Facing the Last Days
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2: 11-14
The Bible has so much to say about the last days. It starts from the first book Genesis to the last book Revelation. I believe that the entire world would agree that we are living in the last days, and if not they are sincerely in denial.
In II Timothy 3: 1 Paul said: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” The word perilous only occurs one other time in the New Testament (Matthew 8: 28-34) and it is used to describe two demon-possessed men who came to meet Jesus on the east shore of the Sea of Galilee. There it is translated as exceedingly fierce. The scripture is implying that in the last days fierce times will come.
Paul goes on in the book of Titus to give the reasons why this time is upon the earth, the deterioration of mankind’s character, ethics and morals. He lists eighteen moral blemishes that will be conspicuous in the last days.
Three of them are the things that people love:
Lovers of self
Lovers of money
Lovers of pleasure more than of God
Each of us can find ourselves bound by at least one of these strongholds that separate us from the love of God. The Bible calls them idols, things in our lives that we put before God the Father. It is with pinpoint accuracy that the Bible describes the innate nature of our society, The foundation of a God-consciousness has deteriorated on every level.
I am not writing this as though we have an opportunity of hope. The Bible tells us that these things must come upon the earth because the love of many has waxed cold. Yeshua expressed in detail what would come upon the earth when asked of his disciples “when shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?”
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matthew 24:6-11
Yeshua is sharing the birthing pains or labor pains that will issue in the Kingdom of God on earth. Every birth is preceded by labor pains. When Yeshua describes these pains he uses the words Nations against Nations. The Greek word for Nation is Ethnos which means ethnicities/races against one another. Kingdoms against Kingdoms are political wars, and famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. Yeshua describes these signs as “the beginning of sorrows” (pain, consuming grief, distress, whether of body or mind).
As these things come upon the earth fear will grip many causing their hearts to faints. Only those who are secure in the word of God and their relationship with the Holy Spirit shall endure until the end. He goes on to say in verses 12-14
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Iniquity = violation of law, wickedness: — unrighteousness. As we face these times of trouble in uncharted waters, against an unseen enemy - the Coronavirus. We must consider that this may just be the precursor of increasingly greater perilous times. It has become clear that governments attempt to be our savior this time has failed. Face mask, gloves, social distancing, hand sanitizer may help, however, they are not a cure. I am confident that as the word has stated:
“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.” Jeremiah 16: 14-15
In the coming days as the ever-increasing signs of the times continue to prove that the end is near, I would encourage you to increase your prayer, fasting and devotional time. This is needed more than ever as our weapon to defend off the deceptive traps of the enemy. I can’t express enough how important it is to walk continuously with our spiritual eyes wide open.