That's right. You don't.
however I think he will return on or before 2018...
When I first became a Christian everyone was convinced that Jesus would be coming back before 1975. Then it was moved to 1980. Then it was moved to 1987. Then a lot of the people who came to the Lord when I did, lost their faith altogether when it didn't happen in 1987.
but nobody has learned from history. You don't know anything about when the Lord is coming back. Nobody does. Oh, you can point to some obscure verses in the bible and pretend that today's headlines are somehow tied to the events in Daniel or Ezekiel, but you don't know.
For all we know the Israel that exists today could be destroyed and replaced in 100 years by another Israel. Would you lose your faith if Israel were to suddenly fall and become an Islamic Caliphate? Or would you admit that your predictions about the end times were obviously wrong and move on and live your life as if Christ was coming tomorrow but may not come for a thousand years?
Where on earth do you get 2018 from? What specific event that has happened now convinces you that Christ must come before 2018? The fact of the matter is that you don't know, so stop trying to pretend that you do.
My faith is not contigent wether Jesus comes back today or in 200 years...
I know I will see Jesus either when he returns to earth in my lifetime, or at my physical death.
Pretend is an odd word to use, but okay....
As I said..The Prophetic Clock started in 1948 and 2018 fullfills the prophetic last week spoken by Daniel...
I am not predicting the date, that is my thought, based on my understanding of scripture...