| Can We Drop This Topic? My Head's Spinning! By Jan Markell
OK, you've heard most of your life that the Lord is returning. He hasn't so you're skeptical now. You might even be bored and irrirated. Besides, studying the topic of eschatology puts your brain into a pretzel. I know, Revelation's bowls, seals and trumpets are tough to grasp. The image in Daniel 7 is equally confusing and uncertain. You've had no solid teaching on this, and it just strikes you as something to skip over. What's the big deal you might be asking?
Maybe you've also had no strong teaching on Israel's importance as she relates to the end-times. Many prophecy scholars believe the end of the end-times began with her rebirth in 1948. But your church just might believe in Replacement Theology; that is, that the Church is the new Israel. Literal Israel, outside of being an important U.S. ally, really doesn't strike you as relevant if the Church has replaced her-a terrible false theology!
Plus, you hear of other Bible prophecy theologies so which one should you believe? They conflict with each other. Yes, it can seem overwhelming to a generation that wants to focus on today and not the future. But tossing the topic away because of some of the above issues is throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Now more than ever we need a "blessed hope" (Titus 2:11-13).
So let me throw out a passage of Scripture all can understand: II Timothy 3:1-7 (NAS). It begins with "in the last days" and then lists the characteristics of those days. Mankind will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and holding only to a form of godliness. Don't you skeptics see all of these in the headlines daily?
In the interest of time and space, let's just consider the love of self and money. What generation has seen the rampant corporate greed that we are seeing today? Executives take millions for themselves, bankrupt employees, and harm the nation. Wall Street and corporate America are looking out only for self, and the country and their employees be darned! The primary reason for today's financial mess is greed. It is just the love of money predicted in II Timothy 3.
I can remember when the corporate motto was "keep the customer satisfied." Now behind closed doors one wonders if some are laughing it up as they count their bonus cash.
I believe God had Paul write these words to Timothy -- that would be so plain about the last days -- because they're tough to argue with! It's hard not to connect the dots. While some are now asking questions, more are scoffing. This was also predicted. (II Peter 3:3)
Please take another look at this topic because it is a faith-builder! As my radio guest last weekend (November 15) Jim Tetlow says -- and I am shortening his comments due to space, "Jesus said that some men would be gripped with fear when some signs occurred (Luke 21:26), while others would look up with hopeful expectations" (Luke 21:28). This hour plus the hour with Tass Saada, a former PLO Arafat man, is posted at "Radio Archives." Which camp do you fit into? If you're fearful (of world events), there is good news and bad news for you! The bad news is that God will judge every man who breaks even one of His laws. The good news is that God has made a way to freely forgive us so that we may spend eternity with Him in heaven.
If the signs alarm you, thank God, because He wants to awaken you from your spiritual slumber and give you eternal life. He wants you to repent of your sins, place your trust in Jesus Christ, and make Psalm 51 your prayer. God reminds us that He will never let us down.
Eschatology, or the doctrine of the last days, is just such a sign that God keeps His promises! It is a comfort when all things go wrong including our battered economy. It keeps us going when everything is running amok because it keeps our eyes on things of an eternal nature and not bailouts that will never work as well as other troubling issues.
Let me close by saying the Ark door is going to shut again some day. The punch line to this article isn't that you must enjoy Bible prophecy; it's that prophecy outlines things to come. The King is coming again. The blueprint is in the Bible. Are you ready?
I encourage you to visit the category of Prophecy Watch at the Web site. It will answer a lot of your questions and untwist your brain now in a pretzel over prophecy-related issues.
Live radio this weekend: White House correspondent Bill Koenig and Christian financial analyst John Terry join me from 9 to 11 AM CST on AM980, KKMS, Minneapolis/St. Paul. The program is heard around the country on other stations and by satellite. For more information, visit this link. For podcasting, click here. To become a CD subscriber for $30 a month and get two CDs a week of "Understanding the Times" radio, call 763-493-3010. Looking Ahead: I will be doing the "KKMS Live" program next Monday, November 24, 3 - 6 PM. This is my home station's drive-time program. I have three outstanding guests lined up and it will be lively. I headquarter out of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Listen live anywhere in the world at www.kkms.com. We wish we could answer every e-mail but cannot. All are read, however. To unsubscribe, see below. |
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