During these gender-confusion, Christian-intolerant, and covid-19 times, I am certain many have wondered if we are much closer to the end of it all. The "end times" or "eschatology" refers to the events that will lead up to this final end of life as we know it. Some do not believe it will happen, while others have different opinions/beliefs on how it will happen. I will of course focus on the Christian point of view.
A few weeks ago I read 2 Thessalonians 2 and it got me seriously thinking about how those last days are going to unfold. Having grown up in Christian circles, this topic is not new to me. As a kid it was used to scare us into being good, and as an adult I have read the book of Revelation at least a couple of times. Still, my knowledge on this subject was quite limited and pretty much basic. I decided to do some research and the result is this blog post; a summary of my findings.
The first thing that became obvious to me is the fact that the message of the last days was not meant to scare unbelievers into salvation. The target audience of this message throughout scripture is the church. To keep us alert, because once you choose Jesus you become Satan's target...and being passive and lukewarm is how he gets most Christians. It is dangerous to subscribe to the "once saved, always saved" mentality. A mystery of the Gospel is that though salvation is God's work, it must also be worked out by us (Phil 2:12-13). The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) also clearly points out the fact that it is possible to be saved and then lose that salvation if we are foolish enough to not be prepared for Christ's coming.
Knowing certain aspects of how God's judgement will be executed should help us stay ready, especially when dealing with the drudgery of everyday life. In my pursuit of more knowledge on this subject, I asked a few questions. What will happen? What is the timeline? How will these things happen? No one knows or will ever know exactly when Jesus Christ will return (Mark 13:32), however based on what is revealed in scripture, there are a few certainties:
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ will reach all the nations on earth (Matthew 24:14). With the internet, it is easy to see how this will happen sooner rather than later. That is, if it has not already happened.
- The Anti-Christ will arise and cause a great apostasy (many Christians rejecting Christ). He will not only be a powerful (religious/political/economic) figure, but he will also display supernatural powers - 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4,8. Revelation 13:13-14. There are many more passages in the Bible about him.
- The Anti-Christ will attain global control of the world's population and the number 666 will somehow be a part of that. With globalization driven by digitalization, IT and the internet, this no longer seems far fetched. Revelation 13:16-18
- Natural disasters (earth quakes, hurricanes etc), wars, famines will be regular occurrences, signaling the beginning of the end times (Mark 13:7-8, Matthew 24:8). History confirms that we are already past the beginning.
- The Great Tribulation - an extended period of persecution and hardship especially for Christians. Christian intolerance on the rise should not be surprising (Mark 13:13), it is only going to get worse.
- The prevalence of false prophets. Over the last few decades there has been a significant increase in independent churches...now more than ever before, hundreds of people start churches all over the world annually. How many are genuinely called by God? How many are in it for the financial gain?
- The rapture will happen. With the sound of a trumpet, Jesus Christ will interrupt the tribulation. He will descend (just as He ascended) to take back with Him to heaven the saved; dead or alive (in new heavenly bodies). Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 There is a lot of discussion on whether it will happen before or after the great tribulation. I personally believe it will happen after or during. God having to cut the time short for the elect (Matt 24:22) and Matthew 24:29 clearly allude to that.
Of course I dare not say this is an exhaustive list. I am still learning...and still digesting what I have learned so far. Anyone who trusts scripture, believes that these things will happen, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. It is even more convincing seeing that last days as described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 accurately depict the world we currently live in. We are living in the end times for sure, and maybe we have been for decades, if not centuries.
The great tribulation seems to be what's next on the timeline. When exactly the rapture will happen however is something we cannot and will never be able to predict (Matt 24:42). Let us keep in mind that God's perception of time is not the same as ours (2 Peter 3:8). The return of Jesus Christ can happen tomorrow or thousands of years from now. The end times can last decades or centuries.
It is important to note that there are a lot of Christians who believe the rapture and the second coming of Jesus are two separate events...I am still seeking knowledge and insight on this. Some say Jesus will return to earth after the rapture to reign for a hundred years. Honestly, I am not very interested in what happens after the rapture. I do not plan to be here after that. Haha.
To close I will like to reiterate that the purpose of the information that has been revealed to us is to keep us alert. Not that we should be superstitious or obsessed about these things. There are definitely those who are too caught up in end time drama. Jesus talks about them in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Remember the servant with one talent? He did nothing with what he was given on the grounds of "fear of his master". Do not be too caught up in what is to come (judgement) that you fail to accomplish what God asks of you while here on earth.
Let this knowledge serve as a reminder, motivating us daily to stay connected to Jesus, because we are not ignorant of what is to come. We are discerning and aware that it is NEAR (Mark 13:28,29)
Mark 13:33 KJV: "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is."
Comments
Post a Comment