It’s Not A Joke!

We’ve come a long way in these pages, and I’d like to end with a parable from the nineteenth-century philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard. In his book, Either/Or, he wrote: 

“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that’s just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it’s a joke.”

I believe Kierkegaard was correct. In fact, I often feel as if our world is
living out his parable in real time. As a culture and as a people, we are increasingly ignorant of what God has said about the end times, and what we face at the conclusion of history. Not only that, but humanity is increasingly hostile toward the idea that an end is coming at all.

As we conclude these final words in The World of the End, I don’t want to focus on humanity as a whole. Instead, I want to turn the spotlight directly on you and me.

Make no mistake: everything Jesus warned about in His Olivet Discourse will happen. Each of His prophecies will be fulfilled, and all His promises will come to pass. We can believe it. We can count on it.

The question is, What we will do about it? What will you do about it?

My prayer is that you and I will not sit idly by as the smoke billows through the doors and the flames rise up the walls for our communities. Let us never allow entertainment or comfort or finances or fear or the lust of the flesh or the pride of life or any other earthly thing to get in the way of serving our Savior to the end. To the final moment.

I don’t know if we’ve reached the end of the world. Humanity may have days or decades remaining until the rapture of the church and the grinding, grating thlipsis of the tribulation tax will follow. As Scripture says, no one know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36).

But I do know this: you and I have come to the World of the End. As a planet and a people, we are experiencing the birth pains in preparation for all that God has promised. We are living out the days prophesied by Christ Himself.

Therefore, let us be honest. Let us be calm. Let us be confident. Let us be prepared. Let us be faithful. Let us be kind. Let us be the good news. And let us be determined to live as we should—as children of God who shine like stars in the universe—until the end!

Dr. David Jeremiah, The World of the End, pg. 207-208: Epilogue.