What can we learn from the "lightning" imagery about Jesus' second coming? Setting the Scene: Lightning in the Words of Jesus • Luke 17:24: “For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day.” • Matthew 24:27: “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus chose lightning—brilliant, sudden, and impossible to ignore—to describe His return. Scripture’s accuracy lets us draw clear, practical truths. He Will Come Suddenly • Lightning appears in an instant; there is no gradual build-up. • 1 Corinthians 15:52: “in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye…” • Application: No time for last-minute decisions. Preparedness must be continuous, not occasional. He Will Come Publicly and Universally Visible • Lightning streaks across the whole sky; everyone outside sees it. • Revelation 1:7: “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him.” • Acts 1:11: “this same Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen Him go.” • Application: His return is not hidden or localized. Media or messengers won’t need to announce it—humanity will witness it simultaneously. He Will Come With Unstoppable Power • Lightning is a display of raw, uncontested energy. • 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8: He is “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in blazing fire.” • Application: No government, army, or skeptic can hinder the moment He splits the sky. He Will Come Bringing Light and Judgment • Lightning pierces darkness, exposing everything it touches. • John 3:19-20: Light reveals deeds done in darkness. • Matthew 25:31-32: He separates the nations “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” • Application: Lives, motives, and hearts will be laid bare; only those clothed in His righteousness stand secure. He Calls Us to Live Ready • Matthew 24:44: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.” • Readiness is not fear-driven but rooted in hope (Titus 2:13). • Practical habits: – Daily repentance and faith (1 John 1:9) – Active obedience to His commands (John 14:15) – Ongoing fellowship with believers (Hebrews 10:25) – Eager watchfulness, not date-setting (Mark 13:32-33) Lightning blazes, fades, and leaves the world changed by its stroke. Likewise, the visible, powerful, and sudden return of Jesus will transform history’s final page in a flash no one can miss. |
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