Written By: Julie-Ann Sanderson
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. – Matthew 24:44
These days there are a lot of prophecies and interpretations about the timing of Jesus’ return. One group says this and another group says that. The problem with some of these prophecies and interpretations is that they are giving God a time limit or a specific time for His second coming.
The Bible clearly states that we don’t know the day or the hour of His return. Jesus, Himself doesn’t even know it, so then how can man claim to know it? Picking a specific time or date is in a sense giving carte blanche to mankind. How many people would do whatever it is they wanted to do and then repent the day before if they knew when Jesus was coming back?
Giving God a time limit is something that humans have a habit of doing. Our interpretations of what is written in the Bible can influence these time limits. Our past experiences can also cloud our reasoning and sometimes make us see more in a Bible passage than there really is. In some ways, the best interpretation of a passage is exactly what it says.
In the terms of Jesus’ return, it is stated plainly and simply:
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Matthew 24:36)
Our job is not to put a time limit or a specific date on His return, it is to be ready for it when it does come.
We should be acting and living like the day or hour could come at any minute. The only advanced notice we have is that He is coming. Wasting time with trying to work out or even debating about the exact time is something Jesus does not want us to do. Knowing when is something we really don’t need to know.
The main priority in our lives is to be ready for the time He does come. Learning and growing to be more like Jesus is a task that should take number one spot in our lives. If we are not ready, then we are doomed and no amount of speculation is going to save us. Instead of guessing the time of Jesus’ return, we need to be sure of where we and others are going.
If you are living your life with a time limit, then now is the time to stop. We just don’t know what the future will bring, nor do we know when things will happen. God is in complete control and we must trust that everything will happen in His time and not ours. All interpretations of what the Bible says about the return of Jesus is at best a guess. Just a guess made by a flawed human being.
No one knows when Jesus will be returning and we can’t pick a time for Him to come. We need to be ready now. Are you?
Uniquely Yours Ministries 