Danish author Søren Kierkegaard told a parable about the end time. It went something like this: A fire broke out backstage in a big theater. A clown, who had been part of the performance, came out to warn the audience: Get out; the place is on fire! The audience thought it was just a big joke, part of the show, that’s all, and just applauded. He repeated the warning: Get out! Get out! But the more emphatically he warned them, the greater the applause. For Kierkegaard, that was how the world is going to end; that is, to the general applause of wits who believe it’s a joke.
The end of the world, and events leading up to it, are, as we know, no joke. The world faces the most serious crisis since the Flood. In fact, Peter himself uses the story of the Flood as a symbol of the end, warning that just as the world of old perished by water, in the end times, “the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10, NKJV). Having been warned about what is coming, we now need to be prepared for it, as well.
In this parable, a clown frantically warns a theater audience about a fire, but the audience, believing it to be part of the performance, applauds and laughs, disregarding the warning. Kierkegaard likened this to the world’s response to the end times. Today, we will explore the importance of heeding God’s warnings and preparing ourselves for the end.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV) “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
I. God’s Warnings Throughout History
Throughout the Bible, God has sent warnings to His people in times of impending danger. Noah was warned about the flood (Genesis 6:13-14); Lot was warned about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:12-13); and Jonah was sent to warn the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4). In each case, those who heeded the warning were saved, while those who did not perished.
Ellen White, in the book “Patriarchs and Prophets,” wrote, “It was not multitudes or majorities that were on the side of right. The world was arrayed against God’s justice and His laws, and Noah was regarded as a fanatic.” (PP 96.2)
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the end times (Matthew 24:37).
II. The Urgency of Heeding the Warning
Christ’s return is imminent, and we must take the warnings about the end times seriously. Like the clown in Kierkegaard’s parable, God has sent us a message to prepare for the end, and we must not ignore it.
In the book “Last Day Events,” Ellen White states, “We are standing on the threshold of the crisis of the ages. In quick succession, the judgments of God will follow one another—fire, and flood, and earthquake, with war and bloodshed.” (LDE 17.2)
We must be vigilant, for Christ warned us that His coming would be like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44).
III. Preparing for the End Times
How then should we prepare for the end times?
- Strengthen our faith: We must deepen our relationship with Christ, trust in His promises, and study His Word to guide us through these tumultuous times (Ephesians 6:10-18).
- Share the gospel: The Great Commission calls us to share the good news of Christ’s love, sacrifice, and imminent return (Matthew 28:18-20).
- Live a life of obedience: As followers of Christ, we must be obedient to His commandments, loving God and our neighbors (John 14:15).
Ellen White reminds us, “Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye must have a greater preparation than ye now have, for the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.” (EW 66.2)
Conclusion:
Let us not be like the theater audience in Kierkegaard’s parable, laughing and applauding at the warning while the world is on fire. Instead, let us heed the warnings given to us in God’s Word and through the Spirit of Prophecy. Let us be vigilant, preparing ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically for the end times. May we hold fast to our faith, share the gospel with others, and live in obedience to God’s commandments.
As we face these challenging times, let us remember the words of Jesus in John 14:1-3 (NKJV): “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Brothers and sisters, let us stand firm in our faith, embrace the hope we have in Christ, and look forward to the day when we will dwell in the presence of our Lord and Savior for all eternity. Amen.
karambi