With the increasing violence in the Middle East, I’m hearining and reading a lot of different views of what this all means. I remember when I heard of the first attacks by Israel on Lebanon. I was going back to College Station from a work trip to San Antonio, and we heard a Christian talk radio station discussing it. They had different people calling in and talking about how this is the beginning of Armageddon. My roommate, Michael, even came across this article the other day that cites the joy that some Christians are expressing at the current turmoil. I guess these people think Jesus is coming next week, because Israel is at war.
When I first heard all the hooplah on the radio that day, my immediate thought was, “Have these people read their Bible? Jesus clearly says in Matthew 24:14 that the Gospel will be preached to all the nations, and then the end will come.
My friend, Jason Weigand, whose heart is set on mobilizing people to go to the ends of the earth to share the truth of the Gospel, pointed out this article from Erich Bridges with the IMB entitled, “WorldView: Armageddon? Not just yet.”
The truth is that the Gospel must be preached to many more unreached people groups before Jesus comes back. In the mean time, all this violence and increasing death tolls means that more people are dying and going to Hell. Should we rejoice over this?! Lord, forgive us! Send laborers into the harvest to bring the people of the Middle East into Your family!
This is already happening some. Bridges points out:
The Gospel goes forth “amid the storm.” That’s been the painful but victorious story of church history through the ages — particularly over the last century as the Good News has spread in Asia, Africa and throughout the Muslim world.
If we really want to see Jesus come, we must pray for the prerequisites to come into being. We must also be willing to go ourselves.
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”
Lord, here am I. Send me!
