It's Been 2,000 Years! Is Jesus Still Coming? || July 15, 2010

When talking about the return of Christ, you'll hear a lot of people say they don't believe it will happen because it hasn't happened so far. They say that it's been 2,000 years since Jesus (whether they respect and acknowledge Him, they acknowledge that it's been 2,000 years), and it hasn't happened. People have been looking for it since His time, and the way it was talked about early on, it was thought back then to be something that would happen back in their day. The argument is, since it hasn't happened after all of this time, we're still waiting, then that means we're just going to have to keep waiting for it, and that we're basically wasting our time, because things will keep going on as they always have.

What I find interesting, and I've read this before but came across it again today, and I thought it was a good answer to such skepticism and criticism. This is actually what the Bible says about that very same speculation, saying that in the future people will make that speculation. Here's what it says:

¹This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

²That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

³Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

⁴And 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.

⁵For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

⁶Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

⁷But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

⁸But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

⁹The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

¹¹Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

¹²Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

¹³Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

¹⁴Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

¹⁵And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

¹⁶As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

¹⁷Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁸But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

~ 2 Peter 3 (KJV)


The Bible acknowledges that people will come to this conclusion, deciding that since so much time will pass that it's not going to happen. The Bible assures us that it's not that Jesus is delaying, or being slow in the sense that we understand it. He is giving us time so that we can be ready.

If you think about it, when Jesus came to the earth and died on the Cross, and then rose again, He did that so that salvation would be available for the people. Why would He do that and then return in just a few years, when that gift had just been made available? So many people had not heard of it, and so many places in the world didn't know this was being offered to them. Wouldn't it make sense that He would wait? Wouldn't it make sense that He would give us plenty of time to spread His word?

The Bible even says that it's not going to happen until the gospel has been spread all over the world for people to hear. No time in the past has that been more applicable than it has now. Now the word of God has spread far and wide, both with the work of missionaries previously, and still. Also with the internet, t.v., movies such as The Passion Of The Christ, and different things like that, making it available for people far and wide to hear about it. So, why would people assume that it would have happened so long ago, if so many hadn't heard? Why wouldn't He wait? Why wouldn't He give us that opportunity? And, again, as it says in His word, "One day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day", so for us it's been 2,000 years since He left, but for Him it's only been two days. So, remember this whenever you're doubting, whenever you're thinking No, it's not going to happen, that's just a story, a fairytale. People are looking for an imaginary man to come in the clouds. Just remember what the Bible says, that people would doubt it, and predicted that people would scoff and question why it hasn't happened, why's it taking so long. It's not something that was going to happen in a matter of a few years.

It's something that's still in the future, something we're still waiting for and will happen. Whether it be in the next few years, or the next hundred or so years, or even in the next thousand years, if that's even possible with the condition the world is in. None of us know when it will happen, but the Father only, but it's still something to look for, something that's still going to happen. No matter how much we try to rationalize it, doubt it, and explain it away, it's still an event that's going to happen, and something to anticipate.


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