You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. (Matthew 24:6)
On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 earthquake rocks Japan, spawning a tsunami that destroys the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor, precipitating a meltdown of its fuel rods. When the dust settles, more than 15,000 are confirmed dead with over 7,000 missing.
In May, a self-professed prophet warns the world that Christ will return and judgment day will be on Saturday the 21st.
By June America’s heartland is under water with the worst flooding in decades, while dry conditions in other parts of the country spark the biggest wildfire in Arizona history.
Add civil unrest and conflict in the Middle East (to date at least 14 countries have been convulsed by violence), and anyone who’s ever read the New Testament has to wonder, Could these be signs of the end times?
In Matthew 24 when asked about the end of the age, Jesus tells his disciples that it could happen almost any day because all the conditions for his return would be fulfilled during their lifetimes. So the early church wasn’t obsessing over signs like we do – they were anticipating Christ himself.
Eugene Peterson captures this verse well in The Message: When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end.
Does the prospect of Christ’s return fill you with anxiety, or with joy?
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