The Signs Of The Times: Coming To An End Or A Middle?
Word-of-the-Day: (3) As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (4) Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. (5) For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. (6) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
(7) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (8) All these are the beginning of birth pains. (9) Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (10) At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, (11) and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
(12) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, (13) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:3-14)
Today’s Word-of-the-Day Scripture reference is rather lengthy, but what Jesus tells His disciples has occurred and is occurring. Volcanoes erupted and are erupting; several earthquakes have hit the world – and more are likely to come. We continue to see skirmishes in the Middle East, China is saber-rattling Taiwan, and Russia continues to fight their war with Ukraine, ongoing for almost four years.
We’ve gone through COVID and several strains of the flu. New Yorkers have forgotten about 9/11 and free-market capitalism as an Islamic socialist/communist immigrant has been elected mayor of New York City. A person who texted a desire to kill a political opponent and his children won the Attorney General position in Virginia. We must ask, what is wrong with the people who elected them? Were there not better candidates?
We had possibly the most influential Christian leader of world, the former Pope, proclaiming (in paraphrase) “true Christians should not share the Gospel with non-believers verbally but by example.”, in other words, don’t tell others about Jesus but let them figure it out through watching you – but if they don’t know Jesus, how can they figure out what your intentions are and what they represent?
That Pope passed, and now the current Pope states he will baptize UFO aliens if they land here. (He must not have watched that documentary with Mel Gibson, ‘Signs‘, or he’d know aliens melt like the ‘Wicked Witch’ of Oz when hit with water.) This places the theology of this Pope in question…
It may seem like things are pointing to the End-Times occurring soon, but we have to remember many times since Jesus ascended in Acts 1:9 that throughout history, volcanoes have erupted, earthquakes have shaken down cities, hurricanes and typhoons have devastated nations, and plagues have hit and killed millions.
Political intrigue hit as the Roman Empire split in two, then both Empires fell. Empires have risen and then over time also fell after Rome’s demise. Communism struck Russia, then grew into the Soviet Union, spread into China, southeast Asia and Cuba, and eastern Europe. Then it fell in the Soviet Union and the Iron Curtain was lifted and eastern Europe became free again. Now Islamic fundamentalists are taking over western Europe. It is a cycle of similar results, though the players change.
Today, these may, or may not be, signs the End-Times, and they may or may not be the ‘beginning of the birth pains’ as Jesus states in verse 8. We are seeing and experiencing what Jesus is talking about (and some of the examples mentioned) in verses 4 through 12.
But you need to be aware of these things – again, my mantra in these times is to BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, & PLAN ACCORDINGLY, using the common sense the Lord gave us. If you are not prepared for these hiccups we are experiencing, get prepared (pray up, read up, stock up) for these storms we are in, and before the next set of storms arrive.
But the focus should be on verses 13 and 14; pay attention to what is going on around you, but do NOT let these things get you down or diminish your Faith in Jesus. Stand firm and (despite the former Pope’s ‘advice’) proclaim the Gospel, through your words and deeds and fulfill the Great Commission.
Think of Job and the steadfast Faith he had even after God allowed everything – his possessions, his family, his health – be taken away from him. Job would not blame or curse God for his condition, except to say ‘the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be my Lord’ (Job 1:21).
The Gospel WILL BE proclaimed, despite those who say it won’t or shouldn’t, because Jesus said otherwise in verse 14 and Matthew 28:16-20 – the Gospel will be preached, in all nations, to all people groups. Stand firm in the Word of our Lord; in Faith we must not only survive but thrive in these times to be Jesus’ heralds for His message of Salvation. Do not hide or talk in fear, but walk tall and proudly proclaim your Faith!
