In my lifetime, there have been numerous predictions of global catastrophe:
- In the late sixties in a best-selling book a Stanford professor predicted widespread starvation by 1980, with India highlighted as a basket case that could not be saved.
- Around the same time after a few decades of cooler-than-normal temperatures, some in the media warned of a new ice age.
- More recently the much more widespread view is that humans have caused significant and increasing global warming, which some contend will destroy the planet as we know it.
- The development of nuclear weapons in the 1940s led some scientists to create the “Doomsday Clock,” a metaphor for how close humanity is to “midnight,” when we destroy ourselves. About twenty years ago climate change issues were included in setting the clock. In these last nearly 70 years, the clock has never been set more than 17 minutes from midnight; at present it is 85 seconds from midnight. Such warnings led several high school students in our church in the early 80s to feel like they couldn’t even plan for a future, for there was not going to be one.
- Numerous politicians have claimed that if their opponent is elected, the American experiment in democracy, or the US constitution, or this republic will come to an end.
We could list many more. The development of the internet and social media, with websites’ profitability depending on generating clicks, has incentivized more and more catastrophism.
Given that this country and this planet are still around after decades of such predictions, it is tempting to dismiss all such warnings.
But that would be wrong. It is wrong from a public policy perspective, in that there are genuine issues behind most of these pronouncements. We can pay attention to the issues while ignoring the sensationalism of the loudest voices.
More importantly, to dismiss all catastrophism would be to ignore numerous biblical warnings.
As we saw in Sunday’s sermon, God warned the people of Israel and Judah for hundreds of years that failing to listen to Him would lead to the destruction of their earthly kingdoms and, indeed, of His own temple. With only a few exceptions, the kings, prophets, priests, and people ignored those warnings in Jeremiah’s day. But God did send the Babylonians to carry out His severe judgment.
Indeed, Peter warns us against ignoring predictions of the catastrophic end of the world when Jesus returns:
scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (2 Peter 3:3-7)
So the scoffers say, “The prophecy of the return of Jesus and the end of the present world is just like the speculation of a new ice age! All such predictions are just sensationalism! Ignore them all!”
But Peter points out: There have been predictions of catastrophe that came about. He cites the flood; he could have cited also the destruction of Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day. We could add the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70AD, so clearly prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24.
So Peter assures us:
The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:10)
All will pass away. And, as we saw on Sunday, God will sum up everything in Jesus. He will be all in all. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And whatever reflects His glory in this world will be perfected in the one to come – including you, if you are in Him.
So use discernment as one prediction of coming catastrophe follows another. Know that most such predictions are exaggerated. Have confidence that God is in control – and, simultaneously, know that we humans do indeed have a responsibility to shepherd this world wisely.
But know most of all that the biblical prophecies of the end of the present age are not exaggerations. Jesus will return. He will put an end to all rebellion against His authority. The kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.
That is, as Tolkien wrote, a “eucatastrophe” – a thorough upending of everything that leads to a much better result. That is where this world is headed. Be ready. Watch and pray. And know that that final catastrophe is the greatest good imaginable.
