 | Dr. John Click, has been the Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church for 27 years now he is the pastor emeritus. He’s a graduate of Baylor University with a BA and Southwestern Seminary with a BD. He received his DMin at Midwestern Seminary. He has served in numerous positions in the Southern Baptist Convention, including: President of the Kansas/Nebraska Convention, Executive Committee of SBC, North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, and Houston Baptist University Board. He has traveled to preach in Europe, Central and South America and the Far East. Dr. Click is the founder and first President of Harvest Communications, which is a TV production company specializing in producing teaching materials for Para- Church organizations. You may contact him for comments or questions by e-mail at: Jcclick99@aol.com. |
Religion
2007-10-01 11:09:00
End of the world...how’s it going to happen?
I enjoy reading this column very much. Most of the time you are all pretty much in sync with your answers. Maybe it is coincidental, but it seems as though most of the things I have been taught all my life, about how the world will end, are happening now. In accordance with your interpretation of the Bible, can you state in relatively brief, layman’s terms, how you see the end of the world happening?
I doubt that we will be “in sync” on this! There is not agreement among Bible scholars on this subject, but Jesus made this clear: He could return at any time! However, several events seem to precede the end: The Jew’s nation was to be restored and they were to return from around the world. This seems to have happened. The Gospel was to be preached to all parts of the earth, and this has been done to a great extent. Then “The Rapture” occurs, as described in I Thes. 4:13-17 , in which the true believers are caught up into the heavens to meet Christ, preceded by those who have previously died. They have both “bodies raised” and receive new bodies, described in I Cor.15:35-58. I believe this is the next step.
After the disappearance of the Christians, things on earth become chaotic, as described in Daniel 6-12, II Thes. 2, II Peter 3, and Revelation, among others. A new world government takes over, led by an evil genius, the “Anti-Christ.” All who become Christ-followers or are Jews are persecuted until, within seven years a great battle occurs in the vicinity of Palestine.
All life would be extinguished if Christ did not at that time appear in His glory and execute judgment over all mankind. This is, of course, not the end of all things....and there is great disagreement among Bible scholars about details. Also, the Bible does not foretell the future so clearly that we can pre-write history....and maybe I have just made the mistake of trying to do so. (But that is what you asked for!)
I think that Bible prophesy is written so that those alive AT THAT TIME can recognize it, just as some few did at the coming of Christ as a baby and as a teacher and Savior.
For us, the Gospel (good news) is “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - -the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify Himself a people that are his own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14
