I read this in the Christian Post:
“The other day I heard a well-meaning Bible-prophecy radio minister trying to use a very cryptic Bible text to prove that a recent series of terrorist attacks in Israel were specifically predicted in Scripture! These guys read the New York Times and the Jerusalem Post the way a psychic reads tea leaves. And with a rising fever in the air, you get the feeling you need to stay close and stay tuned to hear the latest from their prophetic perspective. You want to make sure you are ready.
But then, when what they say doesn’t happen or the interpretation they have been espousing demands adjustment, they do so as unapologetically and frequently as the local meteorologist. But are Bible prophecies supposed to be approached like weather forecasts, or should we just be a little more tentative about our interpretations to begin with?”
I’ve heard this kind of stuff, too. Back in the days of the Apostle Paul, people had actually quit their jobs because they thought the end was so near. While I agree that the notion of the Lord coming at any time can spur one to action, it unfortunately spurs many to slumber.
Too many Christians are waiting with baited breathe for the rapture; so many that the Church is failing to be the Church. The Bible says Jesus is coming back for a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, not one that’s hyper-focused on end time prophecies. If we are hyper-focused on anything, it should be advancing the Kingdom. We should be focused on reaching the lost, equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, and becoming more Christ-like in our own walk.
Church, wake up! Jesus isn’t going to take us out with a moan. He’s going to take us out with a shout! We need to get busy doing our Father’s business, doing the greater works Jesus spoke of, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day. No one know the day or hour of Jesus’ return. We’d do well to stop trying to figure it out and spend that energy bearing fruit that remains in the Kingdom.
