Mike Rutledge.CA

There is always a lot of talk about the End Times. And every generation thinks that theirs is going to be the last one. If we surveyed even the last 100 years, there are many different moments of global change, conflict, and cultural shifts that made people feel very similar to how it seems many are feeling today – WWI, Spanish Flu, The Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, the sexual revolution, 9/11, the disruption of technological advances, just to name a few big ones. People try and predict it, preachers make declarations, and movement leaders convince people to sell all they have and prepare.

I think, at some level, it is because even though Jesus told us that we will never know the day or the hour, we hunger for control. We love feeling like we have secret knowledge that gives us a sense of preparedness and staves off the fear of not knowing. All humans like having that – it’s also why we love a good conspiracy, we have the inside scoop, the real truth – and it make us feel powerful.

With dawn of social media, we are ever more “connected” and ever inundated with information and content. For the good that comes from it, there are many down sides. One of them is the reality that social media has the ability to amplify anxiety and fear – since these core feelings drive engagement (anger also drive engagement, watch out for that clickbait). And now, I don’t know about you but, it feels like everyone and their grandmother is posting about the End times and how sure they are that we are in them right now (as every generation has). I get it though. Covid, social unrest, the War in Ukraine, technological advancements that promise godlike effects (transhumanism is the new secular gospel), massive global power changes, economic disruption and fragility, environmental issues, medical fears and uncertainty, WEF’s Great Reset (horrible idea by the way) and the list goes on. The last 3 years have ushered in a time of massive change, uncertainty, lack of social cohesion, and anxiety. It certainly feels like things are changing, and they are.

And adding to that swath of anxiety inducing realities we have the ever present shouting of so called end times prophets warning it is the end, telling us all the signs are there, claiming that vaccines are the mark of the beast.

No wait, it is this other piece technology.

Oh wait, it is this amazon thing, or that Bill gates deal (some these guys do have inhumane and evil ideas, don’t get me wrong), or that this leader and that leader is the Anti-Christ, or this rabbi in Jerusalem is the false prophet, or the classic the Pope is the Anti-Christ – and it feels like its all based in a lot of fear and anxiety and the need for power to compensate.

So if all this talk about the End times of late has made you feel anxious, worried, or fearful, listen up. That is NOT from God – he doesn’t give us those things, quite the opposite in fact. Peace, love, and a sound mind sounds more right.

The end times warnings in the Bible (including the whole book of Revelation) are not meant to induce fear but faithfulness, not anxiety but encouragement to remain steadfast. They are a prophetic exhortation to cling to Jesus, abide in him, too stand firm till end. They are meant to strengthen us, not cripple us.

There are 2 fundamental things we know about the end times that need to anchor us and our hope.

NO ONE KNOWS the day or the hour.

You don’t. I don’t. That Christian influencer doesn’t. The TikTok prophet doesn’t. We don’t know. And that is how God wanted it. So all this certainty is hubris at best, manipulation and deception at worst. Humility is the best path forward.

God didn’t reveal the time so that we would do the second fundamental thing:

Remain Watchful, Alert, and in Anticipation

The Bible ends with the call for Jesus to come back,

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”…He who testifies to these things [Jesus] says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!  (Rev 22:17,22 ESV)

We are praying for the day of His return (how many actually pray for this though?) with anticipation knowing it is going to happen, maybe in our lifetime, maybe not. So, we remain watchful, waiting, lamps burning, oil ready, on task, waiting for the Master of the house may return at any moment. But so often we are distracted by every hard season we endure and our attempts at trying to map every world event onto the book of Revelation. We need to be alert to the dangers, yes, and aware of the prowling lion, yet sober minded with our eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We aren’t to be anxious but alert, not worried but watchful. He is coming soon. Let us stand fast.

Don’t let the world, influencers, media rob your joy and steal your peace.

Behold, He is coming again.

The world is being remade in Him.

You, be ready. Full of hope, ready to endure whatever may comes, for the one to whom you look is faithful – and if we suffer for Jesus, we suffer with Jesus. And if we suffer with Jesus we will also share in His glory. (Romans 8:17-18)

Head Up Christian, eyes open. Watch and pray. Love as He loved you.

He is coming again.