This is just a hypothetical question....a 'what if' question. Admittedly you would have to accept a premise that is probably very foreign to you in order to attempt an answer. Here goes....
What if through some unforeseen developments....all perfectly acceptable from a biblical standpoint....even to the most careful of defenders of biblical hermeneutics....what if it became more than apparent....even probable....that the world had already entered the seven year tribulation period? I don't think that anyone can give a quick answer to this. I wouldn't even expect definite answers from anyone....but if such was indeed the case....surely it would have to in some way alter how we live our daily lives!
I put out a post a little while back that I titled....Is The Pandemic The White Horse Of Revelation Six? I am seventy two years old....and this pandemic is the single most disastrous event in my lifetime.....not only because of the millions of deaths.....but the horrendous ripping apart of nations over the response.....and also because if we would not come together on a pandemic....will we not come together even if America needs us? Is our division that great? But that is not why I'm putting forth this 'what if' question.
I have in these posts....at least a dozen times over the years....given an anecdote from Martin Luther's life. He was once asked this question...."Father Martin. If you knew for sure that Jesus was returning tomorrow. What would you do?" Luther responded...."I would plant a tree." We planted a dogwood in our front yard about five years ago....and it has never done well. I baby it every year....and it's starting to look like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. Coincidentally....I walked up to that tree today.....wondering if the few branches that sprout leaves.....will sprout the same amount this year....or continue to become more sparse? Without thinking of the topic of this post or Martin Luther or anything of that order....I determined that if it continues to wither.....that I'll cut it down....and plant another one. This even though I hold to the belief that surely Jesus must be already mounted with His holy angels.
Taking this a step further....if we should head into a world war....and a new world order would arise....with a man in charge who fits every biblical description of the Antichrist.....I don't think I'd plant that tree.....and I'm not sure that even Luther would. This part of the question is easy for me....if I thought that we might already be in the tribulation....I would do what I'm doing right now....but what is problematic is if I thought Jesus could not return for at least twenty or thirty years.....which I hear often from others....I would not have this unction that I have today.
Here is the kicker in all this....given the choice of the two....hoping and believing that Jesus is near....as opposed to either not having an opinion on it either way....or not envisioning the return of Jesus for a few decades.....I would and do desperately desire the former....for the latter is void of real hope....because it is not terribly in need of hope...is not conducive to any real kind of unction to 'redeem the time....it is substantially short on joy....and it inhibits self-examination....because maybe the time is not short.
I have lived both sides of the Arminian/Calvinist debate....and the latter is far greater in that a truly sovereign God comes to light. I have also lived both sides of this debate....and there is no comparison....for to not at least hope for the return of Jesus in power and glory....is to miss something of great importance....because the need to know....in this case that of the compromise the modern church has made with the world....and warnings to even examine our own salvation....is not there.
As it stands now....I would plant that tree....for the tree itself is not the real issue....the glory of Christ is the issue....for Christ is everything....and all of us who would attempt to answer the question I posed in this post....would also believe and attest to that. Such being the case....how therefore....could not the imminent appearing of such a Lord of Glory....not be worthy of at least seriously examination....and not be our daily hope....in this....City of Destruction....that we live in?
