I shared last time how the study of biblical End Times brings us powerfully in the realm of teleology – the unfolding of God’s plans and purposes for our world. I want to expand on this a little more. When we know that God is ultimately in control of human history, we can trust him for all that is to come.

When people look at the future of our world, two negative emotions often surface. We can either despair or become fearful. We can fall into despair if we think the world will end in catastrophe. Doomsaying is popular in some circles, and various Hollywood movies feed on the dark dangers that threaten our planet, especially humanity’s danger to itself. Yes biblical prophecy does speak of great global trouble just ahead of Jesus’ second coming, and a time of judgment on the fallenness of humanity. Yet we do not have to despair because God will not let our world blow itself up or fall into oblivion. He will help us through and deliver us at just the right moment. The apostle Paul writes about Jesus’ return and reminds us about ‘the power that enables him to bring everything under his control’ (Phil 3v21). God is committed, not to the destruction of our world, but its beautiful renewal.

It is also easy to become fearful of the future. We fear war, we fear unchecked violence, we fear evil taking over. Again blockbuster fantasy and sci-fi movies often thrive on the plot of an evil villain or destructive power that threatens to take over the world. Thankfully there is always a heroic figure that emerges to take out the bad guy and neutralise the threat. These storylines actually mimic biblical future prophecy, in which the rage of the devil reaches its peak and an Antichrist regime tries to dominate the world. This is not fantasy but future reality. Yet we do not have to fear because Jesus will bring a triumphant final defeat of evil as he comes again. Paul tells us that the ‘lawless one’ will be destroyed ‘by the splendour of his coming’ (2 Thessalonians 2v8). Evil will not have the last word, because the victory over sin, death and the devil which Jesus won at the cross, will be fully enforced when he returns.

Christians therefore have a uniquely hopeful perspective on the future of our planet. If people around you are despairing of all that could destroy us, help them focus on a God who will bring us through and who has a rescue plan for humanity. If loved ones are fearful about darkness and evil that are around us, remind them that Jesus is stronger, and will banish all dark powers at his return.

It is interesting that the bible never talks about the end of the world, rather the end of the age. We live with an amazing and yet confusing tension. The kingdom of God is partially here, in our present age, and will fully come one day – on earth as in heaven – what is called the age to come. We live in the ‘partially here’, which gives us the strength to work with God daily in seeing lives changed and communities transformed by his love. And we wait for the time when his kingdom will ‘fully come’, not swayed by despair or fear. The end of the age will come, not when our earth tries to destroy itself, nor when the devil tries to overcome us, but when God says it is time: time for the awesome renewal of our world and fulfilment of our hopes. Hallelujah!

Thanks for reading, William