Are The Horses being Unleashed?

Ever since the Apostle Paul wrote about the second coming of Jesus, believers have been expecting it to occur when cataclysmic events happened near them or reported from elsewhere. Various views have been proposed concerning the impact the Apocalypse will have on the church. Theories on the beginning of the Tribulation and timing of the Rapture have caused many arguments and divisions within the body of Christ. But it is not important which one you believe about His second coming. Nor should you look at adverse events, no matter where they occur, as signaling His imminent return.

For example, the outbreak of several adverse acts of nature around the world in 2004 had some form of negative impact on most everyone on the globe. Yet Jesus said of events like these “All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:8). From the war in Iraq (and terrorist attacks in many countries) and many regional conflicts; the spate of Hurricanes and Typhoons ravaging coastal cities in America and the Orient; numerous earthquakes, the latest of which – one of the strongest on record (it altered the rotation of the Earth just enough to be noticed by scientists) - created Tsunamis inundating many nations along the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, from Sumatra to Africa, wreaking untold havoc and resulting in over 160,000 deaths along their coastlines. Such events always bring forth many preaching that the end of the world is near. Yes, Jesus did say, “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened…See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24: 21, 22 & 25). While the earthquake of December 2004 is noteworthy in the destruction and loss of life and property it created, it is not an event portending the end of the age. For a cataclysmic event to qualify as a “sign of the times” it must be followed by a continuous series of horrendous events of an unprecedented magnitude across the whole globe. The magnitude of these events will make the recent earthquake and tsunamis seem like a sneeze in a Tornado.

Why am I saying this is the case? Because, while the recent earthquake and tsunamis are dramatic in the damage and death caused - and will lead to many more deaths due to disease, etc., it is not the first time such an event has occurred in recorded history. As to wars, well, history is replete with accounts of warfare impacting either vast regions or global areas with disastrous consequences. World War II is a prime example of war reaching around the globe resulting in huge changes to societies and economies. Certainly it is obvious that there are concurrently many wars going on: Eastern Europe, much of Africa, including nations in south Asia. But none of these portend the end times as the Bible describes them. Jesus spoke of something which would leave no doubt that His return is imminent, “Immediately after the distress of those days `the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24: 29 – 31).

Don’t be persuaded by events, whatever the magnitude of their impact – either locally or worldwide – to mean Jesus’ coming is right around the corner. No, instead keep your eyes on Jesus and make every effort to spread the Gospel to all corners of the Earth. Don’t try to interpret the Revelation of John the revelator based on current events – no matter how impressive or descriptive of the end times – because these are going to happen, again and again, it is the way of things. Rather preach the Word to all who will listen for their very lives depend on it. When the end is near nothing mankind can do will be able to overcome the events that unfold; everyone will be too busy trying to survive to care about others around them – humanitarian aid will be unable to cope with these events or their frequency of occurrence. When the first of the Seven Seals is opened (Revelation 6) the economies and relief agencies of even the most affluent and powerful countries will not be able to cope with the unfolding as the first horse is unleashed and the Seven Trumpets begin to sound. There is no doubt that hackneyed phrase, you will know it when you see it, will ring true as these events follow one after another. Until then be faithful to the task of spreading the Gospel to people in every part of the Earth.