What is this World Coming To?

How many times have we heard someone ask, “What is this world coming to?” We often look around us and observe the condition of our world and shrug our shoulders not understanding may thing that have and are transpiring. We just do not understand why some people act the way they do. Yet, often times I have observed that the very things people are so surprised and angered at, they are guilty of themselves. For instance, I have known a good number of people who detest being lied to and yet they do not mind being dishonest when they think that they stand to gain something from it.

Really, our world is probably in worse shape than what we like to realize. If we could see our world like God does we would be more like to understand the gravity of the situation. Most of us choose to interrupt what we see and hear through tour own understanding when what we should be doing is interpreting our world compared to the Word of God.

Perilous Times

The Bible proves a very interesting and thought provoking analysis of the days in which we live. For instance, in 2Timothy 3:1-5 we find these words, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” These words seem a very apt description of the kind of world we live in. The Bible describes them as perilous times. Perilous simply means dangerous. Who could deny that we live in dangerous times? The Bible says that these are the kind of attitudes and activities that will characterize the last days. Surely this means we are living in the last days. Does it not?

Coming Again

The Bible presents a clear picture of what this world is coming to. After all who (more than God) would know the answer to that question? The question for us to ask ourselves is, “are we willing to take God’s word for it?” One thing the Bible assures us is that Jesus is coming again! We have Jesus’ own promise in John 14:3, “…I will come again…” When I read the gospels i find that Jesus was a Man who always kept His Word. This being true, i fully expect him to keep His word on this matter as well. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 instructs us as to the reason for the Lord’s coming in the air. Note the following: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” These verses tell us the the Lord is going to return for the express purpose of taking all those, who have been truly saved, home to be wit him. All those who have repented of their sins and put their faith in Christ alone for salvation (not baptism, church membership, for any other feeble human effort) can expect to be evacuated before the time of the tribulation. The fact is that whether an individual believes it or not, it will happen just as the Bible has said it would. there are certainly those who would scoff and say that this is nothing more than religious fanaticism. This is not to be unexpected, for the Bible even tells u that there would be those who would scoff at his coming. Note 2 Peter 3:3-4: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.” All of the scoffing in the world will not alter or disrupt the plan of God. JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!

Tribulation

The Bible describes for us a time of intense judgment that is going to fall upon this world one day. When one asked, “What is this world coming to?” it could be answered with the word Tribulation! Jesus himself in Matthew 24:21 declares that, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This world is vastly approaching a time of the greater difficulty it has ever known. Again note what Jesus said in response to several questions posed by his disciples in Matthew 24:3-8, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Again in Luke 24:25-26, Jesus speaking, issues this working, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 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.” What will be the effect of these calamitous times upon men? Revelation 6:15-17 provides a most startling answer, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Anti-christ

It is interesting how the term anti-christ and his number (666) have taken on a kind of superstitious flavor. When the number comes up it causes some degree of excitement and usually elicits a comment from one ore more people. The number 666 is the number of the beast/anti-christ. This information is provided in Revelation 13:17-19, “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. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” As can be seen the beast/anti-christ and his number are no laughing matter. There is coming a day when this man will control the world and one will not be able to buy or sell without his make as a sign of allegiance to his empire.

The world today is clamoring for a world leader that will fix the worlds’s problems. Someone who will ease our hearts in relation to what this world is coming to. The anti-christ is the one who will appear on the scene in order to fulfill that desire of man. Let us notice some of what is said about this person we call the anti-christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 provides some interesting information concerning him. “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; 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. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders…” The anti-christ is a man passed by Satan that exalts himself to godhood and is empowered to perform many signs and miracles with him with which he will deceive the people into worshipping him and accepting him as god! The anti-christ is ,as his title suggests, opposed to the Christ of heaven. He will lead the world in rebellion against the god of heaven. Multitudes of people and all nations will be in alliance with the anti-christ against the resurrected Christ. Consider, if you will. Revelation 16:14, “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Our world is rushing headlong towards a showdown with heaven. When the anti-christ comes on the scene he will effectively organize the world in that endeavor and people will unwittingly go along with his scheme. These, no doubt, are some of the reasons Jesus characterized this time as great tribulation.

Escaping the Wrath to Come

Unfortunately, many will not escape this time of great tribulation. They fail to take what god has said literally. They do so at great peril. They are such like those of Noah’s day who ultimately perished in th flood. Listen to Matthew 24:36-39, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” The people of Noah’s day failed to give heed and as a result were taken away with the flood. Will you fail toggle heed to God;s warning today and be carried away in the great tribulation?

There is only one way to be assured of escaping the wrath to come. Romans 5:8-9 provides some helpful instruction on this point when it says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Salvation from the wrath to come is only possible because of the love of god. God sent his Son to die on a rigged cross to pay the sin debt we ow. Christ shed his blood that we might be forgiven of our sins and have our relationship with God restored. We must have a relationship with Jesus Christ that comes through repentance and faith. A relationship that transforms our lives and makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus. Then, and only then, can we home to escape the wrath to come.