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March 4,2021 |
| Imminence | ||
The Doctrine of Imminence expresses the idea that Jesus could return at any time. In turn, that idea can have an effect on our beliefs about the order of end time events and the way we look at how we should live until Jesus returns.
The proponents of this doctrine claim that the church has always believed in imminence. We'll see why they claim that later. It seems though that the doctrine appears in the 1800s about the same time that the idea of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture appears. These two ideas go hand-in-hand so that wouldn't be surprising.
Even though this doctrine is widely accepted, it's far reaching effects require us to determine whether it is Biblical. That is the focus of this study.
The Doctrine of Imminence is based on Jesus words. He often spoke with his disciples about things that would happen in the near future and the far future and especially about his return. One of their questions was, "When will these things happen?" (Mark 13:4).
Of that day or hour no man knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when that time is. (Mark 13:32-33).
Jesus addresses this topic in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
Be you also ready therefore, for in that hour when you are not expecting, the son of Man comes. (Luke 12:36-40)
The common understanding of Jesus' words about his return is that "the command to 'be ready' implies imminence"1, that is, he could return at any time.
Because the proponents of this idea believe "be ready" implies "imminence" they say that the church has always believed in imminence.
Is that what Jesus meant, though? The first question needs to be, "what does it mean to be ready?". Along with that we need to ask, "what happens if we are not ready?".
What did Jesus mean by ready? Did he mean something like we need to be ready to jump up and greet him when he returns or we will miss him and not be taken up? Did he mean that we should be watching the sky all of the time? That wouldn't allow for any sleep.
No, that isn't what Jesus meant. He was speaking of spiritual readiness. We'll look at verses that support that a little later. Jesus' concern was always for the spiritual state of people. That is also the case here.
Jesus isn't saying be ready at the moment of that event. He is saying be spiritually ready always. All of the people he was speaking to have died and never saw that event. His message was to not become spiritually lazy or spiritually asleep.
We can see that idea in the passage from Mark, if we look at it in its context.
But of that day and of that hour no man knows, neither the Angels of Heaven, neither the son, but The Father only. 33 Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when that time is. 34 It is like a man who traveled abroad and left his house and gave authority to his servants and to each man his work and he commanded the gatekeeper to be watchful. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the Master of the house comes, in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or in the morning. 36 Lest suddenly he come and find you sleeping. 37 But what I say to you, I say the same to you all: 'Be watching.'" (Mark 13:32-37)
Here we see the idea of sleeping, by which he means spiritually asleep. We also see the warning to be watchful. He doesn't mean the servants should be watching for the master of the house to return so when they see him in the distance that can start getting things in order. He means they should be watchful that they don't fall asleep … spiritually.
In Matthew, Jesus says the same words "about that day and about that hour no man knows", but he gives more examples of what it means to be ready.
But just as the days of Noah, so will the coming of the son of Man be. 38 For just as they were eating and drinking before the flood, and they were taking wives, and they were taking husbands, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 And they did not perceive until the flood came and took them all away, thus will be the coming of the son of Man. (Matthew 24:37-39)
The message is that the people before the flood were engrossed with the activities of their lives and were not ready.
Wake up therefore, for you do not know in what hour your Lord will come. 43 But know this: if the house owner had known in what watch the robber would come, he would have been awake and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (Matthew 24:42-43)
Again, we see a call to being spiritually awake.
Who is the servant who is faithful and wise, whom his Lord has appointed over the children of his household, to give them food in his time? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom, when his master will come, will find doing this. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will set him over everything that he has. (Matthew 24:45-47)
This parable is directed at the ministers, "those whom the Lord has appointed over the children". The message is: they should be found to be giving the children their [spiritual] food.
But if an evil servant will say in his heart, "My Lord delays to come", 49 and will start to beat his associates and eat and drink with drunkards, 50 the Lord of that servant will come on the day that he does not expect it, and in the hour in which he is not aware. 51 And he will cut him off, and he will set his portion with the phonies. There will be weeping and gnashing teeth." (Matthew 24:48-51)
Spiritual drunkenness is in focus here, spiritual confusion. This message is directed at ministers who do not love the truth. They tell themselves the time for the return is not yet so they can teach nonsense (beat his associates) and hang around with others who are spiritually confused and eat what they are making (eat and drink with drunkards). Their destiny is eternal torment.
This verse strongly supports the idea that "Be ready" means "Always be ready", when it says "My Lord delays to come". The false minister sees there is time and falls asleep spiritually. In his confused state he does not see the time is near. Jesus is, in fact, warning them, and us, that he will be gone for a while.
Matthew 25 is the parable of the virgins. We see the same idea there. They knew there was still time and some of them took a nap. In doing so they weren't ready spiritually when he came.
Luke may express the idea best. Jesus is saying you don't know when I will return so this is how you should live until then.
Be like people waiting for their Lord when he will return from the wedding chamber, so that whenever he comes and knocks, they may open to him at once. 37 Blessings to those servants whom, when their Lord will come, he shall find while they are watching. Amen, I say to you, that he shall gird his waist and he shall make them recline and he shall go through and shall wait on them. 38 And if he will come in the second or third watch, and he will find them thus, blessings to those servants. (Luke 12:36-38)
We've seen from all these verses that Jesus was saying he would be gone for a while and we do not know when he will return, therefore we should live our lives as though he could return at any time. Jesus' message therefore is about how we should live our lives while he is gone. We should be watchful that we do not become tired or lazy and fall asleep. That will be the temptation when he has been gone for a long time.
We've seen that Jesus was more interested in his followers not wandering from the faith during the lengthy time he would be gone. He wants them to continue to do the things they should be doing.
Does Jesus also mean that he could return at any time? It isn't possible to accept that because Jesus, himself, says there are things that must happen before he would return. Not just a few things, he provides a long list, though not with the detail we would like.
All the prophecies, Old Testament and New must come true, or God is a liar or false prophet. Some unfulfilled prophecies are for the Millennial Kingdom, after Jesus' return, but there are many that cover the time before he returns. These must be fulfilled.
And when Yeshua sat on Tor d'Zaytha ("Mount of Olives"), his disciples came and they were saying among themselves and to him: "Tell us when these things will be and what will be the sign of your advent and of the end of the world." 4 Yeshua answered and said to them, "Beware that no man will deceive you. 5 For30 And then the sign of the son of Man in Heaven will appear and then all the families of the earth will mourn, and they will see the son of Man who comes on the clouds of Heaven with miracles and many praises. 31 And he will send his Angels with great trumpets, and they will gather his own elect from the four winds, from all the ends of the heavens.
- many will come in my name, and they will say. 'I Am (the living God), the Messiah', and they will deceive many.
- 6 Take heed that you will not be troubled, for it is necessary that all these things should happen, but it will not yet be the end.
- 7 For nation will arise against nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom,
- and there will be famines and plagues and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of sorrows.
- 9 And then they will deliver you to suffering, and they will kill you and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name.
- 10 Then many will be subverted, and they will hate one another and will betray one another
- 11 And many false Prophets will arise and will deceive many.
- 12 And because of the abundance of evil, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever will persevere until the end will have life.
- 14 And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for the testimony of all the nations and then the end will come.
- 15 But whenever you will see the desecrated sign of desolation that was spoken by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place, (he who reads should consider)
- 16 Then those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains. 17 And the one who is on the roof should not come down to take what is in his house. 18 And he who is in the field should not return to take his clothes. 19 But woe to pregnant women and to those who are nursing in those days. 20 But pray that your escape will not be in winter, neither on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great suffering, which has not been from the beginning of the world even until now, neither will be. 22 If those days are not cut short no one would live, but because of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short.
- 23 Then if someone will say to you, "Behold, the Messiah is here or there", you should not believe.
- 24 For false Messiahs will arise and Prophets of lies, and they will give great signs so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.
- 26 If therefore they will say to you, "Behold, he is in the desert", you should not go out, or "Behold, he is in an inner room", do not believe it.
- 27 For just as lightning goes out from the East and appears unto the West, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the body will be, there will the eagles be gathered.
- 29 But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will darken and the moon will not show its light, and the stars will fall from the heavens and the power of the heavens will be disturbed.
Some of the signs Jesus describes don't seem conclusive, for example, earthquakes. There were earthquakes before Jesus' time, during his time and have been after his time, including some pretty big ones. So how can that be a sign to us? Other prophecies back up what Jesus is saying by describing earthquakes that are much larger than we have ever seen. One of these is described as causing the Earth to reel in space.
32 But learn a parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branches bow low and its leaves bud forth, you know that summer has arrived. 33 So also, whenever you see all these things, know that he has approached the door. 34 Amen, I say to you that this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. (Matthew 24:3-34)
Jesus says that just as you know the time is coming for earthly events because of the signs you see, you will also know the time is very near when you see these events he has described.
For more information, there is a page on Wikipedia that lists all the people who have claimed to be Jesus2. Most of them are dead and not all of the ones who are living can be correct.
Paul says much the same thing as Jesus, but on a smaller scale.
But we beg of you, my brethren, concerning the arrival of Our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and concerning our assembling unto him, (2 Thessalonians 2:1)
Paul introduces the topic which is the arrival of Jesus and our coming together with him.
That you would not be soon shaken in your minds, neither be troubled, either from word, nor from a spirit, neither from an epistle that is as if from us, namely, that, "Behold, the Day of Our Lord has arrived." (2 Thessalonians 2:2)
Someone has been spreading a story that Jesus has arrived. Paul says, if you hear that, don't let it bother you. Next, he is going to say why it shouldn't bother them - there are things that will come first. His list is much shorter than Jesus' list.
Let no man deceive you by any means, to the effect that
- surely no revolt will first come and
- the Man of Sin, the son of Destruction, be revealed,
- 4 He who opposes and exalts himself against everything that is called God and religion, just as he will sit in the Temple of God, as God, and will show concerning himself as if he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was with you, I said these things to you? 6 And now you know what controls, that he may be revealed in his time. 7 The mystery of evil has even now begun to work within, only if
- that which now controls will be taken from the midst;
- 8 And then that Evil One will be revealed, whom Our Lord Yeshua will consume with a breath of his mouth, and will destroy him by the revelation of his coming. 9 For the coming of that one is in the activity of Satan in all power, signs and false wonders, 10 and in all the error of evil which is in the perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth in which they would have Life. 11 Because of this, God sent them the activity of delusion that they would believe lies. 12 And all those who believed not the truth, but chose evil, will be judged. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)
In summary, Paul is saying these three things must happen first.
Other prophecies add items to the list of things that must happen before Jesus returns. The following are "can't miss" items, in that you can't fail to see them for what they are, when they happen.
A large part of the reason people accept this idea is due to it being the theological foundation of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture idea. The Post-Tribulation idea accepts that Christians will be going through the Tribulation period. Remember Jesus described that as "If those days were not cut short, no one would live."
Imminency allows the Rapture event to be moved forward in time. Therefore Christians would be able to avoid the Tribulation.
The Church of God (Seventh Day) accepts the Post-Tribulation Rapture because there are so many places in the Bible that treat the Rapture and the Second Coming as one event.
Because Our Lord shall descend from Heaven with a command and with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet blast of God, and the dead who are in the Messiah shall rise first; 17 And then we who remain, who have life, we shall be carried away with them together in clouds to a meeting of Our Lord in the air, and in this way, we shall always be with Our Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Jesus arrives, trumpet blast, the dead rise, and then the living are transformed and are carried away. It seems pretty clearly a description of a single event.
Those who accept the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, split the Rapture from the Second Coming, making them separate events, happening at very different times. They claim the Rapture is imminent (could happen anytime) but the Second coming happens after the Tribulation.
Actually, most people who accept the Pre-Tribulation Rapture believe it will come at the beginning of the Tribulation. That belief, though, contradicts imminency. If it was truly imminent then it could happen at any time. This shows that imminency is really just a way to move the Rapture ahead of the Tribulation.
The two reasons people believe in imminency are:
The last point above needs clarification. The idea that Jesus could come at any second has been used to motivate the congregation to stay true to the faith and attend church regularly. Perhaps it is also thought that this will also bring conversion to unbelievers. This is motivation by a fear.
Christians should never be motivated by any fear. They should especially not be motivated by the fear that Jesus could come at any time. Instead, they should be looking forward to his arrival.
For those who believe in imminency, Jesus can come at any time. Thus, it becomes possible for people to try to predict a date when Jesus will return. There have been many such predictions. Obviously, all the predicted dates before 2021 have been proven wrong.
There is a long history of these predictions with the earliest recorded one being for the year 500.
The most relevant of these to the Church of God (Seventh Day) is in our own history. The church that would eventually become the Church of God (Seventh Day) was started by a man called William Miller. This was before the split off of the Seventh Day Adventists.
Miller said that Jesus' return was imminent and predicted a specific date in 1844. When that date passed, it left the congregation stunned and mocked. The Seventh Day Adventist church still finds value in that failed prediction.
Later Herbert W. Armstrong would be kicked out of the Church of God (Seventh Day) and begin setting dates. He chose 4 dates in the 1900s. Ellen White of the Seventh Day Adventist church would avoid making exact date predictions but she is known to have said in 1850 that there were only a few months left. That's more than 2000 months ago. She also said that Adventists living in 1856 would be alive to see Jesus' return.
All of these people believed that Jesus' return was imminent, despite what Jesus said … and Paul … and other prophets.
The Doctrine of Imminency is a false doctrine that has caused nothing but trouble and confusion. Mostly this is because it causes people not to look at all of the things the Bible says must come first.
The knowledge that we have that Jesus' return is not imminent shouldn't inspire us to spiritual laziness and falling away. We should always be motivated by God's love within us to grow spiritually and to grow closer to him.
1 Got Questions - Can the return of Christ truly be said to be imminent?