Living in Expectation: 20 Bible Verses About Jesus Coming Back
When our oldest two kids were young enough to fit into a double stroller—before our third child came along—I took them for long stroller walks almost every day. Sometimes, our oldest child would look at the cloud formations and say, “Mom, when Jesus comes back, I think he’ll be riding on clouds that look these ones.” Today, we’ll look at 20 Bible verses about Jesus coming back as we aim to become more aware of this reality.
I loved our daughter’s sense of expectancy. Her anticipation reminded me not to be lulled to complacency or so consumed by daily life that stopped expecting Jesus’ return.
We are all susceptible to this. For this reason, it’s helpful to continually remind ourselves that Jesus will return. One way to do this is to reflect on Bible verses about Jesus coming back.
Let’s reflect on these Scriptures together today.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you seek him as we wait for his return.
20 Bible Verses About Jesus Coming Back
Let’s turn to God’s Word.
Bible Verses About Jesus Coming Back
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:2, ESV
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
Jesus will return suddenly, and many people will be caught off guard.
They will be going to work, walking their dogs, and buying groceries. Suddenly, a moment that changes everything will take place.
This should remind us to live with the expectation that Jesus will return, and we are to be ready for him.
2. Matthew 24:42-44
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
How would you live differently if you knew this would be your last day on earth?
We should regularly ask ourselves this question, assessing our rhythms and our days.
Because Jesus could return any time, we should be ready, not wasting time or losing sight of our priorities.
3. Matthew 24:47
For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus will return suddenly and with clarity.
4. Titus 2:13
Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
We don’t need to fear Jesus’ return; rather, we should be filled with hope.
When Jesus returns, he will take his followers with him, and they will enjoy eternal life with him.
5. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Just as Jesus ascended into heaven in the clouds, he will return on the clouds. He will call his followers with him.
6. Revelation 1:7
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.
One day, every knee will bow before Jesus and confess that he is Lord, even those who rejected him during their lives. But it will be too late for them.
God wants all people to be saved. He pursues us in love and truth. Our role is to respond by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
7. 2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
One day, God will judge the earth. He will destroy the heavens and remake a new earth.
8. Matthew 24:36
But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
We don’t know when these events will occur, and we should be vigilantly prepared for them.
9. Matthew 24:44
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Again, we should live with prepared hearts, ready for Jesus to return at any moment.
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10. John 14:1-3
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Jesus told his followers that he would prepare a place for them in heaven.
One day, we will all live for eternity.
We choose whether we will live in heaven with Jesus or apart from him in hell.
11. Acts 1:10-11
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Again, this verse reiterates the way Jesus will return. He will come down from heaven.
12. Luke 21:34-36
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
We are all susceptible to being consumed by the cares of this life.
God calls us to tend to the work of our days while being prayerful, remembering that Jesus will come back.
13. John 6:39-40
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
All who call on Jesus as Savior and Lord will join him when he returns.
14. Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
This life requires endurance.
We are called to continue pressing forward for the Lord, not growing weary in doing good.
15. Matthew 26:64
Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Before he was crucified, Jesus identified himself as one with God.
One day, all people will bow before him and confess that he is Lord.
16. John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
When Jesus returns, there will be a bodily resurrection of those who have died. Those who followed Jesus in life will follow him in eternal life. Those who rejected him will face eternal suffering.
17. Matthew 24:30-31
Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Jesus will send angels to gather his children from the ends of the earth when he returns.
18. 1 John 3:2-3
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
We will receive new, purified bodies when Jesus returns and creates the new heavens and the new earth.
19. Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Again, we are reminded to remain watchful.
20. Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Until Jesus returns, our stories are not finished. Trust in this as you press forward in the faith.
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Let’s now take some time to reflect on these Bible verses about Jesus coming back.
Applications of These Bible Verses About Jesus Coming Back
Let’s draw some applications from these Scriptures about Jesus’ return.
Since Jesus is coming back, how should we live?
1. Practice regular self-reflection.
We should regularly reflect on our lives, considering whether we are living by our priorities and seeking God’s vision.
2. Remain expectant.
Like my young children, we should remind ourselves that Jesus will return, eagerly and expectantly watching for him.
3. Continue working.
Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian church reminded them to continue working.
Many people were idly waiting around for Jesus to return, but this is not God’s will for us. We are to continue working for the Lord while we wait for his return.
4. Seek an intimate relationship with Jesus.
According to John 17:3, eternal life begins when a person receives Jesus as Savior. We are already living our eternal lives.
By seeking an intimate relationship with Jesus through Bible study, reading, prayer, worship, and other spiritual practices, we embrace our eternal lives while we are here on earth.
5. Tell others about the hope we find in Christ.
When Jesus returns, he will call his followers to join him. Those who have not received Jesus will face judgment and eternal separation from him. For this reason, we should share our faith in Christ with others.
6. Pursue repentant lifestyles.
Even after receiving Jesus, all people sin.
Repentance is the act of turning away from sin and turning toward God. We live in preparation by regularly confessing our sins and turning away from sin as we turn toward God.
7. Flee from sin.
In addition to confessing and repenting, we should do all we can to avoid sin, not seeing how far we can push the limits, but running the other way.
8. Make the most of our moments.
As we consider Jesus’ return, we should make the most of our moments, not being idle or wasting time.
We should invest in relationship and put people ahead of task completion whenever possible.
9. Stay in the Word.
God’s Word renews our minds and keeps us in alignment with him. For this reason, spending time in Scripture helps us remain ready for Jesus’ return.
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If these reflections and Bible verses about Jesus coming back blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals and library of free devotionals and eBooks below. May we all live with prepared hearts!
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Be Still and Trust: Download Your Free eBook Here
Do you long to find space to draw near to God while struggling to make this practice a regular part of your life? The secret is establishing a daily rhythm that makes this time habitual, a routine that becomes as natural as eating, drinking, and sleeping. Be Still and Trust offers daily devotions for those who long for rest and renewal—devotions for peace in our hurried and stress-filled lives.
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