What More Does The Church Need To See Before They Conclude We Are Nearing Christ’s Return?

By Jonathan Brenter for
Harbinger's Daily

This sounds so much like today! I couldn’t get that thought out of my head as I read the John 6 account of Jesus’ interaction with the Jews the day after His feeding of the five thousand.

How did those in the crowd on that day respond to Jesus’ plea that they believe in Him? They asked, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (John 6:30).

What more did they need to see?

Jesus had just fed a multitude with “five barley loaves” and “two fish.” The total number of people could easily have been close to fifteen thousand since the number “five thousand” just included the men. Even satisfying the hunger of a few hundred people with such little food would’ve been a significant miracle, but to feed so great a gathering was over-the-top supernatural.

Seeing such a miraculous sign should’ve at least caused the crowd to consider Jesus’ claims on the following day, but most scoffed at His claims and walked away.

The lack of discernment among this hungry throng from so long ago bears a striking resemblance to many Christians today. They see the multitude of signs telling them that they live in the last moments of time before the start of the Tribulation, yet they respond in the same manner as those who witnessed the feeding of the five thousand.

They scoff at our hope of Jesus’ imminent appearing and flock to churches that proclaim an end-of-the-world return of Jesus that happens in the far distant future. They want what Jesus offers but would rather not look for His imminent intervention in their world.

Continue Reading:

What More Does The Church Need To See Before They Conclude We Are Nearing Christ's Return?

Just like those living in the first century AD, we live in biblical times today. Also similar to that day long ago, it’s primarily church leaders who are leading people away from anticipating the Lord’s imminent appearing.

harbingersdaily.com

 

[Margery]

By Jonathan Brenter for
Harbinger's Daily

This sounds so much like today! I couldn’t get that thought out of my head as I read the John 6 account of Jesus’ interaction with the Jews the day after His feeding of the five thousand.

How did those in the crowd on that day respond to Jesus’ plea that they believe in Him? They asked, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (John 6:30).

What more did they need to see?

Jesus had just fed a multitude with “five barley loaves” and “two fish.” The total number of people could easily have been close to fifteen thousand since the number “five thousand” just included the men. Even satisfying the hunger of a few hundred people with such little food would’ve been a significant miracle, but to feed so great a gathering was over-the-top supernatural.

Seeing such a miraculous sign should’ve at least caused the crowd to consider Jesus’ claims on the following day, but most scoffed at His claims and walked away.

The lack of discernment among this hungry throng from so long ago bears a striking resemblance to many Christians today. They see the multitude of signs telling them that they live in the last moments of time before the start of the Tribulation, yet they respond in the same manner as those who witnessed the feeding of the five thousand.

They scoff at our hope of Jesus’ imminent appearing and flock to churches that proclaim an end-of-the-world return of Jesus that happens in the far distant future. They want what Jesus offers but would rather not look for His imminent intervention in their world.

Continue Reading:

What More Does The Church Need To See Before They Conclude We Are Nearing Christ's Return?

Just like those living in the first century AD, we live in biblical times today. Also similar to that day long ago, it’s primarily church leaders who are leading people away from anticipating the Lord’s imminent appearing.

harbingersdaily.com

Just like it was when Jesus came the First time. The very people who should have been aware of the timetable listed in Daniel, who knew enough to tell the Wise Men that He'd be born in Bethlehem were the same ones like the church is today who are focused on everything else. The few like Anna and Simeon, the shepherds who listened to the angelic host, the Wise Men, some of the disciples who did believe it was time- they were blessed. But the majority view was that God's Messiah wasn't coming yet or that He wouldn't be a suffering servant. They wanted a conquering king to kick out Rome and he didn't fit their theology.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Possibly a majority of the Church is blind to the signs of the times. They are not overly familiar with end times prophecy and are not getting exposure to it. Concepts like the Rapture, Tribulation, Christ's 2nd Coming are buzzwords with little or no foundation to them.

Much of the Church that does dabble in eschatology latch onto popular but unbiblical ideas like kingdom now.

Even many who identify as Bereans choose to hold onto their chosen eschatological ideas even without biblical support.

It is a small portion of the Church that has a clear view of the times we're living in and understands we're near the doorstep of the end of this dispensation.

 

[Baby Yoda]

What more did they need to see?

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Giant New Madrid earthquake splitting the US in two?

Christians turning from sin and toward God and Him healing the split-asunder land? (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Oh, wait, I know . . .


51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52, KJV

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, KJV

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

There are a lot of churches/Christians, which have an amillennial view of eschatology, which teach imminent return of Christ, as in The Second Coming, instead of as The Rapture. I grew up in such a church, and I remember Sunday School classes going outside for class when it was nice, and a lot of times kids' attention would end up skyward, and when asked why, the answer was always, "looking for Jesus," even if the kid was new and hadn't heard any of the other kids say it Sometimes, the Sunday School teacher would sit there and watch with all the kids for awhile, and sometimes even read from Revelation while we were watching and waiting. Great times, nice memories

Grandma sometimes told me Jesus could come back at any moment and wouldn't it be terrible if He did and He found my room a mess, or me sinning (generally meaning whatever transgression I was guilty of at the time But, she was absolutely serious that Jesus could come back RIGHT NOW and we were supposed to be doing His work, whatever it was He (or through Parents) told us to do at the time, so He would find us doing what we were supposed to be doing when He comes back. Sometimes, she and Grandpa would just sit outside and hold hands and look up into the sky, waiting, watching

A lot of Christians I know are amillennials, and they point to the Scriptures, especially the Gospel of Matthew, and say that as much evil as there is in the world today, surely Jesus is coming soon (as in the Second Coming). Some of the pre-Tribbers I know are less certain of Jesus' imminent return, which makes no sense to me

Not a Salvation (or Rapture-participation) issue. Most amillennial Christians will be very surprised (and all will be happy like the pre-Tribbers will be) when The Rapture happens

I think it's important that the Church/Christians be about The Lord's work, especially since we know time is short (if The Lord doesn't tarry) . . . our culture is like Sodom and Gomorrah and Ninevah all rolled together, and filled with Baal worship, and there are a whole lot of unsaved neighbors that need to hear The Gospel NOW.