What Does The Bible Say?
Question– What does the bible say about the end of time? Can we see it coming? So much is happening in the world, it seems like the end is near.
Answer– The Lord did not choose to tell us exactly when He is returning to judge the world. In Mark 13:32-36 and Matthew 24:36, we read“but of that day and hour knows no man. No, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father. Take heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time shall be.
The apostle Paul writes later in 1 Thess. 5:2,3 “for you know perfectly well that day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night for when they say peace and safety then sudden destruction will come on them as a woman going into labor and they shall not escape.” In 2 Thess.1:7-9 Paul also says- “and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his holy angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not His gospel or Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power.” He continues in 1 Thess. 4:16,17- for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then those who are alive will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be.”
When the Lord comes back, he will not set his foot on earth again. We will meet Him in the air. He is not coming to set up His kingdom or to do anything else on this earth. When He died on the cross, He cried, “it is finished.” Jesus did what He came to do. He was not a failure. When He returns it will be to judge the world (every individual) based on how they have followed His commands (found in the Bible). Those who are not faithful to Him will be cast out and he will say to them, “depart from Me, I never knew you.” Their eternal destiny will be eternal hell. To those who have followed His will, He will say, “well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of Thy Lord.” These will enjoy eternal life with Him in Heaven (Matt. 7:21-23; 25:23).
When Jesus returns for His second coming, all will see, all will hear and all will be judged. One judgment day for the righteous and the wicked. The earth and its works will be burned up. We will meet Him in the air. His kingdom is not yet to be established; it is already here. It is His church. He is king over His kingdom now. If His kingdom is yet to be established, then Jesus is not a king because He has no subjects or any kingdom to have dominion over. All of these false teachings done by so many about these things are not based on what the Bible says.
Men have been setting dates for the return of the Lord for many generations. None has been right yet. It will be unexpected, and we cannot observe events around us and be able to point to this person, or some occurrence in nature or society, that will somehow give us a hint as to when he will return. The emphasis is on us being ready for His return at any time. Those who know His will know that constant preparation is needed and commanded for us to be pleasing to Him.
Please address all questions and comments to What Does the Bible Say> C/O Maple St. Church of Christ, PO Box 3086, Liberty, TX 77575 and visit our website, maplestreetliberty.org.