ARE WE IN THE "END TIMES"?

2020 is a year we will never forget.

Covid-19 has changed our world. Deaths from this virus are on the rise around the world even though for a time it seemed we were dealing with it.

Climate change has meant more and more powerful natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods.

Racial tensions have boiled over after yet again another black person was killed by police under circumstances that reveal racial bias and inadequate training in law enforcement. Those same police officers involved in those shootings for the most part do not suffer any consequences. That tension has led to protest marches and in a small number of cases violence and destruction.

The political divide in our country seems deeper than ever before and perhaps not fixable. People cannot talk about politics with one another since there is so much distrust and out right hatred. Our current leadership in Washington only makes things worse.

There seems to be so much anger, uncertainty and pessimism about the future.

So I believe it is only natural that the question “ ARE WE IN THE END TIMES the Bible talks about? is being asked. I’ve been asked that question more than once.

I honestly have not thought much about it until now. After reacquainting myself with what scripture says and what teaching I retained from seminary I believe the answer to this question is NO and MAYBE. I know this seems to be a cop-out but whole seminary courses teach about this subject and so I am a bit hesitant about dealing with this very complex topic with this blog.

Having said that there are a few things I will say.

Throughout history some people have claimed to know exactly when the world was going to come to an end. I’m sure you have even read of those predictions. Only a few years ago another prediction made headlines. All of those predictions were obviously wrong. In the gospel of Matthew Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”. This is the passage we need to remember. No one knows when the end will come.

Here are some other scripture passages:

Matthew 24:42-44

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

2 Peter 3:10-13

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Mark 13:5-23

5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. 20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

 

Probably the most important thing to remember is that the world’s future is in God’s hands, and the world as we know it will only pass away when God intervenes to bring it to an end.

Jesus said, “Such things must happen, but the end is still to come” (Matthew 24:6).

What will the end be like? For one thing, it will be sudden and unexpected—and most people will be unprepared. Just as in the days of Noah’s flood, a catastrophe will suddenly overtake the earth—and then it will be too late to turn to God.

The good news is, we need not need fear that day if we know Christ.

And when Jesus does come again, all the evils of this world will be destroyed and Jesus Christ will rule over a new world in perfect peace and justice. We can barely imagine this, but it gives us hope for a better world.

If we knew for certain exactly when Christ was going to come again we might be tempted to stop doing the work God wants us to do.

Christ’s promise is clear: Some day He will come again in glory and power, and all the evil and rebellion and injustice of this present world will come to an end. That day is closer now than it has ever been before.