The End of The World?

    (Photo: Mark Faulkner 2011)

Is the End of The World coming soon?

Not exactly.

"It's the end of the world as we know it, but, hey, I feel fine!" joked a flippant newscaster last week, after yet another of Harold Camping's failed doomsday predictions. And, sad to say, Mr. Camping is certainly giving the media much fodder for ridiculing him. Harold's first false prediction that I am aware of, was back in 1994. 

The Bible says that no one but God knows the day or the hour of His coming.  So, knowing that, why do people like Mr. Camping still foolishly keep trying to predict the day of the Rapture?

Some people just never learn.

But, in a way, I'm glad for Harold's folly, because now the whole world is talking about the subject; namely—The Rapture.

For those who have never heard of the "Rapture" it is a biblical event, where the true followers of Christ who believe in and trust in Him, will, in the End Times, be suddenly snatched away, caught up, to meet the Lord in the air, just prior to a seven year period referred to in the Bible as The Tribulation. 

The word "Rapture" itself is not found in modern translations of the Bible, but it is found in the ancient biblical transcript called the Latin Vulgate, where the Latin word "raptus" is used, which basically means; 'to be grabbed by the collar and taken up with force.'

 

The quintessential New Testament Bible verse which directly refers to this being "caught up" (i.e. rapture) is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Please note: any debate over the timing or details of this event is not the purpose of this blog.

As we can see from the biblical passage itself, for the Christian, this is something that we are to comfort one another with.  It's only the "end of the world as we know it" for those who reject Christ. But after the Rapture, the world will not end. 

Only life as people have become accustomed to will end. 

Jesus described this Last Days period of time in the following statement in Matthew 24:21-22.

"For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened."

This is definitely bad news if you choose to reject Jesus Christ.  However, for the born again Christian, it's great news, and comfort indeed, if you know Him and are a follower of Jesus.

Seven years later, after the Rapture—after all the faithful, born again Christian followers of Jesus Christ have been taken up to Heaven to spend the Tribulation period with Him—Jesus and His faithful Church will come back to earth for what is called The Second Coming. 

But still, the world itself does not end. 

After the Second Coming, a literal 1,000 year period called The Millennium begins, where Jesus Christ and His faithful followers rule and reign on the earth for that 1,000 year period.  It is said that in those days, Christ will restore the earth to the perfect condition it was in originally, in the Garden of Eden, before the fall of man. There will be perfect peace and prosperity, and no sin or lawlessness will be allowed by God. 

Jesus will not be asking the A.C.L.U. for their opinion on anything. Jesus Christ; the Lord of lords and the King of kings will rule over the earth and over all of His creation with what the Bible calls a "Rod of iron." 

Meaning, in those days, it will not be a democracy.

When this present world actually ends is after the 1,000 year Millennium, and Christ will destroy the earth, the universe, and the entire creation, with fire—with a fervent heat that will melt even the elements (2 Peter 3:9-10). After this God will make a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

So, what's the point to all this, and why am I telling you about it?

If you were out at sea and a great earthquake began, and you saw a huge tsunami form and begin to race towards shore, where all those people that you know and love are playing on the beach, wouldn't you do everything you could to warn them?

Of course you would.

You would do it because you love and care about your people and don't want to see them be overtaken and destroyed.

Christians like me, who believe God's Word, are essentially out on the sea in a ship and we see that tsunami coming—racing towards shore—where those whom we love and care about, are casually enjoying a sunny day on the beach—unaware of the Tribulation tsunami racing toward them. 

Fellow Christian—it's not "love" to knowingly fail to warn your people of the oncoming tsunami—simply because you don't want to risk offending them.  Our apathetic silence about this topic is the opposite of love.

Sadly though, many, and possibly most people will not heed this warning.  And they do so of their own free will, sad to say.

But this Last Days warning from Jesus Christ, who will judge this sinful world at the Second Coming, was given over two thousand years ago.  And He is the God of Love.  No one in the history of the world ever loved so perfectly—the way that God has, and still does.

However, because of God's love and sacrifice at the Cross, no one has to be left behind at the Rapture.

John 3:16-18:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Come to Jesus today.

If you are tired and weary—concerned about the fearful things happening in this messed up world today, wondering why peace is so elusive to your heart and mind—hear the gentle voice of the Savior calling you to come to Him:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - (Matthew 11:27-29)

Jesus stands at the door of your heart and He gently knocks—wanting to come in.

But you have to open the door of your heart to Him from the inside.

Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus today and be saved!

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.