The “last Days”—very Much In Evidence

[thesparrow]

This was originally written September 8, 1993, almost 8 years before the twin towers suicide bombings. That is not a long time in God’s eyes. The same truths I wrote then are still the same truths for today. I write now with little more insight and updated. I forgot I had written this until I had some disturbing news this week; showing just how close it is hitting home. I will not give details at this time. I write this as a witness to all that has been happening in rapid succession. It gets worse and worse. So many don’t believe it is as bad as I claim.They don’t want to believe. It might upset their style of living.


They are, in a sense prosperous by the way of the credit card. They can live like a rich man. They just don’t know how poor they are. Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money). In a sense we are bowing to the plastic god. We can buy anything we want.


We don’t need money. I fell into that trap too and can’t get out. I make a big payment but it barely makes the debt go down. It was called usury back in Exodus; interest on a debt. The one who owes is indebted to the lender. They can charge as much interest as they want. It keeps going up. I did cancel all credit cards but I am still bound to the paper I signed. I can not buy another thing that way. I remember a song sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford. “I owe my soul to the company store”. This is so true.


Without any forethought of my own, the Holy Spirit is leading me to Second Timothy. Please pray for me as I write. We will start with Chapter 3, verse 1: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Perilous means dangerous, full of risk. In the Greek, it adds the idea of reducing the strength or furious. Is it dangerous when a young girl can go to her bus stop in broad daylight and be abducted into a car by a strange man, taken into the woods and tied to a tree, left to die?


Is it dangerous when a person can leave work, get in the car and be shot in a drive by shooting? Is it dangerous when a woman can go into a variety store and have her throat slashed just for her little bit of money? This was in broad daylight with other people walking around. I can attest to that. I was in that store just after it happened.


Is it dangerous when an aged woman can be sleeping in her bed, only to wake up to find a rapist hovering over her? She was so afraid of being alone and had invested in all kinds of protection gadgets. What good did they do? Only God and His angels can protect. I, myself have had many incidents where I was protected against all odds.


Yes, Christians can sometimes be caught in the cross fire. God will give you peace in the midst of it. I have faced many scary situations. Although they still happened, God turned them around and used them for His own glory. Someday, if I am so led, I will write about these as my testimony that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. He is in the fiery furnace with us. Verse 11-12 “Persecutions, afflictions, which come unto me---but out of them all God delivered me.”

The devil can not do anything to us that God does not permit. Remember Job. These things may be allowed to test our faith and teach us something. I won’t elaborate on this.

Verse 2 “For men shall be lovers of their own selves”. This is the “me first” generation. We love “me”; too bad for you. This love of self keeps a person in debt. As an example, you can buy a $100 dress when you only have enough cash for a $10 one. A man can buy an expensive car but could only get a junk car for the actual cash he may have. Of course there are always exceptions.
All these “rights” people are fighting for cannot be from God. Cults and other groups against God want to “worship” as they please. They can do wicked things out in the open and no one can dare criticize them. It doesn’t matter who they hurt in the process. A woman can be a witch and practice her witchcraft on unsuspecting individuals. In these times, 2002, Harry Potter is a good example, a kid’s book teaching children all about witchcraft and spells, very explicit. Even younger Christian mothers don’t see the danger in the book. Oh, that God would open their eyes to the truth.

Self love is the witch’s creed. She loves herself and her life style. She drags whomever she can into her trap. She pulls them away from God. Christians don’t have rights, though. They are taken away as fast as they can be. We are not allowed to talk about our beliefs in public. No prayer is allowed in school or any public place. The Ten Commandments are taken down. We don’t want to “offend” any one who doesn’t believe the way we do.
Christians are offended every day. We just don’t count. We are i

nferior to everyone else. Students can’t pray or read and study their Bibles in the classroom but they can study about witchcraft and Eastern religions which have many gods or false ones. And including evolution. These anti God groups want nothing to do with our God. He has definite rules to follow. If they believed, they would not be free to do their evil deeds. Of course, the devil is in charge here. More and more women have abortions. They see nothing wrong with this.


This is also “self love”. They want to have “fun” and not be tied down with a baby who would hamper their “free” style. The fetus is not a human being yet. Get rid of it before it gets too far along. What does God say? The answer is in Psalm 139:13-16 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” It is all from the first seed to the finished product.


Babies cost money. The woman needs money to put on her back, her hair and her face. She wants to travel, work toward her career. You have to give up these things when you have a baby to look after. I must come first? Is this God’s way? Yes, these are perilous times and they are getting worse and worse. Do you love yourself more than God and before others? Your desires and wishes? Are we all guilty? Modern precept---do your own thing!


There is so much more to this scripture. I will let this much sink in. Perilous times can trap godly people into the ways of the world. There are so many temptations. We have to stay constantly in the Word so as to avoid them. “There is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)


Today’s perilous times are accelerating with terrorist attacks and threats. Read all of Luke 21:5-32. Jesus is telling the apostles about the signs to look for before Jesus will return. More and more is being fulfilled.


Again God’s timing is not ours. It is getting closer. We may not see it but we should always be ready for we will never know until the time has come.
There are many wars and rumors of wars; earthquakes in different places; famines and pestilences. The weather is changing. We see downpours of rain which causes flooding in one place. Not too far away we hear of forest fires out of control. Droughts leave them without water to put them out. There are mud slides causing tsunamis. Volcanoes are erupting.


We get threats of germ warfare and poisoning of the waterways. Yesterday I received a forwarded email about free samples of perfumes, lotions and even baby diapers (another way of killing babies?) being sent to people through the post office. When they were inhaled, some have died from poisoning. Man is playing God with their cloning; trying to create beings that won’t be humans. Are they creating Frankensteins? Cloned animals are now being sold for meat. They say it is harmless to eat but is it? Which way do we turn? The only one we can turn is to Jesus.


There have been many wars since time began. And they continue. The war in Iraq began in 2003. I don’t understand wars or war strategies so don’t quote me. What I do understand is that most of it is to destroy the Jewish people and take over their small land of Israel. Luke 21:20 “And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.” What is going on in Iraq is a war that started between Ishmael and Isaac. It has to do with the temple. It will take too long to explain all of it. It has all been predicted. But God’s people will win.


This scripture is for us Christians. We don’t know the day or time but it is coming in God’s time. Luke 21:26-28 “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.”
I am overwhelmed. I can’t say any more at this time. Do not be afraid. Just look to God. May He bless you.


It is now 2008 and this I will add. All the above is accelerating and very rapidly and it keeps getting worse. Again the Bible says "LOOK UP, REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR!" Praise the Lord ! How much more is God going to take? Be ready. God is still in charge. Trust Him at all times

[watchman3071]

There is a seven year period, divided in half by 3.5 years. The first 3.5 year period is called Tribulation. The second 3.5 years is called Great Tribulation.
At the beginning of the seven year period, all christians vanish! This is where a global leader (Antichrist) gets a seven year peace treaty signed with Isreal. Remember it is now peace with Isreal, but war with everyone else! Isreal has three meanings: they are the place in the middle east, all people that turn their lives over to God (born again beleivers that are washed by His blood) and finally it is the born again name of Jacob. During the first three and a half years the Antichrist cannot harm any one that is a believer.(Peace)
How does this person get the 7 year peace treaty signed? He does this because the doors of Heaven have swung open at the voice of Almighty God."Come up Hither!" And I heard as it were a voice, as of a trumpet speaking... I Corin.15:51 and 52 state, Behold I shew you a mystery,we shall not all sleep but we shall be changed, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and we all shall be changed.
The Antichrist knows that the doors are about to fly open..when they do he can say anything he wants. Scriptures states that all he does is curse God, His temple and His people. Meanwhile, on the earth, everyone thinks this man is a genius, and they run to sign the first do***ent that is present before them at this time.(This meeting will most likely be at the United Nations, where they will be attempting peace with Israel) Scriptures states that although the peace treaty is signed for seven years, it is broken at the midpoint. It is now the last three and a half year period. It is war with the place in the middle east and anyone that refuses to take the mark is now considered an enemy of the Worldwide Global Leader. (Satan) It is at this period where God is His angriest, and He shows His true power by removing the sun, shaking up the earth, many lightnings, and turning the moon blood red. (Great Tribulation.) God is very angry because if the people only read His word, they would have NOT taken the mark.
I'll leave this, for those that refuse to take the mark and sacrifice their lives for Jesus the word states the following, Rev.2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer, behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tried. Ye shall have tribulation ten days, be thou faithful onto death and I will give thee a crown of life.

[Christsciple]

I would have to respectfully disagree with the both of you here. There is no single anti-christ, nor is the modern country of Israel anymore important than Iceland, or any other country. We can understand this by doing a lot of reading.

First we must ask: who is Israel? What is Israel? The two are the same. Israel in parts of the Bible is defined as an actual country, and in other parts (predominantly in the N.T.) as the Children of God (a.k.a. us, believers, the Called, Chosen, Saved, Children of Light, etc.) We know we are Israel by reading Romans 9:24-27. Modern day Israel has no meaning to us, they are simply a country like any other.

Also the anti-christ. This is really important here, because it is the popular belief these days that it is a single man, going out to deceive the world. Which is further more popularized by the media. But the anti-christ is not one man. It is no man at all! It is a spirit. Just as we have the spirit of Christ, there is the spirit of the anti-christ, which common sense says is not Christs. So it must be Satans.

Interesting post!

[watchman3071]

For Christsciple,
I disagree with you, Israel is the focal point of the Bible and is central to understanding the "end times".
Israel has several meanings: body of believers, washed in Christ's blood, both Jew and Gentile (these are the saints that the beast overcomes) 2nd, the place in the Middle East, where the antichrist confirms a 7 year treaty (still in the future) and finally, it is the born again name of Jacob.
The Beast is an imitation of the one true Lord. This is his downfall! The dragon wants to be like God and wants people on this earth to worship him like God. Question is what is the fullness of God?
The Lord thy God is one. The fullness consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, working together, all knowing, all powerful and under the authority and name of Jesus.
The Beast must imitate God or try to! For the Father, the Beast has the dragon. ( the dragon is the spirit that is cast down from heaven and goes into the wounded antichrist at at halfway point. It's this spirit that appears to resurrect the antichrist. Read Rev.2:10 at this point! God is talking to His Saints, that refuse to take the mark of the beast and choose death instead.)
For Christ, the beast has the antichrist. It's this antichrist that rises from Europe and fullfills Daniel 9:27. Just as Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, so the antichrist must come in human form to deceive the world.
And finally, For the Holy Spirit, the beast has the false prophet. It's this partnership between the dragon and the false prophet that brings in the mark of the beast at the midpoint of the 7 year period. Scriptures state that the false prophet would be present when the antichrist both dies by wound by the sword and at his "so called resurrection" when the dragon enters his body to start the final 3.5 years known as Great Tribulation.
The false prophet comes from the "city on 7 hills"
Hope this is helpful and brings a better understanding to those that read it.
A Brother and Companion in Tribulation,
Watchman3071

[Christsciple]

Originally Posted by watchman3071

For Christsciple,
I disagree with you, Israel is the focal point of the Bible and is central to understanding the "end times".
Israel has several meanings: body of believers, washed in Christ's blood, both Jew and Gentile (these are the saints that the beast overcomes) 2nd, the place in the Middle East, where the antichrist confirms a 7 year treaty (still in the future) and finally, it is the born again name of Jacob.
The Beast is an imitation of the one true Lord. This is his downfall! The dragon wants to be like God and wants people on this earth to worship him like God. Question is what is the fullness of God?
The Lord thy God is one. The fullness consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, working together, all knowing, all powerful and under the authority and name of Jesus.
The Beast must imitate God or try to! For the Father, the Beast has the dragon. ( the dragon is the spirit that is cast down from heaven and goes into the wounded antichrist at at halfway point. It's this spirit that appears to resurrect the antichrist. Read Rev.2:10 at this point! God is talking to His Saints, that refuse to take the mark of the beast and choose death instead.)
For Christ, the beast has the antichrist. It's this antichrist that rises from Europe and fullfills Daniel 9:27. Just as Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, so the antichrist must come in human form to deceive the world.
And finally, For the Holy Spirit, the beast has the false prophet. It's this partnership between the dragon and the false prophet that brings in the mark of the beast at the midpoint of the 7 year period. Scriptures state that the false prophet would be present when the antichrist both dies by wound by the sword and at his "so called resurrection" when the dragon enters his body to start the final 3.5 years known as Great Tribulation.
The false prophet comes from the "city on 7 hills"
Hope this is helpful and brings a better understanding to those that read it.
A Brother and Companion in Tribulation,
Watchman3071

Israel has no more meaning than any other country of today. Before I start on that however, I would like to make a couple points. I am not trying to change your mind so much as to just share with you my opinion, and that is all!

'7' is also a very important number, it is God's number, it is perfection and completion, which I will get to later as well.

The main topic is the anti-Christ here. The anti-Christ is not a human. Firstly, I would like you to share the verses you have that give that indication. Secondly, please share with us the verses that describe 'him' coming from Europe (this is a relatively new theory that has been popularized by the media).

[seekHm1st]

Thought I might weigh in on this with my opinion.

The Bible is very clear that the term 'antichrist', where it appears, describes the spiritual state of the lost, an enemy of God in one's mind through wicked works. Another way of saying that would be that antichrists oppose the one true God. Cults oppose God, because they deny God. Men deny God, and therefore oppose God, etc., etc.. The spirit of antichrist is that general opposition to God that is throughout the hearts of men and women, the unsaved, the world. But just as there are 'sons' of God, and there is only One begotten Son of God, there are those with a spirit that is anti-Christ, but "the" antichrist, is a man. He is not the equal opposite of Jesus, certainly, but he is a man.

If one does a word study, "antichrist" only comes up in 1st and 2nd John. An antichrist is one who opposes Jesus, who opposes God, but antichrist has not become an eschatological term because of media fascination with end times events. There are antichrists, as those passages in John's epistles clearly state, but the antichrist is a man. He will deceive many people near the time of Jesus' return to the earth. This man will be in league with Satan and he will have the help of demonic forces to aid him in his unholy path, and in his efforts to rule many of the worlds nations, he will bring about much destruction and horror.

The apostle Paul speaks about this man, but he doesn't call him "antichrist". He calls him the, "man of lawlessness" in 2nd Thessalonians. There he describes an evil man who will oppose God in all ways:

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Paul calls this man the, "man of sin", the "son of perdition" who exalts "himself" above God. He also describes something singular, that this man will do at a future point. He will enter the rebuilt Jewish temple of God, and seat himself there, in effect saying, "Look at me. I am God." Only this man will perform this particular blasphemy. Daniel referred to this man as "the prince who will come," and this is not a comprehensive list of references to this singular person.

As far as whether or not Israel is a place no more important than any other, Jesus referred to its capital city as "the city of the great King," referring to Himself. The book of Zechariah tells us that He will be returning there, after touching down first on the Mount of Olives. It must certainly have meaning to Him, and at least for that reason alone, to us as well.

Peace,

seekHm1st