Sitting at
the Thanksgiving table with my son’s brother, I was finally able to catch up
with what he was doing in his life and his new journey into post secondary
education. It was a few minutes later I heard
my son’s voice beside me saying something like, “Mom, I have a question and I
want an honest answer without a lot of religious talk.” Well, that peaked my interest because it
seems like neither of the boys are interested in the ‘God stuff’. His question was similar to one the disciples
asked Jesus long ago as they left the
…And what shall be
the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world? Mt. 24:3
My son asked
if I thought the end of the world would be in our lifetime. Well, the answer most people give, even among
some Christians, is that people have been saying the end is soon for a very
long time and it hasn’t come yet. My personal
belief is that it will surely come in our lifetime (my generation or
theirs). I also admit I could be wrong... Would I predict a date? Never.
It’s not my place nor has God told me a specific date. But the Lord does speak about birthpangs.
Fake Christs, wars, rumours of wars, nations &
kingdoms against each other, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes;
All these are the beginning of
sorrows. Mt. 24:8 (also Mr. 13:8)
For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes
on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape. 1Th.
5:3
So Jesus
speaks of these things that we say ‘have been happening for a long time’, but
says they are the beginning of sorrows or birth pangs. Now, I haven’t experienced that myself, but I
have been told (and seen on tv) that when the baby is ready to be born, travail
or labour begins. In the early stages,
contractions are longer apart and lighter (10-20min apart, lasting 30-60s). Then in the active stage the contractions
become regular and form a pattern of increasing frequency that is progressively
stronger (3-5min apart, lasting 60-90s).
At the
transition stage “pushing”, the hardest and most intense contractions
happen. They are much closer, (1-3min
apart, lasting 90-120s). Friends say it
feels like the contractions are one on top of another. Fortunately, this stage lasts the shortest
time or probably women would give up bearing children altogether!
So if we go
by that logic, then we should be looking at the timing, frequency, duration and
strength of the fakes, wars, rumours, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes… I cannot quote you what I have read, but it
all points to faster timing and frequency, longer duration and stronger and
bigger ‘issues’. Think about beheadings,
natural disasters, diseases (ebola), wars, wickedness increasing… Eventually it’s going to get so bad that if
the Lord didn’t shorten it, no one would survive (Mt. 24:22).
My point in
all this is the Lord Himself says we don’t have to be troubled/ frightened about
the end, “…See that you are not troubled…” (Mt. 24:6) Remember, Jesus has
overcome the world (Jh. 16:33 ),
death and the grave (1Cr. 15:55 -57).
Therefore watch; for you do
not know what hour your Lord comes. Mt. 24:42
Watch therefore, praying in
every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which
shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man. Lk. 21:36
Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be calm. 1Th. 5:6
Behold, I am coming as a
thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and
they see his shame. Rv. 16:15
(words of Jesus in red)
What we have to do is three fold:
Don’t be worried… Be
ready
-be born again, pray, continue to repent & ask
forgiveness daily
Don’t sleep
-(lie down to rest/ sleep/ be indifferent)
-keeping garments speak of covering nakedness/ shame/ sin-
done with the robe of righteousness given to us by Jesus because of His
redemption. (Is. 61:10; Rv. 7:9; 19:7,8;
22:14; Zc. 3:1-5)
Watch.