Responding to False Predictions

 

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 ESV)

 

As believers, we know the promise of Christ, that he will return. And this is something that we anticipate. It’s something to which we look forward.

 

The reason for this is clear. We all look forward to the day when we will live in the presence of Christ. And we look forward to spending eternity with him in a place that is free from sin and its consequences.

 

Although I am considered old by the standards set by my children, most do not yet consider me advanced in age. However, over the course of my life, I can’t count the number of times that a prediction of the end has been made. And I’m sure there are countless others of which I am unaware.

 

There are those who’ve tried to pinpoint the time of Jesus’ return. There are those who’ve said that he’s already returned, implying that we missed it. And there are those who create excitement, not by pointing to a certain timeframe, but to certain events that are happening in the world around us.

 

Every time this happens, Christians get jumpy. As they hear these predictions, they get worked up. They get scared and excited, believing the claims that are made.

 

This is so normal that I’ve been questioned by other believers because I’m not jumpy. I’ve been criticized because I’m not worked up. And I’ve been doubted because I’m not scared or excited in the face of these claims.

 

This, however, is how we’re called to respond to such predictions. We’re called to be calm. And we’re called to be steady.

 

As we look at the above passage, Paul warned the believers at Thessalonica that these types of things would happen. He referred to a spirit, a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from him and his companions, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. And the implication is that these statements are untrue.

 

It’s suggested that they result from false prophecy. They result from deceiving spirits. Or they result from a misunderstanding of prophecy.

 

Not only did he warn them that this would happen. He also instructed them about how they’re to respond. And he told them that they’re not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed when they heard these reports.

 

It’s clear that, as we continue to await the return of Jesus, these predictions will continue to be made. They will not cease. And, for this reason, we must respond to them according to Paul’s instruction.

 

Instead of getting jumpy, we must not be quickly shaken in mind. Instead of getting worked up, we must remain calm. And instead of getting scared or excited, we must not be alarmed.

 

Although we know he will return, we do not fear that we’ll somehow miss out. Although we look forward to his coming, we do not believe every prediction or “prophecy” that tries to pinpoint this event. And we do not mistakenly believe that our failure to jump on the bandwagon indicates a lack of faithfulness on our part.