Comfort in Chaotic Times

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Thessalonians 4:18

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

NKJV

Finding comfort in these chaotic times is something we all seek.  The context of 1 Thessalonians 4:18 is the second coming of Jesus Christ.  One of the greatest comforts for Christians is that all the chaos we presently see in the world is temporary and will end when Jesus returns.  However, we must use caution when studying the second coming of Jesus Christ for the study carries with it a warning that nobody, not even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself knows the date of his return for only God the Father Himself knows the date (Mark 13:32). 

Unfortunately, many have ignored the warning of Mark 13:32 and claimed to know the exact date of the return of Jesus Christ.  Most recently, Harold Camping predicted the date of the end of the World claiming Jesus would return on October 21, 2011.  (1)  The day came and went and Jesus did not return.  Personally, these types of predictions upset and disappoint me for we knew one thing for certain, Jesus most likely would not return on October 21, 2011 for if he had, Mr. Camping would have been right and someone other than God the Father could have claimed to know the exact date of Jesus’ return.  This means that Christians like myself that believe every part of God’s Word were without the hope of 1Thessalonians 4:18 that day. 

Recently, I came across a book at a local Christian Bookstore entitled “A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days.”  The book intrigued me as it offers both a Christian and Jewish perspective on the last days and the second coming of Messiah, Jesus Christ.  The book is available from Amazon.com and I recommend those anyone interested in last days eschatology purchase it. 

The author of the book is Jonathan Bernis, a man born a Jew who did not intend to become a rabbi.  Mr. Bernis had one goal in mind, becoming successful in business by age 30.  However, in college Mr. Bernis began experimenting with drugs and even the occult.  However, even in this time of his life, God was at work in Mr. Bernis life for one of the people he met while in the drug culture came to Christ and was delivered from her addictions. 

Mr. Bernis’ friend became so addicted to drugs that she dropped out of college but by chance, not really there is no by chance with God, he met her after her conversion and noticed she was completely healthy and well.  Mr. Bernis finally agreed to go with her to some Bible Studies and it was there that he discovered his Messiah and purpose in life. 

After his conversion, Mr. Bernis changed his major to a focus on religious studies.  After hearing a presentation by a guest speaker claiming the Temple had already been rebuilt, a claim he knew to be false since he had made several trips to Israel, Mr. Bernis set out to discover the truth about The Last Days.  This is the purpose of his book.  (2)

Unlike Mr. Camping, Mr. Bernis makes no claim to know the date of Jesus’ return but is simply doing what Jesus told us to do take heed, watch, and pray.  I believe that as we take heed, watch, and pray, the hope of 1 Thessalonians 4:18 will grow in our hearts as we see events lining up to the time of ultimate hope for believers in Jesus Christ, the second coming of our Lord and Savior. 

With this in mind, over the next 8 Saturday postings to this blog we will be taking a look at this interesting book and what it has to tell us about the last days.  With all that is occurring in our world regarding Israel, I believe we as Christians and Jews must understand how these events fit in to God’s plan.  This book is a great help in understanding these events. 

Over the next 8 weeks we will be looking at

1)      Erroneous teachings through the ages regarding the Last Days

2)      Why Satan hates the Jews

3)      How the return of the Jews to Israel signifies the Last Days are near.

4)      How things happening today among the Jewish People tell us the Last Days are near

5)      How the Gospel being preached to the nations means the Last Days are near

6)      The rise of Messianic expectation in Israel

7)      The fulfillment of the “Times of the Gentiles”

8)      Our role in ushering in God’s Kingdom

These postings are not going to attempt to predict the time of Jesus’ return but it is my hope that they will bring comfort to my readers during these chaotic times. 

1. Camping, Harold. Harold Camping Prediction. www.endoftheworld2012.net. [Online] [Cited: May 3, 2015.] http://www.endoftheworld2012.net/haroldcamping.htm.