The Future Looks Bright: True King
The Future Looks Bright series is intended to raise our worshipers above all the national politics, division, hatred and gloom and doom that comes with election seasons. Our focus will be on the eternal Kingdom and eternal King Jesus who makes our future look bright, no matter how dim the present may be.
Daniel 7:13-14
The Future Looks Bright: True King
John 18:33–38, Revelation 1:4–8, Daniel 7:9–10, Daniel 7:13–14
The Return of Christ
Jesus reveals one final sign in Matthew 24:30: “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” This is the final sign, but it is not a sign of warning; it is the end of the warnings. Christ has promised that he will return visibly to the earth. As Hebrews summarizes it, he “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). The return of Christ (or parousia) is a simple teaching, but it is sadly complicated by those who go beyond Scripture. Our Savior wants us to know that he is coming for us, and he wants us to be ready.
While all of the other signs can be ignored and rejected in unbelief, there will be no mistaking the return of our Savior. Matthew 24:30 says that the nations will see him. No one will overlook his coming, for “… every eye will see him, even those who pierced him …” (Revelation 1:7). He warns us not to believe people who tell us that he has already come. If we have not seen him, he has not come. His return will be visible to all (Matthew 24:26–27).
It will be a great and glorious day. Our Lord tells us to be ready and watchful for his return. He tells us the signs so that we will be prepared. Yet he does not give us a schedule. Christians are not given the exact time and date of Christ’s return (Acts 1:6–7). The timing is unknown by the angels, and even Jesus in his state of humiliation did not know the timing of the parousia (Mark 13:32). No, the moment of his return will be a surprise.
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:1–3).
Paul’s image is a particularly fitting one. The time of Christ’s return is like the onset of labor pains. A woman does not know exactly when her labor will begin, but she has ample sign that her delivery is close! The child growing within her needs to be born. Likewise, Christians will not know the precise timing of Christ’s return. We will all be surprised by the timing, but we will not be surprised that he does return.
Since he has already justified us in his first coming, he does not come to suffer for sins again (Hebrews 9:24). No, the purpose of his coming is to bring salvation to his people. He comes to judge the nations and to bring us to live with him eternally.
