{"id":3927,"date":"2018-05-18T22:00:12","date_gmt":"2018-05-19T02:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=3927"},"modified":"2026-05-30T12:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T16:10:22","slug":"reflections-on-the-timing-of-christs-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/reflections-on-the-timing-of-christs-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections on the Timing of Christ’s Return (68)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Reflections on the Timing of Christ\u2019s Return<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/strong><\/p>

By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>

~ A Saturday Morning Post #68 ~

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I think a lot about the timing of Christ\u2019s return. Why shouldn\u2019t I, and why shouldn\u2019t you? Look at what the Bible tells us. Mark 13:23<\/strong> says, \u201cBut take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance,\u201d<\/em> meaning that God has told you and I specific things that will take place before His Son\u2019s return, and wants us to be anticipating them. Matthew 24:34<\/strong> instructs us, \u201cThis generation will not pass away until all these things take place,\u201d<\/em> meaning that a very large number of people living in the end-times will be observing all these events<\/a> predicting Christ\u2019s coming. Hebrews 10:25<\/strong> says we are to be \u201c\u2026encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near,\u201d<\/em> meaning that Christians alive in the years leading up to Christ\u2019s coming, will be able to see, to sense and discern, that the day of Christ and the rapture are getting closer, and are to tell others.

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1 Thessalonians 5:4<\/strong> says, \u201cBut you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief,\u201d<\/em> meaning that Christians on this earth are not to be caught off guard and surprised by Christ\u2019s coming and the rapture, but they are to be expecting it<\/a> and looking forward to it. Romans 13:11<\/strong> warned the first century believers, \u201cDo this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed,\u201d<\/em> meaning that salvation, that is, glorification, was near, was not far off back then, and how much more so is it today, 2000 years later?

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Luke 2:38<\/strong> is describing godly first century believers when it speaks of \u201call those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/em> Aren\u2019t they to be examples to us of how we are to be looking for Christ\u2019s coming? Yes, yes they are. 1 Chronicles 12:32 <\/strong>speaks of the \u201cmen of Issachar who understood the times, and knew what Israel should do.\u201d<\/em> Their example is also instructive, for as we realize God\u2019s prophetic word is coming true, then we should be telling others how they are to live in light of Christ\u2019s return.

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These verses fire up my heart, for God has ordained and planned that you and I would be alive at this time in history, in the end-times, and it won\u2019t be long now before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. It is very, very near,<\/a> for God is working with the Jews, prophesied events are coming true, we can see the day of Christ getting closer; and we are not to be surprised. Let me make some other observations about the timing of Christ\u2019s coming.

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1. The rapture is not imminent, meaning it cannot happen at any moment, at any time, for many God-predicted signs still need to happen before it takes place, and we\u2019re taken up.
2. No one but God knows the exact time of Christ\u2019s return, but we can know the general time. As we see these predicted events fulfilled, our hearts will be instructed and greatly stirred, for then we will realize that Christ\u2019s coming is getting closer, and that we will soon see Him face to face.
3. God is working every day, divinely ordaining, powerfully orchestrating, and wisely overseeing people\u2019s lives, bringing about all these events<\/a> that need to occur, leading to that specific and climactic time when He sends Jesus Christ back to earth.
4. Many prophecy passages speak of these events, Matthew 24<\/a> being the best, for it tells us 20 different things that will take place before the rapture. Here are some of them: wars, earthquakes, famines, great tribulation, persecution, increasing sin, preaching the gospel to the world, betrayal, the Antichrist revealed, cosmic signs, etc.
5. Since the Jews<\/a> are back in their land, then we know we live in the end-times, and therefore Christ\u2019s coming is very, very soon. You may have recently heard that Jerusalem became the official capital of Israel. This may be a key event leading to the treaty between the Antichrist and the Jews (Daniel 9:27), another indication that Christ’s return is at hand.
6. Christ is coming soon, and that\u2019s because He says so: \u201cBehold, I am coming soon\u201d<\/em> (Revelation 22:7). But the fact that this age has been going on for thousands of years, and the fact that we now live in the end-times of this age means He is coming very, very soon. An NFL football game lasts for 60 minutes, but we know it\u2019s about over when the two-minute warning sounds. That we live in the end-times is our two-minute warning.
7. I also believe Christ\u2019s coming is still many years<\/a> away, even though we know it\u2019s very, very soon. The reason I say many years, is because I think it\u2019s going to take some time for the events mentioned in point 4 to come to pass. I will explain this in more detail next week.

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Let me close by giving you a personal perspective. In the early \u201870\u2019s, about 45 years ago, I and many other Christians were convinced that Christ would come back in our lifetimes. But after studying the subject of prophecy for the past 25 years, and knowing all that still needs to be fulfilled, I just don\u2019t believe I will be here on earth at Christ\u2019s coming and the rapture. (I am 65). I sure wish I were here, but I can\u2019t see it. Regardless of our age, let\u2019s remember these words, \u201cFor yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay\u201d <\/em>(Hebrews 10:37). \u201cAmen. Come, Lord Jesus.\u201d<\/em> Revelation 22:20

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P.S. I added a drop down menu for Archives, the purpose being to enable you to locate past posts by subject.<\/a> Check this out, for it will greatly help you in your study of particular prophecy subjects.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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