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Navida Sayed, UK
Beautiful landscapes crumbling away without a trace of their existence, flattened cities, dark skies engulfed in flames, destruction and chaos as a handful of desperate survivor’s crawl through the carnage. Such images were only ever seen in blockbuster end times movies. Apocalyptic fictional movies became hugely popular, at the same time this resulted in a surge of the largest societal paranoia and fears surrounding a possible nuclear attack.[1] In current times the world is witnessing the stark reality of apocalyptic movie scenes. As the world holds their breath at the brink of World War 3 to see what unfolds next, there is also growing speculation anticipating the return of Christ. This article will explore and discuss the concept of the end time signs, the second coming of Christ, and will his return bring about everlasting peace?
End Times and the Return of Christ
The concept of end times evolved just over a century ago and is prevalent in the literature of all Christian denominations. A study found ‘About four-in-ten U.S. adults believe humanity is living in the end times, premillennialists believe Christ will return after a worsening of global conditions. Postmillennialists believe he will return after an improvement in global conditions.’[2] Overall the study found that the majority agreed that ‘it is impossible to know what will happen before Jesus returns.’[3] The question arises does anyone know when Christ will return or if he has already returned?
Did Jesus (as) Say When He Would Return?
Followers of the Abrahamic faiths await the return of the Messiah, Jews, Christians and Muslims believe in prophecies relating to the return of Christ. This article will focus specifically on what Jesus (as) foretold about when he would return.
‘But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.’[4][Matthew 24:36] Craig S Keener comments on this verse ‘Although God has made crucial things known to his people, he also kept some mysteries secret.’[5]
‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’[6] [Mark 13:32] Danile J Harrington comments, ‘That only God should know the exact time is understandable, but the inclusion of the son with the angels and human beings not knowing is surprising.’[7] Jesus (as) indicates that he holds no supreme or divine knowledge above and beyond the knowledge of God.
When Jesus (as) met his disciples in person after the crucifixion, the disciples questioned when he would return again?[8]
‘He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.’[9] [Acts 1:7] Richard J. Dillon explains that, in relation to the last days mentioned in this verse, the time, duration and it’s ‘opportune moments, are God’s domain and beyond human inquiry.’[10]
The above references clearly indicate even Jesus (as) did not know when the second coming would occur.
Failed End Time Prophecies and the Return of the Messiah
Jesus (as) warned his followers, ‘When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesuspbuh answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray.’ [Matthew 24:4-5]
Over the last few decades many famous figures widely predicted and popularised end times and the return of Christ linked to geopolitical events. Famous authors desire only to sell books and gain large followers, as they continue predicting dates for the return of the Messiah and apocalyptical events. Doomsday preppers are no longer a topic of movies, they prepare and fear the worst[11]. Many preppers gave up their livelihoods, lived in continuous fear[12] and the end time predictions always failed.[13] Ironically all the sold-out best seller books only consisted of failed predictions about the dates for the return of the Christ.[14]
Another pertinent point to bear in mind is that Jesus (as) himself clearly specified no one could know the time, and those who predict dates for his return contradict what he said in relation to this. ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’ [Mark 13:32].
Jesus (as) warned that there will be many false Messiahs who will not meet the criteria of the Messiah and fulfilment of the prophecies relating to his coming and that no one will know when he returns.
The Awaited Messiah Has Returned
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus Christ (as) and the Mahdi, whose advent the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) foretold. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that God sent Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed, and restore morality, justice, and peace. He reformed Muslims of fanatical beliefs and practices by vigorously championing Islam’s true teachings. He also recognized the noble teachings of the great religious founders and saints, including Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Guru Nanak, and explained how their original teachings converge into true Islam.[15] The main purpose of the Promised Messiah’s advent was to fulfil all that has been said but mainly to bring people back to belief in the One God.
End Time Signs Fulfilment of Prophecies
Jesus (as) indicated signs about his second coming. ‘And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.’[16] [Matthew 24:6-7]
Many of these prophecies have been fulfilled in the person of the Promised Messiah (as) he stated, ‘In my age only, in the month of Ramadan, eclipses of the sun and the moon occurred; in my age only, in accordance with the authentic sayings of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Holy Qur’an and earlier Books, there was the plague all over the country, and in my age only, a new mode of transport, namely railways came into existence and in my age only, as per prophecies, terrible earthquakes came.”[17] The true fulfilment of these signs led seekers of the truth to find and accept the path of Ahmadiyyat in Islam. As foretold by Jesus (as) his followers that they will be persecuted.
The Messiah and His Followers are Persecuted
Historically all prophets were initially rejected and persecuted.
‘Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.’[18] [Matthew 24:9-14]
From the time of the second advent of the Promised Messiah (as) to the current day, Ahmadi Muslims around the world have endured bitter persecution, severe enmity and have witnessed countless martyrdoms. However, the Promised Messiah (as) and his successors, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, guide us to keep vigilant but above all to pray and persevere. Regardless of the persecution, Ahmadi Muslims continue to flourish. The Promised Messiah’s (as) aim was never to gain political or territorial powers, he was a champion of peace, fighting the real battle of establishing good over evil upon earth.
World War 3 and the Return of Christ
Ironically some groups believe and are praying for initiating World War 3 to usher in the return of Christ. [19] The International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War reports that ‘a war that detonated less than 1/20th of the world’s nuclear weapons would still crash the climate, the global food supply chains, and likely public order. Famines and unrest would kill hundreds of millions, perhaps even billions.’ Another scientific study suggests ‘nuclear war would wreak havoc on the world’s oceans, causing them to cool rapidly and become choked with sea ice. Ocean marine life would die out, and marine ecosystems would take decades possibly even longer to recover.’ That is why there are many working towards the disarmament of thousands of nuclear weapons in the world.[20]
Jesus (as) prophesied about his return to save humanity and warned, ‘And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened’ (Matthew 24:22). For those who survive there will be nothing left, the Messiah will not appear because he has already come. Humanity will suffer devastation and the Messiah will not return to rescue the world from the aftermath of a nuclear war. He has already come and it is important to fulfil his work to establish and maintain peace.
The Messiah Would End All Wars and Bring True Peace on Earth
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism declaring that the “jihad by the sword” has no place in Islam and endorses the separation of mosque and state. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community lives by the motto Love for All Hatred for None, and strives to advocate for universal human rights and global peace.
His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), is the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, worldwide spiritual head of more than tens of millions of members in over 200 Countries and nations. Working arduously for the over two decades, he has been warning the world about the consequences of a global nuclear war, which the world will never be able to recover from.[21] As Jesuspbuh foretold the return of the Messiah would only establish true peace on earth, if only the world would take heed before it is too late.
Some further reading:
About the Author: Navida Sayed is a long serving member on the Editorial Board of The Review of Religions and has previously served Editor of the Christianity Section. She has been the Coordinator of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Women’s Research Team UK since 1992, whose work has predominantly revolved around Biblical studies.
ENDNOTES
[1] Marisa Lascala, The Best End-of-the-World Movies for When You’re Feeling a Wild Ride 2020. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g29442307/best-end-of-the-world-movies/
[2] Jeff, Diamant. ‘About Four-in-Ten U.S. Adults Believe Humanity Is “Living in the End Times”’, Pew Research Center (Pew Research Center) 2022. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/12/08/about-four-in-ten-u-s-adults-believe-humanity-is-living-in-the-end-times/
[3] Ibid
[5] Keener, Craig S. 1993. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity) pg.115
[6] Michael D, Coogan, Marc Z Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version (New York: Oxford University Press) 2010. pg.1818
[7] Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland Edmund Murphy, and Raymond Edward Brown. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (London: G. Chapman) 1993. pg.624
[8] Ibid pg.728
[9] Michael D, Coogan, Marc Z Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version (New York: Oxford University Press) 2010. pg.1922
[10] Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland Edmund Murphy, and Raymond Edward Brown. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (London: G. Chapman) 1993. pg.728
[11] TV, N. National Geographic – Doomsday preppers, National Geographic for everyone in everywhere. Available at https://www.natgeotv.com/za/shows/natgeo/doomsday-preppers.
[12] Bell, V. (2011) Apocalypse 2011: What happens to a doomsday cult when the world doesn’t end? Slate Magazine. Available at https://slate.com/technology/2011/05/apocalypse-2011-what-happens-to-a-doomsday-cult-when-the-world-doesn-t-end.html
[13]10 super-specific doomsday predictions that didn’t Pan Out. Available at https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/web/g3226/doomsday-predictions/
[14] Eugene (2022) 5 times the return of Jesus was predicted and was… uhhhh… wrong, Back to Jerusalem. Available at: https://backtojerusalem.com/5-times-the-return-of-jesus-was-predicted-and-were-uhhhh-wrong/
[15] ‘Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’. [n.d.]. Islam Ahmadiyya https://www.alislam.org/ahmadiyya-muslim-community/
[16] Michael D, Coogan, Marc Z Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins (eds.). The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version (New York: Oxford University Press) 2010. Pg.1783
[17] Ahmad, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ghulam. [n.d.]. ‘Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation)’, Islam Ahmadiyyahttps://www.alislam.org/book/haqiqatul-wahi/
[18] ‘Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’. [n.d.]. Islam Ahmadiyya https://www.alislam.org/ahmadiyya-muslim-community/
[19] Carey, M. (2023) New Documentary shows how American Evangelicals Are ‘praying for armageddon’ and pulling the levers of power to achieve it – CPH:DOX, Deadline. Available at: https://deadline.com/2023/03/praying-for-armageddon-cph-dox-film-evangelical-influence-on-american-policy-director-tonje-hessen-schei-interview-1235304641/
[20] The impact of a Nuclear War (2023) Home page -. Available at: https://cnduk.org/resources/the-impact-of-a-nuclear-war/
[21] ‘Khalifatul Masih’. 2020. Press & Media Office https://www.pressahmadiyya.com/khalifa/
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