The End of the World as We Know It

 

            Nothing is more speculated about in Christianity than the end of the world. The Last Judgment, called the Awesome Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ by the Orthodox Church. I am not a priest, and do not plan on becoming a priest anytime soon, but today, as a layman I will try to outline the Church’s teachings and what we believe in a simple blog post. This may end up being a series, and if so, I will try from time to time explain different parts of the teachings without trying to be too lofty or direct. I don’t plan on condemning or badgering people. This is simply what the Church teaches, and if you choose to reject it, then that is on you. In fact, the reason I started this blog was to simply voice my beliefs, that I have come to understand through the priests and elders of my life without trying to belittle or discredit others. It is not a blog for discussion, rather for growth and learning. With that said let’s get into the heart of the matter…and start at the most controversial topic…the Rapture.

            The Orthodox Church does not nor has ever taught that there will be a Rapture. When I mention the word Rapture, people immediately think of the heretical book Left Behind. As a kid growing up Southern Baptist, I was tasked with reading the Left Behind series and it scarred me. It left a deep impression. The books written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins details the exploits of those who after witnessing a global event of people mysteriously disappearing, realize that Jesus returned and took all Christians to heaven before a seven-year tribulation where the Antichrist would rule the world and culminates at the Battle of Armageddon. The Rapture was first brought into Christian thought through Margaret MacDonald who often engaged in charismatic beliefs like speaking in tongues. Her belief in the pre-tribulation rapture was proselytized by John Nelson Darby who was a member of the Plymouth Brethren.  The Plymouth Brethren were a group of radicals who broke away from established Christianity in 1820 in Dublin. John Nelson Darby also translated the Bible into different languages. While he did proselytize the pre-tribulation rapture it is well of note that he believed Margret MacDonald to be demonic and possessed. This raises an important question. If the Church did not believe in a pre-tribulation rapture up until this point in its history, why then would it be revealed nearly two thousand years later to a young girl who was clearly possessed? The answer is that the people did not test the spirit and did not seek the answer from the spiritual fathers as the Orthodox do, nor did they take the time to search the scriptures.  I would also direct you to read my Religion of the Future Part 4 blog that discusses the nature of speaking in tongues and why dabbling with such spirits is extremely dangerous to the soul. To clear things up about this section before we move on to the next topic let’s review Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 which reads, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Paul clearly taught that the Second Coming was the end. Even St. Paul did not believe in a rapture, and he was taught and guided by those who had been with Christ. If Christ had taught a pre-tribulation rapture, surely it would have been taught by the early church.

            The second portion of the theology that most people get wrong about the Second Coming of Jesus is that he will reign for a thousand years after his victory at the Battle of Armageddon. For an Orthodox Christian, and any true Christian, we understand that Jesus’ victory was his resurrection and that the age we are living in now is the “millennial” reign. This is the age of the church, the age in which the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and taught and accepted by many across the world as they are brought into the fold. It is the establishment of the Kingdom at the first coming of Christ and has no end.  Elder Cleopa says that the Church fathers believed it be an infinite number, because the Kingdom of Christ has no end. He says that the Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual one, that will reign in the internal hearts of man throughout all ages. John 18:36, discusses that the Kingdom of God is not of this world, and that we should not expect an earthly kingdom like those who preach the earthly 1000 year reign of Christ. This is simply a ploy to try and make the things of God in the image of man, not man in the image of God.  Though it can be said, the devil, Satan, has been bound for a time and as the end of the world draws ever nearer, will be loosened from his chains to cause as much destruction as he can on the world before his time is up at the Second Coming. The Second Coming will be the end of established history, the Last Judgement will be to where no one can hide from their actions and there will be no chance for those people to accept Christ. Those who believe in the Rapture will often say that the seven-year tribulation is a chance for those who didn’t accept Christ the first time to accept Christ then. But Christ has given all of us the chance to accept him now. There will be no second chances with the Second Coming. You are either for Christ or against Christ. 

            Finally, we get to the star of the show, the part that everyone has speculated on since the Ascension. The Antichrist.  This part is especially difficult for me, because growing up, I joined in the typical evangelical speculation of which politician was the Antichrist, and which person would be leading the one world government. While this is certainly the case, that a final Antichrist is coming, there have been many antichrists throughout the history of the world. Anyone opposed to Christ and His Church is an antichrist, whether large or small. Adolph Hitler for example could be considered an antichrist. St. John says, “Little children, it is the last time. And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that this is the last time.” (1 John 2:18)   The Antichrist however will be the epitome of what everyone in the world is looking for in Christ. They will flock to him in droves. Just like a celebrity, a royal, someone who can fill the emptiness in their hearts. They who have searched for something outside of the established will that God has for mankind, and they will fill it with the Antichrist. He will perform miracles and do signs, all in the name of being the Christ, but it will be false. Jesus is the Christ, anyone who says otherwise is a liar and a fake. The Antichrist will reign for a short time, the consensus is seven years and then Jesus will return at the Second Coming and the Awesome Judgement Seat. However, unlike the pre-tribulation rapture folks, the church teaches that all people, Christians, and non-Christians will be a part of the tribulation, there will be no separation and that yes, we will have to suffer for our faith. If you understand Church history at all, then this will not come as a shock, as martyrs and others have suffered for Christ even in recent times especially in Soviet Russia. After this end, the world will be renewed and those who have been condemned will enter into eternal torment, and those who have accepted Christ will enter into eternal glory.

            As you can see, to many in the west, this teaching is foreign to most people. It is not a simple task to uncover, and it has taken me a long time to accept this as truth. As someone who is coming from a protestant evangelical background who converted to Holy Orthodoxy, I was relieved and skeptical of this teaching myself. But with help from God, I have come to understand the truth through His Church and the teachings held for 2000 years.

Amen.