Procrastinators, Beware!
Maybe Jesus did not get more specific so we would live with a constant sense of expectation, looking for His soon return. Clearly that was the message of His story about the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13), five of whom were prepared for the bridegroom’s coming and five of whom were not. Jesus emphasized the point of the story: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (25:13 NKJV).
God knows that some of us are terrible procrastinators. We would gladly put off until tomorrow what we should have done yesterday. On the other hand, my mother always prepared well in advance. She had a disciplined manner, and my family members could set their clocks and calendars by Mother’s schedule. She washed clothes on Monday; she ironed on Tuesday. She bought groceries on Friday. Her pattern rarely changed. If we planned a picnic, and something happened that we could not go, my mother cried because her plans had changed.
Perhaps as a reaction to Mother’s rigidity, I have always been just the opposite. I hate to prepare for trips ahead of time. An hour (or less) before it is time to go, I will be scouring my clothes closet, tossing shirts, socks, and underwear every which way, trying to figure out what I should pack. Similarly, if I am preaching at a church, I wait until the last minute before getting dressed, usually arriving just in time to walk onto the platform.
By not telling us the exact time and date of His coming, perhaps Jesus was being especially gracious to procrastinators like me. If Jesus had given us an exact date for His return, some people would no doubt waste much of their time, talents, and treasures on meaningless or trivial pursuits. They would wait until the last minute to prepare to meet the King of kings face to face.
When it comes to the Second Coming, we will not read an announcement in the newspaper the day before Christ’s return. You will not hear an anchorman declare on the evening news, “And tomorrow at five o’clock, Jesus Christ will return to earth in power and glory, with His holy angels, Film at eleven.”
Yet, if you listen carefully, you will hear prophetic “voices in the wilderness” proclaiming the message that Christ’s return is imminent. It is “gettin’ ready time.” This is no dress rehearsal, this is the real thing. Furthermore, we need to fall in love with Jesus now, and not wait until the last minute. If Jesus really is coming soon, how much more important it is that we get to know Him better, and that we center our lives around the things that are important to Him.
Years ago, an artist painted a scene in which a young woman was standing on a cliff, looking out to sea, her hand shading her eyes as she eagerly scanned the horizon, watching for the first sign of her husband’s returning ship. Her face is filled with love and desire, as though she is recalling exactly what he had promised her concerning his return and when she might expect to see him again. As she looks for his ship, she is already preparing a welcome for him in her heart.
Christians who truly love the Lord Jesus will have a similar attitude as we look for signs of His soon appearing. We should be recalling His every word, studying the Scriptures to help us remember what is important to our loving Lord, scanning the horizon, watching for hints that the time is drawing near, and preparing our hearts in anticipation.
(To Be Continued)
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 1
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 3
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 4
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 5
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 6
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 7
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 8
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 9
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 10
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 11
Excerpt from Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse
Published in 1998
CORRECT RAPTURE THEOLOGY: JIM IS RIGHT! HERE’S PROOF:
LAST TRUMPET THEOLOGY: 1st Cor 15:51,52-says that the resurrection of the dead in Christ comes at LAST TRUMPET. Rev 11:15-18- says that the blowing of 7th and “last trumpet” signifies “the time of the dead in Christ to be judged and rewarded for their service for the Lord.” (The Resurrection!)(Can’t reward’em without raising them from the dead… )
LAST DAY THEOLOGY: John 6:37-40 Jesus said He would resurrect believers at (or “on”-same word in Greek) the LAST DAY. Revelation 10:5-7 indicates that the blowing of the LAST TRUMPET also signifies that “TIME SHALL BE NO MORE” for the believers… Hence-the “LAST DAY” -of recorded time spoken of in John 6.
FIRST RESURRECTION THEOLOGY: Revelation 20:4-6 says plainly that the FIRST RESURRECTION comes AFTER the cruel reign of the Antichrist, and the beheading of many Christians. If that’s the first one, then which one is it talking about in 1st Thess 4:16-18 when it says that, “THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST,”(THE RESURRECTION)and then we which are still alive will follow AFTER in the RAPTURE, or “catching away?” It has to be speaking of the same resurrection, which comes AFTER the Antichrist’s reign; otherwise, the one in Rev 20 couldn’t be the FIRST ONE!(Also, it proves the rapture and resurrection are the same event! …not 7 years apart, and not BEFORE the Antichrist’s reign on earth. The dead are raised and we are “caught up” or “raptured” with them in one big event!) “CAUGHT UP” means “RAPTIO” in Latin. The word “RAPTURE” comes from this.
I have prayed and studied for over 25 years and written 2 books about the Tribulation. The key words to find in the scriptures to give understanding to what people call the “rapture” is THE LAST TRUMPET.
Many people get tribulation and wrath confused. Revelation chapter 11 shares a great deal about what takes place before God’s wrath.
I also believe that this is not caught away but to be caught up in the glory covering that Adam lost when he “fell”. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God is not a beginning of salvation scripture but directed to the completion of salvation; saved to the uttermost. We are to be changed into His likeness from glory to glory….
Dear Jim,
Forgive me for being so personal but I feel like I’ve know you for many years from PTL. Please understand, I am not approaching this subject, argumentively but would like for you to consider a couple of scriptures. In reference to Matt.24:36 we see that “no one knows” refering to man, not angels nor the Son. Here’s the order. Man, angels, the Son. In Rev.1:1 this order is reversed. The revelation came to Jesus, who made it known to his angel, who made it known to John. [man] Is not the book of Revelation, the revealing of the End of the Age? I’m not saying we will know the hour or day but is it possible to know the week, month or year. Paul wrote in 1Thess.5:1 “now about times and dates,” Verse 2, you know very well that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. Verse 4 is of most importance, is says, BUT YOU, brothers are NOT in DARKNESS so that THIS DAY should SURPRISE YOU like a thief. Paul writes in Chapter 4, concering the “coming of the Lord,” and in chapter 5 tell us, that this day should not catch us off guard, refering to the sons of light. Like Issachar, we must be able to decern the day in which we live. I want to thank you for writing on the subject of the Lord’s return. The Church needs to hear this message once again. For the harvest is the end of the age.[Matt 13:39] I am convinced that the parable of the ten virgins is the picture of the current church. My concern is for the five who will awaken to find they have no oil and the door to the wedding banquet will be closed. I will be praying with you for God to raise up many voices to help awaken the Church.
Pastor Jim,
Yes, our whole family is eagerly awaiting the return of the Lord. As it is written in 2 Timothy 4:8 there is a “crown of righteousness” in store for all those who have longed for His appearing! Please keep preaching the word to wake up the church so we can be one of the wise virgins.
God Bless
Bob