Armed with Prophecies of Christ's Return
Some Christians today lack the burning conviction that Jesus will soon return. This is a recipe for spiritual apathy and worldliness. The apostles lived with the expectation of Christ’s return and taught the church to do the same. The Bible lists the benefits of having a strong conviction of Christ’s return. Here are some:
Constrains Constant Readiness
Revelation 16:18 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Compels Growing Purity
1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears,a we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
Charges Faithful Preaching
2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Commends Eternal Rewards
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Confirms Our Endurance
1 Timothy 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Danger to the Unexpectant:
Luke 12:45-46 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Every believer should have the biblical conviction to prepare for and prophesy Christ’s return. When Jesus Christ first came to the earth, two godly people, Anna and Simeon were convinced of the prophecies of Christ’s first coming causing them to pray about, look for, and live in expectation of it. Christians today need to have that same conviction and anticipation of Christ’s second coming. Biblical conviction of Christ’s return arms the believer to anticipate, pray about, live for, and preach of Jesus’ coming. Christians must become familiar with the prophecies of Christ’s second coming. Here, I am not talking about understanding all the details of end-time studies. Sure, we must reject any doctrine that claims Christ's second coming has already passed or that denies Christ's literal return. But every believer must know the general prophecies of Christ’s return. The New Testament refers to Christ’s return over 300 times. I will only list a few of the scriptural prophecies of Christ’s second return so that we can glean some of the major aspects of it. And, so that we can confidently declare this ultimate biblical prophecy.
Prophecies of Christ’s Return
His Return is Literal
Acts 1:10-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 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.
The return of Christ will not be invisible or merely a spiritual event. There will be a literal bodily return of Christ in the same manner in which he left.
Christ Will Gather Believers
Matthew 24:31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
John 14:3And 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.
The Church Will Be Raptured
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 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 Thessalonians 4:16-17 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.
The term rapture means caught up. Born again believers will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. At the rapture, our bodies will be changed to an incorruptible body.
Day and Hour Unknown
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
His Coming is Soon
Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
The Ultimate Worldwide Climatic Event
Matthew 24:26-27 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. 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.
Matthew 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.
Revelation 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.
All Christians should be familiar with these verses on the second coming of Christ. These prophecies will arm the believer with spiritual readiness, and to boldly preach Christ’s soon return. To prophesy of Christ’s return in preaching and evangelism, believers should memorize three to five (3-5) of these verses and be ready to declare them.
