It has been a turbulent few weeks in UK politics, and many people are critical of the government, saying that it is now ‘in crisis’.

That may well be true. However, given the apparently intractable and unpredictable problems both nationally and internationally, it is doubtful that any government, however well-intentioned, could succeed. Furthermore, many people are disillusioned with the over-ambitious and over-confident claims of politicians which turn out to be mere ‘rhetoric over the door’.

What is going wrong?

Well, in fact, the bad news is really good news. This is because the Bible tells us that God has a plan for the earth. A wonderful plan, when all the problems of this current life will end. Contrary to what many churches teach, this will not be achieved by mass religion or preaching. It is to be achieved by the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to set up God’s kingdom. And nobody will be able successfully to challenge the authority of Almighty God or his ruling king Jesus. God keeps His promises.

But Jesus told his disciples of a time of trouble, before the Son of Man (Jesus himself) came to save people.

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:25-28

Years earlier, the Jewish prophet Daniel had said similar words ( where ‘Michael’ refers to Jesus).

At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3).

There are many such prophecies about a glorious kingdom, but also stark warnings of a time of unprecedented distress beforehand. So the current crises are in fact heralds of the return of Jesus as king.

We need to make sure that we are prepared. We need to be true disciples of Jesus looking for ‘redemption’. We should want our names written in ‘the book’, so that we can be ‘wise’, and given ‘everlasting life’ in the new order of things. If we are like this, then although the current and futureworld problems are extremely distressing, we can ‘raise our heads’ in hope.

No human beings can put things right: we need a divine government. And right now we need to trust in God, not in humanity, find out what He asks us to do, and thus prepare for His kingdom. The ‘bad news’ is a warning to us.

Let us pay serious attention to these things while there is still time.