Keeping His Promises
Jesus’ Second Coming will bring to completion scores of prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures, as well as many predictions and promises Jesus made Himself while here on Earth.
Regarding Israel, Jesus predicted that because the nation rejected Him and His Kingdom, Israel will suffer a judicial blindness that will not be removed until His Kingdom is established: “For I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Mt. 23:39).
He confirmed the postponement of this literal, earthly, Messianic Kingdom when He told His disciples at His last Passover meal, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (26:29).
In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus also told a future generation of Israel—the one that will endure the horror known as the Tribulation—how to prepare for His Second Coming. He wanted the Jewish people who will be alive then to be aware of how He will come (24:1–31) and be alert and ready when He arrives (24:32—25:46).
To the religious leaders of His day who wanted to destroy Him, Jesus foretold, “Hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (26:64), indicating that when He returns, He will fulfill Daniel’s prophecy regarding the promised Messiah (Dan. 7:13–14).
He also promised that when He returns, He will “send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect [referring in context to Israel] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Mt. 24:31).
One of the most precious promises Jesus made involves the church. It will be fulfilled at the Rapture, when He meets all Church Age believers (dead and living) in the air to bring them to heaven: “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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” (Jn. 14:2–3).
When Jesus fulfills this promise, it will culminate His prayer to His Father: “I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me” (17:24).
All of these predictions and promises depend on Christ’s return. And return He will.
