When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will appear to believers, wherever they may be. They may be in their homes, or in a place of prayer, or worshipping together. He will come to each individual believer, or group of believers, who are looking for His return. He will appear in His glorified body, and be real and tangible to all who love Him. He will be visible, and function in a real body, in the same way that He did during the forty days after His resurrection. When He comes, He will establish God’s Kingdom in the world, and will empower His people to rule with Him.
When Jesus comes, His people will be able to see Him, and He will be able to touch them. When He reveals Himself to believers, they will be changed, as He releases His power and glory into them. Then, as they walk in this new power, they will rise up and witness Christ to all nations with great liberty and mighty miracles. His Kingdom will grow and fill the whole earth.
For forty days after His resurrection, Jesus lived on earth with His people. He taught them, instructed them, ate with them, and did many other marvelous things. He was real and could be seen and touched. Satan could not attack Him, neither could His enemies. His disciples met with Him, and He appeared wherever He wished, with no restrictions: in a garden, in private homes, by the seaside, on the road. He appeared to individuals, and groups, and then a crowd of 500 saw Him. Multitudes of deceased saints also rose and appeared to many people. But only believers saw Jesus, as there is no record of any unbelievers seeing Him. His resurrection presence transformed the disciples.
This was a preview, or foretaste of what will happen at His return. When Jesus went away, He promised to come back to earth and establish His Kingdom. The angels said that He would come in “LIKE MANNER.” The SAME Jesus will return in the SAME way (Acts 1:11 NIV Bible). We are told quite clearly that the state in which Jesus was taken into heaven, is the same state as that in which He will return to earth. In other words, the same Jesus who was crucified, and then rose again, and walked with them in resurrection, will appear, as He was while with them during the forty days.
Just as Jesus came to believers at that time, so He will return to His people wherever they are. Believers will then see the Lord, for He will be visible, as, and when He desires. He will reveal Himself wherever He wishes, whether to individuals, small groups, or large congregations.
Nowhere in the entire world will be out of His reach, although not everyone will be able to enter His presence. However, those who love Jesus will see Him. He will unexpectedly return and appear to all who are His. It could be at any time. If Jesus is your Lord, you too will see Him. One day, as you are going about your daily tasks, He will be there; Jesus will suddenly stand in your presence.
When the King returns, He will come in the power of His Kingdom, which will grow and fill the whole world. By His “PRESENCE,” He will change and empower His people, and through them rule the nations. His people will rise into a new liberty, free from carnality that works death, and the Kingdom of God will come with authority into all the earth.
