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Waiting for the
End of the World
As we approach the threshold of a new millennium, what does the Bible say to those
who count on the end of the world occurring around New Year's Day 2000 ?
by John Ross Schroeder
Armageddon and Apocalypse are in
the air. The turn of a new century and a new millennium intensifies a nervous eschatological
impulse. Some expect the end of the world and Jesus Christ's return on Jan. 1, 2000.
Strange things are going on. For instance, a small Christian group moved to the Mount
of Olives, just outside Jerusalem, to help usher in the second coming. In a separate
incident the Israeli government had to intervene and cancel a simulated Christian
enactment of the events of Armageddon--a purported preview of the coming catastrophe.
They deported members of another group whose leader predicted that he would meet
a violent death in Jerusalem this December. Not long ago hundreds of members of yet
another doomsday group disappeared into the remote mountains of Colombia.
Millennial madness is all the rage as 1999 draws to a close.
There have always been Christians who believed so intensely that they knew exactly
when Christ must return that they tried to make it happen. How absurd this must seem
to God. Christ is our Lord and Master--not the other way around (John 13:13).
Nonetheless, He did tell us to be alert to world events, trends and conditions that
would precede His second coming (Luke 21:36), but we should approach them in a balanced
and rational way--never attempting to set a date.
No man knows the exact time
When it does occur, the return of Jesus Christ will take its place alongside the
creation, Noah's flood and Christ's first coming. But God the Father has reserved
to Himself the decision of the exact time that will take place. Even Jesus Christ
Himself did not know when it would be (Matthew 24:36).
The disciples continued their persistent questioning after His resurrection to eternal
life. They still wanted to know when. Christ gave them virtually the same
answer He had previously: "It is not for you to know times or seasons which
the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7).
Historically this reply has been hard for people to accept. Somehow we want to circumvent
Jesus' own words and figure out some way to know exactly when.
Over the last nearly 2,000 years many have wound up with egg on their faces. From
time to time the misguidedly zealous have set dates only to see them come and go
without the appearance of Jesus Christ. One would have thought we would have learned
the lesson by now.
Many, however, seem to be prone to this weakness. Even the early apostles weren't
immune, thinking Christ would return in their lifetimes. But later in life they came
to a more accurate understanding (see 2Peter 3; 2Timothy 4).
To better understand God's thinking, let's take a brief scriptural look at Christ's
first and second advents from the biblical perspective.
Carefully planned far in advance
The first coming of Jesus Christ was a carefully planned occurrence. It did not
happen by accident or just at a random time in history. The Bible tells us that "when
the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born
under the law" (Galatians 4:4, emphasis added throughout).
Other translations render this expression as "the appointed time," "the
right time" or something similar. God establishes plans and timetables, and
"the right time" is that particular period most suitable to His plan and
purpose.
Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God was "slain from the foundation of the world"
(Revelation 13:8; John 1:29), but the actual event didn't occur for several thousand
years. Almost 2,000 years have passed since His death and resurrection. But, as Hebrews 9:28 reminds us, "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To
those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin,
for salvation."
Scripturally both comings are connected and intertwined (Isaiah 61:1-2), yet a considerable
time lapses between these two events. Both are enormously important steps in God's
plan for humanity.
Consider the words of the apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus: "In Christ
our release is secured and our sins forgiven through the shedding of His blood .
. . He (the Father),,, has made known to us His secret purpose, in accordance
with the plan which He determined beforehand in Christ, to be put into effect when
the time was ripe, namely that the universe, everything in heaven and earth might
be brought into a unity with Christ" (Ephesians 1:7-10, Revised English Bible,
emphasis added throughout).
Paul here speaks of a time that undoubtedly includes the second coming of Christ
yet apparently extends beyond that crucial event.
The divine timetable
We can be absolutely sure no major event in prophecy will occur without God's
knowledge, if not His direction and participation. In looking back, crucial occurrences
will have happened "when the time was ripe" (Ephesians 1:10) and not before.
The Bible makes this it clear that God can guide and direct events to accomplish
His ends. "For this was the plan of the One (the Father) who shapes the whole
course of events to His appointed ends" (verse 11, Translator's New Testament).
God the Father will send Jesus Christ back to earth at precisely the right time.
Unlike us, He can see the whole picture, everything that is happening in the world
at any given time. He alone has perfect knowledge of the past and future. We can
perceive only a part of the scenario. "We know in part and we prophesy in part,"
wrote the apostle Paul (1Corinthians 13:9).
Yet Christ told us to pray "Your kingdom come," plainly telling us He wants
us to eagerly and enthusiastically seek the time of His direct, decisive intervention
in human affairs. In the meantime we are to take diligent care to see that our spiritual
life is in order (Luke 21:29-36).
Sober words of warning
We should carefully heed Jesus Christ's words of warning in the Olivet prophecy,
given shortly before His death: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is
the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets
will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect
. . . 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" (Matthew 24:23-24,26).
If people would only understand and heed the words of Jesus Himself, they wouldn't
be setting up residence on the Mount of Olives or trying to act out the events of
Armageddon in advance. Truly the second coming will be a global event (verse 30).
God's angels will gather His elect from anywhere on earth they happen to be (verse 31).
Jesus expects His followers to carry out His work of spreading the gospel of the
kingdom (Matthew 24:14) and sharing His truth with the world (Matthew 28:18-20).
We are to wait patiently for His return (Luke 21:19), knowing that "he who endures
to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).
©1999 United Church of God, an International Association
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Keywords: Christ time coming
Jesus' return - predicting: