All Over in 2012? A New Year’s Sermon

It happens ever so often. In 1917 a group prophesied that the end of the world was coming during that year. Then another group thought it was 1943. As recently as 2000, people were saying that “This is it.” Now, a group of statisticians/computer scientists believe that they have found previously-undisclosed information in the Old Testament, particularly in the Pentateuch, that points to the coming of the end of time in 2012 A. D.

Don’t misunderstand me–I don’t doubt the resolve and determination of God to bring judgement upon the world when He decides that it is time. As the scripture says in II Peter 2,

⁹"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”

and

⁹"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

¹¹Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹²Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? ¹³Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” ¹¹Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹²Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? ¹³Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (II Peter 3: 9, 10)

If I have a problem with such modern-day predictions of the coming of the end of the world, it is the problem of Matthew 24:

^36"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

³⁷But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, ³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. ⁴⁵Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. The admonition of Matthew 24: 35-51 is that of being prepared. When the Lord comes again, he needs to find us working for him.

Working? Doing what?

Suppose that the people doing the creative work on the Hebrew text of the Bible were correct. Suppose that the end of the world is coming in 2012. How best to use the time between now and then. Really, the answers are not new. The answers involve doing what it is that is already revealed in scripture.

1. For those who have not yet put on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3: 27), they need to hear God’s word (Romans 10: 17, Acts 2: 37) so that they can begin the path to becoming Christians. They need to believe it (Mark 16: 16; Acts 16: 31-34). ³⁷But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, ³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. ⁴⁵Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. They need to repent of their sins (Acts 2: 38, Acts 3: 19, Romans 10, 9,10), confess Jesus as their Lord and Master (Acts 8: 37, Romans 10: 9, 10) and be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28: 19) in order to receive the remission of sins ( Acts 2: 38). That’s not new; that’s been God’s word now for nearly 2000 years.

2. The saved need to continue to grow in God’s word (Colossians 3: 16, 17, II Timothy 2: 15). They need to attend worship services unless Providentially hindered (Hebrews 10: 25, 26). And–seemingly almost un-noticed in the brotherhood today–Christians need to develop their talents and use them in the furtherence of the Lord’s kingdom (Luke 19: 11-27).

3. The church needs to pull itself up by its own bootstraps as far as fulfilling its three-fold mission of evangelism, edification, and benevolence. All three mean me–they are not for the “professional Christians” to do while I just enjoy the fellowship. There is work to do.

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Sid Womack, webmaster