And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

Luke 17: 22-24

You may have heard that someone was predicting the return of Christ a few days ago. Apparently a “prophet” from South Africa named Brother Joshua started the current predicting models.

The first widespread prediciton of Christ’s return in my memory was contained in a book that was entitled “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988.”

That was nearly forty years ago now, but since I was a young boy, I remember anticipating the return of Christ and He will certainly do so at just the right time – it’s just not a time that is predicable.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 24:36

Anticipating Christ’s return in one thing, but leading people astray is something else. This most recent example probably greatly disappointed some believers who fell for the prophet’s story and for those who do not believe in Christ, there is certainly mocking of the faith.

So what do we know?

Jesus described the timing of his return this way –

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Matthew 24: 37-44

In the passage above Jesus uses the historical figures of Noah and Lot to set the stage for his return. His message to His disciples then is the same for us today – Be ready. Live as if this day is the day.