Here is what I have learned by studying the Bible concerning the Second Coming.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit - which happens when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior comes to dwell inside of every believer. That is not the Second Coming - that is what Jesus referred to when He says He will send the Counselor or the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit dwells inside of us changing us to become more like Jesus. He changes us from the inside out. He leads and guides us into all of God’s truth and His will for our lives.
One day, and we don’t know when that is, Jesus will rapture all the believers to go with Him into heaven. 1 Thess. 4:16,17 says, “The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” Believers will be in heaven with Jesus and unbelievers will still be on the earth. Since we will meet Jesus in the air, this is not the Second Coming either. He must come back to earth.
The tribulation (where unbelievers will face judgments as mentioned in Revelation) follows sometime after that and goes on for 7 years. At the end of the 7 years, Jesus will return to this earth, just like Acts 1:11 says. He will return physically. This is the Second Coming. Zechariah 14 speaks of the Lord Jesus’ return. Verse 4 says, “On that day (when all the nations gather to fight against Jerusalem - v.3) his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south…Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him (believers)”
Matthew 24:30-31 describes Jesus’ Second Coming. “At that time the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus) will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.”
Rev. 1:7 - “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who have pierced him, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.” Has any of this happened yet? No, so the Second Coming hasn’t happened yet.
Jesus’ words to all believers is to remain watchful. Matt. 24:36, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matt 24:42, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matt. 25:13 also speaks of being watchful for His return. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
Jesus’ message to us is to “Be watchful” because we don’t know when He’ll return for us.
Mark 13:5,6 - “Jesus said to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am he’ and will deceive many.”
Keep relying on the Holy Spirit to lead and direct your life and guide you into all truth. Then share the Truth wherever and whenever you have the opportunity.
God bless and continue to study His Word! We serve and Awesome God!