The End of Days

Birds fall from the sky. Dead fish wash up on the shores. Sickness and diseases strike in epidemic proportions. Wars and rumors of wars spread worldwide. For those who are Bible readers, these events sound pretty Apocalyptic. Could this very well be the end of days?

Depending on which news source you read, there’s a very good explanation for the recent sudden death of thousands of birds and fish worldwide. It’s either a natural phenomenon that humans have just happened to witness recently due to greater urbanization—or it’s an unexplained mystery that may be a sign of the upcoming end of the world. In recent years, there have been quite a few events that have caused folks to take a pause:

• Weather phenomena, such as El Niño, Hurricane Katrina, and the Indian Ocean tsunami
• The outbreak of the AIDS and SARS epidemics
• The rise and scope of terrorism, such as the September 11th attacks

But are these signs of the end of the world? The danger is that there tends to be 2 basic reactions: Too worried or completely apathetic.

Besides losing sleep and literally worrying themselves to death, those who are too worried run the risk of taking on a destructive outlook on life. Why bother to pursue one’s goals when the world is going to end anyway? Worry is a crippling state of mind. That’s why Matthew 6:25-34 warns us not to be consumed by such anxiety.

However, those who are completely apathetic may be overlooking an opportunity for salvation. With a “we’re all going to die, one way or the other” attitude, they may rarely stop to think about what happens afterward. But being “ready to die” is not quite the same as being prepared for eternal life. In Luke 17:26-29, Jesus mentions how people were obliviously going about everyday life in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, before great destruction overcame them all.

So what is the right balance? As Christians, we are certainly to look forward to the day of Christ’s return. And we know that destruction of the sinful world soon follows. But instead of getting caught up in things over which we have no control, we should focus on getting our lives right. And reach out to help others find salvation. Because when the end of days does come, we want to ensure that we’re on the right side of eternity!