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The Second Coming refers to the Christian and Islamic belief in the return of Jesus Christ , an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic Prophecy such as the Resurrection Of The Dead , Last Judgment and full establishment of the Kingdom Of God on earth (also called the "Reign of God"), including the Messianic Age . Views about the nature of this return vary among Christian Denominations . The original Greek of the New Testament uses the term 'Parousia' (παρουσία), the "appearance and subsequent presence with" (in the ancient world referring to official visits by royalty). The Second Coming is also referred to as the Second Advent, from the Latin term "adventus," for "coming." Teachings about the last things comprise Christian Eschatology . Along with Christ at His coming will be His Bride, the Church, His Saints from this Dispensation Of Grace , having just left from the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Judgment Seat of Christ. TERMINOLOGY Christians use a range of names for this concept of Jesus Christ's coming or return, drawing on a range of Biblical images. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia article on General Judgment : :"In the New Testament the second Parousia, or coming of Christ As Judge Of The World , is an oft-repeated doctrine. The Saviour Himself not only foretells the event but graphically portrays its circumstances ( sqq. The phrase second coming is not used in the Bible. It comes from the life of Jesus of Nazareth as being his ''first'' coming to earth. Some Christians refer to the Second Coming as the ''last coming'' because of scripture referring to him as being the "First and the Last," "The Beginning and End," "The Alpha to Omega.""We have come to know the threefold coming of the Lord. His first coming was in the flesh and in weakness, this intermediary coming is in the spirit and in power, and the last coming will be in glory and majesty." - St Bernard Of Clairvaux Sermon 5 on Advent 1 and others do not define it by number, highlighting Christ's coming as an ongoing process. The Parousia is the term used in the Bible, see Strong's G3952 for details, which includes the : "of Christ, and nearly always of his Messianic Advent in glory to judge the world at the end of this age." JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF MAN In the on earth. This is presented as the Eschaton and an End Of The World : :"As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed." ( NRSV ) In the Gospel Of John Jesus also employs the image of the Son Of Man when talking about 'the last day' . Here it is linked with 'being raised up' - the Resurrection Of The Dead . A theme reinforced in where Martha describes Jesus' coming both in terms of resurrection and as an ongoing process, and in where Jesus says "I will come again" so his disciples may live with him in his Father's house. Timing In the gospels Jesus often referred to the Reign of God being right 'at hand'"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the good news.’ and 'these things' - including the Son of Man's coming in his kingdom - occurring with immediacy to his listeners. "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom " (, , ). Both Matthew and Luke also include the statement, "This generation (γενεά) will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (, ) Matthew 24:34 & ''Genea'': What The Scholars Say . These admonitions and promises are related to the spiritual rebirth of the individuals to whom he is speaking, but are perplexing to those who believe Jesus refers to himself. Some Christian theologians ( Preterist s) see this 'coming of the Son of Man in glory' primarily fulfilled in Jesus' death on the cross. During his ministry Jesus continually linked the 'Son of Man' sayings with his own forthcoming suffering, death and resurrection, which can be understood symbolically as applying equally to the struggles of everyone - following "the way" demonstrated for others in his spiritual journey. Some theologians purport that some or all of the prophecies laid out in the Olivet Discourse are then fulfilled within the narrative of Jesus' passion, for example: # The need for disciples to 'keep alert and pray' and 'stay awake' is demonstrated literally on the same mountain two nights later when Jesus interrupts his disciples' sleep to explicitly say "the hour has come"."Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." (compare to ) # The time frame of significant hours as spelled out in the apocalypse "you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, at cockcrow or at dawn" is mimicked in the passion narrative "when it was evening Jesus came", praying in the garden in the middle of the night, "at that moment the cock crowed for the second time" and "As soon as it was morning the chief priests ... bound Jesus and led him away." # The apocalyptic signs are fulfilled including ' The Sun Will Be Dark ' (compare to ), the 'powers ... will be shaken' (compare to and ), and 'then they will see' (compare to and ). They further claim that such an interpretation highlights the Christian claim that the 'glory' and 'dominion' of God is best seen in the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus crucified."For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.") Eastern Orthodox Church theologians believe the Son of Man's glory is seen in the gift of the Holy Spirit to their church members and so does not refer to the second coming. They say this γενεά ("generation" or "age") is the current unrestored age, distinct from the age to come; the age of restoration."That is just the state that we are in now. Of this state the Lord said: There are some of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God come in power (Mk. 9:1)." Saint Seraphim of Sarov{fact} Other theologians point to other Biblical images that better match their idea of "coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory" (), such as the Transfiguration witnessed by three of Jesus' disciples, which follows directly after the "there are some standing here..." verse in all three synoptic Gospels, or John Of Patmos ' heavenly visions described in the book of Revelation . Some interpret the phrase 'this generation' to mean lifetime or race; or see it applying to a generation of future readers rather than the generation of people Jesus was addressing within the narrative. Another resolution of the statement is suggested by called this "the most embarrassing verse in the Bible" C.S. Lewis ''The World’s Last Night and Other Essays''. See also Prester John , Wandering Jew , Preterism , New Covenant . OTHER BIBLICAL IMAGES In Jesus' Ascension is linked to him coming again: :So when the apostles had come together, they asked Jesus, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ :He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. :While he was going and they were gazing up towards the sky, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken away from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go to heaven.’ :Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. The apocalyptic . Unrealized eschatology See Also: Christian eschatology To other Christians these verses highlight aspects of the Eschaton that have not yet happened or not yet been fully realized. Drawing on the images from Acts, these Christians expect Jesus' coming to fulfill some or all of these criteria: #occor specifically at the Mount Of Olives ; #on a cloud; descending through the sky - or, conversely, while being "lifted up" while disciples are looking up to the sky. They may also expect Jesus to come only as or after some or all of these aspects have been realised: #Jesus' disciples learn to stop confusing the Kingdom of God with a nationalistic campaign to "restore the kingdom to Israel"; #Jesus' disciples stop trying to define God's Kingdom by chronologies of "times and periods"; #"the Holy Spirit has come upon" Jesus' disciples and they "receive power"; and #people have witnessed Jesus "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth". MAINSTREAM CHRISTIANITY The many denominations of Christianity have differing views on the exact details of Christ's second coming. Few dare to claim complete and authoritative interpretation of the typically symbolic and prophetic biblical sources. A common thread is the belief that Jesus will return to ". ESOTERIC CHRISTIAN TRADITION In the (already attuned to the high vibrations of the 'life spirit'), in the moment of the Baptism , to the Christ being for His ministry in the physical world. Christ is described as the highest Spiritual Being of the life wave called Archangels , and has completed His union ("the Son") with the second aspect of God . In this western tradition, there is a clear distinction between the Cosmic Christ, or Christ without, and the Christ Within: the Cosmic Christ, the 'Regent of the ), also called " Soul Body ", the correct translation of Paul Of Tarsus "soma psuchicon" (Greek "soma" and "psuchicon" [psu(y)che--soul , "It is sown a soul body; it is raised a spiritual body ...": 1 Cor 15:44 ; distinction of "spirit and soul and body": 1 Thess 5:23 ). According to this tradition, the Christ Within is regarded as the true Saviour who needs to be born within each individual ( Galatians 4:19 ) in order to evolve toward the future Sixth . ISLAM See Also: Islamic view of Jesus The mainstream or Anti-Christ , break the cross, kill Swine and call all humanity to Islam, as originally called upon by all the prophets including himself. Jesus shall be accompanied by an army of the righteous, and the battle shall be against Dajjal (the false Messiah) and his army of followers of corrupters and mischief-makers and those whom the Anti-Christ has deceived. PREDICTIONS See Also: Unfulfilled religious prophecies CLAIMS See Also: List of messiah claimants Olivet discourse#Imminence
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN POLITICS See Also: Dispensationalism The rise of preachers such as Tim LaHaye , Jerry Jenkins , Pat Robertson and Hal Lindsey . However, the majority of the Christian world both within and outside of America, including the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, rejects dispensationalism as a valid belief system. SEE ALSO
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