Date-setting: What should we all know about this?
All my adult life of over a half century I’ve known of people who predicted dates over one thing or another. Sometimes they’d say they had “a word from the Lord” concerning something like that. In every case, it all proved to be false. It was all just a presumption or something of that sort on their part. They did not receive some special revelation about a coming date of Christ’s return or anything else. It seems that every generation has some of these people making their predictions. They may be sincere or insincere but either way they are wrong in what they say. But hasn’t the Bible warned us about these people? Among others, the apostle Peter makes some clear statements about all this.
2 Peter 2:1-2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. [Emphasis added]
Even though Peter was an apostle to Israel so many centuries ago, these things still go on today. The apostle Paul warns about the kind of people that will live in the last days of this present Dispensation of Grace of which we are a part of today.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [Emphasis added]
I could give some names of people who’ve been guilty of all this, but instead I want to give you the principles so that whoever comes along doing this you’ll know what to think about it. Every generation has had some people who are like this. Paul’s letting us know that right down to the end of this present age of grace of which we are a part this will continue. We’re NOT going to somehow enter some kind of utopian age where these things don’t go on. These things will go on all the way to the time of the Rapture, as well as the time leading up to the Second Coming. Only Jesus Christ is positioned to bring on world peace and before He does He’ll bring on worldwide judgment. Here we have some of Peter’s comments about this in what we know to be his last recorded words. What he says is especially related to the time of extreme tribulation leading up to Christ’s return to the Earth to set up His kingdom.
2 Peter 3:3-13
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack [BRADUNO = slow] concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering [MAKROTHUMEO = patient] to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we [regenerate Israel], according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [Emphasis added]
Again, all you’ve just read in that passage occurs in the coming time known as the Tribulation period that comes immediately before Christ’s return to the Earth to establish His promised Earthly kingdom for Israel. [Emphasis added]
So, when can the people of the World expect this to occur? The first thing I want to mention about all this is the credibility factor. When believers get involved in making predictions [date-setting], it contributes to the destruction of their credibility and, most importantly, that of the Bible. For instance, the apostle Paul made it clear that the prophets of old knew nothing about the Rapture and, therefore, they wrote nothing about it. I mention the Rapture first because this is the next big event on God’s timeline. When Scripture calls it “a mystery” that means it was a secret the prophets of old knew absolutely nothing about.
1 Corinthians 15:50-53
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery [MUSTERION = secret]; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [Emphasis added]
When this change in our body occurs, we’ll then be taken up to meet the Lord in the air. The dead in Christ will be resurrected first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. [Emphasis added]
For more information about this event please see my other articles about it—
Rapture: What is the meaning of this term?
Rapture: How is this different from the Second Coming?
There’s also at least one video about all this—
#12 ~ The Rapture – The next really great event in history.
Therefore, this event should never be a source of terror for any believer. Instead, we should all be comforted, even excited to know about these things. Furthermore, I assure you that whatever “important plans” you may have for the time in which this occurs are all going to be seen as totally insignificant and unimportant in comparison to this. All these promised events of Scripture ARE going to be fulfilled perfectly despite anything the scoffers say about it. Every generation has them and they’re all to be ignored.
2 Peter 3:3-4
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. [Emphasis added]
Isn’t this spoken by some in every generation? But does this somehow prove this won’t happen? Not at all! Only fools think otherwise. The Rapture WILL occur and approximately seven years later Christ WILL return to the Earth to establish His promised earthly kingdom. All the critics will then be proven wrong.
Conclusion—
Never trust ANYONE who claims they know when either the Rapture or the Second Coming will occur. Save yourself from the embarrassment that will come when you find out they were wrong. History is littered with the names of many who made claims that were false. The words our Lord spoke about His return to the Earth to establish His kingdom apply to the Rapture just as well in this sense. We are not to make predictions about either of these events.
Matthew 24:35-36, 42
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Then He repeats Himself later in that same passage.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [Emphasis added]
Every generation has had people who made their incorrect predictions. Never let yourself be one of them! Both the Rapture and the Second Coming will certainly happen, but no one knows the day or the hour.
