How does the Bible describe Jesus’ return at His Second Coming?
Let’s start with a few verses found in the book of Acts:
“Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’” Acts 1:9–11
The Bible is very clear as to how Jesus will return to this earth. These verses indicate that Jesus will return in the same manner as He left. Just as people literally witnessed Him ascending to Heaven in a cloud, so the people of this world will see Him physically return in a cloud.
Below are a few definite facts we can glean from how the Scripture describes the return of Jesus (emphasis supplied throughout):
1. Christ’s return will be very visible!
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him….” Revelation 1:7
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
2. Christ’s return will be very audible!
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:31
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16
3. Christ’s return brings a resurrection!
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16
“Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51–52
4. Christ will return in all His glory!
“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.” Psalm 50:3
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” Matthew 25:31
“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27
5. The living wicked will be destroyed at the return of Christ!
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him…And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 8
In conclusion, the Second Coming of Jesus will be very bright and very loud. It will be powerful enough to wake the righteous dead and destroy the unrighteous living. It will be the most incredible event of all time! Everyone will know that the King of the Universe has returned.