Questions

Question first appeared on December 15, 2002
When getting dressed this morning (a Sunday in mid-November), the TV was on Impe Ministry. Jack Impe was discussing the fall election results. He stated that since more Republicans were in control and the UN was supporting the President, if there is war in Iraq, many prophesies regarding Athe beginning of the end@ would be fulfilled, and the Second Coming of Jesus was about to happen. What is the Orthodox perspective of mingling politics and the Bible?

Speculating on the AEnd Times@ and the Second Coming of Christ is very popular and sells many books. The subject matter is among the most popular topics of traveling evangelists, who put on great shows with special effects explaining such things as the ARapture,@ the ATribulation,@ the AMark of the Beast,@ etc. These are teachings originating with the Niagara Bible Conferences held in the latter 19^th century, expounded upon by Charles Larkin in the early 20^th century and Hal Lindsey in the 1960's and >70's, which I have addressed previously. They have nothing to do with the Orthodox understanding of these things.

The Revelation of St. John the Evangelist is the last book of the New Testament. It is the only book from which the Orthodox Church does not read in its liturgical services. There is little speculation or interpretation of this book found in Orthodox tradition. One major reason for this is Jesus= own reluctance to discuss the End Times and the time of His Second Coming.

Jesus continually told His disciples Anot to worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34).@ Even when pressured by them to reveal when the end would come, He gave many vague signs in St. Matthew=s Gospel, chapter 24. But, He concluded at the end of that discourse and in chapter 25 with several parables. These parables reinforce Jesus= teaching to Alove God and your neighbor as yourself...Do this and you shall live (Luke 10:27,28).@

The Book of Revelation was written specifically to Christians in the latter first and early second century, A.D., to give them strength under persecution. The message, in brief, isB Christians win in the endBbe strong! In general, the message of this book is for every Christian generation that finds itself under persecution, and every century has witnessed it somewhere. In the century past, we encountered Satan and the ABeast@ in such personalities as Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao Tse Tung, to name a few. The message remains the sameBstay firm, be faithful, we win in the end.

The bottom line for Orthodox Christians is to do the Will of God, each day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. We are given only one day at a time. Yesterday is gone, and we must confess our failures for wasting it. Tomorrow hasn=t arrived, and there is no sense worrying about it. Today is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2); do not waste a minute of it.

Reading Revelation alongside the New York Times is a waste of time and distracts us from making Christ real through our actions to those around us.