Second, Christians who hold to any-moment-return teaching often seek to account for these passages by distinguishing two stages of Christs return: a secret, pre-tribulation rapture that could occur at any moment; and a public, post-tribulation appearing that will have signs preceding it. I dont want to claim that I can define precisely the work of world evangelization so down to the detail that I will know the day and the hour when it is complete. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Are we close to that? Will the Church escape the Great Tribulation under Antichrist? Weiss did not return their calls, the sources said. The death of Peter in old age required many years of delay (John 21:1819; 2 Pet. Verse 14. This is a poor translation and really points us in the wrong direction. So they are without excuse. thanks for the question. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Also, looking at Revelation 14:6, I wonder if that passage is saying that if Jesus returns before we as Christians have accomplished the task to reach all the unreached, the angel will take care of the rest, so to speak. If a person types in the name of any controversial leader into Google, one of the most likely suggested searches will end with is the anti-Christ., 7 Fascinating Facts About the Seven Plagues of Revelation. Some day, Christ will come again to conquer all evil and establish His perfect rule over all creation. 1 Pet. Z. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. For by grace you have been saved through faith. (2 Thessalonians 2:1, 3, 6, 8). Or lets take Paul, for example. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. This makes it clear that the phrase Thy Kingdom Come. is an eschatological prayer! What then? Many interpretations exist regarding this passage. The good news of the coming of Messiah's kingdom - what we call in short, "the gospel" - "that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19).He calls it "this" (Matthew 26:13), because it is that which he preached, which it was the object of his incarnation to set forth.In all the world (e)n o%lh"" th = "" oi)koume/nh"", in . Will all believers rule and reign with Christ? Your kingdom come. Some joy does not leave you satisfied, but still aching for a pleasure barely glimpsed, hardly heard. The New Testament provides at least six reasons for why Christians embrace the trials they undergo with joy. The details of this great event will be made known in Gods own time. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Now the dear martyrs of the Lord Of course you have heard of Joy to the World and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. And how are they to preach unless they are sent? 3:13). Thus, its impossible to deduce any-moment-ness from the terminology of expectancy or alertness. There is nothing that HAS to take place prophetically before His comes FOR His bride. . Even in the tribulation we have 144,000 Jews, servants of the Lord who are set apart and sealed for His service. Home A devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. January 31, 2020 For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. Question: As a young child I was taught that Jesus would not return until everyone on earth had heard the Gospel. Holman Christian Standard Bible And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. And while there are no specific prophecies that have to occur before Jesus could return, the Bible does give general signs of the end and the Lord's return and can we see them now? The word in Greek for overhearing is parakouo. Emperor Constantines negative impact on the healing power ofJesus. So how does the Bible describe the impending character of Christs second coming? Actually, unbelief is crouching at our front door everyday through media, neighbors and even well-meaning Believers. All Christians do not agree on every detail of what will occur in the final events of this worlds history. Nearness language is also applied to the seasons of the year (Matt. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Christian Standard Bible And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations. At the same time, were urged not to ignore His coming, or assume that its never going to happen (at least in our lifetime). But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words. Never forget: God isnt finished with this world! 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. Even though they were busy getting the gospel out to both Jews and Gentiles, yet they still lived and taught, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that His coming was 'at hand'. 7 "And behold, I am coming soon. >> Signs of the end of the world? M Unbelief comes from listening to the tests and clinical reports of the Doctors, who I might add, are paid to give us the worst case scenarios. ", While we are still here our 'commission' is the great commission given by Jesus Himself -, Mat 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.". The moving part of this story happens next, as, in the intervening time, the little girl has now died! See 1 Cor. The subtle enemy of man [Satan] saw that there was more danger to his own kingdom from the use of this weapon than advantage; it might have led to a result very different from that of disproving the divine authority of the Bible. Believe then in your faith. 11:28). D And the goal is getting closer. But before we proceed, lets read that phrase in its context: It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples. And He said to them, When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. What Does the Bible Say About Return Of Christ? Sam Waldron (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the president of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary and a pastor of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky. In actual fact, in Luke there is NO following mention of Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. as we find in Matthew. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved., Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! There is a poignant scene in the gospel of Mark when Jairus, one of the synagogue officials, fell at Jesus feet and begged that Jesus would come and lay His hands on his daughter, who was near death. 8:11 ). We dont control his coming. . He offered himself as the Savior who would help those whom no one else would help. The New Testament teaches that Christs return has drawn near (Heb. Hebrews 9:28 ESV / 419 helpful votes Amen. Now, when the New Testament says things like the coming of the Lord is at hand or behold, the Judge is standing at the door (James 5:89), the point is not that he will open the gates immediately, but that we better not presume upon his delay, as though we could do what we jolly well please. Our eyes and our prayers were to be focused on the future, on the return of the King and His kingdom! Visit the Bible online to search for words if you dont know the specific passage yourre looking for. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. After all, they were living through the first wave of organized persecution against Christians during the reign of Nero, a wicked Roman emperor. I am the door. Satan has ever been seeking to thwart God by imitation rather than by denial He will approach as near the truth as possible, and still keep to his lieLet us not abandon our wheat field because the devil has sowed tares in it. What Is the Rapture? See What the Bible Says. As 24:2 is completed, with Christ's statement, there is a break in the . I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 2 Peter and the Return of Jesus The implied opponents in 2 Peter denied the return of Jesus (1:16, 2:1-3, 14, 18). Revelation 22:12 ESV / 97 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Episode 1057 June 21, 2017 Interview with John Piper Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org Subscribe Apple Spotify Audio Transcript Jesus said his return was soon. This is a valiant effort, but as we will see, it runs afoul of the New Testament data. Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. The Savior certainly did not think that the sick were better off than the healthy, otherwise he would not have healed or bid his disciples to heal the sick. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is author of. Jesus' Return: What Peter Wrote About the Second Coming of Christ The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). They would meet each other and say 'Maranatha!' David Jeremiah: Is the Coronavirus in Bible Prophecy? 24:29, 4244; cf. Solicitation Disclosure Statement Be alert. Remember when the disciples asked Jesus privately why they couldnt cast the evil spirit out of the young boy? Nor tomorrow. We sure can. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. One of the things he said (and I still remember it now, nearly 30 years on while not remembering anything else he said!) Since most of the New Testament was written before that destruction, at least those parts of the New Testament cant encourage believers to expect an any-moment return. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Jesus pointed to their unbelief, possibly stemming from the great (physical) disturbances the demon was producing in the boy such as foaming at the mouth, slamming him to the ground and leaving him there stiff, or throwing the boy into the fire or water to kill himself! James Cameron says Titan passengers had warning of implosion - Los He gave us his Holy Spirit and power to that end (Acts 1:8). So Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. It may sound like, Oh, when the nations are reached, hes coming. Well, the nations being reached is not defined in the Bible with any clarity, so theres ambiguity in saying the end will come when the work is complete, though I am saying that. Pray it with fervor and anxious longing. Im not even close. When Paul faced a similar misunderstanding in Thessalonica about how soon the second coming would happen, heres how he responded: Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him . >> Are you rapture ready? The Bible says, Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. No, a person who has knowingly refused God's calling and the way of life He reveals has only the lake of fire to look forward to, which will end his or her existence for eternity (Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:26-29). He draws close to anyone in need and pain so that we, too, might experience firsthand that he is the one who knows how to help us. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. There will be many people who come to Christ during the tribulation. We may debate over who the restrainer is or whether well be able to recognize the man of lawlessness when he appears. No one comes to the Father except through me. Wherever the apostles walked there washealing. When period does the 'day of the Lord' refer to? For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. Is The 'Futurist' Interpretation Of Prophecy Found In The Writings Of The Church Fathers? Ive been wondering if Christians will have to reach every unreached people group, or at least every unengaged unreached people group, before Jesus returns. (If you doubt that one just ask my wife!) Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. Well, it is a big deal when we read through the period and incorporate the prayer for the coming Millennial Kingdom and skip back in time to the present day and include, in the same breath (which makes the two thoughts equal) Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.. Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. You and I both know it is one thing to ask Jesus for healing but quite another to ask for resurrection. 3:11. It is Satans trick to try and make us waver so that the Savior does not receive a full and complete hearing There were times when very few sinners came, only sick people. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. However, there is no place in the Bible that says this or even hints to it. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. I love what Jesus did to keep faith alive, and unbelief out, in the heart of Jairus. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. The world is a confusing place right now. Take the idea of expectancy. He controls the timing. To pay the long arrears of blood. It has been a blessing to both of us as we each pursue our roles in missions. I almost ridiculed the very idea of such a possibility. Can we put our faith to work in the things the Spirit whispers to us, even if they might stand in total opposition to reason? So yes, the gospel will be preached and heard in the whole world before 'the end' comes but 'the end' here speaks of His second coming at the end of the tribulation, when He comes WITH His bride. It seems to me that the disciples lived as though they believed Jesus would return any day. Christ Will Not Return at Any Moment March 20, 2019 | Sam Waldron Sebastien Gabriel on Unsplash Advertise on TGC Could Christ return at any moment? In love. Jas 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. But at the same time, where people recognize the period (.) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. the appearing of the glory of our great God (Titus 2:13), the revealing of the sons of God (Rom. (Johann Christoph Blumhardt), Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. Helpful Not Helpful "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down" (24:2). How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? That event can come at any moment. Is your hope and trust in Him, and are you seeking to live for Him every day He gives you? Only God knows when it will take placebut it could happen at any time, and we are admonished to be ready. Oh, that the nations would hear the good news! Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day" (3:8). It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Revelation 7 describes those who have come to Christ from every tongue, tribe and nation. Faith comes by hearing and so does unbelief you need to get this! But the question is how the term imminence should be defined. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. Jesus said: Mat 24:14 "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. When All the World Hears - Decision Magazine Privacy That they can slay the saints no more So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 13:11). And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. Is the parable of 10 virgins about Israel and how many are saved? Countless books have been written on this theme But still I feel compelled to ask: Can we not join with the thoughts and desires of Jesus when He taught His disciples to pray the simple request Your Kingdom Come.? . (A. J. Gordon). Receive an infinite reward. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. At a press conference before the debate, he claimed to have met with Joe Biden in May 2017, as part of discussions over a potential business . Permissions Nor the next day. Billy Graham once said that the end "will come with . And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.". . What most believers dont take too seriously is that Thy Kingdom Come. is a close second. What Does the Bible Say About Christs Return? - OpenBible.info The 144,000 Jewish witnesses ( Revelation 7:4) are Jewish believers. So they are without excuse. And that was their expectation. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. For a collaborating view on this point I offer this from the Pulpit Commentary, one of the largest exhaustive Bible commentaries ever published: Thy kingdom come. It is the prayer for the end, when there will be no more tears and partings, no more sorrow and sin. For example, Jewish feasts are often spoken of in Scripture as being near. By providing your personal details, you accept that we will use your personal details to communicate with you about ministry updates and opportunities from Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. But we mean chiefly the kingdom of glory which shall one day be set up when Jesus shall come the second time, and all shall know me, from the least to the greatest (Heb. Fellow believers rarely believe me when I tell them that I am a 7th trumpet rapturist. Here in Lukes version of the Lords Prayer we can clearly see that Your kingdom come. is left to stand on its own as a complete thought and confined to a single sentence. For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Which one is correct? Significantly, Pauls response to the Thessalonian error is to assure them that that day wont come until certain events happen first (2 Thess. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead., To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. But again, it doesn't have to occur before the rapture can happen. Most people dont know it but Watts wrote the words of Joy to the World (taken from Psalm 98) as a hymn glorifying Christs triumphant return at the end of the age! For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Do I meditate upon the facts of my illness, the predictions of the doctors or the truth of the Word of God? Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. What About Those Who Haven't Heard? - The Gospel Coalition Is the gospel preached to all nations first? Since the day that Christ said He would return, Christians have been eagerly watching for the Second Coming in between arguing with each other about when it will take place. Can I ask you with this thought in mind to read this hymn and then read Revelation 10-11? The longing is inconsolable, until it leads our hearts to Christ. Is Daniel 2 talking about a 'spiritual kingdom'? (Mtt 17:19) Jesus didnt say that they didnt have enough faith; He said that they had too much unbelief! So has it been with the Church of Christ all through her history. As far as the latter view is concerned, the rapture will not be secret, since it will be part of Christ's visible and triumphant return to end this present evil age (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). And rightfully so. Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to youunless you believed in vain. Chapter 44: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 1:13; 4:7). Some of these events and their order of occurrence have simply not been made clear in the Bible. Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Pray it everyday. Romans 2:12-16 is the signature text in the Bible on this controversial subject. Real, true-hearted and sincere disciples are afraid of [miracles] and inclined to push away with quick impatience, any mention of their possible occurrence in our time Every truth needs the steadiness and equipoise [balance] which come from its being bound into harmony with all other truths. Revelation also speak of an angel in the heavens preaching the gospel during the tribulation. And he said that the end would come that is, he would come when this task of witnessing to all the nations is complete (Matthew 24:14). And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.. 3:20; 4:5; 1 Thess. You can only be tempted to believe Christ is not returning if you have a low view of God. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.