I can understand why people are tempted to set dates for the coming of the Lord, or the Rapture. They so long for Him and long for the Wedding of the Lamb that they study His word and end up reading into it things He never intended. They misinterpret and misunderstand, which causes hope to blossom, and then when the date is past and He still hasn't come, disappointment sets in, which causes sorrow and pain.
A Bride in continual waiting for her husband-to-be cannot plan anything for herself. She has to be in constant readiness, her jobs done, her appearance perfected for that great day when her Beloved will at last arrive and take her in His arms.
All the planning the church does has to be come from His word alone. Are our plans of Him, or are they of our own devising? James says, "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, stay there and year and make a profit"! You don't even know if you will be alive tomorrow! For all you are is a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears. Instead you ought to say, "If Adonai wants it to happen, we will live..." (James 4:13-15)
Proverbs 16.9: "A person may plan his path but Adonai directs his steps."
Ecclesiastes 7:29, "God made man upright but they have devised many schemes."
Jesus never gave us an absolutely clear indication of when He would come. He told us to be ready. We need to have our eyes watching for our Master's hand and only do what we see Him doing. Our own plans will bear no fruit.
Hosea 6:3 "Let us know, let us strive to know the Lord (Adonai). That He will come is as certain as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rains that water the earth."
This is the time for sitting at His feet like Mary of Bethany, and listening to Him, studying His face, watching His eyes, watching His lips, getting to know Him, loving Him with everything that's in us; waiting for HIM to move. If we focus on HIM; then we won't be tempted to speculate and focus on things which take our eyes off Him alone.
There are few friends on the Way to freedom; most people would rather endure comfortable bondage in the arms of the System in the wide valley far below than experience the danger liberty offers. There, on the narrow path on the mountain it just keeps getting narrower until we have ditched every burden that drags us back and spend more time crawling on our knees than we do walking.
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