Bible Questions and Answers

The date of Christ’s return to establish the kingdom of God upon the earth is known only to God.

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

It cannot be worked out from scripture. If it could, Jesus would have known it.

What we are given is some prophecies which enable those alive when they are fulfilled to know that his return is near.

Mark 13:29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near — at the doors!

What are the things we should be looking for?

Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe an invasion of Israel by a nation from the north allied with Persia (now called Iran), Ethiopia and Libya.

Ezekiel 38:16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.".

Before this could happen, Israel had to be back in their own land. This happened in 1948. Before the invasion happens, Israel are to have a period of peace

Ezekiel 38:8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.

Israel have not yet had a period of peace, so we are waiting for this to happen. When it happens, we will know that Christ’s return is at hand.

In Revelation, this coming conflict is described as Armageddon and it is while the nations are being gathered to Armageddon that Christ will return. The gathering is described in symbolic language.

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

The beast is the remnant of the Roman Empire – the kingdoms of western Europe which comprised the Holy Roman empire, reformed into a confederation of nations.

This is the aim of the EU; and now that the UK is out the confederacy, it will move more quickly.

This European confederation is described in Revelation as the ten kings giving their power to the beast for one hour.

Revelation 17:12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.

These same ten kingdoms are the toes of the image in Daniel 2

Daniel 2:44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

In conclusion, we cannot say when Christ will return, but we are given clear prophecies of what will happen on the earth in the time leading up to his return.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn