There is no doctrine of imminence in the Bible. Those who say there is rely on these two words and they are misunderstanding them. Now my most beloved teachers stick like glue to this doctrine and it’s not even in the word of God. It is a sort of side issue. It is not critical to salvation but it is last day and extremely important doctrine to get right. Can I explain?
“ be ready , for you know not the day nor hour that He will appear…” ( Matt 25:13).
They take this scripture to mean that we have to be ready and have had to be ready from the minute He ascended, because He could return st any minute. No! Not what He said!
Clearly we should always be ready. That goes without saying. He said to watch and be ready.
When He said we don’t know the day or hour He meant just that and nothing more than that. We will not know the day or hour. But we will know the nearness. How? By watching prophecy unfold and come to pass. Ah! This in itself eliminates imminence! What? We have to watch for things to pass to know where we are! That means there are things and have been things that have to happen first. And not just for the second coming but for the rapture. I’ll show you:
The main reason the imminence doctrine is a sloppy one is that there is and always has been a glaring event that absolutely has to pass before Jesus raptures His Church… the fullness of the gentiles has to close. The next thing is that the great falling away or apostasy has to happen first. There is no doctrine of imminence.
What about this even: All of Jesus’ fulfillment of the gospel have happened on a feast day. Why wouldn’t the rapture also happen on a Feast day? If it does, why not the next one in line? Feast of Trumpets? It’s a two day feast!!! Which day? Which hour?? We don’t know! But we sure will know the nearness based on what is unfolding according to Bible prophecy.
The fullness of the gentiles has not come in. But it could anytime. There is tremendous apostasy but has it been THE great apostasy yet? Not yet. Could be tomorrow. But when it happens we who are watching will know and then we should look up!
The Thessalonians were lied to and told it had already happened. These teachers point to that simple fact and say, see, they thought it could have already happened so there you have imminence! What! Terrible hermanutics, I’m sorry. They had so little understanding of deep doctrine then. They were so new. We have much more knowledge at our fingertips and the Holy Spirit has been illuminating His word for 2000 years. They could have believed almost anything. Please don’t form doctrine based on one gathering of believers who were misinformed.
Revelation 3:3 tells us that if we are not watching, we will be caught unaware and not know the hour. So it is also saying then that if we are watching then we will not be caught unaware and will know the hour. Why? Only the ones not watching won’t know the hour. Watching what? Events! Things that have to pass. Watch and consider.
These same teachers say imminence because it helps to keep us Holy. Nonsense!! Walking in the Spirit keeps us holy. Obedience keeps us holy. Loving God keeps us holy!!! It’s not an imaginary fear that I had better behave because He could rapture the church while I’m misbehaving.
The Parables about the wicked servants who are in drunkenness and surfeiting when the Master appears is a general warning to walk with and obey God. It is a parable. It’s a loose concept with hyperbole and some vagueness and limits to make a point.
I could go on. The rapture of the church has not been imminent. Many, many things have had to happen. The thing is this: most of them have.
Although for the last twenty years I have seen what to me seemed like great apostasy, we have not yet seen THE great apostasy. We will know when we see it. It will be gastly.
We have not yet seen the fullness of the gentiles but we are very, very close. It will happen when two other events happen simultaneously. The antichrist will set himself up in the temple of God as God, then the Israelites will be unblinded.
When will the Israelites be unblinded??? When the fullness of the gentiles has come in.
That’s when the rapture will occur. He has told us if we are listening… listening to Him and not to man.
For Israel is blinded in part until the fullness of the gentiles has come in.
When is Israel unblinded? When antichrist sets himself up in the temple. When is the church raptured? When the fullness of the gentiles has come in. When will the fullness of the gentiles come in: when Israel is unblinded? I’m repeating on purpose. Do we see??
Here is the timeline, and by knowing a timeline it only helps us. True believers obey because they love God and not because they are afraid. The fear of the Lord cause one to adore God not to be scared of Him.
Timeline according to the word of God:
1-The Great apostasy
2-Man of sin sets himself up in temple as God. This causes his true identity to be known, he was disguised to the world before this.
3-Fullness of gentiles comes in
4-Israel is unblinded.
5-Rapture of the faithful in Christ.
As far as we know the antichrist could have already signed a treaty with Israel in secret, starting the 7 year clock.
If it has happened now then we have 3.5 years before he reveals his true identity.
Then we should look for THE Great apostasy. It will be a blatant denial of Jesus Christ. It will not be subtle, but nauseating.
Then the man of sin will set himself up as God… etc.
Let’s look for these things and be good stewards when He returns for His own.
In Christ Jesus the Lord.