Resources/Biblical Education/Biblical Reflection

By Summer Lane

Photo: Deposit

In Matthew 24, Jesus discusses, in detail, what the End Times will be like – the last moments of the Earth and, indeed, the moments leading up to that conclusion. 

In Matthew 24: 4-8, the Bible says, “Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors 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. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

Jesus describes a time of great persecution for Christians (v. 9) and an increase of wickedness and perversity on the Earth (v. 12). These things, He says, will happen before His return. They are the “birth pains,” as he said.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,” He reveals (v. 14).

If you’re like me, the End Times is not an area of the Bible that I have ever enjoyed studying. For most of my life, it was a source of great fear and anxiety. I spent years reading the Left Behind books. I also spent a great deal of a time as a kid sitting through the teachings of Tim LaHaye, as he would sometimes deliver week-long sermon series at the Christian camp where I grew up with my family. This sewed seeds of great fear in me – fear that the rapture would happen, and that I would be left behind or forgotten, while my family was snatched away without me! I understand in retrospect that this fear was because I didn’t understand the solidity of my own salvation. It would take years for me to truly get to that point.

Now, so many years later, I like to tell people to study Revelation and End Times prophecy when they are firmly rooted in their faith. The End Times shouldn’t scare the Christian. Far from it: it’s a promise that justice is coming, and that the current, sinful, suffering world will come to an end and be replaced with something beautiful and perfect. In verses 42-44, Jesus tells His disciples, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Instead of living in fear about the End Times, we should live with a sense of urgency! Let’s tell as many people about Jesus as we can before it’s too late. As Christians, we know that our future is secure. Our concern should be for those who do not yet know the Lord and have not yet heard the Gospel. We want as MANY people to hear that good news while there is still time.

Matthew 25:31-40

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

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A World Ruled by Jesus: Life in the Millennial Kingdom – Dr. Nathan Jones

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.

Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.

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