I was thinking about how many people think that disasters are signs of Christ's return. Then I ran across some interesting verses, and then I wrote an article on it. Here it is (and yes, I am influenced by Gary North and am an orthodox preterist/postmillenialist).
Let me know what you think:
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"œWars and Rumors of Wars"
It seems like the world is rapidly disintegrating from a place of total optimism to a horrible pessimism. Every day we are bombarded by reports of horrible murders, thefts, random shootings, insanity, and flagrant immorality on the news. The third world seems to only move farther and farther into anarchy and chaos. We hear about wars, political and military coups, and mass starvation. Natural disasters, such as the hurricanes this year, are seemingly becoming common occurances, wreaking havok on communities and cities. Are these signs of the end times? Is Christ's return close at hand?
To answer these questions, we must turn to the Scriptures. Specifically, we must turn to Matthew 24:6, also called the Olivet Discourse. It is the chapter of Matthew right after Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem and inspected it and declared it barren. He then prophesied, in Matthew 24, the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem, and Israel as a nation in A.D. 70 for their national apostasy. Parts of Matthew 24 testify to the end of all things, at the future return of Christ. This verse refers to that future event. It reads:
"œAnd ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," (Matt. 24:6).
This is the verse used to tell people the end is near. The words are familiar to most Christians, but I sometimes wonder if they truly understand them. They say things like "œthere are wars happening all over the world, and it only seems to be getting worse. Jesus is gearing up for his long-awaited return, the world is about to fall to pieces politically. This must mean Jesus is coming soon, because Jesus said to look for wars and rumors of wars." But is this what Jesus said? Read the verse again. It clearly states that there will be wars and the rumor of wars, but we shouldn't worry, because the end is not yet. He is saying that we should expect wars and the rumors of wars. He also says we shouldn't be troubled by it, because it will pass. What will pass? Wars! The very reason we know the end isn't near is because there are always wars breaking out. He is saying that a time will come when Christians are no longer confronted by war and rumors of them. This period is not after the judgment, but before the judgment! Christ tells us that there will come a time, in time and history, and on earth, when there will be no more war, and then comes the judgment (Matt. 24:14).
After these wars and rumors of wars cease, we can start thinking about this world ending. Then and only then. After the world has been retaken for the glory of God and subdued according to the dominion mandate and the Christians have had victory over their enemy of humanism will the end come. But how do we know that the Christians will have victory in time and on earth, before the final judgment? There are a number of passages we could look at, but possibly the best and clearest example is going to be Revelation 20:7-9a. It reads:
"œAnd when the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed from his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sands of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city. . ." (Rev. 20:7-9a)
Many Christians today believe that the Church is ultimately going to lose this world to Satan, going to lose in effectiveness, in influence, in power. The church of Jesus Christ will fail against the prevailing power of Satan in history and on earth, and then Jesus will return and bail the Christians out, and crush Satan and all his minions. But then how do they respond to the above verse of the Infallible Word of God? It says Satan will be loosed from his prison and go out to deceive the nations. We must ask, "œhow can Satan have victory over the People of God if he has been cast into prison?" Clearly he cannot deceive the nations when he's locked up. Only after he has been loosed can he deceive the nations again. It is Satan rebelling against something. What? Christendom. Christian victory. After all wars have ended, there will be one final war when Satan and all his minions will rebel against the people of God. It will be Satan's last stand. He will surround the people of God, and then be utterly crushed (Rev. 20:9b-10).
The point of all this is straightforward: The end is not near. It will not be near until the Christians have had complete victory over all the earth and have taken dominion. The church will not wane in influence in history. It will have dominion and fulfill God's mandate.
So what do these wars and rumors of wars mean? Two things: first, the end is not near, and second, the current worldly regime, humanism (which includes atheism, deism, paganism, evolutionism, etc.), can no longer handle the problems its worldview has created. It is about to realize that it is impotent to stop these problems. When that time comes, the Christians must step in to give Biblical and practical answers to real life problems in every area of life.
We can have victory. We will have victory. But we need to start preparing.
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Let me know what you think:
-----------------
"œWars and Rumors of Wars"
It seems like the world is rapidly disintegrating from a place of total optimism to a horrible pessimism. Every day we are bombarded by reports of horrible murders, thefts, random shootings, insanity, and flagrant immorality on the news. The third world seems to only move farther and farther into anarchy and chaos. We hear about wars, political and military coups, and mass starvation. Natural disasters, such as the hurricanes this year, are seemingly becoming common occurances, wreaking havok on communities and cities. Are these signs of the end times? Is Christ's return close at hand?
To answer these questions, we must turn to the Scriptures. Specifically, we must turn to Matthew 24:6, also called the Olivet Discourse. It is the chapter of Matthew right after Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem and inspected it and declared it barren. He then prophesied, in Matthew 24, the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem, and Israel as a nation in A.D. 70 for their national apostasy. Parts of Matthew 24 testify to the end of all things, at the future return of Christ. This verse refers to that future event. It reads:
"œAnd ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," (Matt. 24:6).
This is the verse used to tell people the end is near. The words are familiar to most Christians, but I sometimes wonder if they truly understand them. They say things like "œthere are wars happening all over the world, and it only seems to be getting worse. Jesus is gearing up for his long-awaited return, the world is about to fall to pieces politically. This must mean Jesus is coming soon, because Jesus said to look for wars and rumors of wars." But is this what Jesus said? Read the verse again. It clearly states that there will be wars and the rumor of wars, but we shouldn't worry, because the end is not yet. He is saying that we should expect wars and the rumors of wars. He also says we shouldn't be troubled by it, because it will pass. What will pass? Wars! The very reason we know the end isn't near is because there are always wars breaking out. He is saying that a time will come when Christians are no longer confronted by war and rumors of them. This period is not after the judgment, but before the judgment! Christ tells us that there will come a time, in time and history, and on earth, when there will be no more war, and then comes the judgment (Matt. 24:14).
After these wars and rumors of wars cease, we can start thinking about this world ending. Then and only then. After the world has been retaken for the glory of God and subdued according to the dominion mandate and the Christians have had victory over their enemy of humanism will the end come. But how do we know that the Christians will have victory in time and on earth, before the final judgment? There are a number of passages we could look at, but possibly the best and clearest example is going to be Revelation 20:7-9a. It reads:
"œAnd when the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed from his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sands of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city. . ." (Rev. 20:7-9a)
Many Christians today believe that the Church is ultimately going to lose this world to Satan, going to lose in effectiveness, in influence, in power. The church of Jesus Christ will fail against the prevailing power of Satan in history and on earth, and then Jesus will return and bail the Christians out, and crush Satan and all his minions. But then how do they respond to the above verse of the Infallible Word of God? It says Satan will be loosed from his prison and go out to deceive the nations. We must ask, "œhow can Satan have victory over the People of God if he has been cast into prison?" Clearly he cannot deceive the nations when he's locked up. Only after he has been loosed can he deceive the nations again. It is Satan rebelling against something. What? Christendom. Christian victory. After all wars have ended, there will be one final war when Satan and all his minions will rebel against the people of God. It will be Satan's last stand. He will surround the people of God, and then be utterly crushed (Rev. 20:9b-10).
The point of all this is straightforward: The end is not near. It will not be near until the Christians have had complete victory over all the earth and have taken dominion. The church will not wane in influence in history. It will have dominion and fulfill God's mandate.
So what do these wars and rumors of wars mean? Two things: first, the end is not near, and second, the current worldly regime, humanism (which includes atheism, deism, paganism, evolutionism, etc.), can no longer handle the problems its worldview has created. It is about to realize that it is impotent to stop these problems. When that time comes, the Christians must step in to give Biblical and practical answers to real life problems in every area of life.
We can have victory. We will have victory. But we need to start preparing.
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