Dangerous Times

Jesus Christ Himself made it absolutely plain that the last days of human government would be the most violent and dangerous of all times. He said, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the electÂ’s sake those days shall be shortened. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:21-22,24) He was speaking particularly of the seven years that He called the "Great Tribulation." The word "Great" sets these days apart from all other tribulations that have ever occurred. These seven years must be preceded by the signs that have been prophesied and the preparation for the One World System of the Antichrist and his false trinity of diabolical evil. Isaiah wrote of these days and said they would be so evil that a man could only save himself and that only by the ultimate action of desperation. I believe we are well into the beginning of the end.

Apostle Paul wrote of these days also and described a list of characteristics that would prevail. He wrote by the Holy Ghost, "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, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (II Timothy 3:1-5) LetÂ’s use these characteristics to understand the day we are facing until the end. As evil and dark as the world is going to be before the Rapture, that darkness will intensify many times over during the time after the Rapture. Most Bible scholars that study the end times believe that several years will occur between the Rapture and the beginning of the seven years of Great Tribulation.

LetÂ’s consider the things that may occur during those intervening years:

1. The temple must be built on the Temple Mount.
2. The War of Gog and Magog marching against Israel and experiencing terrible defeat for the armies of GogÂ’s coalition will occur at some time before the Rapture or after the Rapture.
3. The city of Babylon must be rebuilt and this margin of time would be excellent.
4. The establishing of a powerful government on an international level that the Antichrist could take the reigns could develop.
5. Israel will need seven years to clean up the carcasses from the War of Gog and Magog. Since their presence as a government in Jerusalem will end at the three and one-half years of the seven year period, they will need an additional three and one-half years before the Great Tribulation begins.

The Rapture of the overcoming saints will create a crisis of indescribable emotion for this entire universe. Attitudes and moods will take on a vengeance and hatred beyond description. Hatred for Israel will reach the explosion level. I believe the Gog and Magog attack will happen immediately after the Rapture. The mood of the world will be excellent for a last ditch effort to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth. Of course, it will fail and hatred for them will be even greater. It will force the Seven Year Treaty that prepares the way for the seven years ordained by God for His last judgment of human government. Three and one-half years between the Rapture and the beginning of these seven years is a good possibility. It certainly could vary a few months.

The characteristics of these dark years around these coming events will be ominous. Paul calls them "perilous times." Love for self has already become the mood of our world, but it will get worse. Covetousness, a passion for everything that flesh desires, is swiftly becoming the god of this world. Men and women are proud and boastful beyond measure. Even the church world has become a world of the grandiose and mammoth and is utterly absent of the piousness and simplicity that is beautifully pictured in Scripture. People think nothing of blaspheming God, the church, the Holy Bible, or anything else.

Parents and children alike are rebellious and self-centered. Most parents offer no strong discipline to guide their children in developing self-discipline. The parents are more at fault for the breakdown than the children. A society where children have lost the family concept and respect cannot end anywhere but in a bi-sexual world of confusion. The words "unthankful" and "unholy" are perfect in describing the mood we face every day. "Without natural affection" is evident by the constant murdering of the most innocent of lives, our unborn babies. This could only happen because the world has lost its head. Read these words, "trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good." The past election season was a battle between what is left of American values (not much) and the hatred of anything that resembles Biblical morals or our right to even believe them. That war is continuing right now.

The whole society, even the conservatives, is close to being as guilty of these characteristics as the humanist and liberals. The apostle added, "traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." There is an explosion of these facts permeating our world, churched and unchurched. The sacred things of the past are quickly disappearing. Pleasure has become a god. The church certainly has a "form of godliness, but denying the power." That is the acceptable theology. Miracles are rare because the form has robbed us of the glory.

No one can deny that we are at the conclusion of all things and that the most exciting time of human history is at hand. We are about to enter the last great prophetic period where long anticipated events will occur. The Lord will shortly appear in the heavens and call His Bride up to meet Him. While we celebrate, the world will pay the price of offending holiness. IÂ’m excited about returning to this earth to help the King of Kings establish His kingdom on this earth. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:14)

Joseph R. Chambers