ARE WE AT THE END OF TIME?

I wish I could tell you for sure, one way or the other, but I can’t. When asked the very same question, Jesus responded, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Christ’s emphasis to His disciples was to be ready at all times, to live their lives so that at a moment’s notice they could pass from this life into eternity without hindrance. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).

As long as I have been alive, there has been talk about the closeness of the coming of Christ. Occasionally a sect or a fringe group announces that the end of the world is coming and they rush into seclusion to wait for a specific date that passes without the end occurring. Just a few months ago, a small cult in Russia announced that the end of the world was coming and they secluded themselves in a cave in Siberia. Personally, I was thinking that a beach on a remote island in the South Pacific would have been a better choice.

Mankind is fascinated with the possibility of the end and human nature is continually speculating about it. One Christian writer in the middle 1980’s even had the audacity to announce that Christ would be returning in 1988 and wrote a book entitled, “Eighty-eight Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in ’88.” The tragedy is somewhat laughable now but also sad and perplexing because not only was the writer misguided, but nearly five million people bought his book, and by doing so endorsed his unbiblical teaching and showed their naivete. This book was marketed to church-going people, people who should have known better.

In the New Testament, the two who talk most about the events preceding the Second Coming are Jesus and Paul. It is interesting to note that when Jesus responds to his disciples’ questions about the end times, His answers tend to picture what will be going on globally just prior to the final event. Jesus speaks more of the big picture—of wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, etc. The Apostle, on the other hand, tends to narrow the focus considerably by presenting what will go on in the hearts and lives of individuals during the closing moments of time. Paul says people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, etc. (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5).

One of the prevailing characteristics that Paul says will be abundant in the last days is the spirit of ungratefulness. By definition, this means to be unappreciative, not inclined to give thanks.

A few months ago, the Governor of Georgia held a prayer meeting just outside the Georgia State Capitol Building. All of the Southeastern part of the U.S. had been in the grips of a terrible drought. The governor asked for people to come together to pray for rain. Of course, the news media immediately pounced on this and some groups attacked the idea on the grounds of separation of church and state. The prevailing mindset in the news media seemed to be, “What a novel and rather childish idea…prayer?”

The prayer gathering took place and less than 36 hours later, it began to gently rain in the Atlanta area. No, it was not a heavy downpour but it began to rain for the first time in months. The governor immediately made the statement, “We’re thankful for the rain and hopefully it’s the beginning of more…frankly, it’s a great affirmation of what we asked for.” That’s being thankful.

The response of news media, on the other hand, was less than thankful and is indicative of the attitude of the world. One news story started with the headline, “Georgia Gets Rain, But it May Not Help.” One of the Atlanta area weathercasters said, “It puts a little bit of extra water in some tributaries and reservoirs, but it doesn’t provide any significant long-term benefit.” Both of these are examples of being unthankful, ungrateful. There was no acknowledgement that a change in weather was beginning, that it had finally begun to rain after a prolonged drought and no acknowledgement that God answers prayer. There was no thankfulness at all. This is one of the signs that Paul says will be commonplace in the final days.

How close are we to the end? I don’t know and if anyone tells you they do, they don’t!

If we don’t know when the end is, how then should we live? Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist of the 1800’s, was once asked by a newspaper reporter, “Mr. Moody, if you knew that Jesus Christ was going to return tomorrow, what would you do today?” And Moody replied, “I would plant a tree.” A friend of mine put it this way, “I live my life as if Christ is coming today and I make plans as if He is not coming for another twenty years.”

That’s how to live!