The End 

   “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away in a mighty roar, and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.” (2 Peter 3: 10) 

   Every story has an end, and the story of this world is no exception.  Just so, every life has an end.  In both cases the time of the end is unknown except to God.

   When His disciples asked Jesus when the end would come He replied, “As for the exact day and hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matt 24: 36).  Again, as with the end of the world, the day and hour of our death is unknown to us.

   Over and over in scripture Jesus warned that we must be prepared for the end.  In parables He spoke often of the master going away for a lengthy period and returning at a time unknown; therefore, his servants must be prepared at all times for Jesus’ return.  If we are found unprepared, woe be to us.

   Since the time of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven people have been trying to determine when the end will come.  The early apostles thought it would be very soon, but it has now been nearly two thousand years.  Various groups, both religious and others have tried to “do the math” or read the signs to determine the time of the end.  Many predictions have been made; obviously all were wrong.

   It isn’t up to us to concern ourselves with the day and time of the end, either of the world or our own life.  It is up to us to be prepared for both as though today is that day and this hour is that hour.