At the end of His life on earth, the Lord Jesus Himself told us that He would come back to this earth: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
This promise makes us realise that Jesus’s second coming is not something to be afraid of for believers, but something to look forward to. The Bible even ends with a prayer that Jesus would come soon: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). We live in the joyful expectation that Jesus will come back, and that we will be with Him forever.
His second coming
In His second coming the Lord Jesus will come on the clouds and everybody will see Him (Luke 21:27, Revelation 1:7). While this is a time of rejoicing for all God’s children, it will be a time of judgment for all who have not put their faith in Jesus: “This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
The day of the second coming of the Lord Jesus is also called the last day (see John 6:39-54), because it is the end of this world. “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Peter 3:10). But God will make a new heaven and a new earth. All believers in Christ will be raised from the death, and will enjoy this new earth where there will be no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain. And best of all: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).
Repent and believe
Now is the time before Jesus’ second coming. We still have the time repent and believe in the Lord Jesus. Then we will be among those who will be with Jesus forever on the new earth that He is preparing for us, and not among those who will be punished with everlasting destruction.