An Interesting Poll

Last week a new poll, conducted by the Barna Group, was released.  It had been commissioned by Jim Fitzgerald, author of "The 9/11 Prophecy."  One of the featured questions on the poll was: "Do you, personally, believe that the world is currently living in the 'end times' as described by prophecies in the Bible, or not?"

41% of Americans agreed that the end times are here.  Fitzgerald said that he was surprised by the results: "I thought the numbers could possibly be as low as 10 percent for the overall population and maybe 30 percent for Christians in general, or less.  I had no way to know before the survey.  But the response of the overall population was higher than what I expected from Christians, and the evangelicals' response was nearly twice what I thought." 

The poll found that among Protestant responders, one in two believe the end times have arrived.  Among Catholic responders, nearly three out of four said that we were not living in the end times.  Another interesting statistic from the poll was that 54% of the blacks said yes, as did 48% of Hispanics.  Whites were at about 39%. (Taken from an article at www.wnd.com/2013/09/shocking-number-say-end-times-have-arrived).

So, what does this poll mean, if anything?  First, I am excited to believe that nearly half of Americans are waking up to the thought that the world is going out of whack.  That what we are experiencing today is really not normal - at least as measured against the past.  Second, I am thrilled that many are beginning to see the events of the world as having some purpose beyond just the here-and-now.  Perhaps authors such as Jonathan Khan, with his book "The Harbinger," and Joel Rosenberg, with this most recent thriller, "The Damascus Countdown," are causing people to see world events through a different set of lenses - through prophetic and biblical lenses. 

Let me just enumerate a few things that help bring things into perspective:
1.  Syria: Russia's involvement in Syria should not have surprised us.  Syria has been an ally of Russia since the days of Assad's father.  Russia has built a warm water port along the shores of northern Syria.  Syria is a key to Russia's keeping their hands on what is going on in the Middle East. 

2.  Iran: Wasn't it interesting that in the same week that Russian President Putin was declaring to the world that he would go into Syria to destroy their chemical weapons, that he entered into an agreement with Tehran to help them build a new nuclear reactor?  Didn't hear that one?  Thought so...sort of just snuck in there, forgotten by the media in their Syria frenzy.  But remember the words of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the real problem in the Middle East is Iran and its rush toward becoming a nuclear power.

3.  Weather: What a wacky year it has been.  From record heat waves in Alaska this summer to historic floods in Colorado to destructive wildfires in California and other western states to drought once again in the nation's midsection.  Climate change?  I just read where the Arctic ice cap grew by 6 million square miles this year.  Hardly sounds like it is getting too warm.  As someone said recently, "the only thing we can depend upon in the weather department is that it will happen." 

4.  Papal statements: Like so many others I am trying to figure out Pope Francis.  I love his passion for the poor and his more simple way of living.  But he has made a few statements that make me wonder just what his theology is.  Can atheists enter into heaven?  According to Pope Francis, yes they can if they have not violated their conscience.  But my Bible, and I think the Catholic Bible says the same thing, at least the version I have on my study shelf, says that the only way to enter into heaven is by believing on the Son of God, Jesus, and that necessarily means believing in God.  I read the Pope's statement and came to believe that we are rushing down the pathway toward universalism. 

Friends, I, too, believe that we are living in the early days of the end times.  I believe the world will get worse.  I believe persecution of Christians will increase, not just in Syria and Egypt (the stories coming out of those two war-torn nations are gut-wrenching) but here in America as well.  Not looking forward to it, but believe it will definitely happen in my lifetime. 

Many are beginning to be awakened.  That is very good.  But there are many more who simply prefer to sleep and be awakened when it is all over.  How we need to just keep proclaiming the message of God's love, but also of His coming judgment.