I've had a week's break which was both a very relaxing time for me and also very good for my health. But, on the first night, I had a strange dream, in which there was a great flood. Though, I am a pastor, I am sorry to say that, in that dream, I was only concerned about saving myself along with my family. That dream revealed to me how selfish and sinful I am. However, each one of us will some day have to stand before the Lord and give an account of our actions. Alone.. We will each stand in front of God without anyone. We can neither save others, nor can others stand in our place. We are responsible for ourselves.

Well, probably the reason I dreamed that was because lately many people from around the world have been saying that we are now very close to the end of the world, and our history. Especially, in Japan, quite a number of people are influenced by the writings of Nostradamus. However, as a Christian, I do not place my faith in his writings. As Christians, we know that only God knows the day and the hour of the end.

Over history, there have been many prophets, who were given God's words. I really don't believe Nostradamus was one of God's prophets. Of course, Jesus was the Prophet of prophets. Not only did He prophesy with God's word, He also prophesied by His own authority; and the fulfillment of His prophecy was the cross [and His resurrection].

See Mt.24:4-14, 29-35; these are the prophecies Jesus gave concerning the end of the age. We also know that the apostle, John, was given the prophecy of the fulfillment of the New Jerusalem, in Re.21:1-2. But, the surprising thing is that this prophecy was also given to Peter, in II Peter 3:13, and to Isaiah, who lived 170 years before Jesus; we have this prophecy in Is.65:17.

Watching people's minds fill with incredible evil, God reacted in anger with the Great Flood at the time of Noah. This was not the total destruction of the Earth. God wanted us to start again. When we have things as evil as those things that happened in Noah's Day, I know we are close to the end. Of course, I do not know exactly when the end will come. But, we are certainly coming closer and closer to the end (just thinking of the terrible news we have been hearing in the world today, including that last disasterous quake in Turkey, this seems so). But this end we are heading towards is also a brand new beginning, as was the aftermath of the Great Flood. It is the long awaited start of a new world.

Well, in Greek there are two kinds of words that represent the english word "new"; one is neos, the other is cainos.

Neos is the typical meaning of new. It represents the beginning of a life or process. Of course, things get older and older with the passing of time. So, neos is only the newness at the first step of something.

On the other hand, cainos refers to an unchanging newness, or a complete change in life or process. This word is used specifically in II Co. 5:17. This is the newness that lasts forever!

Please refer to Is.11:11, and De.30:30. After the people of Israel wondered in the world for 1900 years, in 1945, they were finally allowed to rebuild their nation again. It was the fulfillment of a prophecy in the Bible. And, still now in this present age, many Jews are returning to Jerusalem from all parts of the world.

They used to say that the richest peoples in the world are the Jews and the Japanese. But I don't think this is true today. With the collapse of the world economy, we are not rich any more, but struggling. And the Jews are having such difficulty back in their own country; they have no methods of earning money. They, or many of them, can't even make a living for their own families -- even though they are back in their own country again, it is so hard for them. The Jews are suffering, and struggling. See Ro.15:26-27. In this hardship, the Jews are starting to accept Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.

Today's reading, Psalm 122:1-9, is the song of those who came back to the Holy Land. Reading it we can tell how much joy they felt inside. Look again at vs.6: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." This is what we are to do right now! Now the Chosen People are starting to come back to the Lord, and the fulfillment of the prophecy is also closer. Let's keep praying that we may see God's work fulfilled.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
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