... about the Vision
I watch at the news: War in Yemen… in Syria… recent wars in Iraq, Libya… rumours of upcoming war with Iran… countries fighting countries… A man goes into the Saudi Embassy in Turkey and is killed there… refugee children from Syria are waterboarded by other school children in the UK… the list seems to go on and on.
Jesus told us what to expect and it’s surprisingly similar to what we see today. And he said it 2,000 years ago!
‘And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.’ (Matthew 24:6-8)
Both Christians and Muslims believe in the second coming of the Messiah. Is this something we’re looking forward to or something we’re dreading? The description the prophet Isa describes gets more difficult for people who follow the Messiah:
‘Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.’ (Matthew 24:9-11)
This really doesn’t sound at all pleasant.
So how do we prepare for the end time? 15 years ago I visited Syria. It was a beautiful country. The people were welcoming and friendly. How could the people of Syria prepare for the destruction we now see in their country? I visited Iraq after the invasion and I saw then the destruction of that beautiful country.
Jesus again
‘A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.‘ (Matthew 24:17-19)
And when we see streams of refugees, mother and babies we do think how dreadful it is! But be prepared:
’Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.’ (Matthew 24:32-33)
So I struggle. I do not want any more war anywhere. I long for peace. Yet, I long too to see the Messiah. Waiting for his return to earth we read the story of his life and try to follow his calling on our lives. Then we will see him in glory.