Is the End of the World Near?

Is the end of the World really near?  The answer depends upon what sense of the term is being used.  In Revelation, the Greek words are very specific.   The Greek language has several different words to describe the concept of time.  The ordinary term people would use to describe a sequential duration of time would be the Greek Term Chronos.  Contemporary English gets the word chronology from this term and it is used to describe the normal passage of time.  This specific term is not used in Revelation to describe how the time is near.  It has been almost two thousand years since the Book of Revelation was penned and no human would think the time is near in that sense. From a human perspective, the timeframe of Christ’s absence is supposed to be of extended duration (Mt 25:19).  The Bible describes how scoffers would come in the end times and speak of his extended absence (II Peter 3:4). How else would this prophecy be fulfilled unless the timeframe would appear a long time in coming from the human vantage point?  

At the same time we are told in Revelation the time is near and at Hand.  So Which is it?  Is it near or far away? Defining the Greek terms may help clear up this confusion.  There are two phrases used in Revelation.   The first is ‘these things must shortly take place’ (Rev 1:1).  The word for ‘shortly’ is entacos and it means in Haste.  A variant of this word is also used when Jesus says ‘I come quickly’ (Rev 22:7, Rev 22:20).   We get the Word Tachometer from this Greek Word.  It really implies that these prophetic events must unfold in rapid succession.  Not in the sense of duration from when they were first prophesied but from the time they are actually initiated on the earth.  The second phrase is ‘for the time is near’ (Rev 1:3, Rev 22:10).  The word for ‘time’ is Kairos and it refers to a season, age, or era.  We have a similar concept in English when we use terms such as the Victorian or modern era.  In using these terms we are not stating a specific date but rather a season or era of time.   The term used for ‘near’ is Eggus and it implies to squeeze or throttle.  The concept is almost as if a hand is on a trigger and is ready to implement this prophetic era at a moment’s notice.  As we see in Revelation, God controls when the seals of the scroll can be loosed.  He alone controls when they can be triggered; when this prophetic era can be set into motion.  The work of Satan is restrained in the world until God chooses to releases them.

God’s decision to unleash this horrible prophetic era on mankind does depend upon our own actions.   Christ return will come as a thief in the night.  He will not come on a day or hour you expect him to.  So prepare yourself and live with the expectation of his coming; you may very well postpone the era to come for another day.  I believe this is part of the blessing to be had when people read the book of Revelation and take to heart what is written in it (Rev 1:3).  For it is written,

“Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, who cause the seat of violence to come near.”  Amos 6:3

In other words, How God responds depends a great deal upon what we collectively decide to do as a people.  Become complacent, sleep at the wheel, and that day could very well fall on you unexpectedly like a trap.  The Bible says people will be saying peace and safety, when destruction comes upon them suddenly and they will not escape.  God does not willingly afflict men (Lam 3:33) and takes no pleasure in their death (Ezek 18:32). He would not bring upon men such terrible times unless their sin has reached the full. In fact, Daniel prophesies only after transgressors have reached their fullness will this horrible time be unleashed (Dan 8:23).   Stop doing evil and learn to do good; persevere and God may save us from the hour of trial that will fall on the whole world.   Never allow wickedness to mature within your generation and perhaps such dreadful times can be averted for the present day. 

So to summarize how close we are to the end depends upon us.  In duration, God has been patient.  He does not want anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance.  If we as a people continue to push the envelope regarding what’s forbidden and fail to watch, we may very well hasten these terrible times upon ourselves.