God as the Creator has a plan with His creation and also as the Redeemer with His redeemed. Whoever believes in the existence of a personal God should be convinced that He does not leave anything to chance. Thus saith the Lord: “… I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:9-10). “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Rom. 9:28).

Those who know the Holy Scriptures well have the knowledge of all the predictions concerning the Redeemer in the Old Testament since the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15). HE was the living hope of God’s people throughout the entire Old Testament. In that same way the redeemed cherish the living hope of the Return of Jesus Christ ever since the very beginning of the New Testament, since He was taken to Glory. For He said, “... I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. “ (Jn. 14: 3). This event is a part of the plan of salvation, it is of utmost significance and it is very close. According to international press articles published at the turn of the millennium, millions of people on earth are expecting the Return of Christ. However, there are religious fanatics in this world as well, who always appear on the scene, they bring harm and reproach upon the true believers in God’s Word. Still, there are also Bible-believing Christians who joyfully expect the Return of Christ and live a very normal life. They are sober, clear, and true in everything they do.

The promised Return of Jesus Christ and the predicted events which are to follow will come to pass, but God alone decides the day and hour when this is to be fulfilled. The signs of the time to which we should take heed, however, speak very clearly that this event is near. To set a time, as it has happened repeatedly even in the recent past, thank God, is neither possible nor necessary.

At the first coming of Christ more than one hundred prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled. All important details about Him — His divine conception, His birth in Bethlehem, His ministry, His suffering, His death, His resurrection and ascension to heaven — were foretold in the Old Testament prophecy. The same applies to the time before the second coming of Christ. It is overwhelming to read all the corresponding scriptures, which are now so timely and are currently being fulfilled.

The Apostle Peter had already seen in the Spirit that the Return of Christ would be especially scoffed at during the end time, as it is now being witnessed. The main critics are the unbelieving theologians who have no divine understanding regarding the time plan of God and the wording in the Holy Scriptures. They claim, for example, that the apostles were wrong in expecting the Return of Christ, and Jesus Himself, they say, did not keep his promise when He said, “Surely I come quickly.” The glorious fact is that the entire Bible is written in a way that it is applicable to all times. Every written Word of God can be preached and believed by all the people during the entire time of grace. Only when the time for the predicted events to take place has actually come will they be fulfilled.

The Apostle Peter comes right to the point with this subject and writes, “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?” Thereupon he replied, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:3-9). All who are predestinated for eternal life will come to believe (Acts 13:48). The scoffers do not have too much time left, as their laughing and scoffing will soon turn into weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” According to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, Christ will soon return, as He promised, and take His own into Glory (1 Th. 4), before the “wrath to come”, before the great tribulation commences (1 Th. 1:10).

At His second coming those who died in Christ and have part in the »first resurrection« will rise first, and then those who live with Him shall be changed bodily and taken up to meet Him together in the air and be with Him for ever (1 Th. 4). They will see Him as He is and shall be changed into His likeness (1 Jn. 3). This will take place as certain as foretold and promised in God’s holy Word.

God as the Creator has a plan with His creation and also as the Redeemer with His redeemed. Whoever believes in the existence of a personal God should be convinced that He does not leave anything to chance. Thus saith the Lord: “… I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:9-10). “For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Rom. 9:28).

Those who know the Holy Scriptures well have the knowledge of all the predictions concerning the Redeemer in the Old Testament since the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15). HE was the living hope of God’s people throughout the entire Old Testament. In that same way the redeemed cherish the living hope of the Return of Jesus Christ ever since the very beginning of the New Testament, since He was taken to Glory. For He said, “... I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. “ (Jn. 14: 3). This event is a part of the plan of salvation, it is of utmost significance and it is very close. According to international press articles published at the turn of the millennium, millions of people on earth are expecting the Return of Christ. However, there are religious fanatics in this world as well, who always appear on the scene, they bring harm and reproach upon the true believers in God’s Word. Still, there are also Bible-believing Christians who joyfully expect the Return of Christ and live a very normal life. They are sober, clear, and true in everything they do.

The promised Return of Jesus Christ and the predicted events which are to follow will come to pass, but God alone decides the day and hour when this is to be fulfilled. The signs of the time to which we should take heed, however, speak very clearly that this event is near. To set a time, as it has happened repeatedly even in the recent past, thank God, is neither possible nor necessary.

At the first coming of Christ more than one hundred prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled. All important details about Him — His divine conception, His birth in Bethlehem, His ministry, His suffering, His death, His resurrection and ascension to heaven — were foretold in the Old Testament prophecy. The same applies to the time before the second coming of Christ. It is overwhelming to read all the corresponding scriptures, which are now so timely and are currently being fulfilled.

The Apostle Peter had already seen in the Spirit that the Return of Christ would be especially scoffed at during the end time, as it is now being witnessed. The main critics are the unbelieving theologians who have no divine understanding regarding the time plan of God and the wording in the Holy Scriptures. They claim, for example, that the apostles were wrong in expecting the Return of Christ, and Jesus Himself, they say, did not keep his promise when He said, “Surely I come quickly.” The glorious fact is that the entire Bible is written in a way that it is applicable to all times. Every written Word of God can be preached and believed by all the people during the entire time of grace. Only when the time for the predicted events to take place has actually come will they be fulfilled.

The Apostle Peter comes right to the point with this subject and writes, “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?” Thereupon he replied, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:3-9). All who are predestinated for eternal life will come to believe (Acts 13:48). The scoffers do not have too much time left, as their laughing and scoffing will soon turn into weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” According to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, Christ will soon return, as He promised, and take His own into Glory (1 Th. 4), before the “wrath to come”, before the great tribulation commences (1 Th. 1:10).

At His second coming those who died in Christ and have part in the »first resurrection« will rise first, and then those who live with Him shall be changed bodily and taken up to meet Him together in the air and be with Him for ever (1 Th. 4). They will see Him as He is and shall be changed into His likeness (1 Jn. 3). This will take place as certain as foretold and promised in God’s holy Word.