One of the most important truths we can learn from the Bible is that God is active in history, and He is directing history toward a particular goal. Zechariah outlines some aspects of that end-time goal in Chapter 14.
On that day there shall not be either cold or frost. And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the Lord), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.
On that day living water shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of it to the eastern sea and half of it to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.
And the Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one (Zechariah 14.6-9).
The most important part of the end time is that God will establish His rule over all of the universe. Everything will work perfectly. Let’s remember that God’s essential nature is love. That means we will live in a complete atmosphere of love.
He is righteous. Everything will be right. He is holy. That means things will be perfectly aligned with His will and purposes. That is the future we have to look toward.
Difficult Times
Matthew 24 is one of the places in the Bible where Jesus talked about what would precede the end. I have trouble reading Matthew 24 because it is full of very difficult images. However, they are consistent with what is taught in Zechariah 14.
See, a day is coming for the Lord, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst.
For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city (Zechariah 14.1-2).
Our victorious king will make his presence known in a way that will be revealed to all the Earth.
On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the mount shall withdraw northward and the other half southward.
Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with him (Zechariah 14.4-5).
When Jesus discussed the events of the end time, he dedicated a significant portion of his message to instructing his followers to remain alert and be faithful servants.
Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming (Matthew 24.42).
Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives (Matthew 24.46).
As we contemplate the events of the world and God’s activity within it, the best course of action is to do exactly what Jesus counseled us to do.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
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