Question:

What is the evidence of the 2nd coming of Jesus?

Answer:

I am afraid that there is no physical evidence to confirm the second
coming of Jesus. This is obvious, given that the second coming is in the
future. It is, by definition, impossible to produce evidence of an event
which has not yet happened. The only way to “prove” that the second
coming will happen is through indirect means. The argument goes something
like this.

1. The Bible is obviously inspired by God and the sayings of Jesus as a
prophet are 100% reliable, as proven by a great variety of evidence. This
evidence includes the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, by the historical
accuracy of the Bible, by the miracles of Jesus, by the resurrection of
Jesus, by the scientific wisdom of the Bible, by the fact that the
teaching in the Bible works, by the internal consistency of the Bible and
by a very large number of other very convincing evidence that, in fact,
the Bible is inspired by God.

2. Jesus clearly said that he would be coming back (Matthew 24:29-25:13,
Luke 21:25-28 and many other passages). Besides, the Bible states in
several other places that there will be a second coming of Jesus (1 Thess
5:1-11, 2 Peter 3:1-13 and many others).

If point one is true (which some skeptics debate, but which I am
powerfully convinced is true), and if point two is true (which no one can
really deny) then it is certainly true that the second coming will happen.

I would say that the evidence for the second coming of Jesus is very
similar to the evidence that there will be a Judgment Day or the evidence
that there is a heaven and a hell. We cannot “prove” any of these things
to be true directly. Something which does not now, nor has it ever
previously existed cannot be proven to exist in the future. However, I
believe that the clear evidence for the inspiration of the Bible proves
beyond a reasonable doubt that Jesus will indeed come back again.

I am sorry that I can only give indirect proof, but that is the nature of
the question.

John Oakes, PhD