Parallels of Jesus’ First Coming and Second Coming

The first coming of Jesus at his birth has and will have many parallels to his second coming. God always does things in patterns. He leaves clues and symbols for us so that we are prepared. But he hides these symbols so that the diligent can search them out or notice them.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2 

1. The silent years before his coming.

There was a 400-year period between the book of Malachi and the birth of Jesus. This period is known as the “400 Silent Years” because there was no prophetic word recorded from God. God had seemingly gone silent. I’m sure many people forgot all about the prophesied messiah. Some thought he would never come. And some are strangely still waiting for him, although he came 2000 years ago.

But on a normal day, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It will be the same when Jesus comes again. It’s been 2000 years since Jesus ascended to heaven, and many have forgotten his promise to return. Many do not believe it, and many more think it may not be anytime soon. By and large, the world is asleep, just as it was during the 400 silent years after the prophet Malachi. Yet on a day when no one is expecting it, Jesus WILL return as promised. It is a promise and will not fail, just as his first coming did not fail.

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:44

2. Not everyone will be caught by surprise at his coming.

The amazing thing about God is that he does nothing without revealing it to his servants. Jesus’s first coming into the world was not loud. It just happened quietly. The majority did not know what had happened. The savior came, and hardly anyone noticed except a few chosen people.

Simeon was one such man. The Bible says he was a devout and just man. He was not a priest or a prophet. Just an ordinary but devout man. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the messiah. One distinguishable thing about Simeon is that he was WAITING for the messiah to come. Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit and had a relationship with God. He did not know the exact day or hour, but he knew he would live to see the Lord.

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law, Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Luke 2:25-30

In the same way, when Jesus comes again, he will reveal it to many of his children. They will not know the exact day or hour because the Bible says so, but they will be told the season. And many, like Simeon, will be told that they won’t die until they see the Lord’s return.

3. Only those who were watching, waiting, and praying saw the Lord.

Another interesting parallel is that when Jesus was born, only those who had been expecting or waiting for him saw him. Simeon, who had been waiting for the Lord, was led by the Holy Spirit to the temple to see Jesus. Anna the prophetess, who had spent her life seeking God and waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem, likewise saw him.

We don’t know much about the shepherds. But their reaction when the angel told them the news of Jesus’ birth reveals that they were men who worshiped and loved God. The wise men from the east, likewise, seemed to have been looking for the messiah, and it was revealed to them in the stars. God always honors faith and expectation.

Apostle Paul says that the day of the Lord will not take those who are watching and waiting as a thief. But it will come as a thief to the world and the sleeping because they are not watching. The coming of the Lord should not take true believers by surprise or as a thief in the night. This is because we should already have been watching and praying. Although we are not to speculate on dates, we are told by Jesus that we will know when the season nears. He gave us signs to watch out for precisely so that we would watch.

The coming of Jesus should not overtake us like a thief.

“For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. But understand this: if the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:42-44

“So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:28

“You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.” Matthew 16:3

4. The Holy Spirit prepares the Bride for Christ’s return.

Finally, we see in Simeon and Anna that the Holy Spirit was upon them. It was the Holy Spirit who revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord Jesus Christ. And it was the Holy Spirit who led him to the temple at the exact time when Jesus was brought for dedication.

It was the Holy Spirit who enabled Anna the prophetess to live a life of fasting and prayer for 84 years. She was led by the Holy Spirit in the very instant when Jesus was in the temple. The Holy Spirit showed her the salvation of Israel.

In the parable of the 10 virgins, Jesus talks about the five wise and five foolish virgins. The five wise virgins had oil in their lamps when the announcement was made that the bridegroom was coming. The five foolish virgins had no oil. The oil is the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit. It is a relationship with him, who alone is the teacher, helper, and sanctifier of the bride.

It is the Holy Spirit alone who will prepare us for the Lord’s return and ensure we are ready. But we must make room for him, rely on him, and have a relationship with him. We do this just as Simeon and Anna did by being devout, holy, waiting, fasting, watching, praying, and studying God’s word. All by God’s grace. Without the Holy Spirit, no one can make it.

The foolish virgins did not have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The foolish virgins were virgins, but they had set aside the Holy Spirit. As a result, they were found not ready, and the bridegroom shut them out of his wedding. They did not have the mark of the Holy Spirit, and the Lord said he did not know them.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.“ And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’… And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.“ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:1-6, 10-13

May we be found ready in Jesus Christ’s name.

The Day of the Lord, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9

“Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.

For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9

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