged to be ready for His coming no less than fifty times in Scripture.
The first time Jesus came, He took the world’s sin on Himself and died on a cross to make a way for all who would trust in Him to get to heaven. But when He returns, He’s going to take over. He’s going to tell all the earthly rulers, “Move over; let Me show you how it’s done.”
That’s why John wrote, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
Revelation 19 is a classic passage on the second coming of Jesus Christ and describes Him this way: “His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns” (v. 12). It’s simple: There are no other rulers. Jesus wears all the crowns, because He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.
In Daniel 7:14, he wrote: “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” This is the event that will stop all wars, all violence, all terrorism, and all anxiety.
People have visualized world peace, marched for it, held up the peace sign, written songs about it, and put on peace bumper stickers. Last time I checked, nothing has worked.
Only when the Prince of Peace comes back will peace come, and God will “present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24). Revelation 21 tells us that in heaven, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (v. 4).
And we’ll spend part of eternity in a position of authority, management, and administration in His kingdom. “If we endure, we shall also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:12). How amazing is that? Jesus will make “us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). It couldn’t be clearer.
So I’m daring you to look ahead, beyond your current difficulties and circumstances, to the coming of Jesus Christ, when pain and suffering will end.
The secret is to live this temporal life with our eyes on eternal life. As Jonathan Edwards prayed, “Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs.” You’ll never be completely satisfied until you get into His presence. C. S. Lewis said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Until that time, we can live with a sense of peace because we serve a God who knows all things and has enacted a planโand we’re a part of that plan.
I love the great hymn: “How Great Thou Art”โespecially the verse that says, “When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, and then proclaim: ‘My God, how great thou art!'”
