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Signs of the Times Related to: People
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4/1/2010 2:31:58 PM
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What can we learn from people in general in the last days?Of all the prophecies in the Bible related to the last generation none is more vividly described, globally relevant and distinctly applicable then the ones related to society! These verses are unarguably a witness and verdict that can only be applied to our generation. Never, in the history of the world, has an entirely global generation of such people ever existed... Until Now!
As we look at the three bible references that I will use in this study, you will see why I can so confidently and knowingly make such a bold declaration as that above. We will look at just three Bible prophocy references out of literally 100's of such indictments of scripture. These 3 references we will use because they point to the last generation from three significantly distinct directions: The magnitude, quantity and variety of last day sins; The soul-devastating sin of ignorance & rejection of truth; and lastly The ramped increase in immorality of sexual sins.
To being, we will look at a reference that I covered in detail in a former blog Why are people bitter, selfish, angry and discouraged with life?. I will include my opening statement about the verses after the reference, in order to refresh your mind and provide a launchpad for further discussion.
The magnitude, quantity and variety of last day sins:
Reference 1 - (2 Timothy 3:1-7)But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 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, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
"WOW! What a vivid revelation of people in the Last days! Does this list sound like anyone you know, seen on TV, in the movies or even perhaps in yourself? The bible paints a very detailed picture of the psychology of people in the Last Days! And notice that this shopping list of negatives is long, concise and global in nature! These personality flaws are not just a few random issues that could be applied to just any generation, rather this is a very unique and diverse bunch of folks all in ONE generation. The bible makes it clear that this sociological group would be easy to identify and stands unique throughout all of mankind's past civilizations. I use the term civilization here in the generic sense of the term as there is nothing "civilized" about this group of individuals!" - PP
While it is hard for me to improve on this evaluation of these verses, there are a few details that can be more appropriately emphasised to bring it into the focus of this theses. Firstly, notice the opening descriptive phrase, "perilous times". This is a two-fold description of this generation in that it emphasizes the main, 'outward view', of it's literal interpretation of a time that is dangerous in which to live! Due primarily to the fact that your potential for victumization is increased over former generations 100-fold! But secondly, and not as obvious at first glance, is the inner truth of the text. The truly "perilous" part of this society is an 'inward view' of peril to one's self! As people experience (and participate in) living in such a culture, they are oblivious to it's danger. They become callous, heart-hearted and indifferent to God's truth of the need for repentance. That being, the act of turning around and going against the flow of society, to salvation which can only be found in Jesus Christ. As we reject the gospel as offering any type of deliverance from ultimate disaster, we neglect our only opportunity for redemption and deliverance: Victory over the Peril!
The above point is further emphasized by the closing phrase, "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth". We live in a time of rapidly expanding and improving technology in areas such as internet information accessibility, advancement of cures and vaccines in the healthcare industries, advancements in communication such as cell phones, geographical locaters (Google Earth, GPS, Tracing Devices, and SmartCards) and finally our very Space programs that allow us to work, breath, and communicate in space! We even have advance technologies in astronomy which allows us to place extremely powerful telescopes in orbit around the earth such as the Hubble telescope. We can now literally 'learn' about the very universe around us! Yet in all these things, we fail at life! We become more and more evil and, as result, can't even recognize Ultimate Truth when it/HE is lettarally "staring us in the face"!
The soul-devastating sin of ignorence and rejection of truth
Reference 2 - (Matthew 24:37-39)But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Throughout this series on Signs of the Times, I have concentrated on Jesus' own words as given to His disciple on the Mount of Olives Just outside of Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion. Here we are looking at three more verses from that text in the book of Mathew.
Jesus warns us of this second type of sin the would be characteristic of the last generation by related it to the account of Noah and the Ark of the Flood! As you may recall from Bible school as a child, God decided that mankind was too sinful and needed to be destroyed. Notice the reason WHY God decided this: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Sound familiar?
But Noah found favor with God as he was a righteous man. He stood against the society of his day and choose be a "good" man. He desired to live a holy and sinless life with all that was in him. His desire was not the victumization of others, but rather their well-being and peace. As a result, God had pity on Noah and his family.
God told Noah that He was going to destroy the world with a great flood! He told Noah to build an ark for his protection and that of his family. God told him how to build the ark, what materials to use and how to protect it with "pitch" (tar) to make it waterproof. Noah obeyed!
Over the next 120 years Noah worked on the construction of the ark with his family. But what you may not remember of have been taught in Sunday School about this account was that Noah did more than spend 120 years building an ark! Noah Preached! And (God) spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly (2 Peter 2:) For 120 years, Noah preached to the world that God was going to destroy the world. But did they listen? NOPE! Only Noah and his family were saved! Not only did the people of his day not repent, but they insulted, defamed, attacked and ridiculed Noah right up "until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away"!
Jesus was emphasising that even though Christians would be preaching more than ever before in the last generation, the results would be very similar. Christians suffer the same persecution and abuse as that did Noah; even on a larger scale. Yet the world does not hear us!
The ramped increase in immorality of sexual sins
Reference 3 - (Luke 17:28-30)Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
While this reference comes from the book of Luke and not Mathew, it is from the same sermon given by Jesus on the mountain. Mathew was written primarily to the Jews so he did not need to include this prophecy as they have a much higher standard against such sins. Luke, on the other hand, was written to the Greeks & Romans; the general populace of the day and relates more to the general population of the last days: US!
As you may also recall from Bible school, Lot lived in Sodom which was one of two cities that God destroyed for sexual sins: Sodom & Gomorrah! God again saw that these two cities were increasing in vile and unholy sins at an alarming rate. God decided to destroy both cities for their sins. But one day while talking to Abraham, He mentioned that He was gonna destroy the towns. Abraham pleaded (prayed) with God that He ensure that no righteous people be destroyed with the ungodly. You may like to read that discourse as it is very interesting to see what great lengths Abraham went through, to plead for those facing judgement and God's patience and love for Abraham in His responses. (See Genesis 18:17-33)
The main sin that was in these two cities was homosexuality! In fact, when the two angels of destruction arrived in town to get Lot and his family out before the destruction, the men of the town actually attacked Lot's door demanding that lot send out the two men (angels) so they could "know" them sexually! These people were mostly homosexual, definitely sexually abusive and thought little of women as you can see by reading the Old Testament account. Adultery, illicit sex and even rape was a way of life to them. Again, sound familiar?
Sexual perversion in our world is running rampart today, adultery, divorce, premarital sex and other sexual sins are epidemic as no other generation has seen since the days of the early Roman empire! And as for homosexuality, I am sure you get enough of that from the daily news! Homosexuality as even made it's way into the church as an excepted lifestyle, even for ministers! God help us! Now we see these types of sins are global in scope! Our society today is the only one in the history of the world to be like Jesus described in His prophecy! Today, even business and media use sex to sell merchandise! Political leaders are constantly in the news for sexual issues. The internet is full of pornographic sites that sell sex! Add to that the online & local singles scenes which for the most part, are just social "hook-up" businesses. Even so called legitimate businesses sell services geared toward this perverse socially acceptable, yet sex-crazed society. Did you know that sexual sins are the only sins that are against our own body: (See: 1 Corinthians 6:18)
The apostle Peter wrote And (God) turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6)
In conclusion, we are being warned! God will not put up with these sins for much longer. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled (Mathew 24:34)! WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION! And the HOURGLASS is Running Empty! 2010 The Year of Destiny - R U Ready? |
Summary
We are being
warned! God is showing us what His purpose for this
world entails. As we get closer and closer to the end,
the world has become more and more sinful! And
unfortunately, this condition will worsen till He
returns and redeems us from ourselves. Don't let sin,
self or Satan who has invaded our planet separate you
from the free gift of salvation that Jesus extends to
you in His invitation to be born-again:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send
His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes
in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
Are You Ready? If not get ready, "Repent
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"!
Click to Read:
Luke 13:3;
Ephesians 2:8-9;
Romans 10:8-13;
Acts2:38
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