Even at the Doors blog

(June 25, 2010)  The Denver Post ran a story about Bible translation: “Bible translators hope to have every language covered in 15 years”. The article reports:

“A Christian endeavor of almost 2,000 years could be substantially completed by 2025. Protestant translators expect to have the Bible — or at least some of it — written in every one of the world’s 6,909 spoken languages. ‘We’re in the greatest period of acceleration in 20 centuries of Bible translation,’ said Morrison resident Paul Edwards, who heads up Wycliffe Bible Translators’ $1 billion Last Languages Campaign. Portable computers and satellites get the credit for speeding things up by about 125 years.”

Many dedicated men and women have served Jesus Christ over the last two thousand years. Bible translators have performed some of the most important roles in furthering the Kingdom of God since the incarnation of Jesus. In the performance of their calling as translators they have possibly played a role in helping to fulfill a prophecy that Jesus spoke to His disciples on the Mt. of Olives during His Passion week:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14)

This is the only saying of Jesus that indicates the timing of the End-Times (in other sayings Jesus did describe what the End-Times would be like but not the timing except to say that no one knows the day or hour of His return). Notice that Jesus said the “gospel of the kingdom” will be preached in all the world and then the end will come. He did not say the Bible or Word of God would be in all the world but that the gospel would be preached to every nation before His second coming. 

Many sources say there are as many as 195 countries in the world today (worldatlas.com). However, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook lists 237 countries. Of these, thirteen countries have no registered percentage of Christians among their population.

Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Cambodia
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Libya
Maldives
Mauritania
Nepal
Oman
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Western Sahara                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                (source: The CIA World Factbook)

I find it unlikely that there are no indigenous Christians in these thirteen countries. Even if there are no Christians in them it is likely the gospel has reached all the nations of the world through the Internet or by other means of media access. If so, does this mean we are close to seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy of Jesus? It is possible Jesus meant that when His followers did indeed preach the Gospel in every nation then He would return. However, I believe the Bible indicates this prophecy will be fulfilled in a supernatural way.

In the Book of Revelation God’s servant John witnessed a global event:

“6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:6-7)

Jesus said the Gospel would be preached “unto all nations” and the angel in Revelation preaches the Gospel to “every nation”. Thus, I believe this is the event which will fulfill this prophecy of Jesus. After that, the final seven bowl judgments occur culminating in the battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

From a prophetic perspective, I believe the most important sign Christians should have looked for was the rebirth of the nation of Israel. Several prophecies in both the Old Testament and New Testament involve the return of the Jews to the land of Israel and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Israel became a nation in 1948 and gained control of Jerusalem in 1967. Therefore, all other End-Times prophecies should be interpreted in light of this prophetic event. But until the Lord’s return, Christians are to continue spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and continue ministering to those with spiritual and physical needs.

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7. World ending in 2012 according to ancient Mayans and others? (October 13, 2009) Between the History Channel, Jack Van Impe, Hollywood, and the Media one could get the idea that something cataclysmic is going to occur in December of 2012. Two days ago the Drudge Report linked to an article titled "2012 isn't the end of the world, Mayans insist"....
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