WILL JESUS RETURN TO FIND FAITH?

Jesus, speaking of His Second Coming, asked this question in Luke 18:8 - "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?"  Even though the Church will have been removed from the earth seven years earlier, in what is known as "The Rapture of the Church," (Jn. 14:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 4:1), I believe the answer to His question is still yes.  Here is why.

Following the removal of the Church, there is to be a seven-year period called "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (also known as "The Tribulation" and "The Time of Jacob's Trouble," - Dan. 9:27; Jer. 30:7; Mt. 24:3-29; Rev. Ch. 6-18; etc.); when it occurs, it will be divided into two halves of 1260 days (Rev. 11:3; 13:6), or 42 months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5), or 3 1/2 years (Dan. 7:25; 9:27).  During the first half, Israel will believe that the Antichrist is their long-awaited Messiah.  He will come riding on a white horse (Rev. 6:2; 19:11).  He will promise to protect them for seven years.  Israel will actually have peace for the first three and a half years, only "hearing of wars and rumors of wars" (Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7).  During that time, they will persecute, in their synagogues, the few Jews who come to trust in Jesus, and for the first three and a half years, they will freely worship in their newly built temple (Mt. 24:9-10; Mk. 13:9-10; Lk. 21:12-13; etc.). 

Then, suddenly, the Antichrist will declare himself to be God and Israel's eyes will be opened (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rom. 11:25; 2 Th. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2; etc.).  They will flee into the wilderness, where God will provide for their protection and their needs; Revelation 12:6 says, "And the woman (Israel)fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."  We find this stated again in Revelation 12:14, which says, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."

The Tribulation ends with Christ's Second Coming (Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-20; etc.).  Christ's people, Israel, will be surrounded by the nations of the world, and in what has come to be called "The Battle of Armageddon," Israel is rescued and her foes destroyed.  Revelation 16:12-16 says:

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.  Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.  And He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

 

When Jesus returns, faithful Israel will welcome Him!