Apocalypse Now?

With things escalating in Israel, I was interested in this entry on another blog today.

It would seem foolhardy to suggest that we're not living in the last days, but some of us are itching for Armageddon. True, world events seem to be escalating toward a climax. But then again, they have been for 2,000 years (see Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; 2 Pet. 3:3, etc.). I'm sure those believers who endured the fall of Jerusalem, the black plague, the inquisition, the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima were watching the second hand of the doomsday clock with particular interest.

I must confess: I grew up hearing the imagery of Armageddon--imagery of the variety that I was forbidden from watching on television or in the movies. Horses wading in rivers of blood beneath a mushroom cloud with Larry Norman singing "I wish we'd all been ready" in the background. Scary stuff. But I was comforted by the assurance that I would be watching these events unfold from the safety of Heaven.

Since then, my eschatology has gone through a series of adjustments. I became aware of believers in China wasting away for their faith in Maoist "re-education camps." I heard stories of God-fearing Sudanese families separated and sold into slavery by Islamic extremists. I helped a destitute Sri Lankan pastor distribute tsunami aid to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims in his town--only to hear several months later that he was beaten to within an inch of his life by a mob of angry Buddhists. Needless to say, the prospect of skipping tribulation now seemed a little self-serving at best.

Unfortunately, our Western versions of eschatology have bred some unhealthy extremes. Some of us are nearly giddy about the bloody precursors to the Second Coming. If Jesus warned that there would be "wars and rumors of wars" before His return, why would we want to delay His arrival by seeking peace? Others are convinced that the church will eventually so infiltrate society that Jesus will return to a world already conquered by His people. This group seems unaware that those who overcame the beast did so with their blood, not at the ballot box.

Now, I'm not delusional enough to think that all evangelicals can unite under the banner of one eschatological perspective. However, in the eyes of the secular world (and many evangelicals like myself), the two options of dominionism and escapism leave something to be desired and demonstrate an embarrassing level of disunity on a very relevant topic of discussion.

The Second Coming is not something to be feared and loathed--or gleefully anticipated for the destruction of our enemies. It's not an evangelistic bludgeon or a tool for the opportunistic to promote their political agenda. It is the V-Day to the cross's D-Day, the fulfillment of God's promise to dwell with His people, wipe every tear from their eyes and finish making all things new.

Sure, in modern parlance, John was freaked out when he saw what was to come, but not too freaked out to say, "Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!"

Matt Green, editor
Ministry Today

I loved that! It's exactly how I feel!!

Ok, I've blogged early, so I can snuggle up with a good book tonight! I've got two--"Exodus" by Leon Uris, which takes place during the l948 Israeli war, and "Second Calling," which will inspire me as I think about retirement!