Wednesday: When Will Jesus Come?
When Jesus said regarding the temple that not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down
(Matt. 24:2, NKJV), the disciples were astonished. Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
(Matt. 24:3, NKJV), they inquired. In their thinking, the destruction of the temple would coincide with the end of history at Jesus’ return.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Jesus’ answer skillfully combined the signs for both events: the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and His second advent, because the disciples were not prepared to grasp the difference between them.
It is important for us to understand the nature and purpose of these signs. They were not given for us to determine the date of Jesus’ return, for of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only
(Matt. 24:36, NKJV). Rather, the signs show the historical tendency of events in order to alert us that His coming is near, even at the doors. While we should never be date setters, we must never ignore the time we live in either.
Read Matthew 24:3-14, Matt 24:21-26, Matt 24:29, Matt 24:37-39 (see also Mark 13 and Luke 21). What picture of the world does Jesus present here? In what ways does it fit the world that we now live in?
The most important idea Jesus wanted to impress on the disciples’ minds was that His coming is near. Actually, His entire prophetic sermon addressed the apostles as if they were to be alive when He would come (see Matt. 24:32-33, Matt 24:42). In a real sense, from the personal perspective of each of us, the Second Coming is never farther away than a moment after our death. Death is a deep unconscious sleep. We close our eyes in death and, whether one year has passed or one thousand years have passed, the next thing we know is the second coming of Jesus. Thus, the idea of the nearness of Christ’s coming, which Paul, Peter, and James also shared, makes perfect sense. For each of us, individually, His coming is never more than a moment after we die.
How does this concept help us understand the imminence
of Christ’s second coming?
(23)
It is rightly said Jesus will come as a thief in the night. So are the signs of the end in the Bible of significant value, or do they only make interesting spare time reading, or worse, set up and mislead people?
The timing of Christ’s return is addressed in prophecy, without specifying a date. As well the last day remnant people are intentionally and distinctly identified with prophecy (Revelation 12:17; 19:10). Hence there is an important connection between the spirit of prophecy and the second coming.
By the waymarks we are reassured that we have not believed cunningly devised fables (2 Peter 1:16). In mercy the signs are also used to give us a wakeup call, and to impress upon us concerning the urgency of the time and the assignment we have been given.
Beyond this through prophecy the end time believers get specific and general instruction and guidance on how to respond to the events of our time – present truth. We have counsel on the best course by which to proceed to be prepared for the final events, and more importantly for Christ’s return. We have light which was in scripture but not previously discerned (Daniel 12:4). We get help with things we might take a very long time to figure out ourselves, or perhaps never get.
We do well to take advantage of the inspiration of the Spirit through His messenger (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). Ultimately we really do not need an exact date for the Second Advent of the Son of God. We only need to be sealed, to be settled in the Truth (Christ and His Word). If we follow the Spirit’s counsels we will not be overtaken by the “thief in the night” experience. For it is only the unrighteous who are caught off guard like this (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4). The faithful welcome Christ as a long expected friend with glad hosannas, and shouts of halleluiah!
“If we follow the Spirit’s counsels we will not be overtaken by the “thief in the night” experience. For it is only the unrighteous who are caught off guard like this (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4).” Hugh, I respectfully disagree. The entire discourse on the second coming that Jesus gave in Mat 24 was not that we would know exactly when He would come but that we would be alert and active as Christians. That whole chapter was given in answer to a question the disciples had concerning the destruction of the temple so it was not directed to the multitude but specifically to the disciples. In that answer Jesus said things like, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Mat 24:44 NKJV). In other places also, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (Mat 10:23 NKJV). And yet in another, “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Mat 24:40-42 NKJV).
To me it is not the timing that will be the problem for everyone will be surprised just like the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom were but rather the interpretation of the event will be the problem. I believe that the world is being set up to reject the Second Advent while God’s people will know what it really is and will welcome it.
I don’t think this is a time for people to be preaching a “peace and safety” message to the churches. I am convinced that we are on the brink of the second coming and the church by and large is not ready for that event. To me what we probably need more than anything else is an abiding faith in Christ that cannot be shaken and worn down – a faith that will stand even though everything else crumbles around us. I firmly believe that in the end the only thing that will hold us up will be our faith and that everything else will be telling us that what we believe is absolutely wrong. As it was in the days of Noah, the mighty scholars of his time heaped up mountains of proof that a flood could never happen but they were sadly wrong in their rejection of God and their interpretations of science. So it is today, as Satan gains control of the entire world we are increasingly being told that we are wrong in so many ways; that the Bible is not really true but only “a story book” as one person once told me.
'I believe that the world is being set up to reject the Second Advent while God’s people will know what it really is and will welcome it.'
I thought every eye shall see Him, and the evil will cry for rocks to hide them from the face of the One who is seated on the throne? How can anyone reject a cataclysmic event that the second coming of Christ is??? And the plagues? I thought they clear the whole world of the evil doers, with the final group being killed by His appearing in the sky?
There is a fake second coming of the devil as an angel of light that is coming... That one needs to be rejected by all Bible believing Christians. Then thereafter, the true 2nd coming of Christ will happen.
Great lesson, great message for all of us to look forward to "his Second Coming".
Yes, Christ's return has no actual date in the bible but the signs or the events that we are facing today (i.e. the problems; wars, diseases pestilences, spreading of the gospel, etc) are signalling us that we are almost home or very soon Jesus will come to take us home.
I, for one is looking forward to his return.... enough of this world.......
Thank you Hugh for the assuring comments! We should be ready to welcome Christ when he returns, whether it be tonight or thousand years from now, Gods word still stands that we should be ready and stay awake!!
Recently in the night season, my mind was impressed by the Holy Spirit with the thought that if the Lord is coming as soon as we believe He is, we ought to be even more active than we have been in years past in getting the truth before the people. – {CCh 355.1}
2 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV
[1] … This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [6] For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, [7] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. …
Let's think it through
For is this about us as Adventists or others?
I like knowlege, I am curious, I want to find out what, when, how and why. The Bible often encourages us to study: Jesus said search the Scriptures, Paul said study to show yourselves approved, Peter said His divine power is given through the knowledge of Jesus.
However the most important thing for me to remember in my study is the purpose of my study - Jesus said search the Bible because it tells of Me, He prayed - eternal life is to know the Father and the Son.
So what does the Bible tell us about the "when" of the 2nd Coming and what does the "when" teach us about the character of our LORD?
When - soon - we are in the toe nails of the image of Dan 2, the signs - sword, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, floods,the earth is being destroyed - are all around us.
What do we learn about our LORD because it is soon? We cry out to Him - how long can this go on and he says Do not be afaid, I am coming soon, I love you and can't wait to be with you, hold on I'm coming soon.
When you see all these things happening, look up, lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.
Date setting is indeed misleading when taken on its face value. The best we must do is to live like the Lord is coming today and work like the message of salvation has not covered the entire intended territory whereby we must become tools for spreading the good news. The 1844 disappointment had its flaws by hinging on date setting but the power of its message is a blessing to the remnant church and that it lives on.
Do we still consider the Dark Day of May 19, 1780 as a sign of his coming, now that it is understood to be an eclipse? Or the Lisbon earthquake, since there have been many great earthquakes since then? What about that meteor shower of 1833?
The question is a valid one and we need to consider it carefully. We know that the 1798 "Dark day" was a fairly local event caused by bushfires in a small part of North America, and that the 1833 meteor shower, was essentially an annual event known as the Leonid Shower. (It is interesting that European Adventists talk about another later shower which was more spectacular in Europe) The signficance of these events is that they spurred Christians into thinking about the Second Coming and searching the scriptures dilligently. That in itself was a useful outcome in preparing Adventists to be be able to share the Gospel.
I do not think that we have anything to be ashamed of about these signs, but we need to accept the fact that they were natural (explainable) phenomema that were used by God to envigorate the spreading of the Gospel. Portraying them as supernatural phenomena that cannot be explained devalues their role.
There is an interesting story (I'm citing from memory so some of the details may be a little hazy) of a local council that was meeting at the time of the Dark Day. Some suggested that since the day of judgement had arrived they should cancel the meeting and go home to prepare to meet the Lord. The chariman of the council said that it may or may not be the day of judgement, but if it were he would rather be found actively working for the betterment of his community and that business should continue.
Signs are not there to be counted but as a reminder that we are on the Lord's business and we need to get on with it.
Maurice, I agree 100%. There have been a good number of Bible students and scholars that have compared history against the list of signs that Jesus gave in Mat 24 and concluded that most of them have been an ongoing phenomenon since the first century. I do think though that close to the end they probably will be manifested more spectacularly than they have been in the past.
While I acknowledge that fact I think there are real signs for us to be mindful of. Many years ago I was talking to one of our theologians and he thought that the real sign will be within the church itself in the form of the work of the Holy Spirit. I don’t know if anyone can definitely confirm or deny that idea, I know I can’t.
Massive forest fires are believed to have caused the dark day of May 17th 1780. Scar marks left in the growth rings of surviving trees are the fondation of that hypothesis dating back that catastrophic event to 1870. I still have some questiones in my mind:
(1) If these artifacts indicate that there have been massive forest fires in 1780, can these artifacts be linked to the very day of May 17th, or could it be that such devastating fires are refering to some other date, other than May 17th, to be exact. Two things may have no connection at all: A gardener watered his garden. A visitor from a nearby town, passing by, said: It must have been raining here.
(2) Does this hypothesis disprove Gods capablility as creator to have caused the darkening of the sun on that very date? We may consider it to be a miracle, but from the viewpoint of the creator there are no such things als miracles.
(3) What do we think of the darkness in Egypt before the exodus? Was it (from our point of view) a miracle, or must we try to look for a scientific proof of that event?
(4) Must we go on using a scientific method -- and if so, which method? -- in order to explain all events that (from our point of view) are miracles? As to the historical critical approach --- bible miracles are explained by natural causes. If we come to incarnation and resurrection, what scientific method must we use to explain these events? There are things beteen heaven and earth that are far beyond all human explanation.
(5) I wonder, are there any eye witness accounts in direct connection with May 17th 1870 to testify such vast forest fires? There are a number of detailed eye witness accounts of that dark day. (GC 306-308)
Have those witnesses not been aware of such catastrophic fires sweeping all over the country? Why have they not reported this event? If there were such massive fires including massive smoke and fog darkening the sky, they certainly would have included this in their eye witness account.
Whereas the catastrophic fire hypothesis seems to me uncertain ground, I would rather opt for believing that God is the cause of darkening the sun in order to fulfil prophecy as to the exact chronological succession of those signs preceeding Christs coming (Revelation 6:12-13; Matthew 24:29).
I happen to notice that the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21.29) although in part refering to the destrucion of Jerusalem, is taken from the book of Daniel (Daniel 12:1-2) taking place prior the the resurrection of the dead. There is the chronological order: Great tribulation, earthquake, dark day, moon turning to blood and falling of stars. This sucession of events is leading up to the second coming of our Lord.
Winfried Stolpmann
I believe that giving every one a chance to chose between life or death must take place before Jesus comes. Even then how do we know when the work on earth is done? So the words of Hugh hit the spot. I do believe that 1 Peter 4:6-11 is down a similar line. If you get a chance, read the verses from The Message.
No one knows when he/she is going to sleep. We should make ourselves ready every moment of our lives for the second advent of Christ. Life is funny these days. You bid your family goodbye in the morning with assurance to meet again at the end of the day only for a car you boarded to collide before you meet them again. Indeed Jesus knew all these facts beforehand and perhaps that is why He said He is coming soon minding the time frame between your death and His coming.
I know this lesson is phenomenal, it is a wake up call for all who are looking and waiting for Jesus to return. We think and ponder on literal words of Christ and not getting the heavenly meaning, thanks for all the comments and feedback it helps us to understand better and reflect deeper in his words. Yes Jesus is coming soon and I also believe it doesn't matter if it's morning midnight or noon, we just need to be ready and waiting for him.
I am the 4th generation of my family to sit in the pews and hear this message. Sometimes it does not seem as if there is any hope of his returning. There have always been wars, violence and an evil society. How much long must we suffer?
Charles, I am the 5th generation in my family to hear the Adventist message and I, too would like to see the end to the misery in this world. Since Jesus left this planet in His person the urgency of His soon return has been impressed upon His followers. We have no time for delay in our own lives in developing the character of Christ. Every minute without the Love of God as the motivation of my life is a great loss to me and to the world. My parents have both passed on and I have children and grandchildren who are sitting in the pews of the SDA church and I am glad to see that. But what I want to see most of all is the character of Christ developed in us all.
Whether Christ comes today or a thousand years from now is not nearly so important to me as that I may enter into eternal life now and that my family might enter into eternal life now and that everyone I see may enter into eternal life now. When we meet in Heaven and then in the new Earth this time will seem insignificant in comparison With the glory we have with God.
"Live in Jesus now" is my motto.
Shorey, the darkening of the sun and moon (1780) and the falling of stars (1833) are signs of Jesus second coming. These were the sixth seal of Rev. 6:12,13 that will come before the 7th seal which is the coming of Jesus.
Look at the timing of these events. Matt. 24:29 begins with, "Immediately after the tribulation" and Mark 13:24 with, :In those days after that tribulation".
"The tribulation dates from AD 538 until 1798 known as the Dark Ages. There was much persecution during this time but public persecution ended earlier in 1773 as brought about by reformation. You see how correct the prediction was. These were the signs in the sky mentioned that were to transpire after the days of persecution had ended and yet "in those days" or just before 1798."
The second coming of Jesus is as certain as his first coming. For over a period of four thousand years believers waited for his first coming,and some became weary, yet the scriptures state in Galatians 4:4 when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son...Christ second coming is not based on when we are ready, but when God is ready. He is coming. Once again God will send forth his son to gather his children. It is closer now than ever before.
I like that fact that i've learnt that I need to be consumed in spreading the gospel and doing God's will instead of idling in the pretex of waiting for his second advent
As we have appoint to follow christ we have lot to do. this lesson told us about the second coming of Christ; the time is near so we have proclame the gospel to all nation .no one kwons the hour which he will come.
many things have already taken place that any one who reads and understands the bibble should believe that the King is coming again to fetch His people. lets be prepaired and continue preaching the gospel thas for others as the words become salvation others shall be testmony to the things that are to happen.soon we are going home and thats 4 sure. God help us all
When Jesus comes is not for me to be concerned with. I have to live my life daily with His reflection in mind, and when I do fail, I humble ask His mercies on me. Many religions have created faint hearted and weary people, by overwhelming them with dates as in 1844, when the second coming was predicted.
My philosophy is that we should always be ready, occupying our time in the spreading of His words and sharing our love, so that others may see Jesus in us and come to repentance. We know the signs and they are more prevalent now more than ever. Lord, please forgive us of our sinful, selfish ways, help us to represent you in whatever we may say or do, from this day forward.
Most of all help us not to focus on your coming but the job you have commissioned us to do(tell others of your love and mercies)I humble ask in your most precious name, Amen.