MP3: Traveling Down the Rapture Road in 2 Peter, Lesson 4
Hosts: Nathan Jones & Vic Batista
Continue traveling down the Rapture Road with Nathan Jones and Vic Batista in this verse-by-verse study of the incredibly prophetic book of 2 Peter! You can start at the beginning with Part 1 or listen in to The Truth Will Set You Free podcast (above).
The Time Zone Dilemma
Vic Batista: As we move into the second chapter of 2 Peter, we are going to be talking about the subject of false prophets and false teachers.
Nathan Jones: But, before we begin, I’d like to address an interesting topic. It’s based on Mark 13:35-37 which reads: Watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Some people write into Lamb & Lion Ministries and they’ll state, “Jesus said we wouldn’t know the day or hour of His return.” True, but then, they’ll go on to say: “We know Christ’s return is going to occur at the midnight hour because He will be like a thief coming in the night.” And, they’ll conclude, “Therefore, we can know that Jesus will return at midnight.”
Why they latch onto midnight instead of evening or morning, I do not know. But, I respond to their conclusion with two questions: “Which time zone are you talking about?” And, “Is Jesus coming at midnight Jerusalem time, or is He going to stagger His return across all of the midnights as they occur around the world?” It is funny to hear the wild theories people come up with to answer those questions.
Vic Batista: It all depends on how you look at Jesus’ statement, right? Good thing that God resides outside of time. He is going to come at the right time for everyone, but at the same time, regardless of time zones.
Nathan Jones: Yes, indeed! We do not know the exact day or hour of Christ’s return, but we know that we are definitely living in the season of His return, because of all the signs of the times that are now happening. So, “Look out, be watchful,” as Jesus said, and always keep your “lamps” lit.
Nathan Jones: We do not know the exact day or hour of Christ's return, but we know that we are definitely living in the season of His return, because of all the signs of the times that are now happening. #BibleProphecy Click To TweetVic Batista: God is in control. We should let Him alone worry about the timing.
Nathan Jones: That’s the Rapture, but I myself have always wondered about the day of Jesus’ return at the end of the Tribulation, meaning the Second Coming. The Bible says it will be a day like no other. The sign of the Lord will light up the sky. I’ve wondered how that sign in the sky could possibly be seen by the whole world. Will everybody see it all at once? Or, will they only see it as the earth rotates? I’ve always wondered about that. Someday we will find out. It is one of those biblical mysteries.
Lethargy Towards Christ’s Return
Vic Batista: You and I have been concerned about raising up a younger generation that would be interested in Bible prophecy. We desire for the youth to be able to grow in their understanding of the doctrine of Eschatology, meaning last things. Students of Eschatology know that there is something that is lacking in a lot of churches, for a lot of pastors today are not giving the subject much attention. This has been a concern for us.
Nathan Jones: Yes, after the Left Behind books came out and ran their course, the passion for Bible prophecy has greatly diminished. I think a lot of this new lethargy towards the subject of Bible prophecy has to do with ever since Hal Lindsey’s book The Late Great Planet Earth came out in 1970 people have been talking about Jesus returning. For almost 50 decades people have been hearing, “Jesus is returning, Jesus is returning, Jesus is returning!” And now, sadly, we have gotten to that half-century mark and Jesus still has yet to return. People are concluding that Bible prophecy teachers just don’t know what they are talking about and so scoff, “Jesus is coming soon? Yeah, right. That’s crazy!”
But, when these Bible teachers are saying “soon,” they mean soon from God’s perspective. It will be even sooner for that generation that gets to see Israel become a nation again, as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24-25. So, yes, we are in that very time period when Jesus will return. We don’t know when, but we need to keep watching. It is going to happen. And, I believe due to the signs of the end times that Christ’s return to rapture the Church is even going to happen in our lifetime.
Vic Batista: I absolutely agree! That’s why we want to encourage individuals to continue to be excited about the Lord’s return. We may not know the day or the hour of Christ’s return, but by looking at the signs of the times and the way events are speeding up, we know that we could be that very generation that will be alive and remain when the Lord comes in the Rapture.
Vic Batista: By looking at the signs of the times and the way events are speeding up, we know that we could be that very generation that will be alive and remain when the Lord comes in the #Rapture. Click To TweetKnowing that our time here on this earth is short, I want to encourage people to focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by serving Him and remaining faithful and by living holy lives. Should Jesus indeed return in our lifetime — praise God! But, even if He doesn’t, we should want to continue to be equipped to do Christian service.
Nathan Jones: Right, we need to be prepared in season and out of season to lead the lost to salvation in Jesus Christ.
Vic Batista: Speaking of being prepared in season and out of season, one of the ways that you and I have been helping to equip people and prepare them is with this study of the book of 2 Peter.
In the thirteenth part of our faith journey down the Rapture Road through the book of 2 Peter, we’ll dig into the first few verses in the second chapter of 2 Peter.
God Bless!