Final answer:
The 'second coming' typically refers to the Christian belief of Jesus Christ's return to Earth for final judgment and the establishment of God's Kingdom. This belief has inspired various religious sects to anticipate the imminent event throughout history and is central to Christian eschatology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'the second coming' refers to the belief in Christianity that Jesus Christ will return to Earth for a final judgment. According to the New Testament, this event is a significant eschatological concept, where Jesus comes back to judge the living and the dead and establish God's Kingdom.
This belief is not exclusive to Christianity; other religious traditions also have eschatological views about the end of the world. In the 1st millennium, these beliefs led to expectations that the end of the world was near. The 19th-century saw the rise of millennial sects like the Mormons and the Shakers, who anticipated the imminent Second Coming of Jesus.
Moreover, different religious sects such as Jewish, Muslim, and various Christian denominations hold differing interpretations of messianic prophecies and the concept of a savior or messiah returning to Earth.