Matthew 24:5-8; 36
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. […] 36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father.

Signs of the End…Kinda Sounds like Today

Here, Jesus is speaking about the “signs of the end of the age,” as noted in my NIV translation. His words are duly frightening–what He’s describing sounds a lot like today, with all the earthquakes, violence, world economies faltering, etc. No wonder that many people worldwide, including many Christians, are looking heavenward for signs of the End.

…But Kinda Sounds like Yesterday, Too

But here is something else to consider: Jesus’ words do seem to reflect our current condition, but His speech also sounds a lot like many points in past history. Humans have made war against each other for millennia, and history shows us a periodic swing of ups and downs in war and peace, prosperity and poverty, abundance and want.

This same stuff was going on during Jesus’ time, and He knew this would continue until the end of the age…but it would only intensify closer to the End Times.

Jesus Says, Beware the Fake-Messiah Scam Artists

Jesus knows the character of humanity. He may not know the “day or hour” of the End Times, but He sure understands that we’re going to be actively seeking patterns and reflections of His word. He also knows that some humans are going to try to capitalize on “real End Times” prophecies, squeezing money out of gullible people who truly believe they’re paying homage (and their hard-earned cash) to Jesus Himself, or to a prophet who is heralding the true Messiah. (Many of the doomsday cults’ “end time prophecies” of the last 20 or 30 years have really hammered this point home, like Heaven’s Gate in the late ’90s.)

This is why Jesus warns the disciples right at the beginning to watch out, and not fall for fake prophecies and false Messiahs. As soon as Jesus ascended, false Messiahs began to spring up, and they’ve been doing so ever since. In this warning to His disciples, Jesus is preparing them to stay strong, keep living as Christians, and not worry about the End. We should not worry, either.

It’s Hard Not to Be Frightened, but We Have Security

Sadly, I’m a worrier by nature. I have to say, reading this excerpt and the larger passage speaking of the “Signs of the End of the Age” frightens me. I don’t want to know about the “end of the world” or the “end time,” and I don’t want it to come in my lifetime–I got stuff I want to do! (I’m fairly confident I’m not the only one who thinks so, either.) And I’ve long been ashamed of my reaction to Scriptures relating to the End Times–shouldn’t I WANT to be in Heaven, be with God and Jesus and all the angels? The truth is, I do, but I still have an elemental, almost primal fear of the unknown.

This fear and worry, too, is covered by Jesus’ words. “See to it that you are not alarmed.” Jesus speaks of the “end of the age” in a matter-of-fact tone–as all this stuff comes to pass, just know for certain that you still believe in God, and you’ll be okay. Don’t fool with false prophets; rely on what you know to be true, your personal relationship with God. This is our security, and it wraps around our lives like a blanket. (I’m hugging mine a little closer around me even as I write this.) 🙂