The End That We Never See!

For most Christians, the idea of the end time is captured in the Book of Revelation. The End here pertains to the end of the world when all the struggles, fighting, challenges, problems, anxiety, and anticipations finally come to a close. We may liken it to the end of a school examination when the invigilator says “Pens Up!… Down!” An end where we have been told ushers in the judgement of all mankind. But is this the end we are all waiting for?

By providence, the Book of Revelation marks the last book of the Bible and forecasts what we should be expecting at the end of the world. When all life shall cease and give an account of their deeds. And the writer, John the Apostle, has also informed us that rapture is a marker of the end of time. What is your understanding or your take on this?

A very close look at the epistles and the letters in the New Testament would reveal to us that generations have been waiting for this dramatic end. Even in the time of the early church, many Christians became complacent and lazy, they didn’t find any need to work or struggle if the end was really near. Remember the popular quote in 2 Thessalonians 3: 10: He who does not work let him not eat! So I chuckle, it’s about 2,000 years after that scenario, and this gospel about the end time is as fresh as today’s bread. How relevant is it?

The truth is that many persons have given up on this message and some Christians have become unbelievers because they feel that this scripture hasn’t been fulfilled. In response, some preachers have chosen to personalize the message of the end time, by explaining that everyone would die; and that everyone’s end time is personal. Some have even explained that the story of the end time is figurative and may not be interpreted exactly as it’s written. Does this still make the message of the end time relevant?

It would surprise you to hear that we even have a group of people who believe that most of the dramatic events mentioned in the Book of Revelation have already happened. They explain that like in the time of Jesus, most people could not recognize the events because our interpretations of events did not match our expectations. What can I say, the twists and turns never end. Here I would ask, what is your understanding of the Book of Revelations and what are your expectations?

I didn’t write this reflection because I had an idea of what day or hour the end would come. I didn’t put this up because I have an idea of the interpretations of the Book of Revelations. No, I don’t! This message is put up to encourage every Christian and to point out what was stated in the book of Matthew Chapter 24: 36 – 51. No one knows that day and hour!

If you were told that the end of the world is next week (a certain day, a certain time), what would you do? Would you not try to make amends and put your life in order? Unfortunately, God does not like pretenders, sycophants, and disloyal servants. God wants you to put your life in order, every day! God wants you to be faithful every day! He measures our love for him based on our faithfulness. That is why, anyone can die any day: It is the end we never see!

How relevant then is the Book of Revelation? The Book of Revelation sets the stage and tells us there was a beginning and there would be an end. More importantly, the revelation here is – that the end of this mortal life is the beginning of a more glorious life.

Furthermore, the Book of Revelations is a special book telling us of God’s love for us. It tells us that God created and prepared something special for us, but the forces of evil have deprived us of maximizing our potential, enveloping ourselves in God’s love, and enjoying the life God planned for us. Remember the Parable of the Wheats and Tares Matthew 13: 24 – 43.

The relevance of the Book of Revelations is to tell us that God is ready to start all over with us if we prove to be faithful. God is willing to give us a new beginning today if we choose to be faithful. And that God would give us a new and more glorious beginning at the end of our lives. The Book of Revelation is not a Time Stamp but Proof of God’s Love!

I would emphasize more on the end-time expected desire with this analogy. If you are to drive to a (distant) location, you are expected to be concerned about the journey as much as you plan to arrive at your destination safely, in one piece. There may be roadblocks and other difficulties but we press forward. How you drive determines if you would arrive! And if you really desire to get to the destination, you would ensure to be careful on/with the journey. The end that we should anticipate is Heaven, the presence of God. That is our goal, that is the price. No Christian should be concerned about the dramatic happenings of the end-time stories. We should be concerned about our goal, then we can endure and keep pressing forward. Then we should strive at every point of the way to be faithful on the journey as much as the destination. There are stories about how the Apostles of Jesus welcomed their end time because of the beatific vision they envisaged. Their focus was not on the terrible stories of persecution or death, but on being with Jesus. They remained faithful. Remember Stephen’s death in Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7: 54 – 60. Can we muster such faith, courage, or love?

The end that we are often preoccupied with as Christians is the story of the rapture and maybe the end of the world. It is over 2,000 years and some people are disappointed that it has not yet happened. The end shall surely come for everyone, maybe not as dramatic as expected; but what is the real message about the end time? What we are expected to see in the end time message is the love of God. A call for us to be faithful and God’s reward for our being faithful. The end that we have failed to see is God’s love and how we must strive to be part of it. May we see this end and live gloriously in the presence of God. Amen!