On The Eve of the End of the World....
There is much fervor in the world, especially the media, over the rumor of Doomsday tomorrow, May 21st. All the attention has been earned by a christian radio preacher, Harold Camping, with a bygone 1994 Doomsday prediction already under his belt. Though the man and his followers seem sincere, it is an unfortunate fact that his shenanigans are bringing undue and undeserved mockery to the name of Christ and Christians.
It is no new thing. Imagine the shame of the Millerite groups (out of which sprung the 7th day Adventists and other Adventist groups), when William Miller first predicted the end in 1843 and when proved wrong, revised to 1844. Imagine having sold all your goods, and meeting on a great hill expecting Christ to come with the sunrise. It rises.. 6am.... 7am... 9am... 10am... High Noon... Nothing. It certainly must have been hard to not feel like a fool.
Now, understand, I don't think the world isn't going to end simply because predictions have been made and predictions have failed. The world is not going to end tomorrow because the time is not yet come. Allow me to enumerate my reasonings.
1. Reason #1 - Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." -Matthew 24:36-37
Since the prediction is being made with Biblical claims, it is perfectly reasonable to look to the Bible for commentary on this day. Jesus said no man knows. So as Pastor Heald likes to say "Now you know what day its *not* going to be." So if a man claims it is this day, or that day or Dec. 21st 2012, you know it will not be that day. Jesus said that it will be like the days before the flood: "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Matthew 24:38-39.
The Bible affirms itself by the worlds of Paul and Peter, both who independently say "the day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night." (1Thess. 5:2, 2Peter 3:10) The meaning is plain: You don't know when a thief is going to come to your house - a thief comes by surprise and by cover of night so you never see him coming. So Jesus says to watch and be expectant. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." -Matthew 25:13
2. Reason #2 - There Are Prophecies Yet to be Fulfilled Before the End.
The Bible is a collection of 66 individual books written over the course of 2000 years by many different authors. Each contributed their piece of the vision as God revealed it. There are round abouts 3000 +/- prophetic statements in the Bible as a whole, with about 2500 of them already fulfilled to the letter. The remained 500 or so are pertaining to events in the last days and the second coming of Christ and His Kingdom. It is not a silly thing to look to the Bible when we see events unfold and try to discern where we may be on the Timeline. However, it is very silly to say we are at the End when there is so many loose ends and unfinished business! There are things that must happen to get us from here to there. The Lord gives prophecies as a sure thing, 100% guaranteed. Therefore He is not going to End anything until all is fulfilled. Jesus encourages us to discern the times and the seasons we are in.... But seeing that it is Autumn is very different than proclaiming the day or the hour.
3. Reason #3 - It's Just the Beginning of Sorrows.
"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." - Mat 24:3-8
Its not only the religious folk that see we are living in a strange time. Many notice the increase in power and frequency of natural disasters, from hurricanes to earthquakes and tornadoes. Many plainly see political upheaval across the world and upcoming food and water shortages. None of these things are going unnoticed. However, they are being interpreted incorrectly by many. It is useful to see the season we are in - however Jesus plainly says when these things happen the end is not yet. Furthermore, He says that it is just the beginning.
Like in a woman giving birth, the beginning of sorrows in labor can be painful, but it is often also a slow, progressive, unrelenting build-up to a dramatic climax.
My wife started labor around 4am. She gave birth at 8:30pm. She thought it was bad by 8am. She was utterly done at 2pm. And she went on for 6 hours after that.
Its a big baby comin'.
In Conclusion:
Dont sell all your stuff. Dont go out partying, not expecting to go to work on Monday. Just go about your business, pray for those who have lost their assets and possessions because they sold them, and stay Watchful and Expectant for that great day... after all, time marches ever on. Keep an eye on Israel. Look for perhaps a 3rd temple. Watch the moral decay of society and just know its going to get much worse, but then ... it gets much better.
God bless you, friends.
It is no new thing. Imagine the shame of the Millerite groups (out of which sprung the 7th day Adventists and other Adventist groups), when William Miller first predicted the end in 1843 and when proved wrong, revised to 1844. Imagine having sold all your goods, and meeting on a great hill expecting Christ to come with the sunrise. It rises.. 6am.... 7am... 9am... 10am... High Noon... Nothing. It certainly must have been hard to not feel like a fool.
Now, understand, I don't think the world isn't going to end simply because predictions have been made and predictions have failed. The world is not going to end tomorrow because the time is not yet come. Allow me to enumerate my reasonings.
1. Reason #1 - Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." -Matthew 24:36-37
Since the prediction is being made with Biblical claims, it is perfectly reasonable to look to the Bible for commentary on this day. Jesus said no man knows. So as Pastor Heald likes to say "Now you know what day its *not* going to be." So if a man claims it is this day, or that day or Dec. 21st 2012, you know it will not be that day. Jesus said that it will be like the days before the flood: "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Matthew 24:38-39.
The Bible affirms itself by the worlds of Paul and Peter, both who independently say "the day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night." (1Thess. 5:2, 2Peter 3:10) The meaning is plain: You don't know when a thief is going to come to your house - a thief comes by surprise and by cover of night so you never see him coming. So Jesus says to watch and be expectant. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." -Matthew 25:13
2. Reason #2 - There Are Prophecies Yet to be Fulfilled Before the End.
The Bible is a collection of 66 individual books written over the course of 2000 years by many different authors. Each contributed their piece of the vision as God revealed it. There are round abouts 3000 +/- prophetic statements in the Bible as a whole, with about 2500 of them already fulfilled to the letter. The remained 500 or so are pertaining to events in the last days and the second coming of Christ and His Kingdom. It is not a silly thing to look to the Bible when we see events unfold and try to discern where we may be on the Timeline. However, it is very silly to say we are at the End when there is so many loose ends and unfinished business! There are things that must happen to get us from here to there. The Lord gives prophecies as a sure thing, 100% guaranteed. Therefore He is not going to End anything until all is fulfilled. Jesus encourages us to discern the times and the seasons we are in.... But seeing that it is Autumn is very different than proclaiming the day or the hour.
3. Reason #3 - It's Just the Beginning of Sorrows.
"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." - Mat 24:3-8
Its not only the religious folk that see we are living in a strange time. Many notice the increase in power and frequency of natural disasters, from hurricanes to earthquakes and tornadoes. Many plainly see political upheaval across the world and upcoming food and water shortages. None of these things are going unnoticed. However, they are being interpreted incorrectly by many. It is useful to see the season we are in - however Jesus plainly says when these things happen the end is not yet. Furthermore, He says that it is just the beginning.
Like in a woman giving birth, the beginning of sorrows in labor can be painful, but it is often also a slow, progressive, unrelenting build-up to a dramatic climax.
My wife started labor around 4am. She gave birth at 8:30pm. She thought it was bad by 8am. She was utterly done at 2pm. And she went on for 6 hours after that.
Its a big baby comin'.
In Conclusion:
Dont sell all your stuff. Dont go out partying, not expecting to go to work on Monday. Just go about your business, pray for those who have lost their assets and possessions because they sold them, and stay Watchful and Expectant for that great day... after all, time marches ever on. Keep an eye on Israel. Look for perhaps a 3rd temple. Watch the moral decay of society and just know its going to get much worse, but then ... it gets much better.
God bless you, friends.
Comments
Post a Comment