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"What" Are You Watching For?
A
growing number of publications in and out of the religious world are
raising concern that some type of apocalyptic end must be near. Several
end-of-time magazines have sprung up over the past decade. Evangelicals
have sensationalized their dispensationalist views through books and
movies. Sociologists are increasingly fascinated with the subculture
of individuals who develop followings when they predict an end event or
even a date for the end to occur. The FBI has a dossier of such groups,
fearing they might call for a sudden panic action such as mass travel to
This is the first age that's paid much attention to the future. Which is
a little ironic since we might not have one.[1] Since
9/11 the militant Islamic terrorist threat has brought the world to a
new type of apocalyptic reality it never faced before.
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from
religious conviction.[2] Every city is at risk to
an invisible enemy. In the little country of
Christians have preached for 2000 years that we must live in a state of
an imminent end because time was short. We hear the end is near
again and again. Adventists, those who preach of that soon return, had
their roots in the Millerite movement, which had set a date for Christ's
return in 1844. Following that bitter disappointment, E. G. White in a
very fascinating series of proclamations noted that Christ's return was
at the door: "We hear the footsteps of an approaching God."[3] Those
clarion calls remained true to the imminent spirit of being ready.
It is a sad and dramatic study to review the apocalyptic mentality of
the year 2003. The messages and warnings as to why a cataclysmic end is
near is much the same between a Protestant minister and a secular
commentator. They both talk about natural disasters, war, terrorism and
morality. But are there no distinctive Biblical prophecies that alert
God's people to truly know when. Has God left us to struggle in
the muddied waters of a 2000-year running apocalypse?
The sermons that declare that a stupendous crisis lies just ahead are no
different than the thought-provoking books and manuscripts from Godless
pens that sensationalize that a stupendous crisis lies just ahead. Both
appeal to generic concerns, usually based upon some recent dramatic
event. A
Bible scholar recently noted: The details about the final conflict's
climactic moments are not available. Then he went on to say without
justifying his comments, Unquestionably, there will be significant,
radical, and unexpected shifts in world religions, global politics and
economic systems.[4] What
does that all mean? It is nothing more, as usual, than a generic
mouthful. Secularists say exactly the same thing. Is this all were
watching for? Hasn't God given very specific revelations within the vast
prophetic messages as to exactly how the climactic moments will unfold,
who is involved and how the great controversy will end?
There is another issue on which concerned Christians need to be jolted
to their senses. When most of prophecy is relegated to history, it is a
disincentive to watch. It numbs even the most ardent Biblical
expositors.
Jesus told his disciples to watch and tarry when He was in the
In the parable of the ten virgins, the ten slept. The bridegroom
tarried. At
What were they watching for? When Jesus answered the queries of the
disciples about the end of time, He didn't beat around the bush with, I
cant tell you the details! He answered their three questions, filled in
incredible details, then referred them and us to Daniel 8–12 (Matthew
24:15). That, in turn, refers us to the book of Revelation with amazing
particulars – hundreds of them! – about the climactic moments of earth's
history, including timed prophecies.
We can remain with the secularist or we can watch for things so specific
we will be able to give a rational loud cry of His imminent return.
It is time to move beyond a generic message to one that is filled with
objective information, leading the world to crave the eternal wonders of
glory. There is no reason we can't be accurate with precise predictive
knowledge as we move into 2004. Protestants prize and even flaunt Bible
exposition, but talk about it as if it were more of a literary work than
a heart-changing, thought-provoking sacred document guiding His people
every step in the final battle with sin.
Our over 2000 pages of research into Revelation is leading us to
unquestionably conclude that there are details never dreamed of
regarding coming events that we urgently need to grasp and proclaim.
Daniel is beginning to stand in his place. Truth that reveals how the
tarrying time is to finish and the appointed time begins are
opening up. Their relationship to the Jewish economy is taking on new
meaning. It is time that the word Advent be rediscovered, cherished,
used and preached.
The sermons preached by some of our ministers will have to be much more
powerful than they are now ... Every discourse should be given under a
sense of the awful judgments soon to fall on the world. The message of
truth is to be proclaimed by lips touched with a live coal from the
divine altar.
"My heart is filled with anguish when I think of the tame messages borne
by some of our ministers, when they have a message of life and death to
bear. The ministers are asleep; the lay members are asleep; and a world
is perishing in sin. May God help His people to arouse and walk and work
as men and women on the borders of the eternal world."[5]
"The end is near! We have not a moment to lose! Light is to shine forth
from God's people in clear, distinct rays, bringing Jesus before the
churches and before the world.... The instrumentalities to be used are
those souls who gladly receive the light of truth which God communicates
to them. These are God's agencies for communicating the knowledge of
truth to the world. If through the grace of Christ His people will
become new bottles, He will fill them with the new wine. God will
give additional light, and old truths will be recovered, and
replaced in the frame-work of truth; and wherever the laborers go,
they will triumph. As Christ's ambassadors, they are to search the
Scriptures, to seek for the truths that have been hidden beneath the
rubbish of error. And every ray of light received is to be
communicated to others. One interest will prevail, one subject will
swallow up every other, Christ our righteousness."[6] "Faith in the soon coming of Christ is waning. My Lord delayeth his coming is said not only in the heart, but expressed in words, and most decidedly in works. Stupidity in this watching time is sealing the senses of God's people as to the signs of the times."[7] "My brethren, read the book of Revelation from beginning to end, and ask yourselves whether you might not better spend less time in strife and contention, and begin to think of how fast we are approaching the last great crisis."[8]
What are we to watch for? Many
will say the coming of Jesus. Wrong! We are to watch for the signs that
tell us He is about to come. That, then, gives urgency to our message to
a dying world. That can bring conviction because there is objective
prophecy being fulfilled. It will be then and only then that we can
convincingly tell everyone, Wake up behold the bridegroom comes!
References: 1. Arthur C. Clark, quoted in R. A. Swenson, Hurting toward Oblivion
(1999), p. 20. 2.
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). 3. Evangelism,
p. 219 (1914). 4.
Reference withheld. 5.
Testimonies,
vol. 8, pp. 36-37. 6.
Sons and Daughters of God,
p. 259 (emphasis added). 7.
The Review and Herald, 8. Ibid., Franklin S.
Fowler Jr., M.D.; EndTime Issues... of Prophecy Research
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