As I write this billions of people around the world are celebrating New Year’s Eve weekend. People have traveled long distances to celebrate with family and friends. Most of us are thrilled to see a tumultuous 2023 end.
Inflation was still high around the world as economies tried to recover from the Covid pandemic. It was a year filled with unexpected trials and tragedies
- Mass shootings
- Political corruption
- Natural disasters
- Wars and violence
Because so many have faced trials and tribulations, there has been a spiritual awakening. People are longing for hope and want to be rescued from the nightmare the world is experiencing.
God’s people have been forced to take action. The faith of God’s people has been tested like it was in the early days. Many believe that the end of the world is near.
The End
Growing up in the South during the 80s and 90s I remember the scare tactics of the religious community. Hell, fire and brimstone preachers try to scare people into heaven. The turn-or-burn approach was God’s people’s way of sharing the love of God.
I also remember all of the church scandals and religious zealots who did more harm than good for the kingdom of God. Still, the Bible is clear God’s kingdom will reign in the end.
Acharit Ha-yamim
Judaism has a lot to say about the end of the world. The Hebrew Scriptures predicted and warned about the end times (Isaiah 34:3, Ezekiel 38:21, Daniel 7:25.) The term, “Acharit Ha-yamim” is Hebrew for end of days. The phrase has a double meaning, and of time or of daylight.
The teaching here is that the end of days will be a very dark and evil time—day will turn to night, however, the end of days will usher the kingdom of God on earth. Jewish eschatology mentions specific events that will occur during this time.
- Gathering of the exiled diaspora (Israelites) and returning them to Israel.
- War of Gog and Magog
- The Jewish Messiah comes
- The afterlife
- The resurrection of the dead
The nation of Israel was reestablished in 1948. We are well into the end times. When Jesus taught His followers about the end times, He referenced the end of days as a time of deception, persecution, tribulation, and expectation (Matthew 24:1-45.)
The Apostle Paul also taught about the end times or the apocalypse. He warned that the church will turn from the truth and satisfy the evil desires of their hearts (2 Timothy 4:3-4.)
We need to take heed to Paul’s warning because God’s judgment will begin with His people (Romans 2:9, 1 Peter 4:17.) God judges our works, not our spiritual beliefs.
That is why Jesus warned His followers doing what He said (Luke 6:46.) Jesus also warned us to judge the fruit (works) of those who claim to be His followers (Matthew 7:20.)
Judge
This is why God’s people need to be led by the Spirit to discern between good and evil, more so in the last days. As a Christian man, I had to learn to first judge a woman by her actions, not her words (Proverbs 5:3-22.) A bride knows marriage is the end of single life.
I’ve understood to heed the warning about believers in the end. Although we live in an evil world, God’s people will practice and accept evil in the last days (Isaiah 5:20, 2 Timothy 4:1.) We know we are in the last days God’s people accept evil as good.
- Greed
- Pride
- Injustice
- Lies
The Greek word Apokálypsis means last. The Apostle Paul uses it to describe the last days before the apocalypse; afterward, God will judge His people and the world after the Acharit Ha-yamim!
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