How Christians Can Help in These End Times – Part 1

 

BACKGROUND

Christians who have been exposed to the media and world events during the past several years, even decades, have been made well aware of the decline in the spiritual state of the world.  The significance of the perceptions of decline are based on numerous factors, including among others: 1) degree of knowledge of Bible prophecy; and 2) degree of knowledge of the world’s standards for “acceptable” thought / behavior. Focus is made on these two points because I believe they represent areas where we as Christians can make an impact before the end of this age.

First, we must remember how the Bible sought to teach us how to recognize where we are at this point in time (Matthew 16: 1-3; Luke 12: 41-56; Romans 13: 11-14). Some have been confused because Old Testament Bible prophecy was written thousands of years ago and was directed to the Nation of Israel. Very importantly, our current 2,000 years of the Age of Grace was not known to Israel’s prophets or New Testament Bible writers.  Nonetheless, we Gentiles benefit from all scripture (Romans 15: 4; 2 Timothy 3: 16-17). 

Even regarding the events that occurred in the Garden of Eden, the LORD God prompted Moses to write that there would come a time when the seed of the woman (Our Lord Jesus) would bruise (crush) the head of the serpent (Satan) who caused man to sin and brought death into the world (Genesis 3: 14-15).  In fulfilling that prophecy, the Lord Jesus would redeem the world from the “god of this world,” who had taken dominion when Adam lost it (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Later, the LORD made the Covenant with Israel’s Fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) that through their seed would all the nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 18:18). Numerous other instances in scripture have pointed us to the knowledge that our Lord Jesus was the manifestation of that “seed” who was sent by God, to end the curse of death that fell on mankind when Adam sinned (John 3:16).  The role of Israel and that Nation’s fate have been and remain the keys for our watching how these prophecies have been coming to fruition.

Israel was to be God’s holy nation, having their own land.  They were to be a kingdom of priests who would practice and then teach the rest of the world (Gentiles) God’s standards for behavior to become righteous in His eyes (Exodus 19: 1-6).

Unfortunately, many Christians don’t recognize this basic tenet of the Scripture, that our Lord and Savior Jesus came in His Earthly ministry to confirm the covenant promises made to Israel’s Fathers.  He came as the Christ, their Messiah who would be their King and establish His Eternal Kingdom in Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:8).  Through His Divinity, He foreknew that Israel would reject Him as their King, so He did not approach Gentiles during that period (Matthew 10: 1-7).  He further foreknew that through Israel’s rejection, He would offer salvation through the Apostle Paul and His Gospel of Grace directly to the Gentiles (Romans 10: 19-21; 11: 7-11).  

Without revealing this secret, He told His Disciples (and us) what to look for as the end of this age comes near (Matthew Chapter 24). His Disciples had privately asked Him: “…what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”  Among the signs noted by the Lord were several that have unfortunately already come to be considered commonplace. These include:

1.      “Wars and rumors of wars…”  (Consider events internationally beyond the current world focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine).

2.      “…nation shall rise against nation…” (The translation of the term “nation” shows that it applies to a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus, such as a tribe or racial/ethnic or religious or other population sub-group.)   This is to be distinguished from:

3.      “…and kingdom against kingdom…” (The translation of the term “kingdom” shows that it relates to a realm or governmental power. Again, consider the current worldwide strife both between and within governments in nations around the world, including here in the United States.)  and;

4.      “…and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers (sic) places.”  (These severe events have been occurring with increasing frequency, over and above the long-standing problems the world has witnessed for centuries.  Consider the severity of the events now attributed to “climate change”, including floods; rising temperatures leading to loss of vegetation (crop failures, forest fires, etc.) Consider the explosion of illness and death associated with Ebola, SARS, COVID and its mutations, and others.

These are among the signs that are confirming our Lord’s prophetic statements. Catastrophic events such as these have been seen just over the last couple of decades. There is no reason to believe that this negative trend will reverse itself.

In Part 2 of this narrative, I hope to encourage other Christians to consider some ways how you / they might help in these end times.

Dr. W. A. Robinson