For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that . . . we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other.
—1 THESSALONIANS 5:9–11
DO YOU THINK HE’S COMING BACK? People flocked to the most highly anticipated Hollywood movie release in the summer of 2012 for the answer.
Who were they talking about? The legendary comic-strip superhero of the 1940s, a caped crusader who triumphs over archvillains. Batman has been idolized in print, on television, and more recently in theaters.
As a boy, I loved comic books and read every one I could get my hands on more than once. The stories I read taught the lesson that evil deeds will be trampled and victory will reign. What was once a form of comic entertainment for children has become cosmic adventure for adults, who find delight in a new pop-culture phenomenon—the emergence of recreational evil. Many see it as frivolous until its reality fills hearts with trepidation.
On July 20, 2012, fans filled movie theaters for the premier of Warner Brothers’ production The Dark Knight Rises, in which citizens of the fictitious Gotham City wonder if Batman will come back to save their cosmopolitan way of life from nuclear annihilation.
While the plot is fictional, it profiles humanity’s great search to understand good and evil. But an astonishing story emerged when the evil characters—not the hero—seemed to capture the admiration of fans. Many arrived in costumes to mimic the villains.
The Telegraph in London wrote that the movie was a “superhero film without a superhero”1 because the would-be superstar faltered in many ways and illustrious criminals had a greater allure to wild imaginations. One reviewer noted that Bane, the primary villain, “wears a ventilator mask [and] fills [the] morgue with innocents”2 and another claimed the Tom Hardy character “was able to execute emotion and intimidate the audience using just his eyes and forehead.”3 The film’s director, Christopher Nolan, added in an interview that the character is “very complex and very interesting and . . . people will be very entertained by him.”4 Newsweek simply reported that “Audiences will be blown away.”5
So electrifying was the marketing campaign that people around the world stood in lines at 6:30 in the morning to buy advance tickets while others avoided queues by going online to purchase the right to occupy the coveted seats.
The multimillion-dollar advertising campaign thrilled fans with anticipation worldwide, from Australia to Korea to France. Lavish trailers designed to tantalize the emotions and lure entertainment seekers revealed morsels of the plot’s prophecy: “A fire will rise” splashed across the screen, throngs of people eerily chanting, and a scene where Catwoman whispers to Batman’s alter-ego, “There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne.”6
In spite of a caution that children ages thirteen and under should not see the movie, fans brought children as young as five years old and filled an Aurora, Colorado, theater, ecstatic to attend the midnight premiere of the predicted blockbuster film.
While the audience was captivated by the high-tech drama and powerful violence, a twenty-four-year-old man slipped into the theater wearing a gas mask and tactical gear. Moviegoers who noticed him thought he was part of a publicity stunt to promote the film. Instead, a premeditated attack began with tear gas followed by dispersing ammunition into the audience of eyewitnesses. Within minutes chaos turned to carnage, and the theater became a sinister crime scene.7
When the raid ceased, the perpetrator disappeared from the theater. When captured, he introduced himself as the Joker.8 He certainly had not entertained the crowd as the villains in the trilogy of films had; rather, he had executed a hideous plan with precision, leaving victims screaming, groaning, or dead.
The film continued to flash across the big screen, but spectators were no longer looking for Batman to come back and save the imaginary city. Those who had ducked underneath the seats were terrified of the masked sniper. Some moaned whispers, “Do you think he’s coming back?” In the aftermath survivors bellowed that the dark night had risen—indeed. A woman who later recounted the massacre said, “I came thinking that good would win over evil, but evil has triumphed again. I will always be on the lookout for evil that lurks in the darkness.”9
THE UNEASE OF OUR TIME
Reports were chilling as pop culture was unmasked. Observers wondered why spectators flock to entertainment that feeds fear and deposits caustic thoughts into unstable minds. Could it be for the reason one woman revealed why she and her family frequent such films? She stated that she believes it is fun to be in a large auditorium where everyone is screaming in “holy terror.” During the conversation, she also pointed out, “It’s a rare moment that seems to bring strangers together because the panic from the big screen affects everyone the same.” Fans in Aurora had stepped into a virtual world before midnight, but they discovered that the dark night brought unwelcomed reality and untold pain.
Christopher Nolan also released a statement in which he said, “Watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. . . . The idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating.”10 He didn’t mention the fact that such savagery had been orchestrated and promoted for worldwide pleasure. One could ask, “How can violence ever be a joyful pastime?”
An Entertainment Weekly reporter surprisingly wrote,
The Dark Knight [trilogy] has captured the unease of our times—the post-traumatic stress of so much catastrophe, the ominous dread that there’s more and maybe worse to come; the worry (and denial) that we’re handling the whole thing wrong and becoming worse for it. . . . I’m ready to leave the dark night behind and make a better, truer future.11
Everywhere, people seemed to be asking, “Is there any hope that society can be changed?”
I was struck by these sentiments because of the resentment people have to the message of the Bible that predicts a storm is coming. A fire will rise; the final war between good and evil will take place, and good—not evil—will triumph. Why do people accept violence from the world as entertainment and pay good money to be scared to death by Hollywood while at the same time curse the Christian message of truth, which warns of evil and offers refuge from the terrorist of the soul?
The same people who say that preachers frighten them with such violence are not listening to the antidote. You see, there is hope for the hearts of mankind to be changed.
HOPE AND CHANGE
Are we ready for hope and change? Most would say yes. That idea captured a nation and ushered in a new American president in 2008. Four years later citizens returned to the polls despite their dashed hopes, and the president was reelected; but the world had not found the hope it sought, though there had been change.
Hopelessness abounded. News outlets such as the BBC, Al Jazeera, NPR, CNN, and even Facebook ran articles about “Hope and Change in Israel.”
Headlines announced a “Coalition for Hope and Change in Afghanistan.” War continues.
“Is There Any Hope for Change in Sudan?” Christians are still under attack.
“Iraqis Hope for Change.” Things don’t look good.
One headline writer offered a glimmer of hope—“How to Make Hope and Change Happen”—but the article offered no solutions.
Few are finding hope as revealed in these stories: “Young People Lose Hope in Asia,” “No Change—Dwindling Hope” (in the Middle East), and “Why Hope and Change Is Dead” (in America). The articles don’t leave readers much hope for change. But one headline writer posed a worthy question: Are we “Looking for Hope in All the Wrong Places”?
Hope seems a rare commodity in our society today. Hoping in science, education, social programs, and government has proven hollow. We’ve grasped the fringe of technology, bringing instant messaging and global communication, but technology has also given us nuclear warheads to destroy those with whom we communicate.
Back in 1968, John W. Gardner, US secretary of health, education and welfare under President Lyndon Johnson, stated,
More and more [people] feel threatened by runaway technology, by large-scale organizations, by overcrowding. More and more . . . are appalled by the ravages of industrial progress, by the defacement of nature, by man-made ugliness. If our society continues at its present rate to become less livable as it becomes more affluent, we promise all to end up in sumptuous misery.12
Almost fifty years later people are still restless, still hopeless, and in utter despair.
So where do we place our hope? What do we want changed? Who can fulfill our hopes? And how can anyone bring about change that will make this world better? I can tell you that no one belonging to the human race is capable. The flaw in human nature is too great. Humanity’s lofty ideas at best fall short.
Socialist and communist regimes attempt to spread oppression beyond their borders while their people dream of fleeing tyranny; these people want change, they want freedom. Sharia-governed nations want to change the world with their brand of repression while their people silently hope to escape their cloistered existence.
People who oppose change are often ridiculed while those who campaign for change are celebrated. But the objective of change is the key. When someone exchanges right for wrong, change becomes a wicked agent.
Few would disagree that the world has benefitted from changing our modes of transportation—replacing horses with automobiles and exchanging passenger ships for planes—or replacing oil lamps with electricity. While some countries have won freedom from bondage, others are in danger of exchanging freedom for bondage. We have seen freedom of speech give license to spewing hate and tolerance skewing right and wrong. We take pride in having freedom, but freedom in what? Some freedom-lovers value laws based on moral standards while others fight for laws that uphold the debasement of immorality. Some want to change what God has defined as evil and define it as good. Change can be good; it can also be very bad.
It is, therefore, stunning to consider that those who have enjoyed liberty to live and worship freely are dropping an anchor of hope in other human beings who promise change for the better but who can’t deliver. Some harness freedom and open the floodgates of chaos. Still people clamor for hope and change, blinded to evil disguised as good. When people begin saying that “hope is an ugly four-letter word,” we have a glimpse into the desperation of the human heart. Clearly hope and change according to the world’s definitions are not the answers.
Harvard graduate and Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist Walter Lippmann once stated: “For us all the world is disorderly and dangerous, ungoverned and apparently ungovernable.”13 Lippmann died in 1974, but his words still seem apt. Who alone can overcome the danger of evil and restore order? Who alone can govern the world?
The answer will come out of Heaven on the clouds of glory when the holy One steps out from the throne room of Heaven and brings victorious change to this weary and wicked world. The God of hope will speak the word, sending His Son once more from Heaven to earth; for this is the fulfillment of His whole word to the whole world. He is the only Change Agent who transforms man’s nature by changing his source of hope. But only those who have acknowledged this truth and accepted it will recognize Him on the great day that He comes again.
Who is this Man of hope? His name is Jesus Christ. Hope rests in God’s Son alone, not in the affairs or the change agents of this world.
True hope and real change is coming to this world. No government can prevent it, no individual can escape it, and those who refuse to embrace its reality will never change its certainty. The end of the world as we know it will take place when Christ returns to earth. It is a doomsday prediction for scoffers who refuse to believe, but it is a glorious prospect for those who know He is coming again.
Jesus Christ will one day come back in great glory—as King. Are you looking for Him?
OPTIMISM CAN KILL YOU
Admiral Jim Stockdale was one of the highest-ranking officers in the US Navy, served in Vietnam, and spent time as a prisoner of war in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” He once was asked which men did not make it out of the war prison. His answer was surprising: “The optimists.” He went on to explain. “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.”14
This is what Scripture teaches. We cannot take ourselves off the hook by hoping that we will escape God’s judgment without confronting the brutal fact of sin and dealing with its reality. Sin is a killer, and sin will be massacred in the Day of Judgment. Jesus said,
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. . . .
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. . . . Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:7–8, 10, 12–14)
Truth is not always pleasant, but truth is always absolute. When optimism ignores truth, the reality of hope dies.
FOUR-LETTER WORDS: HOPE AND LOVE
The truth about hope in God is found in His glorious Gospel, the Good News of salvation, motivated by the most magnificent four-letter word—love. True love will always sound the alarm and point to the way of escape. The attributes of God cannot be fathomed, but they are to be followed. The Bible says that God is “kind to the unthankful and evil” (Luke 6:35).
So how can God stand by and allow people to die in their sin, you may ask? He didn’t stand by; He sent His Son to the cross. He doesn’t stand by today and turn His face from sinners; He extends His long arm of salvation. Will you reach out and take what He lovingly offers? Are you considering Him?
Scripture is relentless in confirming the patience of God, but a time will come when He says, “Enough!” The Bible says, “The hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live” (Ecclesiastes 9:3). This is revealed every day around the world and certainly in America, a nation whose foundation was built upon the principal truths of Almighty God. My wife, Ruth, once said, “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Not long ago when the most precious human institution—marriage—came under brutal attack in my home state of North Carolina, I wondered what Ruth would think of America if she were alive today. In the few short years that she’s been gone, our nation has wandered further down the moral ladder. Millions of babies have been aborted while the government pays money we don’t have to save the whales. We are outraged at violence, one against another, while we pay money to be entertained by glorifying violence.
Society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone—except God. Yet the further we get from God, the more America and, yes, the whole world spirals out of control. Self-centered indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are our own emblems of a pop-culture lifestyle. My heart aches for the nations and its deceived people.
There was a time when other nations looked up to the United States and desired to emulate what made America great. It wasn’t prosperity and living the American dream that made America great but reverence for God and living according to His Word. The results were untold blessings. God used America to spread the Gospel to the world. Now we see many of its citizens shaking their fists in the face of Almighty God.
How can we escape our own sin-inflicted darkness? How can we rise from the dark night and change from bleak existence into the light of hope for a better life?
The answers to these questions are found in God’s Word. But within the answers is the reality that a day of doom is coming for many. It is not a fictional tale. It is a faithful truth. The Bible tells us that Jesus is coming back in great glory. Are you expecting Him?
He is not a caped crusader—He is the crucified Christ. He is not a superhero who falters—He is the Savior who rescues. He is not make-believe—He is Master. He is not a legend—He is Lord. He isn’t created by fantasy—He is favored by God. He is not an icon—He is the Intercessor. He is not a force—He is the Forgiver. He is not imaginary—He is infallible. He does not vanish into exile—He redeems to the end. He is not a virtual winner—He is the Victor. He does not resemble hope—He is the resurrection of Hope. He is not a revolutionary—He is the Righteous Ruler. He is not a knight in hiding—He is the coming King.
The Bible speaks the truth about the dark side of human nature and the dark future of those who refuse God’s offer of salvation. I would not be honest with you if I just told you the happy ending. The truth is that there will be a glorious ending, but we cannot ignore the Bible’s warning that a day is coming when sin will have its final judgment.
THE DARK KNIGHT OR THE COMING KING
God does not leave us alone to wallow in this terrorized reality. How do I know? The Bible tells us that Christ the risen One is coming back someday very soon. His name is Jesus, and He will conquer the dark knight of evil—his name is Satan. This is the true story of good versus evil. It is real. The Victor and the villain will be embroiled in battle. And the outcome is certain: King Jesus will overcome the evil one. The villain with all of his vileness will be bound in the bowels of obscurity. His dominion will be cast down for eternity. My friend, this is good news—this is real hope.
The Lord Jesus is the God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. We see this in the biblical account of Nineveh, the lone world superpower of its day—wealthy, unconcerned, self-centered . . . and targeted for divine destruction. But when the reluctant prophet Jonah finally heeded God, traveled to Nineveh, and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented. Nineveh was saved.
Now the questions for those who are estranged from this merciful God are: Will you ally yourself with the villain and follow him to the place of eternal judgment, or will you distinguish yourself as belonging to the Overcomer, the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you confess that you are done with the dark night and come into the light of His salvation? Will you rise to the heights of the King’s glory or sink into the dark night of eternal condemnation?
Some may say, “You’re frightening me!” If you were given the opportunity to meet a king, would you refuse the invitation out of fear? Or would you rush to put on your finest garment and wait patiently for an audience with royalty? The answer is found in whether or not you are received by the king as his ally or his rival. If you have obeyed the king, you will anticipate being in his presence. If you know that you have come against the king, you will be in terror of standing before him.
We see the world kicking God out of education, government, marriages, the home, and even church. Yet when terror strikes, people clasp their hands and bend their knees, calling on God to meet them in their time of distress, asking Him to lift their burden, begging for a different outcome.
Here is God’s message to you: “Come to Me. . . . Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). Don’t wait for tragedy to strike before you turn to Him. He is waiting for you to come to Him now. Don’t wait for the day of doom—it will be too late. When you come to Him, you must remain with Him.
My friend, we will all stand before the great and mighty King of Heaven one day. The Bible gives us this wonderful hope. You do not have to live in dread of this coming event. The Bible tells of judgment coming to those who have rejected Christ, but it also makes it clear that those who have received Him should anticipate the moment of His return with thrilling wonder.
This is the reason for Scripture’s repeated warning: “Prepare to meet your God” (Amos 4:12; also see Matthew 24:44 and 1 John 2:28). What a marvelous command. What a glorious hope.
THE LOVING WARNING FROM GOD
This was the message from the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, in the Old Testament. He was known as the doomsday prophet, called to warn the people that judgment would come if they didn’t repent. The Israelites refused to heed God’s warning that they must turn from their sinful ways. Not even his family believed his message from God; he felt terribly alone.
Jeremiah knew, however, the faithful love that prompted the Lord to command that people repent of their wickedness. Boldly he proclaimed: “Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good’” (Jeremiah 18:11).
Let me emphasize that this is a hopeful message. God’s warnings are always fortified with hope. Aren’t you thankful when the fire alarm sounds, giving the opportunity to douse the flames or escape a blaze that is out of control? Aren’t you relieved to hear a siren when you’re in trouble and know that help is on its way? If your ship begins to sink, will you refuse to board the lifeboat? The Bible has given us fair warning and shown us the way of escape. Will you heed the sirens’ sounding, or will you scoff at Heaven’s call?
Jeremiah was sounding the alarm that a storm was brewing, shouting the way of escape. But the people ignored Jeremiah. They scoffed at the holy Word of God. Because of the people’s extreme love for evil, because of their salacious appetite for wickedness, they willingly rebelled and replied, “We will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:12). Doesn’t this sound familiar today?
Distraught by the coming night of darkness, Jeremiah had prayed to God,
You are my hope in the day of doom.
Let them be ashamed who persecute me. . . .
Let them be dismayed. . . .
Bring on them the day of doom,
And destroy them with double destruction!
(JEREMIAH 17:17–18)
And how did the Lord respond to His servant Jeremiah? He exhibited patience and commanded Jeremiah to continue proclaiming God’s urgent message: “Go and stand in the gate . . . and say . . . ‘Hear the word of the LORD’” (vv. 19–20), giving the people warning to “take heed to yourselves” (v. 21). Sadly, they still “did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction” (v. 23). And the destruction Jeremiah predicted did come to pass.
This was certainly not the first or last time God spoke about the day of doom. His compassionate warnings provide a way of escape, a way to salvation. And His warnings are most often followed by promises full of hope. Are you heeding the warning or grasping for another way? My friend, God’s way is the right way—it is the only way.
ESCAPING FLOODS AND FIRE
We see this in the epic story of Noah, perhaps the most unlikely seaman in the history of the world. Jesus spoke of Noah, who was the first in the Bible to be called a righteous man. Jesus was predicting that a dark night was coming and equated this warning with the one God gave to the people of Noah’s day—destruction is coming once again to earth.
There will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world. . . .
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. . . . All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. . . .
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. . . .
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:21, 29–30, 37–39, 44)
Peter also wrote about the days of Noah:
Be mindful of the words which were spoken . . . by the holy prophets . . . knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment. . . .
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise . . . but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:2–7, 9)
The earth was destroyed by water before Christ’s first coming; and it will be destroyed again by fire at Christ’s second coming—but it will also be cleansed. Fire can destroy, but fire also purifies. We see God’s message reflected in floodwaters that submerged the earth in the early chapters of Scripture, and we can almost feel the fervent heat spoken of in the last books of the Bible; flames that will engulf the earth, dissolving its elements, making provision for the fulfillment of promise.
What miner who discovers gold does not put it through the refiner’s fire to uncover its worth? God is the Master Miner and Refiner. The earth belongs to Him, but human sin has polluted it. He is coming back to reclaim what is rightfully His and has invited those whose sin has been cleansed to reign with Him in a new Heaven and a new earth.
Do you see the reflection of God’s purity in the promised flames? He will not dwell on a sin-infested planet. He will strike it with fire that will burn away the dross. He will restore humanity and its dwelling to the pristine condition that was in the beginning. For those who believe in Him, there is no reason to fear the end because the end is the new beginning. This is very good news; it is God’s message of great hope to the world.
The human heart does not change without Christ transforming it. For those who believe they can be good without repentance from total depravity, without humbling themselves before Jesus Christ, who redeems fallen humanity, they are engaged in folly, just as in the days of Noah:
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD . . . was grieved in His heart. . . .
God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. (Genesis 6:5–6, 12)
But thank God there was a man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Only eight souls—Noah and his family—survived the greatest catastrophe the world has ever known. The story of the great Flood occurred when the days of Noah were filled with violence. People loved sin—they idolized sin; they were immersed in sin. The flood was not a natural catastrophe but a moral one. It was God’s judgment on people’s disbelief in God, reflected in their attitudes and actions. So God set a time limit, warning people to change (repent of sin) or be swept away in a drowning flood. But His warning was not without hope. How do I know? God told Noah to build an ark.
The Bible teaches from cover to cover that judgment is coming. But even in God’s judgment His love is dominant and His patience protracted. And He never gives warning without providing hope for those who will listen.
There are many still today who reject God based on the story of Noah alone. Why should this surprise us? The entire population, except eight souls, scoffed at Noah as he preached that judgment was coming. Not much has changed. The world is still scoffing at those who proclaim God’s warning that judgment is on its way but everlasting peace will follow. Don’t fail to see the warning and the promise.
In 2012, even in the midst of one of the most heated election seasons in American history, we saw the display of multiple thousands of citizens demanding that God be removed from the national political scene. They did not want to be aligned with “In God We Trust.” They apparently would rather trust in flawed people who have no control over tomorrow.
Only through a deep abiding faith in what cannot be seen is it possible to trust in God. The scorn of others can be a powerful explosive on a person’s faith in God if it is not empowered by His absolute truth.
Consider Noah. God did. The Bible says, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8).
THE HUNDRED-YEAR WARNING
Can you imagine what the people thought when Noah began chopping down trees and building an enormous ark on dry land, far from any ocean? Noah knew nothing about sailing the high seas, and he certainly was at a loss as to how to build a boat, even with God’s detailed instructions. But he believed God when He said it would rain and the land would flood, in spite of the fact that it had never rained upon the earth. Still, over a hundred-year period, Noah faithfully carried out God’s command. Noah’s faith defied all human rationale. Through his obedience, he exhibited faith in God and was called righteous.
This monumental assignment from Heaven surely required Noah to hire workers to carry out God’s command. These men must have thought their work was without purpose. Perhaps they had faith in their work to build a vessel of safety but didn’t have enough faith to heed the warning to climb aboard before water began falling from the heavens.
But Noah believed God by faith in “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). That is authentic faith. He so revered God that he prepared the ark “for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (v. 7). Would you commit yourself to an ark of salvation while it sits on dry land?
I am so thankful that Noah and his family trusted the Master of the sea and the Captain of the ship. Noah kept his eyes on God, and God gave him the strength to endure rejection, truth to rebuke the world, and faith to receive God’s righteousness. How marvelous is God’s patience with us. God had extended His love, righteousness, and mercy to the people of Noah’s day in every possible way. They rejected it all.
It is hard to fathom what went through Noah’s mind as he walked up the plank and entered the only door to the ark. As a preacher, I can’t comprehend preaching for one hundred twenty years, as Noah did, with no converts. A waterfall of tears must have washed down his face as he felt the waves lift the boat that swiftly carried him away from a world that had turned its back on the repeated warning.
Were the people still ridiculing Noah and laughing at him as he sailed away, or did Noah hear the gut-wrenching cries as the waters deepened and people struggled to reach the ark of safety? Either way, it was too late. The people had settled for the world they loved and died in the restless waves of their choosing.
Today those who rebuke the world for its immorality and injustice are considered intolerant, but God’s warning is a rebuke on man’s sin, and His salvation will not be granted to those who continue in it. Here in the early pages of Scripture, we see the reality of sin and God’s great invitation to flee from it and “come into the ark” (Genesis 7:1). We see the tremendous hope that God grants. This is the first time Scripture uses the word come, and it reveals the heart of a saving God. All through Scripture we hear this welcoming word. Come!
God had told Noah to make a window for the ark for light and only one door to enter in. Do not miss the symbolism of this marvelous picture. Christ is the ark of salvation. He is the Light of the World. And Jesus also said, “I am the door” (John 10:9)—the only way to salvation.
Just imagine being aboard the ark during a forty-day monsoon and riding the surges and breakers for months before feeling the boat rest on dry land. Over the course of a year or more, Noah’s family of eight experienced the faithfulness of God’s protection, realized the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, and then beheld the favor of God’s promise—a rainbow—to signify that the earth would never again be destroyed by water.
We today have the advantage of looking back in history on what was to come and did come to pass, yet we turn a blind eye to what is happening and a deaf ear to warnings of what is yet to happen. A British reporter has said, “The world is on a collision course with disaster.”15
HIS COMING IS HOPE
Today the only bright spot on the horizon is the promise of the coming again of Christ. This is God’s message, and this is the message that Christ’s church is commanded to proclaim. The church is not bound in a building or in a denomination. The church—represented by the people of God—has been given the task of sounding the alarm for humanity to repent and turn from the sin that reigns in human hearts, just as Noah did in ancient days.
God keeps His promises, and this is why we can be sure that the return of Christ is near. Scripture tells us that there will be signs pointing toward the return of the Lord. I believe all of these signs are evident today. Those who refuse to repent have no hope. They live in fear of what will happen when life as we know it comes to an end. For them, the second coming of Christ is doomsday preaching. But for those who have put their hope in the Savior of the world, the future shines as an ever-brightening beam in a darkening world. This is not fanciful imagination, but the clear and repeated testimony of the Bible.
What a time to take the news of the day in one hand and the Bible in the other and watch the unfolding of the great drama of the ages come together. This is an exciting and thrilling time to be alive. I would not want to live in any other period. The Apocalypse (the unveiling of the end times) speaks powerfully of trouble ahead with storm warnings that carry a booming jolt of truth. The warning is clear: prepare to meet thy God—followed by the voice of the gentle Shepherd—“Come.”
A new world is coming. The paradise that man lost will be regained. One day we will live in a brand-new world. Someday Christ will come again to conquer evil and establish His perfect rule over all creation. But until then God wants to give everyone an opportunity to know Christ through repentance and faith. Regardless of what society says, we can’t go on much longer in the sea of immorality without judgment coming. We are at a crossroads, and there are profound moral issues at stake. It is time to return to biblical truth.
The book of Matthew clearly speaks of coming judgment in a ninety-seven-verse profile of what the world will look like before Jesus’ return to earth (Matthew 24–25). We see Jesus as King who will come back and remake the world and establish His kingdom. Do you know the King?
While Jesus walked on earth, He preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God. This is a message that even the church sometimes fails to preach, yet it answers the questions that are on people’s minds today: Is the end of the world coming soon? Will the earth be destroyed? What is our fate? The world says this is all a great mystery, but the Bible tells us with certainty that Jesus is coming again to bring an end to the human experience and usher in a glorious eternity for those who stand with Him. The Bible says, “The day of the LORD is coming” (Zechariah 14:1). He is the coming King, and there is a heavenly kingdom coming. Are you prepared for the end times?
The late Dr. S. M. Lockridge, who addressed the Billy Graham School of Evangelism on several occasions, recorded a video tribute to Jesus Christ, the King of kings. It is worth seeing. This remarkable bit of preaching was combined with images, and the resulting video went viral on YouTube. It beautifully captures the enthusiasm of those who know Jesus is coming again. I love what he said. “Do you know Him? . . . You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. . . . That’s my King!”16
When God spoke to the prophet Isaiah about the coming salvation, He told him to write down everything he heard,
that it may be for the time to come
as a witness forever.
(ISAIAH 30:8 ESV)
He added,
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you. . . .
blessed are all those who wait for him.
(V. 18 ESV)
Christ’s coming again is mentioned all through Scripture. We are told that the world will one day acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11), that Jesus will sit on the throne (Luke 1:32), and that there will be universal joy among the redeemed (Isaiah 51:11).
What can we do to prepare for this great day? Believe in Him who makes your salvation sure. Rest in hope that He is purifying you (1 John 3:3). Desire His imminent return. Wait patiently for the promise to be fulfilled (Hebrews 11:9–10). Watch in faith for His coming again (Hebrews 11:13). Look for this blessed hope (Titus 2:13).
The Bible tells us that the state of the world will grow darker as we near the end of the age. This is evident when we hear even secular news reporters from many of the major networks make statements such as “The world has gone nuts,” or ask questions such as “What is the world coming to?”
The book of Revelation gives us the answers, and while many feel that it is difficult and demanding to read, it is the only biblical book whose author promises a blessing to those who read it. The end of the world as we know it will culminate with Jesus Christ coming again as the King triumphant.
I am deeply aware of the enormous problems that face our world today and the dangerous trends that seem to be leading our world to the brink of Armageddon. The “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so that the light of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will have no impact. The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will take the world by storm, promising prosperity and peace. His popularity will lure hearts and deceive minds. The human race will be caught up in exhilaration, believing the Antichrist alone will solve their dilemmas and bring global tranquility. This is why the Bible warns, “Be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:40). But when the King of glory breaks through the storm clouds, He will reveal to the world the great deceiver and gather to Himself all those who belong to Him.
Nothing is taking God by surprise, nor should it catch us unaware. This string of events has been foretold in the pages of Scripture. History speaks of it, and history is being made as the world moves rapidly toward the climax when God’s Son, Jesus Christ, returns as the rightful Ruler of the world.
It is not just Christians that sense something is about to happen. The world knows that things cannot go on as they are. History has reached an impasse. This world is on a collision course. Something is about to give. With increasing frequency, commentators from secular media speak of Armageddon. The Telegraph in Great Britain ran an article, “Doomsday Clock ticks one minute closer to Armageddon.”17 A Fox News headline speaks of “Taking the pulse of Armageddon.”18 While reporters speculate on the timetable and attempt to decipher the signs, the truth is that no one but God Himself knows when that time will come. But it will come!
This strikes many people with great fear, but fear can be overcome by faith in God. Remember that while the Bible sounds the alarm and warns mankind to prepare, the Bible also predicts a fabulous future for those who trust in Him. He who does all things well will bring beauty from the ashes of world chaos. A new world will be born. A new social order will emerge when Christ comes back. A fabulous future is on the way. The second coming of Christ will be so revolutionary that it will change every aspect of life on this planet. Christ will reign in righteousness. Disease will be eliminated. Death will be abolished. War will be eradicated. Nature will be transformed. Men, women, and children will live as life was originally designed, in fellowship with God and each other.
Does this give you hope for real change? If not, I urge you to examine where you stand before the God of judgment, but with the certain hope that He is the same God of peace.
Someone once observed that there are three days a week that we have no control over—yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We only have this moment in time to prepare for eternity. For those who delay, why do you wait? If you think you can clean up your past to make preparation feasible, your efforts are futile. You can’t change your past, but you can change your future.
MY HOPE
Perhaps you have read this book out of curiosity. Maybe you have turned each page looking for inspiration. It is even possible you have studied each word, searching for answers. My hope is that the message you have read in this book will drive you to God’s Book, which holds the key to hope for tomorrow—eternal life—and that you will have the certainty of knowing that your future will be secure in the promises of eternal hope found only in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You see, one glorious day the Lord Jesus is going to open the Book of Life and He will read the names of the redeemed. “Anyone not found written in the Book of Life” will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Do you know the voice of the Savior? Will you hear Him call your name?
I will hear Him call my name not because I have preached for more than seventy years. Not because I have done anything good. I will hear my name because His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). The Lord Jesus has heard my confession of sin, my acknowledgment of need, and He reached down and saved me. He purchased my soul with His blood.
What about you? Is your name written in the Book of Life? Do you long to hear Him call you by name? Are you ready for the dark night to end? Are you ready for a new day, a new world, a new way of life? Are you ready for God’s provision of true hope and real change?
There is coming a day of greater conflict than the world has ever known. Those who belong to Jesus Christ will endure persecution with hope, knowing that God’s righteousness will be victorious over the embattlement of sin. Where do you stand on the battlefield of good versus evil?
Friend, I can tell you that if you belong to the King of Heaven you will be victorious when the end of time as we know it comes. I have read the last page of the Bible. If you know Him, everything’s going to turn out all right. Jesus, the changeless One whose promises never change (Malachi 3:6), will break through the dark night and rise as the conquering Champion and reigning King of glory.
The psalmist declared,
The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness. . . .
For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters. . . .
Who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation. . . .
Lift up your heads. . . .
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle. . . .
He is the King of glory.
(PSALM 24)
In the last book of the Bible, Jesus declares, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).
Do you think He is coming back? I don’t think it; I know He’s coming back—and soon. THIS IS MY HOPE.
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us.
(TITUS 2:13–14)