posted by steve | on Quotes & Theology
Modern prophecy teachers have traditionally looked to current events for signs of the end, to stir end-time enthusiasm among Christians. While the goal may be worthy, the methodology runs counter to Jesus’ own teaching. After listing many of the signs (usually hardships) that characterized the end among contemporary Jewish thinkers and visionaries, Jesus declares that the end is still to come [in other words, they are not signs of the end - steve] . . . Besides missing Jesus’ point, modern prophecy teachers are also almost always wrong.
While catastrophic events do not allow us to predict how soon the Lord is coming — such events have happened throughout history — they do remind us that such problems characterize this age, summoning us to long for our Lord’s coming all the more fervently.
– Craig Keener, Matthew, The IVP New Testament Commentary
(Matthew 24)
Jesus was not giving us signs to look for, he was telling us the current thinking of his day was wrong. How sad that so many people today believe the soothsayers, rather than Jesus.
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Related post:
Are We Living In The Last Days?
One Response to ““End Times” Quote of the Week”
Michael on 19 Nov 2009 at 12:02 pm #
It is really sad. I was speaking to a brother in Christ Wednesday night at dinner and he was all into this 2012 and the Mayan Calendar. I stated that he should read the Bible and gave him Pastor Steve’s references from his sermon from two weeks ago. I ended the conversation by saying that once the Mayan Calendar ends it starts all over again. Oh well.