Predictions of the end abound! Every once in a while some enterprising preacher predicts the end of the world and return of Christ in judgment. This usually gains hearers for such a preacher, and the offerings brought in abound. And although mockery arises when the prediction fails, it doesn't seem to faze either the predictor or his deceived followers. Either he adjusts the date of the return or suggests that Christ returned, but that you just didn't notice. Sometimes they will argue that they have been appointed by Christ to do what is necessary to cleanse the world and thus trigger His coming. Most often that cleansing is not done with the God appointed means by which God makes His people holy, that is the Word and Sacraments. The law is the means by which they seek to inaugurate the coming of the Lord.

At the time of Martin Luther such predictors abounded and caused no end of grief in the world. One of the more famous of these was Thomas Müntzer, who rode the violent wave of the Peasant's Rebellion (1525) in order to cleanse the world of all the unbelievers. Since they were so stubborn and would not follow his prescription for saving the world, they needed to be put to the sword. Müntzer categorically rejected the value of civil government and encouraged his followers to rebel against lawful government. Not surprisingly, Müntzer led a peasant rabble to be slaughtered by better armed and led German knights in 1525. His spiritual successors continued to flit about the countryside spreading apocalyptic teachings including wild predictions of the return of Christ. One of the more famous of these predictions established the date of Easter 1530 for the return of Christ to judge the living and the dead. Needless to say, this prediction, like all others of its kind, failed to be fulfilled.

Such predictions also often included the idea that Christ would return to reign on earth for a thousand years to rid the world of unbelievers and that at the end of that reign the end would come. This is called "millennialism," which means a thousand and comes out of a misunderstanding of Revelation 20. The false human presumption is that this reign of which Revelation speaks must be reign of the law and power. When has Christ promised an earthly reign of power? When confronted by such a possibility He says simply, "My kingdom is not of this world" (Jn 18:36). Millennialist doctrines have continued to flourish despite the repeated failures of the predictions. Christ's reign is inaugurated by his enthronement on the cross of Calvary and it will continue through the perfect span represented by a thousand years until He comes suddenly, without warning, and beyond all prediction (Mk 13:32). Until then the weapons of His holiness remain the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. We should not be fooled by foolish predictions, or run after would-be messiahs, but stay awake and stay in the weapons of the Word of God. Come, Lord Jesus!

Augsburg Confession