Blessed hope or blessed calculation? :: Adventist News Network

May 30, 2020  |  St Albans, United Kingdom  |  Victor Hulbert, Trans-European Division

When will Jesus come again? It is what we as Seventh-day Adventists call ‘the blessed hope’. It is part of our name – our calling. We are Adventists! But when will he come?

Recently there has been a considerable rise in speculation, not just over the nearness of Christ’s return – something we all hold dear, but with some specific dates associated with it – and, in particular, the year 2027. 

Is this something we can test against the Bible? That is a question we asked Newbold’s professor emeritus, Dr Laurence Turner. As a former head of the Department of Theological Studies he took time to carefully watch the videos and read a whole range of papers. His aim was to look at the biblical foundations for the theory that Christ might return in 2027.

Turner then summarizes his findings under four headings:

• Signs of the Times – taking a look at key Bible passages.
• The reapplication of Biblical Prophecy – is this a valid hermeneutic?
• The Cosmic Week – How does this 6,000-year theory work?
• What does Ellen White say about time setting?

“As both a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and an experienced lecturer in biblical studies, Turner has taken time to ensure a careful and reasoned look at the arguments,” states Raafat Kamal, president of the Trans-European Division. “This is important in these days of YouTube and the internet when all sorts of presentations are out there. We need seasoned Bible scholars who can help us evaluate.”

Turner emphasizes that, by the end of the presentation, viewers should have a clear understanding of whether we are looking at the blessed Hope or a blessed calculation. Recorded at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, Turner challenges that the best part of living our Adventist faith is that as we prepare for the Second Coming our very lives become a witness for the Gospel.

This article was originally published on the Trans-European Division’s news site