Anxiety Around the End Times

When I was a little girl, I sometimes scared myself as my imagination ran away with the imagery of Revelation creating pictures of fires and volcanic eruptions with huge beasts. Reading and hearing prophetic scripture about Christ’s return is encouraging, but can also be terrifying. As I grew into a teen, these fears changed as my understanding matured. I learned about the things to come and encouraged myself in the understanding that every disaster humanity faces and brings upon itself brings us closer to the return of Christ and the Kingdom of God.

How will I know?

I’ve asked myself this a lot. How will I know what’s going on if even the Bible says Christ’s return will surprise the world? “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, English Standard Version). There are warning signs in Revelation, but there will also be deception . . . How will I know?

There are certain events to look for that will be impossible to hide. One example is the prophecy of the two witnesses. After preaching for three and a half years, they will be killed and their bodies put on display for all the nations to celebrate over. “Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves” (Revelation 11:9). The testimony of the two witnesses is a crucial event that will be impossible to miss; the Bible says so. Their resurrection (Revelation 11:11-13) and the events surrounding that will be undeniable and public proof that the end times are here.

Even Christ Himself doesn’t know when God the Father plans to have Him return! (Matthew 24:36). Overcoming the worry of “How will I know?” can be done through changing the question. Instead, ask yourself, “How can I be ready?” Focus on what you can do now to prepare rather than worrying about if you may be caught off guard.

Preparedness won’t be through survival skills or being super up-to-date on all world events. Rather, it will be through understanding the purpose of these end times, which are to prepare the world for God’s rule on earth. In doing so, we are to be building complete faith and trust in God’s plan and His will in bringing it to pass. A big part of this is being reconciled to God through repentance (asking for forgiveness of sin and trying to stop sinning) and baptism.

Understanding God’s plan and trusting His will is a lifelong task that you can start now even as a teen, especially if you are worried about the end times. By researching the Bible and God’s plan to reconcile all of humanity to Him, you will begin to understand the amazing end goal that all of these scary events have, and hopefully they won’t be as scary anymore.

Dealing with Deception

Satan and his demons will be working overtime to deceive the nations, and if possible, even those who have answered God’s calling (Matthew 24:24). The end time world leaders will attack and confuse what is right and wrong. We already see plenty of that right now, with many sins being fully accepted as common and fine behavior. Living together, homosexual marriage, lusting, stealing, cheating and lying are just a few examples of things most people—even some who claim to be Christian—think are okay or have labelled as acceptable behaviors. If you know God’s definition of right and wrong, and keep His Word in your heart and mind, that is a big step in avoiding deception.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Though humans have the knowledge of good and evil, we are not the definers of which is which; God is. Learn God’s law and research some false doctrines people will use to attack you. The Church has many great resources (at “ucg.org” there are study guides, videos and sermons) for combating ideas like the trinity, gay marriage and God’s law being abolished. Ministers and baptized members of the Church can also be a source of wisdom and advice on things that you don’t understand.

In the end times, there will even be people who claim to be Christ Himself! They will deceive many people who don’t know God the Father’s and Jesus Christ’s real character and words . These false Messiahs will preach a mix of truth and lies. Satan has always been clever, twisting the Word and definition of good and evil from the beginning of time. Satan told Eve, “You will not surely die,” fooling her and twisting God’s commands (Genesis 3:4).

In addition to knowing God’s commands and character, pray for wisdom and a clear mind to not be fooled by Satan and those who are influenced by him.

Will I suffer?

It’s part of God-created survival instinct to be concerned about pain, suffering and death. We need to prepare ourselves emotionally for the possibility of suffering. Yes, we might suffer along with many others if these times occur during your life. Knowing the purpose and greater meaning suffering has in God’s plan  can ease the pain of trials. Keep in mind all the times in the Bible where God has mercy on those who are suffering, and created miracles for them. Don’t stop talking to God, and pray for healing and miracles according to His will.

Pain and sorrow are prophesied for the end times. Take comfort in Christ’s words that if we are persecuted and hated, He was persecuted and hated first (John 15:18-25). Write those words down and have them in your heart and mind any time you feel scared to stand up for God. The world will hate what is good and love their own pleasures (2 Timothy 3:1-4). To be hated by men but loved by God is better than to be loved by the world and rejected by God. “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Miriam, a woman whose husband, Sameh Salah, was kidnapped by ISIS along with 13 other Christians who were travelling to be workers in Libya says this: “The Lord Christ was whipped, tortured, and crucified for our sake. Can’t we resist a little bit!? Can’t we shed a few drops of blood for His sake? We can do it, we can resist it . . . This is not the end. We know this is not the end and we are proud to be Christians.”

We know that God’s plan goes beyond physical life and that a physical death is not the end. In Revelation 6:9-10 we read: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before You will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (ESV).

There will be martyrs. There will be people who are killed for standing true to God. This crying out is a metaphor (they are not conscious or literally speaking, because they are dead) for the injustice in the world that is felt by God’s people in these times. If you are among those who suffer or even die, consider what plan God may have. There will be many people who have suffered and died without any knowledge of God, or who maybe even have a hatred of God for allowing their suffering. You can be a great light to those people, and a proof that God makes all things work together, for good. Your faithfulness and commitment to follow God even in the face of suffering can be a powerful example that draws others to relying on God too.

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

What about everyone else?

What about the people I love who aren’t called? What about all those people who will die? How can a loving God allow so much death and destruction?

Mankind at this time will be doing such great evil to each other, to the innocent, and against God, that punishment will be unavoidable. Many deaths will occur by human hands influenced by Satan. This could be through war, disease or God loosening the restrictions He has on Satan who then intensifies the sins of men or causes natural disasters. Christ’s return will actually halt mankind’s destruction of themselves (Matthew 24:22). Through God’s plan, many people who died in these times will have an opportunity to live in a better world, ruled by Jesus Christ and the firstfruits. These people will have the opportunity to live in a world with true justice, unconditional love from God and peace in the Kingdom of God.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever” (Isaiah 9:7). People are crying out for peace and for justice, but lasting peace will never be found while mankind is under Satan’s influence. God’s kingdom points to a time of true and permanent peace that we all long for.

The series of events in Revelation is all about what will happen if the nations do not repent (Revelation 9:20). These events won’t occur if the world chooses life and turns to God. In Revelation 7:9-14 we read about a great multitude of people who repent and turn to God in the Tribulation. The preaching of the two witnesses and the example of the Church living God’s way will lead many people to realize their wrongs, and they will turn away from it! We are given the opportunity right now in our current calling to change our lives, stop sinning and follow the path Jesus set for us.

People who aren’t called yet could turn to you in the Tribulation seeking answers and a way to live. You have the opportunity to lead them to God’s truth by your example now!

Focus on the World to Come

While the events in Revelation are best known as “The End Times,” there is a whole eternity of peaceful joy in God’s kingdom after they are over! Look forward to that, and rather than dwelling on the woes of the world, think instead of all the ways that Christ’s rule will fix it.

Visualize how much better the world would be if everyone was honest and true to their word. Imagine all the problems telling the truth would solve, and then how many more with everyone obeying all of God’s commandments! All the people who feel overworked in the world will have a mandated day of rest. All of the people struggling to get by will have communities there to support and help them. All of the broken families we have today will learn the way of God’s family; loving, teaching and caring for each other. All of the wars over land and resources will disappear, and people will work together united under God the Father and Jesus Christ.

There is so much good to look forward to, so prepare for it! “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1, New International Version).