There is a tremendously thrilling event that is still to take place in the future. The day is going to come when Jesus Himself will return from heaven. What does the Bible have to say about that final day?
First, the Bible teaches that the second coming of Jesus Christ is certain. Jesus Himself promised, “I will come again” (John 14:1-3). The angels announced, “This Jesus…will come” (Acts 1:11). The Bible guarantees it.
Second, the Bible teaches that the exact timing of the second coming of Christ is unknown. Jesus taught that “no one knows” the “day and hour” of His return, “but My Father only” (Mark 13:32). He said that the day would come as unexpected as a thief in the night (Matt. 24:42-44; cf. 1 Thess. 5:2).
Third, the Bible teaches that the coming of Christ will be overwhelmingly spectacular. “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16), and with “all the holy angels” (Matt. 25:31). “Every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). “All who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth” (John
5:28-29). Then, “the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10).
Fourth, the Bible teaches that there is life after death. Jesus’ account of a rich man and a beggar in Luke 16:19-31 teaches this quite clearly. The resurrection of Christ guarantees our own resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23), after which we will live in another place forever (John 5:28-29).
Fifth, the Bible teaches that there is going to be a judgment. When Jesus returns at the end of the world, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). At that time, our eternal sentence will be announced (Matt. 25:31-46).
Sixth, the Bible teaches that there are two (and only two) very real destinies in the eternal realm. There is an eternal realm called “heaven” (1 Pet. 1:4) and an eternal realm called “hell” (Matt. 10:28). Scripture makes it plain that both places will last forever and ever (Matt. 25:46), and there will be no passage or transference from one to the other (Luke 16:26).
Seventh, the Bible teaches that obtaining eternal life is conditional. Not everyone is going to go heaven; in fact, Jesus said that only a “few” are on the path that leads to eternal “life” (Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus went on to say that only a person “who does the will of My Father in heaven” will “enter” into heaven (7:21). Therefore, one who does not do the Father’s will is promised an eternal separation from Him (7:23; 2 Thess. 1:9).
One day Jesus is going to return and take God’s children to heaven with Him! Are you ready for that day? We must be ready (Matt. 24:44)!