End Times Prophesies

As long as I remember there has been a fascination with the end times. How will the world end? How will it all unfold and what should we be watching for?

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (ESV)

Revelation

In these days, people increasingly look to Revelation for a road map to end times. But is that what we should do?

Revelation is a book that has been interpreted in wildly extreme ways. There are several different approaches to understanding this book. Historically there have been four basic approaches to the book and only one of them involves a futurist view. In other words, throughout church history, seeing Revelation as a description of the end times has not been the traditional way of understanding it. However, in some circles today it seems like it is the only way to understand it.

Revelation is full of symbolic language that defies a simple approach. There are brilliant scenes of worship and glory. There are frightening scenes of judgment and destruction. Because of the symbolism and lack of any kind of intelligible timeline, it is truly impossible to be definite in drawing strong conclusions regarding the end times from this book.

What Jesus said

Jesus talked to his disciples about the end of the age in Matthew 24. When we carefully read this chapter, we also find that events of the end times are veiled. Was Jesus being intentionally vague? Is it possible that he doesn’t truly want us to focus on the end times or maybe even know how it will all unfold?

There are a couple of things that are very clear.

There will be trials and tribulations that require us to persevere (v. 13). As we follow Jesus throughout our lives, we must strengthen both our faith and our obedience so we can withstand all the difficulties which may lie ahead.

There is also the absolute certainty that we cannot know the day or the hour. Jesus made it abundantly clear that only the Father knows the day of his return and the end of the age (v. 36). It has happened on numerous occasions when someone has claimed to receive a ‘revelation’ and can accurately predict the second coming. Of course, these predictions and announcements are foolish, wrong and completely contradictory to the plain teaching of scripture.

What do we do?

As fascinating as a study of end times may be, we must embrace the reality that we cannot know exactly how it will all unfold. The Tribulation, the Millennial Reign, the final judgment, the lake of fire, Armageddon, the beast, Satan and Babylon – they are mysterious and compelling subjects for study. However, I am convinced that even if we can fathom these mysteries, we won’t have the answer we seek.

Jesus is far more interested in us following him. The entire New Testament is dedicated to the project of helping us become more like Jesus. The focus of our faith and life should never be on end times but on Christlikeness in the present time!

The danger

The gospels give us an account of the first advent – the coming of the Messiah, who came to save the world from their sins. During Jesus’ lifetime there was a well-established and highly educated religious order. These Pharisees, Sadducees and lawyers spent countless hours studying the scriptures. They knew what the Word of God said. Yet, none of them comprehended what was happening. With exceedingly rare exceptions, they all missed the first coming!

I am convinced that no matter how much we study, we can never be absolutely confident about how the end times will unfold. If those religious scholars missed the first coming, how can I be certain that I can understand everything about the second coming?

Your turn

What do you think? It is okay to be curious and wonder. It is even okay to speculate about the end times. But what is more important is that we are ready even if we don’t recognize all the signs as they are unfolding. So make sure you are ready today!