For today in the city of David has been born for
you, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11
Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” So when we ask what the two advents of Christ are, we are really asking what two times Christ comes to earth.
Most of us have probably heard about Advent at Christmastime. It often involves candles or calendars to help us count down to December 25th. We think about the events surrounding Jesus’ birth and reflect on its significance then and now.
We may even go beyond that to think about Jesus’ purpose for coming the first time.
But how often do we let those things lead us to think about His coming again?
It’s not too late to start.
Table of Contents
What Are the Two Advents of Christ?
The two advents of Christ are the two times He comes to earth. “He came the first time in weakness, a tender infant born of a poor woman in the manger of Bethlehem, unnoticed, unhonoured, and scarcely known. He shall come the second time in royal dignity, with the armies of heaven around Him, to be known, recognized, and feared by all the people of the earth.” J C Ryle
Celebrating Jesus’ Birth – The First Advent
Every Christmas, millions of people celebrate the birth of Christ. You may be one of them. But how much do you really know about His first coming?
You may know he was born in a manger in Bethlehem because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7). You may know His name is Jesus. But do you know He is a Savior and Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11)?
Do you know about the angels that visited Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds?
Mary was told by an angel that she was going to have a baby. When she asked how this could be since she was a virgin, the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).
Joseph, planning to end their engagement once he discovered that Mary was pregnant, changed his mind after an angel explained everything to him (Mathew 1:19-25).
And the shepherds in the field were visited by an angel telling them the good news of the Messiah’s birth. They went off immediately to see this thing that had happened, which the Lord had made known to them (Luke 2:9-15).
Adoring Jesus
Furthermore, you may know about the magi from the east looking for the one who had been born King of the Jews. They saw His star in the east and had come to see Him. And when they found Him, they fell down, worshiped Him, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1-12).
But do you know about Simeon and Anna? They were at the temple in Jerusalem the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to present Him to the Lord.
The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would see the Messiah in his lifetime. And that day, he took Jesus in his arms and prophesied.
The prophetess Anna, also met Jesus and gave thanks to God. She talked about the child to everyone waiting for God to rescue His people (Luke 2:21-38).
However, lest you think these instances of worship and adoration made Jesus popular, nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus was not famous as a baby or child.
How Jesus’ Life Ended
He was born with low status and humiliation. His childhood was ordinary and obscure for the most part.
King Herod was afraid of Him, though. He thought Jesus, King of the Jews, might compete against him for the throne. So he tried to kill him.
But Herod’s thinking was way off. Jesus didn’t come to be a King His first time; He came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
He took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) and, in the end, was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was betrayed into the hands of wicked people, condemned unjustly, mocked, beaten, crowned with thorns, and crucified.
But He came back to life and is now in heaven.
And by His death and resurrection, He offers salvation to all who believe that there is no other name under heaven by which you must be saved (Acts 4:12).
He also promised He would come again.
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Looking Ahead to Jesus’ Return – The Second Advent
Two thousand years later, we are still waiting. We know it will be after the 7-year Tribulation, which is yet to happen. But Jesus did not say how long it would be between his first and second coming, so we shouldn’t be discouraged.
However, He did tell us in Matthew 24:29-31 what His second coming would look like.
But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
The disciples had asked Jesus earlier what sign would signal His return at the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). And He answered them by first describing the unusual displays that would take place in the heavens.
And then Jesus said He would visibly appear on the clouds for all to see. He will return with power and great glory.
Jesus’ second coming will be nothing like His first. This next time He will come as the Conquering King. He will set up His kingdom on earth, and every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Isaiah 45:23).
Incorporating the Two Advents at Christmas
My husband and I are reading The Coming of the King by JC Ryle. It has 25 readings for Advent that incorporate both Christ’s first and second coming.
When you understand why Jesus came as a baby and how He spent His time on earth, it is a natural response to look ahead to when He’ll come again.
So, what better way to celebrate this season than to reflect on Jesus’ birth and His return as King.
I will end with a quote from the Faithlife Staff in What is Advent? And Why Is It Important for Believers?
The “second Advent” then, overlaps with the first. We celebrate Jesus’ first coming, and use that sense of fulfillment to fuel our hope for his second coming and to strengthen us to work for signs of that kingdom in our own day. . . . That is one way of saying what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
The hymn below is a popular song we sing at Christmas. But Isaac Watts, who wrote it, had Christ’s second coming in mind.
Joy to the World
Final Thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed reading about the two advents of Christ.
Jesus came as a baby the first time, and will come as King the second.
The first time Jesus was here, He died on a cross to save His people from their sins.
The second time Jesus comes, He will come in glory. And there will be no mistake that He is Lord.
You have only this life to trust Jesus as your Savior so you can spend eternity with Him in heaven. If you aren’t sure whether you are going to heaven and you want to know more, I invite you to read the following: