THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND By Max Solbrekken, D.D. (written in 1958)
More than 1900 years ago, the Apostle Paul, under the unction of the Holy Ghost, wrote the staggering words which I am using as the title for this message. In this 21th century these words still burn as brightly, and even more brightly than they did then. We are now more than 1900 years closer to the second coming of Jesus Christ. As I read and study these precious truths, a surge of excitement goes through my being as I realize we are on the very threshold of the Rapture of the Church and Christ’s return!
I am thankful to be alive in this exciting time and to be saved, filled with the Holy Ghost and ready for the long awaited moment when the trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise (1 Thes. 4:16) and we shall see Jesus as He is. Every time I think about it my heart is thrilled.
My soul is aflame with thankfulness to God for allowing me to be His and for the privilege of serving Him. What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see! This wonderful Saviour that I have read and preached about, witnessed so many people healed in His name, and seen so many souls accept Him as their own personal Saviour. I am excited about Jesus and enthused about His soon coming!
“This old world will never hold me, any moment I’ll be gone, for I’ve made my consecration, and I have my wedding garments on.” I know that I’m ready to go – I am prepared and I want to stay that way until I see Him face to face. I’ve often said, “If I miss everything else in life, I do not want to miss the rapture.” I made up my mind years ago when I was converted that I was going to make the rapture with God’s help and by His Grace. Hallelujah!
A SOLEMN MESSAGE
The Apostle Peter preached much about the rapture of the Church and the end of the world. The other early Church writers also did the same – they lived in a great expectancy to see his Return, even in their times, or shortly after. Their hearts and souls burned with the message of Jesus – His Crucifixion, Resurrection and soon coming!
Whenever the early Church writers mentioned His coming, it was always coupled with the warning of its suddenness and the finality of all things! In my scripture text the Apostle Peter not only talks about the “End of All Things”, but he admonishes the Christians to be prepared for the end! He therefore warns: “Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer.”
In other words, each Christian is to realize the seriousness of the hour in which he lives and be in prayer so that he will not become snared with the things of the world and miss the rapture of the Church – then Peter goes on to talk about “Fervent Charity” or real God-given love and hospitality which Christians should have towards one another.
When I first began to study this portion of scripture it absolutely stirred my soul to the very core and shook me to the foundation – it was so deep and mighty – it was so colossal in its dimensions of finality and absoluteness – I began to hungrily check and study further on this subject and came up with many equally astounding and staggering facts. In this message I will share them with you.
The Apostle Paul said, “The End of all Things is at hand.” What did He mean? I prayed to God – I received the answer immediately – He meant exactly what He said and had written exactly what He knew to be Truth. The Holy Spirit moved upon Peter and all the writers of the Old and New Testaments and they wrote as they were directed by God. (11 Peter 1:21) The Holy Spirit has no speech problem so I am sure Peter gave the exact message God had laid on his heart.
THE END OF ALL THINGS!
According to this Scripture there will come a day when all things will come to an end! There will be an end of the Grace and Mercy of God towards sinners – there will be an end to the day of opportunity to be saved – there will come an end to civilization - an end to the earth – to life itself, and to the world we live in. Peter said “The end of all things is at hand!”
Again in (11 Peter 3:10-12) we read, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise; and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" Here it is – the heavens shall pass away, elements shall melt and the earth shall burn up. Then Peter continues that since this will soon take place we should walk in godliness and holiness, looking for, anticipating and longing for that day.
Everywhere the early Church Fathers preached about the Second Coming and the End of the World. They admonished the Christians to live holy and godly and be prepared for His Coming. The scripture also tells us in (1 John 3:2-3) “Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
It goes without saying then that wherever Christians have a strong belief in the soon coming of Christ, and where pastors preach it fervently, there will also be a clean assembly and a soul winning church. As I studied further I found out that the Apostle John had the same message – here it is. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Little children, it is the LAST TIME –“ (1 John 2:15-18)
The Apostle Peter declared, “The end of all things is at hand” and he admonished the Christians to live a clean, pure life in view of that fact. Here John the Apostle does the very same. Let us examine his words – “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him.” Those were very strong words indeed. If anyone loved the things of the world, then the love of God did not exist in his soul. How could a person be a Christian and not possess God’s love? That would be say further on this subject. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” An enemy of God is not saved! May God help us to keep our lives and minds clean and pure and filled with the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Then John the Apostle goes on to say “It is the Last Time.”
THE LORD IS AT HAND
I now had discovered what the Holy Spirit had spoken through Peter and John regarding this subject. Excitedly I turned to Paul’s writing to see what he would say about the matter. To my joy I discovered that he too was on the same wave length and the faithful and true Holy Spirit anointed him to deliver the same message – Here it is! “Let your moderation be know unto all men. The Lord is a hand.” (Phil. 4:5)
Here again is the Holiness Message coupled with the message of the end of the world and the soon coming of Jesus. “Let you moderation be known unto all men,” Paul writes. In other words, be moderate in all things; be not given to excesses; be temperate in your living – do not carry on in the excessive sinful living of the carnal man, but be a spiritual people!
Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16) Here Paul says to let all men know about your moderation – let everyone know that you are a Christian – take a public stand for Jesus Christ.
DO NOT hide your light but let it shine, because the Lord is at hand The Apostle Peter writes, “The end of all things is at hand.” The Apostle John writes, “Little children, it is the last time, and here Paul writes, “The Lord is at hand.” The consistency of the scriptures, the work of the Holy Spirit is certainly a marvel!
THE TIME IS AT HAND
Then in haste I turned to the words of our Lord Himself and here is what He declared to John on the Isle of Patmos: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Rev. 13) The Lord Jesus gives us a tremendously strong warning in this scripture: "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." (Rev. 1:3)
Do you want to meet Jesus in the air when he comes? Do you want to be in that great number in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Do you want to be ready to stand before God? Then right now, prepare to meet God. (Amos 4:12) Set your house in order today. (11 Kings 20:1) Repent of your sins, confessing them to Christ and forsaking them and you will receive God’s forgiveness and know for sure that you have passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
CHRIST IS COMING SOON!
Peter declared: “The end of all things is at hand.”. the Apostle John said “Little children it is the last time.” Paul writes, “The Lord is at Hand”; Jesus Christ, God’s Son said, “For the time is at hand”, and I say to you today, “Turn to the Lord with all your heart, forsake your sins, be baptized in water, dedicate your entire life to Christ and be filled with the Holy Ghost; beginning immediately to be a soul winner by witnessing regularly to those round about you, because Jesus Christ is coming very soon!
“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matt. 24:27) “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of he Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Then shall two be in the field: the one shall be taken and the other left. Two woman shall be grinding a the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matt. 24:36-44)
