Grace Thompson
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a significant event in Christian and Islamic eschatology, marking the return of Jesus to Earth after his ascension to Heaven around two thousand years ago. While the exact timing of the Second Coming is unknown, it is believed by Catholics that Jesus will come again suddenly and unexpectedly to judge the living and the dead, establish his kingdom, and usher in a new heavens and earth. This event, also known as the Rapture, will be preceded by a period of great trial and persecution for believers, and the ministry or reign of the Antichrist. The resurrection of the dead and the transformation of mortal bodies into immortal ones are also associated with the Second Coming, as described in the Bible and Sacred Scriptures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Second Coming | Jesus Christ will return to Earth after ascending to Heaven 2,000 years ago |
| Timing of the Second Coming | The Second Coming will happen in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly. No one knows the exact time, not even angels or saints. |
| Jesus's Actions Upon Return | Jesus will judge the living and the dead, and establish his kingdom on Earth. |
| Jesus's Appearance Upon Return | Jesus will come with great power and majesty, and will be accompanied by angels. |
| Jesus's Followers Upon Return | The righteous dead will be raised to life and taken up to heaven, and the righteous living will be transformed and receive immortal bodies. |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead
The Second Coming is the Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth after ascending to Heaven around two thousand years ago. The Second Coming will happen in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly—not even the angels, saints, or demons know when it will occur. The Catechism tells us that "the resurrection of all the dead, 'of both the just and the unjust,' will precede the Last Judgment."
The Catechism continues: "In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each person's relationship with God will be laid bare." The Last Judgment will reveal even the furthest consequences of the good people's actions or failures during their earthly life. At the Last Judgment, we shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and all the details of salvation, including how "God's justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God's love is stronger than death."
Jesus will return with glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. The wicked who are living at the time of the Second Coming of the Lord will be destroyed in the flesh. The righteous dead will be raised to life and taken up to heaven along with the righteous still alive on earth.
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The Second Coming will be sudden and unmistakable
The Second Coming of Christ is a Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth following his ascension to Heaven, which is said to have occurred about two thousand years ago. The Second Coming will be sudden and unmistakable, like "a flash of lightning", according to Orthodox Christians. It will happen in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly, and no one will know when it will occur, not even the angels, saints, or demons.
Jesus promised his disciples that he would come again, saying, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." The Bible also states that the angels will return with Jesus and they will come with a loud sound of a trumpet to gather the righteous dead and the righteous living to take them up to heaven.
Before the Second Coming, there will be a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers, and the Antichrist will appear. The Catechism tells us that the resurrection of all the dead will precede the Last Judgment, and the good and evil will be separated. Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead and to establish his kingdom on earth, which will have no end.
The exact time of the Second Coming is unknown, but Jesus has given parables and signs to indicate when it is near. He said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors." Believers are instructed to watch and pray and to live each day according to Jesus's teachings in preparation for his return.
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The Antichrist will precede the Second Coming
The Second Coming of Christ is a Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth following his ascension to Heaven. It is based on messianic prophecies and is a part of most Christian eschatologies. According to the Catholic Church, the second coming will occur in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly. No one, not even angels, saints, or demons, will know when it will occur.
The Antichrist's deception begins to take shape in the world every time a claim is made to realize messianic hope within history. This hope can only be realized beyond history through eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come, known as millenarianism. The Antichrist will be defeated at the second coming of Jesus, as described in Revelation 19.
Before the Second Coming, the Church must pass through a final trial that will test the faith of many believers. This persecution will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and his Messiah. The Antichrist's ministry will take place right before the Second Coming, and he will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
The exact time of the Second Coming is unknown, but Jesus has given some signs to indicate when it is near. He said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors" (Mark 13:28-29). The best way for Christians to prepare for the Second Coming is to accept the teachings of the gospel and incorporate them into their lives.
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Jesus will return with the angels
The Second Coming is the Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth following his ascension to Heaven, which is said to have occurred about two thousand years ago. The Second Coming will happen in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly—not even the angels, saints, or demons will know when it will occur.
Jesus will come for his Church, an event commonly referred to as the "Rapture." The dead in Christ will be raised, and living Christians will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be with Him forever. Christians living at the time of this event will not die but will be changed to be like Christ. The Rapture will inaugurate a period that the Bible characterizes as the "great day of His wrath," "the great tribulation," and the "time of Jacob's trouble." This time of unprecedented difficulty will affect Israel and all nations, preparing Israel for her Messiah. At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return with the hosts of heaven and the Church to establish the Messianic Kingdom on earth. His kingdom will last for a thousand years.
The Orthodox Christian view holds that the Second Coming will be a sudden and unmistakable incident, like "a flash of lightning." Jesus will not spend any time on earth but will come to judge mankind. The ministry of the Antichrist will take place right before the Second Coming.
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The Last Judgment will reveal the truth of each person's relationship with God
The Second Coming of Christ is a Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus Christ will return to Earth following his ascension to Heaven, which is said to have occurred about two thousand years ago. The Second Coming is sometimes referred to as the Second Advent or the Parousia. According to the Catholic Church, the second coming will occur in a single moment, suddenly and without warning.
The Last Judgment, which is linked to the Second Coming, is the belief that God will judge all people who have ever lived, resulting in the salvation of a few and the damnation of many. This judgment will occur after the resurrection of the dead, and "our 'mortal body' will come to life again".
The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that there are two judgments: the first, or particular judgment, occurs at the time of an individual's death, when God decides where that person will spend the time until the Second Coming. The second, or General/Final Judgment, will occur after the Second Coming of Christ.
The Last Judgment will reveal the ultimate meaning of creation and salvation, and it will show that God's justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God's love is stronger than death.
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Frequently asked questions
No one knows the exact time of Jesus's second coming. It will happen in a single moment, suddenly and unexpectedly.
Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. The righteous dead will be raised to life and taken to heaven, and the wicked will be destroyed.
Jesus will establish his kingdom on earth, which will last for a thousand years. The Antichrist will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and Satan will be bound for a thousand years.
![The Parousia; a Critical Inquiry into the New Testament Doctrine of Our Lord'S Second Coming. 1878 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
