People are always interested or scared of the word end of days or last days. Recently Christians are interested more in the second coming of Jesus and End of the World and this interest has grown since the arrival of Corona virus. Christians instead of living a Christ like life regardless of the time of Christ's second coming looking for preachers who talk about the end of the world. Christ warned us to be vigilant, so that we will not be duped by false teachers and Satan.
This is nothing new, even Jesus's disciples were curious and asked Jesus about His coming and End of the World. Matthew 24:3 Later Jesus sat on the Mount of olives. His disciples came to Him privately and said, " Tell us, when will all this happen? what sign will signal your return and end of the world? (NLT)
People are eager to know the exact time of Jesus's coming?
Many false preachers predicted the time , date and year of His coming and led many astray. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 24:36 " but of that day and hour no one knows , not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.In Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour, you do not expect. Revelation 3:3 Jesus said " Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up. I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Rev 16:15 " Look , I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed. We should be vigilant to do what Jesus has commanded us to do, so that we will not be surprise by His coming.
Jesus gave us the parable of the virgins to warn us. Matthew 25:1-12 and the parable of faithful servant in Matthew 24:45-51. Even though we cannot know the exact hour, day, time or the day of Jesus's coming, Jesus and The Word of God has given us the signs of His coming. These signs are given to keep us vigilant and live a life that is glorifying to Jesus.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:4-27 the signs of His coming.
1) many will come in His name and claim to be Christ and deceive many.
2) Rumors of wars and nations will rise against nations, and kingdom against Kingdom.
3) Famines
4) pestilences
5) Earthquakes in various places
And these are all only the beginning of sorrows.
6) They will deliver believers for persecution, to be put to death and believers will be hated for Jesus's name.
7) betrayal, hatred
8) lawlessness will grow
9) Love of many will grow cold
10) Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness for the end to come.
Jesus also gave a parable of the Fig tree. Matthew 24:32 " now learn this parable from the fig tree; when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves , you know that the summer is near. So that you also, when you see all these things, know that is near at the door.
Jesus also said that the end of the days will be like the days of Noah and Lot. How was it in the days of Noah?
Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.
Genesis 6:11-12 The earth also was corrupt before God , and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all the flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
How was Lot's days?
Genesis 18:20 And the LORD said, " Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is great, and because their sin is very grave.
Genesis 19:4-5 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter surrounded the house. They called to Lot and said to him, " where are the men who came to you
tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally."
Jeremiah 23:14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem; They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem stumbled and Judah is fallen, because Tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory, the look on their countenance witnesses against them. And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it! For they brought evil upon themselves.
The present days are like the days of Noah and Lot. There is rampant violence, murder, rape, homosexuality, killing of babies in the womb an abomination the Lord hates, another violence called divorce ( Malachi 3:16), adultery, fornication, pride, hatred, unforgiveness, lies and greed. Like Sodom sin is proclaimed on the national and international stage, there are pride marches , our movies and TV shows portray sins as regular normal occurrences and make fun of Jesus and his followers. Evil is being called good and good as evil. Christians are persecuted all over the world for their faith in Jesus's name.
The biggest sign for the end of days is the formation of the nation of Israel. In 1948 nation of Israel was reborn. In 1967 the city of Jerusalem came under Israel's control and became the capital.
In the last days people will be travelling and the knowledge will be increased. Daniel 12:4 " 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 first air service began in Jan 1st 1914. Since then the air travel has grown far and wide and you can travel from one end of the earth to the other in a day. The development of cars, trains, ships, planes and shuttle to the space evolved quickly within the span of 50 years. The invention of electricity, phones, television, computers, medicine has developed in a short period of time due to increase in the knowledge. The knowledge also caused destruction due to development of weapons.The spiritual condition of the mankind now is like that of Noah and Lot.
2 Timothy 3:1- 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, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, head strong, haughty, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded with sin , led away by various lust, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.
2 Peter 3:3-9 Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying " where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation," For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and earth standing out of the water and in the water by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded by the water. But the heavens and the earth which now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men.
But beloved, do not forget this , that with God one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
1 Thessalonians 4: 14-17 For we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Hi. According to to the the Lord's word, we will you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6 Now brothers and sisters about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people were saying " peace and safety", destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pain on a pregnant women, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of light and children of day. We do not belong to to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
2 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 -8 Don't let anyone deceive you in anyway, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or worshiped, so that he sets himself to be God. Don't you remember that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things?. And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at a proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming.
The lawless one is the Antichrist and the one holding him back is the Holy Spirit.( The Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of the Believers)
We as followers of Christ should be able to boldly say the following Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, " Surely I am coming quickly." Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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