Bluglary and Childbirth- It's the Apocolypse

A few weeks ago, during our “Promises of God” sermon series I preached about promises concerning the Second Coming of Jesus. That Sermon seemed to generate some really good discussoin for some of our folks. Combine that with the ammount of people that are generally wondering if the current state of affairs in our country and in the world are signs that the end of times is upon us, lead me to be studying passages in the Bible concerning the end of days. So, today I want to unpack a little of Paul’s message to the church in Thessolinica and see what we can glean about where we are in this season, and what the Bible encourages us to do with questions regarding the end of days.

So, let me first unpacks a few things, first. This world is going to end, there is no debating that. The Bible promises us that Jesus is going to return and that this world and everything in it will be consumed and then made new- brand new, by God. It is because of this the Bible contains passages, teachings, and exhortations themed around the Second Coming of Jesus.

The passages that the Bible contains in relation to the Apocalypse are very purposeful in their intent, and we would be wise to remember what they are there for. The point of the passages and teachings is not to give us some kind of secret treasure map to know what the end of the World looks like. Let me be frank- I believe that if God wanted us to know what the end of the world was going to look like he would have told us about it plainly in the Scriptures. God is not a God of confusion- he has given us the instruction that we need, nothing more and nothing less.

This is my dig with Revelation studies- one of the main question I ask people who want to study Revelation is what is your motive? Is it to know Jesus or to be able to know the end of days? After all, the entire title of the book is The Revelation of Jesus Christ- not the Revelation of the Apocalypse. Revelation is meant to draw us deeper into relationship with Jesus, not to be a field guide for predicting the end times.

This is a conversation that I had with someone a few years ago know in regard to End Times study. They had studied Revelation, the predictions in Matthew, today’s passage in 2 Thess 5, all of them. They had done multiple Bible studies, read articles, all of it; and all they ever wanted to talk with me about was the tribulation, the rapture, mark of the beast theories, etc. Finally, one day, they asked me what thought about something and I told them that I thought that if they put as much energy and emphasis on knowing Jesus as they put on knowing the end times their life would be more fruitful, more peaceful, and more purposeful.

So, let’s look at the text. It is extremely important for today’s topic that we understand the context of 2 Thessalonians. The Thessalonian church was wrestling with questions regarding death and the end times. They thought that Jesus was going to come back soon and it seemed as though they were wrong. Leaders in their church were starting to die- this letter is written around 50AD, so 15-20 years after Jesus’ death. People are beginning to wonder if they are believing a lie- Jesus was supposed to return, and he isn’t here yet?!?!”

So, let’s see what the text says to us.

Obsessing over knowing when is not the right response- Paul gives 2 comparisons in regards to the end of days- and they are connected to whether or not we know the Lord Jesus. He says that the coming of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, and like birth pains to a pregnant mother.

For those who do not know Jesus it is like a thief in the night. Now, I have never had a thief break into my house at night, but I have had some scares. One time when Jesus and I were sleeping a picture fell off the wall downstairs and I went all kinds of Chuck Norris on our bed sheets. My heart was beating out of my chest, I had the sweats, it was crazy. For those who do not know Jesus, his return is going to be terrifying and unexpected. A burglar breaking into our house is the middle of the night is a terrifying thought! Not knowing where they are, what they are there for, or anything else. And it is unexpected, because most of the time the burglar is not sending you any text message or email letting you know they are coming! The coming of the thief brings fear, calamity, and chaos.

But for those of us who know Jesus that same event is like birth pains. They are just as surprising as the thief in the night, but they are far from unexpected. A mother and father have been waiting 9 months for these pains, they have plans made, doctors arranged, and bags packed. For 9 months they have planned their lives around these pains. They are still surprising, and they still come with some shock, but instead of bringing fear the birthpains bring joy, delight, and excitement.

The coming of Jesus- as alarming as a burglar and as unavoidable as childbirth.

Paul reminds us to not focus our energy on trying to predict something that is unpredictable. Jesus said th”is much as well in Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” So, if someone tells you they have it figured out, they are saying they know more than Jesus- seems like dangerous territory to me.

The right response is to stay awake and sober- Why do all students hate a pop quiz? Because they want to be able to prepare, to study, and to know the test was coming. When I was a teen and my parents left me alone and gave me a list of chores to be done- I always wanted to know what time they would be home. Why? So I could calculate the exact time I needed to start my tasks to have them done no sooner than 2 minutes before their car hit the driveway. Procrastination- it was my gift. I wonder in many people do not take this same approach with the coming of Jesus. Trying to figure it out to wait to the last possible moment to get it right with him.

Paul says our energy should be placed on being alert and awake. Living our lives with purpose.I heard my granddaddy pray- literally hundreds of times- these words- “Lord, you may come back or call me home before I finish this prayer; and I am ready.” That’s how I want to live, that’s how I want this church to operate- ready and prepared.

Awake and sober Christians wear the right gear- Imagine a firefighter who did not take the time to bring their suit to a fire; it would be a catastrophic failure. Unprepared, unable to do the task. Paul reminds us that as Christians we too must suit up. With the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope of our salvation. Listen to the operative words again- faith, love, and hope. In a world full of hate speech, messages of judgement and pain, and intent on dominance and power- we are to carry with us very different things.

In a world that offers enough messages of “Repent or DIE!” As Christ’s ambassadors we are offered the chance to carry a message of “Repentre and LIVE!” A message grounded in the same truth, but carried with different intent. These are the lenses that we are to view the story of Revelation is redemption. member, while judgement plays a part in the story- the end of the story of the Bible is not judgement, it is renewal Too many Christians have fallen trap to thinking that end of goal of God is to judge sin. While the judgement of mankind is a significant piece of the story, it is not the end goal. The story of the Bible does not point to judgement, it points to redemption; where we are reunited with God.

This is why our tethering points in this conversation have to be faith, hope, and love- because that is what the end of the world is rooted in.

At the end of this teaching- Paul calls us to encouragement for one another- One of the major problems I see with contemporary presentation of Apocalyptic passages is focus. Paul works and unpacks some really important stuff about Revelation and the return of Jesus- and what is his ending call- ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER. The Greek word he uses can also be translated exhortation.

In other words, what Paul is calls us to is a positive ministry in terms of Apocalyptic passages.

Are these birth-pains? In Matt 24 Jesus talks about birth pains, and relates certain human conditions to the birth pains that show that this new world of Jesus is coming. Many have used this teaching of Jesus to advocate that their point in history is the end of days. Every generation has had their war, their natural disaster, their sickness that they have claimed is the fulfillment of this prophecy. I love how Michael Greene spoke to using these passages to try and justify these beliefs

“The whole approach is utterly mistaken. All such attempts have proved wrong, and they will continue to do so. They are not only unhelpful, but positively dangerous in Christian circles. On the one hand, they preoccupy people’s attention and detract from living usefully and responsibly in this world now; on the other, they breed the disillusionment that springs from disappointed hopes and unwarranted predictions. Jesus said he did not know. We can be sure that nobody else does.”

We must remember that Jesus is not just speaking to us through this passage- he is speaking directly to a present audience. He is telling them that the wars and the pestilence and the natural disasters they would see were birth pains too- it has not taken 2000 years to see the world calling out for Jesus- in fact it didnt even take 30 years. Let me explain

We estimate that Jesus died in 33AD-

We say that the Persecution we face today is birth pains- but persecution has been around since the beginning.

By 49AD Jews were expelled from Rome

by 64AD Nero is killing Christians

In 70AD Titus Destroys the Temple

We say that the wars and riots are birth pains- but those are nothing new either.

The Romans went to war against the Parthians in 58AD

The Jews and Romans had their first war in 66AD

And what about Riots?

From 46-48 there were major riots in Galilee right where Jesus walked.

There were major Riots in Alexandria in 66AD

Jerusalem was almost destroyed by Riots in 66AD as well

Natural Disasters? Those too

62 was the Earthquake that destroyed Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius Erupted in 79.

It seems to me like the phrase we must really remember in this teaching of Jesus is ALL OF THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF THE BIRTH-PAINS. In other words, every war, every riot, every natural disaster, every persecution is a sign that this world is temporary and will pass away, they are all given to us to point us to the redemption of Jesus.

Paul said this same thing, in Romans 8:19-22 he wrote “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”