The End Of The World
Is the end of the world imminent? Is the second coming of Christ near? These are questions which are in the minds of all people who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We know that the Bible teaches that he is to return to judge the world in righteousness, (Acts 17:31, 2 Tim. 4:1), and the earth shall be destroyed, (2 Pet. 3:10), but when shall this be? We can understand why people are interested in learning the time of Christ's appearing, for then they can be prepared and ready to meet him.
However, there is a sense in which the end of the world is near at hand. To me, as a Christian, today is the only day that I have left. That is, I should live now and at all times in full expectation of Christ's immediate appearing. Everything I do and everything I say should be in consciousness of the fact that it may be my last word or my last action. The very fact that we cannot know the exact moment when time shall end makes it the part of wisdom, indeed makes it imperative, that we be prepared at all times.
Preachers, knowing that everyone is vitally interested in the subject, often preach on the second coming of Christ and tell their hearers of certain "signs" of the end of the world. Often they take the things which Jesus said would be the signs of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and apply these to the end of the world. Their followers are sometimes ignorant of the teaching of the scriptures and gullible enough to believe that the "signs" point to the imminent destruction of the world, thus they begin to make special and elaborate preparations.
The truth is that the Bible does not give any signs by which we can know the exact, or even approximate, time of Christ's coming. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only." (Matt. 24:36). "But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." (I Thess. 5:1).
The earth and all things therein shall be burned up, but we look for new heavens and a new earth. Let us lay up treasures to enjoy in that new state, wherein dwelleth righteousness.