Michael Jackson & the Godless Generation

Is Jesus "near at the doors"?

(November 4, 2010)

It would have been a curious sight to juxtapose Prince & the New Power Generation and Michael Jackson & the Godless Generation--if only the latter was in fact a band. But, alas, it is not. Although they don't have bands with similar names in common, both men had something else in common:

They preached the good news of God's kingdom to the same generation--albeit at different times. They both had urgency about it since they knew the Bible said Christ was "near at the doors." (Matt 24:33) Notice the Lord's own words on this matter.   

False Rumors Regarding Christ's Presence: "So, if any one person excitedly says to you, my disciples, ‘Look! The Christ is here,' or, ‘There he is over there!' don't believe it. Oh, there'll be gifted men that'll rise above the others, but they're still false Christs and false prophets saying and doing things so impressive that, if it were possible, they'd even mislead the chosen ones.

"Listen! I'm warning you ahead of time. Therefore, if a group of people say to you with enthusiasm, ‘Look! He's in that remote, desolate place,' don't go there; or ‘Look! He's in the sacred inner chambers,' don't fall for it.

"Because just as lightening comes from the east but shines in the west, the presence of the Son of Man will seem like it's one place but will be in another. [But my disciples will know where I am and gather around me], just as eagles know where the carcass is and gather around it."--Matt 24:23-28, Carr's Christian Bible.

The prevalence of false rumors signals that Christ is "near at the doors." These rumors could come from "any one person," or, "a group of people." (Matt 24:23, 26) The rumors differ from the heralding of self-proclaimed saviors that Jesus mentioned earlier.--Matt 24:4.  

Celestial Sign of the Son of Man: "Immediately after the ‘Mega Madness' in those days the sun and moon will go dark, the stars will drop from the sky, and the powers of heaven itself will be shaken. This will be the introduction of the appearance of the heavenly sign of the Son of Man.

"Then all the individual tribes of the earth will pound their breasts in grief and regret, and they will figuratively see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great, luminous glory.

"And he'll dispatch his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they'll gather his chosen ones together from the east, west, north, and south--from all over the earth; from one end of heaven to the other."--Matt 24:29-31, CCB.

When, symbolically speaking, the sun, moon, and stars cease providing light, the sky will be an eerie pitch black. Then the thunderous "powers of heaven will be shaken."

Against a backdrop of stark darkness, "the heavenly sign of the Son of Man" makes an appearance, after which the luminously gloried Son of Man himself comes riding the "clouds of heaven." Those alienated from God will pound their breasts in utter frustration.

Now, we can be pretty certain that all but that last part is symbolic. For instance, it's highly unlikely that God would cause the billions upon billions of stars and galaxies to drop from the universe. (So don't go out and try to buy a star-proof celestial umbrella from Wal-Mart.) That's not going to happen.

If you want to know what it all means, check with the people that Michael associated with in the past and that Prince associates with in the present: Jehovah's Witnesses.

Disciples to Note Signs of Jesus' Nearness: "Now, learn from the fig tree as I illustrate my point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts leaves, you know summer's just around the corner. In the same way, when you see everything I've outlined here, know he's near at the doors.

"I speak truthfully when I say to all of you that the aforementioned generation of earth's doomed individual tribes will not perish until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will perish before ever my words perish."--Matt 24:32-35, CCB.

So it looks like that Pepsi Generation Michael so brilliantly danced for won't perish until all these things occur. Yes, both Michael and Prince knew that "Michael, one of the foremost princes," was "near at the doors." (Dan 10:13, New World Translation; Matt 24:33) Peace and blessings to all. Amen.