(OPINION) Charisma – When I first became a Christian back in 1970, lots of people were talking about the return of Jesus Christ. The top-selling book of that entire decade was The Late Great Planet Earth, by Hal Lindsey, which spoke in-depth about Bible prophecy and the signs of the times.
Driving around the roads and freeways, you would see bumper stickers with slogans like “Maranatha,” “Jesus is coming” and “In case of rapture, this car will be left unmanned.” There was a sense of expectancy among so many of us that we could be the generation that would see the return of the Lord.
That was 40 years ago. I’ve gone through quite a few “Jesus is coming” bumper stickers since those days. Was my hope displaced? Did I get it wrong? Did we misread the signs of the times? Not at all.
God is not late, and the Lord will return to this earth at the appointed hour that has been predetermined in the councils of eternity. But there may be a reason why Jesus didn’t come when we were hoping He would in 1970. Consider this: Millions and millions of men and women, boys and girls have come to Jesus since 1970.
The Bible reminds us: “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent” (2 Pet. 3:9, NLT).
It’s all in the Lord’s hands, of course, but I do believe that somewhere on this planet, there is a particular man or a woman for whom the Lord is waiting, and when that person finally places faith in Jesus Christ, we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, in what we call the rapture of the church.
Why do I believe this? Because all around me there are signs of the times. One of the “super signs” of the last days was the regathering of the nation of Israel in their ancient homeland. That happened against all odds. It was an event without precedent in human history that a nation and a people who had been scattered throughout the four corners of the earth would gather again where they had once been and form a nation. READ MORE
The reason it hasn’t happened is because of his patient grace. He’s still doing the wheat and tare separation. It’s coming sooner than we think though.
I have the 1st book in the Left Behind series. (I have ALL the books in the series.) The copy write in the first of the series is in the early 1990s. This statement: “When I first became a Christian back in 1970, lots of people were talking about the return of Jesus Christ. The top-selling book of that entire decade was The Late Great Planet Earth, by Hal Lindsey, which spoke in-depth about Bible prophecy and the signs of the times.” is not correct. The left behind books were not even for sale until the 1990s. The top-selling book of the 1970s was NOT the Left Behind books. I was born in 1947. I learned to read in the 1950s. I read ALL the Left Behind books as they came out. The first ones came out in the 1990s. The rest did not come out until AFTER the turn of the century. I know. I had to wait for each of the sequels. The copy write for the 11th in the series, “ARMAGEDDON”, is 2003…more than 20 years AFTER 1970. Check it out yourself & you’ll see for yourself.
Good article. We’re told to wait and watch. I believe that HE told us that HE would be a long time coming
and delay HIS coming as in the story of the 10 virgins. We don’t want to be like the 5 who gave up and
went back into town.
We’re in the midst of this pestilence here in 2020. I believe the LORD calls it a “trial” like in Rev 3:10
“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”
We’re enduring as we wait and watch. It’s not the only passage about this time right before the final 7 years.
We were also promised the book of truth opened at the end times and read Daniel 11 in a new light. There
isn’t much time left as you mentioned. I hope those questioning will repent and read revealing scriptures.
Thanks for this site and allowing my post.