The End Times

Most Evangelical Christians today have a healthy interest in the End Times or The Last Days as the Bible calls them, and it’s a very good sign. In fact this healthy hope in the Lord’s Return purifies us and keeps us on our toes.

“But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

This interest in the Last Days hasn’t always been the hope and vision of the Church; in fact 300 years ago it was the last thing on many Christian’s minds. It wasn’t a subject that was taught from the Pulpit nor read by the average Christian for most of them were illiterate or not allowed to read the Bible by their Spiritual Leaders, especially in the Traditional Church.

In the 1800’s there was a great missionary thrust around the world and an explosion of End Time Teaching. This was the fulfilling of Matthew 24:14. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the entire world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

Up until the 1800's the gospel wasn’t going out into the world, because of the Catholic Church wanted it to remain in Latin. Things changed however when the Pope lost his temporal power in 1870 AD and Bible Societies and Mission Organisations were formed to spread the pure gospel to the nations. After 1870 AD the Time of the End had arrived and there was
no more delay the End times had come.

When the Catholic Church had great sway over the earth the Bible was hidden from the people, in fact a bible in the vernacular wasn’t found in some Catholic Churches even up to 50 years ago for every thing was in Latin. Not having teaching on the Last Days makes the Church fall asleep and there are many sleepy Churches with us today.

The Last Days are all the days after 30 AD and not just specifically for our time. For a detailed account of all that will happen up until the Return of the Lord look at my notes on the subject at;

I believe we are now in the period called the “Time of the End” or “The End Times,” just before the return of the Lord. One of the obvious signs to show that we are in this time period is found in this verse in Daniel 12:1-4.

“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until THE TIME OF THE END; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

THE LAST DAYS

Did you realise that the Last Days aren’t just for our time but have been a term used for ALL THE DAYS after the death of Jesus on the cross?

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, BUT IN THESE LAST DAYS he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” Hebrews 1:2

It says that in the TIME OF THE END many will RUN to and fro and KNOWLEDGE will increase. I really believe we are in the Time of the End, for mankind is running around more than ever before and knowledge is increasing at an alarming rate.

“Knowledge shall Increase”

When you look at all that is happening today in education, technology and communications you have to admit that knowledge is increasing. There has never been an age like this one before. A High School graduate's qualifications in the USA are equivalent to a University Student’s qualifications in 1970, for knowledge has increased so much. University students now, know more about the universe than the wisest men of ages gone by, such as Socrates and Plato.

These are 2 of the many signs to show that the Return of the Lord is near. The question is what are we going to do about it? There are 2 verses that come to mind concerning this issue. Matthew 25 and Luke 21:34-36.

Matthew 25 speaks first of the 10 Virgins and warns about the dangers of procrastination and says that even the prepared Wise Virgins (Christians) fell asleep, but at least they were ready. This makes it clear that no one knows when Jesus will come back. Many of us think that there is still a lot of time left before the Lord’s Return because certain things haven’t happened yet, like the Antichrist hasn’t arrived and the Jewish Temple hasn’t been built. We need to be careful because we may be wrong concerning our interpretation of these scriptures.

Look at my notes on The Antichrist is Coming – Or is He?

“Men shall run to and fro”
For thousands of years the fastest men could travel at was at the speed of a horse right up until the Time of the End, but with the invention of the automobile in 1885 AD and air travel in 1904 AD, we can now go 3 times the speed of sound. RUNNING speaks of going fast and that is definitely the way we do things now days, from cooking, computers and accounting to travel, everything is done fast. Man barely got off the ground in 1904 AD but in 2005 AD the Concorde could travel at 1450 mph! Did you know that the Wright Brothers were the sons of a preacher?
80 years ago Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic in a single airplane, now over 30,000 people cross the Atlantic every day.

It also says that man will run TO AND FRO
(Back and forth). Jesus, in His lifetime ministered in an area about 140 miles long x 60 miles wide, but look at the distances men travel today. I have personally been back and forth from Africa to New Zealand 15 odd times, a distance of 10,000 km's each way in my 56 years, not to mention all the other trips from England.

80% of the scientists that ever lived are alive today. 70% of the medicines available today have only been around since WW2. It is said that world knowledge doubled between 1750 AD – 1900 AD. Since 1900 AD – 1950 AD it doubled again, and now it doubles every decade. Nowadays when you buy a computer it is out of date almost immediately, as something more advanced is on the market straight away.

(www.revelation-illustrated.com/Antichrist)

Luke 21:34-36 warns of the dangers of Christians living carelessly in the End Times and Jesus coming upon them as a thief in the night. This verse not only warns about careless Christians but shows us that when Jesus returns it will be in a time of affluence and not one of great persecution. Also look at Matthew 24:36-39. Here it says that when Jesus returns it will be like the days before the flood, when they were partying, marrying and living it up and then the end came upon them as a flood. I know there will be pockets of persecution for Christians in the days ahead but as a whole it will be a time of affluence. Again we can be influenced by certain Bible Teachings that could be giving us a false view of the End Times and cause us to procrastinate so that that day comes upon us like a thief. Don’t forget that even the Wise Virgins fell asleep.

Look at some of the negative views by the Church against the Bible over the centuries even up until 1846 AD:

Gregory 7th (1073-1085) Ordered Bohemians not to read the bible at all.
Innocent 3rd (1198-1216) Forbade people to read the bible in their own language.
Gregory 9th (1227 -1241) Forbade laymen having a bible.
Clement 11th (1700 -1721) Issued a Bull against bible reading.
Leo 12th (1821-1829) Condemned Bible Societies. Pius 7th (1800 -1820) Issued a Bull against Bible Societies.
Leo 12th (1821-1829) Condemned all Bible Societies and the Bible.