Some people have predicted certain dates for Jesus Christ’s return. Others think Christ will return secretly. We know Christ has not yet come. Yet there are some very religious people who believe His coming is in the far distant future. When will Christ return? Is it soon?
The simple fact remains, whether you believe it or not, Jesus Christ is going to return one day in the future. He promised the disciples, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3). Jesus Christ pledged that He would return to this Earth.
He and God the Father have major plans for this Earth and the universe. Sweeping changes in world government are about to be put into effect. On the day Christ was taken into heaven, two angelic messengers confirmed His promise to the disciples. “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11).
Many people have read and studied these and other scriptures concerning Christ’s return. Since this fantastic news was delivered in the first century a.d., there has been much controversy over the return of Christ. Many of the disciples believed Christ would return in their lifetime. He did not. Throughout the centuries, many other sincere religious leaders and layman have proclaimed that Christ would return in their lifetime. He did not. In the last several years, some religious leaders have stated that Christ would return on a certain date. Jesus Christ did not return on those days. The fact that Christ did not return as predicted, we are sure, was not only embarrassing, but disappointing and discouraging, for the sincere people who were anxiously awaiting it. So how can we be so dogmatic that Christ is going to return very soon?
Because some religious leaders have either misunderstood knowledge, or falsely predicted Christ’s Second Coming, it is easy to get caught up in a casual attitude about this event. It is extremely easy to fall into disbelief concerning the fact that Jesus Christ will come again—and soon. Today, although some sincere religious people believe Christ could return at any minute (which is also wrong thinking), the majority of people in this world live as if Christ’s return is a myth, or will take place in the far distant future. We should not allow ourselves to drift with the false attitudes of modern society. We must take Christ’s promise to return very seriously.
The Bible shows that there would be people in our day, even some very religious people, who would ridicule the truth concerning Christ’s return. “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4). The hardest thing for most human beings to do is to wait for an exciting event. Since Christ has not returned yet, many have grown tired and weary of waiting for Him. God’s Laodicean Church, in particular, has taken just such a negative view about Christ’s return. In fact, these verses in 2 Peter could be referring directly to the Laodiceans.
Jesus Christ severely criticizes them for their wrong thinking and teaching. “But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51). God has not changed His plans. The return of Jesus Christ is still on schedule—God’s schedule. Unfortunately, some have either misinterpreted God’s schedule or formed their own schedule. We must beware of thinking and acting like the Second Coming is on hold or in the distant future. Christ warned that His coming is going to catch some of His servants off guard. Unfortunately, these servants will lose out on salvation.
As God’s Church moves through time, our anticipation for Christ’s return should increase, not decrease. As each day, week, month and year passes, our sense of urgency and preparation must grow. Paul warned the Romans, “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11). We must train ourselves to believe that each new day means Christ’s coming is one day closer than the day before. This is the attitude of a good and faithful servant. Only an evil servant would say or think that Christ’s return is far into the future. A servant who says his “Lord’s coming” is delayed has fallen back into the ways of this world. In Matthew 24, Christ is showing us that some of His own servants are now drunk, spiritually speaking. Some of His own servants have become so evil that they are smiting their fellow servants. These verses cannot apply to the people or churches of this world. They can only apply to God’s people.
Christ has revealed in the book of Amos that a leading Laodicean minister has forced the other ministers under his control to become drunk. “I also raised up prophets from among your children and Nazirites from among your youths. Is this not true, people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.” (Amos 2:11-12). Many ministers compromised with these wrong and damaging doctrines. God’s Laodicean ministers lost their spiritual strength and control much like a person in a drunken stupor. The Laodicean leadership also commanded God’s end-time Nazarites to stop prophesying. Weakened through compromise, most Laodicean ministers follow like sheep and stop prophesying.
God even ordained an annual festival, the “Feast of Trumpets”, to specifically commemorate this event (Leviticus 23:24). Through this holy day, God wanted to ensure that His ministry would focus on the return of Jesus Christ. Remaining faithful to the meaning of this holy day also keeps God’s people ever mindful of the return of Jesus Christ. “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken— who can but prophesy? ” (Amos 3:7-8). Just because Christ has not yet returned doesn’t mean He will not return. God has spoken great news about His Son’s return. His true ministry must do the same.
God’s true servants must continually speak out about Christ’s imminent return. “But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:5-7). Jesus Christ’s return is as sure as tomorrow’s sunrise. To diminish its importance or deny its reality is willful ignorance. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). He promised Christ’s return—He will make sure it happens. Christ’s Second Coming will happen with great drama. The people of this world will be shocked. “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27). Christ’s return will not happen secretly. It will be very physical and visible. But can we know when the Second Coming will take place?
Some Laodicean ministers have been misquoting one of Christ’s statements about His coming. These men have been highlighting one scripture—out of context—and misleading many people. Here is that scripture: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36). It is true that Christ is emphatic here. He states plainly that no man or angel can know the day or hour of His return. Christ is very clear that only God the Father knows the precise time when He will send His Son back to the earth.
That is why it is foolish for any man to say Christ will return on a certain date or at a certain time. However, if you study into the context of this scripture, you will notice that Christ says we can know the season of His return. Jesus stated, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” (Matthew 24:32-33). Even though we can’t know the day or the hour of the Second Coming, Christ says we can know that it is near. In fact, Christ says we can know when His coming is “at the doors.”
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus Christ plainly answered these questions, giving the broad overview of worldwide events that would lead to His return.
Jesus Christ privately gave the disciples this vital information in Matthew 24 to help them know when His return would be “at the doors.” Yet Christ did not return while the disciples were alive. Was He just playing a game with His disciples? Logic tells us that Christ must have meant this prophecy to be fully understood by us, His end-time disciples. The ministry must help God’s people see the importance of prophecy. Christ’s revelation in Matthew 24 is an incredible blessing. The apostle John deeply understood that revealed prophecies are a rich blessing from God. He wrote, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3). We must study Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation faithfully so we can be excited and convicted that Christ’s return is at hand.
As John states, we must also keep prophecy. The removal of an emphasis on prophecy in the Laodicean churches represents the loss of God’s richest blessings. Why would the Laodiceans do such a thing? The prophecies of the near future are disturbing and sobering. In Matthew 24, Christ shows us that just before His return, the world will enter a time of great crisis. Some severe trials lie just ahead. War, earthquakes, famines and pestilence are going to intensify (Matthew 24:6-7). Two other dire events await mankind—the Great Tribulation (verses 15-21) and the heavenly signs (verses 29-30). Unless we have our hearts in God’s Work and look forward to His Kingdom, we could develop a negative attitude about the events that are coming.
This is exactly what the Laodiceans have done. In their hearts they have returned to the ways of this world. Prophecy looks grim to all those who love this world. What in this world is worth saving? Many talented and giving people are trying to solve this world’s problems without much headway. We must face the reality that mankind is not able to solve his own problems. We live in a world that is becoming more violent as each new day dawns.
Jesus Christ also told the disciples that the world, at the end, would be just as evil as Noah’s world. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39). Isn’t our world today just as evil as Noah’s world?
Just take a look at the headlines in any major newspaper. American family life is in a dark crisis. Parents are murdering children. And children are murdering their parents. Government officials have essentially given up on trying to stop drug trafficking. They now wonder if they can even curb its flow. Drug related violence is at an all time high. Children are killing other children in gang related violence. On the world scene, who could deny the intense wickedness committed in the former Yugoslavia. Genocide has been in vogue and no man or government has been able to stop it!
God admitted this about Noah’s time: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis 6:5). The same statement applies to our world. Some thinking people recognize that society cannot last long if things continue as they are. But there are many people who feel this world is still a good place. That is nothing more than human reasoning. Believing this world is still a good place is nothing more than a serious case of denial.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of bad news today. We must face up to it. There are some frightening prophecies. Hiding from prophecy will not stop what is destined to happen. The reality is that Jesus Christ must return soon or there will not be a human being left alive. “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:22). The soon-coming return of Jesus Christ is the best news a human being could ever come to know.
The return of Christ represents the end of suffering, misery and pain. The truly abundant life can only begin after Christ returns. When we consider all the statements Jesus made about His coming, and then look honestly at world events, we should all be able to recognize that Christ’s coming is very soon. We are not setting dates. But who can deny that the parable of the fig tree applies today? The fig tree parable fits our time! That is the truth.
We must all be on guard against being deceived. At the opening of the Olivet prophecy, Jesus warned His disciples that they could be deceived. “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:4-5). Jesus said many coming in the name of Christ would be out there deceiving other men. This has happened in a general way since Jesus Christ’s First Coming. But this fact applies even more specifically to our time now. God’s Laodicean ministers are not only deceiving others, they are being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). Teaching Christ’s return is far in the future is sickening deceit. Those who believe this teaching will be caught off guard when Christ does return.
Jesus Christ warned the disciples that there would be false alarms about His return. “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ” (Matthew 24:23-26).
Jesus says there will be many in this end time preaching false teachings about His return. Some teach that He will come secretly. Others say He won’t come for a long time. We should not be easily misled. Overall, these people will be trying to deceive the very elect. Peter warned the Church about such deceivers. “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:3). Christ says very simply, do not believe these men. However, we must believe firmly what Christ says. If caught unaware by Christ’s return, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Christ said, “See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:25). When Christ returns, there will be no excuses. We have the prophecies from the Bible to protect us from deceivers.
End-time prophecy is our best help in preparing for Christ’s return. Studying prophecy and world events will keep a sense of urgency in our lives. Jesus Christ admonishes us, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42-44). Are we watching the world events Christ told us to watch in Matthew 24? If we are, then we will be making ourselves ready.
Let’s all be sure to keep our sense of urgency concerning Christ’s return. This is not the time to let down spiritually. Paul encouraged the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). It is true that we cannot know the day or the hour of Christ’s return. But if we continue in “well doing,” we will understand that the Second Coming truly is very close—“even at the doors.”
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