12 May End Times Alarm in May 1953
While pulling up flooring in my home a years ago, I found some old newspapers. It is endlessly interesting to read things from the past, such as the price of bread (8 pence) or to read of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s first ascent of Mt Everest on May 29, 1953.
Among the articles was the advertisement you see displayed. “Will the ATOM BOMB Wipe out Humanity?” A Christian organisation was conducting evangelistic events in Brisbane City Hall at that time.
Of interest was the end time alarm used to draw a crowd, and the question that many people wondered about when the world would end. Israel had become a nation again in 1948, just five years earlier, which many equated to the same Israel of the Bible. The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been demolished by atomic weapons just 8 years earlier. It seemed as though the events of revelation were leaping out of the news at the readers of those days.
And yet here we are… again.
What did Jesus say about his return? He said it would be “like the days of Noah.” (Matt 24:37) Some have misunderstood that to mean it would be increasingly violent, but that wasn’t Jesus actual point. He observed it would be unexpected. Noah’s flood was very unexpected. Nothing of that type had happened before. It wasn’t as thought people expected a flood, but just didn’t know when, they actually didn’t even expect the flood itself.
And Christ said his return would happen “when you do not expect him.” (Matt 24:44) The sensible conclusion is that like the time of Noah, when Jesus returns, his coming will not be on the radar of people. So unlike 1953 when the end of the world was on the radar of people, or even today, when constant speculation abounds about when Jesus will come, what is being described is a time when people are not thinking about these things.
So if the entire world, and the body of Christ were to stop speculating, and to stop expecting his return, and nobody talked about it. THAT would be the type of condition for the return of Christ. THAT would be a time that nobody is expecting. And to help the saints be ready for such at time Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins, five foolish and five wise. The bridegroom was a long time in coming. (Matt 25:5) The wise virgins were prepared for a long time and remained full of the Holy spirit (the oil) but the foolish virgins were not prepared for the Bridegroom to be gone for so long.
And being prepared of course means to ‘keep watch.’ (Matt 25:13) That is, remain in the spirit of prayer. Be full of the Spirit, to be found in service, to be serving the Lord. Whether the Lord returns for all, or just for you, it will not catch you by surprise.