Jesus warned us that His second coming will take place amid tumultuous events on earth: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. And on earth there will be distress among the nations, as they will not know what to do when they hear the roaring of the sea and the waves; people will faint from fear as they await the events that are to come upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. “When these things begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25–28).

We are already experiencing these events, which we have discussed in previous articles. We are in the period leading up to the Great Tribulation.

What should we do during these difficult times? The Lord Jesus taught us that when we see these signs, we must remain calm and hold on to our hope, for they indicate that our redemption is near. Hidden within these signs is a very encouraging prospect: His return.

So, we are faced with two pieces of news: one negative and one positive. On the one hand, we see the approach of evil and its manifestation; on the other hand, there is also good news regarding Jesus’ return.

Many choose to ignore this reality, arguing that such events have always been present throughout history and that God cannot intervene to change the situation, although this is not entirely true.

While it is true that such events have occurred in the past, never before have so many events coincided to point toward the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus.

But while at His first coming, the Lord Jesus willingly chose to die on the cross out of love for humanity, for our salvation, at His second coming, the situation will be entirely different from the first. While at His first coming, Jesus willingly chose to die on the cross out of love for humanity, for our salvation, at His second coming He will be endowed with all the power of God to judge the world with justice, and the way we respond to the news of His return will determine our eternal destiny:

In his epistle to Titus, the apostle Paul warns us that “the grace of God, which brings salvation to all people, has been revealed and teaches us to renounce idolatry and worldly desires and to live in this present age with self-control, righteousness, and godliness, as we wait for our blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11–14)

The Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself for us—for our salvation and redemption, to cleanse us from our sins—but if we do not accept His offer of salvation, we will face His judgment.

After all, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is humanity’s only hope. Our world increasingly resembles a ship adrift, on the verge of sinking into the waves of tribulation and uncertainty. But even in the darkest moments, there is a light of hope: boarding the ship of salvation through faith in the good news of the Gospel and sincere repentance of the heart. We should eagerly await the “blessed hope” and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, with a heart cleansed of every stain of sin.

Believe firmly in the Lord Jesus the Messiah, for He is the only way to salvation. To be sure of your salvation, learn to put your trust in Him and follow Him every day. Live righteously, renouncing sin and worldly desires, and do deeds worthy of your repentance, always seeking the Lord’s will. And may God enlighten your paths always. Amen!