when will christ return?. can we know the time? noyes matthew 24:36 revelation 3:3 ii peter 3:10...

When will Christ When will Christ return?return?

Can we know the time?

NoNo YesYes

Matthew 24:36

Revelation 3:3

II Peter 3:10

Amos 3:7

I Thessalonians 5:4

Matthew 25:1-13

Can we know the time?

NoNo

Matthew 24:36

Revelation 3:3

II Peter 3:10

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

Can we know the time?

NoNo

Matthew 24:36

Revelation 3:3

II Peter 3:10

“If you will not awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.”

Can we know the time?

NoNo

Matthew 24:36

Revelation 3:3

II Peter 3:10

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.”

Can we know the time?

YesYes

Amos 3:7

I Thessalonians 5:4

Matthew 25:1-13

Can we know the time?

YesYes

Amos 3:7

I Thessalonians 5:4

Matthew 25:1-13

For the lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Can we know the time?

YesYes

Amos 3:7

I Thessalonians 5:4

Matthew 25:1-13

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day.... So then let us not sleep, as others do.

Can we know the time?

YesYes

Amos 3:7

I Thessalonians 5:4

Matthew 24:32-33

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also when you see these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.”

Can we know the time?

Those who are ‘awake’, or prepared, will recognise the time as having arrived:

I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams...

Acts 2:17

Can we know the time?

• We can learn from the Pattern of Restoration:-• Need a Foundation to receive the Messiah

– Foundation of faith• Central person• Time period: 40, 21, 70

– Foundation of Substance• Cain and Abel• Leader and followers• External and internal• Religion and science/technology• Hellenism and Hebraism

• Pattern of restoration

==

Accomplishment of Accomplishment of RestorationRestoration

5 % Human Responsibility5 % Human Responsibility

++95 % God’s Responsibility95 % God’s Responsibility

Our Portion of Responsibility

FulfilmentFulfilment

God’s Plan God’s Plan RealisedRealised

Restoration Restoration CompletedCompleted

Our Portion of Responsibility

FailureFailure

God’s Plan God’s Plan Not Not

RealisedRealised

Restoration Restoration ProlongedProlonged

CentralCentralPersonPerson

FulfilsResponsibility

God’s will accomplished

FailsResponsibility

• New central person

• Similar situation

• New time

Pattern of Restoration

1600 400 120 40 21 40

AdaAdamm

AbrahamAbraham

NoahNoah JacobJacobJacob toJacob toHaranHaran

Jacob Jacob ReturnsReturns

Jacob toJacob toEgyptEgypt

IsaacIsaac

400 400

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

Jewish History• Abraham’s failure in the

offering• Jacob’s 12 sons and 70

kinsmen in Egypt• Maintained their identity• Pyramid building• Moses - Pharaoh humbled• Exodus• Mount Sinai - Covenant and

Torah• Entered Promised Land

Gen. 15:13

400 400

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

Jewish History• Judges

– Prophet, priest, king– 12 tribes

• Struggles with Philistines• “Went after other gods”• Lack of unity between

tribes

120 120

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

United Israelite MonarchyUnited Israelite Monarchy

Jewish History• Samuel anointed Saul

– Lack of unity

• Samuel anointed David– Bathsheba & Uriah affair– Too much bloodshed

• Solomon built Temple– Married foreign women– Went after other gods

1040 - 922 BCSaul, David & Solomon, 3 x 40

400 400

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

United Israelite MonarchyUnited Israelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Jewish History• Cain:

Israel - Jeroboam– 19 kings in 260 years– Prophets– No repentance– 721 BC Assyrians

• Abel: Judah - Rehaboam– 20 kings in 394 years– Prophets– Corruption– 597 BC Babylonians

• Collapse of autocratic society

922 - 597 BCKingdom divided intoIsrael (North) and Judah (South)

210 210

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

United Israelite MonarchyUnited Israelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

Jewish History• Babylonian Exile

– 10,000 Jews– 597 - 527 BC– Purification

• Return to Jerusalem– Edict Cyrus 538 BC– Rebuilding Temple– Ezra the Scribe 458 BC

– Nehemiah 445 BC

Captivity 70 years: 597- 527 BCReturn 140 years: 527- 400 BC

400 BC – Birth of Christ

400 400

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

United Israelite MonarchyUnited Israelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

Prep. for the MessiahPrep. for the Messiah

Jewish History• Malachi• Other religious leaders

– Buddha (565 - 485 BC)– Confucius (552 - 479 BC)– Socrates (470 - 389 BC)

• Empire of Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC)

– Spread Hellenism

• Synthesis Hebraism and Hellenism

• Roman Empire– Roads, Buildings– Pax Romana

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

Israelite MonarchyIsraelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

Prep. for the MessiahPrep. for the Messiah400 400

210 210

400 400

120120

400 400

400 400

Jewish History

JesusJesus

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

Israelite MonarchyIsraelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

Prep. for the MessiahPrep. for the Messiah400 400

210 210

400 400

120120

400 400

400 400

Jewish History

JesusJesus Killed

400400400 400

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

Jewish History Christian History

Suffering under RomeSuffering under Rome

• Abraham’s failure in offering

• Jacob’s 12 sons and 70 kinsmen in Egypt

• Maintained identity• Pyramid building• Moses - Pharaoh humbled• Mount Sinai - Covenant

and Torah• Entered Promised Land

• Jesus killed• Jesus’ 12 apostles and 70

disciples in Roman Empire• Persecution • Established identity• Constantine converted• Church councils, Canon• 392 Christianity becomes

official religion

Genesis 15:13 6 BC – 392 AD

400400400 400

JudgesJudges Church PatriarchsChurch Patriarchs

Jewish History Christian History

• Judges– Prophet, priest, king– 12 tribes

• Struggles with Philistines• “Went after other gods”• Lack of unity between

tribes

• Patriarchs– Prophet, priest, king– 5 Patriarchates

• Invasion of barbarians• Influenced by paganism• Doctrinal controversies• Rise of Islam

392 – 800 CE

120 120

United Israelite MonarchyUnited Israelite Monarchy

120120

Christian EmpireChristian Empire

Jewish History Christian History

• Samuel anointed Saul• Lack of unity • Samuel anointed David• Bathsheba & Uriah affair• Solomon - Temple• Married foreign women• Went after other gods

• Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne - 800

• Donation of Constantine• Struggle between Church

and State• Constant civil wars

1040 – 922 BCE 800 – 919 CE

400 400

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

400400

Divided EmpireDivided Empire

Jewish History Christian History

• Kingdom divided into Judah and Israel

• Rehaboam and Jeroboam• Cain: Israel

– 19 kings in 260 years– Prophets, no repentance– 721 BC Assyrians

• Abel: Judah– 20 kings in 394 years– Prophets, corruption– 597 BC Babylonians

• Collapse of autocratic society

• Empire divided East and West Franks - Germany and France

• Henry I ‘The Fowler’ crowned King of the Germans 919

• Church divided East and West 1054

• Vatican corruption• Internal reformation: saints,

monastics and scholars• External chastisement:

Crusades 1096-1248• Decline of autocratic feudalism

922 – 597 BCE 919 - 1309 CE

210 210

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

210210

Papal Captivity & ReturnPapal Captivity & Return

Jewish History Christian History

• Babylonian Exile– 10,000 Jews– 597 - 527 BC– Purification

• Return to Jerusalem– Edict Cyrus 538 BC– Rebuilding Temple– Ezra the Scribe 458 BC – Nehemiah 445 BC

• Papal captivity– Avignon in France– 1309 -1377

• Return to Rome– Papal Schism– 1378 -1417– Council of Constance 1414

• Reform movements– Wycliffe and Lollards– Jan Huss

70 years: 597- 527 BC140 years: 527- 400 BC

70 years: 1309 -1377140 years: 1378 -1517

400 400

Prep. for the MessiahPrep. for the Messiah

400400

Prep. for Second AdventPrep. for Second Advent

Jewish History Christian History

• Malachi• Other religious leaders

– Socrates (470-389 BC) – Buddha (565-485 BC)– Confucius (552-479 BC)

• Roman Empire• Synthesis Hebraism and

Hellenism

• Renaissance• Reformation• Enlightenment• Great Awakening• Missionaries• British Empire• Democracy & free market• Science & technology

400 BC – Birth of Christ1517 (Martin Luther)to 1917 (400 years)

Slavery in EgyptSlavery in Egypt

JudgesJudges

Israelite MonarchyIsraelite Monarchy

Divided KingdomsDivided Kingdoms

Exile and ReturnExile and Return

Prep. for the MessiahPrep. for the Messiah

Suffering under RomeSuffering under Rome

Church PatriarchsChurch Patriarchs

Christian EmpireChristian Empire

Divided EmpireDivided Empire

Papal Captivity & ReturnPapal Captivity & Return

Prep. for 2nd AdventPrep. for 2nd Advent

MalachiMalachi LutherLuther15115177

Jewish History Christian History

400 400

210 210

400 400

120120

400 400

400 400