The End

Out of the over 5 years that I’ve been blogging, I don’t believe I’ve ever tackled the idea of the ‘End of Days’. Eschatology is a passion of mine but I whole-heartedly understand why many aren’t as vocal about it. There have been historical instances of people who thought that the end was so near that they sold all of their stuff and sat on a hill waiting to be raptured. I don’t think that view is in keeping with a life of progressive sanctification. So even now, I'm not trying to be a fear-monger, I just don’t want my heart to convict me of avoiding to expound upon a Biblical position for any reason. It’s the Word of God and it says what it says.

The other day I got an email at work with the Subject line of ‘Pie Day!’ Initially my mind went to Mar 14th, the official Pi day (3.14159) but I quickly assured myself – “…but it’s September”. So after opening the email, the first line was “Let’s have a Pie Day on the next ‘End of the World’ Day!” Then I was really bewildered and curious because I knew I’d been keeping abreast of many goings on that most people don't concern themselves with; The final blood moon lunar eclipse happening September 28th coinciding with the Feast of Tabernacles, various world disasters (wildfires, earthquakes and volcanoes), the political headlines with Syria (Damascus) and where The Pope will be visiting Capitol Hill. And also in maintaining with keeping an eye on Israel, they’ve just celebrated Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and how soon President Obama will speak in front of the UN Assembly and may, along with other countries, support a return to pre-1967 borders for a Palestinian state, taking land back from Israel.

This may seem a bit crazy and futile but it's not meant to frighten you or make you believe anything. I try to stay informed simply because it’s interesting to me. Although I must admit, things are kind of ‘noisy’ at the moment.
So back to my email, my first thought was after reading that first line was “Who told them?” and as pious as it sounds, I confess that my mind immediately recalled the scripture in Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
You know, that question was never answered. But anyway….just sayin’.
In my opinion, the day to day life of the Christian should have two simple things in view as stated in Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

However, The Bible does specifically teach on how this world ends and we’re called to watch and pray and not be taken by surprise when things happen. I don’t think one thing needs to happen at the total neglect of the other. I remember hearing years ago that all of the prophetic messages have been fulfilled and nothing has to happen before the next thing takes place (which is either the start of The Tribulation or The Rapture depending on your eschatological views).


Here’s The Word:

Luke 21:34 - 36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

I’m sure you just noticed the word “surfeiting”. In all of the Bible, it’s only used here, this once. It implies 2 ideas – the giddiness of drunkenness as well as the headache common to drinking to excess…almost like a hangover.
Also notice where it says “that ye may be accounted worthy to escape” – to me this says that to some degree ‘those accounted worthy'... at least to a noteworthy degree, won’t experience what’s coming. This is the focus of what do we do in light of an inescapable eventuality: Embrace God’s plan of salvation today, grab hold of new life and give yourself to the transformative process of sanctification. Romans 10:9 says That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Now that’s just the beginning, but if you give effort to ensuring a sincere beginning, whether things get noisy or not, you really don’t have to worry about ‘The End’.



In Him,
Cros