Closer than you think...

I have a birthday coming up next month. That of itself is not unusual - most of us try to have at least one birthday each year (i.e., staying alive to see the next one is a great motivator, in spite of having to add a year on to the already growing number of years!). But what has continued to astound me is the fact that these "celebrations" seem to be coming sooner each year. It used to be that May was nearly a half of a year away, and I couldn't wait to grow a little bit older (yes, I was a child when I thought that way - we are not talking about recent history!). But now May seems to show up right after January!

I understand the whole thing about time going faster as you get older - a study that Einstein would have delved into more if he could have only found the time.... But what I wasn't prepared for was the tendency for those of us with more gray showing up in the hair (that hair that we still have) to forget that if time is passing by more quickly, that the events that herald the end of time are also coming at us in rapid fashion.

This is what I've heard: "Yes, there are some things that are happening in our world that could be perceived as a 'hastening' of the events of the last days, but we have seen these kind of things happen many times over the years." "Yes, it may appear to be that a lot of things are happening, but that is just because we now know everything that is happening all over the world. It's not that there are more events - it's just that we are more aware of them happening."

And I say - you're right! (you were expecting me to say the old folks were wrong?) On both accounts I think they are probably fairly accurate. We may be seeing a few more calamities in the world, and we may be hearing about more of them. That probably could explain part of what's going on.

But what is going on? Pull out your Bibles, blow off the dust if you need to, and turn to Matthew 24. Jesus was answering his disciples about the events that would occur in the last days (and also what would happen when the temple was going to be torn down). You will see in verse 4 that Jesus starts talking about how we need to be alert and not deceived. Verse 5 points out that there will be counterfeits, and verse 6 talks about the wars and news about wars. But what does it say in the last part? "See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Verse 7 covers some more scary things, but then verse 8 points out that "All these things are the beginning of sorrows."

My point is that these things - these events - are not what we will see at the very end. These are the beginnings, what would lead up to the end. But then the question is - what can we expect to see at the end, just before Christ comes again?

Verses 9 and 10 let us know that we will not always be viewed in a positive light - that Christians will be hated. Do you see that happening today? Verse 11 speaks of false prophets. Prophets were the ones that led the people in the direction that the nations needed to go. They were the political consultants for the kings and leaders. They were also the spiritual leaders of a nation. What are the prophets saying today?

Verse 12 says that because the law is not followed, that the love of many will grow cold. How else would you describe the time in which we are living?

Jump ahead to verse 27. Here's the good news: There won't be anyone saying, "Do you think that Jesus came?" No, as everyone can see the lighting when it flashes across the sky, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. I Thessalonians 4:16 says that the Lord will descend with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Nothing quiet about that day!

Here's my point: We can speculate about whether we think we are truly living in the last days by looking at the events that are happening around us. One person can have one opinion while another takes the opposite view. Both could be wrong and right (not something that we are used to saying in our western minds, but bear with me for a moment). The fact is, these events are not dominoes that need to fall one by one before the end comes. You can quickly collapse the string of dominoes by starting at both ends along with multiple spots in the middle. No one said that it had to be done in a certain order. What it does say is that it will come "as a thief in the night." Not that it will be under cover of darkness, but as it says in I Thessalonians 5:3, "For when they say "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman."

You see, some will scoff and say that things are the same (2 Peter 3:3,4) while other will just want to hear comforting things (2 Timothy 4:3,4). But that won't change the truth, and when the time comes (and it will be sooner than we think, for God will cut the time short to save His people from the outcome of the great tribulation - Matthew 24:21,22), the end will come.

So it's up to us. We can say that we are going to wait and see, but that is not what Jesus admonishes us to do. He says to be ready - "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him." (Matthew 24:44)

My birthday is coming up. I don't have much to do to get ready, but if there is something that I want to do before it gets here, I'd better get going, 'cause it's going to be here sooner than I think.

Jesus said that He is coming back to take us home. That day could be getting here soon. It's closer than you think....

God bless you abundantly!