This morning I read
in the news about multiple stabbings in a day care center in New York
City. Two adults and three babies were
stabbed. How it grieved my heart to read
this. Of course I started to wonder, “Why?” “Who would stab babies?” All five victims have survived; one of the
babies is in critical condition but expected to survive. As I continued to ponder this tragedy the
Holy Spirit reminded me that as the time of Christ’s return draws near we will
see more violence. Matthew 24 lists many
of these violent things (…wars and
rumours of wars…nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places…)
but it does go on the mention that Jesus’ return will come after the earth is
like what it was like in the days of Noah.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence. And God looked upon the
earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon
the earth. And God said unto Noah, The
end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence
through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. –Genesis 6:11-13 KJV
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be. For as in the days that were
before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the
flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be. –Matthew
24:37-39 KJV
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come. But know this, that if the goodman
of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. herefore be ye also ready: for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. –Matthew 24:42-44 KJV
Brothers and
Sisters, I could go on with more prophecies about the end times but the time is
short and I want this article’s shortness to evoke the sense that the end has
come. Will we be caught unaware when the
Lord returns, having put off until “later” sharing with our neighbor the Good
News (that Jesus came and died for their sins so that they wouldn’t have
to)? Or will we be lauded as His
faithful servants, doing his will and gleaning every last person, every last
soul, into the Kingdom?
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when
he cometh shall find so doing. –Matthew 24:45-46 KJV
