Jesus is Coming Back, But How? - Searching Scripture

Imagine these scenes. One normal day, with everyone in the world going about their business, people suddenly disappear. Their clothes fall into a heap but they are gone. Airplanes crash as the pilot and co-pilot are suddenly taken away. Cars spin out of control as their drivers are no longer behind the wheel. Those who witness these events are amazed and dumbfounded, as they have no clue what is going on. It sounds like a science fiction movie, doesn’t it?

These scenes may be familiar to many, from a popular series of books, and later movies, commonly known as the “Left Behind” series, the title of the first book. The premise was that the church would be mysteriously “raptured”, or taken up to heaven, before the Great Tribulation began. Since then, many other books and movies have been produced with this theme. The images described above were dramatized in these movies. Sequels reflecting this view of the end times followed, based on interesting interpretations of Revelation and other scriptures.

Is this really what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ return? Will there be a sudden removal of believers from the earth, causing all kinds of havoc as depicted in these books and movies?

Throughout the history of the church, there have been many variations and scenarios about how and when Jesus would return. My view of how this will play out is not consistent with the “Left Behind” view described above or a literal 1,000 year millennium. Historically, the church has had different understandings of the meaning of the millennium, with literal vs. symbolic views predominating at different times.

There is one point that everyone can agree on: he is coming soon! I think every generation from the first century church through today has believed that, and we should. We should live every day as if he is coming that day. Jesus said to be ready, be prepared, because none of us knows when he will arrive.

Rapture?

A new wrinkle in end time scenarios was introduced in the 1830s by John Darby of the Plymouth Brethren. Among other things, he introduced the pre-tribulation rapture, which was then reinforced in the United States by Cyrus Schofield in the early 20th century with his reference Bible. The word doesn’t appear in scripture, but the concept refers to scriptures such as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 where those who are alive at his coming will meet him in the air.

The question is, when will that happen? Some hold to the position that this will occur prior to a seven-year tribulation before Jesus’ final coming. Others say that the rapture will occur in the middle of that 3 year period, or at the end of the tribulation to usher in the final judgement.

I am concerned about the pre-tribulation rapture teaching for several reasons. The primary reason, of course, is that I don’t think the Bible teaches it. Secondary reasons: the scenes shown in Left Behind and other movies, where innocent people (albeit unbelievers) are killed due to traffic accidents, plane crashes, etc. seem like science fiction, not something God would do or allow.

Also, I suspect that one of the major appeals of this teaching is that believers won’t have to suffer through the final tribulation. If they are wrong, which I think they are, they will be in for a rude awakening and may not be prepared, like the foolish virgins in Matthew 25. My ultimate concern is that it doesn’t line up with the statements by Jesus and Peter that I will discuss later in this article.

Jesus’ Ascension

At Jesus’ ascension, the angels told the disciples that he would come back in the same way they saw him leave, which was rising in the air and being hidden by a cloud (Acts 1:11). But they didn’t say exactly how or when. Many other scriptures, from the Old Testament prophets, Epistles, Revelation, and from Jesus himself in Matthew 24 discuss various aspects of this topic. The conclusions one draws from all of these scriptures largely depend on how we view and interpret the various books that make up the Bible. See my article Principles of Interpretation.

The Book of Revelation

How we look at this book is key to our perspective on the end times. It was written to the first century church experiencing severe persecution, and its message of the final complete victory of Jesus and his church must have been encouraging to the original audience. It is an example of apocalyptic writing, similar to parts of Ezekiel. Revelation is a vision, dreamlike in the things John saw which included strange creatures and events.

Everyone agrees that the book contains symbolism; the question is, to what extent. Some would say we should take the whole book literally, but no one really does. For example, I haven’t heard of anyone who thinks that the beast coming out of the sea is an actual beast. Most consider the beast to be a human, the ultimate antichrist, a manifestation of the devil.

Interpreting the vision is something like dream interpretation, i.e. what does this creature signify, or this symbolism mean? How we look at the chronology of Revelation is also critical. Is it exactly chronological, or is there another organization that applies?

Cycles in Revelation

I’m going to lay out a scenario that I think is the most consistent with all of the scriptures, focusing on a view of Revelation that makes the most sense to me. I am of the opinion that the book is mostly symbolic, and not chronological.

Keeping in mind that this is a vision, a series of dreamlike images, I like a non-chronological view known as “progressive parallelism”, a term coined by William Hendriksen in his book More than Conquerors. This term refers to seven sections of Revelation which are different, but parallel to each other leading up to the culmination of Jesus’ return. They are also progressive, each one taking us further into the future culminating in the new heavens and the new earth in chapters 21 and 22.

The Cycles

Chapters 1-3: John sees Jesus and at his command writes letters to seven churches in Asia, modern day Turkey. The letters related to contemporary events at that time, and contain commendations and warnings that also may be applied to the church of all ages, including today.
Chapters 4-7: opens with a heaven scene, and the seven seals begin to be broken, initiating divine judgements and the church suffering persecution. This section ends after the sixth seal, describes what sounds like a final end of the earth and judgement, and moves to a scene in heaven.
Chapters 8-11: opens with the seventh seal being opened in heaven, and the seven trumpets being given to the angels. More judgements, persecution, and victory. The two witnesses are described which many interpret to represent the church. The seventh trumpet introduces another heaven scene of victory.
Chapters 12-14: begins with the vision of the dragon and the woman, clearly representing the birth of the Messiah and Satan’s attempts to destroy the Messiah and the church. This is obviously not in chronological sequence with the rest of the book. We are also introduced to the two beasts who help the dragon.
Chapters 15-16: begins with another heaven scene where the seven bowls of wrath are released.
Chapters 17-19: describes the fall of Babylon and the beasts. Babylon represents the world system, in opposition to God.
Chapters 20-22: the final doom of the dragon, the judgement, and the new heavens and the new earth.

All of these sections have common themes of humanity’s rebellion, judgement, and the final victory of Jesus and his church, but with many different variations, images, and emphases. For example, the sections with the seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath are very similar and each one can represent the history of the church and the world with different variations culminating with scenes in heaven. But the section with the dragon is unique, as well as the section describing the fall of Babylon. All of them contribute to the whole story of the triumphant church.

The Millenium

This term refers to a thousand-year reign of Jesus mentioned in Revelation 20:1-6, which would begin after the actual second coming (after the tribulation) and would end with another satanic rebellion at the end of 1,000 years where Jesus would again triumph and usher in the new heavens and new earth. This is the only passage in the scriptures that mentions this.

Those who who hold to a pre-tribulation rapture and a literal 1,000 year millennium are saying that Jesus would come back in 3 different events, the “secret” rapture where believers would disappear from the earth, the actual second coming (really the third including his time on earth), and then again after the millennium, although He would be here already reigning.

As an alternative to this complicated scenario, let’s look at what Jesus himself said about his coming, and a passage from 2 Peter referring to it. As discussed in my article Principles of Interpretation, plain teaching should be more relied on for establishing doctrine than visions and other forms of poetic and apocalyptic literature.

Matthew 24 (parallel passages: Mark 13, Luke 21)

The disciples asked him as they were sitting on the Mount of Olives, “what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”

His answer included all of the evils that every generation has experienced, deception, wars, troubles, natural disasters, persecutions, and that the gospel will be proclaimed to all the world before the end comes. These words have been interpreted by every generation to mean that he would come soon, that they should expect him, and be ready. I believe God intended for each generation to expect him and live as if he is coming soon.

Tribulation

He then predicts an intense period of tribulation, and refers to “the abomination of desolation” mentioned by Daniel. Interestingly, Daniel’s prophecy seems to say that this was fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes, one of Alexander the Great’s successors, desecrated the temple in Jerusalem around 167 B.C. It’s an example of Old Testament prophecy that has a short term and a long term fulfillment during the final days before Jesus’ return.

He makes two interesting statements in this account. In verse 13, after describing the tribulation, he says, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved”. This would seem to imply that all believers will have to go through the tribulation. Again in verse 22, he says, “Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect”. This again seems to indicate that all believers will experience the tribulation, but that God in his mercy would cut this time short for our sakes, not that we would escape it.

The End

After this, Jesus describes the earth and heavens literally falling apart, and he will then appear in the sky, and the whole earth will see him coming on the clouds of heaven with great glory. An angel will gather the elect from the earth. This is very similar to some of the sections of Revelation where He comes after many disasters affecting the earth and the heavens.

He then emphasizes that no one knows the exact time of his coming, and uses Noah’s ark as an example. That disaster came on suddenly so that the people kept on living as normal until Noah boarded the ark and the flood came to their complete surprise. Then he includes a couple examples, “two men will be in a field, one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain…one will be taken, the other left”. Many have interpreted these two verses to refer to the rapture. However, the context would not indicate this. Jesus has just referred to his coming as very public and final, with everyone seeing him and the earth and heavens disintegrating. These examples, really word pictures in Matthew 24:36-41 are intended to show that no one knows the time of his coming, but some will be looking for him and eagerly awaiting his coming, and others, like the world in Noah’s day, would have no clue, and would be left to their destruction.

2 Peter 3

Peter’s understanding is of course derived from Jesus’ account since he heard it himself, and knowing Peter’s personality from other scriptures, he was probably the one who asked the original question in Matthew 24:3, “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” In verse 10, he indicates that the Day of the Lord (notice, it’s one day, not 2 or 3 as in the rapture/millennial scenario) will come like a thief, not in secret (from Jesus’ words about everyone seeing him), but unexpected, by surprise. And on that day, the heavens will pass away, even the elements will burn and dissolve, a rephrasing of Jesus’ words about the earth falling apart. Then in verse 13, he mentions the new heavens and new earth, also referred to in Revelation 21.

So in this simple scenario, as outlined in the above 2 passages, Jesus’ 2nd coming will be on a day that no one knows in advance, it will be public in that everyone will see him, and it will be final, ushering in the new heavens and the new earth. This raises the question, how can the 1,000 year reign in Revelation 20 be explained?

The Thousand Years in Revelation 20:1-6

For those who take Revelation to be mostly literal and chronological, a literal 1,000 year reign would be logical. For reasons outlined earlier, I don’t think that is the case. I see chapters 20-22 as another parallel history like the previous sections were. I believe the binding of Satan refers to the New Testament age. Rev. 12:7-9 talks about the dragon being thrown down. He was bound in many ways when Jesus first appeared. Jesus cast out demons, talked about “binding the strong man” (Matt 12:29), told his disciples after he had sent them out “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:17). In John 12:31-32, Jesus said “now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” By his death and resurrection, he “cast out” the ruler of this world so that he could draw people to himself. In the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19, he sends his disciples out to the whole world to make disciples.

Satan Unbound

In a sense, Satan was “unbound” in the Old Testament except for the chosen people, the descendants of Israel. He was allowed to deceive the rest of the nations, and of course Israel succumbed to that deception at various points in their history. After Jesus’ first coming, Satan was bound in the sense that the gospel could be freely preached to all nations, and the Kingdom of God would permeate the whole earth. He still does damage, but he can’t stop the spread of the good news!

The numbers of Revelation are very symbolic, like “666”, the number of the beast, seven lampstands and churches, etc. The number 1,000 is also used symbolically. Peter observes in his second letter, chapter 3, “with the Lord, one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day”. The 1,000 years in Revelation 20 represents completion, the time assigned by God from Jesus’ ascension to his second coming. The great tribulation described by Jesus in Matthew 24 is the period where Satan is let loose “for a short time” in Rev. 20:3, where he will again deceive the nations, as he did in the Old Testament.

Deception

We may be seeing this “loosing and deceiving” developing in our time, over the last 100 years or so. The 20th century was the bloodiest in human history with two world wars, the holocaust, the rise of brutal atheistic communist governments. Persecution of believers has increased across the world, our country’s government is turning away from God and falling into deception that not only denies God, but denies biology and sexuality as God created them. We see the nations being deceived in many ways, maybe more so than ever before. Natural disasters are also happening with greater frequency. All the signs point to Jesus returning soon.

Conclusion

This concludes my end time scenario. I think it is the one that makes most sense, but it is not close to exhaustive. I haven’t dealt with all of the differences between Covenant and Dispensational theology which determine to a large degree how one interprets Revelation and many Old Testament prophecies. These are often used to support a literal millennium but which could be viewed as pictures of the church age and the new earth.

This isn’t an essential of the faith and there is certainly room for disagreement on this topic among sincere followers of Jesus. I could be wrong, but I think the framework of my scenario is well supported in the Gospels and the New Testament letters.

Bottom line: whatever the final scenario turns out to be, I’ll be there! Whenever and however it happens, we, like every generation since Jesus’ first coming, should expect him to come soon, and we should live like he is coming today!

Revelation 22:20, He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen, Come Lord Jesus!