At the end?
„Why don’t you tell us: when will this happen? What event will announce that the end is near?“ Jesus answered, „Let no man deceive you! Many will appear under my name, claiming, ‚It is I – the Savior for whom you are waiting!‘ And so they will lead many astray. You will hear about wars and about the threat of wars. But do not let this frighten you! This must happen, but it does not mean the end. One nation will fight another and one kingdom will attack another. There will be earthquakes and famines in many parts of the world. But this is only the beginning – just like the first labor pains at a birth.“
Mark 13:4-8
Honestly – watching the news, hearing what’s happening in the world, and reading the above Bible verses makes me wonder. Yes, there have been wars and famines and earthquakes in the past, but I find that in recent years – at least I feel – it has gotten worse and worse. The world seems to be on the brink. Chaos. Violence. Even in our countries in Europe and America there is a strong division of society up to hatred between different groups. Black and white thinking. No more gray in between.
Conflicts we see/ saw with Israel and Hamas, Ukraine – Russia, China and the Taiwan issue, persecution/ killing of members of religious minorities in India, African and Arab countries. There is hunger in Kenya, Sudan, and so on. We have heard of severe earthquakes and other disasters from Turkey or Morocco in recent years.
No one knows the hour
Jesus says that one day this world will pass away. No one knows the day and the hour, but there will be signs. (Read Mark 13) The Revelation of John also addresses this very apocalypse – albeit in a way that is difficult to understand and subject to different interpretations.
„But no one knows when the end will come, not even the angels in heaven, nor even the Son. Only the Father knows the day and the hour. Therefore, keep your eyes open and be vigilant! For you do not know when the time will come. It will then be like a man who plans to travel abroad. Before he leaves his house, he gives responsibility to his servants: he assigns each one a certain job and orders the porter to be alert. In the same way, you too should stay awake. You do not know when the master of the house will come, whether in the evening or at midnight, at dawn or after sunrise. When he comes suddenly, he should not find you unprepared and asleep. What I am telling you also applies to all other people: You must always be alert and ready!“
Mark 13:33-37
I don’t mean to say that the end is coming now. No. Because, of course, I don’t know when Jesus will return either. But Jesus asks us in Mark 13 to be watchful and not to close our eyes. And: we have been given tasks to do until His return:
One of the most important is to tell the Good News, the Gospel, to the people and to make it known to all peoples.
Hope
Martin Luther once said that if he knew the world would end tomorrow, he would plant another tree. That is truly hope.
Therefore, go out into the whole world and call all people to become my disciples! Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. You may be sure: I am with you always, until the end of this world has come!“
Matthew 28:19+20
We are to be salt and light – especially in the current „darkness“ in the world and to pass on the hope of redemption to people. Maybe we are not big spotlights, but a candle, no matter how small, can light up a room and radiate warmth. Therefore, we should not give up telling our children, parents, friends, colleagues, neighbors, acquaintances about God.
No matter what crises are there and will come: be it wars, pandemics, climate change and everything around it, hunger, selfishness, loneliness, violence, crime, asteriod impacts, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods.
This world needs the ONE hope that lasts and that is Jesus! He is with us. ALWAYS! For in the world we are afraid, but He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
