This material was originally written by my father, J. Leland Earls, but is still pertinent for today. I have updated it and encourage you to read it.
Has the coming return of our Lord been delayed? If so, why? Maybe this was not only necessary, but likely foreseen and planned for from the beginning. If this is true, then there must be some evidence of it in the sacred Scriptures. This evidence will be offered first. Jesus did not “play around with words.” The very implication indicating what could take place in what He spoke, certainly indicates that such would come to pass; quoting just a few passages now and then later make some comments on them as well as others.
In the parable of the servants who were to be watchful for their master’s return (Luke 12:35-48), although not specifically stated, there seems to be an indication that the master, who had gone away for some reason, did not return just when the servants had expected, and thus we read of the servant who said “my master is delaying his coming” (12:45) and begins to be irresponsible and careless, instead of faithfully watching for his master’s return and to be attentive in diligently seeking to take care of his master’s business.
In Matthew 25:1-13, in the parable of the ten virgins, because of the expectancy of nearness of arrival, the virgins went out to meet the bridegroom, but “while the bridegroom was delayed” they became weary of waiting and began to slumber and sleep.
In Revelation 7:1-3, we read of four angels holding the four winds (of judgment) to be released on the earth. Evidently the angels had already had their instructions as to the time of their release, but another angel comes on the scene and tells them to “hold” the winds “till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads” (indicating that more time was needed and thus a delay).
In Revelation 8:1-6, when the seventh seal was opened, and the seven trumpets prepared to sound, suddenly “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”
When you read the book of Revelation, you will find that it is based on a pattern that first something happens in heaven, then as a consequence, certain events take place on earth. This pattern is repeated over and over to show that God controls the historical progression of events on earth by His pre-planned symbolic portrayal of certain Divinely ordained actions in heaven. What then can we conclude about the fact that suddenly interposed in these symbolic acts in heaven, just before the seventh seal is opened, (which is the number of the church), and during which seal all events concerning the church (including the translation of the firstfruits saints) come to their final climax and conclusion; that suddenly there is interposed a half hour of silence. This could only mean (based on the pattern of the book of Revelation) that certain Divinely initiated events that were to transpire on earth are “held in abeyance;” in other words, “a delay.” And this delay has to do with His church. And as we have seen from other scriptures, there is a definitely an indication of a delay in Jesus’ return with regard to certain “elect” ones, and the subsequent judgments to follow.
Just what time schedule is God’s “measuring stick” in Revelation 8:1, it is unknown. But certainly, one half hour in heaven, would have nothing to do with the way man measures such time on earth. We do know that the Word of God indicates that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Based on this time perspective, an hour would equate to just over forty-one years, and a half an hour to approximately twenty and a half years. However, since it says “about the space of half and hour”, we would have to allow a variance of several years longer or shorter. Now this is not saying this is the correct interpretation of this, nor that the Lord in His divine providence definitely determined to “delay” His coming about twenty years. Even if we could say we knew this, we have no way of knowing the time (date) when such a “delay” began.
We can know by the “signs” that His coming is closer. One “sign” was that in the June, 1967, six-day war, the Israeli army captured the entire city of Jerusalem (half of which had been under Arab control until that time). This meant that for the first time Jerusalem was no longer “trodden down” by the Gentiles since it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 586 B.C., and thus indicating that possibly the “times of the Gentiles” had come to an end (see Luke 21:24), and that this age was about over. There was also the impact in the sixties and beyond of the dramatic “Jesus movement” among multiplied thousands of young people and the “charismatic movement” which reached into most traditional “main-line” denominations with the message of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit including many of Catholic background. There were a number of signs on the world scene also. For many there was a very vivid sense of the Lord’s very soon return.
In His plan, we know that there will come a date beyond which He will absolutely no longer delay. In Revelation 10:5-7, we read of a “mighty angel” raising up His hand to heaven and swearing by Him who lives forever, that there would be “delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished.” (The correct translation is “that there should be delay no longer.”) This terminates the delay period so that the mystery of God should be completed. The mystery, as revealed to the apostle Paul, has to do with the church, and the Lord cannot complete His purpose for the church in the climactic stages of this age until He returns and “calls out” (the word “church” means “called out ones”) that portion of His church which is to be His bride (translating and glorifying their bodies). Then and only then can His “mystery” concerning the rest of the church be finished.
Now if, as the scriptures certainly seem to indicate, the Lord had a preordained plan to “delay” His return to planet earth, then there must be a reason or several reasons which were foreseen by Divine providence as a necessary part of such a strategy. We will suggest the following six reasons:
Continued on next posting. . .
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