May 23: Jesus will Return!

Unprecedented, extraordinary, unimaginable, a unique time. 

These are such familiar words to us now, but just a few months ago, we could not have imagined the scenarios they describe.

Who would have thought something like this could happen? Who would have thought that the whole world could be shut down in a matter of just a few weeks? Who would have thought the entire world could be riveted on one issue and the lips of each person could utter the name of one virus?

The most amazing thing to me about this coronavirus pandemic is the universality of it. Whether someone is in the United States or in Russia, China, Africa or just about anywhere on this planet, the chances are he or she has heard of this worldwide problem.

When the news first broke of this strange novel disease and how it was going to affect each of our lives in such dramatic ways, I was amazed at the surreal quality of it all. How could it be that one thing, one issue, could be on the minds and tongues of world leaders and at the same time also on the minds and tongues of the humblest among us? I don’t ever recall all of the world simultaneously fixed on one issue. Even during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, I doubt that the world was so united and rapt in its attention to the issue as it is now on the coronavirus. The information technology and the media coverage were nowhere as interconnected as it is today. In fact, folks who lived through the Spanish flu pandemic could not have imagined the rate of information transmission of today.

The Bible says that Jesus will return in the same way He ascended to heaven (see Acts 1:11). “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him” (Revelation 1:7 ESV). In fact, “at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and … every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11 NASB).

Had you ever wondered how it will be that everyone will see the Lord coming on the clouds? How is it that every knee will bow? How will every nation mourn because of Christ? What seemed unimaginable just 100 years ago now seems utterly realistic. When Jesus returns, every eye will see Him and every knee will bow and tongue confess Him, whether people want to or not. This pandemic has highlighted for me that what seems surreal in Biblical prophecies is more real than the everyday reality of my life.

It is an absolute certainty—the Lord Jesus will return! Hebrews 9:28 states that Jesus “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

We don’t know when. It could be today, tomorrow or 2,000 years from now. And we may not know all of the details of His return. When Jesus predicted his resurrection, He did not give His disciples the details of how it would occur. But it absolutely occurred! The tomb is empty!

The Lord promised us that He will return. Even though we may not have all of the details of His Second Coming, we know that the Lord will descend from heaven with the clouds, every eye will see Him, all of the peoples will mourn because of Him, each one of us will bow our knee to Him, and He will take us Home to be forever with Him!

O Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus the first time.

Thank you that Jesus came to take away our sins and

to rescue us from the domain of darkness and

to bring us into the Kingdom of your beloved Son.

Thank you that Jesus will return one day,

But this time He will not come to take away sins but

To take us to be with Him forever.

We long for the day. Come, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Shelter in Peace,

Connie Johnson