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TheDiscipleMD

“For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants…and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the master of the house cometh… Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Mark 13:34-37).

The entire thirteenth chapter of Mark is devoted to the prophecy of the Savior regarding his second coming.  A few years ago, according to a prominent Christian preacher, that day was supposed to come that year,  which was 2011. It was the end of the world, he said!  This is not the first time someone has prophesied such. The prediction of the end of the world and the coming of Christ has been going on since the first century. The early saints seemed to be in a constant state of anticipation.  Even the early members of the restored church gave in to the belief that the Savior’s coming was imminent. Perhaps it is the great desire of us all to want to believe that this life, with all its associated pain, is coming to an end and that peace will be restored to the earth. It is a worthy hope, but…hope doesn’t always equate with truth.

Yet, some might ask, “What is the harm in believing such dates?” But, there is a down side to belief in a false coming. It can destroy one’s faith when a prophecy is either wrong, or misunderstood. In 1975 I was serving a full-time mission in Argentina. It so happened that a popular religion of the time predicted that the world would come to and end by the year 1975. On New Year’s Day of 1976, my companion, Lloyd Newell, and I went out tracking together.  On this day he and I went out to the local park in the city. We spoke with many people in the park, but I only recall one conversation we had that day. It was with a man of the above popular faith. I vividly remember talking about his religion and then Lloyd said “Didn’t your prophet predict that the world would come to and end by 1975?” Then Lloyd looked down at this watch and said, “It is now 1976…what happened?” The man was left speechless. There was silence. I remember the look on that man’s face. It was the look of disillusionment.

Over the years there have been many who had chosen specific dates regarding the end of the world and they have always been wrong. The Savior himself taught that even he didn’t know of the date.

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father”. (Mark 13:32).

In my mind, there is no real good reason to speculate. We know it is coming, but when, is not nearly as important as knowing that it will happen, and that we need to be prepared no matter the date or time.

There will come a time when “tomorrow never comes” for us in this life. Yet, the Savior did teach, and we should live our lives such, that should we meet an untimely death, we will be ready to meet Him.  Be it rising from the grave, or rising to meet Him when he descends to earth in all His glory, we should be ready and prepared….just in case…tomorrow never comes!