Hi all

Am just wondering what you all think regarding the end times. I keep hearing so much about the fact that we are living in the end times, and to a certain extent I think that we are.
I'm also aware of the fact that lots of Paul's writings were written with the coming of Christ in mind (they thought he was going to return soon) and I guess people all down the centuries have thought they are living in the end times.
There does seem to be more evidence that creation is groaning with expectation (as in Romans 8) what with hurricanes, floods, famine, earthquakes etc happening all over the world.
There's also the other stuff going on - wars and rumours of wars, and political machinations everywhere.... I have distinct feeling that things are 'hotting up', so to speak but I'm ot sure what to make of it all. It also worries me and again, I'm not sure thats the correct response.. I feel like I should be getting excited about it!

I have never heard any sermons on the end times either, I don't know if churches are unwilling to preach on it, or if books like Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel are so difficult to interpret that they just don't bother trying.

Any thoughts from anyone else?

I personally have found the book of Revelation to be your basic nightmare in terms of trying to understand it, but maybe that's just me. I do agree that all the recent tsunamis, hurricanes, etc., etc. do seem to be picking up in intensity & frequency! I think it's normal to feel conflicted about those things, too. Excited in a way, yet concerned about loved ones, etc. Somebody once pointed out to me, though, that for SOMEBODY "the end of the world" is today. And you can say that on any given day. We could be hit by a car crossing the street, struck by lightning, you name it. The important thing is that we have the best possible relationship with our God so we can live well with Him today and every day until we meet him. JMHO.

All through history people have thought they would see the end times in their lifetime. WWI was seen as a sign of the end times...soon enough we had WWII and it was sure to be the war to end all wars.

We can never be sure...so I guess we have to be ready for it now and always! I think I will do a little studying on the topic...you've made me think!

Interesting topic. I was kind of well-versed on this in my childhood, 'cause the topic fascinated my mom. I remember (with a smile, now) one of the books she had called "20 Reasons Why This Present Earth May Not Last Another 20 Years". Well, we are many more than 20 years since it was published. However, my mom's fascination seemed to simply touch off fear in me. I don't think that's how Jesus wants us to live. I think He urges us to be always ready for the 2nd coming, for sure. I remember the Scripture saying that no one knows the day or hour or the 2nd coming, and that it would come as a surprise, just like labor comes on a pregnant woman. Also, that people would be talking peace and safety at the time. (I Thess. 5:1-11) When the 1st Persian Gulf War started, I thought, uh oh, that's it. But it wasn't. I also wondered about it when Begin and Sadat signed peace treaties. But it wasn't. This is a fascinating topic, I agree. That's my 2 cents' worth.

What I find myself more and more facinated with is what God is doing in the Church/Christians before Christ returns. There are so many prophecies about what we will be like and how our lives will reflect Christ before He comes. That's what facinates me now - not so much the anti-christ although I'm sure that is important as well but more the negative side of things. I want to know where God is taking us and what still needs to be done (a lot!) before Christ returns. Again, I'm not talking about Israel, anti-christ etc.. prophecies - I'm talking about what the Church - the living church (i.e. you and me) will be like, will act like, will reflect the character of Christ before He is due to come again. Needless to say the church has a long way to go before we get there but I firmly believe that issues like *us* are being used by the Holy Spirit to weed out one of the greatest stumbling blocks the Lord needs to remove before His grace/love and mercy can flow through His church as it was intended. That stumbling block is fear and prejudice. God's been working on removing prejudices from His people for the past 150 years (race, denomination issues, gender issues and now sexual orientation issues) and still has quite a ways to go.

Iran is the very last war we will have to deal

wit. God thanks to this froums want me to be

his hands on this in a book.

I am asking for your prays for me as god use

me to write an book.

I thank that we are not there yet but it will
mi
be on our time.

Ruissa have to make war on in the mideast then

the chuch will be remove.

Russia is just renewing its army but not

redey to go to war.

Keep a eye on them.

Pry the sooner the better.

Hmm... interesting topic!

As some of you have posted, many generations lived thinking they were at the end times. So, thus was for 999 AD, and since then, almost every end of a century. Jehova's Witnesses believed that the "end times" had begun in 1914 and the Second Coming were to be in 1975 (!!!?)

Are we living the end times? I mean, right now? First, there is an important issue to be considered (among many more, of course): The "end times" of what?

As DewDoc posted, tomorrow could be "the end" for somebody. But the topic is intended for another kind of "end", isn't it? (Personally there is not any difference, but there is a difference when we focus in History and the whole humankind)

So, when people talk about the "end times", usually think in the times before the Second Coming, and they are also usually excited.

Let me put my two cents:

1. Prophecies (Revelation, Gospels, etc.) give some details, but they are useless for our wondering, because our Lord said: Nobody knows nor the day neither the hour. (Vid. Mat. 24:36)

2. Wars, natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volanoes' eruptions, etc.), famine, plagues, etc. have been with us all the time, but in our days, the media play an importan rol; so we know about what is happening in the world, but before, we simply have ignored what was happening in Asia or Africa, just because those events weren't in the "morning news".

My thought: If we are living or we aren't in the "end times" must make not any difference in how we live our christian life and our relationship with God. If we live accordingly to our believes in the Love of our Lord, we are doing right, no matter when He comes. Or, perhaps, are we going to live differently if we were in the "end of times"? So, it is important what DewDoc said: Tomorrow could be the end for me, so I must live my christian life properly. But what is more important than when the end comes is this: We must live our christian life as we must, BECAUSE OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST, no matter the times!

Blessings.

Brakhus!!

You are so wonderful and talk such good sense.

I think you are quite right in that people have been thinking they are in the end times for ages now - that's why Paul wrote against getting married - cos he thought Christ was coming back soon and so people shouldn't concern themselves with marriage.

I also think you are spot on when you say we should live every day like it's the last, rather that wait for a 'sign' that we're in the end times and then start living like we're supposed too. I guess I just get worried by all the stuff in the Bible about Christians being persecuted and rather that trust in God, I stress about it instead!

You are very reassuring Brakhus - thank you!

Thank you, dear Wanderer! If we have clear enough that the "end of times" means different things to each one of us (when we take the issue personally) and all of this is just summarized in living accordingly to the Commandment of Love, the point is solved.

BUT: All of us, also, have some kind of fascination about the "signs" that announce the "end of times" 's comming. Your original question shows it. So, I think that our brethren could be interested in what Bible says about those signs, and so and perhaps, we could develope a bit about, i.e. Mark 13 (As you know the Gospel according to Mark is the most ancient of the four gospels and the first of the synoptic ones).
I think this may not be some crazy speculation but a serious Bible's study. I know that many people have their own thoughts (i.e. about specific wars) and that many opinions are mixed with other sources of "prophecies" (like Nostradamus' ones, Saint Malachy's prophecies of the Popes, etc.) and not everybody has clear enough what perteins to Bible and what to other source. Do you remember First Gulf's War? When I saw in the news Saddam wearing a blue turban I was shocked! (But blue turban is a symbol from Nostradamus' "prophecies")

So, I think that studying what Bible says about the signs, not only could be interesting, but could help to separate the superstition involved in some kind of opinions that consider it from Bible when it is not.

Blessings!

That sounds like a great idea Brakhus. I've always found the book of Revalation to be a bit of a nightmare and open to all sorts of interpretation, so looking at other books such as Mark, or maybe Daniel is a good thing.

Where do we start?

Where do we start?

Ok. I think that prophecies (about "end of times", i. e. Daniel) in OT are quite and specially difficult, so I propose to let them for a better moment.

Also, Revelation is the most difficult of all and the most misunderstood and misinterpreted, so, let it for study it at last.

So, I propose we can start with the prophecies of the gospels, and as Mark is the oldest of the four (and the base for Matthew and Luke, as it is well known), I think we can start with Mark. After that, we can continue with Matthew (and comparing it with Mark), then Luke (and comparing again), finishing with the amazing gospel according to John (there are some suprises expecting us there! )

Therefore, if you want, let's start with Mark 13, but before: EVERY BODY TO READ and to remember what exactly the passage states!

Remember: It is not necessary to transcribe the whole passages, just quote the chapter and verses, and we will read them in our Bibles.

Blessings!