The following are some Q & A as relate to the return of Christ.
1. Will there be a seven year "peace deal" or is that in the past?
By comparing Daniel 12, which talks about an abomination of desolation which is clearly in the future, with Daniel 9:27 which also talks about the abomination of desolation, it can be seen that Daniel 9:27 is in the future, and not in the past. If that is so, then it also tells us that a temple must be in the future, and that a "confirmation" of a seven year agreement must also be in the future. So, the seven year "peace deal" is still in the future, as of this writing (Nov 2011).
2. What did Jesus mean when He said, "No man knows the day or the hour"?
Either, He meant no one knows the day and the hour of the rapture, or the day and the hour of His Second Coming -- or both. It is the opinion of this author that the most likely one that He was referring to was the day of the rapture.
3. I have been told that there is no rapture and that the word rapture is not in the Bible.
The word "rapture" is derived from the Latin word meaning to be "caught up" which is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. So, although the word itself is not found in the Greek text (which was the original language used to write the New Testament), the meaning is definitely there. (Though the word "hamburger" is not in the Bible, it does not mean that people in the Bible did not eat meat between two pieces of bread sometimes. In this way, we must be careful how we use words. The "rapture" is definitely found in the Bible, when we understand that it is the English translation of the Latin word which means to be "caught up".)
4. Explain the pre-tribulation rapture teaching and whether you think it is biblical.
According to the pre-tribulation rapture teaching, believers in Christ will be raptured (that is, "caught up" to meet Jesus in the air) before (or immediately at the start of) a seven-year tribulation period. This seems largely correct (but may not be). However, the seven years is not called the "tribulation" period in the Scriptures. In the opinion of this author, there is actually no guarantee in the Scriptues that the rapture must come before the seven years start. However, it seems consistent with the Scriptures that the rapture will occur prior to the 3.5 year great tribulation period (that comes at the end of the 7 years).
5. Explain the post-tribulation rapture teaching and whether you think it is biblical.
I don't think it's biblical. Revelation 12:12 seems to clearly point to the rapture already having happened at the start of the great tribulation period. So does the fifth seal of the book of Revelation, found in Revelation 6. So do other scriptures.
6. Explain the mid-tribulation and pre-wrath rapture teaching and whether you think they are biblical.
The mid trib basically says that the rapture will come in the middle of the seven years, whereas the pre-wrath allows for the rapture to happen anytime before the wrath of God (it is apparently a bit more flexible than the mid-trib).
7. What do the 2014-2015 eclipses show us? And to what extent can we know the date of the return of Christ by them?
See article at www.faithnet.ca/eclipsearticle.html. It is the opinion of the author that these eclipses are quite significant. Likely, the exact dates that the eclipses occur may not be entirely significant, but they clearly appear to denote a "season" of Christ's return. Note that some people deny that these eclipses are significant, even among Christians. It is the opinion of this author that they are wrong, and that these eclipses really are very significant -- indicating the return of Christ "in or around" this time frame (they likely do not denote a year, but a season).
8. What is the outer date of Christ's return?
It's hard to be definitive on that one. However, a case could possibly be made for the year 2028, based on one interpretation of Scripture. Essentially, Jesus said that when you see the "fig tree ... becom(ing) tender and put(ing) forth its leaves" that "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (which includes "the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky") (Matthew 24:32-34). If the "fig tree" represents Israel and "this generation" is the 70-80 years mentioned as being the life span of a person in Psalm 90, then you could take the date of Israel becoming a nation (1948) and add a maximum of 80 years, which brings us to 2028.
Warning! This is just one method and is by no means "written in stone". Yet, I tend to think this is what Jesus meant by that passage. If you took the lower number (70 years, and not 80, as per Psalm 90), then you would arrive at 2018 as being the maximum year. To me, these numbers are interesting, but not conclusive, since this is just but one possible interpretation of Matthew 24:32-34 and the dating here is in no way "anchored". Therefore, I do not know when the outer date of Christ's return is, or even if the Bible truly teaches an outer date from this passage.
9. What about the 6000 years teaching and Genesis 6 rendition of 120 years as being equal to 6000 years?
Some believe that the Bible teaches that man will be self-governing for 6000 years and then his self-government will cease and Christ will take over. This teaching seems to be biblical. The 120 years in Genesis 6 is taught by some as being "Jubilee years" (that is, 50 year chunks) and, contextually, it does seem to line up pretty well with the passage in that this is how long God says He will put up with man. All things considered, it appears logical to conclude that in God's prophetic timetable, man will have 6000 years (possibly to the very day) in order to self-govern himself. The fact that our calendar says 2011 (at the time of this writing) should not be a major concern. We know that our calendar system is not perfect so this should not be a deterrent for believing in a literal 6000 years of self-rule before Jesus, our Savior and our Lord, returns to govern for a 1000 literal year reign. Note that this paragraph was and is quite speculative!
10. Do you really believe in a 1000-year literal reign of Christ on the earth?
Yes. That is what the Bible clearly teaches. After the 1000 years has completed, the Lord will recreate a new heaven and a new earth and there will be one final time of judgment before all things reach their fulfillment in terms of those who are saved into the kingdom of God.
11. What about the Gulf Oil Spill? Is that found in the Bible? And what should our response as Christians be?
We should never rejoice when someone suffers. The Gulf Oil spill was a tragedy. Enough evidence seems to have come forward to indicate that it was entirely preventable. It is certainly grievious and appears to be a "sign of the times" in which we live -- but it may not be in the Bible (if it is, I didn't find it).
12. Will the world end in 2012?
Clearly, the world will not end in 2012. The Bible teaches that the world will keep on going. However, after the 1000 year reign of Christ, there will be a "new heaven and earth". In 2012 something may (and it is believed will) indeed occur. Regardless of when Christ returns, or when the rapture occurs, we need to be ready to meet Him -- none of us is even guaranteed another day! Thus, we should be submitted to Christ and be in relationship with Him right now, and living for Him every day of our lives.
