We are enamored with the last days. I did not know, until recently, there was such a thing as the Doomsday Clock. According to the Doomsday Clock it is 85 seconds to midnight, with midnight meaning Armageddon. Since 1947 the Doomsday Clock has been used to tell us how close we are to man-made destruction. There are a number of reasons given as to why that is believed, none of which are important to this devotion. If you want to read more about this I would suggest this blog by Dr. James Emery White.
In my reading this morning from Mark 13, the disciples are impressed by the magnificence of the Temple..and they express it to Jesus. They had to be stunned when Jesus said that there would come a day when the Temple would be destroyed, when not one stone would left on top of another. Imagine the shock to their system! (BTW: it did happen in A.D. 70 when Titus sacked Jerusalem).
But there was a greater truth Jesus was getting to. Jesus is pretty pointed and graphic about what to expect. I won’t bore you with the details. I encourage you to read Mark 13 on your own. I will say this though: Jesus is blunt about people who would come in His name and claim to be Him. There will be those who will set dates. Cults have come out of that mess. Still today we have “prophets” claiming to predict when Jesus will return. You may get tired of my using this word if you have read my blog very long: they are hucksters. False prophets who are from the pit of hell and smell like smoke.
Truth is (and please hear this well), they are frauds. How do I know? I echo Jesus’ words in verse 32: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” I figure if Jesus didn’t know, how could I? I mean, did He not have an inside track? Say it with me: No. way. they. can. know. Run from them as far away as you can and as fast as you can.
What I can say is that each day I wake up brings me one step closer to heaven. Jesus’ words in verse 33 stand tall: “And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!”
Stay alert! Best advice ever.
I had heard of the Doomsday Clock, but never believed that any human can predict the end of our time here on earth. Only God knows that; the rest is worthless speculation on the part of the false prophets you mentioned, Bill. May we all stay awake and alert!
Blessings!
I see great minds think alike Martha! 🙂
And all I can say is come quickly, Lord Jesus.
We are waiting for Your glorious appearing.
I will say a big AMEN to that Linda!
Everyone has opinions about the end times. The truth is we have been in the end times since Christ ascended into the heaven, from that day on we needed to be on guard and alert for the return of Christ. No one knows when He will return, but one thing we do know, is that Jesus promised to return and He will. We can look forward to Jesus’s return and in the meantime stay focused and listen closely to our good shepherd.
I agree on all counts Gail. We have been in the last days since Jesus ascended. It has always been to keep our eyes to the sky. Even Paul expected Christ to return in his lifetime.