Today, many Christians are waiting for Second Coming Christ. They believe that when Christ comes again, He will come in the clouds and they will enter the Kingdom of Heaven while the world perishes. These thoughts are very different from the Biblical teachings about Christ’s second coming.
“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Lk 21:27–28
Jesus did not say that when He comes in a cloud, the world will be judged and the saints will enter the Kingdom of Heaven; rather He said that it is when our redemption and the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near, so we should prepare to be saved by standing up and lifting up our heads. We can see that the thoughts of most Christians are very different from the Biblical teachings about Christ’s second coming.
Therefore, we need to think carefully about the meaning of the clouds Christ comes in; because the common notion that it must be real clouds can be a misunderstanding of Jesus’ will. Without a full understanding of this matter, no one will be able to recognize Second Coming Christ and receive salvation.
Jesus Came in the Clouds at His First Coming
Through the prophecies of Christ’s first coming, we can find the correct meaning of the clouds. About 600 years before Jesus’ first coming, God showed the prophet Daniel a vision of Jesus.
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him . . . Da 7:13–14
It was prophesied that one like a son of man would come with the clouds of heaven and receive authority, glory, and sovereign power from God. This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Mt 28:18
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.” Jn 17:10
“And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me . . .” Lk 22:29
According to the prophecy in the Old Testament, it was surely Jesus who came to this earth and received power, glory, and a kingdom. We should pay attention to how Jesus was prophesied to come in the book of Daniel. Jesus did not come in the physical clouds; rather, He came to this earth in the flesh through the body of Mary. Daniel’s prophecy is not incorrect. The clouds that Christ will come with is a parable that refers to the flesh.
This means that Second Coming Christ will also come in the flesh just as Jesus came at His first coming. Jesus prophesied that He would come in the clouds. He would not come once in the flesh and the next time in the clouds. The same parable used to prophesy about Jesus’ first coming was spoken again when Jesus explained to His disciples about His second coming in the flesh.
A Man Is Likened to Clouds
There are many parables in the Bible where men are likened to clouds.
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind. . . Jude 1:12
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give. Pr 25:14
Shepherds who feed only themselves (i.e. false prophets) and a man who boasts are compared to clouds without rain. In other words, a man in the flesh is likened to clouds. According to the Biblical way of comparing the clouds to the flesh, the New Testament prophesied about Jesus’ second coming in the flesh as Him coming in the clouds.
The Reason Jesus Comes Again in the Clouds (in the Flesh)
In the last days, Jesus will come again in the flesh when the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Why doesn’t He judge the world at once, but instead does He come again in the flesh?
“I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Lk18:8
Jesus said that at His second coming, no one would have faith worthy of salvation. Today, many churches claim to believe in Jesus, but those churches do not fully keep the New Covenant truths such as the Sabbath Day and the Passover. Churches have abandoned the commandments of God and keep man-made teachings such as Sunday worship and Christmas. Jesus clearly said that they worship God in vain when they keep man-made teachings.
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ ” Mt 15:8–9
Jesus knew that the world would worship Him in vain. This is why He asked, “Will he find faith on the earth?” If Jesus comes to this faithless world as the Last Judge, no one will receive salvation. That is why Jesus Himself comes again in the flesh to gather those who will be saved and lead them to the truth of life before the Last Judgment.
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” Jn 10:16
The sheep in the sheep pen refers to the saints Jesus saved at His first coming; however, there were other sheep that were not a part of that sheep pen. Therefore, He said that He would lead them as well. This is a prophecy that in the last days, Jesus Himself will come in the flesh again and lead His people to salvation just as He did 2,000 years ago when He led His disciples as their Shepherd.
During Jesus’ time, the Jews did not correctly understand the prophecy that Christ would come in the clouds. Because of this, they only looked at the sky and failed to receive Jesus who came in the flesh. It is the same today; those who blindly look at the clouds in the sky without knowing the truth of the Bible will miss the opportunity to receive salvation. Therefore, we must pay attention to the prophecies of the Bible to receive Christ who came a second time in the flesh.