The Roar of the Lion: Hastening the Return of Christ in a Broken World

If you look around at the state of the world today—the division, the suffering, the relentless pace of modern life—it is almost impossible not to feel a deep, aching longing in your spirit. We watch the news, we carry the burdens of our communities, and we find ourselves asking the ancient question: How much longer, Lord?

Many believers view the Second Coming of Jesus as a distant, abstract event—a cosmic rescue mission we simply have to wait around for. But what if waiting isn’t supposed to be passive? What if our daily actions, our struggles, and our quiet acts of love are actually the very things that prepare the earth for His return?

Recently, I’ve been reflecting deeply on the difference between Christ’s first and second coming, what is holding back His return, and how we are called to actively prepare. Here is a blueprint for understanding the Second Coming, grounded in Scripture, and a practical guide on how to live in the shadow of eternity.

The Lamb and The Lion: A Tale of Two Comings

To understand where history is going, we have to understand where it has been.

When Jesus came the first time, He came in profound, staggering humility. He laid aside the outward glory of heaven to be born into poverty, walking the dusty roads of a politically fractured world. He came as the Lamb of God, veiled in human flesh. His mission was to serve, to suffer, and to offer His life on the cross as the ransom for our sins. He came to plant the seed of His life into the earth.

But when He returns, the veil will be lifted. He will not return in secret or in weakness. He is coming as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The sky will split, and He will return on the clouds of heaven with unimaginable power and glory.

The first time, He came to bear judgment; the second time, He is coming to execute justice.

The first time, He came to redeem; the second time, He is coming to rule and restore. He is coming to finally claim His Bride—the Church—and to establish His kingdom fully upon the earth.

The Scriptural Blueprint: Where to Fix Our Eyes

To keep our hearts anchored, we must meditate on the specific promises He left us. Here are four foundational passages regarding His return, and what they reveal about our present moment.

1. The Call to Watchfulness (Matthew 24:36-44)

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 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.”

The Takeaway: The greatest danger to the modern believer isn’t necessarily dramatic, scandalous sin—it is the anesthetic of the mundane. The world will be distracted, carrying on with its normal routines. Christ calls us to stay awake. We must live with a holy urgency, refusing to be lulled to sleep by the daily grind.

2. The Promise of Gathering (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

“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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

The Takeaway: This world is filled with grief, loss, and the pain of saying goodbye to those we love. But Paul tells us to use this exact reality to comfort one another. The Second Coming is the ultimate reunion. Death does not have the final say; the trumpet blast of God does.

3. The Wedding Garments (Revelation 19:6-9)

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out: ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.'”

The Takeaway: Notice the incredible detail here: the Bride has made herself ready. And what is her dress made of? The “fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” We don’t just passively receive a wedding dress; we weave it every single day through our obedience, our acts of love, and our faithfulness.

4. Hastening the Day (2 Peter 3:8-12)

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 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. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…”

The Takeaway: This passage contains one of the most staggering concepts in the entire Bible: we can actually hasten the day of God. Our actions, our evangelism, and our holiness have a direct impact on the timing of the end of the age.

What is Hindering His Return?

If Jesus promised to return, why has it been two thousand years? What is delaying Him?

The delay is not born of neglect; it is rooted in two profound spiritual realities:

1. His Boundless Mercy

As Peter wrote, the Lord is patient. Every day He delays is another day for the gospel to reach a broken heart. He is waiting for the full number of those who will believe to be brought into the fold. What feels like a delay to us is actually the rescue of millions.

2. The Bride is Not Ready

A bridegroom does not return for a bride who is still in her sleeping clothes, divided against herself, or unbothered by his absence. Currently, the Church is often fractured by worldly politics, weakened by compromise, and distracted by entertainment. The divisions and lack of mature, self-sacrificial love among God’s people grieve the Spirit and delay the consummation of our union. He is waiting for us to grow up and get dressed.

How We Can Make His Return Possible

We are not called to be passive spectators. We are called to prepare the way. If you want to live a life that hastens the return of Christ, focus on these four pillars:

1. Live Out the Love of the Kingdom Now

Do not view your daily labor—especially the hidden, exhausting work of caring for others—as a distraction from “spiritual” things. Every act of selfless care you give to those who depend on you is a direct ministry to Jesus. When you pour out your days providing for your family, caring for the sick, or defending the vulnerable, you are pulling the realities of heaven down to earth. That is where your “fine linen” is woven.

2. Speak and Write the Truth

We live in an age of deception and carefully curated illusions. You have a voice—use it. Whether through writing books, posting online, or simply having honest conversations over coffee, challenge the lies of this world. Point people toward what is eternal. Sowing seeds of truth in the minds of others prepares the harvest that Christ is returning to reap.

3. Cultivate Growth and Community

Think like a gardener. Establish spaces for your community to thrive. Cultivate the spiritual soil of the people you meet. True advocacy isn’t just fighting bad systems; it is pointing broken people back to the healing of Christ and walking alongside them as they grow.

4. Purge the Old Leaven

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul commands the church to “purge out the old leaven.” Leaven represents the hidden, spreading corruption of malice, complacency, and sin. We cannot prepare the world for the coming of the King if our own hearts are entangled with the things He is coming to destroy. We must examine our own lives, repent daily, and feast on Christ—our Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth.

The Bottom Line

Waiting is not a passive state. It is an active, burning pursuit. Walk closely with Him today. Let your longing for His return be the engine that drives your love, your work, and your writing.

The Lion is at the gates. Let’s make ourselves ready.