Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet?

Answer

Before Jesus departed from this earth, He mentioned His eventual return. In His Olivet Discourse, the Lord informed His disciples that one day, everyone would witness the arrival of the Son of Man “coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” «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. », (Matthew 24:30). On the night of His arrest, Jesus assured, “I will come back and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am” «And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. », (John 14:3). Furthermore, during His trial before the high priest, Jesus declared, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” «And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. », (Mark 14:62). Despite having these assurances, we are still awaiting His return.

The angels also provided assurance that Jesus would return one day. After Jesus ascended into heaven, while His disciples were still looking up, two angels consoled them with these words: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” «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). Later, John sees a vision of Jesus Christ telling him, “Look, I am coming soon!” «Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. », (Revelation 22:7). Still, Jesus has not returned. Where is He, and what’s taking Him so long?

As groundwork for the answer, we should remember that God has not revealed the timing of His Son’s return to any man, or to any angel for that matter « But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. », (Matthew 24:36). Jesus is coming, and we need to be ready « Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. », (Matthew 24:42,44) «Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. », (Matthew 24:42,44), but we leave the timing of His return up to God.

Then, we should keep in mind the following:

God is patient with sinners. Peter exhorts those who were doubting the Lord’s return with these words: “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9).

The next event in God’s prophetic plan is the rapture of the church. We see the rapture as an event distinct from the second coming of Christ. Paul reveals a few details about the rapture: “The Lord himself will come doWhen from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The rapture is imminent—no prophesied event stands between now and the rapture (see 1 Peter 1:20; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 1:2). In contrast, the second coming will happen only after “all” the events of Matthew 24 have occurred «so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. », (Matthew 24:33).

Jesus’ statements that He was coming “soon” should be properly understood. The Greek word tachu, which is translated as “soon” or “quickly” in Revelation 22:20, can also mean “without unnecessary delay” or “suddenly.” It does not have to mean “immediately.” Jesus’ meaning seems to be that, once end-times events have been set in motion, things will move quickly, without any unnecessary delay. The plagues of Revelation will follow one right after another, and at the end, Jesus will come “suddenly.”

We should live in the expectancy that the rapture could occur at any moment. The Lord wants every generation to have the conscious awareness that He may suddenly appear.

For the believer, the return of the Lord is the “blessed hope” «looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; », (Titus 2:13). Jesus has promised that He will come back for us, and that promise is enough. We trust in Him and

Rest in God’s perfect timing.