How can we even think that the end is near???

Jesus clearly states in Matthew 24:14 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.

Those who explore the lost people groups of the world have found MANY people groups who still have never heard this message for the first time: http://www.joshuaproject.net/

Also in Rev. 5:9 we find that EVERY language group will be represented around the throne: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Yet the precious scouts from Wycliffe Bible Translators have found still MANY language groups that have not one word of God's Word translated into a language that they can understand: http://www.wycliffe.org/

We can try to comfort ourselves in the fact that an angel (Rev. 14:6-7) will help out with reaching all the people groups toward the end, but Jesus told US to go! Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

http://youtu.be/A0rWlGEhkmA

Hi! 'LordDoItAgain'

Ummm, the Gospel of the Kingdom clearly states that Jesus first APPEARS and then subsequently RETURNS.

There is first a REVEALING (appearance) of Jesus; after all, that's what the Book of The Revelation' is ... a narration about the revealing of Jesus.

Some might ask why it is that the 'Gospel of the Kingdom' will be preached in these endtimes.
The answer is that there is the Gospel ABOUT Jesus and the Gospel OF Jesus.
The Gospel of Repentance is the Gospel ABOUT Jesus. The Gospel of Repentance announces that God walks with man in the cool of the day.
The Gospel of the Kingdom is the Gospel OF Jesus. The Gospel of the Kingdom announces that man walks with God in the light of the day.
(eg: Heb 6:1).

Your mention about the necessity to await the completed works of the Wycliffe Bible Translators is incorrect. God speaks in diverse ways and manners, (Heb 1:1). In addition, we are living in an age of the tongues of men and angels and therefore the written language holds little consequence.

"Jesus clearly states in Matthew 24:14 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."

Read this text in its context,and this one as well(Luke 2:1),and may His Spirit give light.

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

"That all the world should be taxed -

Πασαν την οικουμενην, the whole of that empire. It is agreed, on all hands, that this cannot mean the whole world, as in the common translation; for this very sufficient reason, that the Romans had not the dominion of the whole earth, and therefore could have no right to raise levies or taxes in those places to which their dominion did not extend. Οικουμενη signifies properly the inhabited part of the earth, from οικεω, to dwell, or inhabit. Polybius makes use of the very words in this text to point out the extent of the Roman government, lib. vi. c. 48; and Plutarch uses the word in exactly the same sense, Pomp. p. 635. See the passages in Wetstein. Therefore the whole that could be meant here, can be no more than that a general Census of the inhabitants and their effects had been made in the reign of Augustus, through all the Roman dominions." Clarke

Re: Matt. 24:14

World (τη οικουμενη)
Lit., the inhabited. The whole habitable globe. Revised, in margin, inhabited earth. -Vincents Word Studies

and then shall the end come -

When this general publication of the Gospel shall have taken place, then a period shall be put to the whole Jewish economy, by the utter destruction of their city and temple.

As Jesus prophesied,so it was in AD 70.

Matt. 24:14

"This Gospel shall he preached in all the world - Not universally: this is not done yet: but in general through the several parts of the world, and not only in Judea And this was done by St. Paul and the other apostles, before Jerusalem was destroyed. And then shall the end come - Of the city and temple. Josephus's History of the Jewish War is the best commentary on this chapter. it is a wonderful instance of God's providence, that he, an eye witness, and one who lived and died a Jew, should, especially in so extraordinary a manner, be preserved, to transmit to us a collection of important facts, which so exactly illustrate this glorious prophecy, in almost every circumstance. Mar_13:10." - John Wesley

Even C.I. Scofield in his reference notes has this note:

world - Greek, "oikoumene" means "inhabited earth".

And again, Scofield on Luke 2:1 has this note:

Luk 2:1

world

(Greek, "oikoumenē", means "inhabited earth"). This passage is noteworthy as defining the usual New Testament use of oikoumene as the sphere of Roman rule at its greatest extent, that is, of the great Gentile world-monarchies (Dan_2:7). That part of the earth is therefore peculiarly the sphere of prophecy.

A. Barnes on Matt. 24:14

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world -

The evidence that this was done is to be chiefly derived from the New Testament, and there it is clear. Thus Paul declares that it was preached to every creature under heaven Col_1:6, Col_1:23; that the faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world Rom_1:8; that he preached in Arabia Gal_1:17, and at Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum Rom_15:19. We know also that He traveled through Asia Minor, Greece, and Crete; that he was in Italy, and probably in Spain and Gaul, Rom_15:24-28. At the same time, the other apostles were not idle; and there is full proof that within thirty years after this prophecy was spoken, churches were established in all these regions.

For a witness unto all nations - This preaching the gospel indiscriminately to “all” the Gentiles shall be a proof to them, or a witness, that the division between the Jews and Gentiles was about to be broken down. Hitherto the blessings of revelation had been confined to the Jews. They were the special people of God. His messages had been sent to them only. When, therefore, God sent the gospel to all other people, it was proof, or “a witness unto them,” that the special Jewish economy was at an end.

Then shall the end come - The end of the Jewish economy; the destruction of the temple and city."

Soli Deo Gloria...Jesus' prophecy here was fulfilled!

Just because the bible hasn't been translated into a certain language doesn't mean that those tribes or lost people hasn't been presented the Gospel of Christ.

About the end times... It really should be the end of Grace's disposition, because after the coming of the Lord we will move into the millineal reign of Christ. The world is not going to end, we will just move into a different dispensation that will be for the Jews.

Jesus, told us that we discern the times of seasons, and we will be able to discern the latter times as well. We just will not know the time of his return but we know that it is closer than you think.

I firmly believe that the Lord will send us out to preach the Gospel to the world and it will probably only take a year or two to do it. It will be a fast work of the Holy Spirit. Just like it was in the book of Acts.

How long did it take the Christians to reach the world back then, 20 years? No, it only took 2 years. Read the book of Acts and check it yourself.

I am glad, Jesus-is-God that I was able to post something that would be of benefit. Thank the Lord! When I listened to the Keith Green video I was moved deeply.

Too few have been able to grasp the hopelessness that the majority of the world lives in to the point of being moved enough to do very much about it.

Several years ago, I pondered the deep reality of ... What would my world be like to have never heard of Christmas, Easter, nor to have been able to have any knowledge of any of the peace providing foundational truths of my life.

It's scary! Yet a large percentage of our world lives in such a frame of mind.

Thank God for the rekindling of the first love. May God help me to see this earth more in the fashion that He sees it.

Thanks to all the others who replied to this post. By posting the Wycliffe site, I wasn't trying to imply that the Bible must be translated into written format in all languages before the end can come. I thank God for ministries such as http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/ and http://globalrecordings.net/en/ who are making much progress in many languages that have no alphabet.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world (that is the habitable globe G3625 οἰκουμένη ... oikoumenē) for a witness unto all nations (G1484
ἔθνος ... ethnos ); and then shall the end come.

Ethnos is "people group" ... not political boundaries ...

One very important fact seems to have been ignored in this thread:

There has to be at least one CONVERT from every language group and people group on the planet before the end can come!

Rev. 5:9 clearly states: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

A missionary in Honduras recently informed me: "114 people groups (ethnos; nations) in Mexico alone have never heard the Gospel." The average Christian in the Comfort Zone doesn't have a clue because we have never stepped out to find out. We think that savages in the Jungles are a thing of the past, but as God's heart weeps watching the whole scene, there are still MANY entire people groups who have NEVER heard of Jesus!

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

What most people do not realize is that these "heathens" have great obstacles hindering their evangelization. Usually language or dialect is a big hindrance. Often they have strict and rigid complex mindsets and social barriers that no Christian has yet tried to learn in order to affect some of the members of that ethnos that they might be converted.

It is sad, but like the early church, we will probably have to go through a blood bath before we will leave our comfort zones and discover the needs around us.

Mexico is next-door-neighbor to one of the most evangelized nations on earth, yet at least 114 delegates for Heaven's banquet hall have not yet received their invitations.

Several years ago, I had read many different books regarding the multitudes who haven’t yet heard the message. At the time I was somehow producing music on a small keyboard, and making recordings. I’m NOT a musician, and I still don’t know how I was able to do what I did then. The music doesn’t fit any certain popular style. It is basically seven short messages set to music in poetry. In a small travel trailer that I was living in, I spent hours putting together these songs that God gave to my heart. I copyrighted them way back then, just for the purpose of keeping them from getting “stolen” from me, but I give full permission to use them in whatever manner they can be used for Christians to get the message. Feel free to download them, and use them for the glory of God in whatever way that they can be used to inspire hearts in the GREAT commission that God has given us to fulfill. There is nothing spectacular about them, but they are sincere messages of a deep burden for the great need.

‘Til Every Creature Knows:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903500
The Conference:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903502
A language known to them:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903504
The Father’s Pruning Knife:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903516
World Without Christmas:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903518
God’s Native Army:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903510
God Give Them The Words:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7335843_4328511_903514

Sincerely,
Michael Strickland