Doom and Gloom
There is a sense of doom and gloom on the Internet. There is the Covid pandemic and the growth of new and old viruses coming on the scene like the monkey pox and polio. Then there is the war in Ukraine, climate change and stagflation.
The Internet is also abuzz with the question of whether Jesus is coming back soon. It’s not really abuzz, I am interested in that, so YouTube knowing my interests are sending me more information about it. Few people know that the return of Jesus was predicted and those who do scoff at the idea.
Human Solutions
There are also many more news items of humans finding solutions. This is normal in difficult times we tend to want to hear about positive things and media organizations and governments are happy to oblige. We cannot allow citizens to become pessimistic after all. They won’t vote for us.
So in addition to scenes of flooding in Pakistan and rivers drying up in California, we hear about new ways of mitigating climate change, drought-resistant seeds being developed and new multi-strain vaccines being developed in record time.
The Human Limitations
Human ingenuity certainly is astounding. That God created such a being is truly a miracle!
But we have limitations. Collectively we know more than ever, but we specialize so much that we know more and more of less and less until we know everything about nothing!
The greatest invention of all time was Gutenberg’s printing press. With books it is now possible for knowledge to persist beyond one generation and one geographic location. We can now build on the knowledge gained by previous generations.
What we are not good at is seeing the big picture. We are good at figuring out solutions in the short term, not realizing the long-term effects. We invented plastic and it really revolutionized healthcare and how we distribute food. Now we have our oceans polluted and our bodies clogged by micro plastics.
Henry Ford was a hero because he mass produced vehicles and now we have climate change. We invented just in time manufacturing and global economy and we have supply chain disruptions.
On the political level we have tried dictatorship, autocracy, democracy, communism with poor outcomes. What’s next, the new world order?
The Apocalypse?
When my son visited me yesterday we speculated about where the economy is heading. It looks really bad. We could foresee the economy collapsing to the point where for example institutions like Kiwanis having to close, that the levodopa that my life depends on now, is no longer being manufactured.
So I really hope the apocalypse is near. That is the unveiling of Jesus the anointed king, for that is what is what apocalypse means.
Is it imminent?
When Jesus was killed, his followers were really, really depressed! But when miraculously Father made him alive again, the were hyped! They asked:
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”
Acts 1:6,7
It certainly feels that this time is about the right time. We will talk about what it means to follow Jesus, and to know what Satan is planning and what God is doing about it. Exciting information is coming.
Maranatha, come Lord!