In Mark 13 (and Matt. 24 1-51 and Luke 21:5-36) Jesus spoke of all these issues which left a very deep impression on His followers. In this story the disciples made comments on the strength of the stones the buildings were made of and Jesus replied that not one stone shall be left upon another. The Lord was teaching them how temporary such structures actually are. Then some time later He went into more detail with them how things would be in the end times. He spoke of: deception, wars, earthquakes, famines and other signs. In Mark 13:32-37, He stressed to them that no one would know the day or the hour of the end [of the age], but to be watchful and faithful in serving God.

As believers we must stand firm in our faith and look for His coming. The term “Doomsday” should not make us afraid, but instead bring us hope. We are not to put our trust in the things of this world for they are temporary. When we see these things (Mk. 13: 32-37), we are to look up for our redemption draws nigh!

Image: Jared Murray

Are you waiting for Jesus, the Uptaker or for the Mortician, the Undertaker? Regardless of whether we live to see our Lord return in the sky with glory [and take us up with Him], or whether we go down by way of the grave, we shall be victorious so long as we have put our trust in Him, Jesus [the] Christ.

From September 2023 edition of The Grapevine. Used with permission.

Introduction

This research is to evaluate the following hypothesis:  “That the Holy Spirit has an active role in the end times.”

The argument commences that God is eternal. He is, He always was and He always will be. When commissioning Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, He tells Moses, “I am who I am” (Ex 3:14). To God there are no ‘end times’.  In His goodness, He created the cosmos, and all living things, including humanity. Out of His being He has created, a time bound earth.  Earth has a beginning (the creation), a set time duration (known only to God) and an end[1].  For the purpose of this essay “end times”  means the period of time leading up to the second coming of Jesus, and the time when He instigates His eternal “new heavens and new earth” (Rev 21:1-5, 22).

The Trinity has also actively guided creation through to humanity’s redemption by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. At the launching of Jesus ministry, recorded by Luke at His baptism, the presence of the three persons of the Trinity are again described (Luke 3:21). Here the Spirit was portrayed as a dove. Subsequently Luke presents the active roles of the three persons in the Trinity in the development of the church. (Acts 1:7-11, 2:1-4). Here, the Spirit was both a violent wind and tongues of fire.

The Father and the Son have explicit roles in the end times. In his description of the beginning of eternity, John received a revelation from the Holy Spirit in which he saw the end of the old world and the dawn of a new order where God makes everything new (Rev 1:10). He describes,” Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”… I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev 21:1-5, 22).