TIMES AND SEASONS
Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
Example: days, weeks, months, years.
Example: feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, Feast of tabernacle, etc.
Chronological and Appointed times in 1 Thessalonians 5:1?
1. Chronological Time (“times”):
Period leading up to Christ’s second coming.
2. Appointed Time ("seasons"):
Day of Christ’s return.
Jesus’ second coming and the end of the world are two events that will take place within a period of time and recognized by certain events.
What period of time?
2 Thessalonians 2:2,3- 2) “That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.“ 3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition; 4) Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Predictors of the end of the world and/or Jesus’ Second Coming.
18th century J. Bernoulli, C. Mather, N. of Cusa, W.Whiston
Predictors of the end of the world and/or Jesus’ Second Coming.
19th Century-J. Wesley, G. Rapp, J. Cumming, C.Russell
Predictors of the end of the world and/or Jesus’ Second Coming.
20th Century- A. Keeler, J. Dixon, J. Jones, J. Argüelles
Predictors of the end of the world and/or Jesus’ Second Coming.
21ST Century- Mayan calendar (December 21st ,2012)
“ The time of expectation has passed, and Christ did not appear for the deliverance of His people. Those who with sincere faith and love had looked for their Saviour, experienced a bitter disappointment. Yet the purposes of God were being accomplished.
WHICH PURPOSE?
The Great Controversy, pg. 331
“ He was testing the hearts of those who professed to be waiting for His appearing.”
“ There were among them many who had been moved by no higher motive than fear… They were among the first to ridicule the sorrow of the true believers.
The Great Controversy, pg. 331
Ellen White’s warning.
“ The more frequently a definite time is set for the second advent, and the more widely it is taught, the better it suits the purposes of Satan.
After the time has passed, he excites ridicule and contempt of its advocates, and thus casts reproach upon the great advent movement of 1843 and 1844.”
The Great Controversy, pg. 457
“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.”
Acts 1 verse 7
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in Me.
In My Father’s are many mentions, if it were not so, I would have told you. Iam going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I wil come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the place where I am going.”
John 14 verses 1-4
“The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angels’ message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make with those who had kept His law.
Early Writings, pg. 285
“ And as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth.”
Early Writings pg. 285