Jesus Is Coming Soon song history: This article traces R.E. Winsett’s 1942 Southern Gospel hymn from its World War II setting to its Scripture-rich message about the Second Coming of Christ, its historic Dove Award recognition, and its lasting place in church worship.
The Origin Story: Born in the Shadow of World War II
There are songs that transcend their moment of writing—songs that feel like they were composed for every generation at once. Jesus Is Coming Soon is one of those songs. Written in 1942 by Robert Emmett Winsett, this timeless Southern Gospel anthem emerged from one of the darkest chapters in modern history.
When Winsett penned the opening line—“Troublesome times are here, filling men’s hearts with fear”—the United States had just been jolted into World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The Great Depression had already spent a decade hollowing out American communities. Freedom, as the song declares, was genuinely “at stake.” Winsett wasn’t writing metaphor; he was writing headlines.
In the midst of global upheaval, Winsett turned not to despair but to prophecy—anchoring his words in the New Testament’s great hope of Christ’s return. The song was published in 1942, yet it barely caused a stir at first. Winsett would never see it become the beloved standard it is today. He passed away on June 26, 1952, at age 76, unaware that his modest gospel tune was destined to top the charts, win the gospel world’s highest honor, and be sung in sanctuaries across generations and continents.
Songwriter Biography: Robert Emmett Winsett (1876–1952)
Early Life and Musical Formation
Robert Emmett Winsett was born on January 15, 1876, on a farm in Bledsoe County, Tennessee—a rural stretch of Appalachian foothills near the town of Pikeville. From the very beginning, music was woven into his DNA. By the age of seven, young Robert had already experienced a religious awakening and written his first song—a remarkable gift that hinted at a lifetime of sacred creativity.
Winsett was proficient on nine musical instruments and possessed a rare natural gift for harmony. He formalized his musical education at the Bowman Normal School of Music, graduating in January 1899. The training gave structure to his natural gifts, and within a few years he was ready to share them with the world.
Publisher, Evangelist, and Churchman
Around 1903, Winsett founded the R.E. Winsett Song Book Publishing Company in Dayton, Tennessee—one of the earliest gospel music publishing houses in the American South. His first solo compilation, Union Revival Songs, appeared in 1906. Over the next five decades, Winsett authored and compiled dozens of gospel songbooks, with his final publication—Best of All (1951)—selling over one million copies. Across all his titles, total sales exceeded ten million copies.
But Winsett was more than a publisher. He served as a Church of God preacher, evangelist, and pastor. He was also part of the originating committee of the Assemblies of God—one of the founding voices of the American Pentecostal movement—and played a role in establishing a town in Oklahoma during the land-rush era of American expansion. He was, in the truest sense, a builder: of music, of community, and of faith.
Legacy and Honors
In his lifetime, Winsett composed approximately 1,000 gospel songs—a staggering output by any measure. After his death, the gospel world gradually recognized the magnitude of his contribution. In 1969—seventeen years after he died—his song Jesus Is Coming Soon won the very first GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year, beating out the entire Southern Gospel catalog of the era. In 1973, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and in 2002 into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Scripture Foundation: What the Bible Says About Christ’s Return
Jesus Is Coming Soon is not simply a catchy chorus—it is a carefully constructed theological proclamation rooted in the New Testament’s teaching on eschatology (the doctrine of last things). Every verse and the chorus itself draw from specific scriptural threads.
Primary Texts
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 — “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” This passage is the direct inspiration for the chorus: “trumpets will sound… all of the dead shall rise… righteous meet in the skies.”
- Matthew 24:42–44 — “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming… Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The urgency of Christ’s unexpected return drives the entire song’s call to “Christians, awake!”
- Revelation 22:12, 20 — “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me… Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” The title phrase “Jesus is coming soon” echoes Christ’s own words in the Revelation.
- Matthew 24:12 — “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Verse 2 draws directly on this imagery: “Love of so many cold… evils abound.”
- Romans 2:5–16 — Paul’s teaching on the Day of Judgment undergirds the warning tone of the chorus: “Many will meet their doom.”
- 2 Peter 3:10 — “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” The theme of sudden arrival connects to the song’s “morning or night or noon.”
The song’s theology is thoroughly evangelical and pre-millennial in its orientation—it treats the second coming as imminent, visible, and accompanied by a literal trumpet call and bodily resurrection. For congregations that hold to a futurist reading of Matthew 24 and Revelation, this song serves as a powerful affirmation of the blessed hope.
Verse-by-Verse Lyrical Analysis
Verse 1: “Troublesome Times Are Here”
Troublesome times are here, filling men’s hearts with fear, / Freedom we all hold dear, now is at stake; / Humbling your heart to God, saves from chast’ning rod, / Seek the way pilgrims trod, Christians awake!
Winsett opens in pure pastoral urgency. Written in 1942, “troublesome times” was not a vague spiritual metaphor—it was a live newspaper report. The world was at war; freedom was literally at stake as fascism and imperialism swept across Europe and Asia. Yet Winsett’s response is not despair or nationalism—it is humility before God. The phrase “chast’ning rod” alludes to Hebrews 12:6: “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves.” The call to “seek the way pilgrims trod” echoes the imagery of Hebrews 11’s Hall of Faith—the saints who walked by faith through their own troublesome times. The final two words, “Christians, awake!” function as an alarm bell: the song begins not with comfort but with a summons to spiritual alertness.
Verse 2: “Love of So Many Cold”
Love of so many cold, losing their home of gold, / This in God’s Word is told, evils abound; / When these signs come to pass, nearing the end at last, / It will come very fast; trumpets will sound.
Verse 2 is the most theologically dense and, for some interpreters, the most contested verse of the song. Winsett draws from Matthew 24:12 (“the love of many will grow cold”) and Luke 21:28 (“when these things begin to happen, look up”). The phrase “losing their home of gold” may allude to the parable of the Prodigal Son—the squandering of spiritual inheritance—or to the broader theme of Revelation’s imagery of heavenly treasure forfeited through unfaithfulness. The urgency intensifies: “it will come very fast.” This verse functions as a prophetic warning—a signal that those who miss or dismiss the signs will be caught unprepared. Notably, many contemporary worship recordings omit this verse, focusing instead on verses 1 and 3 for their more broadly applicable themes.
Verse 3: “Troubles Will Soon Be O’er”
Troubles will soon be o’er; happy forevermore, / When we meet on that shore, free from all care; / Rising up in the sky, telling this world goodbye; / Homeward we then will fly, glory to share.
If verse 1 is alarm and verse 2 is warning, verse 3 is pure doxology. The tone shifts dramatically from minor-key anxiety to major-key triumph. “Troubles will soon be o’er” mirrors 1 Corinthians 15:54—”Death is swallowed up in victory.” The image of meeting “on that shore” draws on the ancient hymnody of heaven as a promised land across the water—Canaan imagery applied to eternal life. “Rising up in the sky” is the rapture or resurrection in plain language, echoing 1 Thessalonians 4:17. “Telling this world goodbye” is one of the most memorable lines in Southern Gospel literature—a moment of joyful finality. And “glory to share” reminds believers that this homecoming is not private but communal: the entire redeemed company arrives together. This verse is the theological heart of the song’s hope.
The Chorus: “Jesus Is Coming Soon”
Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon; / Many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound; / All of the dead shall rise, righteous meet in the skies, / Going where no one dies, heavenward bound.
The chorus is a masterclass in compressed theology. In eight lines and fewer than 50 words, Winsett captures the full arc of eschatological teaching: the imminence of Christ’s return (“morning or night or noon”—alluding to Matthew 24:42 and the unexpected hour), the judgment (“many will meet their doom”), the resurrection (“all of the dead shall rise”—1 Thessalonians 4:16), the gathering of the redeemed (“righteous meet in the skies”—1 Thessalonians 4:17), and the eternal state (“going where no one dies”—Revelation 21:4). The final phrase “heavenward bound” became so iconic that the Singing News used it as a metaphor for the entire genre. The repetition of this chorus after each verse functions as a doxological refrain—a repeated proclamation of the church’s ultimate hope above every troublesome circumstance.
Historical Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| January 15, 1876 | Robert Emmett Winsett born on a farm in Bledsoe County, Tennessee |
| ~1883 (age 7) | Winsett experiences religious awakening and writes his first song |
| January 1899 | Graduates from Bowman Normal School of Music |
| ~1903 | Founds R.E. Winsett Song Book Publishing Company in Dayton, Tennessee |
| 1906 | Publishes Union Revival Songs, his first solo songbook compilation |
| 1914 | Serves on originating committee of the Assemblies of God |
| 1942 | Jesus Is Coming Soon written and published; WWII context shapes its lyrics |
| 1951 | Publishes Best of All, his final songbook; sells over 1 million copies |
| June 26, 1952 | R.E. Winsett passes away in Dayton, Tennessee, age 76 |
| 1967 | The Sheltons record the first professional version on Halo Records (Heart Felt Gospel) |
| 1968 | The Inspirations record the song; debut it on Gospel Singing Jubilee TV program |
| 1969 | The Oak Ridge Boys record Jesus Is Coming Soon on album It’s Happening! |
| April 1969 | Song wins Song of the Year at the 1st GMA Dove Awards—the first Dove Award ever given |
| January 1970 | Song reaches #1 on inaugural Singing News airplay chart, held by multiple groups simultaneously |
| 1973 | R.E. Winsett posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame |
| 2002 | R.E. Winsett inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame |
| Present | Song remains a staple in Southern Gospel, bluegrass gospel, and traditional church worship worldwide |
Notable Recordings and Covers
| Year | Artist / Group | Album / Label | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Sheltons | Heart Felt Gospel (Halo Records) | First professional recording; discovered the song through a piano teacher; directly inspired the Inspirations |
| 1968 | Roger McDuff | — | Early recording that helped spread the song’s popularity |
| 1968 | The Inspirations | Jesus Is Coming Soon (Mark V Studios) | Pivotal recording; TV debut on Gospel Singing Jubilee launched the song into widespread popularity |
| 1969 | The Oak Ridge Boys | It’s Happening! (HeartWarming) | Album won Dove Award Album of the Year; their version became the most widely known recording |
| 1969 | Blue Ridge Quartet | — | One of several groups recording in the same year, reflecting the song’s viral spread |
| 1969 | The Prophets | — | Contributed to the multi-artist #1 charting on Singing News |
| 1970 | The Florida Boys | — | Featured prominently in the song’s multi-month Singing News #1 run |
| 1971 | J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet | — | Brought the song to broader audiences through their vast touring reach |
| 1971 | The Easter Brothers | — | Bluegrass gospel interpretation |
| ~1970s | Ralph Stanley | — | Bluegrass legend brought the song into Appalachian gospel tradition |
| ~1970s | The Primitive Quartet | — | Traditional quartet arrangement in mountain gospel style |
| 2009 | Dailey & Vincent | — | Contemporary bluegrass-gospel duo reintroduced the song to new audiences |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who wrote “Jesus Is Coming Soon” and when?
Jesus Is Coming Soon was written and composed by Robert Emmett (R.E.) Winsett in 1942. Winsett was a prolific Tennessee-born gospel songwriter, publisher, and Church of God minister who authored approximately 1,000 gospel songs in his lifetime. He wrote the tune—officially titled “Troublesome Times”—against the backdrop of World War II and published it through his own R.E. Winsett Song Book Publishing Company in Dayton, Tennessee.
2. What award did “Jesus Is Coming Soon” win?
The song won Song of the Year at the very first GMA Dove Awards ceremony in 1969—making it the inaugural recipient of what became gospel music’s most prestigious honor. The Dove Awards are hosted annually by the Gospel Music Association, and “Jesus Is Coming Soon” holds the distinction of being the first song ever to receive the Song of the Year award. Notably, the same awards night also saw the Oak Ridge Boys’ album It’s Happening!—which featured the song—win Album of the Year, and Bill Gaither win Songwriter of the Year.
3. What Scripture is “Jesus Is Coming Soon” based on?
The song draws primarily from 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, which describes the Lord descending from heaven with the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ rising first, and believers being caught up to meet Him in the air. Additional scriptural threads include Matthew 24:42–44 (the call to watchfulness and readiness), Revelation 22:12 and 20 (Christ’s own declaration “I am coming soon”), Matthew 24:12 (love growing cold, referenced in verse 2), and 2 Peter 3:10 (the Day of the Lord coming unexpectedly). The song essentially compresses the New Testament’s eschatological hope into three verses and a chorus.
4. Why is the second verse sometimes left out of recordings?
Verse 2—with lines like “love of so many cold,” “evils abound,” and “when these signs come to pass”—draws from Matthew 24:12 and Luke 21:28, passages that some theologians interpret as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 rather than the end times. For congregations and groups that hold to a preterist or amillennial reading of these passages, the verse’s application to the Second Coming is theologically disputed. As a result, many recordings and hymnals opt to use only verses 1 and 3, which carry the more universally applicable themes of spiritual urgency and eschatological hope without the sign-watching framework of verse 2.
5. How can this song be used in worship today?
Jesus Is Coming Soon is a powerful worship tool for any context focused on Advent, eschatology, evangelism, or simple congregational encouragement. Its fast, singable tune makes it accessible to all ages, while its theological depth rewards deeper study. In a worship service, it pairs naturally with sermon series on 1 Thessalonians 4–5, the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25), or Revelation. It can also serve as an altar-call song, given its urgency to “Christians, awake!” and its warning that “many will meet their doom.” For churches with piano or organ traditions, the original four-part harmony arrangement is especially effective. Modern worship bands can also reimagine it with contemporary instrumentation while preserving the integrity of the original lyrics and message.
