Revelation watch: Day 12
Setting dates for the end ...
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." - (NKJV)
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." - (NLT)
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." - (NIV)
“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." - (WEB)
This is the verse that Christians cite whenever someone attempts to put a date on the End Times. Most recently, it was in response to the September 28 rapture date set by Bible teacher Brenda Weltner [2]. She can defend how she arrived at her timeline of events. It doesn't mean we all need to agree. And setting dates is not a sin. I used to take the same dogmatic approach, misapplying Matthew 24:36 to the study of Revelation. Pastors and others have used that verse to caution me against date-setting or repeating date-setting by others.
We all know that others have predicted wrong dates for the end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus. They were well meaning, and I do not believe that Christians will lose their salvation over their views of the Rapture and other End Times matters and events. We don't need to make a doctrine out of these theories.
Christians won't go to hell if they get it wrong on whether the Rapture will occur before the "tribulation," in the middle of it or at the end. Some don't believe in a Rapture at all. What we believe about Jesus Christ is what will determine whether our names will be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Just don't blame the Lord for any conclusions we get wrong.
The End Times, as I prefer to call this period [1], includes numerous events, besides the Rapture, and I believe there will be multiple raptures. I also do not believe that the seven letters to the churches in Revelation represent different dispensations for the Christian church over history. For some theologians, this would mean the modern church currently is represented by church at Laodicea.
I believe the seven churches in Revelation existed contemporaneously with each other. The same is true today. We have churches that reflect the different spiritual states of the ones to whom the seven letters were written. Some truly operate with Jesus as the head and are led by the Holy Spirit. Others have gotten sidetracked to varying degrees. They all have the Bible. Yet, some are apostate.
The Pharisees in the day of the earthly ministry of Jesus knew the scriptures inside out and kept the Mosaic laws, plus all the additional requirements they tacked on over time. Yet, they were spiritually blind. They failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and as the fulfillment of prophetic scriptures.
A couple of exceptions included Nicodemus, who sought after Jesus because he really wanted to know the truth. He understood that he despite his position as a spiritual leader he was missing something. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus after the Crucifixion to give Jesus a proper burial, was a follower of Jesus.
Back to Matthew 24:36 ... I recommend that we ought not to hang our hat on a single verse before we thoroughly investigate how and to whom this verse applies during the End Times. Misapplying this verse has contributed to Christians becoming fearful of tackling the Book of Revelation. If something is unknowable, then why bother to study it. Again, we have the Word and the Holy Spirit. Revelation was written so we could know things about the End Times, not to leave us in the dark.
Revelation 1:1-3 (NLT) - "This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near."
The Bible tells us that some things were "sealed" (concealed) until they could be revealed. The prophet Daniel, for example, was shown some things about the End Times which he no doubt wished to understand further. The response he got was what we understand, more or less, to mean he did not have a need to know.
Daniel 8:26 - "This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”
Daniel 12:4 - "But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
Daniel 12:8-9 - "(8) I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, “How will all this finally end, my lord?” (9) But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end."
Even John, who wrote Revelation (the Apocalypse), was told at one point not to write down something he was shown in a vision. (He had a series of visions):
Revelation 10:4 (NLT) - "When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing.
But I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders
have said, and do not write it down."
The times we live in are closer to the End Times than they were in Daniel's days. Wikipedia provides a good definition of what the "Apocalypse" means:
"Apocalypse (ἀποκάλυψις, apokálypsis) is a Greek word meaning "revelation", "an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling."
Considering the prophetic season we are in, our need to know calls for greater grace and understanding, which the Lord can give us if we ask Him and as we continue to study His word.
Revelation 22:10 (NLT) - "Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near."
Shalom!
Diana Washington-Valdez/Faith Today Christian Ministries
Exalting the Name of Jesus!
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[1] I prefer to use "End Times" as opposed to "Tribulation."
[2] I interviewed Brenda Weltner and find that she has done considerable research on Revelation, which is more than her critics have done. You can find her video series on Revelation on YouTube. Ms. Weltner is one of several capable Bible teachers engaged in developing timelines for End Times events. If she or all of them are wrong, then it's a matter of going back to the drawing board and reworking the input. It's certainly a worthy pursuit.
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