As a society our focus on the future has become one of doom and destruction. There is a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012, which is said to be the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mayan long count calendar.
I might also point out that this is not the first time, someone has believed the world was coming to an end. The "Prophet Hen of Leeds," a domesticated fowl in England, began laying eggs that bore the message "Christ is coming" in 1806, leading locals to believe the end of the world was upon them - it wasn't.
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson told followers: "I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world." Robertson has since said that God told him about pending disasters on numerous occasions and "I have a relatively good track record," he has said. "Sometimes I miss."
Followers of the "Hyoo Go" (Rapture) movement, a collection of Korean "end-times" sects, firmly believed that Jesus was coming in 1992. When the prophecy failed to pass, turmoil broke out among the sects, and some followers tried to attack their preachers with knives.
Harold Camping, the head of the Christian broadcast group called Family Radio, predicted for years that the end would take place on May 21, 2011.
A Nostradamus prediction, made in 1503 is now upon us:
From the calm morning, the end will come When of the dancing horse the number of circles will be 9
This is the same Nostradamus who also predicted the world would end in July of 1999. One blogger noted of this current prediction: "I'm pretty sure you guys are familiar with the song 'Gangnam Style'. Well, for those of you that aren't, it was created by a Korean pop singer named Psy. If you Wikipedia Korea you will see that the name translates to 'The Land of the Morning Calm'." This same blogger further points out Psy's signature dance move - a combination of riding a horse and dancing now known as the "giddy-up" is a “match” to the second line of the prophecy. He adds: "Now here comes the part that's a little disturbing: If you go to YouTube and search Gangnam style, the official video has 878,054,797 views. Once it hits 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) views, well... There's nine zeros."
Another blog points out the speculation that coincides with North Korea's rocket launch this past week, a move which many in the international community believe is a disguised ballistic missile test.
So, apparently we're all going to die on December 21, 2012 to the strains of Gangnam Style while dancing the giddy-up. So much for Christmas this year?
Before we go further, let’s consider also these words from Dickens regarding Christmas Future:
The Spirit stood among the graves, and pointed down to One. He advanced towards it trembling. The Phantom was exactly as it had been, but he dreaded that he saw new meaning in its solemn shape.
"Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point," said Scrooge, "answer me one question. Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?"
Still the Ghost pointed downward to the grave by which it stood.
"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me."
The Spirit was immovable as ever. Scrooge crept towards it, trembling as he went; and following the finger, read upon the stone of the neglected grave his own name, EBENEZER SCROOGE.
"Am I that man who lay upon the bed?" he cried, upon his knees. The finger pointed from the grave to him, and back again.
"No, Spirit! Oh no, no!" The finger still was there. "Spirit!" he cried, tight clutching at its robe, "hear me. I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?"
Scrooge asks the question we should each ask as we approach Christmas once again, “Why show me this, if I am past all hope?"
The purpose of the season we call Advent is to ask questions – to reflect on meaning and purpose. It is important to note that Advent is not celebrated by every Christian or Church. To millions of people, advent is simply a season of wreaths, candles, and calendars. While these elements are ways to mark the days of Advent they are not the essential meaning of Advent. There is much more to advent than counting. Advent is a Latin word that means the coming. Church leaders officially established the season of Advent in the 6th century. Advent was planned as a time when Christians reflected on the meaning of Christmas and when new converts prepared themselves for baptism. Advent was a series of 4 weeks set aside to contemplate what the coming of Jesus meant not only to the world, but to every individual. Advent was to be a time of soul searching. In a sense you could say that the spirits that visited Scrooge provided a season of Advent for him.
Centuries later, Advent has become a season of wreaths, candles, and calendars. But these elements are simply a way to bring spiritual meaning and purpose to the season. To the early Christians, there were three significant meanings to be found in the days of Advent:
Christmas Past – The coming of God in human form as a baby Jesus in the manger.
Christmas Present – the coming of Jesus into the lives, hearts, and actions of those who professed belief in Jesus as their Savior and sought to be one of His disciples.
Christmas Future – The future coming of Jesus as King on Earth.
Christmas and Advent have evolved and changed over the centuries. Change brought the focus on the coming of Jesus as a baby and our focus on children in the celebration. This chance has shifted the emphasis of Advent and Christmas to the Nativity and away from the present and future rule of Jesus in our lives. But what if the focus of advent was on Christmas future – the second coming of Christ - as was originally done?
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned 318 times in the 260 Chapters of the New Testament. The second coming occupies one in every twenty-five verses of scripture from Matthew to Revelation. Additionally, a greater number of predictions concerning Christ in the Old Testament are connected with His Second Coming rather than his first.
Why is it important that Christ come again?
Without Christ's resurrection being physical there is no salvation. If He did not conquer death then we have no hope of him also dying for our sin. The Resurrection is the completion of the gospel story by which we are saved and have hope. Without believing in this second coming in the same way we believe He died for us, we cannot be saved. It is this physical resurrection that we are promised and that we await in the second coming.
The advent of Christ’ second coming is a promise of hope and comfort. It is a word of encouragement to disheartened believers in this day. The purpose of Jesus’ return is to restore all that was lost. This implies life from the dead as 1 Corinthians 15:22 says,“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Scripture speaks over and over again about this second coming:
I Corinthians 4:5 NIV Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
I Corinthians 11:26 NIV For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Colossians 3:1-4 NIV Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Hebrews 10:25 NIV not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
James 5:8 NIV You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
We live in the shadow of Christmas Past – Emmanuel has come. But we exist between moments in time – Christmas Past and Christmas Future – the first and the second coming of Christ. We are left in the present to ask like Scrooge, Why show me this, if I am past all hope? The Bible gives us the answer to the question asked by Scrooge:
My dear friends, we are already God’s children, though what we will be hasn’t yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is. This hope makes us keep ourselves holy, just as Christ is holy. I John 3:2-3 CEV
When we know that God has a plan for our lives, it should change how we approach today - how we live our lives:
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. I Thessalonians 3:12-13 NIV
In the midst of world seemingly gone crazy with shootings, storms, death, and destruction ...
In the midst of a life that has more questions than answers …
In the midst of all the worries about tomorrow ...
Never forget:
God is in control.
God was in control in Christmas past –
God is in control of Christmas present –
God is in control of Christmas future.
How then shall we live? Perhaps Scrooge figured out for us:
"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”
As we live between the time of Christmas Past and Christmas Future, we must not shut out the lessons of the past, present, and future. How we choose to live our faith matters – now and forever.
If we believe in Christ, we need to honor Christmas in our hearts and as Scrooge put it “try to keep it all the year.” Perhaps in so doing, it would be said of us not only, that “they knew how keep to Christmas well” but more importantly that they knew Christ well.
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