The last days are upon us

Meditate about these things.

We are living in the days that Christ spoke of concerning His Second Coming, upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity (Luke 21:25); And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved – Matthew 24:22. So it is, that the world of today is faced with many dreadful perils, including nuclear warfare with its awful power to wipe out whole cities in a matter of seconds; vast quantities of hydrogen bombs with lethal power, calculated in megatons or millions of TNT ready at the push of a button to destroy whole nations. The potential of the rapidly evolving computer based artificial intelligence or AI technology to bring about human extinction; overpopulation; pestilences (pandemics); food shortages – famines; terrorism; chaos; uprisings; popular unrest to mention a few.

With all these distressful and perplexing conditions, the world is knowingly or unknowingly yearning for the rise of a strong man, a world leader or “savior”, one that is able to exercise authority and to force compliance with law, who will be able to bring order out of chaos. One whose appearance before the world will be in a manner that’s inspiring confidence. Many Bible prophecies foretold the coming of such a one, albeit a false messiah in the person of the Antichrist! Concerning the antichrist, Christ told the Jews: I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive (John 5:43). Another Scripture declared … it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come … whereby we know that it is the last time (I John 2:18). The antichrist will come in peaceably. Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. He will make a 7-year covenant with the war-weary Jews, promising them peace; but he will break the covenant midway (Daniel 9:27). About that time, there will be the rapture or translation of the New Testament first-fruit saints – a secret catch-away of the Christians that are looking for, and are ready for the Second Coming of Christ (Hebrews 9:28; I Thessalonians. 4:16-17). Be ye also ready, for it will be sudden and in a twinkling of an eye.

Also, about this time, with only three and half years left of his reign, the antichrist will reveal his true identity as satan’s supreme masterpiece, for the dragon (satan) will give him his power, and his seat, and great authority (Revelation 13:2). He will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God will sit in the temple of God (the tribulation temple to be built in Jerusalem), shewing himself that he is God — (II Thessalonians 2:4).

Then will be ushered in the great tribulation foretold by Christ – For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:21). The antichrist will then seek to destroy the Jews, and his hatred will equally be intense against all who profess the name of Christ (those that do not make the rapture) – And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them (Revelation 13:7). The antichrist will control all commerce by the issuance of a mark of doom –And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name … and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (Revelation 13:16-18). The antichrist will be the last ruler of the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). Many divine judgments will then visit the earth culminating in all the nations of the world being gathered to the terrible battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). After the terrors thereof are over and judgment has cleansed the earth of its iniquities, the Lord of Heaven will set up His everlasting Kingdom – Christ and His saints shall rule and reign for 1000 years on this earth, after which time shall merge into the new heavens and the new earth of eternity! Ignoring all the warnings and the infallible prophecies of Christ and the Bible as a whole, men continue to labor, trying many plans and inventing many panaceas in their hope of building an utopia world. But the infallible Word of God has called time for this age – the end of all things is at hand (I Peter 4:7). If you are a Christian, meaning that you are born again, having received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, filled with the Holy Spirit, then: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer (I Peter 4:7b). Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (James 5:8).

The last days are upon us – Week 33