Recent news events and many peoples basic attitudes has caused me to ponder the chapter of Matthew 24 about the return of Christ and the season in which it would be. There is also a parallel passage on the signs of the times mentioning the days of Lot.
Lets begin with Matthew:
Matthew 24 begins in verse 3 with the disciples asking Christ this :
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Jesus begins to tell them the state of the worlds affairs and the signs of times throughout this chapter. Now many might object here and say "well Jesus also says in that same passage that no man will know will know the day so we need not be concerned about these things! " yet Christ was clearly giving the season of these events and stating what the world would be like.
While we may not know the day or year we can and should know the state of the world around us and be watchful for Him as He also states to us in a wide variety of verses. Even Paul adds in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 about this :
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
So clearly while we do not know the day we can and should be aware of the season of time to both comfort others in the faith and be a light to those in the darkness.
Now back to the days of Noah - what does Jesus say it will be like at the end of days?
Matt. 24:37-38: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,”
So the world would be as like in the days of Noah. But what was the world like then?
Lets explore this.
In Genesis it states this :
Gen. 6:11-12 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
Violence filled the earth. Can we turn on a news channel today and not see this happening increasing more and more steadily?
Widespread unrest is happening throughout the world. Even today's teens are reveling in the unrest and actually taking pleasure in the violence shown recently by the massive increase in violent acts posted online to get "fame".
There was a small town in Arkansas recently on a 24 hour lock-down because of gang crime where children were having to sleep on the floor its so bad.
Everywhere we look the violence is increasing and anyone with a fair mind can see something is seriously wrong at the mass escalation of this.
One can easily surmise with one day of news events watching that not only is this violence occurring all over but the shock level is pushing envelopes never before seen on a massive scale.
Terrorism is a daily world event.
Not only is violence occurring at unprecedented rates but it seems even our very young is taking pleasure in unrighteousness in the name of fame.
This is also stated to be happening near the end directly in Second Thessalonians chapter two:
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Unlike any other time as we can see right before us here and all over there are outrageous attacks on believers and those who stand for the truth of Christ. Attacks against the character of God and pleasure in all unrighteousness even within the church itself.
Many make it a sport now to belittle the things of God while denying the truth and taking pleasure in rebellion and unrighteousness. Its all around us. Crime is skyrocketing even in the smallest towns.
Now lets explore the days of Lot.
In the book of Luke chapter 17 - Christ is speaking to the Pharisees about the end as well and states along with the verse about noah that of the days of Lot:
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Both sentiments show oblivion to anything but building wealth and day to day life and the cares of the world.
Apathy for needy - all manner of unrighteousness - violence- sexual sins. Evil in their hearts almost continuously.
Sounds like today.
Abuse - murders- strife- lifestyles that are abominations before God. Loving the pleasures of life more than loving God. Widespread acceptance of behaviors condemned by God.
The very same things that have caused the downfalls of many a nation in ancient history being openly accepted and glorified worldwide.
Combine all these things with the other signs Christ gave in Matthew and the restoration of the nation of Israel and it certainly seems that the end is upon us.
Look up your redemption draws near. Now like no other time the world needs the truth while there are still some who will hear it.
Now is the time of repentance and the time to draw near to Him and hold fast to what is good because these are the days we are living in now imo. I end with this thought- ask yourselves is this today?
2 Timothy 3
Perilous Times and Perilous Men
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. :wave2:
Lets begin with Matthew:
Matthew 24 begins in verse 3 with the disciples asking Christ this :
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Jesus begins to tell them the state of the worlds affairs and the signs of times throughout this chapter. Now many might object here and say "well Jesus also says in that same passage that no man will know will know the day so we need not be concerned about these things! " yet Christ was clearly giving the season of these events and stating what the world would be like.
While we may not know the day or year we can and should know the state of the world around us and be watchful for Him as He also states to us in a wide variety of verses. Even Paul adds in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 about this :
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
So clearly while we do not know the day we can and should be aware of the season of time to both comfort others in the faith and be a light to those in the darkness.
Now back to the days of Noah - what does Jesus say it will be like at the end of days?
Matt. 24:37-38: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,”
So the world would be as like in the days of Noah. But what was the world like then?
Lets explore this.
In Genesis it states this :
Gen. 6:11-12 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
Violence filled the earth. Can we turn on a news channel today and not see this happening increasing more and more steadily?
Widespread unrest is happening throughout the world. Even today's teens are reveling in the unrest and actually taking pleasure in the violence shown recently by the massive increase in violent acts posted online to get "fame".
There was a small town in Arkansas recently on a 24 hour lock-down because of gang crime where children were having to sleep on the floor its so bad.
Everywhere we look the violence is increasing and anyone with a fair mind can see something is seriously wrong at the mass escalation of this.
One can easily surmise with one day of news events watching that not only is this violence occurring all over but the shock level is pushing envelopes never before seen on a massive scale.
Terrorism is a daily world event.
Not only is violence occurring at unprecedented rates but it seems even our very young is taking pleasure in unrighteousness in the name of fame.
This is also stated to be happening near the end directly in Second Thessalonians chapter two:
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Unlike any other time as we can see right before us here and all over there are outrageous attacks on believers and those who stand for the truth of Christ. Attacks against the character of God and pleasure in all unrighteousness even within the church itself.
Many make it a sport now to belittle the things of God while denying the truth and taking pleasure in rebellion and unrighteousness. Its all around us. Crime is skyrocketing even in the smallest towns.
Now lets explore the days of Lot.
In the book of Luke chapter 17 - Christ is speaking to the Pharisees about the end as well and states along with the verse about noah that of the days of Lot:
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Both sentiments show oblivion to anything but building wealth and day to day life and the cares of the world.
Apathy for needy - all manner of unrighteousness - violence- sexual sins. Evil in their hearts almost continuously.
Sounds like today.
Abuse - murders- strife- lifestyles that are abominations before God. Loving the pleasures of life more than loving God. Widespread acceptance of behaviors condemned by God.
The very same things that have caused the downfalls of many a nation in ancient history being openly accepted and glorified worldwide.
Combine all these things with the other signs Christ gave in Matthew and the restoration of the nation of Israel and it certainly seems that the end is upon us.
Look up your redemption draws near. Now like no other time the world needs the truth while there are still some who will hear it.
Now is the time of repentance and the time to draw near to Him and hold fast to what is good because these are the days we are living in now imo. I end with this thought- ask yourselves is this today?
2 Timothy 3
Perilous Times and Perilous Men
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. :wave2:
