Scoffers in the Last Days: Has God Delayed Christ’s Return?

Have you ever wondered why Yeshua the Messiah has not yet returned, even though the Bible repeatedly speaks of His coming as near?

For centuries, Christians have looked forward to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Yet the generations have passed, and the promised return of Christ has not happened. Some people have become skeptical. Others have questioned whether the apostles were mistaken. Still others believe that religious leaders used end-time warnings to frighten people into becoming Christians.

The Bible anticipated that this kind of attitude would emerge.

In 2 Peter 3:3-4, the apostle Peter wrote:

“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’”

These are serious words. Peter warns that some people will mock the promise of Christ’s return because, from their perspective, nothing has changed. Time has passed, generations have died, and the world continues much as it always has.

But what should we make of this objection? Did the apostles use the expectation of Christ’s return to manipulate people? Why has God allowed so much time to pass? And how should Christians live while waiting for Yeshua to return?

These questions deserve thoughtful answers because the danger is not only that people might reject the promise of Christ’s return. It is also that believers might become so accustomed to waiting that they begin to live as though His return no longer matters.

Failed Doomsday Predictions and the Rise of Skepticism

History contains many examples of people predicting the end of the world or assigning specific dates to prophetic events.

One widely discussed example was the popular interpretation of the Mayan calendar that associated December 21, 2012, with the end of the world. That interpretation generated widespread attention, including movies and other forms of entertainment. Yet the date passed, and the world continued.

Religious history also includes failed predictions.

In the nineteenth century, Baptist preacher William Miller became convinced through his study of biblical prophecy that Christ’s Second Coming would occur around 1843 or 1844. After the initial period passed without the expected event, some of his followers continued their calculations. October 22, 1844, became the date most closely associated with the movement.

When Christ did not return, many followers were devastated. The event became known as the Great Disappointment.

The movement subsequently divided. Some former Millerites abandoned their expectations, while others continued studying Scripture and developed different explanations for what had happened. A group that later contributed to the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church came to believe that the date had been correct but that the event had been misunderstood. They interpreted October 22, 1844, as the beginning of a phase of Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary rather than His visible return to Earth. Sabbath observance became one of the beliefs embraced by some of these believers as the movement developed. The Seventh-day Adventist Church formally organized in 1863. Read the denomination’s historical account.

Other religious movements have also made predictions or developed interpretations around particular dates. Jehovah’s Witnesses, for example, have a history of changing expectations concerning dates associated with Christ’s presence and the establishment of God’s Kingdom. Radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that Judgment Day would occur on May 21, 2011, but the predicted event did not take place.

It is understandable why such events can make people skeptical. When religious leaders confidently announce that something will happen by a particular date and it does not happen, people may begin to question not only those leaders but also the Bible itself.

However, we must make an important distinction: a failed human prediction is not the same as a failed promise from God.

People can misunderstand prophecy, make faulty calculations, and claim certainty where Scripture has not provided it. Their mistakes should not automatically be attributed to God.

At the same time, believers should not dismiss honest questions simply because they are uncomfortable. If we want people to take the Bible seriously, we should be willing to examine difficult passages carefully and acknowledge the difference between what Scripture actually says and what people have assumed it means.

This brings us to Peter’s warning about scoffers in the last days.

What Does the Bible Say About Scoffers in the Last Days?

Peter describes scoffers as people who ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?”

Their argument is straightforward: the apostles spoke about Christ’s return, but generations have passed and the promised event has not occurred. They conclude that the promise is unreliable.

Peter also connects these scoffers with their own desires. In verse 3, he says they walk according to their lusts.

This is an important part of his warning. Some people may find the promise of judgment uncomfortable because they do not want to submit to God’s authority or change their way of life.

Nevertheless, we should not assume that every person who questions biblical prophecy has the same motive. Some people have sincere questions. Others have been disappointed by false predictions or have encountered explanations that do not withstand careful examination.

Our responsibility is not to label everyone who disagrees with us a scoffer. It is to understand Peter’s warning, examine the Scriptures, and make sure that our own lives do not reflect the very attitude he condemns.

After all, a person can profess belief in Christ’s return while living as though it will never happen.

Before we consider how to avoid that danger, we need to address a difficult question.

Did the Apostles Use the Expectation of Christ’s Return to Manipulate People?

One objection raised against Christianity is that the apostles used end-time urgency to frighten people into conversion.

Critics point to several biblical passages:

• In Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15, Yeshua proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was at hand.
• In Romans 13:11-12, Paul said that salvation was nearer than when believers first believed and that the night was far spent.
• In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Paul wrote about “we who are alive and remain” until the coming of the Lord.
• In 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul said that the time was short and that the form of this world was passing away.
• In Philippians 4:5, Paul wrote that the Lord was at hand.
• In 1 Peter 4:7, Peter declared that the end of all things was at hand.
• In 1 John 2:18, John wrote that it was the last hour.
• In Revelation 3:11 and 22:7, 12, 20, Yeshua repeatedly declared that He was coming quickly.

Read together, these passages raise a legitimate question: If the return of Christ was described as near, why has so much time passed?

We should not pretend that the question does not exist. Instead, we need to understand what the biblical writers were teaching and what they were not claiming.

1. The apostles did not claim to know the exact date

Consider Acts 1:6-7. After His resurrection, the disciples asked Yeshua whether He would restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time.

He answered that it was not for them to know the times or seasons that the Father had placed in His own authority.

Yeshua also said in Matthew 24:36 that no one knows the day and hour except the Father.

This is significant. The biblical instruction was not that believers should calculate a date and pressure people to respond before that deadline. Rather, they were told that God would fulfill His purpose, while the exact timing remained unknown to them.

There is a difference between manipulating people with an invented deadline and warning them about an event whose timing God has not revealed.

Of course, someone can still misuse a genuine biblical warning. Religious leaders have sometimes claimed to know more about the timing of the end than Scripture allows. But the existence of urgency does not, by itself, prove that the apostles were deliberately deceiving people.

2. “The Kingdom is at hand” does not necessarily mean the Kingdom would be fully established immediately

When Yeshua proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was at hand, He announced that God’s rule was drawing near through His ministry and that people needed to respond to His message.

His words must be understood alongside the rest of Scripture, which also speaks of a future fulfillment of God’s Kingdom.

For example, Yeshua taught His disciples to pray for God’s Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10). After His resurrection, the disciples were still asking about the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6-7).

These passages show that the announcement of the Kingdom’s nearness and its complete future establishment are not necessarily identical ideas.

Likewise, when Paul wrote, “we who are alive and remain” in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, he described the hope of believers at Christ’s coming. That wording alone does not conclusively prove that Paul believed he personally would still be alive when it happened.

We should also be careful with the expression “coming quickly” in Revelation. The phrase communicates the certainty and urgency of Christ’s coming, and it may also convey suddenness. However, we should not pretend that one explanation resolves every question about the timing language in the New Testament.

The proper approach is to read each passage in context and compare it with the rest of Scripture rather than assume that every expression of nearness must mean that Christ would return within a few years.

3. God’s warnings are meant to lead us to repentance, not merely frighten us

Romans 2:4 asks:

“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

God’s goodness and patience give people an opportunity to turn away from sin and begin living according to His Word.

But this does not mean that the Bible never uses warnings about judgment or that fear can never play a role in awakening someone to spiritual reality. Scripture clearly warns people about the consequences of sin and the seriousness of standing before God.

The important question is what those warnings are intended to produce.

If a warning awakens someone to the seriousness of sin, that person should not stop at being frightened. The response should lead to genuine repentance, a changed direction, and a desire to obey God.

The message of Christ’s return is not meant merely to make people anxious about an approaching event. It should shape how they live.

Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 connects the Day of the Lord with being spiritually alert, living in faith and love, maintaining the hope of salvation, and encouraging fellow believers. Titus 2:11-14 likewise connects the expectation of Yeshua’s appearing with living soberly, righteously, and godly lives.

In other words, the expectation of Christ’s return should produce spiritual growth.

If it creates fear but never leads to repentance, obedience, love, or a changed life, we have missed an essential part of the message.

Why Has God Allowed So Much Time to Pass?

Peter directly addresses the apparent delay in 2 Peter 3:8-9. He reminds his readers that the Lord’s relationship to time is not the same as ours. He then explains that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise but is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Peter gives believers a reason not to interpret the passage of time as proof that God has failed: God is patient, and His patience gives people an opportunity to repent.

Think about what that means.

If God had brought the present age to its conclusion centuries ago, the generations that followed would not have had the same opportunity to live, hear the message, respond to Him, and develop a relationship with Him.

We should not claim to know every reason God has allowed history to continue. But Peter clearly connects the apparent delay with God’s patience and desire for repentance.

Just because God has not fulfilled a promise within our preferred timetable does not mean He has forgotten it. Human impatience is not proof of divine failure.

The very thing some people ridicule as a delay may be an expression of God’s mercy.

Yet there is a danger here. People can misunderstand God’s patience and use it as an excuse to continue living in sin.

They may reason, “Nothing has happened, so perhaps there is no need to change.”

That is the opposite of the response Scripture calls for.

God’s patience should make us more grateful, more humble, and more willing to repent. It should never make us careless about how we live.

God’s patience is not an endorsement of wickedness. It is an opportunity to turn away from it.

Why Has God Not Revealed the Exact Time of Christ’s Return?

Acts 1:7 says that the Father has reserved the times and seasons in His own authority. Matthew 24:36 likewise teaches that no one knows the day or hour.

Although Scripture does not give us every reason God has withheld the exact timing, it shows us how we should respond to that uncertainty.

1. Uncertainty reveals what kind of servants we are

In Matthew 24:48-50, Yeshua describes an evil servant who reasons that his master is delaying his coming. The servant then mistreats others and behaves irresponsibly. When the master arrives unexpectedly, the servant is not ready.

Notice the problem.

The master’s delay did not make the servant evil. Rather, the servant’s response to the delay revealed what was already in his heart.

The same principle applies to us.

If we obey God only when we think the return of Christ is imminent, our faithfulness may depend more on the fear of immediate consequences than on a genuine commitment to God.

But if we sincerely love God and desire to obey Him, we will continue doing what is right even when we do not know how long we must wait.

Uncertainty reveals whether we are faithful only when the consequences seem close or whether we are committed to following God regardless of the timetable.

2. Not knowing the time prevents us from scheduling our repentance

Imagine that someone knew with absolute certainty that Yeshua would return on a particular day ten years from now.

That person might reason, “I have plenty of time. I can continue living as I please and change shortly before He comes.”

But such reasoning is dangerous.

I remember a classmate in college who was very interested in biblical prophecy. At the end of one of our discussions, he told me, “Thanks for explaining these biblical prophecies. I’ll start living a godly life once I see the signs.”

His response illustrates a tendency that many people share: the desire to postpone repentance until a more convenient time.

But what makes us so confident that we will have that opportunity?

James 4:13-14 reminds us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. Our lives are like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Even if Yeshua does not return during our lifetime, our own lives remain uncertain.

We cannot guarantee that we will have another year, another month, or even another day to correct what we know is wrong.

We already have God’s Word. We already know that He calls us to righteousness. We already know that we are accountable for how we live.

Why wait?

3. We are commanded to watch

In Mark 13:32-37, Yeshua emphasizes that no one knows when the time will come. He compares His return to a master who leaves his house in the care of servants, gives each one his work, and commands the doorkeeper to watch.

He then tells His followers to watch because they do not know when the master will return.

The point is not that we should spend every day trying to calculate dates or interpret every world event as a definitive sign. We are commanded to remain spiritually alert and faithful.

If we knew the exact date, we might be tempted to set an alarm and postpone our preparation until shortly before it rang.

But Yeshua calls us to a different way of life. We are to remain awake, alert, and spiritually prepared because we do not know when He will come.

Watching means more than observing world events. It includes examining our lives, staying faithful to God, and continuing the work He has given us.

4. Readiness must be a daily condition

Consider the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

The wise virgins prepared adequately for the bridegroom’s arrival. The foolish virgins did not bring enough oil. When the bridegroom arrived, they were not ready, and they could not borrow the preparation of the wise virgins.

The lesson is not that the foolish virgins simply waited too long to buy something. It is that they failed to prepare adequately for the event they were expecting.

We cannot assume that we will have enough time to develop the character, faith, and obedience that we have neglected for years.

That is why we should ask ourselves:

Are we waiting for a dramatic prophecy to be fulfilled before we take repentance seriously?

We may be tempted to think that we will become more serious about our faith when world events make the end seem closer. But God has already given us His Word. We do not need to wait for another sign before we begin obeying Him.

What Should We Do While Waiting for Christ’s Return?

The proper response to the promise of Christ’s return is not merely to know what will happen in the future. It is to become the kind of people God wants us to be today.

Here are four things we should do while we wait.

1. Do the work of God

One of the greatest dangers of waiting for Yeshua’s return is becoming so focused on when He will return that we forget what He has commanded us to do while we wait.

In Matthew 24:45-46, Yeshua describes a faithful and wise servant whom his master has placed in charge of his household. The master goes away, but the servant continues providing food at the proper time. When the master returns, he finds the servant doing his assigned work.

Notice that the servant does not know precisely when his master will return. Nevertheless, he knows what his master expects him to do.

He does not need to know the date of the master’s arrival to fulfill his responsibilities.

Yeshua says that the servant is blessed if his master finds him doing so when he returns.

Imagine a servant who spends all his time looking toward the road, trying to determine when his master will arrive. He constantly discusses the master’s possible return with the other servants and studies every sign that might indicate the master’s arrival.

Yet while doing all this, he neglects the work his master assigned him.

Would that servant be considered faithful?

Of course not. The problem is not that he is interested in his master’s return. The problem is that his interest has distracted him from his responsibilities.

The same danger exists among believers today. We can become so absorbed in prophetic discussions, world events, and speculation about the end times that we neglect the work God has placed before us.

We may discuss the coming Kingdom while failing to serve our families faithfully. We may talk about the world’s wickedness while neglecting our own spiritual growth. We may warn others about the future while failing to share the truth of God’s Word with the people around us.

So, what does it mean to do the work of God?

• Preach and teach the truth. Yeshua commissioned His disciples to make disciples and teach them to observe His commands (Matthew 28:19-20).
• Serve one another. We are instructed to bear one another’s burdens and do good whenever we have the opportunity (Galatians 6:2, 10; 1 Peter 4:10).
• Strengthen fellow believers. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to consider how we can stir one another up to love and good works and to encourage one another.

We should also remember our responsibilities at home, at work, in our congregations, and in our communities.

Waiting for Yeshua’s return should not make us idle. It should motivate us to be faithful with the work He has given us.

2. Turn away from our sins

If God is giving humanity time to repent, one of the worst things we can do is waste that time by continuing in the very sins He is calling us to abandon.

Remember Peter’s words in 2 Peter 3:9. God is patient, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Every day we have an opportunity to repent is an opportunity of mercy. Every opportunity to correct our ways is one we should take seriously.

Yet people sometimes respond to patience in the opposite way.

Instead of saying, “God has been merciful to me, so I should change,” they say, “Nothing has happened to me, so perhaps I can continue doing what I am doing.”

That is a dangerous mistake. God’s patience should soften our hearts, but people can allow it to harden them.

One of the most dangerous statements a person can make is, “I will change later.”

Later, when I am older.

Later, when my circumstances improve.

Later, when I have enjoyed life a little more.

Later, when I see clearer evidence that the end is near.

But what makes us so confident that we will have that opportunity?

James 4:13-14 reminds us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. Even if Christ’s return does not occur during our lifetime, our own lives are uncertain.

Therefore, we should not wait for a dramatic sign from heaven before taking repentance seriously.

Repentance means more than feeling guilty or being frightened by the consequences of sin. It means sincerely turning away from what is wrong and changing the direction of our lives. It involves seeking God’s forgiveness, accepting His correction, and learning to live according to His Word.

This does not mean that we will become perfect overnight or never struggle again. It means that we must take our sins seriously and sincerely pursue the life God desires for us.

God’s patience is an opportunity to change. Let us not waste it.

3. Let time strengthen your faith, not weaken it

How should believers respond when years pass and Yeshua has not yet returned?

Should we become discouraged? Should we begin to doubt God’s Word? Should we conclude that His promise has failed simply because its fulfillment has not occurred within our expected timeframe?

The Bible calls us to a different response.

In Habakkuk 2:2-4, the prophet is told that the vision is for an appointed time and that he must wait for it. The passage concludes with the statement that the just shall live by faith.

Although Habakkuk’s passage has its own historical context and should not be treated as a direct prediction of the date of Christ’s return, it illustrates an important biblical principle: God’s people must learn to trust Him and remain faithful while waiting for His purposes to unfold.

Faith does not require us to know the exact timetable. It requires us to trust God enough to continue obeying Him even when we do not know how long we must wait.

You do not need to know the date of Christ’s return to do God’s work. You need faith to keep doing that work when the years pass and the fulfillment remains future.

After years of waiting for Yeshua’s return, ask yourself: Has your faith become stronger or weaker?

We can allow waiting to produce bitterness, or we can allow it to develop endurance. We can allow the apparent delay to weaken our faith, or we can use the time to become more firmly grounded in God’s promises.

Do not let the years that have passed become your reason for abandoning your faith. Let them become years in which you learn to trust God more deeply.

4. Grow in holiness

This final point brings the entire discussion together.

After explaining why the Lord has not yet brought the present age to its conclusion, Peter asks what kind of people believers ought to be in holy conduct and godliness.

In 2 Peter 3:11-14, he reminds believers that the present order will not continue forever and urges them to be diligent to be found by God in peace, without spot and blameless.

Peter does not answer the question by telling believers to spend all their time calculating the date of Christ’s return. He directs their attention to the kind of people they should become.

Think about what this means.

If we believe that God will judge wickedness, should we be comfortable practicing wickedness?

If we believe that our present way of life and this world will not continue forever, should we devote our lives exclusively to temporary things?

It is possible to understand the Day of Trumpets, church doctrines, and God’s plan of salvation while failing to let those teachings transform our character.

The goal is holiness. This does not mean pretending that we are already perfect or claiming that we will never make mistakes. Believers still need God’s mercy, forgiveness, instruction, and correction.

But we should be growing in obedience, overcoming sin, and becoming more like Yeshua.

Holiness involves being set apart for God and learning to live in accordance with His will. It affects every part of our lives.

It affects how we speak when we are angry. It affects how we treat people who disagree with us. It affects whether we are honest when dishonesty would benefit us. It affects what we do when nobody is watching.

It affects our private thoughts, our attitudes toward money, our relationships, and our willingness to obey God when obedience is inconvenient.

It is easy to condemn the wickedness of the world while overlooking the sins we tolerate in ourselves. But preparation for the Kingdom begins with our own willingness to submit to God.

First John 3:2-3 connects the hope of seeing Christ as He is with the need to purify ourselves. Titus 2:11-14 likewise teaches that God’s grace trains us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live soberly, righteously, and godly lives as we look forward to the appearing of our great God and Savior.

The expectation of Christ’s return should affect how we live now.

We should not merely ask, “Do I understand biblical prophecy?” We should also ask, “Is my life being transformed by the truth I claim to believe?”

Final Thoughts: Are You a Scoffer?

Let us return to the question raised by the scoffers in 2 Peter 3:4:

“Where is the promise of His coming?”

They see the passage of time and conclude that the promise has failed. They assume that because the world continues, God will never intervene.

But Peter reminds believers that the Lord is patient. His apparent delay is not evidence that He has forgotten His promise. It is an opportunity for repentance.

We must also remember that the Bible does not authorize us to set dates for Christ’s return. Yeshua Himself taught that the exact day and hour are unknown to us. Our responsibility is to remain faithful, not to claim certainty about a timetable God has not revealed.

We do not know when Yeshua will return. We cannot change the past, and we cannot control the future.

But we can decide what we will do today.

We can repent of our sins. We can serve others and do the work God has given us. We can strengthen our faith instead of allowing the passage of time to weaken it. We can pursue holiness and grow in obedience while we wait.

The greatest danger is not simply misunderstanding how long we must wait. It is wasting the time God has given us.

So do not let God’s patience become an excuse for spiritual complacency. Let it encourage you to repent, grow, serve, and remain faithful.

The question is not simply how long we have been waiting for Yeshua. The question is whether we have been faithful while waiting.