Signs of His Coming
The disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”
Matthew 24:3 RSV
There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to describe the coming again of Christ. The first one is parousia, which carries with it the idea of the personal presence of Christ. In other words, when Christ returns, He will come in person.
The second Greek word is epiphaneia, which carries with it the idea of appearing. It is like a star, not seen in the daylight, that suddenly appears in the darkness of night. From it we get our word epiphany.
The third Greek word is apokalupsis, which carries with it the idea of unveiling. It is the unveiling of one who has been hidden.
At Christmas we celebrate the first appearing, which was quiet—the shepherds, the star, and the manger. His Second Coming will be with His dazzling warriors from heaven to cope with any situation and to defeat the enemies of God until He has subdued the entire world.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a series of events transpiring over a rather long period. There are many debates among theologians as to what some of these passages mean, but one thing almost everyone who loves Jesus Christ agrees on—Jesus Christ is coming back.
When Christ came the first time, He dealt with evil as individual and hereditary. When He comes again, Christ will deal with the practice of evil. He will institute an age of such benevolence that evil cannot reign; and cruelty, oppression, and slavery will no longer exist. All of this will come to pass as a result of the person reign of Christ, following His return.
For the true believer in Jesus Christ, the future is assured. Tomorrow belongs to you. We await the distant trumpet announcing the coming of Jesus Christ. The Christian looks to that tomorrow when the Kingdom of God shall reign.
Our Father and our God, I know that every knee will bow to You when You come again with Your mighty angels. But I bow to You right now, humbly, gratefully, and in repentance for my every sin. You are the mighty God, and I am Your lowly servant. Help me to be ready when You come again. In Christ. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).