End Time Prophecy

Counting Down the Days?

 Currently, there is an End Time Prophecy phenomenon sweeping our world once again just as it has hundreds of years ago. There is wide speculation on how the rapture will occur and the date that it will happen. There is differing teachings on pre-tribulation and post-tribulation depending on what denomination or evangelist you are talking to. Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted the rapture would occur on September 6, 1994 while other have falsely predicted it would take place in 1981, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994 and even 2011. There are millions of books, DVD’s, elaborate graphs and charts that try to pin point the exact date of the rapture.  How did the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ become so distorted and complicated!

The first truth you must understand is that the bible repeatedly tells us that it is not meant for us to know the exact date of Christ return. God wants us to treat every day as the possible return of our Savior. Jesus made it very clear that we would not know the time of his return that he would return like a thief in the night:

Mark 13:32 KJV But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Mark 13:33 KJV Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Mat 24:42 KJV Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mat 24:43-44 KJV 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.

History is full of failed prophets, evangelist and speculators who predicted the date of Christ return. But I want to share a ministry industry insight with you. End Time prophecy is a billion dollar industry and has made many evangelist and prophets extremely wealthy from the books, DVD’s and speaking engagements on the subject. End Time prophecy is also a quick and fast way to establish a large following especially if you can present some outlandish claim that attracts people’s interest. The truth is that rapture, pre and post tribulation views differ significantly depending on the denomination, evangelist or prophet. You have to ask yourself, would our Savior leave us this kind of confusing teachings? How do these complex teachings compare to the simple parables that Christ used? How can there be over 1,000 different versions of Christ return?

God does not want believers confused and focused on timelines this was not the reason that Jesus came to earth in the flesh. Jesus came to save mankind not to confuse us with his return. The focus of believers should be less on when he returns and more on what they are doing in their lives until he returns. He will return as a thief in the night meaning we have to be ready to meet him at any given time. When Christ returns will he find believers fornicating, drunk from alcohol, dancing in the clubs, on trial for embezzlement or smoking meth? Now is the time to focus on living a righteous life and promoting spiritual growth in your life so that when Christ returns you will hear his voice and feel his presence. We must treat every day as if it were the day that Christ will appear and live our lives accordingly.

Although Jesus never gave us a specific date of his return he did give us a glimpse of events and conditions during the last days. He tells us these things so that we may prepare ourselves spiritually.

In Matthew 24 Jesus gave what is known as the Olivet Discourse and I n this he stated “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation , and kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be famines , and pestilences, and earthquakes , in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows”.

As a believer instead of spending your time adding to the profit margin of the end time industry begin to look at ways you can improve your life spiritually. In these days I encourage you to read the bible for yourself and become very familiar with the meaning of its words. Christ warns that deception will rule the end times so it is crucial that every believer begin to know the word of God for themselves, know how to pray for themselves and others and be able to make wise and prudent decisions for themselves using the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit.

I further encourage you to focus on the blessings of Christ return such as the establishment of New Jerusalem as spoken of in Revelations 21 and 22. It amazes me how so much energy is spent in trying to figure out the dates but little thought is given to what all of this is leading to in the first place, which is man residing with God and Christ in a beautiful new world.

Revelations 22:12-21

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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