The Time of the End

Mark Dunagan
08/26/12 - Sunday Morning

The Time of the End

In our own times we have seen people predict dates for the Second Coming. It's nothing new.  In the mid-second century, Montanus predicted that Jesus would soon appear.  An Italian monk in the 12th century announced that the last age of history would begin around 1260.  Throughout the last 2000 years various dates have been given for this world's end, including: 500, 999, 1100, 1200, 1245, 1260, 1420, 1528, 1656, 1734, 1844, 1874.  In more recent times, Harold Camping predicted that the end would happen on May 21, 2011.  What many did not realize is that he had also predicted the end of the world in 1994.   The Jehovah Witnesses had many predicted dates in the last century, including 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994.

The ironic thing is that people have predicted dates for the return of Christ when the Bible all along states quite clearly that it would be impossible to predict when Jesus would return:

• “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (2 Peter 3:10).
• “Now as to the times and epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). 

How astonishing that people continue to follow individuals or groups despite their false predictions in the past.  God is equally clear when He warns us that a genuine prophet is, without exception, always right in his predictions:

• “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.  The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:22).

Date Suggesters

There are a number of groups and individuals who are not so bold as to set a specific date, yet continue to tell people that the end is "near", or "close", or  "just ahead".  And it may very well be. But the truth is, in stating such they are trying to come as close as they can to selecting a date while at the same time giving themselves a safety net, in case they need to claim, “But I never actually said this year”.   Look again at what Paul said on this point: 

• “Now as to the times and the epochs” (1 Thessalonians 5:1).  The word times here refers to a set and proper time.  That is, no specific date will ever be given.  The term epochs refers to a period of time, a space of time, like an age.  In other words, the specific date will never be revealed by God and neither will God reveal the nature of the ages or periods of time leading up to the Second Coming.  What this means is that the book of Revelation is not a map of the various ages that will happen before the end.  Thus Paul is saying that not only is the exact day kept secret, but God has not even given us the week, year, decade or century in which His Son will return.  Thus people who set more general dates for the Lord's return (such as  "probably before the end of this century", "within a generation", or even "somewhere around") are just as presumptuous as those people who set specific dates.

Truths to Remember

• The Bible Never Gives a Specific Date.
• The Bible Never Gives Even a General Date.

Matthew 24

Many people through the years have gone to Matthew 24 and thinking they have found a time-line or signs that will happen before the return of Christ.  Yet a simple reading of that section will reveal that this is not talking about the Second Coming.  Jesus specifically mentions local events and a judgment from which one could flee (Matthew 24:16-20).  In addition, just as clear, Jesus said that all these events would happen before His generation passed away (Matthew 24:25 “This generation will not pass away until all these things take place”).

Earthquakes, Wars, and Rumors of Wars

Are today’s natural disasters, social and political unrest are unique to our era an indicator we must be living near the end? First, Jesus talked about such things (Matthew 24:6), and said that they were not the signs of the end.  Second, natural disasters such as earthquakes are not taking place with more frequency or intensity now compared to centuries gone by.  In 1556 an earthquake hit China that killed 830,000 people.  The Black Death or bubonic plague took the lives of an estimated 100 million people.  Between 1876 and 1879 famines took place in India and China and between 12 and 17 million people died.  War is certainly nothing new.  Throughout history there have been more than fourteen thousand wars and killed an estimated 3.6 billion people.

The Book of Revelation

This last book of the Bible is not a prophetic map or puzzle revealing everything that will happen just before the end, rather it was written to address events that in the first century were said to “shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1).  The book needed to be read and studied immediately, especially by believers living during that dark time because as verse 3 states, “the time is near”.  If one missed these two clear introductory passages, the end of the book states again:  “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near” (22:10).  By contrast, Daniel was told to seal up what was revealed through him (Daniel 12:4), and yet Daniel was predicting things that were about 600 years in the future from his life-time. 

The Preparedness that is Not Addressed

Be impressed that the Bible never advises Christians to:

• Stockpile weapons, ammo and food. 
• Go underground and build bunkers.
• Get out of the city, live in remote places and live off the land.
• Build compounds.
• Stop working and sell all your possessions.
• Convert all your assets into something like gold.
• Care only for you and your immediate family.

No Hidden Clues

Passage after passage only reminds Christians that no one can get “a jump” on the date for the Second Coming.  There will be no signs, life will appear to be very normal (1 Thess. 5:3; Matthew 24:37-39).  It will be like a thief, something that is stressed a couple of times and a thief does not send any warning.  There is absolutely no way to know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13).

How to Get Ready: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-22

• Respect Scripture:  Jesus will return (2 Peter 3:10). Be so heavenly minded that you eagerly anticipate it.
• Be living godly a godly life right now; do not procrastinate; do not slack off, be spiritual, be active, be alert (1 Thess. 5:6).
• Encourage other Christians; be involved in the local congregation (1 Thess. 5:11).
• Assist the elders, and do your part (1 Thess. 5:12-14).
• Let the Lord catch you rejoicing, not complaining, praying —not daydreaming, and grateful rather than unappreciative (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
• Be wise.  Examine all doctrines and claims with Scripture (1 Thess. 5:21-22).
• Abhor Evil.  Do not defend it, dabble in it, or snuggle up against it. Respect Scripture.  Do not listen to the false prophets.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net