Jesus to return in 2017?

‘Rapture’ Painting

There are a lot of religious hobbyists and some have lengthy and biblically-flawed errors when it comes to end time prophecy.

Last year, a reader sent me some links to someone I had not heard of, Ron Reese, who is claiming that the end comes on October 5, 2022, and that Jesus would return in 2017. Here is some of what Ron Reese wrote:

The evidence for 11/11/15 to be the starting date for the 7-Year Tribulation is so strong that I feel compelled, and inspired to write this post with boldness and confidence. …

With still three Fall Feast Days left to be fulfilled by Jesus at His Second Coming, to COMPLETE God’s perfectly-orchestrated plan of Redemption, thru Jesus, we can say with complete confidence, the 2nd Coming of Jesus will be in the Fall of some year. Not the Spring, not the Summer, and not the Winter. The literal 2nd Coming has to be the Fall. Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles will see their fulfillment during the 2nd Coming of Christ in the Fall (when I say Fall, I am including all of September, for simplicity’s sake).

This means that if you believe in a full 7-Year Tribulation, and I do, then the Tribulation HAS to BEGIN in the Fall of some year, because it HAS to END in the Fall. The Tribulation is 2520 days long, or 7 Prophetic Years of 360 days each. There is a super-abundance of Bible Prophecy students pointing directly to Feast of Trumpets, Sept. 14-15, or Day of Atonement, Sept. 23-24, in 2015, to be the Day of the Rapture, and/or the start of the Tribulation. So very much has been written about the Fall of 2015 to be the start of the 7-Year Tribulation, that I am going to take that as a given for the purposes of this post. It is safe to say that a large majority of Prophecy students believe that 2015, and especially this Fall, will be the start of the Tribulation. I am definitely, unwaveringly, among that group. …

DAY OF ATONEMENT, Oct 5, 2022, is the day that I, and many Prophecy students, expect for the literal 2nd Coming of Christ. That is explained above. So, backing up 2520 days from that day, brings us back to 11/11/2015 TO BE THE FIRST DAY OF THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION! THIS IS BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE REASON WE SHOULD BE EXPECTING 11/11/15 TO BE THE START DATE OF THE TRIBULATION, AND NO OTHER DATE. …

Day of Atonement, Sept. 23-24, 2015, is the Feast Day sandwiched between the solar eclipse of Feast of Trumpets, 2015, and the Final day of the much-written- about blood-red moon and lunar eclipse tetrad on Day 1 of Feast of Tabernacles, marking it as a very important day in end-times Bible Prophecy. …

Much is also written in the Word about the THIRD DAY and about Jesus Returning on the THIRD DAY. Tuesday is the THIRD DAY of the week. November 11th of this year is a Wednesday, the day of the week for Jewish Weddings to take place (will this be our Wedding Day?), but part of it, because of time zone differences, will be on Tuesday in the U.S., as 11/11/15 occurs in Israel. Tuesday is known in Jewish tradition as the day when the Bridegroom comes for the Bride. Could our Wedding Day, our Rapture Day, be the same day as the Sudden Destruction on 11/11/15 in Israel, and Tuesday, 11/10/15 in the U.S.? Could Tuesday, 3/3/15, be pointing to the day of the week of the Sudden Destruction by the Satanic New World Order and the day of the week of the Rapture by our Lord?

The short answer to the three questions asked above is no, no, and no. Absolutely no. I commented about this last year and said that there will be NO ‘RAPTURE’ by Jesus in 2015 nor will the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9) happen then.

The bulk, if not all, of the “prophecy students” Ron Reese refers to are, in my view, religious hobbyists (including the ‘professional’ ones). They do not truly base their beliefs on the Bible (though they claim to). Unless there is a confirmation of a deal meeting the criteria of Daniel 9:27 (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), the seven year period they call the tribulation will also not begin.

One of the reasons I posted about this is because of the attempt to tie biblical Holy Days in with this. We saw a lot of this last year related to blood moons (see also Blood Moons and Prophecy). But the Bible prophecies that actually mention blood moons, in the sense Protestant prophecy watchers sometimes say, was simply not consistent with their 2015 occurrence.

Jesus is NOT coming in 2017.

But are we closer to the end?

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

Everyday we are closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom of God, which will be preceded by a time called ‘the end.’

Are we at the end now?

Well, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:6, “the end is not yet.”

Notice specific events that precede the end. Notice what Jesus was asked and how His answer began:

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-14)

Currently, we appear to be in the time that Jesus called the BEGINNING of sorrows. And while that is closer to the end, the end is not yet.

Notice what happens after the beginning of sorrows:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The above has not yet happened. A time of persecution is coming and the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness. Once God believes that has happened to the degree He intended, notice that is when the end will come.

Then notice some specific signs that precede the start of the great tribulation as well as how bad a time the end will be:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

Notice also that the prophesied blood moon does not come until after that:

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. (Revelation 6:12-13)

Since the Great Tribulation begins with the fifth seal and the biblically-prophesied blood moon occurs after the sixth seal is open, the remaining blood moon of 2015 is not a factor.

Notice also something that Jesus taught about His return:

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)

It is the above return that Ron Reese says is the actual second coming (he and others consider the rapture in a different category) for October 5, 2022. However, it is also the same one where He gathers God’s elect–which did not happen on 11/11/15 as he indicated.

I also received the following email spam from another author calling himself “Eli Yah”:

· Timetable 15 (Tabelle 15) (page 135-140), together with your Bible will enable you to proof the year 2017 CE as the year Jesus Christ will return.

· Chapter 12 (Kapitel 12) (page 46) “The Daniel 9:24-27 Prophecy” together with your Bible, and the footnotes will enable you to recognize the year 2017 CE as the year Jesus Christ will return.

· Chapter 13 (Kapitel 13) (page 47) “The Isaiah 23:15-17 Prophecy” together with your Bible, and the footnotes will enable you to recognize the year 2015/2016 CE as the year when a dictator will take over the world.

· Chapter 14 (Kapitel 14) (page 48) “The Jeremiah 25:8-12 Prophecy” together with your Bible, and the footnotes will enable you to recognize the years between 1945 and 2016 CE as the years when the “End time Babylon” ruled the whole world.

This person basically considers this to be related to a 6000 year calculation. However, the calculation presented is based on some assumptions and is in error. I would add that Jesus is NOT returning in 2017. For information related to the 6000 years, please check out the article Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?

Anyway, one may wonder if Ron Reese’s errors about 2015 and “Eli Yah’s” about 2017 mean that prophecy is not important and that we should not care about the end?

No.

Jesus said that His followers should watch so that they could know when the end would be, as well as escape what is coming:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

The Bible clearly teaches that the “end of the world” will come and that there will be specific events Christians should look to see which will let them know. The Bible also clearly teaches that those who properly watch, pray, and live their life as Jesus wants them to can be protected from the coming tribulation. Ron Reese’s and “Eli Yah’s” calculations (only a few did I post here) are not the basis for Jesus’ return.

They and others of his ilk hope that they will be protected, but unless they repent, they will not.

As far as who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
Blood Moons and Prophecy There were four ‘blood moons’ in 2014 and 2015. Some claimed that they could signal the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ–but was that possible? A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
Wormwood and Planet Nibiru Will the Earth be devastated by Planet X or Comet Encke? Here is a link to a related YouTube video Could Comet ISON be Wormwood of Bible Prophecy?
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture? Did the Bible teach that Jesus raptures Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus Himself teach? Do the scriptural passages that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins point to prove their left behind pre-tribulation rapture assertions? Do all Christians get protected from the Great Tribulation? Who does the Bible teach will get protected? Is the Great Tribulation the ‘wrath to come’ that Christians are promised protection from? This is a video.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. Here is a link to the video: Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2015?
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.