Obsessed with Armageddon

Obsessed with Armageddon More and more people today are obsessed with things in the end times, Armageddon and, in particular, the so-called end of times battle between God and the forces of evil. Not only the Left Behind series sold 70 million copies, but now we also have the TV mini-series on Revelation. These fictional accounts are entitled to accurate representations of the end, on the basis of Scripture, especially Revelation and Daniel. These include bloody battle, judge those who are not Christian (or even conservative Christians) and a multitude of characters, and all the demonic evil. Some have argued that these representations are new people to the Christian faith, and yet the art of Christian literature. I think the more they undermine the true faith. They do this in three ways.First to run all their real hope. Both? S look at the picture: Most of the earth? Population has been destroyed in the violent struggle (all the atheists, agnostics, non-Christians, and all those who are entitled to Christians, but are not? T? Apathetic Church and spectators? Liberal? Christians). Of course, this will be an eteity of hell. What remains is a small minority of Christians who have committed their eteal reward. But where is the hope? It's like what Mark Twain said:? As Christianity is terrible hell, and how easy it is to be done, and how beautiful the sky, and how difficult it is to get there? And you call? Good news? ? We have to stop and reflect. If God this world and the people in it, but must, in the end, destroy the vast majority, and only a few store doesn? T, which God? And the creation of a colossal failure? When a team loses more than they win, don? T We think of them as a team to lose? But there are written, a real image of hope, and we need them, instead of stress? The wolf will live with the lamb, Leopard will lie with the goat, The calf and the lion and the yearling together; And a child shall lead them? They do not damage or destroy In all my holy mountain, for the earth is full of knowledge of the Lord As sea water. ? Isaiah 11:6, 9 (NIV) Or how about the hope of Paul shows that God? S grace would win people over?:? For God has imprisoned the disobedience so that he can be merciful to everyone? (Romans 11:32, NRSV), or 1 Timothy 2:4, which says that God? He wants everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth? (NRSV). What a great event, it is from these passages about the country, the vast majority of humanity to a ground, then it would be an eteal hell.Some Armageddon and argue that a violent end of human history is the Bible. And 'certainly true that there is much in the revelation that can be this way. However, the Book of Revelation was written to be hoped that those who see themselves as martyrs in the early church. Most of his paintings relate to the justification of this first martyr and God destroyed the followers, the Roman Empire. The famous number 666 is the number of Black? S (the letters of his name converted into numeric values and adds). The emperor Domitian was Black to retu to life and was seen as the anti-Christ. Revelation expected the fall of this anti-Christian empire, and the forecast was correct. The Roman Empire has fallen a long time, and Christianity had prevailed. This was the essence of what has been the revelation. Yes, it is also a general idea of the perfect world the end of time (Booth 21), and this is one of the most beautiful visions of Sacred Scripture. It also fights, but in a metaphorical language, which truly a spiritual battle between good and evil. No need to think in terms of actual military meeting at the end of the apocalyptic imagery time.These also undermine our efforts to deal with evil. They make us believe that the characters that we really need for those who are pure evil? who in their eyes shine, and are just destroying it. Many people seem to want to simplify this point of view. Perhaps their confidence that they are always easy to identify evil when it comes? I think we can always spot the bad guys in action movies, why? T there are in real life? But evil is often in racist really love their family, and really see other races as a threat to their happiness. Evil often comes in the terrorist who believes so completely that his way is right and good for his people oppressed, who had a bomb in a crowd. Evil is sometimes, if a Christian who believes in defending his country, ending the killing of children of a foreign culture, and the intensification of hatred between peoples. Looking for pure evil distracts us and keeps us from seeing in the hybrid forms.And finally this imaginary obsession undermines our efforts towards a better world. If we believe that God is right and what we have until the nose, what we have motivation to work for a better world? God is like Vin Diesel, blow a little 'things, and all as it should. This brings us off the hook. Except that Christ has called us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), and things to do, even more than he did (John 14:12), and were the first disciples also said to have? The world is upside down? (Acts 17:6). Jesus during his earthly ministry said,? All that the sword will perish by the sword? (Matthew 26:52). Every movement caused by violence can be destroyed by violence. This is why Jesus was for the weapons of his words and his loving victims of violence. These are the forces that the Church and made them strong. Why should retu to the ways of God's world, the path of violence, the end of time? One of the real dangers for the acquisition of this concept of a violent end is that some people gave the reason for what happened. If a violent ruling is what God wants, why not, like his supporters to contribute to this? People who have adopted this approach in the course of history. Oliver Cromwell, who, taking the guidance of 'England and forcing all the faith that he would be right? Divine rule? and God? s reign. At the heart of this obsession with Armageddon, what is it, a mode-day Cromwell thinking has yet to be proven? Bring to a better world can not, by nature of violence, more violence. And yes, it can not by human power alone. It should also help people, a hope that God will act. God has not the world from evil, and he will act. You have to remember that his work begins with the actions of those who have faith in him and love that has taught us that for every other.Keith Madsen is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon. He is also owner and editor of a new sea, editor and author of fiction "The reins of Armageddon." See