Friday Night Message: Are We Living in the End Times?

 

 

June 3, 2022

Good evening brethren …

 

I pray that God richly bless you on this “double Sabbath”.  That terminology is used to describe both of the following circumstances …

 

1.     The weekly 7th day Sabbath is either preceded or followed by one of the annual festivals described in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus.  In other words, there are 48 consecutive hours of Sabbath in a row.  For those keeping those festivals, this situation happens every year on “Pentecost weekend”.

 

2.     One of the annual festivals of Lev. 23 happens to fall on the weekly Sabbath.  This was the case earlier this spring, as the First Day of Unleavened Bread was on the 7th day Sabbath.

 

I personally need this double Sabbath to temporarily take my mind off the dreadful and miserable conditions in most of the world today.  As troubling as that is, I worry further about the inability of man to alleviate or lessen the impact of evil and suffering around the world.

 

We now live in very troubled times.  I remember that when God first called me to the truth, 50+ years ago, I was not really “into” setting dates or “overloading” on prophecy.  I also did not believe that Armageddon was “on our doorstep”.  I simply observed the then current weakness of Europe, and believed that it was not possible for Europe to become the dominant power on Earth.

 

My how things have changed these past 5 decades.  I now believe, based upon current world conditions and Biblical prophecy, that we may be close to the end.  I have never felt it nearly as strong as I do now.  And seeing that as I have now fulfilled my “threescore and ten”, I wonder if I might actually live out my natural life in what is truly the end time. 

 

A major contributing factor to my belief that we may be close to the end of man’s rule on earth is the plummeting moral standards, which is another key indicator that the end may be near.

 

II Tim. 3:1-6 – But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away.

 

We believe Paul’s warning is correct, but most of humanity does not believe the Bible to be accurate or true.  And so they are not as troubled by Paul’s words.  Notice Paul’s analysis:

 

II Pet. 3:3-4 – …knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to 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 creation.

 

Things are no longer continuing as they were, and the reason we believe this is that God has given us discernment of the times and seasons in which we are living.  Life is never going to be the same again.  Conditions will become more serious, threats will become more real, moral standards will continue to crumble.  That’s why the words of Peter and Paul are such important warnings for us today.

 

Brethren, let’s be sure to heed prophecy and value the warning message that we can glean thereof.  Have an insightful and meaningful Pentecost weekend.

 

 

Have a wonderful double Sabbath,

Fred