In Nineteen Eighty Eight a popular booklet was flying off the shelves in bookstores around the world. Eighty-Eight Reasons Why The Rapture Will Happen In Nineteen Eighty-Eight brought a renewed study of all things apocalyptic. Countless hours of research and study were applied to the premise of the book. Hundreds of thousands of exegetical and emotional sermons were preached both for and against the text. Careers were launched over this subject. Homes were sold, businesses closed and bank accounts were filled with the profits from this proliferation. No Rapture occurred. No great disaster. No Second coming of Christ manifested. None of the Eighty-Eight reasons panned out, none.
It was the year before the turn of the century; Nineteen Ninety-Nine. Frantic efforts were being undertaken to secure the vast world wide computer systems and networks. Huge financial investments for retooling both hardware and software was well underway. It had never happened before and would likely never happen again. Dire predictions of grave calamities seemed to headline every evening newscast. Trailer loads of paper for hard-copy backup and magnetic tape for electronic backups continued to be delivered as fast as they were procured. A never ending stream of software “fixes” and testing programs and conversion processes became available, for a price. And the most amazing thing happened on January first in the year Two Thousand; Nothing. Everything continued to work just fine. No banks closed, no economies collapsed, no governments failed. It was a non event.
Although the initial shock of the terrorist’s bombing on the twin towers of New York City in Two Thousand One horrifically changed the outlook of most Americans, it led to far more striking changes in the thinking of many. Churches were filled to capacity in the weeks that followed.
Defense strategies were developed and implemented. Revenge and restitution were sought. The kinds of limitations which were allowed to be perpetrated on the freedoms of Americans dramatically altered the sense of reality most had enjoyed for decades. The “end of the world” did not come. Churches went back to their former attendance and a new normal existed. Thousands died that day and thousands more in war and conflicts related to it since. Life continues, the earth still revolves around the sun and new plants grow every spring.
In Two Thousand Six Dan Brown’s novel The DaVinci Code was turned into a Hollywood movie. Over two hundred seventeen million dollars were made from the movie. The premise was that secret codes were hidden in the paintings of Leonardo DaVinci depicting a different history of the Church of Jesus Christ including Mary Magdalene as His wife. This highly publicized story along with repeated claims of secret Equidistant Letter Sequence codes hidden in the Bible, were touted as new revelation of past events. Although the initial fervor stirred a hornets nest of activity, it just as quickly faded from importance and interest. The excitement was fleeting. The high expectations of cataclysmic events passed.
Examining these either individually or as a group reveal the following consistent conclusions. No Rapture occurred. No Second coming of Christ manifested. No banks closed, no economies collapsed, no governments failed. Life continues, the earth still revolves around the sun and new plants grow every spring. Although the initial fervor stirred a hornets nest of activity, it just as quickly faded from importance and interest. The excitement was fleeting. The high expectations of cataclysmic events passed. Christians have a distinct advantage in interpreting and understanding world events. We know the end of the story. We have read the history of the ages and we win. Although banks will fail and economies will collapse and governments will be altered and huge climatic and social changes will occur, none of these will negate what has already been promised.
“Where is the promise of His coming?” is heard over and over from believers and unbelievers alike. It is a question which has been around from the beginning and was recorded in Scripture in 2Peter 3:4. It is answered in songs which repeat “Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King”. It is proclaimed from the housetops and in the recitations of untold numbers of those whose bodies bear the marks of The Lord Jesus. Martyrs who have died refusing to renounce the truth, faithful witnesses who are undeterred by threat of imprisonment, physical harm or cruel tortures attest to its reality. His timing is perfect. Our expectations that we can aligned with the pieces of His plan which we are able to understand and see coming to pass do not unlock some previously hidden truth. We do not bring in the Kingdom, He does. We do not control the hearts and minds of men, He does. He is the promise of His coming and He is coming.
As much as we would like to know our future and know that it is bountiful and beautiful and blessed by the Creator, we do not. As much as we would like to declare we have all understanding of all His mysteries, we do not. For believers who have truly experienced the realization that Christ Jesus has paid the price for their sin and forgiven their affront to the Holy God of the universe, there is a peace which passes all understanding. That is probably what brings the most angst to those who have not yet surrendered to the truth, reality and person of God’s Messiah. It is not an outward change but an inward one. It is a heart attitude which now sees that which is physical and real as temporal. It is as Peter says “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
All of the understanding of the prophecies of His soon coming back are mere cookies in the banquet feast of His love declared in Scripture. Allowing His love to flow through you to impact the lives of those who have yet to believe is far more important. Exampling and exuding the truths of His words and being the arms and feet of Jesus are the elements of those things which build in us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. It is not the Christian experience or duty to bestow our righteousness upon those who are unrighteous. It is rather for these unworthy vessels who have been given unmerited favor as chosen vessels to bear His righteousness sharing with other unworthy vessels how to find the joy of being chosen. His choice is that you would choose Him. It does not threaten Him in the least to give you that choice. He is not willing that any should perish , but desires that all would come to repentance and receive His salvation.
So what then? What of the great predictions and tragedies and wars and lies? What power does all of this pour out over us? Nothing, There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is not the events on which we are to focus but rather the maker of the events. Who has allowed or caused all of these remarkable events to occur? Who alone has the power to restore the relationship lost through our willingness to sin? Who but Jesus, the Messiah of our Creator God, can forgive and give new life to those who are dead in trespass and sin? While it is important to know and understand the revelation of God found in His Word, it is foolishness to be distracted from our purpose. Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto others to follow us.