8 Compelling Reasons Why Jesus Is Coming “Very, Very Soon” #1 Seriously??

Do you remember how, some few years ago, in 1988, someone paid for a full page ad in numerous large newspapers around the nation? The ad bore the name of the title of this article. You would think that they– the end time prophecy “experts” - would learn, but, apparently not.

In light of the current Iranian conflict and all of the YouTube videos, and media outlets assuring us that the end is near, I thought I would revisit that article and the reasons it gave for assuring us that the end was near– back then, and even more so now!

The article began by saying “The evidence for the soon return of Jesus Christ is overwhelming.” I will offer a few thoughts.

History is full of such predictions. And every one has been wrong...except the first century when Jesus himself said He was to return before all of His contemporaries died (Matthew 16:27-28; 24:29-34; 26:64). Jesus either kept His word, He lied, or He failed. The choices are limited and inescapable. The failure of Bible students to honor Jesus’ prediction has propagated the continuing history of failed predictions. You would think that after the debacle of September 2025, when literally thousands of prophecy “experts” assured us that the rapture was going to be in September, would have learned from their mistake and false predictions. But, no, now the Iranian situation has only increased that confident predictions that the end is (really) near this time.

But let’s look at the evidence offered by the article because in many ways, the “evidence” offered in the article is the very evidence being offered now, concerning the events of 2026! I will only examine a few of the reasons given in the article. This will be the first in the series.

Reason #1 -The Rebirth of Israel. The article maintains that “Israel was miraculously reborn” in 1948, and this is the #1 sign of Jesus’ imminent return.

The view that 1948 was a sign of Christ’s coming is based on Matthew 24:32f. Jesus said “Learn the parable of the fig tree, when its branch has already become tender and shoots forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these thing know that it is near, at the very door.” It is contended that the fig tree is Israel, thus, per this view, Jesus was saying: “When you see Israel putting forth its leaves (restored) then know that it (Christ’s coming) is near.” In verse 34 Jesus said “This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.” So the view is that the generation that would witness the restoration of Israel would be the generation to see Christ’s parousia (coming).

First, it must be realized that Israel was not restored in 1948. See my book, Israel 1948: Countdown to No Where, for powerful proof of this. You must understand that in spite of all the modern discussions of “Israel,” modern “Israel” is not the Israel that existed before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D.70. The Israel of the Bible has disappeared forever. Even the Encyclopedia Judaica Jerusalem (1971, Vol. 3, p. 50) acknowledges that there is no longer such a thing as the Jewish race. The events of 1948 have nothing whatsoever to do with Biblical prophecy and the coming of Jesus. Second, if the fig tree represents the restoration of Israel then “all the trees” (see Luke 21:29) must mean that in 1948 “all the nations” were restored as well! Interestingly, those who insist that the fig tree in Matthew 24 must be Israel, completely ignore the reference to “all the trees” in the parallel text in Luke 21:29. This is inconsistent. If the fig tree represents Israel in 1948 then consistency demands that “all the trees” represents the restoration of all other nations.

I should point out that just recently, one noted prophecy pundit, popular on YouTube, has altered the countdown. The countdown did not begin in 1948 as most Dispensationalists have said. For instance Thomas Ice and Time LaHaye wrote a book entitled 1948 Super Sign of the End. But this YouTube minister said that clearly that countdown has failed for two reasons. Reason #1 is because the countdown should have started in 1967, not 1948. Reason #2 is that Biblically, a generation is not 40 years (which is patently false, but 100 years!. Thus, the “real” countdown takes us to 2067! That ever so conveniently extends the “end” beyond the lifetime of the minister who will be able now to continue to sell his books and make lots of money with his blog!

Third, if the restoration of “Israel” in 1948 was the sign of Christ’s coming, then the clock has already run out. Hal Lindsey (correctly) calculated that a generation in scripture is approximately 40 years. (see Matthew 1; Hebrews 3:7-19). Of course, when he wrote that he was predicting the coming of Christ for 1988!! When that failed he went back to the calculator and invented a new definition for generation, 100-125 years! That is completely false, yet he managed to convince a lot of sincere people nonetheless.

The point is 1988 has come and gone, long gone. The forty year period that should have, according to modern theory, produced the Great Tribulation, the Great Apostasy, the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, the Mark of the Beast, and all of the other horrific events of the last days, did not, in fact, produce a single one of the signs necessary for the coming of Christ. The reason is simple, all of the signs that were predicted to occur prior to Christ’s coming appeared in the first century, just like Jesus said. More to come.

Be sure to get a copy of my book, Israel 1948: Countdown to No Where. It may well change your life!