Just Coincidences? Or Time to Watch and be Ready?

[Dennis1209]

My opinion only:

Jesus gave us no signs to look for preceding the harpazo. We do not know the day nor the hour of His return to snatch His bride away, and we are to know the season of His return and are commanded to watch and be ready. I propose we are in that season.

Some yet unfulfilled prophecy for our time is given in Matthew chapter 24, 2 Timothy chapter three, and elsewhere. These are the conditions that will develop leading up to the seven-year Tribulation. How much closer is the Rapture (pretrib view) if we see all these things developing?

There is a convergence of everything prophetic for our time, and I mean everything, never seen before in history, all at once. What the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:1-4) is astounding alone as a single prophetic example. Is there any doubt?

The following are some of my brief notes, not all inclusive, if anyone cares to read them:

These "last days" describe the end of the church age, the age of Grace. How the world has changed in my lifetime. I cannot think of any time in history when we have seen all these things coincide. We see all these things getting worse and worse by the day.

1. Perilous times: Dangerous, troublesome, and hazardous times: Criminal sanctuary cities, murder, and crime are almost out of control; riots, looting, and burning down neighborhoods with no enforcement; de-funding the police or getting rid of them; open borders and illegals flooding the nation; an incompetent and socialist government; Nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; Russia; Iran; N. Korea, China; radical Islam; terrorism; on and on. There are enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet three times over. Not to mention the outbreaks of frequent severe weather and natural disasters now frequently occurring.
2. Lovers of themselves: Evil people looking out for only themselves: This list begins and ends with the misdirection of love. Social media; selfies; I, I, I...
3. Covetous: Materialistic. Love of money. Keeping up with the Jones's; envying your neighbor's wife, house, and wealth. Desiring riches, others have and not being content with what the Lord has blessed you with.
4. Boasters: Braggarts. Most politicians; sports stars; celebrities; criminals. Social media, interviews, speeches.
5. Proud: Arrogant. Self-serving. Demeaning. Showing oneself above others with contempt. Not humble, bragging about oneself, politicians again, the elite, and the wealthy. Social media.
6. Blasphemers: To speak of the Supreme Being in terms of impious irreverence; speak a phase or about the Lord flippantly; comedians; liberal talk shows; TV movies and programs. (1 Timothy:1)
7. Disobedient to parents: Parents abuse children and vice versa without family affection and love. Like never before, children dishonor their parents; neglect and harm them; kill and injure them, and do not obey their parents. Half of America is single-parent mama homes—Gang-banger, etc.
8. Unthankful: Ungrateful is the opposite of being thankful, greedy for more, not grateful for what they have; use owes me entitlement mentality.
9. Unholy: The person who has no fellowship with God and lives a merely "secular" life. Evil.
10. Without natural affection: Without love and family affection. It covers a wide range; phone sex, cybersex, and sex robots. Lesbianism, homosexuality, bestiality, and celibacy, having no appreciation for one's parents, siblings, or the unborn child in the womb [abortion]. It does not value life or morals.
11. Truce-breakers: One who violates a truce, covenant, or engagement, broken engagements, promises made, engagement, shaking up, prenuptial, and divorce come to mind.
12. False accusers: Liberal news media; all major social media; politicians; false red flags.
13. Incontinent: Attempting to satisfy themselves with things of this world that will never satisfy. Not restraining the passions or appetites, particularly the sexual desire; indulging lust without restraint; unchaste lewd.
14. Fierce: Self-explanatory.
15. Despisers of those that are good: The Bible and Christians spewing hate speech; Christian intolerance. Christians called the problem domestic terrorists, haters, a basket of deplorables, etc.
16. Traitors: Liberalism. Treacherous or betrayer. Spiritual leaders are deceiving us. Taking a knee during the National Anthem or Pledge of Allegiance, burning or desecrating the American flag; liberals and socialists; now they are advertising to turn in your family and neighbors as domestic terrorists.
17. Heady: Rash, reckless, hasty, violent; disposed to rush forward in an enterprise without thought or deliberation; ungovernable.
18. High-minded: Proud; arrogant.
19. Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God: "Lovers of pleasure [GK 5798] rather than lovers of God [GK 5806]" is a play on two similar Greek words. They describe those who put themselves in the place of God as the center of their affection.
20. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: "Form" refers to outward shape or appearance. Like the unbelieving scribes and Pharisees, false teachers and their followers are concerned with mere external appearances (cf. Matt. 23:25; Titus 1:16). Their outward form of Christianity and virtue makes them all the more dangerous.

After concluding his list of behaviors and sins people will commit, he again warns Timothy to avoid all these types of people. It should be noted that Paul is not meaning those people in the world (cf. 1 Cor 5:9–11) but those who are part of the church.¹

¹ Mangum, Douglas, ed. Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020. Print. Lexham Context Commentary.

 

[Selah7]

4 minutes ago, farouk said:

Indeed we look for the Lord Himself: Hebrews 12.2; 1 Corinthians 11.26.

Nope, next thing that happens is the one-world system takes a hit—a deadly wound—and the Antichrist comes on the scene and heals it.

[farouk]

Just now, Selah7 said:

Nope, next thing that happens is the one-world system takes a hit—a deadly wound—and the Antichrist comes on the scene and heals it.

The exhortation in such references is to be encouraged in looking up rather than to circumstances.

[Selah7]

1 minute ago, farouk said:

The exhortation in such references is to be encouraged in looking up rather than to circumstances.

What are you saying exactly?

[farouk]

Just now, Selah7 said:

What are you saying exactly?

@Selah7 How ever bad the circumstances may seem, the believer can keep looking up in certain hope.

[Selah7]

1 minute ago, farouk said:

@Selah7 How ever bad the circumstances may seem, the believer can keep looking up in certain hope.

Who comes before the second advent of Christ?

[Mr. M]

7 minutes ago, Selah7 said:

Who comes before the second advent of Christ?

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

[Selah7]

Just now, Mr. M said:

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Are you referring to one of the two witnesses?  

 

[Mr. M]

Just now, Selah7 said:

Are you referring to one of the two witnesses?  

 

In other words, am I trying to interpret Revelation 11?

No, I am not. Just quoting Malachi 

[Selah7]

3 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

In other words, am I trying to interpret Revelation 11?

No, I am not. Just quoting Malachi 

Okay