JUST AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH: SCOFFERS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_predicted_dates_of_the_end_of_the_world is a site that lists some of the "thousands of guesses" man has made concerning the Second Coming of Christ.  One need not be surprised if members of your church are expressing an interest in Bible Prophecy; it appears the Church has been "buzzing" about it for nearly two millennia!  In fact, there are many passages within the Bible which express a strong desire to see the Lord's return (1 Thes. 2:19; Titus 2:13; 1 Jn. 3:2-3; etc.).  At least they all believed He would return! 

Jesus' disciples asked Him when He would return, and He responded, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Mt. 25:13).  On one occasion, He even revealed that He, Himself, did not know:   "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" (Mk. 13:32).  He even described His "unscheduled return" as being like that of those who are caught off guard by a "thief in the night" (Mt. 24:43; Lk. 12:39; 1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15)!

Today, the true Church, which is composed of only born again believers, has two kinds of folks when it comes to Prophecy:  those who try to understand it because they long to know the things of the Lord; they may be Pre-Millennialists (Jesus returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom), Post-Millennialists (Jesus returns after the Church converts the whole world to Christianity), and A-Millennialists (like the Post-Millennialists, they believe the 1000 year reign of Christ is figurative language, and they do not forsee an earthly kingdom);   and those who have given up trying to understand it.  We jokingly call the latter group Pan-millennialists, because their simply believe that it will all pan out in the end.

The religious community claiming to be Christians, tend to be scoffers, denying many biblical teachings, including Christ's Second Coming and His Millennial reign.  Peter described them: "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Pet. 3:3-4).

Do you believe Jesus is going to return?  Do you long for that day?  I hope so!