Distracted By Things We Can’t Know

It seems that every few years there’s a new best-selling Christian book that creatively fits the latest news headlines into Scripture, specifically the book of Revelation. These authors find hints and clues throughout Scripture that fit together in a way that tells us that Christ is coming at a specified time. Although none of these books have proven true, we can’t stop buying them thinking the next one might be real.

Does God intend for us to spend so much time and energy trying to guess the Second Coming? Would knowing such things be edifying and beneficial, or merely a distraction to our spiritual growth and our mission?

Not For You To Know

After Jesus’s resurrection, he gathered with his disciples before his ascension. “They asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’” (Acts 1:6–8).

We can understand the disciples’ curiosity about God’s plan because we also wonder when Christ will return. However, rather than satisfying their curiosity, Jesus redirects them to keep focused on the mission. I wonder if he would tell us the same thing: “It’s not for you to know the times or seasons, but receive the power of the Holy Spirit and be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.”

Could it be that some believers are so distracted trying to figure out when Christ will return that they have lost sight of actually following his teachings? After all, Jesus told us “concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matt. 24:36). It seems the repeated teaching of Scripture focuses on growing closer to Christ every day and fulfilling our mission to glorify him and share him with others, yet many itching ears want to hear something more sensational.

Be Prepared

Someone may argue that Jesus told us to be prepared: “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42). So, if we are to “stay awake,” shouldn’t we be on the lookout for signs of his coming?

We certainly need to stay awake and be prepared, but this doesn’t imply trying to guess when he might return. Being prepared means walking closely with the Lord each day, using each minute and talent for his glory and the good of our neighbor. If we are spending all our time and energy treating the Bible like a book of hidden clues that connect to the latest news cycle, then perhaps we miss the main message of Scripture and aren’t really obeying.

After warning the disciples to stay awake in Matthew 24, he provides parables to illustrate this in the following chapter. The wise virgins stayed ready, but the foolish virgins weren’t prepared and had to go buy more oil and thus missed the bridegroom’s coming. The point is to stay ready, not to predict his coming and then get ready right before. Always stay ready. Don’t just cram for the test the night before or only floss the day of your dentist appointment.

In the parable of the talents, the servant who, out of fear, buried his talents is referred to as a “wicked and slothful servant” (Matt. 25:26). God has given us a set amount of time, specific gifts and talents, as well as unique opportunities to share the gospel and make disciples. If we are overly focused on speculation about when Christ will return, and that’s what those around us primarily hear from us, then the gospel can easily take the sideline to the main message.

Loss Of Credibility

Trying to predict the return of Christ, which the Bible says we can’t know, not only can distract us from our mission, but it can even cause our message to lose credibility.

Imagine a friend owes you money. At the beginning of the month, they promise to pay you back and because they sound convincing, you believe them. But the month comes and goes, and they don’t pay you back. You ask them about it the next month, and they try to convince you that THIS will be the month they pay you back . . . but again the month goes by, and they don’t pay you back. After a while, you won’t believe them anymore. They’ve said repeatedly that it will be this month, but repeatedly that’s proven to be false.

If every year a new “Christian” book comes out predicting the end of the world, how many false alarms will people hear before they start to tune out everything we say?

When someone tells you three things and you find out one of those things is verifiably false, you will be apt to assume the other things are false as well.

If our message to the world is that Christ is coming back to judge all, there’s hope in Christ if we repent and trust in him, and he’s coming back next September, then what happens when he doesn’t come back next September? What we have said is demonstrably false. Those who have heard our message will likely question the other two points as well.

Focus On What We Know

We don’t know when Christ will return. Rather than spending our time and energy trying to figure it out, let’s focus on what Jesus tells us to focus on. Rather than trying to tell the world WHEN Christ will return, let’s focus on the truth that we know . . . he IS coming! Let’s spend our days growing closer to him, building up our churches, evangelizing the lost, and getting the gospel to the nations. Our mission is to make disciples.

Whether Christ comes back this year or 3,000 years from now, it doesn’t change our message. Whether he comes back tomorrow or next year, our goal should be to live each day that he gives us for his glory. Don’t be distracted by things we can’t know!

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James Williams serves as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, Texas, and as a GCD staff writer. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James on Twitter or his blog, where he writes regularly.

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