Jesus is never concerned with providing us with details about his Second Coming, the end times, or any of the events surrounding them. He has little concern to teach us about when, where, or what it will be like. His primary emphasis in his teaching is on being prepared for the final judgment.

When he teaches about being prepared, it has nothing to do with looking to the skies, building a bunker, or establishing a timeline of events. Instead, he speaks about what we are doing with our lives today.

Matthew chapter 25 is one of the essential passages where he teaches us about his return. He uses three parables about ten bridesmaids, three servants, and dividing the people into two groups. Each picture highlights a singular idea.  

The first one is about five women who are prepared for the wedding party, and five who are not, as they run out of oil. In their quest to get some, they get left out of the reception banquet. The second story is about a man who leaves his servants with varying amounts of his wealth. One man receives five bags of gold, one person receives two, and the final person receives one. When he returns, he checks on their faithfulness based on what they did with what he had entrusted to them. Finally, he tells of the coming of the Son of Man and his division of people into sheep and goats based on their lives of service that were done prior to his arrival. The point is that we should be prepared every day for his return by utilizing what he gave us in a way that represents him well.

Whenever someone asks me about the end times, they are looking for some mystical knowledge that I might have discovered in the Bible that they are not aware of. My response to people who ask is quite simple: “Stop looking for some special information and start living out what you claim to believe right now.” Nothing else can prepare you for his return.