One of the many things that evolution – and even old-earth creationism – has stolen from the Church is a biblical perspective on the beginning and the end of all things. After all, if “the beginning” was billions of years ago, why shouldn’t “the end” be billions of years in the future? Or at least millions. Even thousands. At any rate, “the end” isn’t something we need to think about today.
Or is it? The Bible teaches a very different view of history. It says that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Young-earth creationism puts the birth of the creation at about 6000 BC (for the sake of simplicity, I’m going to use round numbers in this post). About 2000 years later, there was a new birth when God destroyed the world with a flood and repopulated it with those saved in the ark. Approximately 2000 after that, God brought about another new birth through the death, resurrection, and ascension of his Son, Jesus Christ. We live some 2000 years after that … is it time for another new birth? The birth of the new Heaven and the new Earth?
Don’t be lulled into complacency or passivity by the idea of millions and billions of years extending from the past into the future. Constantly, the Bible urges us to be sober and alert:
“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42)
“Let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” (I Thessalonians 5:6)
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (I Peter 4:7)
This sense of urgency should not be prompted by fear or worry – it should be a reflection of our great hope:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up …. But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (II Peter 3:10,13)