In the midst of wars, violence, and global pandemics, it’s hard not to think about the end of the world. Especially since the end of modernism, with its bright optimism, almost everyone in the contemporary postmodern world are convinced the world is becoming a worse place and is headed for some sort of large-scale destruction. This fear has exposed our culture’s gods – science, medicine, money – for the fakes they are, and has left us hopeless and in despair, with a deep sense that the eventual end of the world is out of our control. Meanwhile, politicians use this fear to manipulate us into voting for them, thereby increasing this fear and despair.
The Bible also talks about the end of the world, and frames that event as an act of a sovereign, loving God, who longs to someday purify (not destroy!) his creation from the brokenness caused by and sinfulness flowing from human rebellion. And he encourages us to trust him that his plans for the future will be for the good of us and all creation.