Always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:7, ESV).
At our traditional family Christmas dinner this year, my son and son-in-law sat next to a Haitian couple who recently immigrated to the USA from Haiti.
My wife and I had invited the man and his wife to share our Christmas dinner.
Both my son and son-in-law engaged the Haitian couple in a conversation, not pertaining to the birth of Jesus but about UFOs. Such is the focus on the topic of extraterrestrials in our culture today.
The term UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) has been corrected now to UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), and though I’m not sure of the right pronouns or consonants that the aliens piloting these phenomena use to identify themselves …
I do take UAPs seriously.
I think they exist, though I’ve never seen a UAP. Also, I’ve never encountered an extraterrestrial alien, though I’ve had suspicions about a few members of the church that I formerly pastored.
And to be honest, I’ve wondered about some politicians who are now running for office.
Let me share four ideas that I’ve heard explaining their existence:
- They don’t exist but are figments of over-active imaginations.
- They are from another planet. They can be good or bad. C.S. Lewis wrote in his Space Trilogy that other races (who haven’t fallen to sin) existed on other planets. This could explain why they tend to observe and not get involved in our affairs.
- They are part of a secret government program. If this is true, I hope the good guys have them and not the bad guys, as the technology exhibited in videos indicates the capability to easily wipe out every navy, army, and air force on earth — like a modern aircraft carrier taking on the Spanish Armada.
- They are of demonic origin. The Bible teaches that evil can appear as angels (the word “angels” can be translated as “messengers”) of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
The question I’ve been asking is, “What are we, as followers of Jesus, to do in the end times?” While such topics as UAPs prove interesting, are we to devote our energies to discovering what probably can’t be discovered?
Jesus did teach us what to focus on today.
He says in Matthew 28:18-20 that we are to disciple the nations until the end of time. He also promised in Matthew 24:14 that when the gospel is preached to all nations, He will return.
That’s our job — gospel preaching and disciplemaking!
But which idea of origination about UAPs do I believe? I think one has more Biblical support than the others.
And I’m not going to tell you which one.
Because the Bible indicates that too many believers in the end times will spend their time wrangling with words on topics that have no real Kingdom impact (2 Timothy 2:14).
Okay, I will tell you one fact that I know is true.
We will quickly identify one future UFO or UAP as Jesus coming back in the clouds for those who love Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Like I said, I take UFOs (or UAPs) seriously.