“What Are The Signs Of The Last Days?
2 Timothy 3:1-5
INTRODUCTION: We CONTINUE our series on “The Rapture”. Sunday Morning, we saw that Jesus is coming … He is coming quickly … AND … it could be SOON. In the meantime, we have a RESPONSIBILITY, as we await His return with JOYOUS ANTICIPATION.
The Bible gives us some SIGNS of what it will be like BEFORE the Rapture of the Church. We need to be careful. So many times, people confuse the signs of the return of Jesus at the REVELATION, with the signs of the return of Jesus at the RAPTURE.
The Bible gives us signs of what it will be like during the Tribulation Period, just before His return to set up the Millennial Kingdom. Don’t confuse these with the signs of the coming RAPTURE. While it is true, we can see a foretaste of some of these now … it refers to the Tribulation Period … where they will all be fulfilled then.
• The Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem … after the Rapture.
• The Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world … after the Rapture.
Most of the signs of the coming of Jesus at the RAPTURE, don’t picture the world and political condition. RATHER … the signs of the return of Jesus at the RAPTURE shows us the condition of the established CHURCH.
TURN to 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
HERE, we find the condition of the established CHURCH, just before Jesus returns. See if these are an indication of present-day “Christianity”.
3:1 – “perilous times” – this describes the day in which we live, DOESN’T IT? The GK. word for “perilous” means ‘hard, difficult times’. Could it get worse? Absolutely! BUT … look how fast our society is decaying … AIDS … homosexuality … the acceptance of homosexual marriages … abortion … internet pornography … sexual promiscuity …
What are the signs that will be present in the established CHURCH … just before Jesus returns?
1.- 3:2 - “men shall be lovers of their own selves” – “men” refers to ‘mankind’, not just to the male species. In the last days, it will be “every man for themselves” … the survival of the fittest … a “dog-eat-dog” world … you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. It will be a world where everybody does what is right in their own eyes … not caring about what anybody else thinks.
This will also be seen in the CHURCH – see 4:3-4. Church members will be satisfying themselves with THINGS. No time for prayer, witnessing, studying the Word, sacrifice, commitment, Church attendance. No time for the Lord … only SELF. Someone once said, “The heart of the problem, is the problem of the heart.”
2.- 3:2 – “covetous” – this means a ‘lover of money’. 1 Tim. 6:10 – “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” There will be wealth in the church of the last days … but little power. While not every church is a rich church, just take a look at the buildings … the bank accounts … the budgets. COMPARE that to how much is spent on the actual MINISTRY of the church! In large churches, some people join the church because it’s good for business … business contacts. … good for the corporate image.
3.-4. - 3:2 – “boasters and proud” – there will be cliques within the Christian faith … denominationalism to the point of exclusion. Some Christian denominations will look down on others, thinking that they are better than the rest. This BEGAN even in the early Church … “I am of Paul … Apollos … Cephus … CHRIST!”
5.- 3:2 – “blasphemers” – in the church? Yes, we even see them in some of our Seminaries & Bible Colleges … in our pulpits. This will happen in the last days … and we see it even today. Another word in the GK. for “blasphemer” is “slanderer” … one who destroys someone’s good name. It is used, NOT JUST against God … BUT … also against other people … gossips, tale-bearers … in the CHURCH.
6.- 3:2 – “disobedient to parents” – certainly not in Christian families! In the last days, children will rebel against the authority and teaching of their parents. Although raised in Christian homes, when they get out on their own, they will forsake God’s Word, church attendance, a relationship with the Lord. A sign of the last days.
7.- 3:2 – “unthankful” – selfishness among professed Christians. Ungrateful to others … ungrateful to God, for His many blessings … taking God for granted. We pray, asking God for something. God grants our request … THEN … we forget to thank Him. WHY? BECAUSE … we got what we wanted. If Christians were truly THANKFUL to God, we would have more Christians in church on Wednesday night!
8.- 3:2 – “unholy” – Christians ought to be SEPARATED from that which is “unholy”. Where is HOLY LIVING among professed Christians today? Many think nothing of living for the Devil Monday-Saturday … AND THEN … coming to church on Sunday and sing the songs, and pray the prayers. AND … what’s worse … they don’t even see it as hypocritical! 1 Thes. 4:7 – “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” “unholiness” will be a characteristic of professing Christians in the last days.
9.- 3:3 – “without natural affection” – we hear a lot about “family values” today. One of the signs of the last days will be the breakdown of Biblical “family values”. We see this even in “Christian homes” today. Parents are too busy to have a relationship with their children … jobs, careers, things get in the way. This isn’t “natural affection”. In the last days, there will be an acceptance of ABORTIONS … in Christian families. There will be homosexual churches. Satan knows that “As goes the family, so goes the nation.” Truly, we are in the last days.
10.- 3:3 – “trucebreakers” – there are some people that you just can’t trust to keep their word. Some people will lie to you … break their promises … cheat you … deceive you. Know any professing Christians like this? I think this also speaks of the divorce rate … and fidelity in marriage. Did you make a PROMISE … a VOW … when you got married? The divorce rate among non-Christians is around 50%. Know what the divorce rate for professing Christians is? Around 50%!
11.- 3:3 – “false accusers” – an easy way to get money in our society. All you have to do, is accuse someone, or some company of something, and you will either collect a settlement … OR … ruin their testimony or business. It doesn’t even have to be true! Spread a lie or false rumor about a Pastor, and his ministry is through … whether it’s true or not. Even Christian organizations can’t get along with each other. I heard about one Christian school who disliked Billy Graham so much, that they threatened expulsion if they ever caught a student attending one of his meetings. It’s said (though probably not true) that they wouldn’t even allow Graham Crackers on campus! They were so narrow-minded that you could put 10 of them in the same bed. They were so narrow-minded that they would cut their fingers if they scratched their head! We live in the generation of lawsuits … even in the church.
12.- 3:3 – “incontinent” – ‘without self control’. Does this characterize our society today? Adultery, unfaithfulness in marriage … even in the church among Pastors and lay-people alike. Prostitution is on the increase … pornography … child pornography … pre-marital sex is common even at early ages. Men and women are driven by the winds of passion, like a ship without a rudder. We have seen it in the White House … on “family” television shows … portrayed as a natural, acceptable lifestyle.
13.- 3:3 – “fierce” – means ‘savage’. A generation ago, people didn’t lock their houses or cars. Today, we read about brutal murders, rapes, mass murders, and total disregard for the property of others. We see professing Christians bombing abortion clinics in the name of Christ. I’ve know Pastors who have been threatened, and some who have been destroyed by those within their church. This is a sign of the last days.
14.- 3:3 – “despisers of those that do good” – Our society today, not only accepts what God condemns … BUT … they despise what God says is good. They don’t want the mere mention of God on our coins, in our pledge of allegiance to the flag, or in public prayers. They don’t want the 10 Commandments displayed in public. True Christianity just won’t fit into the society of the last days.
15.- 3:4 – “traitors” – betrayers … people you can’t trust. We find them in politics, religion, and among “friends”. Sometimes you have to stand alone, when standing for God. Loyalties waver with the whim. Even Christians today won’t take a stand for what is right. They are loyal to what is best for them at the time … not for what is right in the sight of God.
16.- 3:4 – “heady” = ‘headstrong”. Some people, you just can’t tell them anything! They are going to do what they want, even if it kills them (and sometimes it does!). Even if they KNOW it’s wrong … they’ll do it anyhow. Stubborn! This is a sign of the last days … even among professing Christians. They won’t be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
17.- 3:4 – “high-minded” – a little different than PROUD. In the GK., it has to do with a PERMANENT state of pride through MUCH practice of it. They are too PROUD to be saved. What will their friends think? To some, salvation means “weakness” … a step downward in society. Jesus, many times, went to the poor, who were more receptive of Him. In the last days, people will think that they’re “too good” to be saved. OR … at the least, not “bad enough” to go to Hell. They will believe that, since God is a God of love, He won’t send anybody to Hell. Truly, we are in the last days.
18.- 3:4 – “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” – Does this describe the modern church?
They will sit at a ballgame in 30 degree temperature … BUT … won’t go to church because it’s too cold outside! Too many professing Christians can’t let church attendance interfere with their pleasures.
19.- 3:5 – “having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it” – just going through the motions. Having an outward form of godliness, but lacking any real spiritual power in their lives.
• Putting on a religious mask.
• Hypocrites in the church.
• Professors, not possessors.
• External, but not internal.
• Tares among the wheat.
Christians are to be the salt of the earth … the light of the world. In the last days, you will see less salt … less light.
CONCLUSION:
Truly, we are in the “Last Days” … before the Rapture … before the return of Jesus. We can see it in our society … we can see it in the church … we can see it in Christianity.
Next time, we will take a look at some prophesies that are being fulfilled in this generation, that point us to the soon coming of Jesus.
STAND - PRAY
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“What Are The Signs Of The Last Days?”
INTRODUCTION: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 – the condition in the established church, among professed Christians just before the return of Jesus at the Rapture:
1.- 3:2 – “men shall be lovers of their own selves” – 4:3-4
- No time for the Lord … only themselves.
2.- 3:2 – “covetous” – 1 Timothy 6:10
- More money spent on “things” than on missions.
3.-4. – 3:2 – “boasters and proud” – Cliques and denominationalism to the point of exclusion.
5.- 3:2 – “blasphemers” – ‘slanderers’ … against God, and against each other.
6.- 3:2 – “disobedient to parents” – Children forsaking the truth taught to them by their Christian parents.
7.- 3:2 – “unthankful” – Ungrateful to God for His many blessings … taking God for granted.
8.- 3:2 – “unholy” – 1 Thessalonians 4:7 – Thinking nothing of hypocritical living.
9.- 3:3 – “without natural affection” – A breakdown of Biblical ‘family values’.
10.- 3:3 – “trucebreakers” … including the marriage vow.
11.- 3:3 – “false accusers” – Spreading lies, frivolous lawsuits, Christians not getting along with each other …
12.- 3:3 – “incontinent” = ‘without self-control’ – driven by the winds of passion … acceptable behavior!
13.- 3:3 – “fierce” = ‘savage’ … brutality in our society, and even among Christian organizations.
14.- 3:3 – “despisers of those that do good” – Accepting what God condemns, and condemning what God accepts.
- Christianity won’t fit into the society of the last days.
15.- 3:4 – “traitors” – Loyalties waver with the whim … not taking a stand for what is right.
16.- 3:4 – “heady” = ‘headstrong’ – Knowing it’s wrong, and doing it anyhow … even among professing Christians.
- Not open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
17.- 3:4 – “high-minded” – Too proud to be saved.
18.- 3:4 – “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” – Not letting Church attendance interfere with their pleasures.
19.- 3:5 – “having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it” – Professors, but not possessors … external Christianity.
