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Isaiah 9:6-7 contains one of Scripture’s most beloved Christmas prophecies: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders.” We celebrate Christ’s birth every December, remembering the infant story. We commemorate His crucifixion and resurrection on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But there’s one piece of Isaiah’s prophetic snapshot that hasn’t happened yet—the government resting on His shoulders.

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them what we call the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When does that prayer get answered? When does God’s kingdom come so that His will is done on earth just like it’s done in heaven? That day is known as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

His first coming was humble—so quiet that when the magi arrived in Jerusalem asking about the newborn king, Herod and the religious leaders knew nothing about it. Only shepherds, the lowest of society, witnessed His birth alongside Mary and Joseph. But His second coming will be unmistakable. Matthew 24 describes it like God shutting off all the lights in the universe and then flipping them back on with His Son blazing through the sky. Every eye will see Him.

So what happens when King Jesus returns to earth? Let me share three chronological aspects of Christ’s return—mountain peaks we can see clearly in Scripture.

1. There Will Be An Immediate Battle

When Jesus returns, He comes for battle. We know this as the Battle of Armageddon, mentioned in Revelation 16. The Antichrist will gather the armies of the world at Megiddo, but the actual battle takes place at Jerusalem. Zechariah 14:2-3 describes this scene: “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle.”

This happens at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. After the rapture of the church, the Antichrist will sign a peace treaty with Israel. But at the three-and-a-half-year mark, he’ll reveal his true nature, setting himself up in the temple and demanding worship. The final three-and-a-half years will be so devastating that Jesus said unless those days were cut short, no one would survive. When it looks like Israel will be destroyed and God’s promises will fail, the Lord returns. He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives and speaks judgment. Zechariah 14:12 provides a vivid description: “Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets.” The same Word that spoke creation into existence will speak His enemies into annihilation. It won’t be a back-and-forth battle—it will be instantaneous victory.

Why does this matter? Because God keeps His promises to Israel. When God called Abraham in Genesis 12, He promised to bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him. That promise extends to Israel as a nation. God is not finished with Israel, and He will defend His people and His promises.

2. There Will Be His Millennial Reign

After the battle, Jesus establishes His thousand-year kingdom on earth. Revelation 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” The phrase “a thousand years” appears six times in the first seven verses of Revelation 20. This isn’t symbolic—it’s a literal thousand-year reign of Christ from Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of His father David.

The first thing Jesus does is bind Satan for a thousand years, throwing him into the abyss so he can no longer deceive the nations. Then the earth is released from its curse. Romans 8 tells us creation has been groaning, waiting for the revealing of the sons of God. When Christ reigns, the curse from Genesis 3 is lifted. Isaiah 11 describes this restored world: the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the bear and calf will lie down together, and a child can play near a cobra’s den without harm. The lion will eat straw like the ox. The desert will bloom like a rose. Everywhere you look will be more beautiful than the most gorgeous places on earth today.

Justice and righteousness will prevail. Crime will disappear. There will be no need for police. The Lord will rule with a rod of iron, not tolerating open rebellion. It will be days of prosperity, peace, and joy unspeakable. This is what it means when Romans 14:17 says, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

3. There Will Be A Final Rebellion

After the thousand years, Satan will be released from prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations one final time, gathering rebels like the sand of the seashore to surround Jerusalem. Why would anyone rebel after living in a perfect world under a perfect King? This reveals the true nature of sin—rejection of God’s rule, regardless of how perfect it is. People born during the millennium will still have sin natures. They’ll experience paradise but choose rebellion anyway. It demonstrates that the human heart’s fundamental problem isn’t our circumstances but our refusal to submit to God’s authority.

Fire will come down from heaven and devour the rebels. Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already are. Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment, followed by the eternal state described in Revelation 21-22.

The Kingdom Available Now

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to wait until Christ returns to experience the joy of having Him as King. You can have righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit right now if you’ll yield your life to Jesus. You can live in rebellion and experience turmoil, or you can surrender to the King of Kings and experience His peace, love, and joy. The King is returning, and His kingdom will have no end. Are you ready?