Will Jesus return at any moment?
Or put another way, is his return imminent?
Imminent: Have you heard that word? It’s a big deal in Bible prophecy circles. Many of the well-known prophecy teachers adhere to this doctrine.
Read a definition of the word below.
Imminent.
The state or condition of being imminent or impending: the imminence of war. 2. something that is imminent, especially an impending evil or danger. Origin of imminence.
The doctrine of imminence, in relation to Bible prophecy, teaches that at any moment Jesus could return. I’ve heard that taught in sermons for decades.
Here’s a quote from one such preacher. (I’ll keep his name unknown but it’s no matter because many have repeated this same line.)
We believe that nothing more needs to be fulfilled before the coming of Christ.
If that statement is true then the following vision of Daniel in chapter eight should be questioned. Daniel saw a vision of two nation-states coming against one another in war. The vision troubled Daniel. He asked for clarification. He wanted to know what it meant and when it would happen.
What the angel told Daniel calls in question the teaching from many of today’s prophecy experts.
Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat (Does this cancel the Imminent theory?)
Daniel 8:1
In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me.
Dan. 8:2
In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision, I was beside the Ulai Canal.
Dan. 8:3
I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later.
Dan. 8:4
I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
Dan. 8:5
As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground.
Dan. 8:6
It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in a great rage.
Dan. 8:7
I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power.
Dan. 8:8
The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place, four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.
Dan. 8:9
Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
Dan. 8:10
It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.
Dan. 8:11
It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down.
Dan. 8:12
Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
Dan. 8:13
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”
Dan. 8:14
He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be re-consecrated.”
The Interpretation of the Vision ( Does this cancel the Imminent theory?)
Dan. 8:15
While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.
Dan. 8:16
And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.”
Dan. 8:17
As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” (This is a vision about the end, as at the end of days.)
Dan. 8:18
While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.
Dan. 8:19
He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. (This vision is during the time of wrath which is in the latter half of the Tribulation period.)
Dan. 8:20
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.
Dan. 8:21
The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.
Dan. 8:22
The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.
Dan. 8:23
“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. (This is the Antichrist who will come after.)
Dan. 8:24
He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does, He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. (The Antichrist will do this with the armies he brings together.)
Dan. 8: 25
He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. (This verse refers to the brief time of peace before the end. Then the Antichrist will confront Jesus–the Prince of princes.)
Dan. 8:26
“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
Daniel 8:27
I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.
This war between the two countries in the Middle East will take place before Jesus comes back. The antichrist apparently comes to power after this war. He then confronts Jesus and loses to the Lord of Lords. The return of Jesus is not imminent. There are too many details about things that must still unfold.
Get busy and stay busy with the work that God has put in front of you. There is still time to do great things. Whatever we do for the Lord goes on our permanent record. 🙂
Don’t just sit there do something. 🙂
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