Last Days Madness
By Steven J. Ottolini, PhD
Nuclear North Korea, nuclear Pakistan, possibly nuclear Iran; are these
signs of the coming end of the world? Does the Bible
predict the end of the world in a gigantic firestorm/nuclear holocaust never
before experienced in human history? According to many modern preachers and
teachers the answer is “yes” and the sooner the better! I could never reconcile as a young Christian
the resurrection power of 
Jesus
Christ and Bible promises of personal
victory while at the same time being taught that the end of the world is coming
soon. How is it that the Holy Spirit can give me personal power and blessings
but seems powerless against the devil, the world, and history?
Called
into Christ’s ministry in 1980 with my wife Molly, I realized that the Church
had a corporate inferiority complex of doom, gloom and defeatism; all the while
proclaiming dominion over demons, disease and death. Because of a negative
outlook of the Church and her future in the world, I found the Church woefully
lacking in zeal for social change or amelioration of God’s world. Someone once
said, “Ideas have consequences.” James H. Thornwell, Presbyterian Divine,
proclaims in 1861, “Ideas rule the world.” I was discouraged that the “idea” of
the Church relative to last days was a last minute snatching away, after all
the church was only a parenthesis in God’s plan anyway. Not much motivation
could be generated by scenes of Christian’s having an eternal buffet in heaven
while the Jewish people ruled on earth with multiple personal appearances by
Jesus in between, what last days madness! Is this all there is to the gospel
message; personal bliss and security while the rest of creation goes down in
flames?
My
quest for a biblical “idea” of last things (I have since learned it is
theologically called eschatology) took me to England to study and preach in
1985. While watching a BBC special after paying my TV tax, I saw the power of
an idea in action. The British had confiscated all of the Nazi records after World
War II, which included miles of documentary film. Hitler believed he would rule
the world in the Third Reich (the third rule after Egypt and Rome) so he had
everything filmed and recorded for history. I realized that Gerbels, Hitler and
Himmler were committed to the Aryan cult; especially Himmler. Worship of pagan
idols, sacrifices, a plethora of pagan symbols, rituals and covenants were the
undercurrent of all Nazi activity including genocide. I thought to myself, “If
the Nazis could be inspired to the level they were by a bad idea, how much more
could the Church be inspired to action by a good and right (Biblical) idea
concerning God and His world?”
I was compelled to go back to school to complete my studies and devote
myself to searching the scriptures to refute escapist Christianity. Beginning
at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena California, finishing a Master’s program in
Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO and topping it off with a PhD
from Trinity Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana, I discovered the Bible does not teach the defeat of Christ and 
His
Church but exactly the opposite; the universal dominion of the Lord Jesus
Christ in history brought about by a blood bought, Spirit filled people; which
is the Church. After defeating Satan, death, the grave and the world, Jesus
declared, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Me...” (Matthew 28:18-20). The proclamation of the newly crowned King affirmed
the Psalmists’ words in Ps. 103:19,
“The Lord has prepared His throne in heaven; and His sovereignty rules over
all.” Again the Psalmist speaking of David’s son and God’s son in Ps. 72:8 says, “He shall have dominion
from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.”
Christ’s
dominion and the total success of the gospel in culture has always been the
message of the Church since Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father.
World War I, World War II, the Korean War, etc. have caused doubt, confusion
and skepticism about the Lord’s promise of restoration and dominion in His
broken world. The charge for lack of zeal and action to bring healing and
Holy Spirit power to the sin soaked planet is directed at false teaching and
subsequently false teachers. The teaching that declares the failure of a defeated
Church that needs to be rescued by Messiah ‘at any moment,’ is an aberration
of orthodox Christian teaching and has deflated and discouraged Christ’s body.
Because of false teachings, the Church for over a century has focused on piety,
music, meetings, personal blessing, fellowship and escape from responsibility,
instead of changing the world for the glory of God. After all “Why polish
brass on a sinking ship?”
Reconnecting
with Christian history after over a century of languishing with a false “idea”
of last things, St. Louis will hear the truth and the truth will set free.
Covenant Leadership Training Institute (CLTI) presents three lecture series
proclaiming Christ’s dominion and the victory of the gospel over nations.
Gary DeMar will present seven lectures November 8, 9 and 10, 2007 titled “Last
Days Madness.” I will speak in the Winter 2008 Lecture Series on the most
misunderstood and falsely exegeted book in the Bible; the book of Revelation.
Dr. James Jordan will be our speaker in the Spring 2008 Lecture Series on
another book that has suffered vain imaginings instead of scholarly exegesis;
the book of Daniel. Do not plan
to fly away with a losing Church; instead, clear up the last days madness
with orthodox, brain clearing truth from the CLTI Lectures because “ideas
rule the world.” Call Nicky at (636) 537-1122 x100 for further information
about CLTI lectures.
