End of World/ Second Coming

Q:  Do you think that the world as we know it today is soon ending, and the second coming is on its way?  I'm looking at upheaval, sickness, weather changes, earthquakes, etc.  L.M.

A:  You have asked two questions.  First, do you think that the world as we know it is soon ending?  Differentiating between "Earth" as our home planet, and "world" as a social/cultural milieu, I think that the world is ending all the time.  The world as society knew it 100 years ago no longer exists.  The Industrial Revolution brought an end to the social structure before it.  Recently, the computer revolution brought about another end.  Do you have a cell phone?  Your experience in the world before you got it has ended.  Endings are inevitable and are followed by the advent of something different.  As for upheavals of all sorts, these will continue and be more noticed because of the explosion in mass communication, and the population explosion that is now careening toward 7 billion.  So, yes, I'd say that the world as we know it today is soon ending, just as the world we knew as children has already ended.  I also observe that we are in an accelerated time of transition.

I presume your second question, do I think the second coming is on its way, refers to the second coming of Christ.  This is a different matter entirely, though in popular thought the two are related.  If the true spirit of Christ, which is the Comforter, hasn't already come in the hearts of people (whether or not they use the name "Christ" or "Christian"), and if he were to come with a trumpet blast in the clouds, they would never know him.  Jesus spoke of the coming of the "Comforter," "whom the Father will send in my name," in John chapters 14-17.  These chapters describe his return.  Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world," "The kingdom cometh not with observation," and "The kingdom of God is within you."  This describes an inner spiritual reality which is ongoing, like breathing.

My book, Wings of Comfort, covers in detail the scriptures that are generally used to indicate the themes of your question, and in 456 pages, many other doctrinal themes as well.