End Times for the New Christian

 

 

The end of this age is good news for Christians, because Jesus is coming back to rule and reign with His saints for one-thousand years from Jerusalem.  These are the years when the lion and lamb will lie down together and the planet will be restored from the curse of sin.

 

Jesus describes the events that are going to take place at the end of this age just before He returns as “birth pains”.  Most of us would agree that the birth of a baby is a good thing.  Mothers are willing to go through the birth pains to arrive at the time of birth.  The end of this age is going to be a good thing, because Jesus is coming back and all things are going to be restored.

 

But before He comes back, there is going to be a season of birth pains to go through.  And Jesus tells us that we must endure through these birth pains in order to be saved.  Those who endure are called “overcomers”.

 

Just as in the natural birth, the birth pains at the end will increase in frequency and intensity.  The most intense birth pains ---  which are going to take place during the last three and one-half years of the age --- Jesus calls Great Tribulation.  We can already see the birth pains that Jesus identifies in Matthew 24 increasing daily around us.

 

Great Tribulation is not going to be much fun, but just as in the case of a natural birth, it is a prerequisite for our birth as the sons and daughters of God.  Great Tribulation is redemptive, just as natural birth pains are redemptive.  Out of natural birth comes a baby.  Out of Great Tribulation comes a great multitude who have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.  These are Christians who have endured the process of being birthed as the children of God.  This is a good thing --- a very good thing.

 

Unfortunately,  you’re not likely to hear this warning preached in a church today.  Why?  Because it’s not a popular message and people want to hear  “feel good” messages.  Actually, it is a feel good message because the return of Jesus is going to be a glorious thing for all of us who put our trust in Him, but first there is this little issue of birth pains that we have to endure through.

 

As a consequence of not being prepared for the birth pains and not understanding that they are a good thing, Jesus said of this time that many will fall away and hate and betray each other and the love of most will grow cold.

 

This is a terribly sad situation.  These are Christians who fall away from the faith.  They lose their hope and their trust in the Lord because events around them cause them to stumble.  They don’t recognize the events for what they are: birth pains.  Maybe they think that God hates them when actually He loves them and wants to birth them into the likeness of Jesus.  Maybe they are afraid of the consequences of not falling in line with the political and religious system that will be in place on the earth at that time which will be trying to conform everyone to take a “mark” in order that they may buy and sell.  The evil system may put us to death for not taking the mark, but God says we are not to take the mark, because it indicates that we are worshipping the evil system.  Basically Jesus said that even if they kill us, “no sweat” because He has overcome the world and not one hair of our heads will be harmed.   

 

We need to understand these things so when they come we will not waver from our faith.  Jesus said that He was telling us of these things so that when they happened, we would not stumble.  But in spite of His warnings, many will stumble.

 

I heard a minister say on television that Jesus would never put His bride through Great Tribulation.  He said the Bible would have to be rewritten for that to take place.  What he said was totally untrue.  Scripture is very clear that most of the church alive at the end will pass through Great Tribulation.  Jesus said so.  Jesus said to those in the church at Thyatira that He would throw those who did not repent into Great Tribulation.  And all the churches will know that He gives to each based on their hearts and minds.  God has given us all that we need to become holy and free of the world’s corruption.  We must make a decision whether we are going to go the way of the world or the way of God.  The way of the world leads to eternal death; the way of God leads to life --- though physical death may precede it.

 

We don’t really understand the love of God.  We have an earthly view of what love is like.  We think God would not do such and such because He loves us.  It’s true.  He loves us and more than anyone else.  But His love is broad and wide and takes eternity into account and He is shaping us here in this life on earth to live with Him in a joyous eternity.  And there are some things to prepare us for that time that can only be done on earth.  In heaven there will be no devil and no pain and no sorrow.  But on earth we run into those things.  God says all creation is groaning as in birth pains.  We may not like it, but we need to understand some things and realize that God is using these things to transform us into the likeness of Jesus. 

 

 . . . and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.  (Romans 8:17-23)

Jesus told us not to fear or worry during these times, because He has already gained the victory. As we trust in Him, He will lead us through the minefield of what lies ahead and on to eternal reward.