We Must Be Ready!
Luke 12:32-40
Words of Life are found in the Bible. This morning we heard Jesus speaking to his followers, saying, “Don’t be anxious or scared; my Father is pleased to give you what He’s promised. You’ll be in His everlasting Kingdom. Meanwhile, keep your light burning bright, be good servants, and remain alert because the Son of God will come again.”
Many of us are very familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth. His advent, or arrival on earth, is told in word and song in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Even the youngest of children know a great deal about his first coming. But the Bible says there will be another advent, a second coming of Jesus. No one knows the day or hour of His triumphant return, but we’re told it will be during the final stage of God’s redemptive plan for our world. Meanwhile, you and I in the church are living between these two advents.
For two weeks I’m going to focus on eschatology - the study of end times, the world to come, and the promise of life after death. I’m doing this because we need to be familiar with the whole counsel of God found in Scripture, and because Jesus often spoke about the future and the end times with joy and anticipation.
Biblical scholars say that 28% of the Old Testament speaks about future events; books written by Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel are examples of its prophetic teachings. In the New Testament, 21% of the content is prophetic. Twenty-three out of its 27 books mention the return of Jesus Christ to earth.
Let’s delve into God’s story. 3500 years ago, God made a covenant promise with one man, Abraham, saying that through his descendents, all the nations of the world would be blessed. They were chosen to be God’s witnesses and share the message of salvation with all people (Isaiah 49:6). As time passed, 12 tribes were formed and their nation was called Israel. They were the original recipients of God’s holy teachings. Those teachings explained how to live for God and be responsible and respectful of the land, your family, your nation, and the wider world. The Israelites came to a land of abundance promised to them by God, built homes and settled into a good life. As time passed, some of God’s chosen people began drift away from their faith; others rebelled… what they had in common was turning their back on God and living life however they pleased.
God saw this and grieved; He then removed his loving, divine protection from His people, and in 500 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Israelites and led them into exile. Years passed, God heard His people lament; in His mercy, God rescued them from their troubles, returning them to the land of Israel. Prophets and kings ruled over the tribes of Israel, and God was worshipped in his Holy Temple, but the people were not inviting others to learn about and follow God. So a new messenger arrived – God sent his Son Jesus to be a witness. He was the long-awaited Messiah; many prophesies were fulfilled through him. After Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and return to heaven, Christ’s followers enthusiastically spread the Good News. Finally, many were hearing about the one true God. Large numbers of people became believers; their exciting new faith and their radical commitment to serve others dramatically changed their neighborhoods and cities.
Then came dark days; Christians were persecuted. Jealous and hard-hearted Jewish leaders sought to arrest them, so many scattered. In 70 AD, the Roman general Titus successfully conquered Jerusalem, razing the Temple, then destroying the entire city; a vast number of Jews were taken captive and forced to live in exile elsewhere. Jesus had warned his disciples of this tragic event; he said the time was coming when the temple they were standing in would be knocked down – not one stone would be left on top of another – it would be a heap of rubble (Luke 21:6). And it came to pass, just as Jesus said.
The third time God restored the state of Israel, returning it to the Jewish people, was at midnight on May 14, 1948. Some of your parents might have been alive to witness David Ben Gurion on that remarkable day. British rule finally ended, and Israel gained its independence. The prophet Isaiah (66:8) wrote about that day, saying “Who has heard of such a thing? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth at once?” After 2,000 years in foreigners’ possession, Israel was birthed again in one day!
Nineteen years later in June of 1967 Israel miraculously defeated superior Arab armies during the Six-Day War. At last, the holy city of Jerusalem was now in their possession. Jesus himself prophesied that after foreign nations conquered it, the day would come when God would return and bring all His chosen people home (Luke 21:24). The prophet Amos (9:11-15) wrote that the Lord said, “The day will come when I plant Israel back in their own land, and they will never again be uprooted.”
This background I’ve carefully outlined is essential if we want to understand other prophecies about the end times. All that God has planned, beginning 3,500 years ago, started with a chosen people and a holy land – and all things yet to unfold will culminate with His chosen people in their holy land. Dozens of future prophecies are contingent on the Jews living in Israel.
Something I’ve been thinking about lately is how miraculous it is that Israel didn’t disappear from the face of the earth. Against all odds, after being overrun by aggressors, exiled, persecuted, and killed for two thousand years, they have re-gathered as a nation. That stands in stark contrast to other once-mighty nations that surrounding Israel’s land long ago. These large and influential nations that have disappeared off from the face of the earth: the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Canaanites, Edomites, Jebusites, and the mighty Philistines are gone. No remnant of them is left, except what archeologists can dig up from the sands of time.
Listen carefully to what the prophet Isaiah said (Isa. 11:12): when the scattered Jews from all around the world assemble in Israel, pay close attention, because “it will be a sign that the end times are approaching.” Within the last 100 years, the population in Israel has gone from 83,000 Jews in 1915 to an estimated 9.6 million today. In 1948, a program called “Operation on Wings of Eagles” kick-started the return of Jews to Israel from all around the world. Plus, an estimated one million European Jewish survivors of the Holocaust came, followed by almost 800,000 Jewish people driven out of Arab countries. These days Jews are coming from Ukraine, Russia, and Canada, plus countries in Europe and Africa. This is prophecy being fulfilled.
Another prophecy was revealed to Isaiah: “The desert in Israel will one day blossom with an abundance of flowers – it will be green as the Lebanon mountains, as lovely as Mount Carmel’s pastures and Sharon’s meadows. The Lord will display his glory in these ways: Springs will burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched land will become a pool with springs of water in a thirsty land” (Isaiah 35:1,2,6,7). Revolutionary agricultural methods have helped a wide assortment of crops grow where it had been only desert sand. A great variety of flowers are grown; they are so coveted that orders come in from around the world. Underground sources of water are being discovered and more rain has fallen thanks to scientific advances.
Another prophecy comes from Zephaniah (3:9): “The speech of my people, exiles returning from other lands, will be the (pure) Hebrew language so that all can worship the Lord together.” When Jewish exiles began returning to Israel a hundred years ago, a man named Eliezer Ben-Yehudah taught the newcomers the ancient Hebrew language – nearly everyone had forgotten it. This teaching program has continued; everyone arriving in the country can take classes in Hebrew, and it’s taught in all schools. It’s the national language now. Seven million Jewish children learn and use it, plus the 2 million in Palestine who are mainly Muslim study it as a second language to their native Arabic. Zephaniah prophesied that this day would come… thanks in large part to one passionate man, the nearly lost Hebrew language was revived.
There’s much more I’ll share about prophecies being fulfilled, but for now let me wrap up with Jesus’ parable about the budding fig tree. He said that when you notice its green leaves come out, you know it’s a sign that it’s almost summer; likewise, when we see the events Jesus and the prophets described, those are visible signs we should not ignore. They’re clearly showing us that Jesus’ return is near. So stay awake and be alert! Remember to hold your open Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other; pay attention and you’ll see for yourself what’s unfolding around you. Christ is coming, and when He does, we shall leave this broken world and enter heaven. Alleluia and Amen!
Many of us are very familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth. His advent, or arrival on earth, is told in word and song in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Even the youngest of children know a great deal about his first coming. But the Bible says there will be another advent, a second coming of Jesus. No one knows the day or hour of His triumphant return, but we’re told it will be during the final stage of God’s redemptive plan for our world. Meanwhile, you and I in the church are living between these two advents.
For two weeks I’m going to focus on eschatology - the study of end times, the world to come, and the promise of life after death. I’m doing this because we need to be familiar with the whole counsel of God found in Scripture, and because Jesus often spoke about the future and the end times with joy and anticipation.
Biblical scholars say that 28% of the Old Testament speaks about future events; books written by Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel are examples of its prophetic teachings. In the New Testament, 21% of the content is prophetic. Twenty-three out of its 27 books mention the return of Jesus Christ to earth.
Let’s delve into God’s story. 3500 years ago, God made a covenant promise with one man, Abraham, saying that through his descendents, all the nations of the world would be blessed. They were chosen to be God’s witnesses and share the message of salvation with all people (Isaiah 49:6). As time passed, 12 tribes were formed and their nation was called Israel. They were the original recipients of God’s holy teachings. Those teachings explained how to live for God and be responsible and respectful of the land, your family, your nation, and the wider world. The Israelites came to a land of abundance promised to them by God, built homes and settled into a good life. As time passed, some of God’s chosen people began drift away from their faith; others rebelled… what they had in common was turning their back on God and living life however they pleased.
God saw this and grieved; He then removed his loving, divine protection from His people, and in 500 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Israelites and led them into exile. Years passed, God heard His people lament; in His mercy, God rescued them from their troubles, returning them to the land of Israel. Prophets and kings ruled over the tribes of Israel, and God was worshipped in his Holy Temple, but the people were not inviting others to learn about and follow God. So a new messenger arrived – God sent his Son Jesus to be a witness. He was the long-awaited Messiah; many prophesies were fulfilled through him. After Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and return to heaven, Christ’s followers enthusiastically spread the Good News. Finally, many were hearing about the one true God. Large numbers of people became believers; their exciting new faith and their radical commitment to serve others dramatically changed their neighborhoods and cities.
Then came dark days; Christians were persecuted. Jealous and hard-hearted Jewish leaders sought to arrest them, so many scattered. In 70 AD, the Roman general Titus successfully conquered Jerusalem, razing the Temple, then destroying the entire city; a vast number of Jews were taken captive and forced to live in exile elsewhere. Jesus had warned his disciples of this tragic event; he said the time was coming when the temple they were standing in would be knocked down – not one stone would be left on top of another – it would be a heap of rubble (Luke 21:6). And it came to pass, just as Jesus said.
The third time God restored the state of Israel, returning it to the Jewish people, was at midnight on May 14, 1948. Some of your parents might have been alive to witness David Ben Gurion on that remarkable day. British rule finally ended, and Israel gained its independence. The prophet Isaiah (66:8) wrote about that day, saying “Who has heard of such a thing? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth at once?” After 2,000 years in foreigners’ possession, Israel was birthed again in one day!
Nineteen years later in June of 1967 Israel miraculously defeated superior Arab armies during the Six-Day War. At last, the holy city of Jerusalem was now in their possession. Jesus himself prophesied that after foreign nations conquered it, the day would come when God would return and bring all His chosen people home (Luke 21:24). The prophet Amos (9:11-15) wrote that the Lord said, “The day will come when I plant Israel back in their own land, and they will never again be uprooted.”
This background I’ve carefully outlined is essential if we want to understand other prophecies about the end times. All that God has planned, beginning 3,500 years ago, started with a chosen people and a holy land – and all things yet to unfold will culminate with His chosen people in their holy land. Dozens of future prophecies are contingent on the Jews living in Israel.
Something I’ve been thinking about lately is how miraculous it is that Israel didn’t disappear from the face of the earth. Against all odds, after being overrun by aggressors, exiled, persecuted, and killed for two thousand years, they have re-gathered as a nation. That stands in stark contrast to other once-mighty nations that surrounding Israel’s land long ago. These large and influential nations that have disappeared off from the face of the earth: the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Canaanites, Edomites, Jebusites, and the mighty Philistines are gone. No remnant of them is left, except what archeologists can dig up from the sands of time.
Listen carefully to what the prophet Isaiah said (Isa. 11:12): when the scattered Jews from all around the world assemble in Israel, pay close attention, because “it will be a sign that the end times are approaching.” Within the last 100 years, the population in Israel has gone from 83,000 Jews in 1915 to an estimated 9.6 million today. In 1948, a program called “Operation on Wings of Eagles” kick-started the return of Jews to Israel from all around the world. Plus, an estimated one million European Jewish survivors of the Holocaust came, followed by almost 800,000 Jewish people driven out of Arab countries. These days Jews are coming from Ukraine, Russia, and Canada, plus countries in Europe and Africa. This is prophecy being fulfilled.
Another prophecy was revealed to Isaiah: “The desert in Israel will one day blossom with an abundance of flowers – it will be green as the Lebanon mountains, as lovely as Mount Carmel’s pastures and Sharon’s meadows. The Lord will display his glory in these ways: Springs will burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched land will become a pool with springs of water in a thirsty land” (Isaiah 35:1,2,6,7). Revolutionary agricultural methods have helped a wide assortment of crops grow where it had been only desert sand. A great variety of flowers are grown; they are so coveted that orders come in from around the world. Underground sources of water are being discovered and more rain has fallen thanks to scientific advances.
Another prophecy comes from Zephaniah (3:9): “The speech of my people, exiles returning from other lands, will be the (pure) Hebrew language so that all can worship the Lord together.” When Jewish exiles began returning to Israel a hundred years ago, a man named Eliezer Ben-Yehudah taught the newcomers the ancient Hebrew language – nearly everyone had forgotten it. This teaching program has continued; everyone arriving in the country can take classes in Hebrew, and it’s taught in all schools. It’s the national language now. Seven million Jewish children learn and use it, plus the 2 million in Palestine who are mainly Muslim study it as a second language to their native Arabic. Zephaniah prophesied that this day would come… thanks in large part to one passionate man, the nearly lost Hebrew language was revived.
There’s much more I’ll share about prophecies being fulfilled, but for now let me wrap up with Jesus’ parable about the budding fig tree. He said that when you notice its green leaves come out, you know it’s a sign that it’s almost summer; likewise, when we see the events Jesus and the prophets described, those are visible signs we should not ignore. They’re clearly showing us that Jesus’ return is near. So stay awake and be alert! Remember to hold your open Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other; pay attention and you’ll see for yourself what’s unfolding around you. Christ is coming, and when He does, we shall leave this broken world and enter heaven. Alleluia and Amen!