_Imminent end of the world_ A meditation for the Second Sunday in Advent (PART 1) Text: Luke 21:25-36     And there  shall be signs in the soon and moon and    stars;  and upon the earth  distress of nations, in    perplexity  for  the roaring  of  the  sea  and the    billows; men fainting for fear, and for expectation    of the  things  which are coming  on the world: for    the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then    shall  they see  the Son of  man  coming in a cloud    with power  and great glory.  But when these things    come to pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up  your heads;    because your redemption draweth nigh.    And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree,    and all the trees:  when  they now  shoot forth, ye    see  it and know of your own selves that the summer    is now  nigh.  Even so  ye also,  when ye see these    things coming  to pass, know ye that the kingdom of    God is nigh. Verily I say unto you, This generation    shall not  pass away,  till  all  things  are accom-    plished.  Heaven and earth shall pass away:  but my    words shall not pass away. I. THE SIGNS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT 1. The first thing for us to understand is that although the signs preceding the judgment day are many and great, they will all be fulfilled, even though none or very few men take note of or esteem them as such. For two things must take place according to the Word and prophecy of Christ and the apostles: first, that many and great signs will be made manifest; and secondly, that the last day will come unawares, the world not expecting it, even though that day be at the door. Though men see these signs, yea, be told that they are signs of the last day, still they will not believe, but in their security mockingly say: Thou fool, hast thou fear that the heavens will fall and that we shall live to see that day? 2. Some, indeed, must see it, and it will be those who least expect it. That there will be such security and indifference among men, let us prove by the words of Christ and the apostles. Christ says in the 34th and 35th verses: Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall it come upon all them that well on the face of all the earth. From these words it is clear, that men in great measure will give themselves over to surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that, drowned as it were in these things, they will rest secure and continue to dwell on the earth as if the dreadful day were far away. For, were there no such security and heedlessness, that day would not break in unawares. But he says, it will come as a snare by which birds and beasts are caught at a time when most concerned about their food and least expecting to be entrapped. In this figure he gives us clearly to understand that the world will continue its carousing, eating and drinking, building and planting, and diligently seeking after earthly things, and will look upon the day of judgment as yet a thousand and more years off, when, in the twinkling of any eye, they may stand before the terrible judgment bar of God. 3. The words of Christ in Luke 17:24 say the same: For as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day. See here again that the day will break upon the world with the utmost suddenness. The same further appears in what follows in verses 26-29: As it was in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. After the same manner it shall be in the day that the Son of man is revealed. These words abundantly show that people will rest so secure and will be so deeply buried beneath the cares of this life, that they will not believe the day is at hand. 4. There is no doubt that Christ did not foretell these signs in the expectation that no one would note nor recognize them when they should appear; although few indeed will do so, just as in the days of Noah and Lot but few knew the punishment in store for them. Were this not true, the admonition of Christ would have been in vain: When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh. Then, Lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh. There must then be some, at least, who do recognize the signs, and lift up their heads and wait for their redemption, although they do not really know on what day that will come. We should be careful, therefore, to note whether the signs are being fulfilled now, or have been or will be in the future. 5. I do not wish to force any one to believe as I do; neither will I permit anyone to deny me the right to believe that the last day is near at hand. These words and signs of Christ compel me to believe that such is the case. For the history of the centuries that have passed since the birth of Christ nowhere reveals conditions like those of the present. There has neve been such building and planting. There has never been such gluttonous and varied consumption as now. Who has ever heard of such commerce as now encircles the earth? There has arisen all kinds of art the like of which has not been seen during the whole Christian era. 6. In addition men are not so delving into the mysteries of things that today a boy of twenty knows more than twenty doctors formerly knew. There is such a knowledge of languages and all manner of wisdom that it must be confessed, the world has reached such great heights in the things that pertain to the body, or as Christ calls them, cares of life , eating, drinking, building, planting, buying, selling, marrying and giving in marriage, that every one must see and say either ruin or a change must come. Day after day dawns and the same conditions remain. There was never such keenness, understanding and judgment among Christians in bodily and temporal things as now

speak of the grosser forms of son, unchastity, murder, infidelity,                                ^^^ Should be sin . Unfortunately, there are some mistakes that a spell checker will not find. Kevin ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

: _Imminent end of the world_ : A meditation for the Second Sunday in Advent (PART 1) : Text: Luke 21:25-36 :     And there  shall be signs in the soon and moon and :    stars;  and upon the earth  distress of nations, in :    perplexity  for  the roaring  of  the  sea  and the :    billows; men fainting for fear, and for expectation :    of the  things  which are coming  on the world: for :    the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then :    shall  they see  the Son of  man  coming in a cloud :    with power  and great glory.  But when these things :    come to pass,  look  up,  and  lift  up  your heads; :    because your redemption draweth nigh. :    And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, :    and all the trees:  when  they now  shoot forth, ye :    see  it and know of your own selves that the summer :    is now  nigh.  Even so  ye also,  when ye see these :    things coming  to pass, know ye that the kingdom of :    God is nigh. Verily I say unto you, This generation :    shall not  pass away,  till  all  things  are accom- :    plished.  Heaven and earth shall pass away:  but my :    words shall not pass away. : I. THE SIGNS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT : 1. The first thing for us to understand is that although the signs : preceding the judgment day are many and great, they will all be : fulfilled, even though none or very few men take note of or esteem : them as such. For two things must take place according to the Word : and prophecy of Christ and the apostles: first, that many and great : signs will be made manifest; and secondly, that the last day will : come unawares, the world not expecting it, even though that day be : at the door. Though men see these signs, yea, be told that they are : signs of the last day, still they will not believe, but in their : security mockingly say: Thou fool, hast thou fear that the heavens : will fall and that we shall live to see that day? : 2. Some, indeed, must see it, and it will be those who least expect it. : That there will be such security and indifference among men, let us : prove by the words of Christ and the apostles. Christ says in the 34th : and 35th verses: Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be : overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, : and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall it come upon : all them that well on the face of all the earth. From these words it : is clear, that men in great measure will give themselves over to : surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that, : drowned as it were in these things, they will rest secure and continue : to dwell on the earth as if the dreadful day were far away. For, were : there no such security and heedlessness, that day would not break in : unawares. But he says, it will come as a snare by which birds and beasts : are caught at a time when most concerned about their food and least : expecting to be entrapped. In this figure he gives us clearly to understand : that the world will continue its carousing, eating and drinking, building : and planting, and diligently seeking after earthly things, and will look : upon the day of judgment as yet a thousand and more years off, when, in : the twinkling of any eye, they may stand before the terrible judgment bar : of God. : 3. The words of Christ in Luke 17:24 say the same: For as the lightning, : when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the : other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day. See here : again that the day will break upon the world with the utmost suddenness. : The same further appears in what follows in verses 26-29: As it was in : the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. : They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until : the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed : them all. Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, : they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but in : the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from : heaven, and destroyed them all. After the same manner it shall be in the : day that the Son of man is revealed. These words abundantly show that : people will rest so secure and will be so deeply buried beneath the cares : of this life, that they will not believe the day is at hand. : 4. There is no doubt that Christ did not foretell these signs in the : expectation that no one would note nor recognize them when they should : appear; although few indeed will do so, just as in the days of Noah : and Lot but few knew the punishment in store for them. Were this not : true, the admonition of Christ would have been in vain: When ye see : these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh. : Then, Lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh. There : must then be some, at least, who do recognize the signs, and lift up : their heads and wait for their redemption, although they do not really : know on what day that will come. We should be careful, therefore, to : note whether the signs are being fulfilled now, or have been or will : be in the future. : 5. I do not wish to force any one to believe as I do; neither will I : permit anyone to deny me the right to believe that the last day is near : at hand. These words and signs of Christ compel me to believe that such : is the case. For the history of the centuries that have passed since : the birth of Christ nowhere reveals conditions like those of the present. : There has neve been such building and planting. There has never been : such gluttonous and varied consumption as now. Who has ever heard of : such commerce as now encircles the earth? There has arisen all kinds : of art the like of which has not been seen during the whole Christian : era. : 6. In addition men are not so delving into the mysteries of things that : today a boy of twenty knows more than twenty doctors formerly knew. : There is such a knowledge of languages and all manner of wisdom that : it must be confessed, the world has reached such great heights in the : things that pertain to the body, or as Christ calls them, cares of life , : eating, drinking, building, planting, buying, selling, marrying and : giving in marriage, that every one must see and say either ruin or a : change must come. Day after day dawns and the same conditions remain. : There was never such keenness, understanding and judgment among : Christians in bodily and temporal things as now