Second Coming

The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus will return after his ascension to heaven (which occurred about two thousand years ago). The idea is based on messianic prophecies and is part of most Christian eschatologies. Other faiths have various interpretations of it. Theophany and Christophany Several different terms are used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ: In the New Testament, the Greek word ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia, appearing) is used five times to refer to the return of Christ. The Greek New Testament uses the Greek term parousia (παρουσία, meaning "arrival", "coming", or "presence") 24 times, seventeen of them concerning Christ. However, parousia has the distinct reference to a period of time rather than an instance in time. At , the word parousia is used to clearly describe the period of time in which Noah lived. The Greek word eleusis, which means "coming", is not interchangeable with parousia. So this parousia or "presence" would be unique and distinct from anything that had occurred before. The word is also used six times referring to individuals (Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, Titus, and Paul the Apostle) and one time referring to the "coming of the lawless one". Gustav Adolf Deissmann (1908) showed that the Greek word parousia occurred as early as the 3rd century BC to describe the visit of a king or dignitary to a city – a visit arranged in order to show the visitor's magnificence to the people. In Islam, the term Rajʽa (الرجعة) refers to the Second Coming. The term is most commonly used by Shia Muslims. Predictions and claims for the Second Coming Views about the nature of the Second Coming vary among Christian denominations and among individual Christians. Many specific dates have been predicted for the Second Coming, some now in the distant past, others still in the future. Christian eschatology Most English versions of the Nicene Creed include the following statements: he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.