SHOULD WE WATCH OR NOT WATCH FOR THE SECOND COMING ?
Some read verses that emphasize that Jesus is coming as a thief in the night. Since we cannot know the day or the hour of his coming, why try and watch predicted events regarding his return? Yet the Bible does ALSO SAY 'WATCH'. Is this a contradiction or a pulling in opposite directions? Obviously it is not- God's word does not have contradictions. We will unravel this issue. Paul handled confusion AND FALSE DOCTRINE REGARDING THE RETURN OF CHRIST.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NKJV 1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
That note to the Thessalonians explained that NO secret coming of Jesus had occurred and others besides them had been saved without them. He further detailed that the saved will all be taken together with Christ. This secret rapture of some or secret return of the Messiah is false information. He says do not let it shake your faith.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NKJV 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, ….that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God,...
Paul tells them of two major precursors that must occur before the second coming. They are the great falling away from truth and the beastly king desecrating the Temple. Neither event had occurred yet so no return.
THE GREAT FALLING AWAY FROM TRUTH
Certainly this involves apostasy from the true church but almost surely involves a lot more deception than deceiving a relative small number of people. The entire world will under go profound brain washing and deception. History will be altered and truth muddled and destroyed.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-11 NKJV 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,...to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
God will allow great deception because the world does not love the truth. People have itching ears to only hear what appeals to them, period! The Damar Hamlin near death injury on Monday Night Football demonstrated that millions of Americans still believe in prayer to God. Could the future deception convince people to only pray to the future big government ruler? Remember vast brain washing is coming.
TO WATCH OR NOT TO WATCH THAT IS THE QUESTION
Some churches are now forbidding sermons on end time prophesy. They imply that because we cannot know the exact time of Jesus' return we should minimize or forsake watching world events as precursors to the return of Christ. Should God's church pull back from the watching of prophetic events? Paul says in-spite of the surprise return of Jesus we must keep watching.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 NKJV 1 But concerning the times...2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes....And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
Paul is vigorously advocating watching as part of being a strong, successful believer. The greater the deception in the world about the second coming of Christ the more we must watch. It is like going on a trip on a course with twists and unexpected curves with your eyes closed. Believers are sons of light and should not be caught off guard as much as the world. The beast with the help Satan and the false prophet will create an era of false peace and prosperity to deceive us all. Some surprises await us all but Paul says:
1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 NKJV 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
We must all show our faith in the infallibility of Bible prophesies by emphasizing it in our teachings,and also our love and hope in the coming salvation as Jesus fulfills all the prophesies and returns.
BELIEVERS SHOULD HUMBLY AND FEARLESS WATCH PROPHESY
Believers will have a bias toward wanting the second coming to arrive in our lifetime. But this also happened to the original Apostles. With that said one must realize that mistakes can occur. Should we then shrink back from watching? Of course not! We can learn from each mistake and grow closer to the truth and be motivated by the ones we do get correct such as Brexit. (the British exit from a united Europe)
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Because we are sons of the light and day, while watching events we can comfort and edify each other.
THE FALSE PEACE AND PROSPERITY TRAP
A deceptive peace and prosperity credited to the beast's administration and pushed by worldwide propaganda will lure the world into a trap. They will worship the beast and not God.
Luke 21:34-35 MNT 34 "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be surcharged with self-indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares, and that day catches you suddenly like a trap. 35 "For it will come upon all the dwellers on the face of the earth.
Jesus is warning believers not to fall into this future trap. He says we must remain alert. One way is to be aware of this precursor to the return of Christ and be watching for it. Thus by watching events including the clever beast we can remain ready as possible for the great deception.
Matthew 24:48-49 NKJV 48 "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
Satan's society will be pushing decadence full throttle and then it also will seem that the second coming is really far away if it ever will come,then believers will be ripe for the taking. We watchers of this prophesy of peace and delayed second coming trap should remain alert in-spite of appearances!
The Bible clearly tell us many will be caught off guard and be unable to repent and turn their lives around quickly on a dime when we see Jesus is arriving soon. See the parable in Mathew 25 about the ten virgins. Therefore keep watching all prophesies including those regarding the condition of many in the church and the future global apostasy as well.
Reading the Twenty First Century Watch magazine should be helpful in these matters.
