We are only half-way through February and already we have had a devastating flood in Auckland, a catastrophic earthquake hit Turkey & Syria, the North Island is currently in a state of emergency due to Cyclone Gabrielle, and there was a suspected Chinese spy balloon testing America’s defence readiness.
I don’t know about you but sometimes I think, my goodness! Are we in the end times? Are all these disasters a sign that Jesus’ return is imminent? Are things just going to continue to go from bad to worse?!
The Beginning not the End
It’s at times like this that I am reminded to turn to God’s word and I take solace in what it says in Matthew chapter 24, verses 3-8, Jesus is warning his disciples to not be deceived by how things appear:
“‘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?’
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.’”
Ever since Jesus’ death and resurrection we have been in the ‘end times’, and creation has been groaning for redemption (Romans chapter 8) but that groaning, and the brokenness of the world are not signs that we are in the very final stage of the end times, it is just the way of the world. It encourages us to look forward to when Jesus returns and makes everything finally and fully right and perfect and brings all those who trust in him into the kingdom he has prepared for us before the beginning of the world.
Be Encouraged
We can also take encouragement from this, we need not worry anytime a disaster happens that our lives are to be filled with ever increasing amounts of disasters culminating in Jesus’ return. We know that life on this earth will not be easy and for some it is particularly difficult but we can take comfort that when a disaster or tragedy strikes it is not a sign that things are continually going to keep amping up in awfulness exponentially increasing our suffering with each passing year.
We must also be on our guard against reading into situations messages that aren’t there. Sometimes suffering is a consequence of a specific sinful action (e.g. if a drunk driver injures themself in a crash), but sometimes it is just because we live in a world that is broken by sin in general – when an earthquake hits a country it is the result of living in a world broken by sin but it isn’t a result of that country being specifically sinful – this is also something Jesus mentions in Luke chapter 13.
Natural disasters or wars are not judgements on particular people but they do stand to remind us all that the whole world is under judgment and the only safe place to be is in Christ – the one who loved us and gave himself up for us!
Living in Light of the End Times
We are told in Matthew chapter 24, verse 36 that no-one knows when Jesus will be returning - “But no one knows the day or the hour. No! Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.”
We are also told that life will be continuing as normal until then (verses 40-41) “Two men will be working in a field. One will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding grain. One will be taken and the other will be left.”
The most important things to be doing to prepare for Jesus’ return are to repent and believe in him and then continue to live normal, faithful lives, trusting in Jesus, teaching others the good news, and looking forward with hope to when he will return and make all things new.
Take heart, there may be wars and rumours of wars but it is the same situation that the Jews of Jesus’ day lived in; he was with them and he is with us and he encourages us to remain faithful whatever the situation because he is trustworthy.
Although we do not know when he will return we can rest assured that he will, and that the best course of action in the meantime is to not worry about when he is returning but just to focus on living each day with him as our king; Loving the LORD our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbour as ourself. (Matthew chapter 22).