You Can Understand the End Times: When is Christ Coming Back?

The Bible is clear that the timing of Christ's return is unknown (1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10).  It will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.  Beware of date-setters, or anybody who thinks they have a pretty good idea of when Christ is going to return (i.e. Harold Camping).

Are there any signs that we can look for that will indicate that His return is near?  In short, no.  If there were, then the timing of His return would not be unknown and unexpected.  We know that good and evil will continue to advance together all the way up until the return of Christ (Mt 13:24-30).  As well, the so-called "signs of the time" that many refer to in the Olivet Discourse (Mt 24; Mk 13, Lk 21) are primarily pointing to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, not the return of Christ.

However, the Bible does tell us a few things that will happen right before Christ's return.  We know that there will be a great apostasy -- many so-called believers will abandon the true faith.  And the final anti-Christ, the "man of lawlessness" will arise, leading many astray (2 Thess 2:1-12).  Then Satan, working through the anti-Christ, will attempt to destroy all Christians in one last war -- what some call the battle of Armageddon -- but Christ will then come to the rescue and destroy all of His enemies (Rev 20:7-10).

Rather than trying to figure out the timing of Christ's return, we must focus on holiness so that we are ready to meet the Lord (Mk 13:32-37), and on the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) so that our neighbors are ready to meet the Lord.