It’s easy to turn on the news and wonder whether or not we’re in the end times. In light of the tragedy and darkness that’s happening around the world, it’s easy to think that Jesus is going to come back riding on the clouds in just a matter of days.
While we will never know exactly when Jesus will come back, Scripture does give us some clues. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” This claim has two implications: one, nothing will prevent the spread of the gospel and, two, the Church has to take missions seriously as their duty.
Jesus is promising that, before the end, the gospel will go out to the whole world and nothing can stop it. Not persecution, not false prophets, nor the fall of society can percent the spread of the Gospel. Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
Jesus is also raising the stakes of eternity because He’s giving us a missions mindset. We are given the knowledge of the gospel, and it is our duty as Christians to share it with the whole earth. We can look forward to the day Jesus comes back because we will be taken to paradise and see God’s kingdom fully realized on earth. This hope should give us a sense of urgency as we go to the nations. Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
So, are we in the end times? No one knows except God the Father when Jesus comes back, but we can hope in the Gospel and live with confidence in our purpose of missions.
