A Number and A Man

I John 2:18  “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know it is the last time.”

The last time.  The final dispensation prior to the return of Jesus Christ.  An age which Jesus warned us would end in such a horrific state that except those days be shortened, there would be nobody left on the earth.  Some will  make the contention “well they were talking about the first century being the last days also, yet here we are, still progressing along on planet earth.”  (II Peter 3:3-4)  In such instances, one can pray, put forth the scriptures, and even run down the list of current conditions on planet earth which point to the inescapable truth that we’re in a time like no other.  And yet while we find ourselves in uncharted waters from a technological standpoint, the sinful nature of man remains as a majority strive to put God out of their mind. 

It’s interesting to note that in the above passage, John writes “last time” not last days.  In other words, the final dispensation prior to the return the return of Jesus Christ.  It’s the age when we’re commanded to go into all the world and deliver the gospel to all.  It’s an age which, prior to its conclusion, will see the gospel published in every nation.  It’s an age which will, in its final moments, see a distinct fortification of each side.  The true saints drawing closer to Jesus while the wicked wax worse and worse.  The final element of this dividing will be a “mark.”  An identification system that will allow a person to engage in commerce and, for a very short season, save their lives in this world.  A mark that, should a person opt to receive it, will seal their fate as they will be forever cut off from the presence of the Lord.  It’s quite literally a “point of no return.”

If there’s one single element of prophecy that’s known of by nearly all in the western world, it’s the significance of the number six hundred, threescore, and six.  They may not understand the mechanics of prophetic fulfilment, but they know that this number is a “bad thing.”  Some will make jokes and whatnot, but most people that I know will acknowlege its sinister nature and may even try to avoid it in their day to day exchanges.  An example of this would be our first house on Klett Rd.  The number there was 66450.  Had we lived a half mile down the road, our house number would have begun with three sixes.  When I pointed that out to my wife she stated, “We wouldn’t have been living there then!”  To be honest, was very glad that we were a half mile north as well. 

When one considers how widespread the knowledge of this mark appears to be, it’s amazing that the whole world is going to wonder after the beast.  This reveals just how subtle and how complete the deceptions will be when the final installment of end times prophecy are at hand.  (When the time pf prepatarion ends and the implementation begins)  It also reveals just how much people love their own lives and moreover, the sin in their lives.  Loving not our lives in this world is imperative and yet so many in ministry preach a gospel that’s focused on material abundance.  I’m drifting off topic a little here, however, a sure-fire way to draw a crowd is to tell others how to get stuff.   This next passage is both familiar and astonishing. 

Revelation 9:20-21  “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which can neither see nor hear, nor walk:  Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” 

To picture the scene is mind-blowing.  The worlds population reduced by over one third.  One in three people are gone and these remaining ones have been tormented so much that many sought death only to be unable to find it.  AND YET THEY REFUSE TO REPENT.  It reminds one of the men of Sodom who, after being blinded by the angels continued to look for the door to Lots house.  We tend to underestimate just how dangerous it is to condone sinful habits and allow idols to maintain a branch office in our hearts. 

These folks, who love their idols (an idol is anything that we place in higher esteem than God)  and cannot cease from sin will be ripe for the picking when a man comes along with supernatural signs, smooth words, and a program that’s so logical and grounded in common sense that only a crazy person would dare speak out against it.  I can almost hear the reasoning.  “Either you’re with us, or you like suffering and hunger.”  It’s going to be the mother of all delusions, complete with spiritual packaging and the whole world will wonder after this brave new system. 

I cannot stress enough how appealing this system is going to be.  So logical; so “warm-and-fuzzy that if it were possible, even the elect would buy into it.  In closing, I want to visit one of my favorite passages in Daniel; a verse that I’ve mentioned more often than probably any other single verse.  Kind of like a football game where someone in the bleachers behind the goal post is holding up a sign that says ”John 3:16.”  If I were holding up a sign at a football game, it would read ”Daniel 11:32.”  (I imagine that it would cause some searching of the scriptures.)

Daniel 11:32  “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

In a single verse, we find out who will stand and who will fall.  Those who do wickedly; those who love their sin and have not made Jesus the true Lord of their life will be taken by the flattering words of the deceiver.  Those that are born again and watching will see it coming and will be strong in the Lord; even loving not their own lives unto the death.  A glance at verse 34 reveals that many will cleave to them with flatteries.  I’m thinking that this may be referring to the many who we may have befriended and witnessed to, but, at the time,  they were “too busy for the things of God.”  When it all goes down, these folks may well be seeking someone who knows what’s going on.   

Well I’ll close for now.  This could go on, but the word count is already approaching 1200.  This post is not designed to cause discouragement; only to admonish those in Christ that eternity lies just ahead and regardless of what takes place in our season under the sun, it’s only that: a season.  (A good definition for the word “season” would be: “A condition which has a specific beginning and a specific ending.)  Eternity has no ending.  God has no beginning and no ending.  May we always put our complete trust in him.  “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever.” 

If time permits, please stop over and visit peters blog as he has a most interesting post.  Here,s the link:

www.theagetocome.wordpress.com/2007/11/16/the-prophetic-savant/ 

This should encourage every saint to forsake the temporal gnat-straining that we’re all prone to engage in to one degree or another, and begin looking at things from an eternal perspective.  Well, I’ll close for now.  I wish to all a most blessed weekend in Jesus.