SERIES: COVID-19 & End Times
As the weeks pass, the global COVID-19 crisis continues to produce radical changes to society and life as we knew it. Some of the trends that have an alarming 'seed stage' correlation with novel features of the end times Antichrist kingdom include:
Significant and legitimized constraints imposed on corporate worship (control religion / state regulation of religion, as a precursor to 1 world religion)
Unparalleled level of international consciousness and cooperation (precursor to 1 world religion and society)
Radical increase in Government control, reduction of individual freedoms (precursor to totalitarian state, precursor to the most totalitarian state in history)
Radical increase of society looking to Government and International institutions for 'salvation' from this crisis - and future ones like it but worse (precursor to totalitarian state, and state religion, with human ruler as god)
Fast-tracking plans for all people to have mandatory chip-embedded personal identification, and plans to track and surveil individuals for the good of society (precursors to most totalitarian global state in history)
Conditions being created for rolling out a single global digital currency and monetary system (precursor to 1 world economy and centralised control over individual capacity to trade, and hence enforce total obedience to totalitarian global state).
Several specific shifts in global consciousness / the mainstreaming of specific ideas (like: individual freedoms are a threat to the greater good and individual safety; sovereign national states are a threat to the greater good and individual safety; freedom of speech - which allows fake news and hate speech to run rampant - is a threat to the global good and individual safety; etc...)
Add to the flames the fuel of compelling prophesies going around on social media, like this one by a pastor named (sp?) Johnathan Hear:
These factors make it natural for Christians to be asking: 'are these early signs of the end times?'
I'm also asking that question. And as I do I have 3 main 'feelings'
Conflict. We need to be focused on bringing hope and the grace of Jesus Christ to the nations. Is it helpful for us to be anxiously pondering the possible end of the age and preoccupied with examining signs of the times?
Stirring. Yet, something of profound significance is definitely taking place. The world is shifting, and some events really could have end times significance.
Confusion. I don't actually even know how to even approach exploring whether current events could be early signs of the end times, without falling into the traps so many have before in similar situations (think of those in the WW2 era, the Cold War, the 1970's who expected and prophesied Jesus' soon-return, only to disappoint many). I don't know where to start. It's all quite confusing.
So I thought I'd just start by listing the questions that seem to arise and slowly tackle them over the coming weeks in the form of blogs (perhaps with some video call discussions - wouldn't that be fun?).
For now, the blogs…
Lets start with what I am NOT wanting to achieve through these blogs:
We will not create an end-times survival manual, complete with bunker-building tips and stockpiling best practice. I am not interested in surviving the apocalypse. If it comes, we probably won't survive, and we won't care. We will be captured by the beauty and majesty of Jesus, caught up in the greatest revival in history, and too busy pouring our lives out for the salvation of souls (empowered by the mightiest move of the Spirit in world history) to care for our own lives in this temporary exile. So preparing to escape and survive the apocalypse is pointless and won't be covered in any way.
We will not be verse matching events to end times passages. I am not excited about following in the footsteps of many well-intentioned but (imho) misguided souls who've become obsessed with linking Donald's Trump's date of inauguration (and every US president for the last 100 years) to the number 666, and so on. This is not about creating an end times obsession.
We will not become obsessed with the emerging antichrist world system. Newsflash: we've had it for 6000 years! As awful as it will be when it begins to escalate in evil and drive the specific agenda of the end times generation, and as much as we must discern what's taking place when it does (in the words of Jesus, we must 'learn the lesson from the fig tree' (Mt 24), which means observing the signs and discerning the times), it is more important that we allow these reflections to cause us to be impressed with Jesus (not the devil) and more focused on Jesus' works (not the devil's).
We will not debate the intricacies of eschatology interpretations. We will wrestle with scripture and seek truth, but eschatology debates are not in scope in this forum. The eschatology that will underpin this blog series (until further notice ;-) ) is Futurist, victorious, and pre-millennial historicist. I.e. Jesus is coming back to establish the fullness of His Kingdom on the earth (Rev Ch 20-22); that will be preceded by a great conflict in the earth (Rev Ch 4-19), and Christians will live through it (no pre-trib rapture); and that time will be the Church's finest hour, during which Jesus perfects His bride in a single generation and works through Her to unfold the greatest revival in history and bring in the greatest harvest of souls in history, in the midst of the greatest time of distress in earth's history. Debates on this eschatology are most welcome, but they will not be in scope in this forum. All my posts will be underpinned by this eschatology.
So what will our Goal be?
Position ourselves to follow Jesus' leading in these times, by seeking His heart and counsel.
We will do that by surfacing the questions we're confronted with as the people of God living through these days, and reflect on these questions honestly, with scripture as our guide and the Spirit as our instructor.
What will success look like?
We feel the peace of Jesus as we explore, always mindful of His sovereignty and goodness.
Our hearts burn more with passion for Jesus as the One Who will lead us perfectly through this season, whether they commence the end times or not.
We rejoice in His plans.
Consequently, our heart response to whatever reality may unfold is praise and adoration for the Saviour of the world.
Our lives are more aligned to Jesus' priorities
We find a biblical Balance
We avoid conflict and enmity with each other, and others
Okay, lets get going by articulating the questions. Feel free to comment and add, and I will do my best to refine this list over time…
Is it healthy / helpful / wise for us to even be examining whether these are early signs of end times?
How can we 'discern the signs and the times' without derailing? (fear based, AC focused, insular and self-protecting, etc)
What are the biblical end times signs we should be alert to at this stage?
How do current world events correspond to those signs? (Multi-part)
If it does turn out to be early signs of end times, how does it impact how we should live and pray and lead? (Should we run for the hills (escape to a safe place - stockpile, build bunker? Should we quit our jobs / studying / saving for retirement / paying insurance?)
Lord Jesus, You are faithful. Lead us into all truth. Show us Your glory. Let us discover YOU and Your nearness and goodness and faithfulness in this journey. You are good and we love and praise You. Align our lives to Your plans and set our hearts aflame with Your burning passions. Make Your name famous in the earth, let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done. Amen
Comments