Is
the Apocalypse Avoidable? (Part 1)
Posted: May 29, 2011
11:00 am Eastern
by S. Douglass
Woodward
Growing
up in Oklahoma, I’m well acquainted with tornadoes.
I’ve seen quite a number with my own eyes and
experienced its roar when one flew over my house in the
spring of 1970. The
twister skipped to and fro throughout our northwest
Oklahoma City neighborhood.
Some good friends had their house completely
destroyed while the houses next door and across the
street completely missed the damage.
The capaciousness of that storm is characteristic
of many “rope-like” tornadoes.
If you are going to be in the midst of such a
frightening act of nature, I learned that’s the best
kind. There’s
a good chance to escape damage and especially death.
Folks
in Joplin a couple of weeks ago were no so lucky.
While May 21st was a much ballyhooed doomsday
that failed to materialize, our friends in that
southeastern Missouri town aren’t so sure it wasn’t
a day of doom. Saturday
May 21st was devastating for most of their
community. Viewers
of the cable news networks have been stunned again and
again observing the unbelievable destruction in the wake
of this F5 “wedge-like” tornado packing winds in
excess of 200 miles per hour.
When you are in the path of a storm like this,
that is “rain-wrapped” and a mile-wide, there is no
escaping it. You
probably can’t see it.
The roar is so loud you feel surrounded and lose
your sense of direction.
You simply can’t avoid the coming storm.
This
situation reminded me of the inevitability of the
apocalypse I believe is soon to come upon the world.
In my new book, Black Sun, Blood Moon: Can
We Escape the Cataclysms of the Last Days? I
hope to underscore for Christians that the vast
fulfillment of prophecy in our day demands we recognize
that we have now passed the point of no return.
We live in the last days.
They won’t go on forever.
I
do believe we can escape the most horrendous cataclysms
the Bible predicts, but not because humankind is on the
verge of revival and is ready to repent and change its
ways. Would
that this about-face were imminent.
To the contrary, our culture in America is
heading down a path to destruction and singing a merry
tune along the way.
Can our fate be avoided?
This
conviction of perilous times ahead is why I begin the
book asking the question, “Is the Apocalypse
Avoidable?” My
answer is a stern “NO.”
It’s time to recognize that, as Christians, our
hope is not in improving our government though we should
always strive for this until the day Christ returns. Nor
is it in achieving a new level of “higher
consciousness” as the mystics of the new age and
authors of 2012 books proclaim is soon to happen.
Nor is it the case that as a nation, if we
repent, God will heal our land. We should hope that such
a change will occur.
But whether or not attitudes and actions change
and we see some improvement in morality and the economy,
we are now locked onto a course that can’t be altered.
Doomsday lies in our near-term future.
The
May 21st prediction of Harold Camping was
most unfortunate. It blackened the eye of all Christians
who believe that Jesus Christ will return one day to
this planet in the same manner as His disciples saw him
leave. (See Acts, Chapter One).
Camping’s rationales for why Jesus should have
returned on May 21st were not just
unbiblical, they were irrational.
His approach was a mixture of numerology,
mathematics, and wishful thinking.
His method for assembling these factors together
was convoluted at best; at worst, it was blatantly
random. How
awful that so many followed him and so much money was
spent to advertise “the end.”
Little good will come of this.
Sir
Isaac Newton sought to decode the apocalypse precisely
because he felt it harmed the gospel when its preachers
tried to vainly predict exactly when the day of doom
would come. He provided a range for doomsday’s
culmination – he speculated it would happen sometime
between the years 2060 and 2280.
What motivated Newton to take up this task at
that time? He
had just lived through many terrors (like the plague and
The Great Fire of London) in the ominous year 1666.
Is Newton likely to be right?
Probably not; but at least his methods were far
more biblical than Camping’s.
In
contrast, good Bible scholarship suggests that there is
precedent to believe that great dates in salvation
history repeat themselves.
Just as Jesus was crucified on Passover, the
Jewish holiday that pre-figured the crucifixion, so the
hidden Rapture of the Church and the physical return of
Jesus Christ at the Battle of Armageddon are most likely
to occur on specific feast days of the Jewish calendar.
Many believe that Rosh
Hashanah or Pentecost
will be the day of the Rapture.
Likewise, Yom Kippur, aka the Day of Atonement may well be Judgment Day, when
Christ returns for “all the world to see.”
At this time, according to John’s testimony,
the Antichrist is thrown into the Lake of Fire and the
Devil into the bottomless pit. So
begins the millennial reign of Christ.
However,
just because we might have strong biblical precedent for
why these events will likely happen during the “fall
rain” just as the salvation events associated with
Jesus Christ’s first coming transpired in the time of
the “spring rain,” that doesn’t mean we can assert
the exact day in history when these events must come to
pass. “No man knows the day or the hour.”
Nevertheless, I am thoroughly convinced as are
many evangelical prophecy scholars that sometime in this
century, perhaps within the next decade or two, Jesus
Christ will physically return to earth. We
are very close. Study
the fulfillment of many Bible prophecies in our day and
you can hardly conclude otherwise.
Remember: Jesus
scolded the Pharisees and Sadducees for their failure to
see the obvious signs of the times.
Are the signs of the times any less obvious in
our day?
Indeed,
doomsday is hardly a new topic. For
2,000 years, those in the Christian tradition have
learned to live with the tension of knowing that someday
Christ will return.
However, we’ve never known the exact day or
hour when this ultimate event will occur.
That’s why Jesus told his followers to “Watch
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:13).
Jesus even used a weather analogy to talk about
the inevitability of doomsday and our need to pay
attention to what is going on in our world.
[Jesus]
answered and said unto them, “When it is evening, ye
say, ‘It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.’
And in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather
today: for the sky is red and lowering.’ O ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can
ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:2,
3)
There
is an old saying, “Red sky at night – sailors
delight. Red
sky in the morning – sailors take warning! The
weatherman says this rule of thumb applies only to the
middle latitudes of our planet.
The evening sky of red represents an abundance of
tiny particles in the atmosphere, typical of a high
pressure system. It yields clear skies overhead. On the
other hand, a red sky in the morning bears bad tidings
because it implies a storm is approaching, particularly
if the sky is lowering at the same time.
Jesus’
adage was the equivalent Hebrew aphorism. The point
Jesus made was how paradoxical that the religious
leaders of the day could tell the weather (not their
expertise) while failing to foresee how the religious
and political climate would affect their nation –
matters about which they were supposed experts. It was a
giant case of not seeing the forest for the trees. The
Jewish leadership should have recognized that cataclysm
was inevitable. All the ingredients were there, like
chemicals ready to combust. From
the moment that the Jews and the Romans synchronized
their efforts to crucify Jesus, there was no rolling
back the clock. The
fate of the Jewish nation was settled.
Their actions sealed their fate.
True, their apocalypse was still almost a
generation of 40 years away.
But Jesus insisted that His prediction about the
destruction of Jerusalem’s and its sacred temple were
surer than the continuance of the physical universe.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away.”
The apocalypse associated with the Jewish nation
– its dissolution and the worldwide diaspora of the
Jewish people – was not avoidable.
However,
this leadership had a stake in keeping the status quo.
Hoping against hope, the Pharisees and Sadducees
compromised aspects of their sovereignty to maintain
their
tenuous hold on the
religion of the Jewish people. Enjoying a separation of
church and state (of sorts), they accepted Rome as the
keepers of the order, while priests practiced the Mosaic
Law unperturbed. Their fatal mistake was assuming that
‘church and state’ could remain so neatly distinct
allowing the negotiated peace accord to last
indefinitely.
Without
question, Jesus’ day was a time when fervent Jewish
nationalism butted against Roman hegemony. Zealots, the
freedom fighters of their day, continued to test the
resolve of their Roman occupiers.
Insurrection never seemed more than one incident
away. As we
know, Jesus would be a victim of this tense atmosphere.
He was crucified to temporarily quench the fire fueling
Hebrew revolt. Despite the fact that Jesus’ solution
– inward transformation – could have quieted the
tempest fanning these flames of rebellion, both Romans
and Jews saw fit to crucify Him instead, during the
quiet morning hours before the multitude awakened. The
leadership of both factions feared that the agitated
throng – drawn to Jerusalem for the momentous Jewish
holy day, Passover – would seek to make Him king.
But
Jesus would have no part in being made King or in
challenging the Romans.
He encouraged His followers to “render unto
Caesar those things that are Caesar’s and unto God
those things that are God’s.” He allowed a tax
gatherer, a social pariah, to be His disciple suggesting
that He didn’t believe in ‘guilt by association’
nor was He interested in winning the approval of the
masses. He walked away from crowds that desired to make
Him King. As
to violence, He preached that “those who live by the
sword die by the sword.”
In his last days, He came into Jerusalem riding
on a donkey to underscore His approach was peaceful,
without risk to the powers that be.
Still, the implied threat remained – due to His
popularity with the common people and His public display
of malice toward the religious leadership – both
factors setting Him on the pathway to crucifixion.
With religious and civil powers fixed in place,
their selfish agendas settled, and the momentum of
events increasing, His death was inevitable.
Religion
burns hot in tumultuous times. It’s no different
to-day. With one crisis building upon the next,
there’s no respite for the anxious. Unsolvable
problems mount. Matters are made worse as time goes
forward. We can’t seem to quiet this tumult.
Cable news incessantly broadcasts the latest
developments, 7 by 24.
As I write these words, Japan faces a nuclear
meltdown brought on by a 9.0 earthquake while seeking to
overcome the effects of a killer Tsunami. At least
20,000 Japanese are feared dead. On the other side of
the world, Islamic social unrest and wars in the Middle
East consume no less than six separate nations,
highlighted by the attack of Western coalition armies on
Libya’s military and dictator, Muammar Gadhafi.
Happily, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is temporarily
hushed as these other stories occupy the headlines.
However, we know this situation will not remain quiet
for long. Iran continues aggressive action to create a
nuclear weapon threatening to throw the entire region
into war. Domestically,
prices for food and for energy continue to rise.
Unemployment increases and governments sit on the
brink of bankruptcy. People everywhere are beginning to
panic, assuming the next mega disaster will occur on their
doorstep.
Lest
we think our problems are only temporary, intellectual
‘think tanks’ remind us that food shortages are with
us to stay. The rising cost of energy reduces the chance
for economic recovery; even advances in medicine,
information technology, communication, and agriculture
all could back-fire as we introduce dramatic new
technologies producing unintended consequences.
Future climate scenarios forecast stronger
hurricanes, more extremes in temperature, and coastal
flooding as ice packs in the Arctic and Antarctic
relentlessly melt away.
It’s obvious we are not masters of nature.
In
the U.S., prospects for improving our lot diminish as we
move toward tomorrow.
Most Americans opine the so-called American
Dream is dead. We anticipate our children’s lives
will enjoy much less prosperity than what we’ve
experienced – a gloomy expectation indeed never
present before in American economic forecasts.
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Over
the past two decades, our popular culture grows
increasingly edgy. Movies, television shows, and
documentaries play on our fears, presenting catastrophes
as entertainment. Disaster movies, frequently starring
frightful aliens from outer space, are standard fare.
Since entertainment is an escape from everyday
difficulties, our captivation is all the more surprising
given these ‘getaways’ reinforce our helplessness
against overwhelming forces always beyond our control.
We
seek other kinds of relief in the strangest places with
the worst substances we can manufacture. Our society has
never been more addicted to hard alcohol, recreational
drugs, overeating, consumerism, and sex. If we aren’t
eating ourselves to death, we forfeit our future,
purchasing ourselves into such deep debt our only relief
comes through extraordinary measures.
What’s worse, our favorite pastime is staring
enthralled at Hollywood celebrities doubling as icons
for our moral breakdown. Their addictions and bad
behavior feed our insatiable appetite for scandal.
What
can satisfy the hunger of our souls? Popular religions
spin cosmologies more outlandish and over the top than
ever. Pseudo-spiritual movements hype their mystical
solutions for these tempestuous times. The 2012
phenomenon has generated scads of books and self-help
DVDs during this first part of the 21st century. Study
shows, however, the core issue for those captivated by
2012 is not the end of the world, but the crisis of
personal and political choice. In many ways, this
‘movement’ is nothing more than a relabeled New Age
pseudo-religion which dominated spiritual discussions
during the last third of the
20th century. In
the final analysis, those that are tuned
into this new spirituality are turned
on to drugs, yoga, meditation, and spiritual
disciplines whose practice promises psychic
reality – a titillating ‘high’ absent in
religious experience of common folk.
Even more telling, the acceptance of the
supernatural is astounding. Movies
and television shows based on the paranormal are legion.
The History Channel, that bastion of well-documented
truths, celebrates belief in extraterrestrials as
nurturing parents to the human race.
UFO documentaries are replete with undeniable
encounters of the unknown.
How the scene has changed from the secularism and
skepticism of the 1960’s and 70’s!
Once upon a time, we strained to believe anything
‘out of the ordinary’ – now, we accept
whatever’s whacky and ‘out of this world’ in due
course.
Underlying
all of these gimmicks to find meaning lurks a
‘creeping death’ – a deep despair regarding
Western civilization rooted in our dissatisfaction with
the ‘old ways of thinking.’
Decades ago (centuries ago in Europe), we
advocated principles originating in the Bible. We
accepted a transcendent basis for law that guaranteed
absolute truth. Practicing ethics in business mattered
to most of us because we didn’t separate our
spirituality from secular pursuits.
Since we accepted the notion of an all-seeing,
all-knowing God whose laws demanded justice and
compassion, we expended considerable time and effort in
charitable activities.
Similarly,
not that long ago in America, accountability wasn’t
consciously evaded but implicitly embraced.
Taking responsibility personally or corporately
to ‘make things right’ or ‘do the right thing’
was standard operating procedure. But today, we
calculate the downside: “Why worry about it? To whom
do we answer? If
we can cheat and get away with it, why wouldn’t we?”
Ethics is a forgotten word and a lost art.
Nowadays,
we much prefer to think of God as a reality ‘residing
within.’ Harkening
to ages old ‘metaphysics’ plagiarized from eastern
mysticism then mixed with ‘modern’ physics, we’ve
chopped God down to size. The notion of God only serves
as a subtle encouragement to be ‘centered’ and
thoughtful – but primarily directed at the person we
care about most – me. We’ve adopted a
pantheistic piety. Today,
it’s all about us. Consequently, when we choose to
acknowledge the divine, we can now place His (his) name
in lower case. What’s more, since we perceive our
deepest problems result from our failure to be in
touch with ourselves, only we need take
responsibility for our reclamation.
Apparently, by accepting our personal divinity,
we gain power to live, love, and be happy.
However,
some gurus and spiritual guides advocate a much more
radical departure from our Western religious past.
They promise new answers to satisfy our personal
needs and rectify our political problems once we cast
away the archaic notions of the old
order – guidelines that are inflexible,
materialistic, and legalistic.
In some cases (such as in the movement self-named
“Awakening as One”), subtle threats lie buried
within its message of ‘hope’ challenging all
inquirers to change to this new way of thinking or face
the devastating consequences!
Those who do not fall in line – who do not
choose ‘to sing out of the same hymnbook’ with these
spiritualists – won’t make the transition to the
‘new age’ (an epoch they predict arrives on or soon
after the end of 2012 of course).
The ‘non-illuminated’ will be eliminated.
What’s the means to exterminate the uncommitted?
The next inquisition’s tools aren’t plainly
disclosed as of yet.
But since the philosophy behind this program was
rooted in Nazism (to be specific, esoteric Theosophy),
we should worry whether a second holocaust hides in the
plans of its activists.[2]
When
we turn to social and political matters, do we find hope
there? Are
the old ways, those principles upon which America was
founded, truly outdated?
Is the dismissal of God from our government
(virtually a fait
accompli at this moment), likely to benefit our
populace from whom the consent to be governed is
derived? As
a nation, do we still desire, “In God We Trust”
printed on our currency?
Assume
for a moment that Jesus Christ was invited to speak to a
joint session of the United States Congress. Would He
praise our government for the way it’s managing
things? Or would Jesus challenge our nation’s leaders
to see the signs indicating America’s future is ever-so fragile? Would He praise us for
our democratic ideals or rebuke us for our failure to
live up to the principles our political philosophy
advocates? Would He champion the American cause or
criticize us for turning America’s
‘exceptionalism’ into an idol justifying whatever
course of action we take on the world scene?
Would He predict good times ahead or proclaim how
blind we are to the consequences of our chosen paths?
One
thing’s for sure:
Jesus had no tolerance for hypocrites.
If we act out of self-interest He would
distinctly warn us, “Don’t insist your motivation is
solely for ‘the expansion of democracy!’
For when you promote or sustain dictators in the
world only because they protect American interests,
it’s best you make no claim to morality as your
motive. To do otherwise is not only disingenuous, it is
deceitful and detrimental.
You fool and harm no one except yourselves!”
At
the very least, Jesus would insist we face the facts. He
didn’t mince words in His day and He wouldn’t now.
He would advise:
“Speak truthfully and act accordingly. Too many
political decisions arise from the selfish agendas of
your leaders who primarily seek to maintain their power
and position rather than ensure what they achieve serves
the best interests of their constituents – and not
just the special interest groups or the wealthy who
court their favor with campaign donations and
boondoggles.”
And
yet, it’s not just the leadership that’s to blame.
The populace spends too much time caught up in
‘life as usual’ – soaking up entertainment rather
than taking stock of what’s wrong with society and how
we can correct it.
No doubt a related but distinct challenge we face
(if we are to alter our course) resides in the
ineffectiveness of our political and social systems
themselves. The bureaucracy looms everywhere; like a
castle with unassailable walls, any thought of attack
overwhelms us. Our
‘canons’ of good intent are no match.
No matter how hard the cannonball may strike, the
castle walls are unrelenting.
What’s
worse, we are a nation divided.
We debate almost every substantive issue with the
outcome predetermined based on ‘party lines’ (i.e.,
which party holds the majority).
This ‘double-mindedness’ in America stokes
the fire of internal contempt, paralyzing us from
attaining change. Perhaps
the only fix for what’s wrong with our political and
social structures is for a ‘vocal majority’ to
emerge which enables real transformation to occur; for
only broad agreement can foster dramatic moves.
But what kind of concurrence would be necessary?
Where must we find common ground?
Unless
dramatic modification in the viewpoints of a super
majority occurs within our nation regarding (1) the
moral fabric comprising who we are individually, (2)
what values we extol culturally, and (3) what ideals
drive our goals politically, we won’t garner
sufficient leverage to change course.
What’s worse, the fuel foot pedal in our ‘vehicle’ (i.e., our
nation and its ways of doing things) remains fully
depressed.
We travel at
maximum speed. All this transpires while we approach a
cliff set in our path by years of economic
mismanagement. How
can we adjust the direction we’re heading with such an
overblown bureaucracy spending more money feeding itself
than administering services to others?
Aren’t we like a railroad locked onto its
tracks? How
can we slow the momentum caused by so many poor choices
and the escalating but often unforeseen challenges which
arise daily?
Just
like the nation of Israel in the first century, we stand
perched on the precipice of national ruination.
If we can’t steer a different course and
unstick the accelerator, we will soon plunge headlong
into the abyss of international mediocrity and domestic
turmoil inevitably resulting in ‘injustice for
many.’ Our
fate could be similar to Israel in the first century AD.
God established Israel to be a ‘light unto the
gentiles.’ Instead, it was no longer a light even unto
itself. Is
that not true about America today?
Are we any different than ancient Israel?
If the Messiah appeared in this moment calling us
to national repentance, wouldn’t His fate be similar
to Jesus of Nazareth in the first century?
Is
there any hope that America stands ready to make
life-changing choices personally, culturally, and
politically? Does
America have the will to chart a different course?
No
doubt we can build an impressive case asserting
‘nothing happens in the world for good’ unless
America leads the way.
We can boast we are now the only superpower on
the planet. Both of these statements are true.
I admit I share in American pride and what this
implies about our great nation.
But from
those whom much is expected, much is required.
For on the other hand, it’s simple to make a
counter-argument: America allows itself to be drawn into
many of its policies and actions by the choices of other
nations and powerful figures outside the United States.
To press this further: America’s affirmation of
self-determination and sovereignty has become more than
mere delusion; it verges on suicidal self-deception.
This
negative assessment stems from the obvious intention of
the ‘globalists’ to eradicate nationalistic
sentiments worldwide.
The specter of international government manifests
itself more and more fully, year after year.
America’s strength continues to thwart its
realization even while American leadership is a mainstay
toward the achievement of this elitist plan to gain
world-wide control.
Ostensibly, this quiet revolution foisted upon
us by ‘the Captains and the Kings’[3]
is dedicated to making things better for everyone on the
planet. But intrinsically, it’s about the rich
preserving their wealth and privileged position.
This clandestine plan, the conspiracy of the
super-wealthy organized through both
secretive and not-so-secretive groups, represents ‘the
shadow government’ whose behind the scenes domination
pretends the betterment of all the world’s people.
But can an elite motivated by ‘reason only’
solve our problems?[4]
Certainly, the sheep dare not speak against these
unelected shepherds, lest we be accused of paranoia or
intransigence. Since
most don’t take such a conspiracy seriously and those
that do remain mostly silent, nationally we sit poised
to relinquish to these wealthy ‘few’ what meager
authority America retains in hopes these elites will
build a better world.
So
is the apocalypse near?
From many perspectives, it certainly appears
inevitable. But whether it commences soon, several
decades from now, or beyond – more than ever before
– I profess the only hope for our troubled nation and
our world is the
truth of the Bible and its prescriptions for our
personal lives, our culture, and our nation.
Many will object to this assertion; the tag-line
likely being, ‘been there, done that.’ However,
‘wherever we were and whatever we did’ failed to
resemble what true Christianity teaches and true
spirituality demands.
Those meant to
serve as ‘salt’ in the world lost their savor.
In
the last 100 years, America’s pulpits have been compromised
by clergy whose vitality for Christianity was drained by
the intellectual bankruptcy of naturalism (through its
denial of the miraculous) and the attempt to accommodate
the Christian gospel to an unbiblical form of truth.
As Francis Schaeffer, a noted Christian
intellectual assessed, modern theology split truth
between two spheres:
(1) ‘Spiritual’ matters and (2) scientific or
historical ‘factual’ matters.
By agreeing with this definition of ‘truth’
encouraged by the conclusions of what is known in
theology as ‘higher criticism’ (purporting the
gospel is contaminated by folklore, myth, and
unscientific presuppositions of ancient times),
Christian ‘truth’ became detached from rationality
(and reality).[5]
This ‘escape from reason’ led to a terminal
case of anemia for the mainline Protestant Christian
Church and in many cases, Catholicism as well.
Christianity lost its voice as it lost touch with its
historic understanding of the nature and reality of God.
The
Christian message isn’t relevant to most members of
our society not because it was tried and found wanting;
but because many of its teachers today and in the recent
past rarely represented the most essential elements of
the gospel of Christ, leading too few converts to commit
themselves to its fulfillment.
Modernist ‘priests’ ceased preaching an
authentic gospel when they jettisoned elements fundamental
to the gospel, in particular the biblical catchphrase
“The Kingdom of
God is coming!”
Fearing the accusation of preaching ‘hell,
fire, and brimstone’ too few ministers heralded what
Jesus proclaimed, “Repent and believe – before
it’s too late!”
It’s crucial for it is this element which
catalyzes all other aspects of Christ’s solution for
humankind. When the gospel of Christ doesn’t include a
strong dose of apocalyptic fervor, the audience
interprets the offer of salvation as a ‘take it or
leave it’ proposition.
True Christianity and true spirituality
(what we believe and how we put it into practice) are
founded on the premise our
time in this life is short – every moment counts.
And yet, in the short period we have on this planet, we
leave a legacy – good or bad.
Each and every day our actions leave an indelible
imprint in the fabric of time. Our lives either enhance
the weave in the tapestry or disfigure its picture. We
choose the impression we wish to leave.
Does
the Bible have answers for today? Of course. If we
adopted biblical truth (willingly and widely to guide us
personally, culturally, and politically), the result
would change the world.
However, I fear our society has passed the point
of no return. While the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches how
we should live and why
this lifestyle
provides hope and meaning, I have little optimism
that repentance remains an option on the table. I
sincerely hope I’m wrong.
Yet, I fear our society has wandered too far away
from the path of honesty and virtue to find its way
back. Indeed,
there’s little hope we can agree on a moral code
that’s pertinent to all; much less a code the majority
will follow. A
return to ‘traditional values’ in America simply
isn’t in the cards.
After all, a transition like this would be too
politically incorrect.
“Everyone should just do what’s right in
their own eyes. That will cause the least friction” (I
say this sarcastically of course!)
Given
the inertia for meaningful change, what will we do?
We
can apply band aids. Bailing wire and paper clicks can
be put to use. We can improve the political situation
somewhat with a few better decisions and by electing
leaders who strive for a more just and equitable
society. We
can and should relieve suffering whenever we find it.
We can find a measure of personal peace and hope
in the days ahead. But
all these measures, even if taken together, won’t
yield a permanent fix.
There
remains only one foundation from which to build an
enduring hope: The
culmination of history, specifically our destiny as
expressed through the words of the New Testament.
Modernists will complain: “At best this is a
dereliction of duty! At worst it is a grand delusion!”
But that’s the
gospel truth. As
we will soon show, it’s plainly what Jesus taught.
Likewise, His Apostles institutionalized this
expectation at the beginning of His church. Even as the
first century came to a close and the Lord had not
returned, we see throughout the ‘patristic period’
leading up to St. Augustine, the soon coming of the Lord
was strenuously upheld.
It was essential to the Church’s message.
The
dark predictions of what lies ahead – a sun black
like a sackcloth of hair and a moon turned blood
red – are merely the most dramatic of many ominous
signs depicted in the last days by the Bible.
Not
long ago, almost everyone agreed these images were no
more than imaginative symbols.
However,
such frightening pictures no longer seem too fantastic
to happen in space-time.
Many scenarios suggest how such horrible sights
could become the standard way our ‘sky lights’
appear. In
this regard, it’s easier than ever to be a Bible
literalist.
What
doubles the impact of evidence for the approaching
apocalypse isn’t fanciful interpretation of Scripture
nor is it a consensus of the world’s religions that
the end is near. Rather, it’s science,
a most surprising ally, which forecasts impending,
perhaps insurmountable catastrophes. Comet collisions
crashing into our planet, unprecedented solar activity
destroying our electrical grid, stresses on earth’s
tectonic plates generating massive earthquakes,
unprecedented climate change killing off entire species,
and biological threats (be they natural or manmade)
which could destroy life altogether.
Pick your poison:
Potential calamities abound.
Whether
we choose to accept what the Bible predicts, or whether
we simply acknowledge what science projects concerning
the future, either source tells the same story: We seem
destined for doomsday. It isn’t a question of if, but
how soon. Consequently,
the pages ahead underscore our confidence and hope comes
from (1) a better understanding of what the Bible says
is soon coming to pass and (2) what we must do to escape
these cataclysms and (3) most notably, the amazing
experience to anticipate thereafter.
In
both my previous books, I asserted that authentic
Christianity is an apocalyptic religion – and
should rightly continue to be so even to this day.
However, I did not put forth in those books anything
more than a cursory argument for why a preoccupation
with biblical prophecy is pivotal to our preparedness as
believers. It’s my hope that this gap is addressed by Black
Sun, Blood Moon.
After demonstrating the premise that Christianity
is an apocalyptic faith by drawing upon the original
biblical texts, I turn my focus to how the promise of
Christ’s return provides hope – and how that hope
makes a difference in our lives today as we face many
upheavals in the months and years ahead.
Furthermore, I intend to answer the question,
“How can we obtain confidence and optimism about the
future despite the dismal state of our world and its
prospects for substantive change?”
For
those who believe in Jesus Christ, we have no excuse if
we fail to study Bible prophecy and understand the
‘times and seasons.’ Our inheritance as the children
of God includes His Word in the Bible: We can learn what
happens next and what
the world to come is
like. If we regard ourselves disciples of Jesus
Christ, this should be a priority.
Jesus
taught His disciples these very truths.
Moreover, it ought to be our priority from a practical standpoint: We
gain perspective on where we must ground our hope.
Once we come to realize the stark contrast
between what humanity plans for this world compared to
what it means for the Kingdom of God to come into this
world, we can reorient our viewpoint finding true
purpose, real meaning, and an enduring hope. We will be
empowered afresh to display the love of Christ within
our relationships, experience peace in these troubled
times, and exude courage to face the challenges ahead.
But
before you conclude that I’m totally ready to flush
the future down the toilet and take no responsibility
for what happens in the world ‘until Jesus comes
back,’ let me make a few additional remarks to clarify
my position and conclude this introduction.
Believing
in the ‘second coming’ actually increases the impact
Christians make upon the world – now.
It makes the world a better place.
Historically, this has been shown to be true.
The first Americans believed they were to be the
‘shining city on a hill’ paving the way for the
millennial reign of the Messiah.
When revivals broke out in our country (several
times, the so-called Great Awakenings of which there were four), many important political
advances were achieved.[6]
It
may seem ironic. But
believing in the world soon to come enables us to have greater influence
on the world we live in today. It energizes our
commitment. Once we become convinced of the coming
Kingdom, transformation begins in the ‘here and
now.’
Within
these pages, I share with the reader amazing truths
regarding what happens in the years ahead.
By knowing what’s coming upon the earth, we
prepare ourselves to deal with the pending challenges.
Likewise, by providing the Bible’s perspective on the
‘hope for the hereafter,’ we gain deep confidence in
our ability to withstand the challenges of today.
Finally, I applaud and encourage activities that
promote peace, social justice, and building stronger
relationships among families, groups, diverse cultures,
and nations. I
say this despite my belief that our most vital hope lies
exclusively in a peculiar type of new world order called
for by the Judeo-Christian scriptures and our nation’s
early heritage. Therefore,
I champion the original gospel byword
and the consistent insistence of His followers through
the ages: The
Kingdom of God is at hand!
Will we embrace this reality or hide from it?
The choice is ours.
***********
S. Douglas Woodward has written
numerous books, the most
recent, Black
Sun, Blood Moon, now published by Defender Books.
You can
order the book from the Survivor
Mall.
See the following link for more information about
the book and an excerpt you may download and read.
http://blacksunbloodmoonbook.com/
