So When is it Going to Happen Anyway?

“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.” –James 5:8

I think we’d be lying if we said we weren’t curious as to when or how it is going to happen. I mean, look how many books have been sold that talk about the return of Jesus. While I don’t agree with the theology of most of them, it is impossible to deny their popularity. If you really wanted to simply boost attendance at your church, just publicize that you are going to be teaching on the end times, and you’ll perk everyone’s attention in a hurry.

But here’s the reality: we really don’t have a clue as to when it is going to happen. People have been speculating since day one, and nobody’s got it right yet. Jesus even said that only the Father in heaven knows when it is going to happen. But it will happen, and it could happen at any moment in time.

But there is something that has always intrigued me about the debate. It is that no matter what your end times theology is, anyone who has studied the issue will tell you that along with any prophetic passage about the second coming, there is always a biblical call to holiness. One of the most famous comes at the tail end of I Corinthians 15, and we see one here too. People like Dr. Lowery at Lincoln Christian Seminary would even argue that the entire book of Revelation is not about foretelling the future, but rather about making disciples of Jesus. I don’t suppose that is as exciting, but it is true.

So James continues here by not telling us when it will happen, but encouraging how we are to live until it does happen. It is simple: we must remain patient until it does. So here’s to not having it all figured out, but simply hanging in there until Jesus is revealed.