Are there Christians that try to change the date of Second Coming through their actions?

Question

I have always assumed that the date of Parousia (the Second Coming of Jesus) is fixed and that humans cannot change it. The wish that it would be soon is one of longing and fulfilment, not one of trying to influence God. Recently I heard the president of a country asking Christian leaders to ask Jesus to change his mind and come soon to remove the sinners as the police are having problems coping. (Who this is, is irrelevant to the question - he plans to rule till the Second Coming in any case so he might have ulterior motives for asking.) I then wondered if he belonged to a grouping or church (he has many wives so I am not sure about this) that believes that Christians can influence the date as some of Judaism does.

In another question on this site, the question was more about what God was waiting for before the Second Coming took place. Another question asked about the affect of prayer on God's plan. To these there are a couple of answers but this is not relevant to my question either as I want to know if there are religious groups that actively strive to bring the date forward and who they might be. Which Christian leaders feel that they can heed his call in a meaningful way and what would they do?

An example would be groups that concentrate intensely on missionary work to speed up the coming of Jesus through the promise that if the whole world have heard the message, 'then the end will come'. (Matthew 24: 14). Or a group that pray for an earlier date. Or do good works. Etc etc.

Answer 1

Please see this FMS' answer to What are the different views regarding the order of events for end-times prophecy? It would appear that on the list, the first two are the ones a person or a group can influence.

1. the full number of the Gentiles come into the Church

2. the "full inclusion of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of the full number of the Gentiles" (#2 will follow quickly on, in the wake of, #1)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 674 begins by saying

The glorious Messiah's coming is suspended at every moment of history until his recognition by "all Israel".

Therefore if full number of Gentiles come into the Church and all Israel recognize the Messiah, the fulfillment of these two things will be two less things suspending the LORD's return.

Some Jews upon coming into the fullness of their religion in the Catholic Church, realize this perhaps with a clarity that say even cradle Catholics don't. One such convert is Alphonse Ratisbonne who after his conversion,

[...] moved to the Holy Land and with his brother Theodor founded a congregation of nuns -- the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion -- to pray for the conversion of the Jews.

The other thing that must happen before the LORD comes is the gospel is to be preached to ALL nations. This is the mission of the Church.

The Church, full of hope also prays,

Maran atha ("Our Lord, come!") or Marana tha ("Come, Lord!") - "Amen Come Lord Jesus!" cf. CCC 451 and the prayers of the Advent Season.

Therefore the Church's preaching to the Nations, The Church's hopeful prayer and those of her children imploring the LORD to come and not delay, and her apostolate and those of some groups within the Church for the conversion of the Jews, is what the Church does to advance or at least to prepare for the glorious coming of the Messiah.

Endnote

Of course all those who also pray the LORD's prayer also join the Church in praying for the coming of the Kingdom

Thy Kingdom come.

Answer 2

The verse in question is this one,

2 Peter 3:12a, select translations

• Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God... KJV
• looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God... NASB
• as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming... NIV
• looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, ... ASV
• waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God... YLT

As you can see, depending on how this verse is translated, it does appear that at least Peter may hint at this possibility. He doesnt come out and say you can, and some versions interpret differently, but that is where it comes from, take it or leave it. Where people do or dont go with it from there is another issue.