The Last Times

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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, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. {2 Timothy 3:1-5}

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. {Jude 1:16}

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. {2 Timothy 3:8}

One would have hard brain-storming to describe more accurately the general condition of the people of the world today.

A. Lovers of their own selves:

We see here that men are lovers of themselves only, having very little regard for the well-being of others. In fact, society today has degenerated to the point where, as has happened many times, a person can be attacked on a busy street in broad daylight, and no one comes to help.

The argument is sometimes heard that people have always been this way. Those who claim this are, in reality, ignorant of history, for as time progresses, the stature and character of the human being continue to become more base. Have you noticed the shift in focus in these last decades? Where formerly a man was admired as he sacrificed for family; country; Almighty. But now a man boasts of ‘Doing His Own Thing”, and people do not question it. Abandoning others so one can ‘Live His Own Life’ is the ‘IN’ thing! And what about all the emphasis on ‘Self Gratification & Self Esteem? ‘Treat yourself: You deserve it!’ “Delight yourself!” Where in the not too distant past, people lived worked and co-operated for the sake of their extended families; these days even teens want their “Own Apartments” so they can ‘do as they please’.

B. COVETOUS:

People today are covetous, as the text indicates. People now want and want and want, even when they can't afford to have. Their thoughts are continually of themselves and how to get ahead in the world, how to get more money, how to get a better car or a larger house. People today use any means, no matter how immoral, to accomplish their purposes. Things are meant to be used and love is meant to be shared with others, they love things and use others to their own advantage in their frenzy to get to the top or to find pleasure, to have fun. Never before in history have people been more caught up with ‘things’ and the latest gadgetry. Never before has credit been so available but still the cry to have more remains.

C. BOASTERS:

The next characteristic of men in the last days mentioned in this text is that they are boasters. Dictionary meaning : to praise yourself, or speak arrogantly about things you possess or have achieved. We can see this throughout society, as people are very anxious for others to know of the great things they have done; but the Almighty tells us in Proverbs 27:2:

Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. {Proverbs 27:2}

People even boast of the wrong things they do, as if it were very good, distinctive or courageous.

D. PROUD:

Are people proud today? They strut around, feeling superior to those who have less. They are proud of their new cars, their fine homes, and especially of their educations, positions or posts, for today in our humanistic society “education” has been made an object of worship. People are so prideful, even those that claim to be “saved”.

E. Blasphemers:

Blasphemers are mentioned next, and today it seems as if many are unable to get through even one sentence without taking the name of the Almighty in vain. Their speech has been given over to utter abandon as their foul phrases mock the very principles of truth and decency. The Bible states that a blasphemer is a person that claim themselves to be equal to the Almighty or assumes His authority. There are groups that claim that man, over a process of time, can become a deity. Think about that, the Almighty has placed His signature on all of the creation. He has created something from nothing, no man or devil can do this.

A Blasphemer is also one who denies the Almighty or insults Him. In our age we are seeing such Heaven-daring rudeness to the Almighty as even criminals of the past would have feared to speak or do. And most people laugh at it.

F. Disobedient to parents:

Are children disobedient to parents today, as the prophecy indicates? In the government schools of some countries, there is a distinct effort made to alienate the youth from their parents and to lower the standards of morality. Children today are taught that their parents are of the old-fashioned generation and are far behind the liberality and knowledge of modern times. As a result, the youth seem to have many ways to show their rebellion and contempt for their parents and for the traditional values of the past. In the past people still very much respected their parents. Today we see even small children screaming “I Hate You!” at their parent when they have been denied some small indulgence. Children will tell parents what they are going to do, like it or not. They have become manipulative of the parents for their own selfish desires.

“As for my people, children are their oppressors…” Isaiah 3:12

G. Unthankful:

Are people unthankful today as this prophecy indicates? Indeed, they are. The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 8:18

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. {Deuteronomy 8:18}

How many remember to thank the Almighty for the many blessings and advantages He has given them? Most people today are totally unthankful and unholy, without ever a thought of the Almighty, except to blaspheme His name.Parents have taught their children to expect gifts just because of what day it is, and the attitude is that this is their right. They also have no sense of the debt they owe to their Creator and Redeemer.

H. Unholy:

The Bible states that we are to be holy because the Almighty is Holy. The character of the Almighty is that He cannot tolerate sin. People often break the commandments knowingly or unknowingly, taking for granted that the Almighty will forgive or ignore them and thus people tolerate sin, be it of any kind. But no one can ever imagine how the Almighty thinks of us or about our decisions.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. {Isaiah 55:9.}

I. Without natural affection:

Verse 3 mentions that in the last days men will be without natural affection. Dictionary: without feelings of gratitude. People are not thankful. They believe that the world owes them a living whether they earn it or not.This refers not only to the alienation of children from parents, but also to the homosexuality abounding in our world; those who practice this sin even demand respectability. This sin is just one more of the many signs that the end of the earth is very near.

J. Trucebreakers:

Trucebreakers are mentioned next. Breaking agreements and promises whenever it is convenient to do so. In our present world, the politicians of various nations sit around conference tables working out agreements, very few of which are honored. People very easily claim "Promises are meant to be broken", those who keep the promises are counted as fools and not being 'practical'.

K. False Accusers:

To charge somebody falsely who is not guilty of crime or what we accuse them of.

L. Incontinent:

“Incontinent” means without self control. In these last days, the people of earth are indeed without self control; they have thrown off all restraints and cater to every appetite and

desire. If one is honest in his observation, he will easily be able to notice how people around are busy in fulfilling in their own desires one after the other, continuously moving and running around them.

M. Fierce:

Showing aggression or anger. More and more people are impatient and quick to wrath than ever before. People are ready to blow anyone away for taking them off in traffic.

N. Despisers of those that are good:

Good and well doing was admired and promoted on media and in books. Today the character shown as ‘good’ in a story is usually ridiculed or played down while the wicked are held up as being ‘realistic’. Many a young persons do wickedly merely so that his friends do not call him a ‘goody-goody’. Time after time on TV and even cartoons we see the studious and hard-working set out as ‘geeks’ or misfits. Even those who want to uphold right will usually say, “well everyone has their own opinions. This is what is right for me!” Rarely do we hear: “This is WRONG!” and almost never: “This is SIN!”

O. Traitors:

Those who betray the trust of others, and behave in a disloyal or treacherous manner.

P. HEADY:

“Heady” means stubborn and headstrong - “If it feels good - Do it!”.

Q. HIGHMINDED:

“Highminded” means conceited. To inflate ones-self with self-conceit, to be lifted up with pride. To think oneself highly important. These characteristics of men are widespread throughout the world today.

R. Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of Almighty:

There has not been any other time in these past two thousand years, since this book of Timothy has been written, that people love their pleasures and entertainment more than they do today. Certainly they love pleasure more than they love Almighty, even their ‘worship’ of the Almighty centers on indulgence, church suppers and entertainment.

In these last days it seems as if people work very hard at having pleasure. All week they think about and plan what they will do on the weekend to have fun. They spend vast sums of money on their selfish pleasures, going deeply into debt. They ignore the Almighty and His business, which is by far more important than the inanities people become involved in. But the Almighty said this would happen in the last days.

S. Having a form of piety but denying the power thereof:

Of all this prophecy, this line is perhaps the greatest sign of our times. Never has religion been so widely accepted among the worldly minded – and never before has so much worldliness been accepted and welcomed into the church. The first question is not ‘What is Truth?’ but ‘What organization or group do you belong to?’. People accept the Almighty but believe in being practical and replace their faith in the Him with the scientific explanations of events. It is not that our faith is blind, it is only that He made a sequence of scientific events to happen so that our faith in Him stands affirm, He is the knowledge and power Himself, He knows science and beyond science, the starting and the end.

The Old Testament warned of our day also:

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. {Proverbs 30:11-14}

What are we advised to do when we see these things?

From such turn away. {2 Timothy 3:5} That which ye have already hold fast till I come. {Revelation 2:25}

Signs in the Religious World

The gospel shall be preached in all the world.

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