How soon will Jesus return?

Eliteck Banda was 102 years old at the time she died on October 27 2011, but was still holding onto the faith that Jesus Christ ‘would come soon’.

In fact, hymns such as Mbuye Yesu Abwera Posachedwa were her favourite songs as he wandered through her late 90s.

However, Jesus had not yet returned when Banda breathed her last at Embangweni Mission Hospital.

Could her missing of the second coming of Christ mean she had little faith? Or, did she finally meet him in the spiritual realm after she had closed her physical chapter of life?

Whichever way, one thing is certain: Banda had no idea about the time and dates for Jesus’ return although she faithfully trusted that he would come again and that it was going to be very soon.

No one can blame her because the saviour himself clearly stated that even the angels in heaven do not know that day.

But Jesus said there would be multiple signs and clues to herald his second coming (Matthew 24:3, Luke 21:7).

He said there would be wars and rumours of wars, revolutions, widespread famine, diseases and earthquakes in many different places (Matthew 24:6-7, Luke 21:10-11).

All these came to pass while Banda was still alive. So how near is this near because the world started to witness these occurrences centuries back? What else must happen before Christ returns?

Richard Kamvakukolera, a member of Kanjedza Hilltop Lighthouse Global Ministries in Blantyre, said much as he believes that Jesus’ second coming is real, Christians should not waste time thinking that they will meet him in his human and physical form.

“As a Christian, I believe that all that he said will be fulfilled, including his second coming. But I should emphasise that his second coming will not be as what most believers think.

“This time, Jesus will come in a spiritual form and only the righteous will see him,” said Kamvakukolera.

But this is contrary to what Pastor Nellie Nankhuni of the Ndirande-based Living Gospel Mission believes.

Nankhuni said the Bible does not say when Jesus is coming and, therefore, there is no reason for attaching time [soon] to his return.

“The Bible simply says Jesus will come. It can be sooner or later, but the Bible doesn’t state the time when he is coming again. Therefore, I don’t see any reason we should be arguing about his return,” she said.

Nankhuni dismissed assertions that Jesus will come in a spiritual form, arguing that the Bible would not have said the dead will rise to meet him.

“He will come in his human form just like he did when ascending to heaven. We believe that the dead are reigning in spirit. Now, if the Bible says they will rise, it means transformation from soul to body.

“Otherwise, what could be the essence of the dead rising when they can meet him in their spiritual realms?” she wondered.

Nankhuni warned Christians against basing their religion on Jesus’ return, arguing that the most important thing is to purify oneself so that one qualifies for the big day.

“We just need to be conscious about his second coming, but timing shouldn’t be our worry,” she said.