For as long as I can remember there has been someone in my life talking about the soon return of Jesus. I had a great aunt who had started her relationship with Jesus in the Azusa Street type, Holy Spirit outpouring in Brownsville, PA during the early 1900’s. She would constantly talk about Jesus’ soon return. When the Charismatic renewal hit in the late 60’s and early 70’s a renewed fire for the imminent return of Christ was stirred. Books like, “The Late Great Planet Earth” by Hal Lindsey promoted to quick return of Christ.
The Dark Ages were ripe with people proclaiming these are the last days. The plague, turning away from God, and the seeming idolatry of the church, made many believe those were the final days of judgment before the coming of Christ.
Throughout history there has always been someone proclaiming the soon return of Christ. Every major event in human history from wars to natural disasters have been interpreted, by some, as the event prophesied in Matthew 24. Is his return soon? Yes, is the answer, or at least it is sooner today than it was yesterday.
From my point of view Christ return hysteria is selfish! Don’t get me wrong, I want Jesus to return and take me home with Him as soon as is possible. The problem it presents for me is that if He were to return Saturday, as Harold Camping predicts (by the way he predicted Christ return for September 6, 1994 as well), that would mean at least one billion people, who have never heard of Christ, would be destined for hell. In my opinion, this flies in the face of the nature of God and the purpose of Christ death on the cross.
Why is Christ returning in the first place? Long term, is to take all of those who have made a commitment to Him, his family, out of this sin corrupted world and start fresh with a new heaven and new earth. This will take place after the total destruction and imprisonment of Satan, his demonic followers and the humans who have rejected Christ.
However we must understand God’s heart. Hell and the lake of fire were not created for mankind but for Satan. God desires for all to come to Him. It is a waste of precious drops of Jesus’, sin atoning blood, for one human to die and go to hell. In 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 9, Peter writes that God wants no one to perish (go to hell) but that all should come to repentance.
God is patient! He will wait until everyone has heard. He is giving each of us the opportunity to share the Gospel, to fulfill the great commission, to see as many as will, come to Christ! There are many who have yet to hear. God can do it in the blink of an eye but instead He has chosen to use us to share His Good News. He will wait until every person has had the opportunity to hear and then He will come!
Help someone to hear the Good news today! Share with someone what the Lord has done for you! You don’t have to be a Pastor, missionary, or trained Christian professional, what God has done for you is enough to touch and change the life of someone. Share with someone today!
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