[Steve Myers] We've received many questions about the end of the world. And so thinking about that topic, I was going down some of the headlines this morning and ran across an article about the Doomsday Clock. This was from the Washington Post. And what it is, is the bulletin of atomic scientists have this clock that they set in looking at what's going on in the world. They look at nuclear proliferations. They look at biological weapons and then they adjust this clock as they feel we're closer to the end of the world. And so right now that clock hasn't moved since 2007 and they've put it at five minutes to midnight.

And so, what about the end of the world? What does that have to do with what the Bible says about the end of the world?

Well, Christ said quite a few things that are quite different than many people would believe. Look what Christ said in Matthew 24. Here's what He said when He was asked a question by the disciples. They asked Him, "What will be the sign of Your coming in the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). So, immediately as we look at Matthew 24, they weren't talking about the end of the world, they weren't talking about nuclear annihilation. They were talking about the end of the age—the end of man's rule on this world.

And it's interesting what Christ talked about then. He answered their question and one of the things he pointed to in verse 7 was that "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, earthquakes in various places" (Matthew 24:7). So Christ began to point out that there were going to be some difficult times. There was going to come a great tribulation. And we're on the verge of those events now. We see some of those things and the precursor that those events are on the horizon. And so Christ was pretty specific about that.

Now, what do we do about it? As the end of man's rule is going to come, and Christ is going to return and establish the Kingdom of God, what are we to do about it? Are we supposed to fret and worry? Or is there something more concrete that we all need to do? Well, over in the book of Mark, Mark chapter 13, Christ gave us instructions Himself on what we need to be doing. This is in Mark 13:32, here's what Christ says, "Of that day and hour, no one knows. Not even the angles in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father." And so Christ goes on and He says, "Take heed. Watch and pray. For you don't know when the time is" (Mark 13:33).

So in other words, Christ said be ready. Some translations actually translate watching as be ready or be alert. In other words, develop a relationship with God. Be ready for the return of Christ. In Corinthians, it tells us that we'll all stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Revelation chapter 11 reminds us the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15). And so the world will have a change in government. And we all need to be ready for that.  We all need to look forward to that time and develop that relationship with God that will bring us ever closer to knowing Jesus Christ and having Him a vital, important part of our life. So let's be sure we're doing that.

Well, that's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.