{"id":25052,"date":"2010-11-27T21:09:00","date_gmt":"2010-11-28T03:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=25052"},"modified":"2020-08-21T21:14:08","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T02:14:08","slug":"could-there-be-some-event-that-god-is-waiting-for-to-trigger-the-second-coming-of-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-there-be-some-event-that-god-is-waiting-for-to-trigger-the-second-coming-of-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"Could there be some “event” that God is waiting for to trigger the second coming of Christ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I know the Bible says no one knows when Jesus’ second return will be. However, those who are called are watching out for it, so, therefore, it won\u2019t be such a surprise to them. Is that correct?<\/p>\n

Why does it seem to me and others that things in the world are happening in such a way that makes it seem Christ return can\u2019t be too far off? I know that according to verses like Matthew 24:36, I Thessalonians 5:2-3 and Matthew 24:42, in reality, Christ could come any hour, day, week, years, or decade from now. Therefore, none of us can say with certainty how near or far the second coming is, regardless of what\u00a0<\/em>goes on in the world around us.<\/p>\n

But one question I\u2019ve never heard anyone ask or answer is this: Is it possible that the world could do something that would result in an event heavy enough to \u2018trigger\u2019 the second coming? I understand that still doesn\u2019t mean that anyone can predict when the second coming will happen. But I\u2019m wondering, and maybe I shouldn\u2019t wonder about this, if the Lord will base the second coming on a world event that He feels is bad enough to cause Him to just say \u2018That\u2019s it!\u2019 and come from His throne and judge the whole world for it.<\/p>\n

Probably not, right?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

If there were some event that triggers the second coming, then that event would become the sign that predicts the end. Yet, Jesus very clearly states there would be no signs. “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect<\/em>” (Matthew 24:42-44). The point of watching is not in regards to looking for signs of the Lord’s coming, but always being prepared so that if He does come in the next hour you won’t regret it because you were slacking off. See: “The Second Coming of the Lord: The Gospel Accounts: A Chronological Harmony<\/a>” for more details.<\/p>\n

The closest hint that I can think of regarding the second coming is in a familiar verse: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance<\/em>” (II Peter 3:9). The reason this world continues is that God wants to save as many as He can. I’ve long suspected that when it comes to the point that leaving the world to continue longer won’t bring any more souls to Christ, then the Father will call an end to this world. Thus, the reason even the Son of God doesn’t know when the end will be (Matthew 24:36) is that it isn’t knowable until the Father decides.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I know the Bible says no one knows when Jesus’ second return will be. However, those who are called are watching out for it, so, therefore, it won\u2019t be such a surprise to them. Is that correct? Why does it seem to me and others that things in the world are happening in such…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[339],"class_list":["post-25052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-second-coming"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7828,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-you-believe-in-regards-to-premillennial-and-dispensational-theories\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":0},"title":"What do you believe in regards to premillennial and dispensational theories?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just came across an article on your website that talked about premillennialism. Current events seem to have got them talking. Basically, I'd like to ask you several questions about premillennial and dispensational theories that these people believe. Do current events in the Middle East, particularly those between Israel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31862,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-the-world-repent-enough-to-postpone-the-second-coming-of-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":1},"title":"Can the world repent enough to postpone the second coming of Christ?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can the world repent enough to postpone the revelation and the second coming of Christ? Answer: There is no way to answer this question. But why so tied to this world? \"Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26662,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-does-the-bible-say-jesus-will-return-a-third-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":2},"title":"Where does the Bible say Jesus will return a third time?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 8, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I've been a fan of\u00a0Bible.ca for along time. One question that haunts me is this: With Matthew 24 fulfilled (I do believe this) where does God's word tell us Christ will come a third time? ( 1. birth - 2. A.D. 70 -3. ?) and what about passages like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15774,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-think-something-drastic-will-happen-this-year-do-you-think-the-rapture-will-happen-in-the-next-two-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":3},"title":"Do you think something drastic will happen this year? Do you think the rapture will happen in the next two years?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: To your knowledge, do you think something drastic will happen this year, 2008? And do you believe that the Rapture will possibly take place within the next year or two according to God's Word? Thank you. Answer: Neither the term nor the concept that is commonly called \"the rapture\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14918,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/will-jesus-come-again-when-everyone-has-heard-the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":4},"title":"Will Jesus come again when everyone has heard the gospel?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know that Jesus Christ will come again when everybody has heard the gospel. Right? Well, a lot of people at school say that the world is going to end in 2012. Why are they saying this? Answer: \"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58814,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/predictions-of-the-second-coming-by-jehovahs-witnesses\/","url_meta":{"origin":25052,"position":5},"title":"Predictions of the Second Coming by Jehovah’s Witnesses","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew Allen \"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight\" (Acts 1:9-10). From that time until the present, men have been anxiously awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Throughout the centuries, some men have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25052"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25052\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}