“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
–2PETER 3:3-4
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
–Matthew 24:36
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”
–Mark 13:33
“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
—Revelation 3:3
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
–Matthew 25:13
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
–Revelation 16:15
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
–Matthew 24:42-44
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
–Luke 12:40
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;”
—2 Peter 3:10
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
–1THESSALONIANS 5:6
There are a number of people who speculate about the timing of the return of Jesus Christ and all of the attendant events of His return.
There are a GREAT number of verses in God’s Word which caution the reader to “take heed” or stay alert or to “watch.”
There are ZERO verses which advise the reader WHEN (exactly) the return of Jesus Christ takes place.
ZERO.
NONE.
NIL.
0.
Yet, this hasn’t stopped false prophets from issuing false statements. The media is full of stories of the false ones and their “predictions.”
And it hasn’t slowed down the “predictions” of those who consult familiar spirits about such things.
Those who are followers of Jesus Christ will KNOW (from the signs) the general timing of His return, NOT–as some teach–the SEASON or the TIME.
Jesus Himself called this to the attention of His followers after His resurrection.
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
–Acts 1:6-8
The apostle Paul pointed out to the Thessalonican believers the circumstance surrounding believers and knowing the timing of Jesus’ return.
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. “
–1THESSALONIANS 5:1-6
Obviously, Paul wasn’t telling the Thessalonicans that they would know exactly when Jesus was returning–otherwise, Paul would NOT have advised them all to “be sober” and to “watch.” It also not likely Paul would have said “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
HOWEVER, Paul did tell them that they–as believers (“children of light“)–would not be overtaken–and consequently overwhelmed–by the surprising nature of events PROVIDED THEY WATCHED and stayed sober (alert).
SO, whenever the reader sees the latest “predictions” about “doomsday,” he may safely ignore them.
BUT what about those who insist that they have ‘heard from God’ OR ‘their dreams were touched” by Jesus (or God or the Holy Spirit)?
The reader may ESPECIALLY ignore these charlatans–who are most likely end times mockers and scoffers when they are safely back home.
Then, what is the reader to do?
Is the reader to become the captive of unbiblical speculation–which appeals to man’s sense of curiosity?
First off, there are TWO SIGNS which God’s Word warns will signal the imminent time of the man of sin–and subsequently, the return of Jesus Christ within months.
MORE: Two Sure Signs of the Last Days
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition”
–2THESSALONIANS 2:3
In case the reader is having a bad brain day, the two signs are:
1- a falling away will first occur. This is NOT a gradual fall in church attendance.
The falling away is the apostasia: the great rebellion against God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
MORE: The Falling Away
MORE: END TIMES APOSTASY: Revolt not Revival
MORE: Falling Away: Waiting for the Great Apostasy
This will be hard to miss if one is alert and watching.
HOWEVER, if one is a member in good standing of the world, he will NOT see it–probably because he does not believe God’s Word.
2- The man of sin will be revealed.
But NOT to those who are not watching.
Secondly, there is no better advice than that given by Jesus Himself almost 2000 years ago.
“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
–Mark 13:37
IS the reader alert and watching?
OR, does the reader depend upon what he sees on the news broadcast or reads in his daily newspaper?
It is not YET too late: there is still time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: Making a Choice
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The Power of God Unto Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The End Times Power of God Unleashed
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: February 2, 2021.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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