Posted on 12/21/2004 11:49:02 PM PST by JohnHuang2
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
By Joseph Farah
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness. From then on and forevermore ..."
– Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this week and prepare for 2005 next week, I can't help but think about how close we must be to the Second Coming – when the Lord will return for His church and personally rule over the Earth for 1,000 years.
Oh, I know, some of you don't believe in such things. You think it's just a bunch of silly superstition. Even some Christians don't believe in the Second Coming. Many prefer I stick to writing about news events of the physical world rather than arcane spiritual matters.
But, as a journalist, I can't ignore hard evidence – no matter where it may lead me. And the more I study the prophetic scriptures of the Holy Bible and look at the condition of our world today, the more convinced I become that we are nearing that time. In fact, I think we are very close.
For just as Jesus' virgin birth in Bethlehem was foretold by the Hebrew prophets hundreds of years earlier, so, too, was His return to Earth predicted. The only question is when.
The most dramatic evidence for His imminent return our generation has witnessed was the rebirth of the nation of Israel more than 50 years ago. The Jews, God's chosen people, were, as prophesied, scattered over the whole earth for nearly two millennia beginning shortly after Jesus' death on the cross. Yet, in my opinion, the scriptures leave no doubt that the Jewish state would exist once again before He returned.
Interestingly, Orthodox Jews have long taught that the world would last for 6,000 years before the Messiah would come and usher in a 1,000-year period of restful human history. Since God created the world in six days, according to Genesis 1:31, and rested on the seventh day, according to Genesis 2:1, they reasoned the world's history would climax the same way. They cite Psalms 90:4, which says: "For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by."
Likewise, Christians have looked to II Peter 3:8: "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
The early church understood this "six-day theory" of world history. It was widely accepted teaching for the first three centuries of the church. From the time of Adam, we've got genealogical records to show that 4,000 years passed until the time of Christ. From Jesus' time until the present age represents another 2,000 years for a total of 6,000 years or six days.
There's also a three-day theory: Jesus rose on the third day. Would the beginning of the third millennium – or thousand-year period – not be the likely time for His return to Earth? There is even strong scriptural evidence for such a theory provided in Hosea 6:2: "After two days will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." Note that this prophecy is not about the Resurrection of Jesus – it's either about the resurrection of Israel after 2,000 years of dispersal or the physical return of the Lord.
In 1772, Edward Gibbons published "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," in which he cites early documents suggesting the Christian disciples of the first century were taught that Jesus would return after 2,000 years. We'll soon find out if they were right.
For many reasons, I believe Jesus is returning soon. But I'm especially drawn to II Timothy 3:1-5, which describes the state of the world in the "last days." Tell me if this doesn't sound like our world:
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
To me, that sounds like our world today.
Christmas represents a time of great hope for Christians. Of course, we're grateful that Jesus came about 2,000 years ago and died for our sins. Now we should be hopeful and expectant of His imminent return.
Merry Christmas. And happy birthday, Jesus.
Best article I've read tonight. Thanks for posting it.
My pleasure, friend.
I wish today where the day. I feel ready.
I am one who does not believe in a 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth. The Bible says that in the last days it will be as in the days of Noah. Well, we all know that in the days of Noah there were eight believers. Christians will be persecuted in the last days and many will fall away from the truth. We are beginning to see that but it should make us work harder to reach out with the Gospel and not sit back and wait for the end. How Christians can think they have an idea when the end will come is opposed to Scripture since Jesus said no one knows when the end will come except the Father. Jesus says that there will be signs but these signs have been happening for a long time. But not a long time in God's time.
II Tim. does sound like it describes the world today.
The sooner Christ comes and sets up His Kingdom, the better!
Oooga-boooga.
I don't believe this is a majority opinion in the religious world.
The Jews of Jesus time had a real hard time grasping the notion that the kingdom of God was not an earthly kingdom. I don't think that will change at the second coming, thus creating this 1000 year reign.
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw in Alabama; "Jesus is coming!...and boy is he pissed!"
I believe that 100% and eagerly await His return. This world is very cruel and unjust.
How Christians can think they have an idea when the end will come is opposed to Scripture
With all due respest,having an "idea" is not opposed to scripture.Predicting or prophesying is.
Scripture tells us to be "watchful, and...be mindful of the seasons".
Not going to happen, ever - at least not in the way we think. I curious though, what happens after those 1,000 years of the Lord's reign? Does all hell break loose again? In the cosmic view of things 1,000 years is pretty short. Personally, I like to think in terms of infinity and eternity.
Rev 20:7
All hell does break loose again..! But not for long and there will be a Last Judgement
As a post-trib believer, and one that believes Christ will return, as the article says, at the beginning of the millennial reign, I say bravo for such a great article. John Farah is tops in my book for putting this out.
And as for taxesareforever, who is apparently Amillennial, I submit this. Amillennialist have a thousand arguments against the thousand years, I think I have heard them all in various prophecy conferences I have attended.
Mere theoretical contrivances, the chronological order of the book of Revelation places the thousand years after the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Besides that, if there is no millennial reign upon earth, why does the book of Revelation have him returning to the earth? (In chapter 19...followed by the thousand years in chapter 20.)
As a Christian, I say- we're not even close. I wish it were today, but we're not even near. It's supposed to get ALOT worse than this before He comes. Even these trying times are nothing compared to what He described the "Days Before The Coming" would be like.
And the fact that I've heard preachers state for over 20 years that "The End is VERY near! It could happen at ANY moment!" doesn't help too much.
"opposed to scripture"
It was Paul's teaching that said to the new believers, "it has been given unto you to know the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom" - if God wasn't going to tell us anything, He forgot to inform Paul.
I believe Jesus said that we "already know the times and the seasons".
Since God is able to commune with us (as believers), then surely He is able to tell us the time is near. Would He tell us the exact date - NO - but He's been giving off signals for years.
I remeber seeing a program, I believe it was on the History Channel about the end of the Earth, and they were looking towards the Bible where they said that the end would come after 11 years of peace between the Isrealites and the Palistineans, which should of started in 2002 since they predicted the end in 2012 (iirc).
God just loves to keep us wondering.
Every generation since the time of Christ believes that their generation is the last one. God only knows how many times some religious leader has claimed to know when the Last Day will be, and every one of them has been 100% wrong. It is amazing to see that people still fall for the same old line.
Yep, I can say with confidence I have no idea when Jesus will return or what will happen upon his return; but I do know we will all finally pay our dues, like it or not.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.