The recent Langstaff Letter on ‘The Coming of the Lord’ brought a more than usual amount of comments, so I thought I would share some of them with you. Interestingly, a number of responses were from pastors, some of which are included here.

RESPONSES AND COMMENTS

“What more could you really say of value on this subject than… Jesus is coming back.”

A pastor from Australia stated, “I’m listening. I’m watching. I know the time is closer than many think. Our explanation are not necessarily the way things will go. It’s all about trusting God and being totally obedient to what He call us to do.”

“As regards different positions..I remember, as a baby Christian, the pre, mid, and post-positions..it was in part what made me determined to search it out, not to be “right,”…but I wanted to know the truth. But what was really interesting was everybody pretty much agreed upon the events, just not the timing.”

Not all the responses were serious, “Alan, Thanks for the thorough views regarding the end times. Regarding the 30 minutes, ‘Does this imply there are no women in Heaven?'”

Another pastor wrote, “Enjoyed your comprehensive views of Second Coming theories. I guess you’d have to say I’m a “Pan Millennialist.” It’s gonna Pan-Out in the end!”

“Good thoughts here Alan. I too have stayed away from teaching on this subject as I have other things to focus on. I just want to be ready when He comes. Till He does, I want to ‘work while it is day'”.

I received several responses and suggestions regarding conferences to attend and teachings to listen to. I also had a very long response from the Dean of a Bible School. I will include just the opening portion of his letter, where he gives a background to the Thessalonian letters.

“In Paul’s day (between his conversion in about 41 A.D. and his death likely in February of 68 A.D., give or take a year or so), one of the early churches he planted — in Thessalonika, which borders the area between modern-day Greece and Serbia in Eastern Europe — rumors were floating that “the Day of the Lord” was about to take place, whether people were “ready” for it to come or not. That “Day of the Lord” was not just one of judgment for the rebellious pagans of the world, but also of resurrection-hope for the saints (see also 1 Thess. 4-5) who yearned to be gathered together with their Lord for all eternity! In Jewish-Christian circles, Scriptures such as Isaiah 11 & 65, Isaiah 2 & Micah 4, Zechariah 14, and others portrayed a time when the Kingdom of God would come to earth at last, fulfilling human destiny under the rule and reign of a divine Messiah — Jesus the Christ, the eternal Son of God! — whom Paul preached and who was (soon?) to be coming again.”

AN UNEXPECTED BOOK

One other interesting event to share: The day that the Langstaff Letter on ‘The Coming of the Lord’ was sent out, I received in the mail a book from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which from time to time I support. I had not asked for this book entitled ‘Revealing Revelation’ by Amir Tsarfati. It came unexpectedly at an appropriate time.

WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?

As Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, the disciples asked Jesus, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ Jesus cautioned them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.’ Likewise, in Matthew 24:36, Jesus declared, ‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.’

In other words, no one knows the precise time in which these things are to happen. Now, we may not know the exact date and time for these things to happen, but in verse 37, Jesus goes on to describe the conditions in the world at the time of the coming of the Son of Man. It will be like the days of Noah.

Now, think for a moment: why would Jesus give us some idea of what life would be like when He is returning? He must have wanted us to have some recognition of the time we were living in. See Luke 17:20 – 37.

In Luke 21:32, Jesus, after teaching about the signs of His coming, declared, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. This follows on from His reference to ‘the times of the Gentiles,’ which refers to the interval between the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the Second Coming of Christ, during which the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world (Spirit Filled Life Bible). So, it would seem Jesus stated that ‘this generation’ will be alive when all this takes place.

A generation? How long is a generation, and how do you measure a generation? A generation is often thought of as 40 years, such as the generation of Jews that were in the wilderness in Moses’ days. But there is another way of thinking of a generation.

In Genesis 15, Abraham had a highly significant interaction with the Lord when God established His covenant with Abraham (actually Abram at that time). In verse 13, He said to Abram, “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs (i.e., Egypt), and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. Also, Acts 7:6. Then Genesis 15:16 explains all this further, “But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” So 400 years is considered four generations (i.e., 100 years is one generation).

Now, with that in mind, consider Luke 21:20ff, where Jesus declares Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (v 24).

Could it be that the reference further down in verse 32 that states, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (i.e., you measure the generation of 100 years from that time) could possibly refer to the establishment of Israel as a nation again in 1948 or the conquest of Jerusalem itself in the Six Day War of 1967?

FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH?

I may as well present my position on this. I take a pre-tribulation position, believing in the rapture, etc. By the way, the Bible has other raptures described in other ways, such as Elijah being taken up to heaven in a chariot.

I am not dogmatic as some people were about 1988, but I do feel that we can know the generation even if we do not know the exact day or time.

So, to make it clear, I believe Jesus is coming soon and in our generation. In other words, it will happen sometime up to approx. 2048 or 2067, which is 100 years from Israel becoming a nation or a hundred years from the conquest of Jerusalem. Once again, I would be clear: I am not proclaiming a specific date. Rather, a period of time when I believe the rapture will take place.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I realize that others may have a different understanding about all this, and I respect that and also welcome replies. If I am anywhere near correct, then I will not be here on earth when the rapture occurs. I will look forward to seeing you in heaven.

I have been taken in the study of these matters that we are comforted by the knowledge that God is in control, that history is moving towards a climax, and that Jesus is soon to return. So, I say, ‘Come Lord Jesus, Come!’