Are we at the beginning of the end of Revelation?

September 20, 2020

QUESTION: Are we at the beginning of the end of revelation?

In terms of what can be proven from the Bible, there is no significance for the calendar year 2020 other than it is another time-span in which we’ll have the opportunity to learn more about God and His word and a chance to make a difference for our family, friends and community in their daily lives by being a better person and “loving our neighbors as ourselves”.

Truly, this year has been one of those “times that try men’s souls”; we’ve seen millions of people who are literally “scared out of their minds” – who seemingly have lost the ability to think and act rationally.

Why else would people hoard toilet paper; why would the grocery shelves where we normally find “baby wipes” be empty for weeks; why would we allow various local and state governments to place us under what is essentially “house arrest”; why would we allow those governments to close churches, fitness centers and other small businesses while allowing or even supporting riots and the destruction of billions of dollars of private property?

Certainly the Covid-19 virus is a nasty flu-like illness and many have lost their lives to that infection.  But we are daily learning that the virulence of this disease has been grossly exaggerated as have been the number of deaths that can be attributed solely to Covid-19.

Many are come to the (I believe) correct conclusion that the whole scenario has been so distorted by fear and the political season that we don’t yet have an honest evaluation of the damage done or the true, underlying motivations of the governments and the media who have spread the fear and trepidation that have disrupted everyone’s lives.

Your question: Are we at the beginning of the end of revelation?

For almost any given year one can find some sort of theory or speculation that the world is going to end that year.  To put the best interpretation on these “prophecies”, one might assume the speculators’ and theorists’ activities fall under the banner of obeying Jesus’ admonition to “watch”.

⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42 (NIV84)

In other cases the “ministers”, “preachers”, “televangelists” and charlatans use some obscure passage from the Bible to scare people and cause them to attend their meetings, watch their TV shows and (often the true motive) contribute money to these people.

We should keep in mind the words of our Lord:

³⁶ “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36 (NIV84)

⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:44 (NIV84)

Do you remember the furor surrounding the advent of the year 2000 (Y2K) and the hullaballoo of the Incan prophecy concerning 2012?  Those are just two of the dozens or perhaps hundreds of “end times” prophecies expounded in the last 50 years.  A little research will show that these false prophecies have appeared just as often as far back in time as we have historical records.  It seems almost something built into human nature to have such speculations.

They all failed!

These times are frightening and no one really knows the outcome of the present turmoil but God’s children should overcome their fear and remember what is truly important in our lives: God, family, friends, neighbors, community.

All God’s people need to turn back to Him and follow His instructions:

³⁷ Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37–40 (NIV84)

As the Apostle Paul wrote:

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV84)

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NIV84)