Date-Setting?

The New Year often brings with it questions about whether or not this could be the year of Christ's appearing in the air to rapture His church. Well, of course it could!!

But, other questions get confused with this. The film "2012" and conversations about the Mayan calendar have caused some to ask the question this way - "Could this be the end of the world?". Let me give a guarantee - neither this year nor 2012 will be the end of the world. From today, there will at least be the seventieth week of Daniel (7 years) plus the millennial kingdom of Messiah (1,000 years) before the world will end. In addition to that 1007 years, there will be whatever time between now and when the 70th week begins, which is unknown, plus at least a 75 day interval between the 70th week and the millennial kingdom (compare Revelation 13:6 with Daniel 12:11-12). Revelation 20:11 and Second Peter 3:10 describe "the end of the world" as the supernatural judgment of God rather than man-made self-destruction.

Another confusion is demonstrated when the question is phrased, "Will Jesus return this year?". We should ask, "Could He?". But, "will He?" or "must He"? We do not know. Be suspicious of anyone who "sets" a date or says this "must" be the time - he/she may be guilty of the sin of presumption/false prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:22). Setting a date is very specific, measurable, and, if wrong, tends to put a "black eye" on the face of all believers in Christ. There is no biblical command against date-setting, but there are abundant warnings against foolishness and presumption.

Matthew 24:42-44 is not a prohibition of wondering, guessing, or even date-setting. It is a statement of the reality that no one knows the day of Christ's return ending the 70th week of Daniel (cp. Daniel 9:27 with Revelation 19:20). It is not a reference to the rapture of the church, although the principle of not knowing can be indirectly applied to the rapture of the church if one just tries to do the math from an unknown reference point.

First Thessalonians 5:2ff. is not a prohibition either. Nor are Matthew 24:42-44 and First Thessalonians 5:2ff. valid cross-references to one another. Jesus and Paul are talking about different, though not unrelated, issues. Paul is asserting that the Day of the Lord will come suddenly and unexpectedly on the unsaved world, but not on believers who should constantly be living in expectation of the rapture (cp. 4:16-18 with 5:4-11) and therefore are not surprised. This is further evidence that the "day" of Revelation 6:17 must already be taking place prior to the statement in 6:17, because the unsaved of the earth are hiding in caves expecting the wrath of Christ upon them, but when the Day of the Lord begins it comes upon the lost as a "thief" according to First Thessalonians 5:2ff., not while they are hiding in the mountains, but while they are saying "peace and safety".

Guesses or desires are not in themselves bad things. What can become a problem is one asserting too definitively what one does not in fact know. Rather than mocking guessers, believers would do well to take these conversations as Gospel opportunities.

May this New Year be one for each of us who knows Jesus Christ, of "fighting the good fight", "finishing the course", "keeping the faith", and "loving His appearing" (Second Timothy 4:7-8).