Ninety-Nine Per Cent

 

I ran across this last July. I didn't save the internet address, so good luck finding the page again, but did make a copy of this portion of my screen shot. I found it fascinating how much of the globe would be able to see the sun at a given moment in time. Then, I thought of a scripture:

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7 KJV)

I understand that as spirits, everyone in Heaven and in Hell will be able to view the action taking place, but not realizing the vastness of the Pacific over the Atlantic ocean, I did not realize until this graphic just how much of the world's population have a view of the sun at the same time. Australia and the Pacific Islands, would be in the dark of night. Still, I believe they will see what God provides.

This verse says it will be a time of wailing - I think because everyone has an inkling that the world will end some day. Science says it will most likely when the Sun expands and takes in the closest planets, for nothing can survive the death throes of a star.

And, we've been told for centuries that nothing lasts forever. The Bible tells us in Psalms 90:9 that we spend our days "as a tale that is told." I'm not discounting the science that says millions of years, but I won't be around to see that. And I don't expect the earth as we know it to remain the same, either. Based on previous scientific studies, earth should experience extinction level events on an irregular basis.

Christians are taught in the Bible that one of those will occur prior to Christ's return. He spoke of it following these verses:

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Luke 21:5-6 KJV)

The remainder of the chapter describes what some of the signs will be, and the subject is also addressed in Matthew 24, but we are assured that:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36 KJV)

However - there will be signs, laid out both in Luke 21 and Matthew 24. More specifics are given by Paul to Timothy:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV)

Now that seems to be headlines of our times, doesn't it? Paul was specific in his second letter to Christians in Thessalonica:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV)

Let's discuss churches for a moment, for that is what "a falling away" means - people leaving churches. How about "Generation Z and the Future of Faith in America"?

Without robust religious experiences to draw on, Americans feel less connected to the traditions and beliefs of their parents’ faith.

There is little evidence to suggest that Americans who have disaffiliated will ever return. First, the age at which Americans choose to give up their families’ religion—most well before they turn 18—suggests that they have not established a deeply rooted commitment to a set of religious beliefs and practices. Disaffiliated Americans express significant skepticism about the societal benefits of religion, even more than those who have never identified with a religious tradition. They also strongly disagree with the majority of religious Americans, who believe in the importance of raising children in a religious faith. Moreover, having children does not appear to affect religious involvement. Unaffiliated parents are not any more likely to be religiously active than those without children, and most are unconvinced that religion serves as an important source of moral instruction.

Or other articles: "Poll: U.S. church membership falls below 50% for the first time", "U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time," or worldwide, University of Michigan's Center for Political Studies' "Religion’s Sudden Decline, Revisited," where we find:

But since 2007, things have changed with surprising speed. From about 2007 to 2019, the overwhelming majority of the countries we studied—43 out of 49—became less religious. The decline in belief was not confined to high-income countries and appeared across most of the world. Growing numbers of people no longer find religion a necessary source of support and meaning in their lives. Even the United States—long cited as proof that an economically advanced society can be strongly religious—has now joined other wealthy countries in moving away from religion. (Inglehart, “Giving up on God,” pages 110-111).

The most dramatic shift away from religion has taken place among the American public. From 1981 to 2007, the United States ranked as one of the world’s more religious countries, with religiosity levels changing very little. Since then, the United States has shown the largest move away from religion of any country for which we have data.”(Inglehart, “Giving up on God,” page 112)

Does that concern you? If so - why? If not - the same question: Why?