End Time Chaos and God's Plan

 Everywhere around us, we see intensified conflict. In the USA, we see aggressive white supremacy pitted against raging cancel culture and Black Lives Matter.

In the UK, we see aggressive English nationalism in England and angry Scottish nationalism in Scotland. We see friendships and families broken on political lines.

The immigrant community in Germany is divided between those who want to become patriotic Germans and those who want to conquer Europe in the name of their religion.

In the Middle East, there are some Muslims who hate Christians and Jews and want to destroy Israel.
There are others who want to live in peace and friendship with their neighbours and respect diversity.

In historically Christian countries, we have seen the long smouldering problem of sexual child abuse explode into public scandals. The Roman Catholic Church has been devastated and has lost its firm grip on power in the Irish Republic.

In the last two decades, we have seen a dramatic acceleration and hotting up of all of these conflicts.

Now we are in the middle of a terrible pandemic. Some are terrified of the Covid virus, are eager to be vaccinated, and want to cooperate with government control policies. Others are full of fear and rage against governments and vaccination programs.

The instability around us makes us afraid. People react with panic and anger.

If we read bible prophecies of the last days, it all fits in.

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Mt 24:3 NIV84

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Matthew 24:6 NIV84

The wars since 1900 have been terrible. Jesus warns us not to be alarmed. The violent shaking of everything around us must not lead to panic if we trust God.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”

The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, Hebrews 12:26–28 NIV84

What is the purpose of this shaking? God loves the world. It is like mining for gold. Extracting gold from sand or rocks involves shaking, crushing and often exposure to violent chemical reactions.
God is searching for loving human souls who will come to Him and trust him.

Jesus likened God’s violent love to a woman in labour before childbirth.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24:7–8 NIV84

Does this mean God is inciting people to hate, abuse and kill each other? Of course not.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. James 1:17–18 NLT

The violent conflict all around us is a sure sign that Jesus is coming again soon. The trouble is accelerating like a woman in labour. Her contractions become stronger and more frequent until the baby is born.

At the same time, as the pain and trouble increases, the baby begins to be pushed out into a new life.

If you are a believer, expect God Himself to dramatically accelerate his intervention as he delivers you from evil and sickness and answers your prayers with wonderful miracles.

Misunderstood and Alone

Jesus paused at a well and spoke to a woman. This was considered very unseemly.

Firstly, Jesus was a Jew, and she was a Samaritan woman. As a holy Jewish preacher, it was also expected of him to distance himself from women.

The woman was surprised because normally Jews wanted nothing to do with Samaritans.

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John 4:9 NIV84

It turned out that she was a genuinely despised woman because she was in an illegitimate relationship, but Jesus did not care about outward appearances when the Father was leading Him to a person who might be open to God.

Many preachers call this woman extremely sinful because she was married five times and divorced who knows how many times. We fall into the temptation to judge her as a slut, but Jesus understood humanity better than most Christians.

In those days, and in many cultures today, no woman was allowed to just kick her husband out.
The man was in charge. She was either rejected several times or widowed over and over again.

In many cultures today, and most likely in Samaria back then, single women are considered fair game. A woman married five times may have been innocent, but simply barren.

There are also cultures and countries today where such a woman has to make an unsavoury choice. 

No man wanted to be the sixth husband, but alone and without a family, she would have to prostitute herself or simply be exposed as a victim for repeated rapes. 

So she lived with a man, even though it was obviously not ideal.

Shame and guilt often go together, but shame is not guilt. Jesus bore the most extreme shame when he hung stark naked on the cross, although he was totally blameless.

A devout Christian woman who is persecuted, enslaved and raped by communists or Muslims for her faith experiences terrible shame, but in God's eyes she is completely innocent.

Perhaps you are misunderstood. This can be a very cruel and lonely experience, and it can last a long time.

A German poet describes these experiences with deep insight.

Strange, walking in the fog!
Lonely every bush and stone,
No tree sees another,
Each one is alone.

Strange, walking in the fog!
Life is loneliness.
No one knows another,
Each one is alone.

Hermann Hesse was perhaps rather depressed and the poem is very pessimistic, but he has uncovered a grain of truth.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains how we must all stand alone before Jesus.

Only Jesus understands you totally, and despite all your faults He loves you too, just as He loved that woman at the well.

We can have times when we find real togetherness with someone, but these good times come and go. Jesus gave this woman new hope.

She was very misunderstood and lonely, but Jesus gave her a new life in which she could safely find real community and also human relationships. By believing in Jesus, she became a signpost for her village.

This loneliness, this life of misunderstanding, was never God's intention for you.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 NIV84

When we try to live our lives without God, we move away from the only source of love and understanding.
God wants to help you find your way back to His heart.