By Dr. Ted Baehr
Taking the title of Jerry Newcombe’s (one of my closest friend) books for this article (a great book, by the way), I notice continual confusion on the “but when” question of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming.
Throughout history, many of the greatest theologians and preachers have been thoroughly convinced that Jesus was coming quickly within their lifetime. The list is impressive, including Augustine, St. Francis, Martin Luther, John Milton, and many of the leading lights of church history. (Of course, this also applies to some of the greatest preachers today.)
For instance, when Augustin stood on the walls of Hippo watching the Vandals attack, he knew this was the end. Francis of Assisi left the order he started to live in a little ramshackle, rundown church because he knew this was the end. Martin Luther took care of people who were dying (often within 24 hours of getting the Black Plague) even when his noble sponsor told him to flee, because Luther said he knew this was the end. John Milton supported Oliver Cromwell in the bloody English Revolution because he knew it was the end.
Anyone who is familiar with the 2000 years of church history knows that the list is very long, indeed.
We do know that Jesus is coming again. We also know that no one knows the day or the hour, as Jesus Himself told us.
Even so, the immediacy of the revelation of Jesus’ coming has propelled the church century after century to go forth and proclaim the Gospel.
So, even if these mighty men of God were mistaken, Christians should be happy that their zeal for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming motivated their great preaching and works of theology.
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