Suppose I told you that Jesus was going to return in the year 2100. Suppose I gave you all sorts of facts pointing to the truth of that year. What would you think? Are you disappointed knowing that you won't be alive when Jesus is supposed to return? How do you live your life differently in light of such knowledge? You know you're stuck here on earth until your life is over, that death is going to take you to the grave for your long sleep. Does it really alter how you live though? Are you suddenly changing your ways? You see, often people who live with the conviction that Christ is returning in their day do change their ways. They try to prepare their lives accordingly. They strive to live less self-centered and more Christ-centered. The closer they imagine it is to the return of their Savior it's very likely the more they are striving to be Christ's. This striving isn't their trying to work their way to heaven, because we all know that it's by grace we are saved. The striving is to stomp down their flesh nature, the selfish nature that demands satisfaction, the nature that quickly succumbs to Satan's temptations. They are actively engaged in the great battle that isn't for salvation, but rather for the desire to be a true disciple of Christ's right now, used of Him to further His message, His love, His gospel of the kingdom. Satan wants to take us from Christ especially after we've been born again into Him. Satan will stop at nothing to make our lives miserable on all fronts so that we just give up believing we have an advocate with the Father who loves us, who died for us. Satan lives to discredit the Savior and he'll put up a constant barrage of- 'If God really loved you then this, that, and the other horrific thing would not be happening.' Satan uses our desire for a life free of conflict- mental, emotional, physical conflict to put down God. There is a constant battle, a SPIRITUAL battle that we are all a part of, yes, all of us, every single human being is a part of this spiritual warfare just because they've been born.
Back to the supposing...
No matter when our Savior returns we HAVE to live our lives for HIM as HIS soldiers here upon earth. We have to wield His armor as we fight the spiritual war. We could very well choose to go armorless and give ourselves over to Satan and His ways, in fact millions are doing just that. Or we can fight the spiritual battle knowing our SAVIOR has prevailed and won the war, the outcome is already known, what is undecided is which side you will personally choose to live for, to die for. And while it seems almost ludicrous to imagine people choosing to live and die for the losing side, more people will do this than will choose to live and die for the winning side. They choose the losing side now because that losing side has seduced them into believing that there is no real war at all. They choose the losing side now because they are caught up in serving mainly self and no others even those cloaked with the disguise of helping others and for all outward appearances are selfless. Some of the most selfless appearing people are really the most selfish, their every selfless act done under the pretense of selfishness to gain accolades and recognition from others, even if the others are only a single other person.
The truth is...
We are watching the prophetic signs and they are unfolding before our eyes.
The truth is...
God working in His time could have the fulfillment of the last sign concerning Jerusalem many years in the future according to His plan.
The truth is...
There WILL be a people alive that will never taste death's sleep when Christ returns.
The truth is...
We have to be ready always, we have to be Christ's always, right now without any delay seeking forgiveness from our Savior, repenting of our flesh desires, repenting of the temptations that so easily overcome us, trusting in Christ to do in us what we can never do for ourselves.
Now let's read another chapter in the prophetic study all about supposing--
By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we find understanding and in finding understanding be His and only His, always!
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Excerpt from 'An Hour and An End' William Grotheer - Adventist Laymen's Foundation
p 22 -- Chapter VIII -- Suppose
A.D. 66 -- Suppose you were living in Jerusalem in 66 A.D. You were a Christian. As a tradesman you were providing a modest but adequate living for your family. You were aware of the prophecy Jesus had given concerning the coming destruction of Jerusalem, having heard it from the lips of the Apostles. Furthermore, it was also a matter of record in the Gospels already written, and you had heard it read frequently in the Christian assembly. But no Roman or alien armies had as yet surrounded the city. There were rumors, but Jesus had not said to rely upon rumors.
Then one morning you awakened to the fact that Roman armies had surrounded the city, and all the gates were closed and carefully guarded. How were you to leave the city? It appeared there was no way out. What did Jesus mean? Had you waited too long? No, suddenly the Roman armies withdrew for no apparent cause. The Jewish forces pursued, and the gates were once again open. What would you have done? What should you have done?
Believing the words of Jesus, you hurriedly leave the city taking what you and your family can carry with you. It was a complete uprooting of your life, and meant leaving behind many a cherished possession. You did not stop till you were safely across the Jordon River, and located in a small village in the region beyond. There you sought to establish a form of existence. It was most difficult; life was hard. As time went by, news reached you that the armies of the Romans had not returned. Things were not exactly normal, but from the reports, those in the city were faring far better than you were across the Jordon. What would you have been tempted to do? What should you have done? You chose to stay, and continued to struggle to make ends meet.
A.D. 70 came. The Roman armies returned. You received news of the terrible slaughter and devastation which resulted when the city was taken. You were glad, though life was far from easy, that you had believed and obeyed the words of Jesus. Your very life - salvation - depended upon your faith in what Jesus had said.
A.D. 1832 -- Suppose you were living in a small New England town in the year 1832. One day during the week as you were reading the notices on the bulletin board in the village square, you read the announcement that one William Miller was going to lecture the coming Sunday night in the Town Hall on the soon return of Jesus. The next Sunday morning found you sitting in your usual place at church as your pastor introduced his sermon with the announcement you had read. He then proceeded to decry the fanaticism of thinking that Jesus was going to return to earth in just a few years. He ridiculed the prophecies as mere dreams with only an allegorical meaning. You had planned to go that night to hear Mr.Miller. But the pastor had some things to say about him, too. So you decided not to go, and you didn't.
The next year - one morning, well before daybreak - you were suddenly awakened with the sound of cries and the terrified voices of your neighbors. Looking out to see what was causing this unusual disturbance, you saw what they saw - the stars of heaven failing. You began to tremble, because you knew what Jesus had said, and what was
p 23 -- written in the book of Revelation which was being so vividly fulfilled before your eyes. What were you to do? You recall distinctly your decision of the previous year with deep regret.
Weeks pass, and again as you one day read the bulletin board in the village square, you discover that William Miller will speak in a near-by church the next Sunday night. Regardless of what your pastor will say on Sunday morning, you are determined to go and hear Miller. So you do, and you are completely convinced that the presentation of prophecy is accurate. The end of all things is at hand, and so you start attending the study group organized to prepare folk for the coming of Jesus, and to provide support that others may hear also.
October 23, 1844 -- Since you believed expectantly that Jesus was going to return on October 22, 1844, you gathered with those of like precious faith, uniting with them in prayer and watching all that day. Into the hours of the night you waited; but still Jesus did not come. The little sleep you got the rest of the night was fitful, and with the dawning on October 23, you could not rest. Your mind was agitated; your heart was torn with disappointment. What should you do? What could you do? Where in the word of God could you turn for an answer?
The Midnight Cry which had established the date, October 22 - "the tenth day of the seventh month" - had also opened minds to further and deeper study of the type and antitype relationship between the earthly and heavenly sanctuary. One who lived through this experience wrote: - The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment, showing that God had led His people in the great Advent movement. It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, and revealed present duty as it brought to light the position and work of God's people. (SP, IV, p. 268)
Note that the study of the sanctuary brought "to view a complete system of truth" and "revealed present duty."
What was that duty? Again from the pen of one who had lived through those trying days following the disappointment, we read: - The passing of time in 1844, was followed by a period of great trial to those who still held the Advent faith. Their only relief, so far as ascertaining their true position was concerned, was the light which directed their minds to the sanctuary above. As has been stated, Adventists were for a short time united in the belief that the door of mercy was shut. This position was soon abandoned. Some renounced their faith in their former reckoning of the prophetic periods, and ascribed to human or Satanic agencies the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit which had attended the Advent movement. Another class firmly held that the Lord had led them in their past experience; and as they waited and watched and prayed to know the will of God, they saw that their great High Priest had entered upon another work of ministration, and following Him by faith, they were led to understand also the closing work of the church, and were prepared to receive and give to the world the warning of the third angel of Revelation 14. (Ibid., pp. 271-272; emphasis mine)
Observe - those who followed Jesus by faith were led to understand "the closing work of the church." They also perceived the Third Angel's message was to be given to the world.
As Time Continued -- Although disappointed, being sincere and believing the Word of God, you chose to unite your interests and endeavors with those who would be proclaiming to the world the Message of Revelation 14. You looked for the time when the message would
p 24 -- swell into a "loud cry" as foretold in Revelation 18. You rejoiced to hear the messages of Elders A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner when they came to South Lancaster to give what they had presented at the Minneapolis General Conference session in 1888. Then one day, a few years later, you opened the Review and Herald which had just come in the mail. In it you read: - The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth. (Nov. 22, 1892, p. 615)
This caused you to rejoice. The "Loud Cry" had commenced. Revelation 18 was about to be fulfilled. Soon Jesus would come. You recalled the experience which filled your soul on October 22, 1844. Surely you would not again be disappointed. But then time dragged on. Nothing happened. The revival that had been so evident at the South Lancaster meetings died out. What had happened? You were getting older, and hoped, so much, to be alive and see Jesus come. Many of your friends who had shared this same hope had already fallen asleep in Jesus. Must this be your experience, also?
Ten more years pass, and you hear about a letter which Ellen G. White had written to Percy T. Magan. It had said: - We may have to remain here in this world many more years because of insubordination, as did the children of Israel, but for Christ's sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action. (Letter dated, Dec. 7, 1901)
As the full impact of this letter comes home to your mind, you ask - "How many is "many more years'?" The same day a friend of yours visits, and you both discuss things dear to your hearts - the coming of Jesus, the advancing years of your life, your hopes and expectations. This friend tells you about another letter, also written in 1901. You want to see a copy. In a few days, your friend returns and brings you a copy. You take it, and read it very slowly and carefully. It tells you - In the twenty-first chapter of Luke, Christ foretold what was to come upon Jerusalem, and with it He connected the scenes which were to take place in the history of this world just prior to the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Letter 20, 1901; Counsels to Writers and Editors, pp. 23-24)
That evening when you had time to think it through more carefully, you ask yourself the question - "Why did Ellen White just ask us to note Luke 21? Why not Matthew 24 and Mark 13? These were also reports of what Jesus gave in prophecy that night long ago. Why did she specify that what Luke had recorded about events to come upon Jerusalem would be 'connected [with] the scenes which were to take place... just prior to the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory'?" Then you took your Bible and re-read thoughtfully Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 2 1. You discovered that the only things that Luke said about Jerusalem which Matthew and Mark did not was in regard to Jerusalem being trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
As the evening hours lengthened into the dark shadows of the night, you continued that year in the early 1900's to ponder what you had read. Jerusalem was still under Gentile control. But you did recall reading in the newspaper of the first Jewish International Congress in 1897 for the purpose of promoting a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine. Would this Jewish state - if it could be achieved - free Jerusalem from Gentile control? Thinking, wondering, pondering - would it be in your day? - you fell asleep.
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May God bless us all and keep us IN HIM always!
In Christ's love forever!
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