When Is He Coming?

As I've written before, it's not for us to know.  Scripture tells us that even Jesus doesn't know the appointed time.  Jesus is hanging out with God in Heaven.  Some day God is going to snap His fingers and tell Jesus its time to go.  Jesus isn't going to get anymore advanced warning than we are. 

Revelation 16:15(NKJV)

15“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

See what I mean?  We are told to be ready.  Or as the Boy Scouts say "Always be prepared."  Now what does it take to be prepared?  First and foremost you need to ask Jesus to come into your life.  Have you done that yet?  Its easy.  Why not take care of that right now.  Something like this.  "Dear Jesus……" and just talk to Him. 

There, now that that is taken care of I want to cover something that I ran across today regarding the end times.  This is an example of why it is so important to be in the Word daily and have more than a cursory understanding of Scripture. 

Do I think the end times are imminent?  Personally I do not but I am ready just in case.  The reason I don't think it is time yet is that there still seem to be too many recognizable prophesies that haven't happened yet.  But here is a verse that you could use to make it seem as if it was imminent.

Revelation 16:12-13(NKJV)

12Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 

13And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 

Take a look at this map. 

What's going on between Israel and Iran right now?  If Iran wanted to attack Israel what would they have to do?  They'd have to cross the Euphrates.  In his book Epicenter, Joel Rosenberg suggests that as he reads Ezekiel 38 and 39, he believes it will be Russia and Iran joining forces to attack Israel in the Battle of Armageddon.  As you can see from the map, both of them will have to cross the Euphrates.  Is this the preparing for the way of the kings of the east that Scripture is talking about?  Can you see how someone could use what is happening today to make it seem like it is time?  Interesting isn't it?

This is just one example of how people sometimes take Scripture out of context in my opinion and why it is so vital that we read Scripture for ourselves.  And then we need to listen to the Holy Spirit for discernment.  And above all be observant to what is going on in the world because even though I don't believe the time is near, if I see in the news that the Euphrates River has suddenly dried up, I'll know that the thief in the night is on His way and I'll be ready.  How about you?