Will Jesus Christ Return in 2024? Why Is This Significant?

As one year ends and a new one begins, I can’t help but ask two questions to myself, “Will Jesus Christ return in 2024?” with its follow-up, “Why is this significant?”

Have you thought about this? Are either one of these questions that you are considering as well? If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, my guess is you have considered at least the first of these two questions. It seems impossible to mark the transition of one year to the next without considering this great question. “Will this year be the year Jesus returns?”

One of my boys asked me this question just last night. We had a fascinating discussion of this issue and considered some key implications of it.

Will Jesus Christ return in 2024?

Let’s begin with the first question, Will Jesus Christ return in 2024?

The answer: Possibly, but we cannot say for sure. Let me explain why.

1. Jesus said no one knows the day or time of His return except for the Father (Matthew 12:36; Mark 13:32). In fact, Jesus warned not to follow any person who says they know when Jesus is returning (Luke 21:8).
2. Without question, Jesus will return (Acts 1:10-11). Be sure that there is no question regarding if He will come or not. God promised Jesus’ return, and God keeps His promises (2 Peter 3:9). We are just not sure if it will be in 2024.
3.  Jesus said to be watchful and ready (Luke 21:28-33). We need to pay attention to the world around us. When we do, we realize that nothing left stands in the way of the return of Christ.
4. The Apostle Paul describes it as daybreak (Rom 13:11-12). Referring to the return of Jesus as dawn, he warns that the night is far spent and daybreak is imminent.

Why is this significant?

In an effort to explain why the imminent return of Christ is significant (maybe even in 2024), allow me to move between some key Bible principles related to our walk with the Lord and the significance of His return.

1. Live as Jesus Christ (Rom 13:11-14). The Apostle Paul explains that we must put off works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Most importantly, he exclaims we need to “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.” In other words, we are to put on the life and characteristics of Jesus (known as Christlikeness or godliness) while saying no to our own flesh.
2. Be steadfast in honoring the Lord as you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:14-18; 1 John 3:2-3). As we have hope for the return of Jesus and anticipate all the blessings His return will bring, we seek to do our part to live a Christ-honoring life. We must live each day striving to be steadfast (1 Corinthians 15:58). As we wait for Jesus to come, we make a diligent effort to remain faithful to Him. We do this best when we are seeking to grow in Christ.
3. Practice the disciplines of watching and praying in anticipation (Mark 13:33; Luke 12:37, 43). We watch for the return of Jesus eagerly, we wait expectantly, and we serve faithfully while we wait. As the man who returns from a far country, Jesus said to work as a steward until He returns.
4. We share the Gospel message with everyone since we are enabled by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses of Jesus as we anticipate  His return. The Apostle Paul refers to us as ambassadors, through whom God makes a plea for all to be reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
5. The door to eternity is narrow; therefore, we need to point people to the right gate with awareness of the shortness of time (Luke 13:25-30). Jesus uses the story of a banquet and compelling people from the outside to come in to make His point. If the door gets closed by the Father and someone is on the outside of it, then that person will miss out on the banquet. Once the door closes, it will not come open again. The Father will say, “Depart from me for I never knew you.”
6. Refuse to neglect church and intentional, authentic interaction with other believers (Hebrews 3:12-13; 10:24-25). We are commanded to exhort one another as we see this day of Jesus’ return approaching. Sin deceives. We must, therefore, help each other while there is time. We cannot delay.
7. Comfort one another with the promise of the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Peter 3:13). Life is hard. Times are tough, and sometimes really tough. Individuals we love die. All of us go through suffering of every kind. We look forward to the day of the new creation. We rest in the promises of Jesus and others in the Word of God.
8. Wait patiently until Jesus comes (James 5:7-8). Similar to the farmer, we wait patiently until Jesus returns. Just like God has a plan in nature as demonstrated in agriculture where the farmer plants the seed and waits for the harvest, so we too must wait for God’s plan to be revealed in the return of Jesus. Also, just like the farmer, we do what work we can do while waiting; however, the ultimate timing of the harvest is the Lord’s. Therefore, we wait patiently.

Jesus may return in 2024!

Friends, Jesus very well may return in 2024. Nothing stands in His way. As we preachers like to say, His return is imminent. Therefore, we must commit ourselves at the beginning of this new year to live with the significance of His return passionately on our hearts, intentionally on our minds, and practically in our words and actions. Jesus is coming again – that means something for each one of us in this new year.

(Truth is: Jesus could return after this is written and before 2024 even begins! We’ll see.)

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