TEOTWAWKI

Well, we survived it. We survived the total eclipse of the sun. (More importantly, Karen and I survived our 4-day tent-camping sojourn in Grants Pass, Oregon, where we went to get closer to the totality zone. More on that in next week’s blog!) Contrary to the usual chorus of gloom-and-doom prognosticators, civilization was not wiped out by the passing of the eclipse over geological hot-spots like the dormant volcanoes of the Cascade Range, the super-volcano underneath Yellowstone Park, the New Madrid fault in Missouri, or the nuclear plants in the Tennessee Valley. Nope; we survived. It was not what doomsday prophets refer to as TEOTWAWKI: The End Of The World As We Know It.

It seems that whenever there is some astronomical event, certain people begin publicly announcing the end of the world, or at least the world as we know it: TEOTWAWKI. When the Hale-Bopp comet sailed past in 1997, members of the Heaven’s Gate cult committed suicide in order to be “taken” up into a space ship that was supposedly following the comet. When an alignment of planets was predicted for 1982, the combined gravitational pull known as “the Jupiter Effect” was supposed to cause massive devastation from a great earthquake along the San Andreas Fault. And back in 1780, when the daytime sky turned dark during a meeting of the Connecticut legislature, the legislators ran around moaning and wailing that the end of the world had come.

Books and movies have certainly played to this apparently inherent fear we have that the world, or at least the civilization we are used to, will come to an end. Whether it is presented as an asteroid screaming toward earth (Deep Impact, Armageddon), invasion by hostile space aliens (Independence Day, Battleship), or a zombie apocalypse (World War Z, The Walking Dead), life as we know it appears doomed!

Life as we know it appears doomed!

Why such fascination with these end-of-the-world scenarios? For one thing, it sells: the 1974 book, The Jupiter Effect, became a best-seller; the movie Armageddon took in half-a-billion dollars; and the hit TV show, The Walking Dead, is in its seventh season. Another reason such prophecies are popular is that they create a sense of excitement, an escape from the routine of our sometimes-boring daily lives. But I think another major reason is that they play on our fear of death: we want our lives and the world we know to continue on indefinitely, but disaster movies remind us that the world, or at least our time on it, will end some day. The world as we know it will indeed end.

Which, according to these movies, is a bad thing. But is TEOTWAWKI really so bad?

Now don’t get me wrong: catastrophes are bad. Hurricane Harvey is causing suffering and destruction on a huge scale. Massive tornadoes kill and destroy. Earthquakes have killed hundreds of thousands at a time. A large meteor hitting earth would cause devastation and loss of life on a scale we can only imagine. And don’t get me started on wars! I don’t want to personally experience any of those life-shattering events, nor do I want to see anyone else go through them either. We are to pray for people’s protection and relief, and help where we can.

Nor do I want to see the earth itself be destroyed; it is a wonderfully suited home for us in this life, and according to Scripture, the creation itself testifies to God’s magnificent power, wisdom, and divine nature (Romans 1:20, Job 40 and 41; Psalm 8).

So, no – I’m not advocating disasters to either mankind or the earth; what I am asking is, “Is The World-As-We-Know-It the best we can hope for?” Consider the following facts about The World As We Know It:

1. It is a world full of illness, injury, and death. All life – human, animal, and plant – is mortal. We all have an expiration date, no matter how healthy we are or how carefully and well-protected we live. Whether we live in a high-tech bubble with the latest advancements of science, or in an edenic, organic, back-to-nature commune, we will only experience this World As We Know It for a relatively short period of time. “There is a time to be born, and a time to die. . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:2).
2. It is a world of strife and warfare. Scripture says we kill because we do not have (James 4:2-3). We fight each other, cheat and steal. We betray and hurt each other for our own selfish purposes. There are places where it is not safe to walk at night; there are places it’s not safe to walk in the daytime. Our courts are filled with lawsuits and our jails with violent people. And when did you last let your child go to the neighborhood park alone?
3. It is a world of sin. Not only have we all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:28), according to the Lord, there is no righteousness in us! (Romans 3:10-18, Mark 10:18). Most of the world around us ignores God, disrespects his word, and seeks self above God’s will. The description of the generation that died in the Flood of Noah’s day sounds applicable today:  “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

(“Thanks for the encouraging, uplifting words, Pastor!”)

Fortunately, things will get better! This World As We Know It is not the highest end we can hope for; there is better to come!

This World As We Know It is not the highest end we can hope for; there is better to come!

According to the Bible, this world will end some day. Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . .” Matthew 24:29 says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Also, Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Interestingly, the Bible does use the language of cosmic and astronomical events when describing the coming Day of Judgment: the stars falling from the sky, the sun ceasing to shine, the moon turning to blood, etc. But whether you read those passages as literal descriptions of physical events, or understand them as symbolic and spiritual, either way The World As We Know It will end. It has an expiration date, just like us. Things will not continue forever as they are. But what is to replace them?

The answer is: TWAWWKIF (okay, I just made that up . . .) – The World As We Will Know It Forever. The Bible promises that there will be a new (or renewed) heaven and earth, one where God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” There will be no sin, nor any evil done in our new eternal home. No wars, no stealing, no lying, no cheating. Only joy in the presence of God surrounded by his glory and love. That’s worth looking forward to; that’s worth giving up what we have now to receive. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” With you, I look forward to what God has prepared for me – and for all who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Until that day comes, let us be thankful to God for the blessings of this earth, knowing that there is even greater to come.

On the day that the Connecticut legislators were terrified by the sudden darkness, someone made the motion to adjourn. At this, another legislator arose and said: “Mr. Speaker—It is either the day of judgment, or it is not. If it is not, there is no need of adjourning. If it is, I desire to be found doing my duty. I move that candles be brought, and we proceed to business.” The adjournment was withdrawn, and they went back to work: a good lesson for every Christian as we await the Lord’s return!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Revelation chapters 21 and 22