According to a Pew Research poll taken in 2006, 79% of Christians believe that Jesus is going to come again sometime in the future. Then another Pew poll taken in 2010 shows that 47% of Christians, or 41% of the general population, believe that he will show up by 2050.
A large percentage of these believers see the world as we know it ending when he returns. Others see his return as less disruptive but marking a transition into a new and better age.
There are also differing beliefs about how he will manifest. Many see him literally showing up in the clouds of the sky with millions of angels to wipe out the wicked and forcefully establish his kingdom on the earth or rapture the righteous into heaven.
Still others tell us the Greek for “coming” in Matt 24:3 is PAROUSIA and should be translated as merely “presence.” Therefore, the world will somehow be endowed with his spiritual presence, rather than him showing up in a physical body.
Then others who believe in a Second Coming see Jesus as showing up as one of us, but having extraordinary talents that will help humanity move toward the goal of “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.”
So, what is the truth of the matter here? Will Jesus really show up again, and if so, how?
The answer to the first is a definite yes. He said he would come again and indeed we can look for him to show up in some manner. The scriptures themselves provide some clues on the matter.
Will he show up in a blaze of glory and destroy the wicked by fire? To see if this may be true let us examine how he dealt with those who rejected him 2000 years ago:
“And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Luke 9:52-56
Here we gain a grand insight into the thinking of Jesus. The apostles had the idea that since this particular village rejected them they needed to be taught a lesson and that Jesus should command fire to come down out of heaven and consume them. If this were to happen, they wouldn’t have that problem any more as other towns wouldn’t want to suffer the same fate.
To this idea Jesus gave them an unexpected rebuke saying, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.”
And what manner of spirit is it that wants to destroy men’s lives? That is the spirit of evil, not the good that is in Christ.
There may be great destructions and calamities in the future but they will come from either men or Mother Earth, not from Jesus throwing down destruction upon us as his mission is to save, not destroy.
So how about the second option? Will we somehow be endowed with his presence and how could that happen?
A clue is given in the Book of Revelation:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20
According to this there will be those who hear the knock, will open the door and Christ “will come in to him.” If the actual presence of Christ is in your neighbor, John Smith, then the presence of Christ is on the earth, is it not?
This makes sense. After all, Jesus said, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.” Matt 28:20
So one of the ways that his coming materializes is through the dwelling in various disciples which allows his presence to be with us always till the end of the age.
And what happens at the end of the age? Will he actually walk among us again? Perhaps the scriptures give us a clue as to when this shall be.
In giving the signs of His coming Jesus says that first there shall be great tribulation, as never seen before. When Daniel talks about this tribulation he tells us that it applies to the “holy people.” (Dan 8:24) This would most likely mean the Jews.
So what was the greatest tribulation that ever happened to the Jews that, if it was not shortened, then none of them would have been saved? (Matt 24:21-22)
That would have been the systematic extermination of the Jews under Hitler, the greatest antichrist in our history.
After this tribulation Jesus is quoted as saying:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 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.”Matt 24:29-30
This is a description of “the sign of the Son of man in heaven.” Most think this will be some great sign they will see in the sky telling them that Jesus is coming. They overlook a very important point. The scripture says that this sign will make “all the tribes of the earth mourn.” If this is a sign that Jesus is coming then why would everyone on the earth mourn when they see it? Surely someone would be happy to see a sign that indicates his Lord is on his way.
Well, there was such a sign that did cause all the peoples of the earth to mourn. It even caused the most sincere believers in Christ to mourn. What was it?
The answer is given in the name and description of the sign itself. Remember, it is called, “the sign of the Son of man in heaven.” “Heaven” comes from the Greek word OURANOS. And what other modern word comes from this?
Uranium.
If we substitute “uranium” for heaven we can see a startling new meaning revealed for instead of the sign being in the sky it would read “the sign of the Son of man in uranium.”
And what does it say about this sign given right after the tribulation of the Jews?
“The powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” If we substitute uranium for heaven it then reads:
“The powers of uranium shall be shaken.”
We know the powers of heaven will not be shaken but right after the genocide against the Jews was ended the powers of uranium were shaken and the first atomic bomb exploded.
This great sign did indeed cause all the peoples of the earth to mourn. Even though it helped to end the war all were terrified about its use in the future.
Could you imagine someone two thousand years ago trying to describe an atomic blast. Perhaps he would say that it would be so bright that it would blot out the light of the sun and the moon and would appear with “the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Wait. That is exactly what Jesus did say and it is a perfect description of an atomic blast.
So, does this give us a clue as to when Christ will again appear?
It does, for after talking about this sign he says, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Matt 24:34
This tells us that of those who were alive in 1945, when the atomic bomb first exploded, will not all pass away by the time Christ comes again. A number from that time will live to be over 100 so according to this logic he should show up before 2050.
But consider this. His presence may have already been among us. Remember his promise that he will come into certain disciples and abide with them. Since 1945 it is quite possible that his presence has rested upon a number of disciples and servants to the human race and worked directly through them.
But will he come as a physical being walking again among us? I believe that is the plan and it is the hope of many millions including myself.
Copyright JJ Dewey
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NOTICE: Although posted here with permission of the author, I am not the originator of this content and should the originator eventually see fit to begin posting here, I will leave it to him.