THE END OF THE BEGINNING!

These perilous times and this turbulant world that warrant Biblical principles for "How Shall We Then Live" in the NOW was the subject of my previous blog. This week I would like to move on in a similar vein of consideration, because I sincerely believe these are much more than perilous times! These times are indeed the beginnings of the End Times. Yes, I know the "End Times" have been thought about, discussed, preached on and debated for many years. Many people, even Christians, seem to reason the end times are either a figment of imagination, someone's pipe dream (delusion) or still such a long way off that they don't need to be concerned about it. In many churches today, the end times are not mentioned although the signs of the times show they are upon us. I want to challenge my readers to be very careful, for we have this warning, from Scripture, ". . .you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep (died), all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' " (II Peter 3:3-4; Jude 1:17-18) Let's not be among the scoffers, for they follow their own sinful desires and are unaware of the fact that scoffers will rise up in the last days.

I absolutely believe we are living in the final phase of the end times that leads to the return of Jesus to rapture (take away) His Bride - The Church (the true followers of Jesus) out of this present world just prior to the seven-year Great Tribulation. It is a fair question for you to ask, "What makes you believe we are living in this time period?" Before answering that question, I want to make a definite statement. That is, Scripture clearly states that we should be living every day in full expectation that Jesus could return at any hour, any day and at any time to take His Church out of this world to be with Him forever. Consider that these statements were made to people living over 2,000 years ago. They were told to "be ready" and to "look up for their redemption draws near." How much more should we be on alert and ready for His return? Jesus Himself said, "You must be ready. The Son Of Man is coming at a time when you do not think He is coming." (Luke 12:40) The Apostle Peter said we should be "waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. . . ." (II Peter 3:12) To "hasten" the day of God means to speed it along, not just by longing for it, but by sharing the Gospel to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. "But our citizenship is in heaven, so we eagerly await the coming of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20) ". . .so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear the second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him." (Hebrews 9:28) Have we grown so dull, complacent and comfortable in this present time so that our thoughts, affections and life-style rarely, if at all, turn heavenward in longing expectancy for Jesus' return to take His Bride away to be with Him?

Now, I will answer the question as to WHY I believe we are in the final phase of human history as we now know it. Here are some of the reasons.

• The Nation of Israel has taken center-stage on the world scene! Israel became an independent nation on May 14, 1948. Since then, this tiny piece of real estate has captivated the attention and discussion of the whole world. Regarding Israel, Biblical prophecy repeatedly affirms that it is the time-piece, the clock if you will, that shows the preparations for Jesus' return are in progress. Here is just ONE example from Scripture. "Behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. This is the covenant. . .I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:31-33) "Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. . .If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." (Jeremiah 31:36-37) IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN! As sure as the fixed order God has put into place, the existence of the nation of Israel is sure. "And on that day I will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." (Zechariah 12:9) Israel is central to the plan of God; for the nation/people is "the apple of His eye." (Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2)

• Signs of the coming of the seven-year Great Tribulation are upon us! We are living today just as it was in the days of Noah just prior to the world-wide flood that God sent to destroy all living things upon the earth, except those gathered into the ark with Noah. Jesus himself said, "For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:37) As in the days of Noah, when people lived life in ordinary ways, completely unaware of the perilous times about to hit them. Today, as then, our world is greedy, pleasure-seeking, filled with constant violence, extreme strife, evidences of lies, deceit, evil of every kind, sexual perversion and immorality, disrespect for God and His Word, where "the thoughts and intents of men's heart are only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5)

• The Church - the Bride of Christ - is showing signs of the Laodicean Age. Jesus said to the Church of Laodicea, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,' not realizing that you are writched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." (Revelation, 3:14-17) Sadly, many in today's church are anemic and ineffective. There are evidences that the church is showing signs of defections from the Truth, having only a "form of godliness, but denying its power." (II Timothy 3:5) The Apostle Paul includes this characteristic among many others that are true of the last days. "But understand this, that in the last days. . .people will be:

  1) lovers of self

  2) lovers of money

  3) proud, arrogant

  4) abusive

  5) disobedient to their parents

  6) ungrateful

  7) unholy

  8) heartless, lack of feeling or consideration

  9) unappeasable

  10) slanderous

  11) without self-control

  12) brutal

  13) hating the good

  14) treacherous, faithless, disloyal, false

  15) swollen with conceit

  16) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

  (II Timothy 3:1-9)

  Please don't misunderstand me! I love the church; I am a church-man! I believe in the church and I gave 40 years to its pastoral ministry. It breaks my heart to say it is anemic and has defected from the Truth in many respects. There is the True Church, unlike the Church at Laodicea; there is a Remnant! A "remnant" in the Hebrew Language of the Old Testament, is "yether". It means "what is left over." It is that group of believers in Jesus who remain loyal and devoted to God, to Jesus and His Word regardless of anything! It refers to those devoted followers of Christ existing in the last days, when all is at its worst, right before Jesus returns.

  I am extremely happy to know that many young people are "on fire" for Jesus in these present days. Hundreds of students on college and university campuses around the country are being saved and baptized; many elementary, middle and high school students are living for Jesus. For all of this, "To God Be The Glory"!

• Have you ever observed so many wars, rumors of wars, coalitions developing on a world-wide scale? The present coalitions are: 1) Iran, Russia and Turkey; 2) Russia and North Korea; 3) Iran and Terrorist Proxies of Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis; 4) The European Union, etc. These all fit Scriptural discriptions of conditions leading to the coming establishment of the one-world government led by the Antichrist. Peace has been replaced by strife and war. Security has been removed with insecurity, instability and uncertainty being prevalent everywhere. Poverty, homelessness, economic turmoil, starvation or famine, persecution, disease, earthquakes and other natural catastrophies/disasters, and signs in the heavens are all currently common occurrances.

• The Technology and Mechanisms necessary to control the buying and selling activities of all humanity are now developing quickly. Marks, emblems, tatoos and imprints are available and are somewhat used, but ever increasing. "It forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on the right hand or forehead. Without the mark of the name of the Beast (Antichrist) or the number of its name, it was impossible to buy or sell anything." (Revelation 13:13-17) This "mark of the Beast" is an identifier that will be necessary for anyone to buy or sell on a world-wide scale, representing full allegiance to the Antichrist.

• The Bible describes other signs of the times that should equip us to stay on alert. 1) Persecution of the followers of Jesus; 2) False prophets, false teaching and religious deception, and 3) The Gospel of Jesus proclaimed to all nations. These are taking place at an unprecedented pace.

A number of years ago, I preached a series of Biblical messages titled "The End Of The Beginning." In that series, I spoke of the End Time events and characteristics taught in the Prophecies of the Bible, and those specifically taught by Jesus. In His Olivet Discourse, recorded in Matthew, Chapter 24, Jesus revealed much about the end time events and signs. He said about them, "all these are the beginning of sorrows." (verse 8) "The beginning of sorrows" is best translated from the Greek New Testament as "The Commencement of labor pains." As we know about birth, the labor pains begin gradually and increase in number, frequency and intensity until birth actually happens. I personally believe that the early pains of labor regarding Jesus' return for His true followers are over and the progression of the intense labor pains are now upon us. Of course, we all must be careful to resist being dogmatic, me included, regarding end time events, timing and signs. However, to be unconcerned, dismissive and negligent about the revelation given to us in Scripture relative to these "labor pains" would be dereliction of duty. I do not want to fail to perform my responsibility, either intentionally, or through negligence because of fear or risk of being misunderstood or of doing so inadequately concerning the end times.

From all increasing signs of the times currently, the second coming of Jesus appears to be soon and when we least expect it. In the meantime, we are to "occupy until He comes." (Luke 19:13) This means His followers must be actively engaged in God's work and kingdom building until He does return. We need to be busy telling people about Jesus and the salvation He alone provides. I don't mean simply inviting people to attend church, which is a good thing if indeed we invite them to a Bible believing, Bible preaching, Christ-centered church. However, we have not been commissioned to invite people to attend church, but we have been commissioned to GO and tell people about Jesus and invite them to be born again!

So, I conclude this writing with words from the greatest book ever written - THE BOOK OF REVELATION! Jesus said,

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. . . ." (Revelation 22:12-21)