"Let us also go, that we may die with him" - Worry about the End of the World

Mt. Fuji from around Tokyo

Worry about the End of the World

One of the most important parts of the Bible is as follows:

M'r:13:2: And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
M'r:13:3: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
M'r:13:4: Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
...
M'r:13:19: For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
M'r:13:20: And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
M'r:13:21: And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
M'r:13:22: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

So, Christ Jesus clearly predicted that a great tragedy would come to this world and there would be great confusions and turmoils.

Even without this prediction, it is natural to consider that any civilization would come to its end someday.  The civilization that has continued for 2000 years since the era of the Roman Empire, through some twists and turns, should also end some day.

Nonetheless, these said passages are grave, since they include the expression "such as was not from the beginning of the creation."  And the world has not yet experienced a tragedy of this scale, which means that the mankind is still destined to face a great tragedy that has not occurred since the start of the human civilization.

Some people had thought that it should come around the beginning of 2000 or 2001, although the 21st century started without a fatal crisis on the mankind.  And, people in the world have gradually started to forget about this prediction by Christ Jesus.  They may think that "It may come, but in the 22nd century or 99th century, who can know it?"

But who has confidence that our civilization can continue through the 22nd century or 99th century?  Yet, who would mind if the end of the world should come after his or her death?

Put plainly, this issue of the end of the world or civilization can be seriously treated only by those with faith in the God and Christ Jesus.  Ordinary people (especially rich people) who earn money and enjoy their lives fully drinking and eating would not mind if anything happens to the world after their death.  For them, if the human civilization collapses after their death, it means nothing.  But people with faith cannot bear the idea that they are part of failed civilization doomed to collapse someday.  And if they are members of such a civilization, how can they be loved by the God?  So, it is a grave issue for believers.

To worry about the end of the world must be a proof that he or she has faith.
 

**** **** ****

Joh:11:14: Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Joh:11:15: And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Joh:11:16: Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Joh:11:17: Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

"Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee" - Righteous Men are Attacked and Tempted by Satan

Moon, Mt.Fuji, and Tokyo

Righteous Men are Attacked and Tempted by Satan

The Gospels by Mark, Matthew, and Luke depicted the temptation of Christ Jesus by Satan in the wilderness:

Mark:

M'r:1:12: And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
M'r:1:13: And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Matthew:

M't:4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
M't:4:2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
M't:4:3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
M't:4:4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
M't:4:5: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
M't:4:6: And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
M't:4:7: Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
M't:4:8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
M't:4:9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
M't:4:10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
M't:4:11: Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Luke:

Lu:4:1: And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Lu:4:2: Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Lu:4:3: And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Lu:4:4: And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Lu:4:5: And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Lu:4:6: And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Lu:4:7: If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
Lu:4:8: And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Lu:4:9: And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
Lu:4:10: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
Lu:4:11: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Lu:4:12: And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Lu:4:13: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

So, we should not dismiss this episode simply as a fiction in the Bible.

It should at least symbolize the battle between evil one and holy one.  Satan hates goodness and holiness.  And those who pursue goodness and holiness are attacked by Satan.

This is a phenomenon commonly observed in the human world.  Good men who always act as servants of God cannot be hired by companies.  Righteous men  who always try to follow the words of God and Christ Jesus cannot be accepted by a society.  Men always try to practice justice and love to God and neighbors cannot earn money.

In other words, Satan try to suppress those good men and tempt them with money, worldly prosperity and success, and illusions to make a conquest of the world.

The more one loves God and Christ Jesus, the more he or she is attacked and tempted by Satan.

So, Christ Jesus must have been really attacked and attempted by Satan.  These passages must be those of the most important episodes in the Gospels. 

#### #### ####


M'r:11:13: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
M'r:11:14: And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
M'r:11:15: And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
M'r:11:16: And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

"For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" - Wealth without Restriction of Christianity

 The Tokyo Station

Wealth without Restriction of Christianity

It is after the era of the Christian Crusade that Europe under control of the Vatican started to separate faith from the rational mind.  It is mainly because Europeans re-discovered the Aristotelian philosophy in the Islamic regions where they had marched to fight Muslims and save Jerusalem from Islamic camps.

So, in the middle of the 12th century, scholasticism was introduced into Europe, and Europeans started to think about difference between faith and reason, thus splitting philosophy from theology, although making efforts to harmonize the Aristotelian metaphysics and Christian revealed theology.  This trend was further accelerated by Martin Luther and the like emphasizing faith over philosophy.  And further, on this extension, the common features of Christianity of America of today were established.

Put simply, today Americans think that religious conviction is above any human reason, philosophy, and thoughts.  In other word, they are ready to accept any miracles and religious manifestations.  However, it also means that they tend to think that any worldly things have no influence on spiritual matters.  Therefore, American rich men do not rebel against Christianity and any other religions.  But this situations are, probably, wanted by Satan who wants people to forget about the words of God and Christ Jesus. 

What is worse, in China without this kind of Christian traditions, modern wealth realized by Western technology are being generated, pursued, and abused, threatening global peace.

In any way, there are 2000-year long Christian traditions on how to think, take, and handle the worldly matters and religious or spiritual matters.  And based on these traditions, the Western civilization of today has been established.  Europeans and Americans pursue material wealth without harming their religious convictions, but they know the limit of worldly wealth as they cannot forget that Christian truth exists over worldly wealth.

In this context, China is dangerous too boldly pursuing worldly wealth without restriction of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  So, a sound Christian mind is necessary to rationally face, judge, and assess the economic rise of China. 



**** **** ****


Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Mat 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Mat 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Mat 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

"if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" - Until the Year 2033 has Passed

Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

Until the Year 2033 has Passed

On January 1, 2000 and 2001, the world was not destroyed as it went on as it had been, although the end of the world around the end of the 2000th year or the start of the 2001st year after the first emergence of Christ Jesus was a common implicit issue for everybody in the world.

However, it was around AD 30/33 that Christ Jesus left this world after the Crucifixion, Resurrection. and Ascension to Heaven.  So, we had better continue to be alerted until 2030 or 2033.  In this case, we must see extraordinary things from 2000 or 2001 to 2030 or 2033 even if we cannot fully accept the theory of the coming of the end of the world around the end of the 2000th year after the first emergence of Christ Jesus.

In 2001, the 9/11 Terror occurred to change the political climate of the U.S. and the world.  Around 2008, a big financial crisis occurred spreading from Wall Street to the global financial market.  Between 2009 to 2017, a first African-American president presided over the United State.  In 2011, a great earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan with incidental Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, shocking the world.  In 2016, a very unique president, Trump, was elected and took office in the White House, starting a trade war with China.  In 2019, the UK is still struggling to realize Brexit while changing its prime minister from May to Johnson.  Meanwhile, in 2013, Benedict XVI stepped down from the top seat of the Vatican while being alive.  And the convulsion in Muslim states in the Middle East to the South Asia has continued.

So, we had better be on alert, at least, until the year 2033 has passed.




**** **** ****


Luk 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?