When Jesus comes back, he will return personally, physically, and visibly in great power and glory. He will raise the dead, transform believers, defeat every enemy, and judge all people. Christians disagree about details like the timing of the rapture and the meaning of the millennium, but every believer agrees on the big picture: Jesus is coming again, and that hope changes how we live today.
What We Know for Sure
People are eager to know the details about the end of the world. Much of what people say about it is speculative and debatable. But on some aspects of the future, the Bible is very clear.
Jesus Is Coming Back
All believers agree that Jesus will return to this earth. He taught it himself (Matthew 24:27), and the rest of the New Testament expands on his words.
Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
The New Testament uses several words for his return:
- Parousia means “presence” or “coming” (1 Corinthians 15:23; James 5:7-8).
- Apocalypsis means “unveiling,” when Jesus will be fully revealed to the world (1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7).
- Epiphaneia means “appearing,” emphasizing that his return will be visible (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:8).
The Bible also calls it “the day of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 1:14), “the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10), or simply “the Day” (Hebrews 10:25).
Views of the Rapture
One issue Christians disagree on is how Jesus’ return for his people fits with other future events. His coming for his people is called the rapture, from a word meaning “caught up.” Paul describes how, when Jesus returns, believers “will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The dead in Christ will be raised, and those still alive will be instantly transformed.
But believers debate where the rapture fits. Is it the same event as Jesus’ public return to all humanity, or are they separate? And does it happen before, during, or after a time of global persecution called the Great Tribulation?
These differences reflect a tension in the Bible between immediacy and delay (Matthew 25:1-13). On one hand, the Bible speaks of a sudden, unexpected return. On the other, it lists signs that must happen first, including:
- The gospel preached to all nations (Matthew 24:14)
- The Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22)
- The coming of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
Here are the two most common approaches:
- Pre-tribulation rapture. Jesus will return without warning for his people, and this could happen at any moment. Later, after the signs are fulfilled, he will return publicly for all to see. This view preserves the immediacy of his return. It argues that Christians will never face God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), while the Tribulation will be an outpouring of that wrath (Revelation 16:1). It also assumes God has a distinct plan for Israel and that the Tribulation is focused on Israel rather than the church.
- Post-tribulation rapture. Jesus’ return is near, but it can’t happen at any moment, because the signs haven’t all been fulfilled. The rapture and Jesus’ public return are one and the same event, which means the Tribulation comes first. This view notes that the Bible never clearly divides Jesus’ return into two events. And while the Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath, God can protect his people through it, as he did with Noah during the flood.
Views of the Millennium
Believers have also disagreed about how to interpret prophetic passages. Is the book of Revelation mostly literal or mostly symbolic? That question shapes how we read Revelation 20:1-8, which describes a 1,000-year reign of Christ called the Millennium. Two main views prevail:
- Amillennial view. This view reads Revelation as mainly symbolic, describing the spiritual battle throughout church history leading up to Jesus’ victorious return. “Amillennial” means “no millennium.” The 1,000-year reign symbolizes Christ’s rule during this present age, as he reigns over his people now. This view argues that a literal millennium raises problems, like mortal and resurrected people living side by side. It sees the Millennium as redundant, since the final judgment and new creation begin when Christ returns.
- Premillennial view. This view reads Revelation as largely literal, describing both present and future spiritual battles. When Jesus returns, he will establish a literal reign as Messiah over the whole earth. “Premillennial” means Christ returns before the Millennium. Only at the end of that period will the final judgment and new creation begin. Premillennialists argue that Revelation 20 doesn’t make sense otherwise. For example, Satan doesn’t seem to be bound in this age (Revelation 20:3), and the passage describes two resurrections, one at the beginning and one at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-5).
Features of Jesus’ Return
Wherever you land on these debates, some things are certain:
- Personal and physical. Jesus himself will return in bodily form, not in a merely spiritual sense or disguised as someone else (Acts 1:11).
- Visible. The entire world will see him (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).
- Triumphant. Unlike his first coming in humble circumstances, he will return in great power and glory (Matthew 24:30).
- Victorious. His return will be his final victory over every enemy and every power that wars against his people (Revelation 19:11-21).
- Unexpected. Despite the signs, no one knows when he will appear (Mark 13:33-35).
Matthew 24:36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
How Jesus’ Return Shapes Our Lives
The second coming is the “blessed hope” believers long for (Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:13). Jesus will bring our salvation to its final completion (Hebrews 9:28), including our resurrection. So we eagerly wait for him (Philippians 3:20-21).
The Bible never suggests we should obsess over the details of his return. Instead, it calls us to live soberly and alertly (1 Thessalonians 5:2-11), faithfully serving God until he appears (Matthew 24:42-46). We should be engaged in the Great Commission, knowing the opportunity for people to trust in Jesus won’t last forever (Matthew 24:14). And we look forward to receiving our reward for how we have followed Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
The Final Judgment
Christians may disagree on the timing of events, but all agree that when Jesus returns, he will preside over the final judgment of humanity (John 5:22). Everyone who has ever lived will stand before his throne to be judged according to their deeds (Revelation 20:11-13). On that basis, no one can pass. But then the “book of life” is opened, and only those whose names are written in it, those who belong to Jesus, are spared (Revelation 20:15). This judgment is final. Every person will enter eternal punishment or eternal life (Matthew 25:46), as we saw in Lesson 12.
The Takeaway
This lesson only scratches the surface of the debates about the end times. But the study of future things should focus on what the Bible makes very clear: Jesus is coming again. He will return personally, visibly, and triumphantly to judge the world and make all things new. That blessed hope calls us to stay alert, live faithfully, and tell others about Jesus every day. This brings Sys Theo to a close. From revelation to the return of Christ, theology isn’t just for the head. It’s meant to help us know, love, and follow God.
