The Beginning is not the End

What is your response to “The End is near!”? Up until the mid-1850’s believers were most concerned about living close to the LORD but the Third Great Awakening included the post-millennial belief that the Second Coming of Christ would come as soon as all of mankind had heard the Gospel. Even though other views on the Millennium became popular in the ensuing 175 years, that interest in the End of Time has not waned. But then, Jesus also spoke to His disciples about this preoccupation:

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. ¹

‘Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ is a historical fact beginning with Dositheos the Samaritan not many years after Jesus’s crucifixion. The most notable in antiquity was Simon bar Kokhba who fulfilled the Jewish ideal of messiah by leading a revolt against the Romans in 132 who crowned himself as Prince of Judah before being killed in battle 135 AD. In modern times, Ann Lee of the Shakers (1772) and Sun Myung Moon (d.2012) considered themselves to be the Christ and were followed by groups. ² And there are more.

With the rise of modern media, hearing ‘rumors of wars’ is hard to avoid for there are significant conflicts worldwide. But Jesus cautions that in spite of what seems dire straits, ‘Don’t be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.’ ‘These are but the beginning of the birth pains.’ Kind of a ‘But wait—there’s more’ message. In another talk with His disciples, Jesus encourages them to keep their eyes on Him more than circumstances which could lead them to fear what appeared to be happening:

“Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ³

When Jesus tells us that during times to come which would be distressing to those around us, we have Him to keep our eyes upon:

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” ⁴

We are to be aware of circumstances but never to be consumed by giving our attention to them. When we ‘lift up our heads’ it is to be looking to Jesus and not to circumstances. We are to be about the work of the Kingdom of God, focused upon the King, no matter what may appear—right to the very end when He would declare at last, “There shall be no more delay!”  ⁵