End-Times Obsession

There has been a great deal of speculation recently about the end-times, or more specifically, predicting when the end-times will come. From misguided mathmeticians to Mayan historians, theories abound regarding eschatology - the study of end-times. What are we to think or believe?

It's understandable for human beings to want to be able to predict major events, to plan for all things that will impact our lives. Technological advances have helped us to do that in a lot of ways, from weather forecasting to genetic testing. This technology tells us what is most likely to happen, but not when. It's not knowing the "when" that most challenges our fruitless need to control everything. Similar to modern technology, the Bible tells us how Jesus will return to earth and what will happen when He does, but it does not tell us exactly when this will occur. In a recent Beth Moore study of Daniel, I was fascinated by the idea that since only God knows when the end is coming, then that means Satan does not know. As such, Satan has a candidate for the Antichrist in every generation. Interesting indeed.

Despite our best efforts, there is no way to predict exactly when Jesus will return to us. Scripture tells us that. Because of this, there are many folks out there who are utterly obsessed with the thought that the second coming of Christ could happen tonight, tomorrow, or a month from now. They are so obsessed with this that they forget to live their lives. Indeed, it is important to have your spiritual house in order. You must know what you believe and why, not just because Jesus could return tomorrow, but also because none of us knows how long we have to live on this earth. I could live to be 100 or I could die today. We don't know the "when," so we need to be prepared to meet our maker no matter when that meeting occurs.

There is one fundamental problem with obsessing endlessly about the end-times: Jesus has not yet returned, so that must mean that God isn't done with earthly life in its current state. There must still be good works to be done, still time to impact the world for Christ through our talents and our love. If we spend all our time agonizing over what is yet to come, we will miss what God is expecting us to do for Him and His children today.

Perhaps a man named Richard Bach said it best: "Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't."