When is Jesus Going to Return?

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 Matthew 24:9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 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.

 In Matthew 24, Jesus mixes in teaching about the the fall of the temple and the end times.  This makes things a little confusing.  Foreign nations had destroyed the Jewish temples in the Northern and Southern kingdoms and part of the Messianic fervor was that the Messiah would restore the temple when he came.  The fact that Jesus says "you will be handed over and persecuted" makes one think he is talking about the persecution that will come upon the disciples after he rises from the dead and ascends back to heaven.  

 Many people wonder when the end times will come.  Jesus gives many signs including: false prophets, those who turn away from the faith, the increase of wickedness, and the love of most will grow cold.  Jesus gives one more clue as to when the end will come.  It is not talked about too much but it is  probably the most reliable indicator of when the end will come.  

 Matthew says, "The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Did you hear that?  The end will come after everyone has a chance to hear the gospel.  And that makes sense doesn't it?  One of the questions many people ask is, "What will happen to someone who hasn't had a chance to hear about Jesus.  How can God judge someone who has never to hear the Good News?"  And the answer is yes God is always fair and would not judge anyone who has had no chance to hear about and accept His Son.   

 We know that there are still about 2,000 people groups who have not had the gospel translated in their own native tongue.  Bible translators work hard every day to translate the gospel into the languages of unreached people groups. So do you want Jesus to return sooner vs. later?  If it is sooner we've got some work to do.   

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