End Times Series – Part 2

The Old Testament echoes with roughly 1845 references to the King who is coming. In the New Testament in 262 chapters, there are over 300 references to Jesus second coming. And even a total of 23 out of 27 books of the New Testament even talk about the second coming.

No wonder so many say, for every prophecy of His first coming, there are about eight of His second. He came; He is coming again!

1. Jesus’ first coming was in humility to save; His second will be in glory to judge and reign.

• He came as the Lamb; He’s coming as the Lion (John 1:29; Revelation 5:5).
• He came riding a donkey; He’s coming on a white horse (Zechariah 9:9; Revelation 19:11).
• He came as a humble Servant; He’s coming as Sovereign King (Philippians 2:7–11).
• He came to a manger; He’s coming to a throne (Luke 2:7; Revelation 20:11; 3:21).
• He was seen by few; He’ll be seen by every eye (Luke 2:15–20; Revelation 1:7).
• He came to save; He’s coming to judge and reward (Luke 19:10; Rev 22:12).
• He wept over Jerusalem; He will reign in Jerusalem (Luke 19:4;  Zechariah 14:4, 9).
• He came in weakness; He’s coming in power (2 Corinthians 13:4; Luke 21:27).
• He offered mercy; He will execute justice (Hebrews 4:16; Revelation 19:11).
• He was rejected by men; He will be confessed by all (1 Peter 2:4; Philippians 2:10–11).
• His glory was veiled; His glory will be revealed (Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:9).
  

2. Jesus’ return will be preceded by many signs, and one unmistakable sign will mark it; His public appearing in the sky.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 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 24:29-30

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” – Revelation 1:7

10 Signs of the End Times: 

• Rise of False Messiahs and False Religions
• Wars In The World
• Increase in Hunger (Famine)
• Earthquakes
• Incurable Sicknesses & Pandemics (Pestilences)
• Persecution of Christians
• Huge Surge of Wickedness (Lawlessness)
• Love of believers grows cold
• World evangelism
• Israel in the Land (Regathering & Restoration)

11 Facts about Jesus’ Second Coming:

• Seen by all; sign in heaven, like lightning
• After the tribulation
• Coming on the clouds with power and glory
• Trumpet sounds; angels gather His people
• Resurrection of the dead and transformation of the living
• Mount of Olives event; the mountain splits
• The LORD defends Israel; invading nations defeated
• Jerusalem rescued; living waters; King reigns
• Nations judged (Valley of Jehoshaphat)
• Gog–Magog coalition destroyed
• Global mourning and repentance

3. The coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him is the same event and it will not be in secret. 

The prophets provide the backdrop for Jesus’ and Paul’s language about a public appearing, the trumpet, and the ingathering: 

• God summons His people home “with a great trumpet” and brings them back from the nations
• While the Son of Man comes with the clouds to receive everlasting dominion
• Jesus and Paul echo this prophetic pattern when they speak of the trumpet, the gathering of the elect, and the visible arrival.

Jesus makes one public appearance, after the tribulation, with the trumpet and gathering of the elect; the same markers Paul uses for the rapture.

Coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him is one event. 

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,” – 2 Thessalonians 2:1

• Paul explicitly ties “our gathering to Him” to the coming (parousia) that also brings judgment on the lawless one; one unified arrival.

The church will escort Christ, not escape with Christ.

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17

• Paul describes the coming (parousia) with the trumpet, resurrection, and gathering to Christ; matching Jesus’ sequence and signals.
• Parousia is when an important personage was coming to a city (in a parousia), a delegation from the city would go out to “meet” him and then escort him on his way into the city. 
• In the air. If Satan is called “prince of the power of the air,” then meeting Jesus “in the air” (1 Thess 4:17) signals Christ’s public rule even over that realm. The rapture/meeting is part of Jesus’ open triumph over hostile powers; not a hidden departure.

4. Jesus will not return until the great falling away and the man of lawlessness are revealed.

According to Paul, the apostasy and the unveiling of the lawless one are prerequisites; therefore our gathering and the Day are tied to a known sequence, not a signless surprise.

“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4

While the Jewish feasts aren’t random; they outline God’s redemptive plan; we must not get carried away setting dates for Jesus’ second coming.

Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets): This year it begins at sundown Monday, Sept 22, 2025 and concludes at nightfall Wednesday, Sept 24, 2025. 

The Feasts as a Prophetic Picture of Redemption:

• Passover — Points to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross
• Unleavened Bread — Christ’s sinless body in the grave
• Firstfruits — Resurrection of Jesus
• Pentecost — Outpouring of the Spirit and the birth of the Church
• Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) — Foreshadows God’s future call and judgment
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) — Anticipates Israel’s repentance and cleansing
• Tabernacles (Sukkot) — Points to God dwelling with His people forever

These feasts point us to Jesus, but since our “rapture” and the Second Coming are one public event (2 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17), and the Day won’t come until the apostasy and the man of lawlessness (“son of perdition”) are revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4), and no one knows the day or hour (Matthew 24:36), date-setting directly contradicts Jesus’ words.

5. Jesus’ coming is not the end; it is the beginning of God’s renewed rule.

The Prophetic Promise: The King and His Kingdom

• Messiah reigns from Zion over the nations
• Resurrection and final judgment
• New heavens and new earth

The Kingdom Roadmap: Return, Reign, Revolt, Reckoning, and Renewal. 

• Reign: Jesus rules on earth for a thousand years; ordinary life continues under the Messiah’s justice; homes, vineyards, families, long lifespans, and nations worship yearly.
• Revolt: After a thousand years, Satan is released for a final uprising.
• Reckoning: Great White Throne – final judgment; the rest of the dead are raised.
• Renewal: New heavens and new earth.

Jesus’ coming doesn’t close the story; it opens the Kingdom. From promise to fulfillment, from His return to the world made new.

Heaven is real, but it’s not the final home of the redeemed. Our eternal destination is the new earth under King Jesus.

What Eternity is like:

• Resurrected people
• In resurrected bodies
• On a resurrected earth
• With our resurrected Savior (1 Cor 15; Rev 21:3)

The Bible doesn’t end with man going up to God; it ends with God coming down to dwell with man.

Watch The Full Sermon Here: