“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” 2 Timothy 3:1
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” 1 Timothy 4:1
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts” 2 Peter 3:3
The Bible paints a grim picture of the LAST DAYS before Jesus returns to collect His true Church. This 'picture' is of this very age and time in which we are living. Yet, even though the Bible is absolutely clear about this present END TIME APOSTASY, still I keep hearing people in Christian circles, clinging onto doctrines of demons and the false hope of a big world-wide revival just around the corner. It's amazing how gullible some folk are, to be taken in by the many false teachers around today.
This is the verse that appears to be taken out of context and twisted to 'prove' their false hope.
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh” Acts 2:17
Well we are certainly in the LAST DAYS, with that I wholeheartedly agree, but remember, the LAST DAYS continue right up to the GLORIOUS APPEARING of Jesus Christ, with His Church, after the TRIBULATION, to set up His earthly kingdom.
If we consult the OLD TESTAMENT book of Joel, from which Peter quotes in Acts 2, we find these words:
“And it shall come to pass AFTERWARD, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions...” Joel 2:28
I have capitalized and underlined the all important word AFTERWARD. We must ask AFTER what? And the only true answer is AFTER what Joel had prophesied in the previous verses.
“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations” Joel 2:1-2
This DARK and GLOOMY day of clouds, this terrible day of which the prophet speaks, is none other than THE TRIBULATION, that seven year period of time that will be so terrible that Jesus said there would NEVER, EVER be a time like it again.
So, AFTER the terrible TRIBULATION, God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. ALL FLESH includes even the animal kingdom, for we read such verse as this, describing the KINGDOM of God on earth:
“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD” Isaiah 65:25
But for this age, today, the time leading up until the RAPTURE, we can only expect APOSTASY, because that is what God's precious word foretells.
The next BIG revival will actually be during the TRIBULATION, there will be many who will seek the Lord and reject the MARK, but will be martyred for their new found faith. We see them in REVELATION, actually in heaven.
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” Rev.7:9
But for now, CHRISTENDOM is going deeper and deeper into apostasy. Church pulpits are almost full of heretics preaching “Kingdom Now” “Replacement Theology” “Word of Faith” “Dominion” “Preterism” and a whole host of other 'isms, none of which line up with Bible truth.
Churches have become RICH, they have all the modern means of giving the weekly RELIGIOUS ENTERTAINMENT SHOWS, but sadly, Jesus is outside the door, knocking to be allowed in. Read about it in Revelation 3:14-22 This is our age.
Where is the POWERFUL PREACHING of days gone by? How many hear today, “REPENTAND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL” ? Mark 1:15 I believe it's time to start offending people with the TRUTH. Present JESUS to the world. But remember....
(JESUS) ….“a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word” 1 Peter 2:8
Brotherly love.....Pastor Keith
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