ARE WE NEAR THE END OF TIME?
ARE WE NEAR THE END OF TIME?
By
Edward G. Butler
Preachers are preaching that the “Rapture” could come at any time and rescue us, and we are approaching the end of the world civilization as we know it. In times like these, Christians and men of the cloth tend to speculate that these could be end times. I suppose that the 66 million, mostly Christians, and the tens of thousands of the clergy who were tortured and slaughtered in Communist Russia must have thought they were facing “end times.” Granted, these are troubled times, but does that mean we are facing the end of the world?
The Lord has said that He does not do anything that He has not revealed to His prophets. He has promised victory for His people. However, He has not promised to spare us of tribulation. “…we must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Neither has He excused us from discipline and punishment for our apathy and disobedience.
We must pay attention to the words of Jesus about His coming, as He said in Matthew 24, “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” (Matt. 24:36, 37.) As in the days of Noah, who were left behind, and who were taken out? The wicked, of course, were taken out, and the righteous left behind.
Jesus explains, “The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the Kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one: the enemy that sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity: And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:38-43). No “Rapture” here. The wicked are zapped out, and the righteous left behind in the Kingdom.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise…” (II Peter 3:9). The Lord spoke through His prophet, Malachi, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5,6).
Now, it seems that the Lord has painted Himself into a corner. He must send Elijah for help and guidance for His people, or else He must smite the whole earth with a curse.
However, as I understand this promise, I don’t take it to mean that Elijah of old must return in person, but someone of that mold and character is to come as a servant of the Lord for His people.
Yes, these are dark and difficult times, basically because God’s people have received doctrines of men and even doctrines of devils instead of doctrines of God. The gospel of the Kingdom and the Laws of the Kingdom have been grossly neglected and violated. Penalty is sure to follow. The people who sit in the pews and the preachers who stand in the pulpits, are at least guilty of apathy and ignorance. The Laws of the Kingdom of our Lord are throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. So, ignorance is no excuse. It is up to you and me to search the Scriptures and test the spirits and know that they are of God. The Bible is God’s Word and final authority, not the preacher, not the theologian, not the scholar. The Spirit of truth is there to guide you to His truth.
Are these really the end times? I don’t know. But I, for one, don’t think God is finished with us yet! We Caucasian Israelites are His Chosen Servants. So, isn’t it time for repentance of our apathy and ignorance, and time for learning the Bible Laws of the Kingdom given by our Almighty Lord for our benefit? Within the Laws there is freedom and blessing. Are you familiar with Bible Laws concerning money, usury, and economics; military and warfare; government; justice; foreign policy; property; family; race; moral issues; food and health, etc? There are others.
It is far better to obey God rather than men (cf Acts 5:29).
The End