Judgment Day timing
From PhiloWiki
The Bible made it clear that the Second Coming of Jesus would arrive during the lifetimes of some of those who were then living.
- "The revelation...which God gave to show...the things which must [dei] [2] shortly take place." [Rev 1:1]
- "He [Jesus] is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him... Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you [the church at Pergamum] quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth... [To the church at Thyatira] hold fast until I [Jesus] come... Because you [the church at Philadelphia] have kept the word of my perseverance, I will keep you from the hour of testing which is about to come [mello] [3] upon the whole world...I am coming quickly...hold fast what you [Philadelphia] have." [Rev 1:7; 2:16; 2:25; 3:10-11]
- "...God...sent His angel to show...the things which must shortly take place...I am coming quickly...do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near...I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done...Yes, I am coming quickly...Come Lord Jesus." [Rev 22:6,7,10,12,20]
- "Come now, you rich [those living at the time this letter was written], weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you...It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure... Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand... ...Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. " [James 5:1,3,7-9]
- "...In these last days... ...He [Jesus] would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. [4] ...As you [the first century Christians being addressed] see the day drawing near... ...For yet a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay." [Hebrews 1:2; 9:26; 10:25,37]
- "...The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is soon [mello] to be revealed to us..." [Romans 8:18]
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Christian views
- Resources are needed. Feel free to find and add resources.
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Secular views
- Many evangelical Christians tremble with excitement at the thought that they are the "last generation" and "Jesus is due to return soon." Others are less excitable and propose that Jesus' "return" might still be far off. Neither view appears to be correct judging by the plain words of the New Testament - words that armies of theologians have spent centuries trying to divide up and "conquer," or in this case, "explain away."
- " Those who think that the Bible is above situation ethics might find the following worth pondering. In 1 Corinthians 7:20-31, Paul appears to believe that the end of the world is around the corner. In the context of that conviction, the following advice is given: "Every one should remain in the state in which he was called" (1 Cor. 7:20 RSV). Paul elaborates:
- I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. But if you marry, you do not sin.... Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. [1 Cor. 7:26-31]
- It turned out that Paul's judgement of the historical situation was in error. The end was not around the corner, and his miscalculation made his situational advice less than useful. Human miscalculation is one of the weaknesses of situation ethics; but it is a weakness inherent in finite human nature -- and it is finite human nature that pervades biblical thought."
