Bob Prichard

Topic(s): Eternity & Judgment, God's Will

On the night of March 21, 1844, thousands of Americans, followers of William Miller, went to hill tops to welcome the Lord’s return. When that date failed, Miller tried again for October 22, 1844. That date also failed, proving him to be a false prophet. In 1856, at a Conference in Battle Creek, MI, Ellen G. White predicted that among those present for the conference, “some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.” They have all died, showing her to be a false prophet. On February 14, 1835, Joseph Smith spoke of “the coming of the Lord, which was nigh--even fifty-six years should wind up the scene.” The Lord did not return in 1891, showing Smith to be a false prophet.

In his 1970’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth, Hal Lindsey said the return of Jews to Israel in 1948 meant that Matthew 24:36 was being fulfilled, and he predicted the Lord’s return within one generation (forty years). He wrote, “If this is a correct deduction, then within forty years or so of 1948, all of these things could take place.” Although he used some qualifying terms for his prediction, his prophecy failed.

In 1988, the “World Bible Society” distributed two million copies of 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988, by Edgar C. Whisenant. When the Lord did not come in 1988, Whisenant was proven to be a false prophet. Countless others, including Herbert W. Armstrong, and Charles T. Russell have set dates that did not come true. All have failed in their prophecies because no man can know when the Lord will return! Men would like to know, and have frequently invented schemes to predict the Lord’s second coming, but man will never be successful in predicting the Lord’s second coming.

Jesus settled the issue when He said of His second coming, “of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is” (Mark 13:32-33). Jesus warned His followers to always be in a state of readiness for His coming. He told the church at Sardis, “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee” (Revelation 3:3). The followers of Jesus Christ must watch for His coming*not setting dates, but simply being prepared. “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:34-37).

The question is not “When will the Lord return?” The question is, “Will I be ready?” If men knew an exact time for when the Lord would return, they would procrastinate, and wait until the last moment to be prepared. He is coming again. Watch.