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When peace and prosperity are the order of the day, when
terrorism and war are the last things on our minds, when we
are feeling encouraged and optimistic about human nature,
thoughts about the end of the world seldom cross our minds.
But when financial markets crash, when terror strikes in our
own country and war breaks out in the Middle East, when
human depravity threatens the safety of our homes and our
children, discussions about the end seem to crop up
everywhere.
In recent years, there have been more than enough reasons
for people to think a lot about the end of the world. In
addition to all the uncertainty we have come to feel about life
in general, the very popular Left Behind series by Tim
LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins has used religious fiction to
expose a whole new generation to such ideas as The
Antichrist, Armageddon, The Millennium, The Rapture, and
The Great Tribulation. Today, judging simply by book sales,
both Christians and non-Christians appear to be fascinated
about anything that relates to the end of the world.
More and more people are asking, "What does the Bible
say about the end of the world? Are we living in the last
days? Do terrorist attacks and wars in Israel signal a coming
destruction of our planet? Is the world coming to an end?"
With these concerns on our minds and in our hearts, we open
our Bibles and search for what scripture says about the end
of the world.
The Bible teaches that time is moving toward a definite
conclusion. The Ascension and the Second Coming of Jesus
form the time brackets in which we now live. During the
final week of Jesus' life, he taught,
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels
with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the
nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the
people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats" (Matthew 25:31-32).
Luke records that, later, on the day when Jesus ascended
into heaven, the following encounter took place:
They (the disciples) were looking intently up into the sky as
he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood
beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand
here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been
taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:10-11).
Since that time, all Christians have been waiting for the
return of Jesus. Paul once wrote to new Christians,
...You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming
wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
Scripture teaches that the return of Jesus will bring about
the destruction of the world and the final judgment.
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by
fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping
with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven
and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear
friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every
effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him
(2 Peter 3:12-14).
So, that is the way the world will end. But when will it
happen, and what does the Bible say about what we can and
cannot know about this great event?
During the final week of Jesus' earthly ministry, he and his
disciples were walking away from the temple one day when
the disciples called Jesus' attention to the magnificence of
that structure. Jesus responded,
"Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one
stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown
down" (Matthew 24:2).
Later, in a private conversation between Jesus and his
disciples, the disciples asked him,
"Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of
your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
The disciples thought they were asking one question,
thinking that the temple would be destroyed at the end of
the age. However, Jesus separated their question into two
parts, answering one at a time.
Concerning the destruction of the temple, something that
occurred when the Roman army destroyed the city of
Jerusalem in A.D. 70, Jesus said,
"I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass
away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth
will pass away, but my words will never pass away"
(Matthew 24:34-35).
However, in that same discussion, Jesus also spoke of the end
of the age:
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew
24:36).
Years later, when the Apostle Paul spoke to a group of
philosophers in Athens, he mentioned that coming day of
judgment:
"For he has set a day when he will judge the world with
justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of
this to all men by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).
Christians believe that there is, indeed, "a great day
coming." However, when that day will be is a secret that is
hidden in the heart of God. Anyone who claims to know
when Jesus will return, based on their interpretation of
particular biblical prophecies, is professing to know
something that Jesus clearly said was concealed even from
his eyes.
In the interim, between now and the time when Jesus
returns, his followers are to live in a constant state of
readiness.
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what
day your Lord will come.... So you also must be ready,
because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do
not expect him" (Matthew 24:42, 44).
Our concern is not to determine the time when Jesus will
return; it is to be ready whenever that time occurs.
I remember attending gospel meetings when I was growing
up in which a lot was said about the return of Jesus and the
day of judgment. All of my memories of those sermons are
wrapped in fear. The coming of the Lord was a very
terrifying prospect, a virtual spiritual nightmare. It was
several years before I realized that the return of Jesus at the
end of time is something that biblical writers wrote about
with a sense of longing. For them it was a happy thought.
The Second Coming was good news! It will be a time when
troubles are over, injustice is wiped away and communion
with God will be complete.
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly
wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep
you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the
day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7-8).
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those
who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have
no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so
we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have
fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we
tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the
coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who
have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down
from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in
Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are
left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord
forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of
people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly
lives 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. But in
keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new
heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Peter
3:11-13).
The final words of the entire Bible speak wistfully about the
return of Jesus.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming
soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord
Jesus be with God's people. Amen (Revelation 22:20-21).
So, to answer our original question, "Is the world coming to an end?" the answer is "Yes!" Some day, Jesus will return to judge the world, and the earth will be no more. On that day we will all "appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:10). For Christians, that will be a day of unparalleled joy; for non-Christians it will be a day of punishment. When will that day be? We simply don't know. Because of that, we must live every day as if it were the last, anxiously awaiting the second coming of Christ. Come, Lord Jesus.
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