And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:31 NIV)
The study of mankind's destiny is called eschatology. It is both fascinating and frightening. In this verse from Matthew's gospel, we see a bit of Jesus' own description of his second coming at the end of times. It is ominous! In fact, he is in the middle of warning his disciples to be on guard against evil men claiming to be him.
For us it seems remote, even metaphorical: Jesus lived so far in the past. The end of times feels like a vague future to come long after we will probably depart this world.
But imagine if you had been Jesus' friend, had walked along too many dusty roads with him, had seen him heal people with a single touch, and had all the proof you needed that he was God come to be with us as a man! You are one hundred percent certain of his divinity because you eat with him every day and watch him all the time. And then he starts talking about how bad things are going to get before he returns in glory.
In today's verse, Jesus describes the real signs that will occur just before he returns to gather his people, so his followers can recognize false claims and avoid the deception of evil.
Two thousand years have passed since then, which can be very confusing since people have interpreted signs incorrectly all these years! For my part, I am content with a few of Jesus' other words, "...see to it that you are not alarmed." We have been given the Holy Spirit for these times while we wait for Jesus' return. The Holy Spirit gives us strength and discernment to recognize and confront evil even when it appears to be good.
Today, I will listen for the promptings of the Holy Spirit in my heart as I move through this day, allowing them to guide my choices.
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