When is Christ Returning?

By Steven J. Hogan

No One Knows
I don’t know. You don’t know. “But of that day or hour no one knows … nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:36).

Whereas God does not tell us the specific time of His Son’s return, He does say we can know the general time: “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:34).

In past posts, I have identified “these things” – the signs, events, and conditions that need to take place before Christ’s return. But in this post, I want to explain why I believe it will be many years before all “these things” come to pass, and then the Church will be raptured.

Birth Pains
Matthew 24:5-8 tells us there will be false Christs, famines, earthquakes, and wars occurring before Christ’s return; and these are “the beginning of birth pains.” In referring to these birth pains, Luke 21:9 says, “the end does not follow immediately.”

We are now “hearing” about these things happening in “various places” around the world, but they are only the beginning, for these signs will increase in intensity and frequency, and “then they will deliver you (Christians) to tribulation” (Matthew 24:9).

There is still a ways to go before Christ’s return and the Rapture.

Globalism
The trend in the past 100 years or so has been toward regionalism and globalism, illustrated by organizations such as the UN, NATO, EU, WTO and the IMF. This is all leading to that time when people will again try to build a “tower of Babel” (Genesis 11).

Now, however, there is a strong current of nationalism as many countries want to be more independent of others. We see this in the United States, Great Britain, and China. This global landscape needs to change drastically before nations subject their sovereignty to the Antichrist; that time when “the whole earth was amazed and followed after the Beast” (Revelation 13:4).

United States
The U.S. has to decline in power before the Antichrist and his kingdom can rule the world, and the way things look now, this could take some time. For now, the U.S. is still the strongest nation in the world. Barring a shocking event which could cause the U.S. to quickly collapse, I believe this country’s No. 1 position is secure for a while.

Increasing Sin
The world’s moral condition has declined rapidly in the past 60 years, but it needs to go downhill much more before the Rapture. In the time leading up to Christ’s return, there will be rampant lawlessness, a corrupt culture, a sin-dominated society, and the Antichrist – a “man of lawlessness” – ruling the world. There will be a clear polarization between believers and unbelievers, and between the true Church and a wicked world (Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3), but we’re not there yet.

Global Antisemitism
Zechariah 12:3, in speaking about the Jews in the end-times, says “all the nations of the earth will be gathered against her.” At that time, most countries will strongly oppose the Jewish people. Today, however, the U.S. and other countries still support Israel. But before Christ can return, these “supporting countries” will have to join with the rest of the world in hating the Jews.

We are not there yet; it’s going to take more time before “Jerusalem [will be] a heavy stone for all the peoples” (Zechariah 12:3).

The Image and Mark of the Beast
The Antichrist will need to have the technology – a sophisticated global system – in place to be able to spiritually, militarily, and economically rule the world. He will need to be able to communicate with everyone in the world, demand people to worship his image, and force people to take his mark.

In this information age, with computers, the Internet, smart phones, many means of surveillance, and artificial intelligence (AI), it’s obvious we are getting closer to the time when the Antichrist will be able to control the world.

However, I believe we are still years away from when one man (the Antichrist) will be able to implement his one-world order – when people in the world will want him to rule, and accept his means to rule over them (Revelation 13:14-17).

Put these factors together, and then add to them the need for more wars, further realignment of nations, global Gospel preaching, a peace treaty with Israel, a temple in Jerusalem, and great persecution of God’s people, and you can see how it could take many years before Christ returns.

But no matter how long it takes, believer, stay strong and keep praying. And always remember our Lord’s own words from Revelation 22:20: “Behold, I am coming soon.”

Steven J. Hogan has been a pastor-teacher for more than 25 years, and the pastor at Hope Bible Church of Tampa, Florida, since 2003.