“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

We have before us one of the clearest teachings about the return of Jesus Christ that can be found in the Bible. 

Contrary to the popular opinion that prevails in Christian teaching today, the return of Jesus Christ will not be a secret event that will cause chaos on earth. It will be a visible, loud, and world-wide event that will usher in eternity.

The disciples had just asked Jesus about the kingdom of God and how it will be for them here on earth. Jesus repeatedly taught that His kingdom was not of this world. So, when Jesus ascended he was not going away, He was ascending to the throne of His kingdom! Jesus reigns now at the right hand of the Father until all his enemies, including death, are put under his feet (Hebrews 2:8).

The angel’s words in Acts teach us the same thing that Jesus told us during His earthly ministry. 

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” ( Matthew 24:30-31 – emphasis mine)

Jesus plainly said that we will see Him coming in the clouds. Further, He said that it will be with a great trumpet sound! Neither of these things point to a private or secret return of the Lord Jesus.

The Apostle Paul teaches the same facts about the return of Christ to the church at Thessalonica:

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Paul not only confirms that the return of Jesus will be visible and loud,  but it will also be the moment that the bodies of the saints of God are reunited with their soul and spirit, and they will continue with Him IN THE AIR.

Jesus also reveals some things to John that have been shared with us:

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7)

This text confirms the fact that the return of Jesus will be visible to all the world. Not only that, it also tells us that this event will occur when the laws of time and space are ended at the close of time. That is the only way every person on earth can see the event at the same time. Moreover, the text teaches us that this will be a general resurrection. The very men that carried out the crucifixion will be raised from the dead to witness Christ’s return. Righteous and wicked men will raise at the same time.

This is a glorious thought and hope! We do not have to wonder whether Jesus has already come or not, or be concerned that we might miss it. The return of Jesus will be the most obvious event in history!

For the people of God, this is a day of victory to be hoped for and anticipated with joy!