As we look around us at our world today, many of us may be thinking, "What on earth is happening here?"
Death is everywhere. Injustice is everywhere. Lies are everywhere. Meaningless materialism is everywhere.
Destruction. Distraction. Deception.
World Economic Collapse. World War Three. One World Government. New World Order?
Conspiracy Theories...
In a world so seemlingly empty of hope at times, what are we to think? Do we just try to live our lives as good people, making what difference we can and continue on our way? Do we use what voice we have to shout through our social media accounts and through protests to proclaim what we see as right?
Do we lie awake at night just wondering at what it all means?
Many people, even within the Christian church sometimes, can be thought of as extreme if they follow Bible end-times prophecies. However, the Bible has a lot more to say about what exactly is going on in the world than you might have at first thought, and definitely a lot more relevant.
When asked by his disciples about the signs of his coming and of the close of the age, Jesus tells us in Matthew 24,
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." v6-8.
You can also find this passage in Mark 13 and Luke 21. Now, we know that there have been many, many wars since the time of Jesus, but does it not seem like there has been an increase in the last century especially? Wars, terrorism - it's no longer a question of two neighbouring nations against one another, it's gone global. Even taking into consideration the current issue of ISIS, already Russia, the US, China, Iran and now the UK are involved. Another interesting point here is that the word here translated as "nation" actually means ethnic group. Do we see any particular ethnic groups coming against one another today?
Since being in Ecuador I've felt a few earthquakes, not very large but enough to be felt. Below is a graph showing the global increase in earthquakes which excede magnitude 7 (in order to rule out an increase only due to improvments in global communication and an increase in the number of seismograph stations) between 1973 and 2006.
 |
| Taken from http://www.earth.webecs.co.uk/ |
The graph is fairly telling, and it doesn't even include the last 9 years. Closer to home, here in Quito we've been on alert for the last 4 months due to one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world threatening to erupt after being dormant for more than 70 years...
One thing is certain, the number of natural disasters is on the increase. Coincidence?
Closer to home, the Bible also tells us what individual humans will be like in the last days:
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"
2 Timothy 3:1-4
Do we see these characteristics being exhibited by people around us today? Maybe, deep within our hearts, even ourselves?
Unfortunately, according to Jesus, these things are only the beginning. Things are going to get worse before they get better. Jesus says in verses 21 ans 22 of Matthew 24,
"For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved."
This fallen world will eventually come to an end. But our hope is that it doesn't have to be our end.
It is right that we are angry and outraged at the injustice, violence and killing that happen all throughout the world. We are created in God's image and He, more than any one of us, hates those things, and that's why we as humans have this deep desire for justice and life somewhere within us. But we've been contaminated by sin, the very thing that causes us to practice injustice and malice ourselves. God hates sin and that's why He's going to bring an end to this world - but it's also why we have hope.
God, because of His hate for sin and His love for people has given us an escape. He made a way to cleanse us and forgive us our sin so that He finds us just before His righteous judgement. He sent His Son into this world to take our sin upon himself and die for us and to rise again in victory, defeating sin. It is in him, Jesus of Nazareth, that we find our hope.
One day, after this earth is completey destroyed and sin and evil have been dealt with and erradicated forever, God is going to start again with those who want to, with those who have denounced their sin and trusted in Jesus. There will be a new heaven and earth, beautiful and pure, free from pain, suffering and injustice where Jesus reigns as Eternal King.
The question is, do we hate injustice enough to recognise it within ourselves, repent from our sin and humble ourselves before God to accept an eternity with Him in His paradise, that our heart of hearts so desperately longs for... or would we rather believe ourselves righteous, reject God and eventually be judged alongside the rest of this world so full of evil?
There is hope to be had this Christmas, and his name is Jesus. He was promised from the very beginning, when sin first entered this world, and he was prophecied through the ages.
"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me whose coming forth is from of old, one who is to be ruler in Israel from ancient days... And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God, to the ends of the earth. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great and he shall be their peace."
Micah 5:1, 4-5 (700-750 years before Christ)
And now peace is yours to claim through him if you should so choose to.
You may believe all this Bible prophecy stuff is a load of nonsense, coincidence or plain lies - that's your decision - however should you be interested in investigating a little more about the subject, (I have barely even scratched the surface in this post) I would recommend The Daniel Project, a secular documentary investigating the fulfilment and potential fulfilment of certain Bible end-time prophecies, presented by actor, voice-over artist and self-confessed athiest Jeremy Hitchen. You can find out more and buy the DVD on their website, www.thedanielprojectmovie.com
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:1-4
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Revelation 22:1-7
"And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."
"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
Revelation 22:10-17
