The Second Coming - 4
Perilous Times
In 2 Timothy chapter 3 Paul describes the godlessness of the last days. “But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days” (verse 1). The King James Bible says “perilous times”, Moffatt says, “harsh times”, the margin says “times of stress.” It’s the same Greek word translated ‘violent’ in Matthew 8 verse 28 to describe the two mad men at Gadara. Paul continues, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them” (verses 2 to 5).
There are nineteen different phrases used in these verses to describe what it will be like in ‘the last days.’ There will be blatant selfishness, materialism and hedonism. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, not lovers of the good. They will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. When men no longer fear God, they will no longer regard man. Religion will be phoney. “Having a form of godliness, but denying its power” (verse 5). Religious rituals will lack the life and reality of a living faith.
Has not the formula “Worship God, love people, use things” become scrambled in our day? The modern mantra seems to be “Worship ourselves, love things and use people.” This life style results in frustration, but we can’t see it, having been deceived.
In the last days God makes a distinction between His people and those who are not His people, just as when He was about to bring the Israelites out of Goshen in Egypt, He made a distinction. As Warren Wiersbe has written, “The whole point of preaching about the return of Jesus Christ is not calculation (when will it happen?) but consecration.” Be ready when the Bridegroom comes.
In Isaiah chapter 21 someone calls “’Watchman, what is left of the night?’ The watchman replies, ‘Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again’” (verses 11 and 12). Down through the centuries Jesus still says, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the seas. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21 verses 25 to 28).
At the incarnation Jesus slipped into this world, incognito, in the fullness of time by the back door. At the rapture the saints, the caught away ones, will rise up to meet Him in the air. And at His second coming, there will be no ambiguity. At the end of the tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble and Daniel’s seventieth week, the Lord Jesus Christ will return to planet earth by the front door. What Enoch prophesised will happen. “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones to judge everyone” (Jude verse 14). What John prophesised on Patmos will happen. “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1 verse 7). What the prophet, Zechariah prophesied so clearly in chapter 14 will surely happen. It will occur when all the nations are gathered against Jerusalem to battle. “The Lord will go out and fight against those nations as He fights in the day of battle” (verse 3). “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem … Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him” (verses 4 and 5).
The best description of the second coming is in Revelation 19 verses 11 to 16 where we read, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
Christian - Stay faithful until He comes!