This article refers to the religious usage of the term. For other usages, see Second Coming (disambiguation).

The prophecies of a Second Coming are various and span across many religions and cultures. Most notable is the Christian and Muslim belief in the return of Jesus. Another is Maitreya (Pali: Metteyya), a bodhisattva, prophesied by Gautama Buddha to be the next Buddha who will return to restore Buddhism when it becomes lost or corrupt.

Contents

1 Christianity 2 Islam 3 Judaism 4 See also

Christianity

Across the many denominations of Christianity, the view of Christ's second coming is largely differing. Few dare to claim complete and authorative interpretation of the typically symbolic and prophetic biblical sources. What is commonly accepted is that

1. Jesus Christ died on the cross.
2. He was resurrected to physical life and accepted into heaven.
3. He is to return to this earth to judge and establish his kingdom, ending the era of grace we are currently living in.
4. No one is to know the hour of Christ's return.

The book of Daniel, The Gospel according to Matthew and the Book Of Revelation are considered to be the most fruitful sources of study, alltough many parts of the Bible are sprinkled with references to the "last day(s)" and the Second Coming.

Islam

• Mainstream view: The mainstream Islamic view of the second coming maintains that Jesus was nailed to the cross but lifted up to heaven by God before he died, where he is waiting to decend during the “last days” when corruption and perversity are rife on earth. He will then wage a battle against the anti-christ and restore religion to its pristine state.

• Minority views: Some minority sects have adopted different and allegedly heretical beliefs according to main stream Muslims. The view of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is based on an allegorical interpretation of the references to Jesus’s second coming in Islamic literature. They believe that Jesus died a natural death and the "second coming" referred to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and his efforts to counter the threats to Islam from other religious groups.

Judaism

Judaism is awaiting more of a "first coming" than a "second coming." They are awaiting the coming of their Messiah. This Messiah will then usher in the millennium, that Isaiah and other prophets describe.

See also

• Parousia
• millennialism.