Preachers have been preaching about the end times and how they are approaching quickly for many, many years. But when is that going to be? Matthew 24:36 tells us “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matthew 24: 42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. VERSE 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
I am not here to scare you into getting closer to the Lord. But I think we have to admit that many of the things happening today are what Jesus predicted. In Matthew 24: 3-14 Jesus said beginning in verse 3:
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the [b]end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the[c]Christ,’ and will mislead many.
We have witnessed that ourselves in our own lifetime. Jim Jones and the People’s Temple, David Karesh and the Branch Davidians in Waco, Tx., Marshall Appelwhite with the Heaven’s Gate cult.
Jesus said, “Many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will mislead many. So that has happened and is happening today.
Matthew 24:6 - 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
Turn on the news if you haven’t heard of any wars.
Matthew 24:7 - 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
How many examples of this do I need to give. I googled recent earthquakes and as of 10 AM this morning, 5/31/2016, 45 earthquakes were reported around the world. Many of them are minor, but non the less, earthquakes. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the Taiwan region at 5:23 this morning.
VERSE 9 - 9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will [d]fall away and will [e]betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, [f]most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole [g]world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
The Greek word (kairos) or “time” means that there is a “proper season.” God is going to allow a time when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. This will happen to fulfill His plan and His purpose. But it will be only for a set time or proper season. This will be a time to watch for an opportunity for something to soon happen.
I am thankful for those who come to the altar. But I am convinced the church is in this “proper season” today. I am speaking of a time when people will find it hard and difficult to be corrected—a time when people will not listen to a rebuke—a time when people will refuse to be told that there is a need for change.
Timothy is telling us there will come a time when people only want what makes them feel and look good. He encourages us to be prepared for heavy resistance to the truthful teachings.
Christ will come again. We don’t know the day or the hour. If we did we might be tempted to be lazy or wait and keep on sinning until the last possible minute and then right at the end try to get forgiveness. I think I know a few who are doing that today.
There won’t be time to get in a line to come to the altar and repent. The second coming of Christ will be swift and sudden. There won’t be any last minute opportunity for repentance. There won’t be any last minute bargaining. In Matthew 24:40 Jesus said, 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” The choice of where you will spend eternity in heaven or eternity in hell will have already been made. The only safe choice is to choose today.
But the majority of today’s population, I really don’t think believe any of this. How much clearer can God make it to us than in what His Word predicts?
Most know who Paul Harvey was. I want to close this with a speech that was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965: 51 years ago! See if you don’t recognize any of these things he mentions.
If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would, of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.
I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.”
- To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”.
- In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.
- And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .
- If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.
- I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa.
- And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.
- I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could.
- I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction.
- And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
- If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild.
- I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”
- With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.
- If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.
- If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.
- And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.
- In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.
I hope these will open our minds to the reality that these have happened, are happening, and will only get worse. Stay close to your Lord and in that, you will never be led astray.
