Steve Pappas

It is year 2,001. Many people thought the world might end at the beginning of last year. Thirty years ago, some were predicting by 1988. Others don’t specify a year but assure us that the end, a period of tribulation, a "rapture," a resurrection of the saved dead and fearful things will soon befall the world, or that kingdoms of the world will soon topple and Christ will set up a peaceful reign over the earth. There is a series of books that dramatizes a world in which people are "left behind" following a "rapture."

These and related thoughts are not new to this century. Millenial views in the 19^th century were foundations of several movements from William Miller’s (Seventh Day Adventists) calculations that Christ would return October 22, 1844 and Charles Russel’s (Jehovah’s Witnesses) prediction that Christ would return in 1874, to general premillenial views that spread mostly among protestant denominations.

With respect, consideration and love intended to those who have been influenced by these ideas in recent times, and a knowledge from this writer’s past that these ideas are used in good conscience in effort to prepare others for Christ’s coming, it is asserted here that misunderstanding of the simple nature of final things has caused disillusionment with God’s word or man’s ability to understand it when predictions that are part of these views repeatedly don’t come to pass. It is the goal here to minimize that damage to the faith of many. The following points are made with as few words as possible interjected by this writer, so as to let God’s word teach its simple truth, rather than join the ranks of others by adding too many words of uninspired men, such as myself. One preacher made the point years ago that there are some things that we have to have help to misunderstand.

On the subject of the expectation of Christ’s return, nearly all who believe God’s word expect the Messiah to return again. The following establishes simply the foundation with which few would disagree on this subject. Scriptures used are from the New International Version and not intended to be exhaustive. Other related scriptures will be used in subsequent writings.

I. Jesus said He would come.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory." (Matthew 25:31).

"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’ (John 21:20-23).

"They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’" (Acts 1:10-11).

III. An apostle inspired by the Holy Spirit said He would return.

"According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

These are not exhaustive, but are the most straightforward scriptures about a visible return of the Messiah. When wild interpretations occur, they are usually based on less straightforward scriptures, or those that are not at all referring to the Messiah’s return. Subsequent monologues will discuss what we should expect when the Messiah returns.