Time is Running Out

Look around! Look up! The end is nearing. Time is running out! In irony, history is rapidly moving toward its prophetic conclusion. Jesus warned that just before the end comes, “. . . there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress among 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 . . . And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh (Lk. 21.25-28).

Behold, right now we are seeing these very signs of the end “beginning to come to pass.” We may be sure that the signs in the cosmos—in the sun, moon, and stars will become more visible in the days and months ahead; but even at this moment “upon earth,” the sign of “distress among nations, with perplexity” is glaringly apparent. World leaders are at a loss to know how to navigate their way through the present distresses and perplexities regarding politics, religion, economic crises [national bankruptcies], escalating inflation, cultural differences, social ills, moral degeneration, the spread of viruses, medical dilemmas, military build-ups, the constant threats of wars and rumors of wars, violence, lawlessness, natural calamities, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and on and on. Yes, and “men’s hearts are failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth . . .”
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Scores of end-time passages are being fulfilled right now before our very eyes (Mt. 24.1—25.46; 1 Tim. 4.1-3; 2 Tim. 3.1-19; 2 Pet. 2.1-22; Jude 3-16, et al.). Besides these and others passages in the New Testament, there are scores in the Old Testament that have predicted and describe the very day in which we are living.

But, as predicted, “scoffers [mockers] have appeared . . . 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” (2 Pet. 3.3-4). The apostle says these mockers are “willingly ignorant” of the plain truth and have chosen to follow their own ungodly lusts rather than the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. They would rather “believe [the] lie” of Satan than to repent and believe the Gospel. A rebellious and God-defying spirit fills the air spaces of all nations today, whispering the deceptions and contradictions of the old dragon.

This seductive and lying spirit hovers like a dark cloud over the whole world. It is the spirit of antichrist! Hear the apostle regarding the rapture and second coming of Christ: “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 worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God . . . 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 [restrains/ hold back] will let [restrain/hold back] until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked [Lawless One] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit out 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. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe [the] lie: That they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2.3-12).

​Who but a spiritually blind and deaf man would deny that the very last days are now upon us? In spite of what the scoffers, gainsayers, and false prophets are saying, things are different. We have come to the bottom of the barrel. Until recently, relatively speaking, the most serious disciplinary problems for supervisors and teachers in the public school system were students skipping class, tardiness, speaking out of turn, throwing spitballs across the room, or getting in a fight during recess. Now it is problems related to drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, trafficking, anger management, rape, gang rapes, sex abuse and sex perversions, sex [gender] identity, pornography, teen pregnancy, abortions, fetuses found in trash cans, serious emotional issues, transgender confusion, homosexual related issues, suicides, possession of firearms, explosives, mass shootings, in a word lawlessness and every sort of moral and ethical perversion.

No, things are not the same as they have always been. The mockers are simply being used by Satan to echo the same old lie he has been proclaiming since the Garden of Eden. He says, “Don’t believe God and His Word, for God is a liar; rather listen to me and I will exalt you and give you paradise. Eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: for it will make you wise like God, and you will be blessed and prosperous and empowered.”

The apostle says we should not be surprised by the great delusion and deception now sweeping the earth. He warned us: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11.13-15).
So here we are in 2023, right in the middle of the last days prophetic picture. We have been anointed and called by God to such a time as this. We are God’s last days Zion, equipped, divinely informed, and empowered to reach the nations with the glorious Gospel of our Lord. The nations need the very Lord and Savior we know and embody together in the “body of Christ.” We must hurry and lead the lost to Jesus, baptize them, receive them into His church, “the pillar and ground of the truth,” and teach them to observe “all things whatsoever that He commanded!”
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“Oh, for a million men who would fear nothing but God, filled with such holy zeal and Godly courage, that we could all together burst forth under the power of this mighty baptismal fire and rush to every quarter of the globe like mad men, declaring the gospel of the Son of God, until every tribe, kindred, tongue and people could hear, and thus end this Last Great Conflict!”
 - A.J. Tomlinson