Is the Second Coming as near as some people are predicting?
The timing of the Second Coming of Jesus has been described as being much like a woman in labor. Just like a birth follows a very precise set of events, and a woman has many warnings that her baby is on the way, so it is with the return of the Lord. We have been given very precise signs to watch for that will signify Christ's return. This web site covers those specific signs in great detail.
There has never been a time in history when the return of the Lord has been so near. It is undeniable that we are seeing prophecy fulfilled at an astonishing rate. It is important to live as though we will not have another chance to get our hearts right with God. We need to act as though there never will be another opportunity to witness to our loved ones. And we need to hold the things of this world--money, homes, ambitions--with an open hand, ready to drop it all at the beckoning of our Lord. But, we also need to realize that we will never fully understand God's timing or His perfect plan. And the Bible says that "with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (2 Pet. 3:8). So we cannot place God within the framework of our limited understanding. Because of that, we continue to go to work, we continue to get educated; basically, we continue wait patiently for His return.
Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matt. 24:36). What is important about the timing of the rapture is not wishing that we would know when it is coming so we can get ready, but being ready at every moment. "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour" (Matt. 25:13). Read also 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and 2 Peter 3:3-15.
