In my last pastorate, the church presented several dramas every year. Those who have not participated in a stage production probably do not realize the amount of work that takes place behind the scenes getting ready for the performances. Besides the actors practicing their parts, one essential element is preparation of the stage props. When I would see the rough drawn sketches of the scenes, I always wondered if the stage crew could accomplish this in time. Yet, as the weeks drew down to the final days prior to the first presentation, the props would take shape and begin resembling real life settings.
I thought of this last week as I watched the morning news with all the problems in the world. I realized what we are seeing is merely God putting all the props and actors in place for the last drama, but this is a reality production and not a fictional story. The main character is Israel. It is center stage. Everything happening in and around Israel is like a clock counting down until the return of Christ. Jesus said that when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near (Luke 21:20). The Old Testament prophets tell us that Israel’s enemies will attack from the North, South, East, and from the sea in the West. Radical Islamic leaders, who desire to see the extinction of Israel, are now on the verge of ruling Egypt in the south. Syria to the north is close to the collapse of its dictatorial government, and there is a high probability that radical Islam will take power. Iran to the east is working to produce a nuclear weapon to annihilate Israel from the face of the earth. From the west, fewer nations are standing with Israel as their ally—even our own nation is moving in that direction. Its enemies are close to surrounding Israel.
Yet, look at all this from the LORD’s perspective. Prop by prop and scene by scene, the stage is nearing completion. I could continue for pages with all the other signs indicating the time is near. Every morning, I am realizing that I have already read the news of the day. Written thousands of years ago, Scripture chronicled the events currently taking place. The Bible is the script outlining every scene that is beginning to play out before our very eyes.
Another sign of the last days that is vividly relevant to us now is worldwide violence. This violence even reaches down to cities, down to neighborhoods, and down to families. The book of Revelation says peace will be taken from the earth, and that men will slay one another. Our nation mourns over the tragic killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week. This hit everyone hard because it was so close to home. Less noticed by the media that same day in other parts of the world, hundreds more children and adults were also senselessly murdered. Violence is worldwide. Many are asking why God allowed this. But the problem is not God. The secularization of our American society has pushed God out of the picture. Public schools teach our children that they are just the product of random evolution instead of created in the image of God with value and purpose. In this post-modern society when the only absolute is ‘there are no absolutes’, any chances of value and stability are gone. This leads to a nihilistic mentality of hopelessness by the negation of everything—knowledge, ethics, beauty, reality. Kids without a biblical foundation and knowledge that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God go about seeking to create their own value—even through horrific violence. Ironically, this is just another scene in the last-day reality drama.
Is there any hope? Regardless of what takes place in the world, as Christians we have hope. We may be grieved for season, but none of the current events should alarm us. Jesus said, See that you are not frightened [alarmed], for those things must take place . . . (Matt 24:6). For believers, we should view the world’s state of affairs as an opportunity. People are looking for answers—we have the only answer, Christ. People need to know they have value and purpose—we can show them by letting the image of God shine through us. People are filled with anger and hopelessness—we must let them witness our joy and our peace through our faith and trust in Christ.
It is past time for the church to enact 2 Chronicles 7:14. If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Sustaining Word for the Week:
The stage is almost set. Even so, before the curtain rises, God will heal our nation if enough people open the door and allow God back into our society. Jesus said, Behold, I stand at the door and knock (Rev 3:20). It begins with the individual.