End of Days

2 Peter 3: 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

In my research on the subject of eschatology (study of the end times) I have discovered this alarming fact; very few have any opinion.

There are basically three camps.

The first is a new testament camp; consisting of those who believe the bible and it's prophecies.

Second is the atheist view or the new normal camp. Atheism is on the rise among youth and young professionals. This popular view strongly opposes the biblical view and considers mankind as stewards of their own fate.

Third is the new age camp. This belief is that the end of days is a prediction...not bible prophecy; the "Nostradamus" kind of belief which leans toward a doomsday scenario.

These and other views have been around for a thousand years. However, what is significant as a sign of the times is skepticism directed at the bible and its teaching. Jesus spoke of a coldness in the last day toward the truth. All will be affected by it. Daniel wrote that in that day people will run to and fro in search of knowledge but unable to find it. Truth will elude them. A sign of the end days will be the unprecedented-worldwide-explosion of knowledge and learning...but at the same time...a willful and deliberate ignorance to truth, spiritual wisdom, and understanding.

Our verses in 2 Peter reveal that last days believers will have to endure mocking and public ridicule for sharing the truth of Gods word...especially prophecy.

The spirit of the anti-christ is at work today. City governments are silencing the church, movies portray Christianity as bigoted, philosophers say the church is no longer relevant and in today's world...right now...more believers are martyred for their faith than ever before.

Revelation 12:12
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."

Indeed his time is short and the hope of the world is still Jesus. The message of the cross is what wins the lost. End time reminders should serve to stir up the faithful; proclaiming the message of His love, forgiveness, and the promise of heaven.

A good illustration of how the second coming of Christ should compel us is that of the fated Titanic. Their we're those aboard that never knew what happened and some who didn't believe it when told...up until the last.

We know and believe Gods word and what lies ahead. Our duty is to...
Rescue the Perishing,
Care for the Dying,
Jesus is Merciful,
Jesus will Save.

iPhone

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 16, 2012 at 7:52 AM

    John, you never fail to amaze me with your knowledge. Can't wait to come back to your class. Leah and I will be taking a one year break from teaching.

    Tim

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keith Brake

Image
Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. And the place was shaken...WOW We all need these moments of transfiguration. Times when God makes an appearance leaving no doubt that you are where you're supposed to be doing exactly what is pleasing to Him. God moments...! They happen every day. All day. In big and small ways. The small moments may bring a smile. The huge bring tears. We can fathom only handfuls of the mountainous otherwise we look only for big and miss the multitude of God moments happening all around us. One of those gigantic events happened Sunday. Over 50 of us were jammed into the small hospice room of our beloved LIFE group teacher of 25 years. Cancer had left him unable to communicate. Final days of life's struggle are approaching. Lynn's request for Keith was to have his class meet by his bed, on Easter Sunday, a
Read more

Take Up Your Cross (Part II)

Image
No one understands the passion of Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself. The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will—above, below, without, or within—you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.                                                - Thomas A Kempis                                            (The Imitation Of Christ) You may ask what has brought you here but the most important fact, for now, is who has brought you here. You have heard that Gods love for you is indescribable; the cross that you bear is an act of His love. It sounds strange and you may think opposite but His love for you has led you here. You thought sin; assured of misfortune; convinced of something
Read more

Go For It

Image
One of the most heart rendering experiences I've ever had occurred on a mission trip to the south pacific. My niece came with me along with a dozen other workers. We arrived at the airport in Manila Philippines for our return flight to America. My niece reached for her passport...and it wasn't there. One thing for certain, you're not getting on an international flight without a passport. It was lost on the bumpy ride to the city. She had everything, but not quite! Everything.. but the most important item... which gave her right of passage. At that point, nothing else mattered. I recall her weeping on my shoulder, "Uncle John, there going to keep me here forever". How God bailed us out of that jam was amazing and a great devotion for another time. What I'm reminded of from this is the story of the rich young man that came to Jesus in Matthew 19. He had everything and had kept all the law. He would have been like the Bruce Wayne of Palestine. He had money,
Read more