"Live each day as if Christ is coming tomorrow, or "You don't know when He is coming, it could be the very next moment, so prepare yourselves daily"

"Live each day as if Christ is coming tomorrow", or "You don't know when He is coming, it could be the very next moment, so prepare yourselves daily"

These quotes have been perpetuated for a long time, in the well intended effort to get Christians to realise the urgency of the moment. Unfortunately, these statements are not really Biblical. It is not to say that they are wrong, because we really need to prepare ourselves daily, but to say that Christ could come at any moment arbitrarily is to deny Biblical prophecy and truths.

While it is true that we do not know the exact date and time of His return (Matt 24:36), we are told the events which will take place prior to it. To give an analogy, let us take the example of a concert. Suppose the concert is at 8.00pm. When the first bell rings, you know that it is 10 mins before the concert starts. When you hear the second bell, you know there is only 5 mins left. In effect, you do not have to know the exact time the concert is starting; what you do is listen to the bell. This is the way God is telling us. He is not telling us the exact time of Christ's return, for the simple reason that people will procrastinate till the last moment (not to mention cults which will be built around it), the people looking towards the date rather than to God. However, He has given us the "warning bells", which are found throughout the Bible, particularly in the prophetic books and the Gospels. These "signs" serve as landmarks on the road to the end of times.

What are we to do with all these signs? Jesus says, "Watch and pray" (Mark 13:33, Luke 21:36). What do you do when you watch? You open your eyes and see the signs happening around. Because we do not know the hour of His coming, we are told to watch (Matt 24:42). In fact, Jesus specifically tells us that the signs are indications of His coming and we are to take note (Mark 13:28-29, Matt 24:32-33).

Now, where does this relate to the fact that we know Christ is not coining tomorrow? We know that because of the signs and prophecies given. God does not place signs and prophecies haphazardly with no order. It would be like a road map with all the roads mislabelled. God has given them as landmarks along the way, like when you are travelling down the ECP towards the airport, you see milestones telling you how many miles before the ECP ends at the airport. This implies that certain landmarks have to be passed before the next comes, and so on until the end. In the same way, Christ's return will not occur until the signs and prophecies preceding are fulfilled and you know God always fulfils His prophecies. Paul tells the Thessalonians not to be deceived into thinking that Christ had returned or that it is here, because that day would not come until certain events had occurred (2 Thess 2:3).

Some may say that the coming of the Lord is like a thief in the night, therefore we will be surprised. However this verse (1 Thess 5:2) is often quoted out of context. We must read the rest of the chapter in order to know what Paul is saying. In 1 Thess 5:4, Paul says that, "but you, brothers, are not of the night so that this day should surprise you like a thief". In other words, we should not be surprised. Those that get surprised are those of the night, who sleep and get drunk (1 Thess 5:7). Woe betide us if we were ever surprised, for we would then face God's wrath (1 Thess 5:3, Matt 24:45-51). We are to be awake because God has appointed us not to suffer wrath but salvation (1 Thess 5:9).

Now, those that perpetuate the statements found at the beginning of this discussion say that their usage is justified because it keeps Christians on their toes. I feel that this is wrong because firstly, it is not Biblical, and secondly, Christians who hear it too often begin to treat the matter lightly, with the result that they are lulled into a tiresome rut, thus reversing the aim of the quotes. I am reminded of a story of a pastor who, one Sunday while preaching, had a "prophecy". He told the congregation that Christ would come on Tuesday at exactly 10am. Therefore, he urged, repent, and do everything to prepare yourselves, stressing the urgency with every word. At the end of the service,' the notices were read, as was the custom. by one of the church elders. A few notices were read. and the final one, just handed to him, read, "By the way, the women's fellowship will continue to meet on Wednesday morning as usual." You may or may not laugh at this story. but the fact is that this kind of can't-be-bothered attitude is what results from the oft preached "Christ may be coming tomorrow".

The same proponents also say that it is not right to say "Christ is not coming tomorrow" as it would lead the people to procrastinate. This is true if one does not qualify the statement. However. I believe that if Christians are told why, and the signs and prophecies which are to come, it would make them sit up and realise how late it really is. When in their everyday life they see the signs and prophecies coming to past and actually being fulfilled. it would instil in them a spirit of urgency to reach out to the unsaved because they now know by experience and conviction how little time they have left. We cannot sweep signs and prophecies under the carpet and pretend they did not exist or happen. God has placed them there as milestones, and boy, are we running to the end of them.

There are 7 major landmarks given to us, as outlined by the seven seals of Revelation (Rev 6-8, Matt 24:4-35), plus at least 20 other events and more than 50 verses of prophecies and signs. The first four seals have already occurred, and we are now entering the events of the fifth seal. Brothers and sisters in Christ. how much time do we have left? Jesus says, "Watch with me .... watch and pray". Let us stop having age-old notions of what everybody traditionally says regarding end-time events (which might or might not have any Biblical basis), but ask the Lord to open our spiritual eyes that we might keep watch with Him and pray to the Lord of the harvest for souls to be saved before the great Day of the Lord. "It is near, right at the door" (Matt 24:33). Let us go out and tell people why, and show them the events that are coming to pass. People will be convicted when they see with their own eyes Biblical events being fulfilled. They won't be if you keep telling them something which is abstract and which has no Biblical basis. Satan has deceived the world regarding this, and has even made it into a joke. How often have you seen the caricature of a mad, long-haired guru or prophet clad in sandals going around carrying a placard that says "The end is near!'? As it is, if we do the same without a Biblical basis, we will be placed into the same category as them. Let's go out and preach the Word. Brethren, ask the Lord to show you. As Jesus says in Luke 21:28, "When you see these things taking place, lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

Note: Though God has given us the various landmarks, we are not to predict the date and time of the Second Coming. We will know roughly when, the season, etc., but not the exact date and time, because it is not necessary. Luke 21:28 is sufficient. Speculations will only shift our focus from the Lord to dates.