We do not set dates, we are forbidden to set dates, but we can read the signs of the times. The Son of God clearly stated that the generation that sees the living words of prophecy fulfilled in Biblical order, must expect the glorious Rapture, and the beginning of the end in their lifetime. I was born in 1936, so I may well die before the Rapture, but those individuals born after the birth of Israel as a nation should expect to see the Rapture before they die. Actually, it could have already occurred, so I expect the Rapture at “any moment.” I fully believe that I will see His return without going by the way of the grave, but I have no fear of death if it is otherwise.

Listen to the Lord Jesus warn us of these dark, last days just before He returns for His betrothed. “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”. (St. Matthew 24:10-13) I feel like a man born out of his time, longing for the revivals of yesteryear, but watching a church world backslide into the filth of this present apostasy.

The desperate need of this hour is the absolute expectancy that Jesus will come today, not tomorrow, but today. When I was first converted to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, I can remember those church emotions of His “any moment” return. In that atmosphere of expectancy, soul winning was a priority. The first revivals I remember, in the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) where I was converted, there were thirty or forty persons saved in almost every revival. Men of God preached the glorious Gospel with such power and passion, that sinners would sit and grip the back of the pew, trembling under Holy Ghost conviction. There is no question but that the sense of his “any moment” appearing was a large factor in the response of sinners and saints alike.

Jesus Christ intended that His church expect His return “any moment” from the very beginning of its history. Even before Jesus was crucified, He spoke about His coming back to get them and to transport them to where He was. Listen! “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (St. John 14:1-3) Words could not be clearer that He intended for His church to live in expectancy of His “any moment” return. He also made it clear that He would come and get them and carry them to where He was. Later, they watched Him “raptured up to heaven” and could not dare forget that He promised to do the same for them. He had said, “…where I am, there ye may be also.” Those early believers were dynamite because they could hardly wait for Him to rapture them also.

Just before He poured out His Holy Ghost upon them, He ascended to heaven and sent angels to emphasize His soon return. While the disciples were gazing up into the sky where they saw Him disappear, two angels suddenly joined them. Again, listen! “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11) Their message was clear that He was going to reappear, and when He did it would be similar to what they just witnessed. Being in the literal presence of Jesus Christ was being in the presence of God in the flesh, and they could hardly wait to be with Him again. They lived in that “any moment” expectancy. He wanted them to live like that. When you read testimonies of great saints of bygone eras, they experienced this same excitement. They expressed in their day that they were working and ministering for their Lord, but maybe tomorrow, we will be with Him in His very presence.

Jesus knew the power of the world to cloud the heart of His saints, so He warned us to be diligent. He said, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (St. Luke 21:34-36) There are many modern preachers that constantly try to destroy this very passage by telling people they will still go in the Rapture, even if they are living backslidden and careless lives. It is a lie of Lucifer. Jesus is the authority of God, even the Son of God, and He said, “Watch ye therefore…that ye may be accounted worthy to escape…” You are charged by our wonderful, soon-coming King and Lord, to watch, to expect Him at “any moment.”

When some of the saints began to die, and He had not returned, Apostle Paul comforted them by saying, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) These saints were expecting Him in their lifetime. It did not discourage them when some died because they were living ready to die or ready to go. It did not matter. To settle the question, Peter sent out his message, given to him by the Holy Ghost. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9)

Two thousand years later (with our God it has only been two days), I believe there is more than just words in Peter’s warning. The evidence is in; the last generation is watching all things being fulfilled. If they could expect Him “any moment”, we should be twice as excited to expect Him “any moment.” I fully believe that we are “sitting on ready,” and that He is about to return. No dates, please - just a ready heart and watching eyes. At “any moment.”

Joseph R. Chambers