The End Is Near, for Some, Anyway
Ed Jones
As a youth in Albany, N.Y., occasionally I would see a strange man downtown walking the streets wearing a placard that said, “The End Is Near.” He would confront passersby with the same message, “The end is near.” I remember my dad saying that for some who encountered him, the end was, indeed, near.
Today, the message in many Christian circles is the same, and we are called to prepare for the inevitable. The pandemic, followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has many concerned about the end times and the signs of the last days. Apocalyptic discourse is the main pastime of many believers, with pastors being petitioned to preach about the war of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38 and 39) and the Tribulation (Revelation).
If you are one who is concerned or even worried about current events and whether or not they lead to a holocaust, I hope I have some encouraging words for you.
A key thought to keep in mind about the future is, God is sovereign and in control over everything. He knows the future and absolutely controls what will happen. The Bible says, “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’ … truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.” (Isaiah 46:9-11, emphasis added).
Another thought is what Christ said in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
Could the end be just around the corner? Yes! Could it be a thousand years away? Again, yes. Worrying about something that may or may not happen steals our joy.
In summation, God is sovereign over all events and people of the world. He is firmly in control of everything and will bring a perfect end to everything He has started. An old Christian song puts it like this: “All is God’s creation … Fashioned by One hand … Satan and Salvation … Under One command.”
Ed Jones pastors Fellowship at the Ranch at Robson Ranch. This nondenominational church meets at the Robson Clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Visit Fellowship’s website www.fellowshipattheranchchurch.com for information.