The End of the World
Dear Phil,
There’s so much discussion about when the world is going to end. What makes it so much more real now than back thousands of years ago?
There’s so much discussion about when the world is going to end. What makes it so much more real now than back thousands of years ago?
This is a good question. Let me say first that the New Testament emphasizes that Christ’s return is imminent in several ways. It says we are in the “last days” (Acts 2:17; Heb 1:2). We are in the “last hour” according to John (1 John 2:18 NKJV), and Peter says, “The end of all things is at hand” (1 Pet 4:7). But you might say, “Isn’t this ‘last hour’ getting pretty long?”
Peter gives the most explicit answer to your question in his second epistle (2 Pet 3:3–10). He says that mockers will arise who will say that people have been saying for years that Jesus will come, but that He hasn’t come yet. Therefore, all this talk about Jesus’ coming and the world ending is a bunch of nonsense. But Peter says that anyone who says that is deliberately ignoring the fact that God destroyed the world by a flood, just like He promised He would, even though the people did not believe it.
Peter gives us the reason Christ hasn’t returned and the world hadn’t been destroyed in verses 8–9: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:8–9 NASB). God is patiently withholding His wrath so that men and women may still be saved! Isn’t God good?! But don’t be fooled into thinking that God’s patience will last forever. 2 Peter 3:10 tells us that there is coming a day in which the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire. Since that is true, we should be very careful to live holy lives (2 Pet 3:11).
Yes, the “last hour” has been longer than we would have expected and might still be longer that we do expect. At the same time, the last hour could end tomorrow with Jesus coming for His bride. Let’s live ready! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Blessings,
Phil
P.S. The reason people talk about Christ’s coming being “sooner” or “closer’” than it ever has been is simple: nearly 2,000 years have passed since Christ ascended to heaven. That makes His coming nearly 2,000 years closer than it was back then!