Three things that must happen before Jesus returns

(Matthew 23:37-39; Matthew 24:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) 

Although there are many things that will occur before Jesus returns, there are at least three that must occur. 

By Dick Lentz

( An enhanced version of this post is included in chapter 4 of my book, “Christians, Unpack Your Bags! You’re Here for the Duration,“ published by Wipf and Stock in December, 2025. Here are some buttons you can use to navigate to pages that will tell you more about the book, including how to preview it, and how to get a copy of it)

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(All Scriptures cited come from the NIV2011 version of the Bible)

There has been lots of speculation over the years about what signs will indicate that the return of Jesus is imminent and that the final events of the end times are about to unfold. Although Scripture does describe some things that will occur before Jesus returns, there are at least three things that Scripture says must occur before Jesus returns. And because Scripture says these must occur before Jesus returns, I contend that Jesus will not return until they do occur.

Here are those three:

• The Jews must acknowledge that Jesus is Lord (Matthew 23:37-39).
• The Gospel must be preached to all the nations (Matthew 24:14).
• The man of lawlessness must be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

In the sections below, I will summarize my understanding of the passages above and how I think the prophecies in them will be fulfilled.

The Jews must acknowledge that Jesus is Lord  

After Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of the week He was to be crucified, He spent time talking on the Temple Mount to those who gathered to celebrate Passover. Some of Jesus’ harshest words were reserved for teachers of the law and Pharisees who were hostile towards Him (Matthew 23:1-36). Jesus called them hypocrites, blind guides, white-washed tombs, and snakes – a “brood of vipers” who killed or flogged the “prophets and sages and teachers” sent to them (vs. 33-34). Jesus then said this:

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.39 “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:37-39). 

Because of their rejection of Him and the prophets that preceded Him, Jesus said that their house—the temple—would be left desolate. It would be destroyed! In addition, they would not see Him again until they — the leaders and perhaps all the Jews — acknowledged that He is Lord.

Does Scripture tell us what events might trigger the Jews’ acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord and what happens when they do? I believe it does in the some of prophecies recorded in the book of Zechariah.

Zechariah prophesied beginning around 520 B.C. during the time when the temple was being rebuilt by the Jews following its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. One of God’s goals when He spoke to the Jews through Zechariah was to encourage them to keep on with the task of rebuilding God’s house – His temple – in spite of the difficulties they encountered in doing so.

Zechariah 12:1-9 provides a glimpse of what was going to happen to the Jews in their future and undoubtedly in ours as well. It describes a time when the Jews will be surrounded by enemies bent on their destruction. Their enemies will be unable to destroy them, however, and will end up harming themselves when they attempt to. As a consequence of this, the Jews will recognize they are strong “because the Lord Almighty is their God” (vs. 5).

This is how the Jews will respond when they recognize it is God who has helped them to defeat their enemies:

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son (Zechariah 12:10).

These verses seem to be describing a spiritual awakening that takes place among the Jews after they are saved by God from those attempting to destroy them. It’s at this point that they apparently realize that by demanding that Jesus be crucified that they pierced their messiah, the One who now, by grace, is saving them.

It’s also at this point that they perhaps say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” And it’s at this point that Jesus apparently returns, something this verse in Revelation seems to confirm:

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen” (Revelation 1:7).

(In chapter 4 of “Christians, Unpack Your Bags!”, I discuss Matthew 23 in more depth, as well as Zechariah 12 and its connection to other Old and New Testament passages).

The Gospel must be preached to all the nations

In response to His disciples’ question about what signs would precede His return (Matthew 24:3), Jesus said this:

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). 

Jesus said He would not return until everyone has an opportunity to hear the Gospel message.

Some believe this prophecy will be fulfilled when the Bible, or at least all of the New Testament, is translated into every language on earth. Others believe is will be fulfilled when the technical means to communicate the Gospel to everyone at a single moment is available everywhere. Both these understandings of this prophecy conclude its fulfillment will come through human efforts.

There is another possibility about who is doing the preaching of the Gospel in this passage that does not require human efforts for its fulfillment. Note what is prophesied in this passage and who does the prophesying:

6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (Revelation 14:6-7). 

The proclamation of the Gospel in this passage is done an angel, not by humans, and occurs immediately before “the hour of judgment” (vs. 7).

What’s interesting is what follows the proclamation of the Gospel by this angel:

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Note the image in this verse of “one like the son of man” seated on “a white cloud.” I believe this is describing the same event prophesied in Matthew 24:30, a time when “all the peoples of the earth … see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.” Because of these similarites, I believe they are describing the same event, the return of Jesus, and that this occurs right after this angel proclaims the Gospel to all the nations.

( Chapter 4 of “Christians, Unpack Your Bags!” compares the verses that follow Revelation 14:14 with passages in Matthew and other New Testament books that describe the return of Jesus. It also notes why I’ve concluded that these verses in Revelation 14 are the second of three accounts of the return of Jesus in Revelation.)

The man of lawlessness must be revealed

Paul wrote this to those concerned that Jesus had already returned and had left them behind:

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

Paul reassured those he was writing to that the end would not come – that Jesus would not return – “until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed” (vs. 3). Paul then said that when the lawless one is revealed that “the Lord Jesus will overthrow [him] with the breath of his mouth and destroy [him] by the splendor of his coming” (vs. 8).

Although we don’t know who the Man of Lawlessnes is or how his lies will be exposed, it does appear that before Jesus returns that everyone will have an understanding of who he is. Once this is apparent, Jesus will defeat this enemy “with the breath of his mouth.”

(In chapter 4 of “Christians Unpack Your Bags,”I show how Revelation 19:11-19 seems to be connected to 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, and why it may be describing the event that reveals who the Man of Lawlessness is and what happens afterwards).

Why it matters

There are at least three events that must occur before Jesus returns. And since none of these will be preceded by signs that they are about to occur, we need to live as if they could occur at any time. With this in mind, perhaps it’s best to heed Jesus’ advice when he said, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).

One way we can do this is to always found doing what is commendible in God’s eyes.

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Here are some links to pages that will provide more information about Christians, Unpack Your Bags! You’re Here for the Duration:

For further reading, check out these posts:

Is Revelation describing events that will occur PRIOR to the return of Jesus?

Warning to Christians: You may be here for the duration

The Mark of the Beast may be a concern only for Christians

Jesus’ return will be visible to everyone

The three accounts of the return of Jesus in Revelation

Why the parable of the thief coming in the night may be a warning to Christians

Why the Church may not be the Bride of Christ

When Jesus returns, it won’t be Christians who are “taken away”

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