This is a very difficult topic to discuss. Mainly because no one wants to think about their impending death or the impending death of their friends and family. But at the same time, every once in awhile we need to see the "bigger picture" of life, so that we can put things in perspective. If you look at the waterfall picture to your right, and notice the water, it appears to be going downstream. Notice the iridescent color of the white water. It appears to be glowing.
Think of the beginning of your life as being at the top of the waterfall. And the middle of the waterfall is the majority of your life, and the bottom of the waterfall is where you are headed.
Do you notice that the widest point of the waterfall is at the end? And if you compare that to your life, after you die, you enter into eternity, which is much bigger than the 70 or so odd years that you live on this earth.
However, what we do in this life, the decisions and choices that we make, determine where we will spend eternity.
Everything in this world is temporary. You see life and death all around you, every day. Whether you are in war torn Iraq or other chaotic countries, or whether you are in America, sitting in your own backyard, contemplating the clouds above you on a blue, sunny day.
In the fall, the leaves still fall to the ground and die, the flowers wither, the snow falls, and then the spring comes, and life begins again.
But one day, that too will end. In fact, it may be much closer than we think, in this day of terrorism, and suicide bombers, and hi-jacked airplanes, and dirty bombs all just waiting to go off at the word of Al-Quida.
And even if there were no terrorists, we have our own nucular bombs, our own weapons of mass destruction, as do several of the European countries. The world is now capable of destroying itself.
The Bible tells us that one day, this earth will disappear, it will roll up and melt in the heavens like a scroll and a new heaven and a new earth will be created.
Read Matthew 24 and you will see that all the signs are here, that Jesus said would appear in the Last Days.
I say all of this not to purposely scare you, but to "prepare" you for what is to come. Each person should examine their own souls, their own lives, and realize that just like the waterfall cascades over the edge, we too are going to come to that edge, that cliff, and we are going to go over it into eternity. We all need to prepare for that day ...........
Patricia Jones, M.A.
I suspect that no one was more surprised at the enormous success of the 'Left Behind' novels than the authors, Jerry Jenkins and Dr. Tim LaHaye. Although this book is obviously packaged to appeal to readers of the series, there's real meat here, much of it derived from two earlier books by Dr. LaHaye on the book of Revelation and the on-going debate over the timing of the Rapture. Christians familiar with biblical prophecies of the end-times will find this a handy reference, while readers with no real Bible knowledge will find a lot to think about. Both groups will enjoy the historical references and background, particularly those relating to the modern-day regathering of the nation of Israel after so many centuries in exile. Agree or disagree, no one will be bored by this book! Read it, ponder it, then ask yourself: "Could all this really happen in my lifetime?" You may be surprised by your final answer. Enjoy.
This is a beautiful book. Dr. Barclay is the consummate New Testament scholar, and this book is a compilation of topics from his Daily Study Bible series dealing with the subject of the Second Coming of Christ. In this book you will not discover people disappearing from airplanes due to a "rapture" or any of the other sensational fads of the "Left Behind" series; rather, you will be instructed in how Jewish apocalyptic thought combined with early Christians' hope for the second coming. You will learn much about how the symbols (and they are symbols) of the beast, 1,000 yr. reign, coming in clouds, etc. have been traditionally interpreted in mainline seminaries and churches. I find it terribly disappointing that Christians are lured into easy, simplistic, literalistic notions about the Bible's teachings rather than consulting educated yet understandable writings about the Bible such as Dr. Barclay's. As a Presbyterian elder, I am very proud to recommend all of Dr. Barclay's fine books to you with the prayer that they will bless your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to Christ.
