We should really really really care!
Reason #1 - Time is SHORT
It is VERY relevant! It has been VERY relevant for thousands of years and it is VERY relevant today. Not only that it becomes more relevant the closer we get to the day. There will be one generation (hint I think we are it) for whom understanding this stuff will not only be relevant it will be CRITICALLY Important as the very things prophesied so long ago begin to unfold.
Guys you all know this! Two massive sign posts Jesus gave to us have happened without any doubt. Israel is a nation again (Luke 21:32) AND the Gospel of the Kingdom is going out to all nations. (Matt 24:14). His hand is on the door! In these final hours we have GOT TO KNOW what the Lord has for us to do!
Reason #2 - Jesus said so - Matt 25:13
(Mat 25:13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
This verse is so often used against us in the argument - "see we do not know the day or the hour so why worry about it?" That is the exact opposite effect that Jesus meant for this verse to have! He was warning us, and this is not the only verse like this. Jesus said it all the time! WATCH WATCH WATCH! This verse immediately follows the parable of the foolish and wise virgins. The wise virgins were prepared because they headed the warning! Jesus was serious about this and so we should be
Reason #3 - The shear volume of Biblical material
There are over 150 chapters in the Bible about the end times (thanks Mike Bickle) that is more than are in all four gospels combined. If God put more in the Word about the end than He did about Jesus first coming what message should that send to us? We like to take chapters like Isaiah 60 "arise shine for you light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you" and make them into nice little pick me up chapters for our daily lives. I have zero problem with that. However READ THIS AGAIN the chapter is a tribulation into the Millennial Reign of Christ passage! A prophetic promise to the people of Israel and to the church of God's plan to use them in the last days to shine forth His beauty to a destroyed earth! If we leave all this scripture untouched because we have no interest in the end times we are fools. Missing out on treasures our Father put there for us to find. (if you want the list of the 150 chapters you can go to www.ihop.org and find it there.)
Reason #4 - We need the encouragement!
I can't tell you how many times delving into these things has filled me with joy unspeakable and full of glory! I am not one to say that we should just ignore the world until the Rapture FAR FROM IT, but I must say that there are days when I need to remember that in the end WE WIN! The thought of Jesus ripping open the sky and coming down to defeat ALL His enemies and set up His eternal throne here on the earth bringing true and everlasting justice to the earth is a thought we all should have in our hearts. It is our hope. It is our inheritance, and it IS COMING! The groan of creation WILL BE ANSWERED and our mighty groom IS coming for a bride and that bride is you and me!
Reason #5 - This is the heart of God!
Most important of all reasons is this one. Have you ever noticed that the name of the last book of the Bible is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ"? It's not "The End" or "Go and Fight About These Things". These realities spread throughout scripture and brought to a conclusion in the book of the Revelation are God's Autobiography. In the final unfolding of history we see the fullness of God's secret plan. We see the beauty of God made manifest in all aspects! We see His judgement, and we see His mercy. God has had this in His heart since before the foundations of the earth. All of human history was about this. Eden was about this. The flood was about this. The Exodus was about this. The cross was about this. Your salvation and mine are about this. It all only makes sense when we see and understand the end that God has in mind. Without that it all means nothing.
So please - for your own sake - begin the journey of studying the end times.
Josh
1 comment:
Recently, I have been very alert and on edge. He is the SOON and coming King. I know I always have the sense that Jesus is returning soon, but every day that passes only intensifies my expectation. The world is full of wars, immorality, and knowledge is increasing rapidly. We need to remind ourselves daily to stay awake!
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