The End is Near!!!

I have to admit that one of my secret pleasures is watching the History and Discovery Channels. Tonight I just watched a program that predicted the end of the world in 2012. As a matter of fact it was even more specific than that, according to the Mayan Calendar the end of times will be December 21st, 2012. Well, although that is certainly good to know, I must confess that I am a little disappointed. It will sure put a damper on my 53rd birthday party. But, then again, they certainly appeared to know what they were talking about.

Now seriously, I can’t remember how many times in my life I have heard that the end was coming. Does anyone remember the excitement over January 1, 2000, Y2K? I was so concerned that I am pretty sure I went to bed early that night, if the world would have come to an end I would have slept right through it.

Now I realize that I am probably stepping on some of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ’s toes, but there is almost an obssesion with the Book of Revelation, far more than with any other book of the Bible. I watch with great interest as televangelists and preachers spend sermon after sermon utilizing massive backdrops and using wonderful illustrations to explain exactly where and when each Biblical prophecy will come true, what we should expect to happen and even how best to prepare.

The problem that I have with these end of times prophecies is that every generation has said that they were living in the end of times. EVERY Generation!!! And, if you ask people today, they will say oh yes, the signs are all present, it is very close. The problem with this way of thinking is that although I whole heartedly agree that we are closer today than we were yesterday, and we are certainly closer this year than we were last year, the idea that it is immanent, just seems a little paranoid on our part. I remember driving to school last year listening to a preacher being interviewed on the radio who said that there would be a catastrophic disaster by April of this year that would usher in the end of times, well it’s now August and it hasn’t happened yet. (I was a little nervous about tax time)

The main problem that I have with this incessant fascination with doomsday prophesy is that, in my view, it borders on blasphemy. Let me explain, Jesus says in the book of Matthew, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:35-36) It seems pretty audacious to me for someone to spend their entire lifetime trying to figure out something that Jesus says clearly that not even the angels in heaven nor He knew. Only the Father knows the time.

Now, with that being said, I do believe that there is an end of time that we should all be immanently concerned with, and that end of time is our own personal last day. There used to be a sign between Seymour and Columbus, IN on I- 65 North that read “You Have a Expiration Date.” Now aside from being gramaticly inacurate, I agree with it completely. Each one of us has an expiration date, each of us has only a limited time on this earth to follow God’s will for our lives and this is the date that we should be most concerned about. My Mother died at the age of 80 waiting for two things to happen. One was for the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series and the second was for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Neither of these happened in her lifetime and even though I am a lifetime Cub fan, I just don’t think that either one is all that likely in my lifetime either, although I certainly believe that the second coming of Christ is possibly more immanent than a Cubs World Series victory.

If your heart is prepared for your "expiration date," then you are prepared for the second coming of Christ. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, “Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me.” In this scripture we find the answer to the end of times prophesies. The answer is simple, believe in God and have trust and faith in the one who was willing to die for you on Calvary.

Blessings