"The Knowing" and The Knowing - Part 2

Paul N. Benware, in Understanding End Times Prophecy, uses the following wording to describe the greatness of God and His ability to fulfill prophecy:

In a world that seems chaotic and completely in the grip of wickedness, we need to remember that our God sovereignly controls it all. The prophet Isaiah declared that the powerful Creator of this world is not at all impressed with the supposedly great power of men and nations (Isa. 40:12-26). In fact, he asserted that God regards them as dust on the scales, as a drop from a bucket, as nothing and meaningless. Our god is the King of the universe, who reigns both now and in the future (Ps. 2:1-12). And although Satan is called the “god of this world,” he does not dictate what happens on this planet but remains unquestionably under the sovereign authority of the Lord God (Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 1:18).

The prophetic Word proclaims the power and sovereignty of God and reminds us that His sure purposes for the future will indeed come to pass. Neither people nor demons can thwart the plans of God Almighty. This great truth brings insight and comfort to the believer living in this hostile world.

But aside from God’s sovereignty in transcending history and guiding its events (Knowing the end from the beginning – the Alpha and the Omega), what if you Knew how it all ends but did not Know when? Unlike “The Knowing”, where the time of the tragedies was foretold, the Bible makes the opposite clear while describing symptoms of the times. These symptoms are the prophecies coming true, including the formation of Israel as a state.

People who might vehemently deny the existence of God are equally concerned with the End of the World as evidenced by the number of End of the World movies that have hit the silver screen over the last few years, including “The Knowing”, that all contain either miles and miles of uninhabitable land, destruction due to the melting of the polar ice-caps and global warming, destruction due to some other geological cause, destruction from outer space – including aliens, and a remnant of humanity hanging on to meager existence and whatever weapons they can maintain, while fighting amongst themselves like animals bent on survival. We would be foolish to see glimpses of the growing destruction and decay around us and shove it aside, ignored for some diversion because we lack hope.

But back to the question at hand: what if you Knew how it all ends but did not Know when? How would you react? Would you still take the warning seriously after years and years of the warning not coming true? Would you remain steadfast in purpose, in action and in faith? Would you maintain your hope in the midst of trials and trouble that hits us all multiple times in this life? What would keep us holding on? I can think of two things: 1) the demonstrated nature and love of God; 2) the fact that all biblical prophecies have come true to date giving credibility to the eternal life promised to those who believe in Jesus Christ as God and Lord, and in His resurrection, for forgiveness of sins.

Or, would you slowly grow complacent, and after growing complacent, start following after other things; and after starting to follow after other things, slowly grow hard hearted by the deceitfulness of sin and then years later wind up sitting in the mess you’ve made, looking around, wondering what has become of your life – broken and wishing you had maintained your hope and sense of urgency throughout the years. I’ve been there, and I don’t like it.

What about those who don’t already believe? Would you continue in your willful denial of your need for a Savior (we are all born with this tendency)? Would you slowly watch your hidden yearnings to search and find the Truth grow cold from disregard (think embers); would you hide that despair behind temporary pleasures, disinterest and avid attempts to deny death, which is the 100% human condition? Would you lose hope because of the shortness and futility of life and turn to pursuit of thrills and pleasure since it doesn’t really matter anyway? Would you turn to some form of philanthropic effort, or some cause to extend the well-being of others while not addressing the burning hole in your own heart for peace with God, for the knowledge that your sins are forgiven, for the promise of eternal life? Or would you conclude, like the Cage character in “The Knowing” that “this is not the end” because eternal life is doing everything possible to ensure propagation of the species, be it on alien-assisted transport to another planet or some other explanation to fill the human longing for Knowledge of the Afterlife?

Our own consciences testify against us in the knowledge of good and evil. We deny that to our peril.

The Bible describes the day and time of the return of Jesus Christ to Earth at the end of the age and describes responses to that Knowledge as follows (Matthew 24:36-51 NASB):

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Who then is faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So, two things in contrast: if we knew the date and time the thief was going to break in and steal, we would definitely be prepared for that hour. We would do everything in our power to thwart the thief; if we did not know the date and the time the thief was going to break in and steal, either we would maintain vigilance to be ready for his arrival, or we would come to disregard the threat and turn to our desires, just to be caught unawares at his coming.

For those who know Him already, let’s put our feet to our words and go about the business of saving as many as possible and of loving and serving God with our whole heart, embracing the cost, embracing the risk – for the end, indeed, will come; and none of us knows when.

For those of us who do not know God, consider yourself warned; and consider the consequences of not acting on this warning, and act: repent, believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. The end will come. We all know this, just like we all know as young adults that our young bodies will grow old and that the end of this life on earth will come. What we do with that is up to us, but God in His mercy, provided a way for Life in His Son, Jesus Christ. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved.

. . . but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for man to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. (Hebrews 9:26b-28 - NASB)

Amen. So be it.