(2 Timothy 3:1-5)…..But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Apostle John penned the following prayer, when Jesus promised to return quickly, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus come quickly” (Revelation 22:20). John thought he was in the last days. Paul expected that he would be alive when Jesus returned to this world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Twice in that passage the Apostle uses the phrase, “we which are alive and remain.” He believed that he was in the last days too. Simon Peter, in (2 Peter 3:12), tells us that he is “looking” for that day himself. The word “looking” is in the present tense. Peter believed that he was living in the last days!
Many of us believe that we are living in the last days as well. But, if these great men of God were wrong in their day, is it possible that we are wrong in our day as well? One thing is for sure, no one knows for certain when the Lord Jesus will return to the earth, Matt. 24:36. Another thing that is certain is the fact that we are 2,000 years closer tonight than they were then.
While we cannot, with pinpoint accuracy, tell when the Lord will return to this world, we are told what the last days will be like. These verses give us the clearest portrait of all when it comes to accurately portraying the spiritual and social climate of the last days. Are We Living In The Last Days? Good question! Let’s look together at a Biblical description of the last days.
- THE CLIMATE OF THE LAST DAYS
They Are Dangerous Days – Paul describes the last days as “perilous times“. The word perilous means, “difficult, troublesome, trying, uneasy, hard, violent, threatening and dangerous.” While these characteristics have marked all time periods of history to some extent, they are to be intensified in the last days. I think it is safe to say that we can describe our own times as “perilous“. What we are seeing all around us is a society on the brink of collapse! This is proven by the 18 characteristics of the last days presented by Paul in verses 2-4. You see, we are living in an age when it is dangerous for men to live for God. Those who practice righteousness are called intolerant, bigoted, narrowminded, anti-social and are labeled dangerous. While those who practice deviant, sinful lifestyles are praised and labeled heroes by society. These are indeed very dangerous days!
We may wonder why days such as these might factor into God’s plan for the world. While God is not the author of evil, He has determined to abandon sinful man to his choice of a life of wickedness. This is an effort to expose man’s sinfulness and his wretched condition. The condition of humanity and society in the last days is absolute proof that man, left to himself, will choose hell! Regardless of how we may want society to improve, we will continue to see it slide into decay. We may be able to stem the tide and advance of sin in isolated pockets, but for the most part, conditions around us will continue to deteriorate until Jesus Christ returns to this world to rule in righteousness and power. You see, natural man, instead of getting better spiritually, is actually growing more and more wicked, (Ephesians 4:22). Also (Daniel 12:10) tells us that “the wicked shall do wickedly.”
2. THE CHARACTERS OF THE LAST DAYS
In these 3 verses, Paul describes the kind of people who will live during the last days. He tells us how they will think and how they will live. One need only read these verses and cross reference them with the newspaper, the evening news and life all around to see that we are surrounded by those who fulfil these characteristics to a tee.
Paul tells us that the population of the last days will be characterized by wickedness and evil, but that they will be a religious people! We are seeing this trend in our society. While morality continues to decline, 94% of Americans claim to believe in God. Over 70% claim that they have had a “born again” experience. There is a glut of churches in our society. One doesn’t have to travel very far to find a church that embraces any doctrinal slant you want to believe. We are running over with religion in America! What we need is Jesus…..“Even so, come, Lord Jesus come quickly.”