When I was a young Christian, in the 1960s, there was a big emphasis on prophecy and the Rapture. There were many sermons preached and books written about the end times and how Jesus would return very soon. I anxiously looked forward to His soon return. But that was 60 years ago and He hasn’t returned yet. Why? Why not end all the suffering and evil and sin? Why not bring in righteousness and justice?
Since Jesus ascended to heaven, His people have been looking for His return. Each generation thinks it will happen during their time but it still hasn’t. We know his return is imminent. It is the next thing in his prophetic calendar. There’s nothing that has to happen before He comes back for us. Still, He waits.
We know He is patient and long suffering, that He extends mercy and grace beyond measure. It is true that He is waiting for more to come to Him to avoid judgment. Sometimes we forget that and think that now that we am in His family He no longer has to wait. But once He comes terrible judgment will be for any who have not accepted His free gift of salvation. Jesus had much to say about His return.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3). “So, Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28). “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10). “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” (Revelation 1:7).
Jesus will return and it will be sudden. He will rescue his church and bring judgment on all those who have turned from Him. Each generation has looked at the signs of the times and thought that theirs was the generation that would see his return. Sixty years ago, when I looked at the world around me compared to what the Bible said would be happening when He returned, I thought it would be any day. Now when I look at those same signs they are even more clearly being filled than they were back then.
Why didn’t He just give us a specific time that He would return? Wouldn’t that help everyone prepare and plan? Or would people just put off being ready and mock those who prepared? Would people challenge it and deny it? Would our motive for living for Him be influenced by the nearness or farness of the date? Would it be easier to put off being prepared?
Since the middle of the first century people have been setting dates for Jesus return and misleading many. Numerous cults have built a following in this way. Not one has ever been right nor will they ever be right. God does not give us an exact date. “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). People may look for signs and try to interpret them, but no amount of interpretation will yield the correct answer.
Paul warned the church at Thessalonica about following false prophecies concerning Jesus second coming: “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Why is he waiting? I don’t know and neither does anyone else. Will He come today or not for another 1000 years? I don’t know and neither does anyone else. While we are to look for and long for his return, we must also keep living our life every day in obedience to Him. There is much work to do for Him on this earth. Jesus Himself commands us “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
While we don’t know why Jesus is delaying His return, we do know what he wants us to do until He returns. If we truly believe that those who die without Him will spend eternity in hell, then we will use this time to pray and work for their salvation. Eternity is a long, long time. Use these few short years to serve Jesus in any way you can. When the Lord does come, there will be an eternity of joy, peace, and oneness in His presence. But for many, it will be the end of their opportunities to be forgiven of their sins. We must faithfully reach out to them with love and the Gospel until the trumpet sounds.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
What if you knew Jesus was coming in 24 hours? What would you do in that time? Is there someone you would witness to? Since you don’t know the time, don’t gamble with their eternity but speak to them now about Jesus.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India & Africa Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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