And they asked Him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? Luke 21:8
Large billboard signs had been erected in many areas of the United States proclaiming that the rapture would occur May 11th of 2011, and the world itself would come to an end on October 11th of the same year. The man who made this prediction, Harold Camping, had a huge following, and his adherents were making massive preparations for what they believed would happen that month. There were huge gatherings of people in joyous expectation of the event. Camping even had the time of day for the rapture figured out, according to his convoluted interpretations of Biblical numerology, although the time changed, depending on what day you asked him. His credibility was rather in doubt because he has also figured out that Jesus was actually Michael the archangel, and there is no real hell; perdition was invented as a way to scare people, he says. Was Camping right? Of course not. So, as the disciples asked, how will we know?
The answer, of course, is that we can’t know. Jesus makes that very plain when He says of that day and hour knoweth no man. That pretty much ruled out May 11, 2011 as the date of the rapture, with so many expecting it then. But while we can’t know the date of the rapture, we can look around us to see whether there are indications about things that will happen after the rapture. Let’s be clear, we can look for indications, but we can’t look for certainties. We just can’t know.
The Bible speaks of earthquakes in the end times. The most powerful earthquake yet recorded occurred a few short years ago in Japan. Does that mean the tribulation is near? Not necessarily. What about the prophecy of wars and rumours of wars? Lots of those these days! But no, there have always been wars and rumours. We must be careful about attributing the latest of these to a proof of end times. Apostasy and false doctrines abound, just as the prophets tell us will mark the last days. But they are not proof of the last days, either. We can watch for all of these things, and note them, and use them to remind ourselves that the days of our opportunity of service to our Lord are short. They also serve to remind us that none of these things need to come to pass before the rapture occurs. So we need to be found watching and working today.
The disciples were curious as to when Jesus’ prophecies will occur. So are we. And like the disciples, let us ever be aware that His prophecies are sure, regardless of our inability to know the time. -Jim MacIntosh