Biblically viable or false prophecy?

Would you ever post a sign up in public with a message about the imminent return of Christ? What verses would you quote to say you know Jesus is returning soon? To be clear, I don't mean "soon" as in the sense that with God a day is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years is like a day. A normal person would read this sign and think "Oh, Jesus is returning this week at least." Then they wait, but what if Jesus doesn't return? Would you consider signs of this nature to be a false prophecy?

I met someone on the Internet once who kept falling for false prophecies about the return of Christ. The last time I talked to her, she had said something about being concerned about all of the predictions not coming true. Her faith was damaged.

So are signs like this more helpful or are they damaging?

Technically He is coming soon. It could be any minute. We just do not know the day or the hour but we are told He will return.

So as long as they do not give an hour, day, or year then I see no wrong in this sign.

They were saying in the ballpark of 2,000 years ago too. That’s kinda my point. Seems like no one really knows when. It could be literally soon or it might not be.

most are going to die in their sins ...they better hope It doesn't end soon ...but it might ...so uhhh, get Right with GOD today.

Whether this sign is true or not, maybe it’ll be the nudge someone needed to see.

It is how we define soon. 2000 years is nothing in the timetable of the universe. Of course, most want soon to imply days or a few years.

I personally wouldn't post such a sign for many of the reasons you gave, including what has happened to the faith of your internet friend. But to the extent that someone would realize that this life is not all there is and pointed them to Christ, it would be profitable. I just think there are better ways to do that.

No

What verses would you quote to say you know Jesus is returning soon?

If someone reads the Bible and is taught accordingly it seems that they wouldn't dwell on 'soon'. Seems that a lot of preachers don't teach properly and that was the problem with your friend. Poorly instructed and maybe didn't have capacity for learning on her own. Or not having ever come to any true understanding of the Bible. I wouldn't be trying to convince anyone of the 2nd Advent.

A normal person would read this sign and think "Oh, Jesus is returning this week at least." Then they wait, but what if Jesus doesn't return?

A 'normal' person is hard to find. LOL!!!?? Lots of people are superstitious and poorly informed and poorly educated and spend their time drinking in all the nonsense of modern world views. Particularly now with SM. Which more appropriately should read Sado-Masochism rather than social media.

Would you consider signs of this nature to be a false prophecy?
No

So, are signs like this more helpful or are they damaging?

The property owner likely sees it as damaging. As far as advancing the Gospel or informing people it likely is not so good. I am not sure but maybe we are just supposed to give a reason for our beliefs if asked. Not supposed to be soliciting in some seemingly cheesy way. The sign there posted appears like something for a scene in some really bad movie.

No, I would not, because the writers of the New Testament did not believe in an imminent return of Christ.

Take Peter, for example.

2Peter 1:13
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

2Peter 1:14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

2Peter 1:15
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

Peter knew that he was going to die prior to Christ's return, so he obviously didn't believe that Christ could return at any given moment in time.

The same holds true for Paul.

2Timothy 4:6
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2Timothy 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

The correct answer to your opening question is "false prophecy".

Revelation 22:7 (NIV) “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."

That statement/translation is taken out of the NIV bible. So, if it is a false prophecy to state that Jesus is coming soon, we should also throw out the NIV bible (and others) for containing the false translation on which such statements are based. Many Christians aren't prepared to do or support this, so to be consistent, I don't think (these) Christians can consistently claim this is a false prophecy.

Issue is near to my heart, because it's something I said once (based on my use of the NIV). I no longer use the NIV, but I think it may be overzealous to declare such statements as false prophecy. I (rightly or wrongly) probably wouldn't post such a sign, but for all of us, our meeting with Jesus may be much sooner than we think.

Nothing wrong with this sign. In fact it should go on billboards right across your city.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8)

The problem is that people don't understand what "soon" means from Jesus' perspective.

Did Jesus preach his imminent return? No, he didn't, and that's rather obvious by his own words in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

For a statement such as this to be consistent with an imminent return belief, one would need to add a parenthetical remark in their own mind such as this:

(But wait! I might return at any given moment in time, so you might not need to suffer such things)

Neither Christ nor the apostles taught an imminent return of Jesus.

Here's another example from the book of Revelation.

Revelation 11:3
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

How does a prophecy like this even make sense if the imminent return of Jesus is a reality? It only makes sense to those who add a parenthetical remark in their own minds like this:

(Unless I return at any given moment in time, so, maybe not)

My simple advice to everyone is to just ask yourself if the New Testament makes sense in relation to an imminent return belief. It doesn't in multitudes of places because the imminent return of Jesus belief is a lie.

I've been hearing of the imiment return of Christ all of my life. Every generation seems to think that they will be the last. I've known Christians who are so terrified at the thought of "the tribulations" that they have withdrawn from everyday life, and just hide away in their homes, glued to cable news 24/7, reading great significance into every tragedy that occurs in our world. Tornadoes and hurricanes? "Surely those are signs that the return of the Lord is imiment". "A bunch kids gunned down in school? That must mean Jesus is on his way". "Gay people can get married now - Jesus will be back soon to judge them!"
Does God want us to live in fear?
Oh, people also think that because God is going to blow up the planet any day now, it doesn't matter if we aid him in destroying it.
No, I would not walk around with a sign saying "Jesus Coming Soon" because I don't know when he's coming back. I'm not privy to that kind of information. I think it's irresponsible.
Instead of trying to scare people into believing, we should try to love them into believing.

Just a quick reminder to the readers...

...biblically speaking, the word "return" is used with regard to His Second Coming to the earth Rev19 (not to "our Rapture [IN THE AIR]" event):

--Luke 12:36-37,38,40,42-44 "when he will RETURN FROM the wedding" (i.e. as ALREADY-WED)... THEN "the meal [G347]" (passage parallel to Matt24:42-51 in His Olivet Discourse [which Olivet Discourse is not covering the Subject of "our Rapture" at all], etc);

--Luke 19:12,15,17,19 "RETURN" (when He will deal out responsibilities having to do with "have thou authority over 10 cities" and "likewise be thou over 5 cities"; passage parallel to Matt25:14-30 [again, Jesus is not covering the Subject of "our Rapture" ANYWHERE in His Olivet Discourse; rather, He is covering the Subject of His Second Coming to the earth and that which will immediately precede and LEAD UP to that, FOR the promised and prophesied EARTHLY Millennial Kingdom age, commencing upon His "RETURN" there/to the earth)




I say this, because (to be clear) when Pre-tribbers speak of the word "imminence," they are NOT referring to His "RETURN" (i.e. His Second Coming to the earth Rev19--which we agree is preceded by MANY "signs" ["birthpangs/Seals" and "Trumpets" and "Vials," etc] which will indeed point toward that point in the chronology: His "RETURN" to the earth / Second Coming to the earth);

When speaking of the word "imminence," Pre-tribbers are referring SOLELY TO "our Rapture [IN THE AIR]" point in time (and the start of the DOTL earthly-located time-period [FOLLOWING on the heels of "our Rapture"] commencing with the 7-yr Tribulation period/starting at Seal #1), which Rapture event is NOT preceded by any biblically-defined "signs" pointing toward it... ALL "signs" FOLLOW "our Rapture" and lead up to and point toward His Second Coming to the earth / His "RETURN" at Rev19.


Just thought I would point out what it is that Pre-tribbers mean [at least the scholars who aren't merely repeating things they've read on the internet ] when they use this term. They aren't speaking of His "RETURN" (Rev19), which of course is preceded by NUMEROUS "signs" and very meticulously spelled-out time-stamps (etc)

Is that so? Yet the apostles speak of the imminent return of Christ throughout the epistles. How did you miss that?

(ASV) preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

I knew a guy who stood at the side of a busy street holding a sign saying "REPENT!" To me it seems better to have a real person to go along with the sign with whom people can ask questions, etc.

Once when I was sitting at the transit station where I lived, a guy came walking through passing out tracts. He gave me one and I asked him who he was with and if he could answer a few questions. He just walked away! I kept yelling at him to come back and he just kept going. LOL

My point was, if it's wrong for us to use the word "soon" to describe Jesus' imminent return, it is also wrong for us to use certain versions of scripture that state exactly this. But condemning certain more liberal versions of scripture is something many Christians shy away from, so as not to cause dispute/division about debatable matters. Then so too must they shy away from speaking against the use of the word "soon", if they be not hypocrites.

As other posters have noted, many Christians (myself included) believe Jesus' return for His Church (where we are snatched away), and the signs of the end before God's final judgement, are different events.

Yes I basically agree with everything you’re saying. I think there are pros and cons to it.

Lol I didn’t put it there, just fyi, but I found it while I was walking and took the picture. Shortly after that in that same area, a man was being led down the street, handcuffed, by two police officers. That’s like a movie scene.