It's the End of the World as We Know It -- Or is It?

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”(Matthew 24:36). As of this writing it’s nearly an hour and twenty minutes past doomsday and the Church is still here. I am referring to the second doomsday prediction of Harold Camping—his first doomsday prediction came in 1994. He’s now 0 for 2. Maybe the third time—if there is a third time—will be a charm. I doubt it very seriously. The Bible is crystal clear on this point. Although we may be able to discern the general time of the end (Matt. 16:3) we will never be able to pinpoint the day and hour. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Camping joins a long line of date setters, all of whom have seen their predictions fall flat. By the way, Camping says his predictions are based on taking direct quotes and stories from the Bible and applying them to numerological formulas. I guess he missed this one: “But of that day and hour no one knows.” Or maybe he just didn’t include himself in “no one.” After all, he is someone, right? The sad part is his gullible followers who expended their life savings spreading a misguided and thoroughly false prediction.

That being said, what can we know about the time of the end, specifically the return of Christ? First of all, we know He is coming again. We’ve got His word on that: “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). Even the angels present at His ascension confirmed the promise of His return to earth. Luke writes, “They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:11). Jesus is coming again. Secondly, we know that when He comes it will be business as usual for the world. Jesus said, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37-39). In other words, most of the world won’t even be looking for or otherwise expecting His return. But just as judgment came suddenly and without warning in Noah’s day so it shall be when Christ returns for His own. Then the Day of the Lord—doomsday—will come. This is why Jesus stressed, “For this reason you also must be ready” (Matt. 24:44). Finally, although His return will come upon an unsuspecting world it should not take Christians by surprise. Paul wrote, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief” (1 Thess. 5:4). In other words, if we are discerning, we will know His return is near.

Personally, I believe we are living in the last of the last days. I think the prophetic evidence is overwhelmingly clear. But I dare not set any dates other than to say I’m surprised the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is still here. I’ve been expecting the return of Christ for His Church any day now—and it may very well be today. Only God knows. That is why He stresses readiness. In the military we train to go to war. We work hard to maintain a constant state of readiness so that when duty calls all we have to do is respond based on weeks, months, and years of training. The same thing should be true in the life of believers. We must be ready at all times for at any given time Christ may call us home. “We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thess. 5:5-6). Well, it’s now nearly two hours past the doomsday deadline and the Church is still here. But she could very well be out of here at any moment. Therefore, “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15) before it is too late.