When you see all the natural disasters, the economic conditions, and other problems we have right now in the U.S., you can’t help but think that God is punishing us. However, I don’t think God is punishing us right now, not that we don’t deserve it.
While God did a lot of punishing in the Old Testament, I don’t believe we see too much of that today, but we do see the consequences of poor decisions. For example, we’re in an economic mess because of poor decisions made by the government, financial institutions, and individuals. Even much the devastation caused by natural disasters results from poor decisions and poor planning. All of these problems, which I believe God allows but doesn’t cause, can be wake-up calls to us. They can be warnings like the canary in the coal mine, alerting us in a number of ways.
What have we as a nation done in the last 40-50 years or so in addition to living beyond our means? We’ve steadily moved further and further away from God and our Judeo-Christian heritage. As we’ve moved further from God individually and as a nation, and have systematically removed God from public life, what have we seen happen?
-Society is becoming ruder and cruder.
-Many are turning to drugs and alcohol to escape reality and responsibility.
-There is significant crime and violence.
-We have a large segment of the population living in poverty, with more coming.
-We are on track to becoming a second-rate nation.
-We’ve racked up incredible debt, both as a nation and individually.
-We owe a trillion dollars to China – think what that means.
-We have a government that barely functions, so critical decisions are either not made or take a long time to get made.
-This latest generation will have a lower standard of living than those coming before them for the first time in American history.
-Schools are a mess, especially when it comes to discipline, bullying, and behavior.
-Jobs have disappeared from this country forever, so that any economic recovery will take a long time to get here and will not result in the kind of prosperity we’re used to. According to a recent survey, Americans have already lowered their expectations considerably.
The list goes on, but you get the point. Life wasn’t perfect pre-1970, let’s say, but we certainly didn’t have the severity of problems we have today. Yes, we had the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II, but people trusted God and pulled together, and they got through it. After those trials the U.S. became a superpower and enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. As time went on and things were good, we drifted away from God and chased after other gods.
As a people who have been especially blessed of all the nations in the world, we, more than anybody, should be faithful to God. So today we need to get back to God. Go to church, learn about God, learn to pray and read the Bible, and learn to trust in God’s provision. Then, and only then, will this nation begin to turn around by the grace of God. Let’s remember the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14:
[I]f my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (NRSV)
Let’s turn back to God before things get any worse.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Same Sex Marriage in New York
Same Sex Marriage in New York
Same sex marriage will now be legal in New York State. That means same sex couples will be able to get marriage licenses and have “official” wedding ceremonies. Since such a law may seem to be “fair” and “equitable”, you might be asking why the Catholic Church, many evangelical Christians, and others are opposed to same sex marriage. I think it’s important to know where they are coming from, and not just label them as “homophobic” or “bigots.”
The main problem is that such laws redefine “marriage” from what natural law, the Bible, and thousands of years of tradition say it is. Since homosexuals biologically can’t reproduce with each other, then many would argue that regardless of what the law says, it isn’t a marriage as it has been understood historically.
Second, the Bible says the practice of homosexuality is a sin (notice I said “practice of”). Therefore, to call a homosexual relationship a “marriage” goes against biblical teachings as they have been traditionally understood. This condemnation of same sex relationships is not a church thing, but comes from both the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament. That doesn’t mean anybody should persecute gays and lesbians, but it certainly implies that churches shouldn’t bless their unions. I know that sounds discriminatory, but since the Bible is the basis of both the Jewish and Christian faiths, we have to take seriously what Holy Scripture says.
Third, there is a fear in the religious community that refusing to perform a same sex weddings could result in discrimination lawsuits. I believe that fear is well-founded, although supposedly there are provisions in the New York law protecting churches, religious organizations, and nonprofits from such lawsuits. We’ll soon find out if that provision is strong enough.
Having said all that, I think Christians should move on to deal with the real dangers to marriage, and that is the disintegration of the family. The U.S. has a high divorce rate, and there are a record number of households headed by a single parent. People today, if they even bother to get married, don’t seem to take the vows very seriously. And then we wonder why we have to problems we have.
Same sex marriage will now be legal in New York State. That means same sex couples will be able to get marriage licenses and have “official” wedding ceremonies. Since such a law may seem to be “fair” and “equitable”, you might be asking why the Catholic Church, many evangelical Christians, and others are opposed to same sex marriage. I think it’s important to know where they are coming from, and not just label them as “homophobic” or “bigots.”
The main problem is that such laws redefine “marriage” from what natural law, the Bible, and thousands of years of tradition say it is. Since homosexuals biologically can’t reproduce with each other, then many would argue that regardless of what the law says, it isn’t a marriage as it has been understood historically.
Second, the Bible says the practice of homosexuality is a sin (notice I said “practice of”). Therefore, to call a homosexual relationship a “marriage” goes against biblical teachings as they have been traditionally understood. This condemnation of same sex relationships is not a church thing, but comes from both the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament. That doesn’t mean anybody should persecute gays and lesbians, but it certainly implies that churches shouldn’t bless their unions. I know that sounds discriminatory, but since the Bible is the basis of both the Jewish and Christian faiths, we have to take seriously what Holy Scripture says.
Third, there is a fear in the religious community that refusing to perform a same sex weddings could result in discrimination lawsuits. I believe that fear is well-founded, although supposedly there are provisions in the New York law protecting churches, religious organizations, and nonprofits from such lawsuits. We’ll soon find out if that provision is strong enough.
Having said all that, I think Christians should move on to deal with the real dangers to marriage, and that is the disintegration of the family. The U.S. has a high divorce rate, and there are a record number of households headed by a single parent. People today, if they even bother to get married, don’t seem to take the vows very seriously. And then we wonder why we have to problems we have.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Arrogance of Power
Once again a high profile man has been caught with his pants down. These sex scandals are occurring with increasing regularity: Anthony Weiner, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the French guy (Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who went after a hotel maid) – the list goes on and on. And these are just in the past few weeks. You also have John Edwards, Tiger Woods, Elliott Spitzer, and a host of others over the past couple of years. What’s wrong with these guys?
I believe the root of the problem is arrogance. These are men in powerful positions. They think they are above the law. They also think they’ll get away with it, despite most prominent men eventually being found out. Their enormous egos make them believe they are entitled and are invulnerable.
The Europeans, especially the French, take such fooling around pretty much in stride. The Europeans can’t understand why we get upset when our leaders do sleazy things. I was in England when the scandal broke regarding President Clinton fooling around with the intern Monica Lewinski. My English friends were all over me on that one, asking “What’s the big deal? Boys will be boys. What’s wrong with you Americans?”
Since Europe is in the post-Christian era, they have lost a lot of the morals and ethics that we still have, but which are eroding fast. We expect our leaders to use good judgment. We expect them to tell us the truth (lying was Clinton’s downfall, more than even the hanky-panky). We put them in positions of trust and responsibility, and we don’t like it when they have moral and ethical failures. I think they are reasonable expectations for those we have elected. After all, if you can’t keep your vows to your wife, how can we trust you with major leadership responsibilities? If you’re more interested in gratifying your lustful desires or stroking your ego than conducting the people’s business, we don’t want you in office. I think that’s reasonable.
When we see the mighty fall, it isn’t pretty. But sin isn’t pretty. These failures should be a wake-up call to all of us to not give in to whatever temptations come our way (and we aren’t immune even though we may be nobodies). Keep in mind that eventually, you will get caught. It might cost your marriage, or your job, or your career, and most certainly your reputation. It might not make the headlines like it does with the rich and famous, but sin will ruin your life. Remember these words from 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (NIV)
I believe the root of the problem is arrogance. These are men in powerful positions. They think they are above the law. They also think they’ll get away with it, despite most prominent men eventually being found out. Their enormous egos make them believe they are entitled and are invulnerable.
The Europeans, especially the French, take such fooling around pretty much in stride. The Europeans can’t understand why we get upset when our leaders do sleazy things. I was in England when the scandal broke regarding President Clinton fooling around with the intern Monica Lewinski. My English friends were all over me on that one, asking “What’s the big deal? Boys will be boys. What’s wrong with you Americans?”
Since Europe is in the post-Christian era, they have lost a lot of the morals and ethics that we still have, but which are eroding fast. We expect our leaders to use good judgment. We expect them to tell us the truth (lying was Clinton’s downfall, more than even the hanky-panky). We put them in positions of trust and responsibility, and we don’t like it when they have moral and ethical failures. I think they are reasonable expectations for those we have elected. After all, if you can’t keep your vows to your wife, how can we trust you with major leadership responsibilities? If you’re more interested in gratifying your lustful desires or stroking your ego than conducting the people’s business, we don’t want you in office. I think that’s reasonable.
When we see the mighty fall, it isn’t pretty. But sin isn’t pretty. These failures should be a wake-up call to all of us to not give in to whatever temptations come our way (and we aren’t immune even though we may be nobodies). Keep in mind that eventually, you will get caught. It might cost your marriage, or your job, or your career, and most certainly your reputation. It might not make the headlines like it does with the rich and famous, but sin will ruin your life. Remember these words from 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (NIV)
Monday, May 23, 2011
Disaster in Joplin
It breaks your heart when you see the devastation in Joplin caused by a tornado. It looks like an atom bomb went off. As we saw recently in the South, tornadoes have done tremendous damage. People have lost loved ones, and often everything they own. You wonder how Joplin, and other towns devastated by tornadoes and floods, will ever come back. Where do you begin to rebuild?
It’s obvious that the things of this world are fleeting. If we don’t lose them when we’re alive, we’ll certainly lose them when we depart this life. As they say, “You can’t take it with you.”
Because of this, we should hold loosely to the things of this life. Don’t become so attached that you no longer own them, but they own you. Give generously to charities, your church, or your synagogue. Spend time reading the Bible and praying, for in doing so you are investing in the future – a future in heaven. Do good works, not only because it feels good to do so, but because you will store up treasure in heaven by doing them in obedience to God’s call for you.
Life on this earth can be hard, unfair, and painful. This beautiful planet can turn deadly in the form of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes. We ask “Why?” and there is no good answer. The only real hope we have is faith in a God we only dimly understand, and the expectation of a better future in the afterlife. Although the world didn’t end on May 21, the End Times will come, maybe in your lifetime. Will you be ready? Are you one of God’s own, or is God not an important part of your life? As I read the Bible, you won’t get to heaven because your grandparents were good Christians, or because you are an American, or because you attended religious instruction as a kid, and not because you are a “good person”.
God gave us the one foolproof way to get to heaven, that’s through faith in his Son. You may want to think about that as we see a nearly continuous stream of destruction these days. Who knows? Maybe the End is closer than we think. Will you be ready?
It’s obvious that the things of this world are fleeting. If we don’t lose them when we’re alive, we’ll certainly lose them when we depart this life. As they say, “You can’t take it with you.”
Because of this, we should hold loosely to the things of this life. Don’t become so attached that you no longer own them, but they own you. Give generously to charities, your church, or your synagogue. Spend time reading the Bible and praying, for in doing so you are investing in the future – a future in heaven. Do good works, not only because it feels good to do so, but because you will store up treasure in heaven by doing them in obedience to God’s call for you.
Life on this earth can be hard, unfair, and painful. This beautiful planet can turn deadly in the form of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes. We ask “Why?” and there is no good answer. The only real hope we have is faith in a God we only dimly understand, and the expectation of a better future in the afterlife. Although the world didn’t end on May 21, the End Times will come, maybe in your lifetime. Will you be ready? Are you one of God’s own, or is God not an important part of your life? As I read the Bible, you won’t get to heaven because your grandparents were good Christians, or because you are an American, or because you attended religious instruction as a kid, and not because you are a “good person”.
God gave us the one foolproof way to get to heaven, that’s through faith in his Son. You may want to think about that as we see a nearly continuous stream of destruction these days. Who knows? Maybe the End is closer than we think. Will you be ready?
Obama and Israel
Like so many Americans, President Obama is either ignorant of the harsh realities of the Middle East, or is naïve (or maybe both). Those who call for Israel to give up land to the Palestinians remind me of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain agreeing to give land to Hitler so there will be “peace in our time.” Appeasement didn’t work, and the result was World War II.
Obama and other (mostly) liberals seem to have no understanding of several facts:
(1) Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and various Arab terrorist organizations have one aim: to wipe Israel off the map. They believe Israel has no right to exist. No amount of appeasement will change that fact. All appeasement will do is get the Palestinians and Arab terrorist organizations closer to their goal of “pushing Israel into the sea.”
(2) Israel was established by the United Nations and is recognized as a legitimate nation by many countries. The U.S. was either first or one of the first to recognize the newborn nation in 1948.
(3) There was never a “Palestinian people” or Palestinian nation. There is a geographical area of the Middle East called Palestine (named that by the Romans meaning “Land of the Philistines”), but the concept of a Palestinian people is a modern invention. When Jews started settling in Palestine in the 1800s, there were a few Arabs living there. The Jewish settlers purchased what was considered relatively useless land from these Arabs, often at inflated prices, and built farms and cities. The area prospered, and now the Arabs want it.
Under the British mandate (between WWI and WWII), anti-Semitic forces in the British government invited Arabs from neighboring countries to settle in Palestine, and they did. There are Arabs from Iraq, Syria, and other places who have formed what has come to be called the “Palestinian people.”
In 1948 the Jewish nation of Israel was formed, and the Arab nation for Jordan was formed. Palestinian Arabs were to live in Jordan if they cared to move out of the Jewish territory. Without going into the history of how the Arab nations used their Palestinian Arab brethren as tools in their effort to get rid of Israel, these “Palestinians” were moved into settlement camps rather than being allowed to settle in Jordan and live a normal life as was the UN’s plan.
(4) Israel has already made considerable concessions over the years in an effort to bring about peace. They uprooted Israeli settlements and gave land to the Palestinians. And what did Israel get in return? Rockets fired daily into their country by Palestinian terrorists.
To understand this, how long do you think an American president would put up with Mexican terrorists lobbing rockets daily across the border from Tijuana into San Diego? Would the president decide to cede southern California back to Mexico to stop the rocket attacks on U.S. citizens? I don’t think so. Why should we then ask Israel to give more land to those whose sole aim is to eliminate Israel from the map?
(5) The Arabs claim Jerusalem is a holy city to them, and they want control of it. However, it was the Jews’ primary holy city long before Islam came into existence. Moreover, when the Arabs controlled it, they didn’t allow the Jews access to their holy places. It is ridiculous to claim that Jerusalem should belong to the Arabs just because the Prophet Mohammad had a dream or vision that involved Jerusalem.
(6) Being a large country, we don’t have a concept of how small and vulnerable Israel is. Amman is very close to Jerusalem and Damascus isn’t very far from northern Israel. President Obama’s opinion that Israel should go back to its pre-1967 borders is ludicrous. First, they are indefensible borders given the geography of the region. Second, the Arabs started the 1967 war by attacking Israel, and Israel won some land in pushing the Arab forces back. Asking them to give up that land is like asking the U.S. to return Puerto Rico to Spain.
If they take the time to understand the recent history of the region and the driving goal of the Arabs, President Obama and other government officials will then be able to make more informed decisions. Obviously they haven’t taken the time and so Obama has ended up being a negotiator for the Palestinians and is placing Israel, our only ally in the Middle East, in serious jeopardy.
Let us, both Jews and Christians, pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Obama and other (mostly) liberals seem to have no understanding of several facts:
(1) Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and various Arab terrorist organizations have one aim: to wipe Israel off the map. They believe Israel has no right to exist. No amount of appeasement will change that fact. All appeasement will do is get the Palestinians and Arab terrorist organizations closer to their goal of “pushing Israel into the sea.”
(2) Israel was established by the United Nations and is recognized as a legitimate nation by many countries. The U.S. was either first or one of the first to recognize the newborn nation in 1948.
(3) There was never a “Palestinian people” or Palestinian nation. There is a geographical area of the Middle East called Palestine (named that by the Romans meaning “Land of the Philistines”), but the concept of a Palestinian people is a modern invention. When Jews started settling in Palestine in the 1800s, there were a few Arabs living there. The Jewish settlers purchased what was considered relatively useless land from these Arabs, often at inflated prices, and built farms and cities. The area prospered, and now the Arabs want it.
Under the British mandate (between WWI and WWII), anti-Semitic forces in the British government invited Arabs from neighboring countries to settle in Palestine, and they did. There are Arabs from Iraq, Syria, and other places who have formed what has come to be called the “Palestinian people.”
In 1948 the Jewish nation of Israel was formed, and the Arab nation for Jordan was formed. Palestinian Arabs were to live in Jordan if they cared to move out of the Jewish territory. Without going into the history of how the Arab nations used their Palestinian Arab brethren as tools in their effort to get rid of Israel, these “Palestinians” were moved into settlement camps rather than being allowed to settle in Jordan and live a normal life as was the UN’s plan.
(4) Israel has already made considerable concessions over the years in an effort to bring about peace. They uprooted Israeli settlements and gave land to the Palestinians. And what did Israel get in return? Rockets fired daily into their country by Palestinian terrorists.
To understand this, how long do you think an American president would put up with Mexican terrorists lobbing rockets daily across the border from Tijuana into San Diego? Would the president decide to cede southern California back to Mexico to stop the rocket attacks on U.S. citizens? I don’t think so. Why should we then ask Israel to give more land to those whose sole aim is to eliminate Israel from the map?
(5) The Arabs claim Jerusalem is a holy city to them, and they want control of it. However, it was the Jews’ primary holy city long before Islam came into existence. Moreover, when the Arabs controlled it, they didn’t allow the Jews access to their holy places. It is ridiculous to claim that Jerusalem should belong to the Arabs just because the Prophet Mohammad had a dream or vision that involved Jerusalem.
(6) Being a large country, we don’t have a concept of how small and vulnerable Israel is. Amman is very close to Jerusalem and Damascus isn’t very far from northern Israel. President Obama’s opinion that Israel should go back to its pre-1967 borders is ludicrous. First, they are indefensible borders given the geography of the region. Second, the Arabs started the 1967 war by attacking Israel, and Israel won some land in pushing the Arab forces back. Asking them to give up that land is like asking the U.S. to return Puerto Rico to Spain.
If they take the time to understand the recent history of the region and the driving goal of the Arabs, President Obama and other government officials will then be able to make more informed decisions. Obviously they haven’t taken the time and so Obama has ended up being a negotiator for the Palestinians and is placing Israel, our only ally in the Middle East, in serious jeopardy.
Let us, both Jews and Christians, pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Is The End Near? (Part 3)
This post is a continuation of my response to the prediction that the End Times will begin on May 21.
VI. The Rapture
The first thing to happen as the End Times unfold is what has come to be called “The Rapture”, which is explained in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:
For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
So the believers who are alive at the time will be lifted bodily into heaven, while the dead will experience their resurrection. Believers at that time will escape the coming persecution, but those who convert after The Rapture will be in for some tough times.
VII. Tribulation and the Antichrist
This period of great trials and persecution of God’s people is called “The Tribulation.” A powerful figure will arise who will cause this time of persecution, and he is known as the Anti-Christ and is called “The Beast” in Revelation. The Anti-Christ is described in both the Old and New Testaments. We read about him and see some warnings in Second Thessalonians 2:1-4:
Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. NLT
VIII. Final Battle - Armageddon
A great battle in the Middle East is part of the End Times events, as we read in Revelation 16:16:
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
This refers to a valley in Israel, which the ruins of Megiddo overlook, a large flat plain where many battles were fought in antiquity. Zechariah 12:3 tells us that many nations will come together against Israel: And all the nations of the earth shall come together against [Jerusalem].
With the help of Jesus, Israel will prevail and the nations will be defeated. We read about this defeat of the nations and his return in Zechariah 14:3-4a:
Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east…
IX. Return of Jesus
What we now understand to be the Second Coming of Jesus is described in many places in both the Old and New Testaments. For example, when Jesus returns, it will be at the same place from where he ascended into heaven, the Mount of Olives, as we read in Acts 1:9-12a
After [Jesus] said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They 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.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives. NIV
X. Judgment
The End Times not only involves the triumphal return of Jesus in glory, but also includes judgment. We are all accountable to God, and so there will be a day of reckoning. If we have made Jesus our Lord and Savior, all our sins have been wiped away and we go to heaven. We skip that part of the judgment, because our names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Christians believe that followers of Christ will be judged, but only on their works to determine what rewards they will receive once they get to heaven. Those believers who didn’t serve God will lose their rewards but will still get to heaven (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
If what [a person] has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. NIV
XI. Final Victory & The Millennium
Ultimately God’s plan will be completed, and there is the final victory, as we read in Revelation 20:2-3:
[The angel] seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.
This thousand year time of peace is called The Millennium, and it may be a literal 1,000 years or it may be more of a symbolic number meaning “many”. It will be a time of peace and harmony on the earth followed by the temporary release of Satan and some bad times. Martin Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress” says this about Satan:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure.
We read about that “sure doom” in Revelation 20:10:
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. NRSV
There will then be a new heaven and a new earth, and everybody lives happily ever after under the kingship of Jesus.
XII. Conclusion
The book of Revelation and the whole Bible end with these words (Revelation 22:20-21):
The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. NRSV
Revelation closes human history as Genesis opened it—in a type of paradise. In Genesis, sin and evil enter the world, but in Revelation, they are removed forever. The Garden of Eden was destroyed by sin; but it is re-created in the new Jerusalem. In a world of trials, persecution, evil, and immorality, Christ calls us to endure in our faith in anticipation of a better future. Jesus alone will re-create the earth and bring lasting peace in which the lion will lay down with the lamb.
I hope this brief overview of the End Times has renewed your faith and given you strength and hope to endure life’s trials. This was a very cursory outline, but I pray you believe that Jesus is coming again, and that if you are a follower of Christ you will have a wonderful future. As Christians, we should always live in anticipation of his imminent return, and conduct ourselves accordingly. Followers of Jesus have nothing to fear from the End Times.
VI. The Rapture
The first thing to happen as the End Times unfold is what has come to be called “The Rapture”, which is explained in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:
For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
So the believers who are alive at the time will be lifted bodily into heaven, while the dead will experience their resurrection. Believers at that time will escape the coming persecution, but those who convert after The Rapture will be in for some tough times.
VII. Tribulation and the Antichrist
This period of great trials and persecution of God’s people is called “The Tribulation.” A powerful figure will arise who will cause this time of persecution, and he is known as the Anti-Christ and is called “The Beast” in Revelation. The Anti-Christ is described in both the Old and New Testaments. We read about him and see some warnings in Second Thessalonians 2:1-4:
Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. NLT
VIII. Final Battle - Armageddon
A great battle in the Middle East is part of the End Times events, as we read in Revelation 16:16:
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
This refers to a valley in Israel, which the ruins of Megiddo overlook, a large flat plain where many battles were fought in antiquity. Zechariah 12:3 tells us that many nations will come together against Israel: And all the nations of the earth shall come together against [Jerusalem].
With the help of Jesus, Israel will prevail and the nations will be defeated. We read about this defeat of the nations and his return in Zechariah 14:3-4a:
Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east…
IX. Return of Jesus
What we now understand to be the Second Coming of Jesus is described in many places in both the Old and New Testaments. For example, when Jesus returns, it will be at the same place from where he ascended into heaven, the Mount of Olives, as we read in Acts 1:9-12a
After [Jesus] said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They 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.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives. NIV
X. Judgment
The End Times not only involves the triumphal return of Jesus in glory, but also includes judgment. We are all accountable to God, and so there will be a day of reckoning. If we have made Jesus our Lord and Savior, all our sins have been wiped away and we go to heaven. We skip that part of the judgment, because our names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Christians believe that followers of Christ will be judged, but only on their works to determine what rewards they will receive once they get to heaven. Those believers who didn’t serve God will lose their rewards but will still get to heaven (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
If what [a person] has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. NIV
XI. Final Victory & The Millennium
Ultimately God’s plan will be completed, and there is the final victory, as we read in Revelation 20:2-3:
[The angel] seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.
This thousand year time of peace is called The Millennium, and it may be a literal 1,000 years or it may be more of a symbolic number meaning “many”. It will be a time of peace and harmony on the earth followed by the temporary release of Satan and some bad times. Martin Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress” says this about Satan:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure.
We read about that “sure doom” in Revelation 20:10:
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. NRSV
There will then be a new heaven and a new earth, and everybody lives happily ever after under the kingship of Jesus.
XII. Conclusion
The book of Revelation and the whole Bible end with these words (Revelation 22:20-21):
The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. NRSV
Revelation closes human history as Genesis opened it—in a type of paradise. In Genesis, sin and evil enter the world, but in Revelation, they are removed forever. The Garden of Eden was destroyed by sin; but it is re-created in the new Jerusalem. In a world of trials, persecution, evil, and immorality, Christ calls us to endure in our faith in anticipation of a better future. Jesus alone will re-create the earth and bring lasting peace in which the lion will lay down with the lamb.
I hope this brief overview of the End Times has renewed your faith and given you strength and hope to endure life’s trials. This was a very cursory outline, but I pray you believe that Jesus is coming again, and that if you are a follower of Christ you will have a wonderful future. As Christians, we should always live in anticipation of his imminent return, and conduct ourselves accordingly. Followers of Jesus have nothing to fear from the End Times.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Is The End Near? (Part 2)
This post is a continuation of my response to the prediction that the End Times will begin on May 21.
III. We Are Not to Know the Time
What should we do about predictions such as the one for May 21? We shouldn’t believe any predictions about specific dates because Jesus said even he didn’t know the time, only the Father (in Mark 13:32-33):
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” NRSV
So I feel it is very presumptuous for any human being to predict a date for the End Times if Jesus himself said he didn’t know. Jesus, just before his ascension into heaven, reiterated that it’s not for us to know the time (Acts 1:6-8, NRSV). He said our job is to be his witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus warned his disciples about those who would deceive them (Mark 13:5): “Beware that no one leads you astray.” That’s why I believe we have all these biblical prophecies about the End Times. They are in the Bible to enable us to read the signs, so when events do unfold, we’ll have some idea of what’s going on. In addition, being informed gives us hope for the future and it helps us not to be deceived by false prophets and the Anti-Christ making false claims.
IV. Signs of the Times
There will be many signs in the sky, as Jesus said in Luke 21:25:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus told his disciples and us (Mark 13:6-8):
"Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs." NRSV
Note that Jesus said certain things must happen “but the end is still to come.” So the natural disasters we have been seeing do not necessarily signal the End is here, but can serve as a reminder that the End will come eventually. We are to always be prepared, as Jesus himself told us, because we can’t predict when he will return (Matthew 24:44):
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” NRSV
V. Establishment of the State of Israel – 1948
I believe we are getting close to the end, because one thing happened in the 20th century that, in my opinion, started the End Times countdown. It is the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Why that? Because most End Times scenarios have Israel existing and the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem if you take many of the prophecies literally. Israel now exists but the temple still needs to be rebuilt – so when you see that temple going up, you’ll know the time is very close!
More on the End Times in a future post.
III. We Are Not to Know the Time
What should we do about predictions such as the one for May 21? We shouldn’t believe any predictions about specific dates because Jesus said even he didn’t know the time, only the Father (in Mark 13:32-33):
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” NRSV
So I feel it is very presumptuous for any human being to predict a date for the End Times if Jesus himself said he didn’t know. Jesus, just before his ascension into heaven, reiterated that it’s not for us to know the time (Acts 1:6-8, NRSV). He said our job is to be his witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus warned his disciples about those who would deceive them (Mark 13:5): “Beware that no one leads you astray.” That’s why I believe we have all these biblical prophecies about the End Times. They are in the Bible to enable us to read the signs, so when events do unfold, we’ll have some idea of what’s going on. In addition, being informed gives us hope for the future and it helps us not to be deceived by false prophets and the Anti-Christ making false claims.
IV. Signs of the Times
There will be many signs in the sky, as Jesus said in Luke 21:25:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus told his disciples and us (Mark 13:6-8):
"Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs." NRSV
Note that Jesus said certain things must happen “but the end is still to come.” So the natural disasters we have been seeing do not necessarily signal the End is here, but can serve as a reminder that the End will come eventually. We are to always be prepared, as Jesus himself told us, because we can’t predict when he will return (Matthew 24:44):
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” NRSV
V. Establishment of the State of Israel – 1948
I believe we are getting close to the end, because one thing happened in the 20th century that, in my opinion, started the End Times countdown. It is the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Why that? Because most End Times scenarios have Israel existing and the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem if you take many of the prophecies literally. Israel now exists but the temple still needs to be rebuilt – so when you see that temple going up, you’ll know the time is very close!
More on the End Times in a future post.
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