26/04/2020
IS THIS THE END?
The world is under what we can call a Siege. Naturally, people get disturbed and panicky when pandemics, epidemics or things like earthquakes, tsunami strike. However, this pandemic has evolved into a global catastrophic phenomenon leading people to wonder, “Is this the End?”
The two main dispositions of human thinking have already come to the fore: pessimism and optimism. The pessimists think everything is gloomy, this world is collapsing, heaven is about to fall! The optimists however can still see a silver-lining in the cloud; it’s not over for planet earth, things will bounce back and life goes on.
What do you make out of this? Where should you pitch your tent? If you are of a somber nature, your thinking will likely align more with the countless doomsday concoctions flying around. However, if you are on the brighter side, you will be quick to dismiss these claims and vehemently assert, oh no it's not the end of the world.
Wait a minute, let's not be constrained to these options. Why? Because none really owns the future, nobody can perfectly predict the future, nobody know beyond the shadow of doubt how things are going to turn out. We are at our best guess-workers.
Let us therefore approach this differently as a believer who loves Jesus Christ. Can we ask Jesus, what is in God's plan? Where is this in God's program? Thankfully, Christ extensively addressed this issue. Remember, He does not only know the truth, He is the truth. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me (John 14:6).
Jesus gave us a big picture about the future in Matthew 24, Mark 14 and Luke 21. We should approach this issue from his perspective of this big picture rather than being narrow-minded and consumed by a particular event or an issue. Let's go to Jesus and see this big picture; you will be amazed by what he said.
Take a look at Matthew chapter 24:
Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say unto you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Matt. 24:1, 2
In the preceding chapter (chapter 23), Jesus confronted the Pharisees with their hypocritical attitude. He ended his rebuke with a lamentation over Jerusalem. It was after this that his disciples called his attention to the temple. They looked at the buildings with admiration and a sense of national pride.
Surprisingly, Jesus said this building would be coming down and every stone completely dismantled. Historically, we know this happened around AD 70: the temple was totally destroyed and the Jews were scattered all over the world just as Jesus said. But lets read on.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying,
“Tell us, when will these things be?
And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:3 NKJV
The disciples were dumbfounded by his earlier reply, and eventually when they recovered they asked Jesus three profound questions:
When will the temple be destroyed?
What would be the sign of his coming?
What will be the sign of the end of the age?
In the rest of the chapter, Jesus segmented his answer to each of these three questions.
Firstly, he addressed the third question (sign the end of the world) from verse 4 to 14. Concluding on this he said in verse 14:
And this gospelof the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:14 NKJV
Next, from verse 15, he addressed first question (when the temple will be destroyed):
Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Matthew 24: 14 NKJV
Lastly, towards the end of the chapter (starting at verse 26) he dealt with question 2 (sign of his coming):
Therefore if they say to you, Look, He is in the desert! Do not go out; or Look, He is in the inner rooms! do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:26, 27 NKJV
That was a brief overview of the whole chapter. Now, let us go back to where Christ focused on what I will call the signs and symptoms of the end of the age.
And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My names sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets willrise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:4-14 NKJV
Beautiful! Before we go through it step-by-step it is needful to remember that be disciples that asked the questions were Jews. This observation is important because the perspective of the Jews about the end differs significantly from ours. To us, we think of a cosmic end and total annihilation. To the Jews it means the end of the present age and the coming of the government of God to reign upon the earth. This is a hope they fondly cherish and earnestly anticipated. So when they were asking for the sign of the end of the world, they were actually asking, how will we know when this present system of things will fold up and the new one from heaven come upon the Earth?
Let us now step through the passage from verse 4:
And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you.
Matthew 24:4 NKJV
The very first sign Jesus mentioned in reply to their quest for the sign of the end of the age is embedded in a warning Take heed that no one deceives you. By implication, deception will be the hallmark of the day. People will shamelessly trade in lies. Fake news, misinformation and disinformation would run rampart in every segment of the society: social, finance, commerce, spiritual, marital, just name it. Fraud and many things going on today on the cyberspace is part of deception.
Christ admonishes us to be vigilant, not to take a lie for the truth. You are going to hear many things, but as a believer you should be careful not to fall for deceptions that will be all over the place.
For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
Matthew 24: 5 NKJV
Jesus gave further interesting insight about the nature and extent of the coming deception. He declared that it will not know 'religious' bounds as attempts will be made to deceive believers. Painfully, they will be largely successful. Let's read this verses in The Passion Translation.
Jesus answered, 'At that time deception will run rampant. So beware that you are not fooled! For many will appear on the scene claiming my authority or saying about themselves, 'I am God's Anointed,' and they will lead many astray.
Matthew 24:4-5 TPT
So, deception is the first symptom, let's read on to see what he said next:
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 24:6 NKJV
Let's again read from The Passion Translation
'You will hear of wars nearby and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don't panic or give in to your fears, for the breaking apart of the world's systems is destined to happen. But it won't yet be the end; it will still be unfolding.
Matthew 24:6 TPT
Apart from deception, Jesus said there is going to be wars and rumours of war. In our world today, only 11 countries are free from internal conflict. There are sustained and rising arms tension (rumours of war) between nations: US against Iran, North Korea against South Korea, China against America, Middle East, the list goes on. Global military spending and intelligence gathering is at an all-time high.
In the midst of the wars and rumours of war, Jesus said, do not be moved. Isn't that quite interesting? Christ says don't panic. Do not be paralyzed with fear because the breaking apart of the world's system is destined to happen. Some years ago communism collapsed and we took on capitalism thinking that was the answer. Guess what? That will also come apart.
Let's look at verse 7.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Matthew 24:7 NKJV
Interesting! Let's read from The Passion translation:
'Nations will go to war against each other and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be terrible earthquakes, seismic events of epic proportion, horrible epidemics and famines in place after place.
Matthew 24:7 TPT
So Jesus, looking to the future with what I call prophetic binoculars, saw nations rising against nations and kingdom against kingdom; he saw the widespread food shortages, drought, natural disasters, economic crisis and horrible epidemics. He saw it all.
Hold on. Let’s zoom in on the word epidemics? Let's read the account of Luke in the amplified Bible.
Then He told them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues: malignant and contagious or infectious epidemic diseases which are deadly and devastating);and there will be sights of terror and great signs from heaven.
Luke 21:10-11 AMPC
Wow, did you see that? Jesus succinctly foretold what we are experiencing as at today. It sounds like you're reading today's papers 2000 years ago.
Is this the end? Let's read on.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Mathew 24:8 KJV
Really! Did you read that? After recounting these chaos we would have expected it to culminate in 'the end'. Rather, He said, 'all these are the beginning of sorrows'.
What does he mean by the phrase "the beginning of sorrows"? Let's again read from The Passion Translation.
"This is how the first contractions and birth pains of the new age will begin!"
Matthew 24:8 TPT
Did you get that? The word sorrow here is synonymous with labour pains. When you hear of labour pains what comes to your mind? Delivery! A child is about to be born!
Pain is largely unprofitable and undesirable with the exception of labour pains where the anticipated outcome transcend the pain.
Jesus was saying this; all the wars, rumours of wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, epidemics and pandemics are actually labour pains for the coming new age. What a news! A good news to Christians.
How do you respond to all these things? Jesus says, "look up, for your redemption is near" (Luke 21:28).
Do not submit to despondency, the world has fallen into labour. Neither be ignorantly hopeful. This old world order will cave in. It is getting old and wasting away. The systems is becoming non-functional and useless. Yes, it is painful but it will culminate in something precious. Look forward to the birth of a new age, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15).
Christ did not close there, let proceed:
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."
Matthew 24:9 NKJV
What's that? It is the persecution of Christians. It's been going on all along, but it's getting more rampant and intense. While they are looking down, we are looking up because we have the promises of God in the midst of this mess. They will turn on us and turn against us because we have the answers. But we don't mind anyway because we have the answers. Praise God!
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
Matthew 24:10 - 11 NKJV
Jesus said, offence, betrayal and hate will be widespread. People are offended about pastors, churches and Christians as a whole. Hate speech is also widespread. We can already catch a glimpse of all this on social media.
"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."
Matthew 24:12 NKJV
The manifestation of these evils (both within the house of God and outside) will take it toil on many Christians who do not understand the faith; they will yield to doubt and deception. Apathy will set in and they will lose their love and passion for God and the things of His Kingdom. Spiritual things will no longer interest them.
But Jesus has not finished yet, let see the last two verses:
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13 NKJV
That's it! Jesus is calling you to endurance. Yes, to endure to the end. It is not the end yet and we do not know when the end will come but it requires you to endure. To be rooted and grounded in love. To stand in faith and against the deceptions of the enemy. To remain steadfast in hope of the gospel, hope of the glory that shall be revealed in you. Then you will be a glorious child of God shining as bright light in the midst of this dark world full of all the pains and sorrows of the old age cracking up.
Next,
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
Matthew 24:14 NKJV
Finally, Jesus hit the spot. The preaching of the gospel is the key sign of the end, other things are just beginning of sorrows. That is it. In the midst of the collapse of the kingdom of this world, we are going to be announcing that God's kingdom is far better and greater. It is the perfect kingdom, an eternal kingdom. As we announce and seek this kingdom all things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33) in the midst of all this mess.
The end will not come until every nation, every tribe in the world has heard the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel of the kingdom. God is setting up a new kingdom and that Christ is the king of the kingdom, not America, not Russia, not European Union but Jesus Christ. He is the Lord, He is the king and He will reign forevermore.
It is after this gospel of the kingdom has been preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations that the end will come.
