Even if you are not paying attention to politics or current events, you are probably aware that there is a lot of fighting and conflict around the world these days. There are many societies which have a lot of internal conflict and dissension. There are many countries around the world fighting wars with other countries. Many people believe we’re on the verge of World War 3. Furthermore, Christians are being persecuted, even in many countries that have long been known as Christian countries. All of this conflict and fighting is causing many Christians to ask if we are in the last days.
In light of what’s happening in the world, and since many Christians are thinking we are in the end times, it’s a good time to review what the Bible actually tells us about the end times. Jesus made some statements about the end times that are good to review. The Apostle Paul also wrote about the end times in 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Paul’s message in 2 Thessalonians in particular contains a lesson about the end times that is very applicable to our lives today.
Watch the video to learn more or scroll down to read the transcript.
Transcript:
Even if you are not paying attention to politics or current events, you are probably aware that there is a lot of fighting and conflict around the world these days. There are many societies which have a lot of internal conflict and dissension. There are many countries around the world fighting wars with other countries. Many people believe we’re on the verge of World War 3. Furthermore, Christians are being persecuted, even in many countries that have long been known as Christian countries. All of this conflict and fighting is causing many Christians to ask if we are in the last days.
In light of what’s happening in the world, and since many Christians are thinking we are in the end times, it’s a good time to review what the Bible actually tells us about the end times. Jesus made some statements about the end times that are good to review. The Apostle Paul also wrote about the end times in 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Paul’s message in 2 Thessalonians in particular contains a lesson about the end times that is very applicable to our lives today.
Let’s start in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24. I’ll start reading at verse one.
Matt. 24:1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
Matt. 24:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matt. 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
Matt. 24:9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus stated clearly that during the church age, there is going to be a lot of conflict, problems, wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes. Christians will be hated, betrayed, and killed. False prophets will arise. There will be lawlessness and love will grow cold.
This is a good description of what we are seeing in the world right now. Many Christians observe what is happening around us and conclude the end times is near. However, we should not come to that conclusion because this has been happening for 2,000 years. Jesus told us it would happen. We should not assume that war and persecution mean the end is near.
Let’s go to verse 36 of chapter 24. Jesus told His disciples about the end times, then He said the following.
Matt. 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Throughout church history, there have been many who claimed to know the day and hour when the rapture will occur. However, Jesus made it very clear nobody knows when the end days are going to come.
In the Gospel of John, there’s another passage where Jesus taught us what to expect as Christians. Let’s look at John chapter 15. This was shortly before Jesus’s crucifixion. He was talking to His disciples. I’ll start reading at verse 18.
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;
Jesus stated clearly here that Christians will be hated by the world. Therefore, we have to expect that, as Christians, we’re not going to get along with the world. We are going to be persecuted. As we look at what’s happening in the world around us and see an increase in the persecution of Christians, we should not assume the end times are near. We need to understand that this is how Jesus told us life will be as Christians.
After Jesus died, rose again, and went back to heaven, His apostles started fulfilling the Great Commission. The Apostle Paul wrote quite a few of the letters in the New Testament. He wrote two letters to the church in Thessalonica.
In his first letter to Thessalonica Paul wrote about the Day of the Lord. He wrote the following in chapter five, starting in verse one.
1Th. 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
Paul told us the Day of the Lord will come as a surprise. Notice also he said destruction will come when people are saying peace and safety. We Christians tend to think that wars and rumors of wars are indications that the End Times are near. However, Paul told us it will come when people believe they are safe and at peace. That is the opposite of what we normally think.
Now let’s go to 2 Thessalonians. This is a letter Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica following up on his first letter. In his first letter Paul had given the Thessalonians some information about the Day of the Lord. Apparently, at some point, some people told the church in Thessalonica that the day of the Lord had already come. That shook the Thessalonians. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct that false statement. Let’s start reading at chapter 2, verse 1.
2Th. 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
Verse 5 is important. Paul wrote, “Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?” Paul was writing things in 2 Thessalonians that he had told the Thessalonians when he was with them. Paul’s point was that he had already told them what had to happen before the Day of the Lord; therefore, when the Thessalonians got that message, supposedly from Paul, that the Day of the Lord had already come, they should not have been shaken. They should not have lost their composure. They should have known the Day of the Lord had not come yet.
The Thessalonians forgot what Paul had taught them; therefore, they were disturbed by the rumor they heard. Today, many Christians do something similar. We have been spoiled by a lack of persecution. We have fallen into a mindset that we deserve an easy life. We have forgotten what the Bible actually tells us about the church age; therefore, when trouble and persecution come, we assume we are in the last days. However, when we face trouble and persecution, we should not assume we are in the last days, because Jesus told us this is how life will be in the church age.
Furthermore, in verse two, Paul had criticized the Thessalonians because they were shaken and they had lost their composure. As we live our lives in the 21st century, as we face persecution and affliction, and as the government becomes more anti-Christian, we should not be shaken. We should not lose our composure. Jesus told us these things are going to happen. We should expect these things to happen. We should be prepared to endure uncertainty and affliction.
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