Are These The Days?

 

Are These The Days?

 

Are these the days when we are about to see the rise of the anti-christ?

 

There is much speculation in both the Church and the world about the end times and the anti-christ. There are many teachings available based on The Bible and some on just speculation and misinformation.

Here is what we do know:

 

Watch therefore…

Matthew 24:42, 25:13

Mark 13:33-37

1 Thessalonians 5:6

 

We are not to know the seasons or the times…

Matthew 24:36

Mark 13:32

Acts 1:7 one of the very last things JESUS told the disciples.

1 Thessalonians 5:1

Zechariah 14:5b-7

 

We are to know the signs of our time…

Matthew 16:1-4

2 Timothy 3:1

Revelation 1:3

 

Seek GOD! There are many who are seeking signs of the time, they are trying to make the events of today fit the Scriptures; but we are to know the signs of our time by knowing GOD, not seeking signs to verify our truth.

 Matthew 6:33

Isaiah 55:6-7

1 Corinthians 1:22

 

 

If these are the days – what should we be doing?

 

JESUS told many parables about watching and being ready for His return, about knowing the signs of the times in which we live and about the results of being ready and not being ready,

 

The emphasis was always on being ready or else. The or else is eternal damnation, the result of not being watchful and ready was always being cast into outer darkness where there is gnashing of teeth and groaning, sorrow and wailing. Matthew 24:45, 51

 

In the Church this has always been applied to unbelievers, those who reject salvation through JESUS CHRIST. But JESUS was never talking to unbelievers, He was always talking to believers, those who had GOD’s Word and practiced it religiously.

 

Take Matthew 25 for example:

The ten virgins were all invited to the wedding feast, but half of them did not take extra oil for their lamps. The bridegroom was delayed and when his arrival was announced five of them did not have enough oil so they had to go get some more (they were not ready). By the time they got back the bridegroom had arrived and they were locked out. When they knocked to be let in the bridegroom told them, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Then to us He said, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which The Son of Man is coming.” 25:1-13 The moral: to always be ready no matter how long the delay, be prepared for the duration of time because we do not know how long it will be. In the first century they though it would be in their life time and here we are almost 2000 years later and still expecting His return any day.

 

Or the parable of the talents in 25:14-30, The mater gave three men responsibility while he was gone, they did not know how long he was going to be gone so they each did what he thought best. When the master returned he called his servants to account for their time, the first one who he had the most expectation of returned double what he had been entrusted with and was rewarded with greater responsibility. The second man also double what he had been entrusted with and he also returned double and was rewarded with greater responsibility. The third man was afraid of his master and of losing what he had been entrusted with so he had stashed it away for save keeping, his master was angry that he had made no effort to do anything with what he was given, and what he had been given was taken away and rewarded to the first man cast out of the kingdom. “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The moral is that there is no such thing as “once saved always saved” and there are no “Sunday go to meeting” Christians in GOD’s Kingdom. We each have a Call and we are responsible to learn, grow and work in it until JESUS returns or we die.

 

Or 25:31-46 the parable of JESUS judging the nations as sheep (right hand) and goats (left hand). The sheep nations are rewarded for doing the works of GOD’s Kingdom love, generosity and care. The goats are rejected because they did not do the works of GOD’s Kingdom of love, generosity and care; they were cast into hell which was prepared; not for humans, but for the devil and his angles. “Then He will say to those on His left hand, ‘Depart from Me you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angles:…And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.” 25:41, 46 The moral is the same, do the works of GOD’s Kingdom and receive eternal reward or eternal punishment.

 

You cannot retire from the Kingdom of GOD, you can serve GOD until JESUS returns or until you die. JESUS said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom.” Luke 9:62

 

So the original question was, Are these the days when we are about to see the rise of the anti-christ? If yes see above, if no we need to really be praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 for our country is about to go socialist!