COVID-19 and the fall out from this horrendous disease across the globe has many Christians and even some non-Christians asking the question: “Are we living in the End Times?”  Christians are also looking for hope, in the return of their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The excellent Christian website, ‘Got Questions’, says of Christ’s return to earth at the end of the age:

“The second coming of Jesus Christ is the hope of believers that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to the promises and prophecies in His Word.  In his first coming, Jesus Christ, came to earth as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, just as prophecised.  Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection. However, there are some prophecies regarding the Messiah that Jesus has not yet fulfilled.  The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfil these remaining prophecies.  In his first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In his second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances.  In the second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at his side”.

One prominent Christian writer, Dr Tom Meyer, an established authority on Biblical Prophecy, thinks that we are living the ‘End of Days’.  Dr Tom Meyer believes the time is indeed ticking on mankind and the Bible points out the clock has been ticking even before the arrival of the pandemic, and said, “Technically speaking, the clock has been ticking for humanity ever since Christ’s resurrection and ascension” – 1 John 2:18″.

Many other prominent Christian scholars are also led to believe the last days are upon us, basing this belief, on the plagues as described in ‘Revelation’.

Dr Tom Meyer continues: “But how close the clock is to hitting midnight, the Bible says no man knows, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows – Matthew 24:36”.

In recent weeks, many people have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The ‘Book of Revelation’ contains the final stages of what will happen and what we are experiencing now, which is a taste of things to come.

Other Christian thinkers, however, interpret the present times differently.  It is not that they deny the end of all present things and the second coming of Christ, it is just that they think the time is not now.  In line with this, another Bible scholar Jeff Kinley thinks that the present times of COVID are not a harbinger of the second coming and the events leading up to it.  Mr Kinley states that: “If a person was just completely ignorant about what the Bible says about ‘End Times’, they may think this is right now: “This is it”.

Jeff Kinley says he can understand why people are led to believe we are living in the days of tribulation.  Mr Kinley highlights the pandemic, climate change, overpopulation, decimation of other species, crashes on the stock exchange, wars and natural disasters, as to why people would think this.  Mr Kinley, an American himself, says that American Christian Evangelicals, are primed to expect the end of days, every time something horrendous occurs.  Mr Kinley points to a survey done in 2010 that many Americans thought Christ would return in 2050, by ‘Pew Research Centre’.  Jeff Kinley highlights Revelation 6:8 which states: “By sword, famine and plague” and Luke 21:11: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven”.  Jeff Kinley, however, believes that these descriptions are not of this era, but future events.

It is a historical fact, that people in the past and even recently, have thought pandemics were a harbinger of what Jesus spoke about in Luke 21:11 and as described in Revelation 6.8.  No doubt many of these people genuinely thought the end of days was upon them, but it didn’t come.  Others may have been trying to mislead people for their own glorification or led by Satan, as in the example, of the cult leader, David Koresh and others.

It is a fact that many Christians support Israel and believe the events concerning the Jewish state and the wider Middle East, point to Christ’s second coming.  Gary Ray says he and his fellow believers do not concern themselves with pandemics like COVID.  Rather they look to what is happening in Israel and the holy sites there, as a guide to the end times, and, Christ’s second coming.

So, there you are, a cornucopia of different Christian thinking about the end times and when they will take place.  Nevertheless, it is plain to see we are living in the last days, however long they may be, and current events would lead us to see the date approaching.  Clearly from a Biblical standpoint, the scriptures teach that there are still things to come, before the end.

Finally, the end of days events and the second coming of Christ (as described in scripture), will certainly happen some-day, and possibly, sooner than we think.  This is why Christians must be prepared for that day.  Believers must also be mindful of Satanic imposters, who would seek to lead us into deception and misguide us about such things.  This is where our spiritual discernment comes in.

The scriptures teach that after Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels declared to the apostles, “Men of Galilee; they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back the same way you have seen him go into heaven”(Acts 1:11).  Zechariah 14.4 identifies the location as the Mount of Olives.  Mathew 24:30 declares, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all nations will mourn.  They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory”.  Titus 2:13 describes the second coming as a “glorious appearing”.

The second coming is spoken of in detail in Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me, was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice, he judges and makes war. His eyes are a blazing fire, and on his head, are many crowns.  He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword to strike down the nations.  He will rule them with an iron sceptre.  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh has the name wrote: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORD”.

May we trust in Christ and be faithful to his teaching, as we look to his soon return that draws nearer each day.

God bless you.

Nick X.