The Beginning of an End and Visions for a New Creation

Main Idea: The end, as described in Scripture is not the end of the world, but the end of a system.

Message Goal: Prepare for the new thing that God is doing in the world.

Introduction

Recently, CAEA, the community I lead through a yearly reading of the Bible studied Ezekiel 38. If you are not familiar with Ezekiel 38, you are very well familiar with the stories that have come from its interpretation. It is the famous and most widely-used text to justify the idea of a battle, Armageddon, convening at the end of the world. I entered that study understanding the presuppositions of my audience, and even the fact that they may be convinced that Ezekiel 38-39 is prophesying of some future event that somehow includes the United States. However, I held a responsibility to tell the truth in the most unoffensive way, though the truth itself may offend.

So, I proceeded. And as I began to explain the contents of this prophecy, I discovered the Spirit’s ability to provide insight that was not previously possessed before engaging in the study. I do not say this to brag. I only wish to share that the Spirit’s ability to lead us into the deep things of God is real, and this is what I intend for us to experience tonight. Not that I have not studied, but that we are not reliant on my studying. We are dependent on the Spirit of God that grants wisdom.

One of the tragedies of studying biblical prophecy is that we have studied it within our world. It is quite appropriate to study it from our world. However, it is not okay to study it within our world, because the Bible and its prophecy is concerned with the world of its own. So then, to prepare you for what we will study tonight—I will share with you my premise and then create a framework that will help us understand what all of this means to us. Premise: The end, as it relates to the Bible, is not about the end of the earth, but about the end of system(s) that prevent the earth from being what it was intended to be. Now, there is a system that impacts several other systems. So the goal is to disable the system that impacts other systems, so creation can move forward in the purpose of God. Now, let’s build a few foundational arguments.

First, we should understand that the most common word for “end” in the New Testament is τέλος. It simply means to “end.” There’s no other meaning. The meaning only changes based on the context. That is, the end or an end is defined by the thing the context identifies as being ended. Here are a few examples:

Matthew 10:22 “22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

The end here is the end is that which is accomplished at the finality of one’s responsibility to preach the gospel as Jesus did. To endure through one’s persecution and hardships.

Matthew 24:6 “6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:13 “13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

The end here is referring to the end of the temple and all of its related activities.

Romans 10:4 “4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,”

The end of the law.

Nevertheless, there is a very clear meaning to the phrase “the end” that connects all of these passages together. There are a series of events that lead to an ultimate end. Here are a few:

The end of the law.

Romans 10:4 “4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes,”

The end of the ages (the end of eras).

1 Corinthians 10:11 “11 These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Now, these two things bring the ultimate end, or the “end of all things” as Peter states. 1 Peter 4:7 “7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.” However, it is the end of all things that bring us to the beginning of a new creation. And according to Peter, there is a way one is to act as they reach the end of all things and prepare for the beginning of new creation (1 Peter 4:8-11).