Instead of Focusing on the Ending, Start with the Broken World First

I have no issue with well-meaning believers who long for the return of our Messiah. We are all commanded to watch for events that will lead to the finality of human history. But this being said, it seems like too many of us are stuck in an “end-it-all-already” rut because we are misinterpreting the prophecies of Scripture.

This post is not actually about the end times. I’m making a point that will be clear later on.

In the last days of history, Jerusalem will be a focal point of contention and will be a city the Antichrist seems to rule from.

You cannot possibly make the argument that Jerusalem of today is anywhere near this, seeing as the area Jerusalem is located in isn’t even technically under Israel’s control.

The last kingdoms of the eschaton from Daniel 7 seem to exist contemporaneously, with some even being allowed to live into the Millennial Reign of Yeshua (Jesus). One of those kingdoms has ten kings ruling over it (seemingly modeled after the perfect philosophical governance of ancient legends), meaning we are nowhere close to this timeframe.

I know of many ministries that claim it’s the last days now, and maybe we are close, but not as close as they make us out to be.

When you understand the Two Houses of Israel, the scattering of the lost tribes among the Gentiles, and commonwealth theological paradigms, you read the prophecies a bit differently than dispensationalism would read them.

Some ministries teach Jesus will return in the fall of 2028, or 2030, or 2032. My hunch from what I see in the Bible is that He might not return for generations after ours.

This is a topic I’ve touched on multiple times throughout my exploration of the common end-times thesis I see out there. I’ve played devil’s advocate a bit and said certain things could lead to other things, yet I always caution myself that the Bible is our map, our compass to get us through understanding the last events.

Choosing to focus on this when the time might be far away is misplaced hope. Here is where I want the reader to understand something clearly, so please take what I am arguing as well-meaning and pragmatic in some respects.

You know what we should do instead of focusing only on the negative, end-times timeline?

As Jesus said, the kingdom of God is within us (as much as it will be a literal kingdom in the distant future), so it is part of our responsibility to enact tikkun olam and repair the world in some ways before He comes.

I drove past a church yesterday and the sign says: “Faith that does not doubt is dead faith.” They were quoting de Unamuno, and that’s fine.

But real faith does not doubt, as Jesus said multiple times, though He prefaced some aspects with the notion of a mustard seed.

This theological misunderstanding of emunah (faithful trust in God by multifaceted means) needs to be fixed if we are to have that ever-elusive revival people so desperately want.

Biblical faith—in the literal Hebrew understanding—is: If God makes you a promise, are you going to trust Him to fulfill that promise even if it takes decades? Are you going to trust Him and believe in Him through action and obedience as well as intellectual assertions?

Real revival is found in the pages of the Torah, Psalm 119, and the words of our Savior. Jesus plus nothing is not quite the gospel’s intent; otherwise, what is the point of rewards?

Salvation in Christ is something we cannot earn, right? But we earn rewards based on our conduct with other fellow humans, so it is best to cherish God’s commands like treasure.

Instead of thinking demonic manticores are going to be stinging people for five months tomorrow, perhaps we should repair the faithful Christian world first?

The wounds of the faithful are far stronger, far more dangerous, than the punishments far off.

I’m not saying not to pay attention, but when I read church signs that say things like the previously mentioned sign, we need to understand that Christianity needs to do far better than we are doing.

Focus on the present, look toward the future, and dissect the past to learn from it.

But talking to congregations or audiences about why UFOs must be involved in the last days because giants are coming back (in spaceships or something?!) does nothing but add speculative rumination on events that are yet to play out.

For every conference on why aliens are fallen angels, there need to be two more conferences on the Messiah’s command to teach all nations the things He commanded us to obey.

As many times as I hear a pastor say, “Don’t you see? The end is right now,” I’d love to hear more people saying, “The world needs more light, so let us be ever-illuminated lamps.”

Then there is the question of why evangelicals want other people to suffer while they think they get a free pass to escape Earth during the last events. Seems sadistic, if you ask me.

The Bible is clear that Jesus is returning in the future. It is a certainty, and the Bible speaks of those days sometimes far more than of the initial coming of the Messiah.

But I can say with 100% confidence, Jesus is not returning in ten minutes, or in ten days.

Let’s fill the world with the love of our Messiah and show it why He’s worth serving.

When those days arrive, those of us who understand what to look for will perk up and prepare to meet our Bridegroom.

Until then, use your gifts to serve others and offer things that this world can’t.

May you be blessed and in health as the summer fades into my favorite season.

Shalom.