Jesus Will Return When All Have Heard

Will All Nations Be Reached Before Christ Returns?

Transcript of the audio Today’s question comes from a listener called Zach, who has a very critical mission question. “Greetings, Pastor John! Your book, Let the Nations Be Glad, has been a favorite of mine and a friend’s. It has been a gift to both of us as we continue to fulfill our respective missions duties. Thank you very much. My question is if Christians will be required to reach every unreached people group, or at the very least every unengaged unreached people group, before the Second Coming of Jesus takes place.

Furthermore, the Bible clearly states that Jesus might appear at any time.

So please don’t expect me to speak with the same degree of forcefulness that I would with other teachings that are more evident to me as we progress through the course of this discussion.

‘Then the End Will Come’

My interpretation of the Bible is that Jesus plainly instructed us to make disciples of all peoples, tribes, and languages of the globe. I would explain my idea in the following way: (Matthew 28:19; Revelation 5:9). In order to accomplish this, he provided us with his Holy Spirit and strength (Acts 1:8). He vowed to stay with us “till the end of the age” in order to accomplish this goal (Matthew 28:20). As for the end, he stated it will come — that is, when the duty of testifying to all of the nations was completed — and he would arrive (Matthew 24:14).

When the Lord returns, those who have become complacent will be caught off guard and utterly destroyed.
I’m not even close to being there.
Hear me out: there is a great deal of uncertainty.
Because the Bible does not describe the nations who are to be reached in any detail, it is difficult to claim with certainty that the end will arrive when the task is completed, yet I am stating it nevertheless.
“And then the end will come.”

Any Day Now?

To that end, the most important statement in Zach’s question, which I must address, is this: “It appears to me that the disciples lived as though they expected Jesus would return at any time, and the Bible clearly speaks of Jesus coming at any time.” Now, despite the fact that both of those assertions are commonly recognized, I do not agree with them. I believe that the apostles and Jesus both preached and acted as if they anticipated a substantial delay in Jesus’s return, rather than as if he could appear at any time and take their place.

The fact is that whole volumes have been written to explain both sides of this subject, and I have less than ten minutes left to do it.
So allow me to offer a few scriptural guidelines to get you started.
In Matthew 24:5–8, Jesus spoke about the period following his death and resurrection: “Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ,” and they will lead many astray.” And you’ll hear about wars and rumors of wars all the time.
In fact, nations will rise up against one another and kingdoms against one another, and there will be famines and earthquakes all across the world.
Now, that does not seem at all like Jesus is saying, “As soon as I go, I may come back at any time,” since he has everything planned out before he arrives.

To the contrary, it appears to me that Jesus went out of his way to dissuade those who lived in his day from believing that the end would come immediately or any minute after he died.

Faraway Country

According to Luke 19:11–12, “As soon as they heard these things, he started to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and because they believed that the kingdom of God would emerge shortly,” he told a parable. As a result, he is fixing a timing error. Afterwards, he continues, “A nobleman traveled to a distant place in order to gain a kingdom for himself and then return.” So, what exactly is the objective of this? The notion is that Jesus’ departure, his ascension into heaven, is analogous to a nobleman traveling to a distant land and then returning.

He used the phrase farcountry specifically to dissuade them from believing that he would arrive immediately.
This is how Paul responded when faced with a similar misperception in Thessalonica about how soon the second coming of Christ would take place:Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him.
In addition, you are aware of what is preventing him from being exposed until the appropriate moment.
2:1, 3, 6, and 8 (II Thessalonians 2:1, 3, 6, and 8) I don’t understand how Paul could say anything like that and expect the Thessalonians to think that Jesus may arrive that day.

Stay Spiritually Vigilant

How should I interpret Jesus’ comments, such as those found in Matthew 25:13 (“Be on the lookout; for you do not know what day or hour it is”) and Luke 12:40 (“You too must be prepared, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not anticipate”). In light of this, I believe it is necessary for believers throughout history to maintain a spiritually vigilant and watchful attitude, never allowing themselves to become drunk with worldliness or indifference to the Lord’s coming. It is possible that people in any generation may become so spiritually enamored that they are completely unaware of how suddenly things may develop in order to bring about the Lord’s second coming.

Stay spiritually aware at all times, then.

Make sure you’re prepared.

Keep yourself busy with your Lord’s job so that he will find you to be sufficiently engaged when he comes.” Maintain vigilance and readiness.

“Take care of the affairs of your Lord.” Now, when the New Testament says things like “the coming of the Lord is near” or “behold, the Judge is standing at the door” (James 5:8–9), the point is not that he will open the gates immediately, but that we should not assume that he will delay, as if we could do whatever we pleased while waiting for him to open.

We have no control over his arrival. He has arrived at the gates. He has complete control over how he opens them. He has complete control over the time.

Seek the Holy Spirit’s Power

What I believe is the most important word for us to all agree on here, whatever eschatology we believe in — and I have some really close friends who disagree with me on this — is the word “final.” My father did not perceive things in the same manner that I am currently articulating them. I adore my father to the point of death, and I believe he is now in paradise, cheering me on. I’m not sure if he agrees with me at this point or not. I sincerely hope he does. What we can all agree on is Acts 1:7–8, which states that all who love Christ and his mission, who love the cross, who love the gospel, and who love Christ’s second coming are united in their love for him.

But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive authority, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and throughout Judea and Samaria, as well as to the ends of the earth.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

(14)It must be preached throughout the entire globe. They must not be stretched beyond the meaning that they would have for those who heard them, and they were certain to see in “all the world” (literally, the inhabited earth, as in Luke 2:1; Acts 11:28) neither more nor less than the Roman empire; and it was true, as a matter of fact, that there was hardly a province of the empire in which the faith of Christ had not been preached before the destruction of Jerusalem.

A special emphasis should be placed on the words “a testimony unto all thenations,” that is, to all the Gentiles, as an implicit endorsement of the mission for which St.
Taken together, the statements pave the path for Jesus’ tremendous mission as outlined in Matthew 28:19.
When we say “the gospel,” we are referring to the good news of the advent of the Messiah’s kingdom, which we refer to as “that God was in Christ reconciling the world into himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
The world(e)n o percent lh”” th = “” oi)koume/nh””, in all of inhabited earth).
Prior to the conquest of Jerusalem, the gospel had been spread over all of the known territories of the world.
Paul’s, we may conclude that only a few regions of the Roman realm were left unexplored by the apostles.
Every country under heaven, according to St.

He himself traveled with it to Arabia, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Illyricum, Rome, and Spain, among other places (seeRomans 15:19, 24, 28;Galatians 1:17;Philippians 1:13, etc.).

This was done so that both Jews and Gentiles would have an equal opportunity to accept or reject Christ.

If the gospel message conveyed in this manner featured this utterance of our Lord’s, the fulfillment of the prophesies would lead to believe in him, and the gospel message would only fail to win acceptance because of indomitable prejudice or deliberate perversity.

And then, when all of these signs, particularly the last one, have manifested themselves, the end will come, first and foremost for Jerusalem, then for this planet and then for this generation.

We know that there was no widespread national conversion during the primordial period, despite the possibility of widespread individual conversion.

The failure of these efforts at global evangelizing has been a somber source of concern.

(See also Luke 18:8).

Greek AndΚαὶ(Kai)Conjunction Strong’s 2532 (Strong’s 2532): And, in addition, specifically.

gospelεὐαγγέλιον(euangelion) Noun – Nominative Neuter SingularStrong’s 2098: Noun – Nominative Neuter Singular The gospel, which is derived from the same root as euaggelizo, is considered to be a good message.

In addition to using the feminine he and the neuter to in all of their inflections; the definite article; and the phrase “the kingdom” (basileias) Female Genitive Form of a Noun Preaching of SingularStrong’s 932:From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e.

κηρυχθήσεται(kērychthēsetai) Verb – Indicative of the Future 3rd Person Passive Voice To announce, herald, or preach is the definition of SingularStrong’s 2784.

the whole (hol)Adjective – Dative Feminine SingularStrong’s 3650: the whole, the entire, the full package A fundamental word that means ‘whole’ or ‘all,’ i.e.

theτῇ(tē) Strong’s 3588:the, the definite article.

worldοἰκουμένῃ(oikoumenē) In the case of a noun, the Dative Feminine Singular is Strong’s 3625: oikeo is a feminine participle present passive of oikeo, which refers to the land, i.e.

asεἰς(eis) 1519:A main preposition; a preposition that refers to a location, a period of time, or a goal; used in adverbial phrases.

evidence provided or the Decalogue.

Including all of the declensions; appearing to be a fundamental word; all, any, every, the entire collection.

and (kai)ConjunctionStrong’s 2532: and, even more importantly, specifically.then τότε(tote) AdverbStrong’s 5119 is as follows: Then, at that point in time.

This includes all of the inflections of the feminine he as well as the neuter to; the definite article; and the.

will manifest itself.

Arrive is a basic verb, which means to be present.

Matthew 24:14 Bible Reference Paralela Chinese Version of Matthew 24:14 French translation of Matthew 24:14 in the Bible Matthew 24:14 Catholic BibleNT Gospels: Matthew 24:14 Matthew 24:14 This Good News of the Kingdom will be spread throughout the world (Matt. Mat Mt)

Will Jesus Not Return Until Everyone Has Heard the Gospel?

In my early childhood, I was told that Jesus would not come until the entire world had heard the Good News of Jesus. This seems a little too good to be true, doesn’t it? Answer:Yes, there is some truth to what you’re saying. Specifically, according to Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the entire globe as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.” There are many awful things that will take place in the future, apocalyptic occurrences that will herald the end of time, as Jesus has just described in detail.

Will Jesus come again when everyone has heard the gospel?

I am confident that Jesus Christ will return once the gospel has been preached to everyone. Right? Well, a lot of individuals at school believe that the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. What is the source of this statement?

Answer:

The day and hour of that event are unknown to anybody, including the angels of heaven, save for My Father (Matthew 24:36). Consider how many individuals claim to know more than Jesus. Isn’t it remarkable that so many people claim to know more than Jesus? Only the Father knows when the world will come to an end, according to Jesus. I would have to infer that anyone who makes a forecast about the exact time the world would come to an end is telling the truth. Jack Van Impe is a false prophet who is believed to be one of the sources of the year 2012’s date.

Many of these dates have since gone, and he has lately suggested that the year 2012 may be the year of the second coming.
In addition, when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing that the LORD has not stated; the prophet has uttered it presumptuously; you must not be terrified of him (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
This is another prominent source of information.
Take a look at “There are 220 possible dates for the end of the world!
“for a partial list of options When it comes to Jesus’ return, the following is what you are referring to: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the globe as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
It is natural to assume that Jesus is referring to the end of the world, yet there have been other things that have come to an end as well.
Because I have written a lengthy post on this subject, rather than duplicating it here, please see “Understanding Matthew 24.” What Jesus foretold did come to fruition.

” For this reason, because of the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard about before, and which has been brought to you, as it has been brought to everyone else in the world, and which is bearing fruit, as it has been bearing fruit in your midst since the day you heard and recognized the truth of God’s grace” (Colossians 1:5-6).

Because He must reign until all of His adversaries have been crushed under His feet.

Death will be the last adversary to be defeated in this battle ” (I Corinthians 15:24-26). Consequently, the end will occur after Jesus has defeated death, which is rational because the end is when all of the dead will rise to be judged.

What Does the Bible Say About the Second Coming of Jesus?

When will Jesus return to earth? What is the Great Tribulation, and how does it work? What happened to those who lived before to the birth of Jesus
Those who will be evaluated in the Final Judgment are as follows: What are the telltale signals that the end is approaching
What is the sequence of events that will take place at the end times
What will be the end of the world
Will individuals get a second chance to repent and be saved when Jesus returns? Do we believe that we are living in the latter days?

Introduction Jesus Will Return in Power and Glory When Will Jesus Return to Earth? Prepare for the worst! Resurrection Conclusions and Recommendations The Creation of a New Heaven and Earth Topics that are not specifically related to one another The Antichrist is a figure who appears to be a threat to the world. The Time of the Great Tribulation The millennium is upon us. The apocalypse In popular culture, the Second Coming is referred to as

Introduction

According to the Bible, Jesus will return eventually, and the world as we know it will come to an end at that time. There are many different beliefs and perspectives concerning the end of the world, but the Bible only provides a few specifics about what will happen. The Bible does not provide a clear response to the majority of issues. We are instead encouraged to be spiritually prepared for judgment at any time and to place our faith in God, knowing that He will make things right in the end.

Jesus Will Come Again

A continuous process of redemption is depicted in the Bible as God’s redemptive effort. Throughout the Old Testament, He directs His chosen people in the direction of righteousness and truth. Jesus’ first arrival marked the beginning of the last phase of the process of salvation, which would climax in the events surrounding His Second Coming. A final judgment will be passed on all persons, alive and dead, at the end of time. The devout will be given new spiritual bodies in preparation for eternal life, while the wicked will be sent into hell for their sins.

The kingdom of God will be brought to completion at some point in the future.

You put your faith in God; now put your faith in me.

If this were not the case, I would inform you straight away.’ When everything is finished, I will come and pick you up so that you will always be with me no matter where I happen to be.” (New Living Translation, John 14:1-4) Associated scriptures include: Matthew 23:39, Luke 18:8, John 14:18, 28-29, Acts 1:11, 3:12-21, 1 Corinthians 11:26, Philippians 4:5, Colossians 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 5:23, 2 Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28, James 5:7-9, 2 Peter 1:16, Revelation 3:11, 22:12, 22:20, Revelation

When Will Jesus Come Again?

Many events that will take place before to the Second Coming of Christ, and which will serve as indicators that the end is close, are described in the Bible. There will be wars, famines, earthquakes, false prophets, persecutions, and an increase in evil, to name just a few things. First and foremost, the Gospel must be preached to all countries. The temple in Jerusalem would be completely demolished. However, the temple was ultimately demolished by the Romans in 70 AD. Many of Jesus’ disciples believed that He would return within their lives, and this anticipation was confirmed by multiple passages in the Bible, including: “In all seriousness, I assure you that this generation will not pass away until all things have taken happened.

There has never been a wholly adequate explanation to these discrepancies in the Bible, and the timetable of the Second Coming has been a source of heated discussion among Christians since the beginning of time.

Keep your wits about you!

You have no way of knowing when that moment will arrive.” (New International Version, Mark 13:32-33) The event, when it occurs, will be rapid and unexpected: As a result, you must be prepared as well, for the Son of Man will arrive at a time when you do not anticipate him to arrive.

There have been a plethora of prophecies that the Second Coming of Christ is on the horizon. Everyone has been proven incorrect. Verses that are related: Matthew 16:27-28, 24:1-51, 26:24, Mark 9:1, 13:1-36, 14:62, Luke 9:26-27, 21:5-36, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Revelation 1:7.

Be Prepared!

Because no one knows when Jesus will return for the last judgment, we must continually be on the lookout for his return. This concept is made explicitly in Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), and a number of other of His sayings reinforce this point as well. Verses that are related: Matthew 24:42-51, Mark 8:38, 13:33-37, Luke 9:26, 12:35-47, 21:34-36, 2 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 1:17, 13, 4:13, 2 Peter 3:10-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3.

Resurrection

Everyone who has ever lived will be brought back to life in some way in order to stand trial alongside those who are still alive at the end of time: Without a doubt, I say to you, the hour has come, and it is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear him will live. Due to the fact that the Father possesses life in himself, He has also provided the Son the ability to posses life in himself, and He has delegated to Him the authority to execute judgment as well, since He is the Son of Man.

John 5:25-29 (New King James Version) Associated verses: Mark 12:18-27, Luke 14:12-14, Acts 4:2, 17:18, 29-32, 23:6; 24:15-16,21, Romans 4:17, 5:17, 6:5, 8, 8:11, 11:15, 1 Corinthians 6:14-15, 15:23, 2 Corinthians 1:9, 4:14, 5:1-10, Philippians 3:10-11, 21, Colossians 1:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2

Final Judgment

We have every chance to repent while we are still alive, or until Jesus returns to take us home to be with Him (change our ways from evil to good). However, at the end of the day, we shall all be judged. Everyone, both the living and the dead who have been resurrected, shall be subjected to God’s judgment. Even individuals who claim Christianity will be evaluated on the basis of the acts they have committed during their lives (Matthew 7:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:10). All of those who have led good lives will be awarded eternal life, while those who have lived evil lives will be sentenced to an eternity of suffering (Matthew 5:29-30, 25:31-46, Mark 9:43-48).

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the physical body and at home with the Lord rather than in the flesh.

Because we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may get what is due him for the things he has done while in the body, whether good or bad, while we are alive.

The same will be true in the case of the resurrection of the dead.

1 Peter 4:1-6, Jude 1:14-15, Revelation 2:20-23, 20:11-15, 22:12-13, 2 Peter 4:1-6, Jude 1:14-15 More information may be found in this article: What does the Bible teach about salvation?

The New Heaven and Earth

The ultimate effect of the Second Coming will be the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to those who have believed in Him. In the end, Satan will be annihilated, and sin, pain, and death will all be eliminated from the world. And the devil, who had misled them, was cast into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had previously been cast. They will be tortured day and night for the rest of their lives. (New International Version, Revelation 20:10) “Just as the weeds are plucked out and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.’ ” It is the Son of Man who will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that leads to sin and everyone who is wicked in nature.

Then, in the kingdom of their Father, the righteous will shine brightly like the sun.
It appeared to me that the Holy City, or the new Jerusalem, was descending down from heaven from God, prepared like a bride who had been exquisitely clothed for her husband.
Each and every tear will be wiped from their eyes by him.
(New International Version, Revelation 21:1-4) Matthew 8:11, 19:28-30; Mark 14:25; Luke 13:29; John 14:2-3; Romans 8:18-21; 16:20; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10; 13:8-13; 15:20-26; 45-49; Colossians 3:4; Revelation 7:14-17; 11:15; 19:19-20; 22:1-5;

Miscellaneous Topics

Some issues are mentioned in the Bible on a less frequent basis than the topics listed above, but they may give further insight into the events leading up to Jesus’ Second Coming. In part because these themes are not thoroughly described in the Bible, a variety of diverse interpretations have developed, many of which go well beyond any biblical foundations.

The Antichrist

(See also 1 John 2:18, 22, 4:3, and 2 John 1:7) The antichrist is defined as one who lies and deceives, denying that Jesus is the Christ. (See also 1 John 2:18, 22, 4:3, and 2 John 1:7) As at the time of the writing of 1 and 2 John, toward the end of the first century, numerous antichrists were claimed to be already existing in the world, according to traditional interpretation. It is unclear whether there will be another antichrist, but it is possible that his spirit is currently prevalent in the globe.

One or more groups have attempted to transform Bible predictions into propaganda at various points in history by announcing their own interpretations of the identity of the antichrist.

Such accusations, on the other hand, appear to be founded on little more than prejudice and hostility. The Bible provides no hints as to the identification of the antichrist and does not promote conjecture regarding his or her identity.

The Great Tribulation

The Severe Tribulation (Revelation 7:14) is a period of great suffering and anguish that will come in connection with the Second Coming of Christ. It will last for three years. It is frequently seen as a fulfillment of the prophesy of Daniel 9:24-27, which is found in the Old Testament. Psalms 2:1-12, Matthew 24:15-51, Mark 13:14-25, Revelation 9:1-11, 16:13-16 are examples of related scriptures.

The Millennium

Before the last judgment, the Millennium (Revelation 20:1-10) is depicted as a thousand-year era during which Satan is restrained and the resurrected believers reign with Christ before the end of the world. The Bible makes no other explicit reference of the millennium other than this one. Among Christians, there is a considerable deal of disagreement concerning the nature of the millennium, and ideas about it may be divided into numerous categories:

Those who believe in amillennialism see the millennium as a metaphor of our current period, in which the Church continues Christ’s ministry and the bound of Satan has already been completed by Jesus in the past. It holds that the millennium will be a future era during which the gospel message will abolish evil from the globe and Christ will rule spiritually for a thousand years before the Second Coming. Those who believe in premillennialism believe that the millennium will be a thousand-year era between the Second Coming and the last judgment. There are two subtypes of premillennialism that may be distinguished:

Premillennialism, as practiced historically, sees the millennium as the next step in the expansion of God’s reign, after the current era of the Church and preceding the appearance of the new heavens and earth. Dispensationalism considers the millennium to be a time period during which the promises made to the people of Israel in the Old Testament would be fulfilled. According to this point of view:

Israel’s establishment as a sovereign state in 1948 is evidence that the Second Coming of Christ is coming. Christian believers will be rescued before the Great Tribulation begins (see below), allowing them to avoid the wrath of God during that time of misery

The Rapture

The Rapture (as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) is the departure of faithfulChristians (the Church) to meet the Lord in the air, according to the Bible. In terms of when the Rapture will take place, there are three theories:

Before the start of the Tribulation, the rapture occurs when John ascends to heaven (Revelation 4:1-2)
During the Tribulation, the rapture occurs when the two prophets ascend to heaven (Revelation 11:11-12)
After the Tribulation, the rapture occurs when the two prophets ascend to heaven (Revelation 20:11-12)
And after the Tribulation, the rapture occurs when the two prophets ascend to heaven (Revelation 21:11-12). The rapture will take place at the conclusion of the seven bowls (Revelation 16:17-21).

The Second Coming in Popular Culture

In recent years, the second coming of Jesus, the Rapture, and other Bible prophesies have produced a large business dedicated to these topics. The Late Great Planet Earth, written by Hal Lindsey in 1970, as well as the Left Behindseries by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, have been at the vanguard of this movement. Other resources include websites, television evangelists, lecture series, movies, and videos, among other things. In certain cases, Bible prophesies are embellished with inventive and colorful embellishments that are mixed with modern political and social views.

The Bible has something to say regarding the Rapture, which you can read about here.

Is Jesus’ return imminent? Is the gospel preached to all nations first?

The question is whether or not the gospel must be spread over the entire world before Jesus can return. Or is it possible that Jesus will come today? Hello, I have a question for you. Someone recently stated that the gospel must be preached to all nations and peoples before Jesus can come. I believe this to be true. Is this what you’re saying? Is it something we’re getting close to? Or does He have the ability to appear at any time? Thank you very much. JPN Reply: Hello, and thank you for your query.

As a young believer, I recall attending a church service and listening to a missionary speak to the congregation.

Neither the next day.

It’s because, according to the Bible, He can only return after all countries have heard the message, and we haven’t reached that point yet.” Although even the early church lived in the expectation of His immediate return, I recall thinking to myself as a new believer as I sat there thinking, “hmmm.” They weren’t saying, ‘He can’t come back yet!’ or anything like that.

People who teach this often draw their information from Matthew 24, the renowned chapter about the end of the world.
The gospel will be proclaimed and heard across the entire world before ‘the end’ arrives.
It is not referring to the rapture or His return IN order to save His bride.
We must remain vigilant and prepared at all times since we cannot predict the day or the hour.

Despite the fact that they were busy spreading the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, they continued to believe and teach, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that Christ’s return was ‘near hand.’ “Maranatha!” they would exclaim as they came face to face, which literally translates as “Our Lord, come!” And that was the assumption on their part.

Here are a few poems that express this sense of optimism and expectation: 1Co 1:7 1Co 1:7 Consequently, you are not lacking in any spiritual gifts as you eagerly await the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Maranatha.
The farmer patiently awaits the valuable harvest of the earth, which will come only when it receives the early and late rains.
1 Peter 1:13 For this reason, prepare your thoughts for action, maintain a calm demeanor, and place your whole trust in the grace that will be shown to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Whoever hears the words of the prophesy contained in this book will be blessed.” As a result, the early church, as should every church, lived in the expectation of His imminent coming.
However, the prophecy of Matthew 24:14 will also be fulfilled.
Mission societies have been working toward this aim and have targeted population groups that have not yet been reached.

2 Peter: The Delay of Jesus’ Return & the Crisis of Patience

Whitney Woollard contributed to this article. 4 years ago today Second Peter is a small novel that is filled with a great deal of enthusiasm. While writing his final words, the apostolic pillar of the early church experiences great emotions, which is to be anticipated. The apostle Peter is well aware that he is soon to die, so he carefully constructs this farewell message to the network of churches in Asia Minor (2 Pet. 1:12-15). Specifically, he wishes for his final exhortations and cautions to be documented and kept in order to serve as a memory of his teaching for future generations, which includes our own age.

What’s 2 Peter All About?

As Peter confronts Christians in chapter one, they are urged to never cease developing in holiness and Christlike attributes. Then, in chapters two and three, he turns his attention to the corrupt professors who, in order to defend their immoral behavior, were rejecting the return of Jesus and the last judgment. All of this was too comfortable for them, given their combined pessimism about Jesus’ coming and their enjoyment of immorality with no repercussions. They may reject biblical authority, make easy money by spreading a false gospel of Christian “freedom,” and engage in a large amount of casual sex without fear of being held accountable or being punished.

The second chapter criticizes them, reminding his readers of God’s unavoidable retribution on those who commit evil.
It works like this: if A is true, imagine how much more true it is that B is true.
Considering that (A) God did not spare the fallen angels, the ancient civilisation of Noah’s day, or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet.
9-10)?
Wow.
Peter, on the other hand, does not stop there.
Yes.

In any case, they happened to be in the midst of the first wave of systematic persecution against Christians that occurred under the reign of Nero, a despicable Roman emperor.

Why did Jesus take so long when such blatant evil was in control of the situation?

Take a glance at the environment around you.

Violence, mass shootings, and terror are all on the rise.

The innocent are subjected to oppression, while the wicked enjoy success.

High-rise developers get wealthy, but those who have been abused are ignored. We can’t help but find ourselves grappling with the same question. What is it that is taking Jesus so long to come and redeem all of humanity’s wrongs?

The Central Crisis: What’s Taking Jesus SO Long?

Second Peter 3 actually contains the most explicit treatment of the delay of theparousia(a Greek word that refers to Jesus’ second coming at the end of human history) in the entire New Testament, making it particularly important if you’re trying to make sense of this wait for Jesus’ second coming in human history. As Peter opens his letter, he reminds his readers that the Scriptures forewarned them that there would be scoffers in the end days who would turn away from the truth and pursue immoral desires.

They deliberately ignore the fact that God had interfered in the past, both in the story of creation and in the account of the flood.

3:1-7).

It is not the Lord’s intention that any should perish, but rather that everyone should come to repentance, that he is slow to fulfill his word, as some consider slowness, but he is patient with you.”

Hit Pause!

When we reach this point, we need to take a moment to reflect on the fact that there are several schools of thought on how to interpret Peter’s argument in verse 8 (“one day is like a thousand years”). With the goal of not boring you, I’ll quickly discuss two widely held beliefs in order to discredit both in favor of a more balanced and biblical alternative that, I believe, would better assist us in understanding the significance of the delay. (Please note that I am following in the footsteps of Richard Bauckham’s superb work on 2 Peter.) It is taught by one school of thought that you need to understand the passage in the context of parallels found in current Jewish and Christian literature, and that you should use a chronological formulation in which a “day” represents a thousand years in human terms.

However, in light of the context of 2 Peter 3, this does not make sense.
It just doesn’t stack up in the end.
They don’t recognize Peter as drawing on any materials from current Jewish or Christian literature, as he claims.
As recorded in the Apocalypse of Baruch, a contemporary of Peter muses on Psalm 90:4, drawing a contrast between God’s eternal existence and man’s finite period of existence.

The idea that Peter, writing as a genuinely Jewish Christian, was completely uninformed of this material while also employing Psalm 90:4 in the same manner is difficult to swallow. It’s not going to fly. Having stated that, how should we interpret Peter’s reasoning in verses 8 and 9 of his letter?

Hit Play Again—What’s Taking Jesus SO Long?

We should view these passages in the context of their genre (apocalyptic eschatology), keeping in mind that Peter is a Jewish Christian who has been influenced by apocalyptic visionaries throughout history. It is likely that he was well aware with writers like as Habakkukor and Danielelor Baruch, men who experienced what it was like to cry out in sorrow, “How long, O Lord,” while keeping faith in God’s sovereign designs, even while he delayed his plans. It is likely that he would have gained confidence from their unwavering faith in the face of adversity that God’s timeline was not his own and that God’s delay was an integral part of the plan.

His ingenious approach is to dive into a lengthy line of eschatological tradition soaked with eschatological delay in order to develop arguments regarding theparousia that were already acquainted to his readers’ thoughts.

Take a look at his two main points:

One: God’s timetable is different than ours (verse 8).

Ah. In the face of all the evil that we witness, it’s difficult to fathom this concept, but apocalyptic writers were eager to remind out that God operates on a whole different eschatological clock than we do. His timeless, never-ending perspective of time frees him from the problems of the human race. Because of our own transitory existence and our desire to experience complete salvation, our human expectations of the “situation” as we perceive it are restricted by our own limited perspective.

Peter tells us that “the eternal God is not afflicted by that specific impatience” (II Peter 3:8).

He is neither constrained by a desire for personal atonement or constrained by the limitations of human viewpoint.

Two: God is patient, wanting all to come to repentance (verse 9).

If we believe God operates on his own timetable, we will lose sight of the urgency with which evil and suffering confront us. Peter’s second argument, which comes from Jewish apocalyptic writing, is that God delays not because he is slow, but because he is patient with sinners, allowing them all the opportunity to repent. “.The Lord, the Lord, a God kind and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in steadfast love and faithfulness, retaining steadfast love for thousands of years, forgiving sin and wickedness, but who will by no means clear the guilty.” This is God’s description of himself in Exodus 34:6-7.

God has permitted these last days to continue in order for more people to come to trust in Jesus and the defeat of all evil, despite our longing for his return and the annihilation of evil.

However, as long as the parousia continues to be postponed, there is still opportunity for people to repent and place their faith in Jesus as their personal Savior. This knowledge should actually serve to increase our patience and zeal as we anticipate the coming of our Lord.

So How Do We Live Right NOW?

With perseverance and determination! As we await and work to accelerate the arrival of the day of God, Peter says we should be marked by purity and godliness in our lives (2 Pet. 3:11-12). The apocalyptic visionaries of old were required to patiently trust in the flawless designs of God, and we are invited to do the same. The passage, however, also argues that Christian life can really have an impact on God’s timeline (we can “haste” the coming of the Lord if we live out the truths of the new covenant as they are revealed in Scripture).

When we believe that the eschatological promises have been fulfilled through the work of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we do not wait idly for Jesus’ return, nor do we live in the manner of the corrupt teachers who saw Jesus’ delay as an opportunity to indulge their own fleshly desires.

Every day, we live out our lives offering testimony to Jesus, carrying on his mission, resisting the forces of darkness, and working to accelerate the day when those purposes will be completely realized.

But we wait patiently, knowing that God is arranging all of human history in order to bring it all to a magnificent conclusion.