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Prophetic Warnings

Several cautions are in order for those who wish to know the truth but do not want to be misled by false teachers. Here are some warnings and cautions to keep in mind as you study prophecy:

1 - We cannot know the date of Christ's return. Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). He also said "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:42-44).

It should be noted that the previous verses relate to Christ's Glorious Return, not the Rapture. But if it is true for that later event, how much more would it be true for the Rapture, for which no specific signs are given. In answer to their question about when He would establish His Kingdom, Jesus answered, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (Acts 1:7). We do not know when He will return, but we should be busy about His business until that glorious day.

2 - We cannot know who the Antichrist will be. According to II Thessalonians 2:1-8, he will not be revealed until the Holy Spirit, the Restrainer, has been taken away at the time of the Rapture.

3 - We must base our views purely on Scripture and proper methods of interpretation. 

4 - We dare not be dogmatic about how future events will unfold. We should have carefully developed ideas of how His second coming, and all the related events of prophecy, might occur, but we should be open to other possibilities.

5 - We must maintain respect and fellowship with other Bible-believing people who do not understand prophecy the way we do.

6 - We must not ignore the importance of prophecy in the Bible. It is wrong to lose interest in this part of God's Word just because it is difficult or confusing, or even because others have made serious errors before.

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