Certainties of the End Times

This past Sunday, I heard a sermon about Christ’s teaching on the end times, or eschatology. This is one of the most controversial topics amongst people who are genuine believers, and there are many passages concerning eschatology which seem ambiguous at best. Some teachers are convinced that a millennial period must come, after which the return of Christ is imminent. Others believe that Christ can return at any moment and take the church out of the world. Some believe that a time of tribulation will precede the rapture, while others believe that Christ’s return will mark the beginning of the time tribulation here on earth.

No matter your convictions or understanding of the sequence and order of events regarding Christ’s second coming and the end times, there are [at least] two things that are very clear from scripture:

1- Christ will return to the earth. 2- We should be praying for his return.

We are commanded by Christ in our example prayer to ask of God: “Thy kingdom come.” Among our requests for deliverance from temptation and the provision of our daily bread should be our request that the Lord return and deliver us from this sinful world. Make sure that you are obeying this command about prayer.

Consider the final verse of Robert Robinson’s hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Meditate on his heartfelt prayer as you plan to pray for the coming of the kingdom of our Lord:

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.