What Jesus Said Then About Now
Terrorist attacks, street gangs, violent demonstrations, car bombings and kidnappings. The list is growing. Just where can a person feel safe? Almost nowhere, it seems. At one point, recently, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs had “travel advisories” on 129 countries. That leaves just 62 it considered safe! Fully two-thirds of the world was thought unsafe.
But even if you stay at home, violence still stalks you. The new head of Britain’s MI5, Eliza Manningham-Buller, was recently quoted in the Sun-Herald saying it was “only a matter of time” before al-Qaeda terrorists carried out a dirty bomb, nuclear, chemical or biological attack on a Western city.
To add to such troubles, we continue to make a mess of our planet, with famine the result in many places. “One-in-five humans . . . live in poverty. When these 1.2 billion people go to sleep at night, their bed is the dirt floor—they might not have a roof over their head, they might not have eaten that day. Should they fall ill during the night, no doctor will serve them. . . . Forty million of them are children who will die during the next 12 months of hunger and disease” (Gordon Aeschliman, Global Trends).
Such statements stand in stark contrast to the optimism of 100 years ago, just before the beginning of the 20th century. Science appeared to be making a safer, more stable world.
Typical among them was Robert Ingersoll, a leading biblical sceptic of the age. Speaking of life as he expected it to be in the new century, he said: “I see a world where thrones are crumbled and where kings are dust. I see a world without a slave and man at last is free. I see a world at peace, a world in which no exile sighs, nor prisoner mourns. I see a race without disease of flesh or brain, shapely and fair, married harmony of form and function and as I look, life lengthens, joy deepens, love canopies the earth, and all over the great dome shines the eternal star of human hope.”
Ingersoll gave public lectures mocking the Bible’s predictions of the future of the human race and how the world would end. He was typical. Many, like Ingersoll, placed their confidence in science and human nature.
In contrast, others kept confidence in the words of Jesus, despite their pessimism, which have proved to be uncannily accurate.
what Jesus said
It was spring, with the Passover approaching. Jesus and His followers were in the Temple precinct. The Temple was beautiful and imposing, in the process of further enlargement and beautification by Herod the Great. The rebuilding had already taken 50 years.
As pilgrims approached it by night in torch-lit processions with the chant of psalms upon their lips, waving palm branches, it presented a feeling of grandeur and permanence. It was a building for the ages in the midst of a world of change. Jesus’ followers sensed this and proudly drew His attention to the magnificent building. But He shocked them by saying, “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2).
To the disciples, it appeared He was talking of the end of the world, for they thought a cataclysmic event such as would destroy the Temple would also mark the end of the whole world.
Later, with this still on their minds, they sat on the Mount of Olives outside the wall of Jerusalem, looking at the Temple. They asked: “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (verse 3).
To them the destruction of the Temple would have to mean the end of the age. But its destruction came sooner than they expected, in 70 AD, when Roman occupiers, putting down a rebellion, sacked the city and razed the temple.
Jesus didn’t tell them this would not be His return to this world and the end of the age. If He had, the two events would have been so far apart it would have been too discouraging. Instead, he spoke of the two events as if they were one. In fact, the two events are related in that the destruction of the Temple is an example of what will happen at the end of the world.
Immediately, He warned the disciples not to be deceived by false Christs (verses 4, 5), then follows a statement that describes the times in which we live: “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” (Matthew 24: 6, 7).
But these warnings aren’t meant to tell us when the end is, for He went on to say “the end is still to come,” and “these are the beginning of birth-pains” (verse 8). They aren’t like signposts along a highway telling how far to the next city; rather, they’re like hazard warnings of dangers along the way.
Jesus said these troubles would continue, but in increasing proportions, just as birth-pains come with increasing intensity up to the moment of delivery. Things will get worse before they get better—at His return.
And, as the world situation has worsened, people have turned in many different directions seeking answers to their problems and hope for the future. Our age could well be termed an age of “messiah cults,” just as Jesus warned.
People from all walks increasingly consult horoscopes, carry out meditation exercises and follow dubious messiah figures seeking assurance and knowledge. “False Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible” (verses 24, 25), Jesus warned.
Such are characteristic of the whole age till Jesus returns to earth and ends human history. However, they could be expected to increase in intensity and frequency—like a woman giving birth—as time went on.
Ingersoll spoke just 100 years ago; Jesus almost 2000. But who was the more accurate? Our age is characterised by death: wars that have killed tens of millions, famines that are killing millions, massive earthquakes with a huge loss of life, and even miracle-working false christs.
But as sombre and as sobering as that might be, as we see these things intensify we must remember this is exactly as Jesus said things would be until the end. That in itself is cause for hope, for He also said as we see His prediction fulfilled, we can be assured His return is near (verses 14, 30, 31).
As we wait we must avoid the twin temptations of attempting to place a date on His coming, or living in such a way we would be surprised if He returned in our lifetime. Jesus said, “No-one knows about that day or hour . . .” and warned us to “keep watch” (verses 36, 42). Jesus told parables to end His description of the time of the end of the world. They were designed to tell us how He wants us to live while we wait. He tells us to get on with life and show concern for each other (see Matthew 25:31-46). By helping the sick, the lonely, the hungry and destitute, it’s as if we’re helping Him, He said.
If you can believe what Jesus said about the end of the world, then you won’t be afraid of the terrible things happening in the world around us. If Jesus could predict them, He could control them. So, in the midst of our despair, we can find hope for the future, for we know this is how Jesus said things would be.
Waiting for Jesus to return isn’t a time of frustration, but one of joy in anticipation. When we wait for a loved one to return from a trip, each passing day fills us with hope and courage that “it won’t be long now.” The longer time passes the more we want to see them.
So it is with the Christian who waits for Jesus to return. We know God has accepted us because of Jesus. If we trust in Him, it isn’t so important when He comes because we’re always ready. Our sinful lives are covered by His sinless life—that’s a gift given the moment we believe and accept Him.
If we have this gift already, we have everything we need. We’re more like a child who is happy having the last Christmas present and plays contentedly with it than one who can’t wait for next Christmas to come. It is true we long for Him to return, yet we have a present joy and peace that sustains us while we patiently wait.
Home - Archive - Topics - Podcast - Subscribe - Special Offers - About Signs - Contact Us - Links
 |
 |
|
Copyright © 2006 Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ACN 093 117 689
