More particularly, it encourages us as Christians to make sure we not only ‘know’ the Bible, but we know ‘how to read it’ well.

After all, it is clear that Harold Camping knows his Bible, but he has no idea of how to interpret it. Where the Return of Christ is concerned, here are some thoughts on interpretation to give us food for thought on this important matter.

In the first place, the New Testament (NT) is clear that Christ will return, that much is certain – it is mentioned in 23 of the 27 books in the NT.

Secondly, it seems it will be a great and climactic global event. Thirdly, it will signal the end of the age as we know it. It will not necessarily be the end of the world, as it may well be that Jesus will return to his world and renew it, so we are living on with him in a restored world for ever (a renewed creation).

Fourthly, there will likely be a climactic set of events leading into it involving natural disasters, conflict, some sort of global political and economic governance, and widespread persecution of christians.

Fifthly, the return itself will launch a period including judgment, and the assigning of final states – either with God forever, or separated from him.

While these elements seem reasonably clear, the details beyond are sketchy. As such, rather than speculate too much, I suggest it is better to hold lightly to the details. For example, we can get into debate over the millennium. Will Jesus return and launch a period of rule on earth before the end (pre-millennialism)? Or are we living in the millennium now (amillennialism or pre-millennialism)? Interestingly enough, the millennium is mentioned only once in the whole NT in Revelation, the most difficult NT book to interpret.

In that none of the Gospels, Paul, Peter, and Jude mention it, should we make so much of it?

Then there is the so-called rapture, something many Christians assume without question. When we look closely at the verses which supposedly speak of this, it is far from clear that Jesus will return, pluck out believers into the sky, and leave chaos on earth. When I read Matthew 24 it is the believers who remain behind and the unbelievers swept away as in the flood of Noah. Then in 1 Thess 4, while it speaks of believers being snatched up into the air, it says nothing of what then happens on earth or where believers then go – do they return to earth?

With such things in mind, we should take great care not to speculate too much on the details of the return of Christ. After all, it will come as a thief in the night. Go deeper!