How Long between Jesus' return and the FINAL Judgment day?
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:11 pm
How long between the end of the day to the FINAL judgement day?
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
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Jesus' startling prediction of the temple's complete destruction prompted the apostles' to ask him about the circumstances surrounding the temple's destruction. But, it also prompted them to ask about His return and the end of the world. Whether or not they distinguished these events or lumped them together is not significant to this question, because they clearly misunderstood many things about Jesus, His kingdom, and their work even very late (Acts 1:6-11). The important words were uttered by Jesus, resolving their confusion:Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them ... (Matthew 24:1-4a)
Please notice a few things about this first answer, the timing of the first "day" discussed in this context:Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. ... Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Matthew 24:15-35)
Notice the clear contrast ("But ...")! Jesus sets this second day, the end of the age, as a day that is unknown. It will come suddenly and without warning. We all must always be ready, because we do not know when it will come. There is no sign nor warning that Jesus can give us, so we must be ready at all times! Just as the thief enters without warning, so will Jesus come return the second time.But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 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. (Matthew 24:36-44)
Therefore, to answer your question, we have no clue as to when the Lord will return and the world will end. However, we do know, from the above verse, that these events will occur in the same day, the last day - not with 1000 years between!But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:10-13)