When Will Jesus Return?
Readings for the Day
2 Samuel 13-14 Matthew 24
Verses for the Day
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
A lot of people wonder when the end will come and Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. They point to different signs in the world like wars, famines, earthquakes etc. The bible does say these are the birth-pangs that the end is near, but it also says, "no one knows the day or the hour the Son of Man will appear". Did you hear that? No one. Jesus says in his human existence that not even he or the angels know, but only His Father in heaven.
And so what are some of the other indicators that might signal our Lord's return? We don't hear about this one very much. Jesus says the gospel of the kingdom will preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come. Remember what John 3:16, "For God so loves the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life." Notice God's loves the whole world and is not willing that any would perish. So we see how patient God is and desires all people to be saved.
So the question is has the gospel of the kingdom been preached to the whole world? I would have to say no. Why? Because there are still many nations, also called "people groups", that have not even had the gospel translated into their own language. One study suggests that there are over 6,500 people groups that have not heard the gospel translated into their own language.
Www.joshuaproject.net/resources/articles/has_everyone_heard
This data would suggest to me that it will be a while before the end. But this is not our call. Jesus could return today, tomorrow, no one knows. But we do know there is a lot of work to do before He returns! There are still people groups to be reached through the one and only mission Jesus gave to the church. Go and make disciples of all nations, or literally "people groups".
So when will the end come and Jesus return? No one knows. But while we have time, we should preach the gospel of the kingdom to as many people as God brings into our lives. Then, when he does return we can be found doing what he asked us to do.
2 Samuel 13-14 Matthew 24
Verses for the Day
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
A lot of people wonder when the end will come and Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. They point to different signs in the world like wars, famines, earthquakes etc. The bible does say these are the birth-pangs that the end is near, but it also says, "no one knows the day or the hour the Son of Man will appear". Did you hear that? No one. Jesus says in his human existence that not even he or the angels know, but only His Father in heaven.
And so what are some of the other indicators that might signal our Lord's return? We don't hear about this one very much. Jesus says the gospel of the kingdom will preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come. Remember what John 3:16, "For God so loves the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life." Notice God's loves the whole world and is not willing that any would perish. So we see how patient God is and desires all people to be saved.
So the question is has the gospel of the kingdom been preached to the whole world? I would have to say no. Why? Because there are still many nations, also called "people groups", that have not even had the gospel translated into their own language. One study suggests that there are over 6,500 people groups that have not heard the gospel translated into their own language.
Www.joshuaproject.net/resources/articles/has_everyone_heard
This data would suggest to me that it will be a while before the end. But this is not our call. Jesus could return today, tomorrow, no one knows. But we do know there is a lot of work to do before He returns! There are still people groups to be reached through the one and only mission Jesus gave to the church. Go and make disciples of all nations, or literally "people groups".
So when will the end come and Jesus return? No one knows. But while we have time, we should preach the gospel of the kingdom to as many people as God brings into our lives. Then, when he does return we can be found doing what he asked us to do.
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