Encounter Christian Campus Ministry Daily Devotions 2020

May 08 by Ptr. Arnold Pasion

BIRTH PAINS BEFORE THE END-TIME

What do we know about the (second) coming of Jesus Christ or the end times? How do you feel about it? Are you ready and prepared? If Jesus would come today, are you one of those to whom Jesus said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" in John 14:3? I am not going to try to present a theological stand about the coming of Jesus; neither do I want to scare anyone; instead, I WANT US TO BE ALWAYS PREPARED WHEN THAT TIME COMES.

Jesus clearly said "'Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 'It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed'" (Luke 17:20-37). What does that mean? It doesn't take a well-educated or a theologian to understand these words of Jesus. The steady increase of natural and man-made calamities really makes one (at least those who are looking forward to) to think of the end-of-time or the second coming of Jesus. But for many, it will be like the time of Noah. Before (or during) "the Typhoon Idai that claims more than 900 lives in Africa in March 2019; the heat wave that killed more than 160 people in Japan in July 2019; the typhoon Lekima that killed 172 in China in August 2019."(1) Never forget the bush fire that burned 18.6 million hectares of forest, home lands, fields and pastures in Australia. And, of course, the eruption of Taal Volcano in January of 2020. You see, before these calamities happened, people were just going about their lives with so much disregard for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Wars and threats of war, erratically dangerous weather, earthquakes and famines are certainly signs of an end, but these are not the signs of the end of the end-time. They are warning signs that the end times has begun. The Bible calls them "the beginning of the birth pains." Jesus' words through the Gospel of Matthew 24 says, "4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and PESTILENCES(like this Covid-19), and earthquakes, in divers places. (KJV) 8All these are the beginning of birth pains" (NIV).

Birth pangs (or birth pains), in terms of Bible Prophecy, refers to certain convulsive geopolitical, geophysical, astrophysical and world-wide socio-economic events and issues scheduled to occur in the time leading up to Jesus Christ's Second Advent (second coming). These are likened to the contractions experienced by a woman about to give birth, with those episodes increasing with frequency and intensity. Jesus' foretelling of these birth pangs use the word "sorrows," in His Olivet Discourse on end time things to come."(2)

The Coronavirus Covid-19 is, definitely, one of those birth pains that leads to the end time. No one knew the impact of this Coronavirus Covid-19 worldwide. No one could have predicted the scope of the damage it has done politically, to world economy, the extent of fear & anxiety to every individual, and even the hundreds of deaths in just one day. World leaders were/are trying hard to make sense of it all.

These are warning signs that the coming of Jesus is drawing to a close, but he also said that we are not to be alarmed by them? Why? More and far worst are coming! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) provides us The Five Deadliest Outbreaks and Pandemics in History(3) and their impact to the world:

The Black Death (1347-1351). Estimated death was as high as 200 million. Spanish Flu (1918-1919). Estimated death was 50 million. HIV/AIDS (First recognized as a disease in 1981) Estimate infection 60 million in 2011 and 20 million deaths. The Plague of Justinian (541 AD) Estimated death was 25 million. Modern experts believe the outbreak to be the first recorded case of the bubonic plague. The Antonine Plague (165-180 AD). The death was estimated to be 5 million.

We have not mentioned Cholera, Heart Disease, Stroke, different kind of cancers, Diabetes Melitus, Tuberculosis and Cirrhosis. All these and many more are the causes of deaths of between 1 million to 8 million people in 2015 alone.(4)

What should be our attitude towards these birth pains of Christ' return? Since we are in the midst of this coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, we are singling out the birth pain of PESTILENCES. How should we respond as believers who awaits the glorious coming of our Savior?

First, WAIT WITH EXPECTANCY. The coming of Christ is with uncertainty, therefore, God's people must exercise virtues such as hope, watchfulness, faithfulness, humility and reverence. The Bible says that Jesus will come "like a thief" so we must be prudent taking every precaution so we will not be surprised when we feel the birth pains of his coming. Jesus said that he will return (John 14:1-7).

Second, WAIT WITH VIGILANCE. Be watchful like the wise virgins in contrast with the foolish ones in Matthew 25:1-13.

Third, WAIT AND LIVE A HOLY LIFE. We are called to live holy lives—a life set apart for God. Life that desires to love God with all that we have and all that we are (1 Peter 1:13-16).

Lastly, PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AS WE WAIT. Paul says that we must "proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26). Jesus, in His Great Commission commanded us to go make disciples and baptize and teach to obey all that He has commanded us those whom we discipled"( Matt. 28:18-20).

Are you ready for Jesus' Return?

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