By Steven J. Hogan
A Saturday Morning Post #231 ~
Some people think life on this planet will keep going for 100’s if not 1000’s of years. Others believe there are acts of man or forces of nature that will either gradually or suddenly destroy this earth. They talk about how a super virus, meteorites, a solar flare, climate change, or a nuclear war may devastate the entire world, or at least a major part of it. But what does God say? He has made it clear that this present age, as we know it, will come to an end, and He has told us exactly how that will happen – and it’s not what people are telling you.
God goes into great detail about this age, especially the last years of this age. That’s because He doesn’t want you to be surprised by what will be happening or be led astray by the lies and errors of non-Christians. “Where is the wise man?… Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). These sinners don’t know what they are talking about, but God does, and His word spells out the truth about the future. Here’s what He wants you to know about this present age, and how it will end.
* This age we live in is an evil age, a very sinful age. “… the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might rescue us from this present evil age…” Galatians 1:4
* This age started with the sin of Adam and Eve. Their sin resulted in this entire earth and all of mankind being cursed and corrupted. Genesis 3, Romans 8:20-22
* Satan rules the world during this evil age. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Yet God is sovereign over everything and everyone, including Satan. Daniel 4:34-35
* Most people living during this age are sinners, are unbelievers. “The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matt. 7:13-14
* That there’s another age after this age means this one must come to an end. In Eph. 1:21, God says, “… not only in this age, but in the one to come.” Eph. 2:7 speaks of “the ages to come.”
* That the Jews are back in their land is the reason we know we live in the last years of this evil age, what is often called the end-times. Ezekiel 36-37, Daniel 12:4, Luke 20:24
* That we live in the end-times means it won’t be long before this age comes to an end. Matt. 24:3-42, more than any other prophecy passage, describes what the end-times will look like.
* God will announce when this age comes to an end with two earth-waking signs – cosmic events and a great earthquake. “… a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood… The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Rev. 6:12-14; Matt. 24:3, 29
*This present age will end when we feel this great earthquake and see these cosmic events. Thus, we must conclude that this age will not end because of a global flood, a nuclear war, a solar flare, or anything else. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end (of the age) … all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.” Matt. 24:6-8
* Many prophesied events will be taking place before this age comes to an end. There will be birth pains, an Israeli treaty, increasing lawlessness, temple sacrifices in Jerusalem, great tribulation, apostasy, the preaching of the gospel, and the Antichrist ruling the earth. “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:33
* Discerning Christians will physically see and spiritually sense that this age is coming to an end. By reading God’s word and observing what’s happening in the world, we will “understand the times” (1 Chron. 12:32) and “see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25
* God wants Christians to be holy and obedient. We are “to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:12
* As Christians, our primary purpose is to preach the gospel right up until the end of this age. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end (of this age) will come.” Matthew 24:14
* Christians are to “make disciples of all the nations”, always remembering Jesus’ encouraging promise – “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
* Christians are to persevere to the end of the age. “The one who endures to the end (of the age), he will be saved (raptured and glorified).” Matthew 24:13 “* The present age ends during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, after the Antichrist has been revealed and has been ruling for a short while, and just before Christ returns to rapture the church and defeat that devilish man. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9
* Most unbelievers don’t believe what God says about the end of this age. They say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” They think everything is going to stay the same, and that they won’t be judged, but they are badly mistaken. “The present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:3-7
* After this age is over, God will judge the unbelievers still living on earth. “The tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age.” Matthew 13:38-39
* When this age is over, Jesus Christ will rapture the church, pour out His wrath, and redeem a remnant of Jews. Then the next age will begin, and Christ will reign as King upon a renovated and restored earth. Psalm 98, Matthew 19:27-29, Acts 3:19-21
As Christians, don’t be fooled or scared by what sinners are saying, for they are sadly and terribly ignorant of what God is planning to do. We need to wake up to the fact that we live in the last years of this age, and that it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and judge the world. Then the next age, Christ’s 1000-year reign, will begin. You can’t imagine how dramatically and wonderfully different everything will be during the millennial kingdom age. “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the ages.” (Rev. 15:3). “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations of the earth. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” Psalm 67:4-5
“God will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:8-9
P.S. Here are two other posts about how this age, and that it is going to end: “This Age Is Coming to an End, and Then the New Age Will Begin” and “The Big Picture: the Present Age and the Ages to Come.” Here is an article about the importance of thanksgiving – “Being Thankful – the Character of a Christian.”