Last Days

 

October 22, 2023

June 5, 1967—the “Six Day War.” Israel’s neighbors had been saber-rattling, with Egypt amassing weaponry and personnel on the Sinai-Israeli border. Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan were poised, but in a surprise attack, Israel struck first, pushing through Sinai to the Suez Canal with lightening-like speed. Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon jumped in and lost the Golan Heights and the West Bank. It was literally over in six days, Israel losing about a thousand soldiers to Egypt’s 20,000.

It didn’t take “prophetic” writers but a couple months before they were churning out books comparing current events to scenes mentioned in Daniel and the Revelation, declaring that assuredly, the Second Coming was upon us.

In light of the current situation in Israel, I’ve fielded many of these same questions again: “Do you think we are in the Last Days?”

The simple answer to that question is “Yes.” Theologically speaking, we have been in the Last Days ever since Jesus ascended to the Father. St. Paul tells us on numerous occasions to be ready, for Jesus could return at any time. And Jesus himself had much to say about this subject.

The most important thing Jesus said about this is that no one knows the date or time, not even Jesus himself. So anyone who begins setting dates is barking up the wrong tree. Ignore him or her. What Jesus tells us to do is very simple, and he says it in a story.

In Matthew 25, we read the story of the wise and foolish virgins:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Notice that all the virgins (the girls in the wedding party) had oil for their lamps. They were excited, and looking forward to the wedding. The custom was for the bridegroom to come unexpectedly, the timing a surprise. This particular groom was a bit late to his own wedding, and all the bridesmaids fell asleep. When he finally arrived, they woke up to discover their lamps had gone out. Only half of them had thought to bring extra oil. Those who had extra weren’t willing to share, and there wasn’t enough time to get more. They were left out in the cold.

Jesus’ lesson isn’t as we might think, about staying awake. It’s about anticipation. Here’s the rub: Most Christians are more or less ready for everyday life. We go to church, read our Bibles, pray—enough to handle most circumstances. But most have no reserve—the crisis hits, and we fold. The spouse wants a divorce, the teenage daughter gets pregnant, the diagnosis is cancer, the company is downsizing. Normal everyday spiritual disciplines aren’t adequate for the heavy lifting crisis requires. 

We don’t know if these are the final sputterings of the “Last Days,” but we do know this: it’s not enough to “just get by.” We must be getting ready today for the crisis we can’t see, but which is surely coming, sooner or later. Today is the best time to be stocking up on extra oil. We never know when we’ll need it.