Do you think that all the atrocities, and the disasters around the world, and ozone layer…, could be saved or could it be too late?

Ayodele B., Birmingham, England (student of Discover course)

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Answer given by Pastor Christian Salcianu,
9 August, 2022 – Watford

The Bible talks about a beginning of this world, when all was perfect: “And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31) Then, following the entrance of sin, everything started to decay (physically, morally, spiritually etc.). The Bible is as clear about the world’s beginning as it is about its end. And here is the key. How will the world end…

Will this world end because of humans and their actions (or lack thereof)? Will it be all due to a sudden asteroid hit? Will God intervene in any way?

Pausing here for a moment, may I remind you of the Biblical Flood? It was indeed an “end of the world” as they knew it. And, if you remember, the main issue was not something in nature, not a fireball coming from the sky, but it was all in human nature, controlled by sin. The end came in a cataclysmic way, indeed, but God was in control of all things, from the first tear of warning the world, to the last drop of rain. The rainbow heralded a new world after…

Read with me about the state of society at that time:

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)

Why am I going there? To show that the issue was not in nature, not with God, not a hazard, but human nature. Please identify four elements of total depravation: “great wickedness”, “every inclination”, “only evil”, “all the time”.

Now, when you ask if something could be done, aren’t you looking at humans?

If I were to tell you how people will be in the end times, you’d be like “hey, is that the evening news?” Read with me a prophecy made by apostle Paul, while writing to another church leader, Timothy:

Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Not much good news here, is there? Based on this passage, the “too late” string you touched upon is vibrating louder, as we can feel the “last days” have overtaken us, as a daily reality.

Any “prophecy” on our side now, thus implying we would know if anything could or can be done to avoid the end is simply a speculation. Not having the big picture (who has it but God?), we are unable to say whether the Earth has passed its tipping point – thus living on borrowed time. The world is shaking indeed, it is a fact.

Some will look at the doomsday clock and hold their breath. But at times there have been moments of realisation, when, after taking a huge step into the unknown, the world stepped back or at least reduced the acceleration of its hurtling toward destruction by applying some forms of accountability, checks and balances etc. All our world issues have an impact, whether is nuclear proliferation, or editing the human genome. Others will look at this report on global risks, and solutions offered by the world’s leaders.

However, coming back to the Bible text above, a big issue is the lack of trust in God. Just imagine if out of the 10 Commandments, at least three would be followed en masse: you will not say anything untrue (#9); you will not steal from anyone (#8); you will not kill anyone (#6).

How many of the risks above would remain?

The Bible predicts an end of this world. And it will take place, just like in the times of Noah, when the good will be under the threat of extinction. (Have you ever read Daniel 12:7 in this light: “When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed…”)

You must have realised by now that a great controversy between good and evil is raging. As part of that, the world, nature, humans all act in increasingly strange ways. Jesus said it out loud:

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:10-11)

All the above are undeniable realities in our world today. Reading the entire chapter, I hope you will not miss verses 25-26, as they talk about other events: some already in the past and some in the future.

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

At ADC we are following the Bible. Accordingly, the Bible makes it clear: (1) the end time is coming; (2) human nature will degrade to the lowest possible; (3) there is no hope in any solution apart from God’s intervention. You must have noticed God’s solution in verse 27 – the second coming of Jesus Christ.

One may interpret this view as being pessimistic, laying down the arms. A concerned doctor may sound like that too unless he proposes a treatment. Are we realistic in the real sense of the word? Then we should not look for vain solutions, delusions: another world congress, another (magic) pill, yet another election…

While the end will come at its due time, your responsibility and mine, individual and collective, is to make the world better. And if you are not a president, a billionaire, a scientist – one who could change the fate of millions by a signature or a keystroke on computer – then we are responsible for the small world around us. It’s never too late to be good, to care for the world, to help those in need. In the Jewish world there’s this saying:

“If you have a sapling in your hand, and someone should say to you that the Messiah has come, stay and complete the planting, and then go to greet the Messiah.”

Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai (Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 31b)

A corollary of this saying is that even the Messiah is willing to wait for you, if you’re doing the right thing. Because it reflects Him, His will. Never too late to do anything towards that!

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