I wonder did christians in all times think the end is really near?

[xdisciplex]

Today when you listen to christians you get the impression that everything is fulfilled and that the end is totally near, but I ask myself wether this isn't a phenomenon which has always existed in church history. Don't you think the christians in world war 1 and 2 also thought that the end is totally near?
Maybe they also had interpretations which would explain the foundation of Israel in a different way so that they could say that this prophecy has already been fulfilled. It would really be interesting to know wether the christians thought the same things and preached the same things about the end which we hear today. I think there also is a book called 88 reasons why Jesus is coming back in 1988. I imagine that if you've been hearing this "the end is near! the end is near!" stuff for a few years or even decades and nothing happened then you'll become kind of bored of it and it won't impress you anymore, also the scare-factor will wear off.
Younger people will be sensitive to the scare-factor and maybe even repent because of an "the end is near" sermon but the older christians may just smile about it.
What do you think? Is it possible that most of the christians live in an "the end is near" deception which makes them totally focus on the end instead of focusing on their lives? When you think that the end is near you also lose motivation. If I knew that the end is very close then I wouldn't go to the university anymore and deal with boring stuff, why should I? :smilewinkgrin:

 

[genesis12]

In this post at least you are thinking things through. Open your Bible. There are specific passages dealing with quitting work, hiding in the mountains, etc. There are specific instances of early followers of Christ, including counterfeits, who taught that the endtimes occurred in 70 a.d. It's all in the Book. Read it. In history there are instances of some setting specific dates. Don't read their books.

:thumbs:

 

[BobRyan]

2Thess 2

1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,[/b]
2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first[/b], and the man of lawlessness is revealed[/b], the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

1Thess 5 NASB

The Day of the Lord


1Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

2For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

3While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

5for you are all sons of light and sons of day We are not of night nor of darkness;

6so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

7For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

8But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

9For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

11Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

How "soon" do they appear to view the second coming?

Phil 2

20 For [b]our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait

for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

 

[xdisciplex]

I don't understand one thing. Many people link what Jesus said about "this generation shall not come to pass" to the foundation of Israel. But where exactly is this in the bible? How do pastors want to know what it really means and how can they be so sure that the end is so close?
Could this not also have a different meaning? And how long is 1 generation?

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Personally, I think "generation" means "generation" and "soon" means "soon." Others (especially those who claim to be literalists) may believe that these words are more symbolic. In other words, that "generation" doesn't really mean "generation," it means an unknown period of time.

You may want to read RC Sproul's book "The Last Days According to Jesus." Interesting book and examines the various preterist views of the second coming. There is also a primer in the back that explores the many millenial positions.

Godspeed in readings,

FOS

 

[xdisciplex]

And what is a generation? How long is it?
And where is the link between Israel and this fig tree stuff?
Personally I would never have come to the conclusion that there is a link this is why I also feel like a lot of biblical prophecy, or at least what people make of it, is totally wishy washy.

 

[music4Him]

xdisciplex said:
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Younger people will be sensitive to the scare-factor and maybe even repent because of an "the end is near" sermon but the older christians may just smile about it.
What do you think? Is it possible that most of the christians live in an "the end is near" deception which makes them totally focus on the end instead of focusing on their lives? When you think that the end is near you also lose motivation. If I knew that the end is very close then I wouldn't go to the university anymore and deal with boring stuff, why should I?
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The end is near for everybody so there is no deception... whether they fly (in the rapture) or die. The bible says that our lives are but a vapor...
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

I suppose this is why the older crowd gets that smile on their faces. When I was a teenager I used to get scared at hearing about the end times and the rapture also until I got saved... now all I can do is get excited! As a teen I was like there was so much I haven't got to do. Older now and its like let me do as much as I can! Live life... and remember Jesus came so that we could live life more abundantly.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

BTW,
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. :flower:

 

[xdisciplex]

But what if you always hear the end is so near and then you live your life according to it and stop your hobbies because pursuing them doesn't make sense when the end is so near and then after a while you notice that the end did not come and then you might become angry or disillusioned and won't listen to this "this end is near" stuff anymore.

 

[music4Him]

But what if you always hear the end is so near and then you live your life according to it and stop your hobbies because pursuing them doesn't make sense when the end is so near and then after a while you notice that the end did not come and then you might become angry or disillusioned and won't listen to this "this end is near" stuff anymore.

This is why we ought to live like Jesus could come any minuet (no sinning) and work like he'll never show up. (Tell as many as we can about Jesus) In the mean time get our education and provide for our families. I have to admit back in the 80's I did take a side trip like what you discribed so I didn't go for a teaching career. I am not bitter nor disappointed because I still substitute taugh for a few years and taught Sunday school and was a daycare teacher. I still believe Jesus is comming soon. :flower:

 

[BobRyan]

But what if you always hear the end is so near and then you live your life according to it and stop your hobbies ... then after a while you notice that the end did not come and then you might become angry or disillusioned and won't listen to this "this end is near" stuff anymore.

"The END" comes for EVERYONE when they die and very few people "plan to die today".

Beyond that - the "END" will come upon those in the last days who will all die AT the same time - AT the 2nd coming.

Those who are alive and remain are those who are "in Christ" and saved - and who will be caught up in the air after the dead in Christ have risen and are also taken up to Be with Christ forever.

Those people pre-flood that lived 900+ years before dying - had to "remain faithful" for century after century -- today it is not even one century that is required. But God "helps" us to know that ONLY by "looking up" continually - "looking for and hastening the day of the Lord" Titus 2 are we able to maintain and persevere in a state of "Being ready".

 

[xdisciplex]

I wonder what happens to the people which live on the earth together with the christians and Jesus during the 1000 years. Will they get saved, too or are they the ones which Satan will deceive to make war against Jerusalem?

 

[BobRyan]

I wonder what happens to the people which live on the earth together with the christians and Jesus during the 1000 years. Will they get saved, too or are they the ones which Satan will deceive to make war against Jerusalem?

There is no such thing according to Scripture.

But you have to be willing to "read some scripture" on that topic.

The first resurrection of Rev 20 takes place at the start of the 1000 years and is described in 1Thess 4 as the "Resurrection of the dead in Christ" along with the rapture of the living. Rev 19 already shows that the rest of the living are "destroyed". sooo - nobody here while the saints are rapture up to be with Christ in heaven.

Satan and his angels will be alone.

 

[Rooselk]

What do you think? Is it possible that most of the christians live in an "the end is near" deception which makes them totally focus on the end instead of focusing on their lives? When you think that the end is near you also lose motivation. If I knew that the end is very close then I wouldn't go to the university anymore and deal with boring stuff, why should I? :smilewinkgrin:

I don't think that "the end is near" is so much a deception as is some of the popular theology today that speculates on end times. To the contrary, the Bible instructs,

11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. - Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

Notice that while we are instructed to look forward to "our blessed hope" - which is the appearance of our Lord - we are to do so while living godly, balanced lives in this present age. To not carry on as usual - to avoid the "boring stuff" - is to embrace the very error that the Apostle Paul was trying to correct in his letter to the Thessalonians.

 

[billwald]

I think this world wll be around for 100,000 years minimum.

 

[ituttut]

Originally Posted by xdisciplex

Today when you listen to christians you get the impression that everything is fulfilled and that the end is totally near, but I ask myself wether this isn't a phenomenon which has always existed in church history. Don't you think the christians in world war 1 and 2 also thought that the end is totally near?

Even before Christianity was known, the "last days" were preached. We are in those "last days" and have been when that "kingdom is at hand" was preached. But we know the very "last days" cannot come until we are caught up to Him in the air. Then those last days will begin, and the "kingdom gospel will be preached to all the world", Matthew 24:14.

Maybe they also had interpretations which would explain the foundation of Israel in a different way so that they could say that this prophecy has already been fulfilled. It would really be interesting to know wether the christians thought the same things and preached the same things about the end which we hear today. I think there also is a book called 88 reasons why Jesus is coming back in 1988. I imagine that if you've been hearing this "the end is near! the end is near!" stuff for a few years or even decades and nothing happened then you'll become kind of bored of it and it won't impress you anymore, also the scare-factor will wear off.
Younger people will be sensitive to the scare-factor and maybe even repent because of an "the end is near" sermon but the older christians may just smile about it.
What do you think? Is it possible that most of the christians live in an "the end is near" deception which makes them totally focus on the end instead of focusing on their lives? When you think that the end is near you also lose motivation. If I knew that the end is very close then I wouldn't go to the university anymore and deal with boring stuff, why should I?

The world will continue to marry, and give in marriage, as in the days of Noah. This is man and woman's function in this world, and we are to continue planning and looking ahead to the future as we know it, but realize and come to the understanding that things could end for any of us in just minutes from now, and we should be ready to go. But we are not to plan on it being tomorrow or some set day. Just be ready when our time comes. I believe if we worry about it, perhaps we may not be saved, for after all we are to look to be with Him. That assurance will ease our minds, giving us incentive to university, or work for if He doesn't come for us, we are as the "drunk", or the sluggard - not prepared for this world, or the next.

 

[BobRyan]

We have reached "the Time of the End" mentioned in Daniel 8 -- which is clearly the reference to the end of the 2300 year prophecy identified in that chapter.

 

[ituttut]

We have reached "the Time of the End" mentioned in Daniel 8 -- which is clearly the reference to the end of the 2300 year prophecy identified in that chapter.

Agree if you mean we are in the "end time", but the "time of the end" looks to be in the vision. I take the 2300 days to mean days within the 7 year tribulation, which I believe to be the "time of the end.