Last Days Pt. 1 (Not A Secret)

 “I guess I’ve always been a skeptic about a lot of things and some things that seem obviously stupid, always make me wonder how the masses believe and fall for these things. I have heard many say that about my faith in God, to the unbeliever my faith, is in vain, or a crutch. I grew up in the Eighties, to what society calls Generation X. In junior and High school, Global warming was going to put the whole planet under water,  church leaders, religions and cults of the world predicted the end was coming, and nuclear war was going to happen at any moment. (No wonder we’re a messed up Generation) Prince even wrote a song about Nineteen Ninety Nine, being the end of time. Y2K was going to send everything into chaos, because the computer codes were not going to handle the year Two Thousand. Thirty plus years later, Global warming is still going to end the planet any year now, numerous religions, cults and false prophets have come and gone with false  predictions not coming to pass, including the Mayan calendar of Two Thousand Twelve and nuclear war is still a reality. Throw in Covid, micro-chips, political and social unrest, and more false prophets into the mix, and no wonder we as a people are messed up and losing our minds.

Peter in Second Peter Three writes, 

"This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (ESV)

I have referenced that this passage reminds me of the furniture stores that "Never" go out of business, even though, that is what their windows display constantly. Peter, (who I can relate to the most with because; I have loved God, denied God, and yet in His mercy, God restored Peter and thankfully, he is slowly working on me, daily.) is saying a few things, in both his letters. First Peter says, in the Last Days, which many teacher falsely teach, that this is only for Twentieth Century American Christians, but then how was this letter that was written in the first century only relevant to that group, or only to us? This is because, ever since Jesus died and rose, we have been living in the last days. There are two time periods, the current age or the last days, and then the END. Look at scripture and what Jesus and the Apostles preached about and what the Old Testament and the Prophets and Apostles  wrote, The Day of the Lord is at hand, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, Jesus is coming soon. Paul in First Corinthians Fifteen says, 

"For as in Adam ALL DIE, so also IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE. But each IN HIS OWN ORDER: Christ the firstfruits, THEN AT HIS COMING THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST. THEN COMES THE END, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power." (ESV)(Emphasis added)

Christ came, the first fruits, then at His coming, those who have repented and accepted Him as Lord and Savior and then THE END! There is no gap in what Paul wrote, there is no seven year period that is misinterpreted from Daniel, and is interjected by man. One would think, if Daniels Seventieth week was important that one of the writers of the New Testament would have mentioned it? Daniel is one of the most quoted books in the New Testament and not once is the Seventy weeks mentioned.  (That is another post, where the dates taught in many churches are miscalculated and start from the wrong point) The problem with God’s coming is that people look at the Bible and think, “how outdated it is,” and they’ve been saying He’s coming ever since He left. But it's not about when He is coming, although that is important, but are we ready today to meet our Maker? Paul says later in First Corinthians Fifteen,

"Why are we in DANGER EVERY HOUR? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.” DO NOT BE DECEIVED: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame." (ESV)(Emphasis Added)

Jesus himself says in Luke Thirteen when people were asking Him if the Galileans or the people who were crushed at the tower of Siloam, 

"And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? NO, I TELL YOU; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT, YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH." (ESV)(Emphasis Added)

Peter even continues later in Second Peter Three which is beautifully written when read in context and also when compared to the whole of scripture, 

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is NOT SLOW TO FULFILL His promise as some count slowness, but is PATIENT toward you, NOT WISHING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, but that all should REACH REPENTANCE. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and THEN the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE OUGHT YOU TO BE IN LIVES OF HOLINESS AND GODLINESS, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (ESV(Emphasis Added)

God is patient, not wanting any to perish! How awesome is that, and His love and mercies continues to give people chances to come to Him in humility and repentance. Peter also is saying, when He comes, there is no "grace period" for those who while destruction is going on in the Earth, that they will all of a sudden repent, because that is not so! Look at Pharaoh, look at  Israel, look at the history of the world, look at ourselves, people blame and turn away from God, rather than come to Him. He says the heavens will pass away, so how can we disappear for Seven years and then come back?

Look at what John writes in Revelation Sixteen of people experiencing pain, which is a symbolism of all the plagues, wars, hurricanes, fires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and everything else that has been going on and more so in the last days, because of sin and a hate for God.

"They were scorched by the fierce heat, and THEY CURSED the NAME OF GOD who had power over these plagues. THEY DID NOT REPENT and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and CURSED THE GOD OF HEAVEN for their pain and sores. THEY DID NOT REPENT of their deeds." (ESV)(Emphasis Added)

Tomorrow is not promised! We see each year people die that are young, do drugs, car accidents, suicide, cancer, old age, disease, young or old, you name it and yet people won't repent and come to Jesus. Sadly too many pastors are taking scripture out of context and "cherry" picking verses to make their eschatology work, but look at it all in context and you will see, we are to be making disciples, sharing the Good News and by the grace of God, because of His patience, people will hopefully repent. Yes, nuclear war is real and natural disasters, and other kill people daily, but in Jesus, we can have peace that no matter what happens, we will be with Him forever. It’s not a matter of when He’s coming, but are you saved, by asking Him into your heart and believing He was raised from the dead and knowing, you can avoid all the nonsense man can conjure up to dismiss God, and be with God, for we don’t know when our last breath will be. He is coming like a thief, but that doesn't mean secretly, for even the "ELECT" will not know or see or sadder, fall away because they believed the false prophets! I don't relate with Generation X, but I want to be counted and relate with what  David writes in Psalm Twenty Four,

“He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” (ESV)

” Jose Barajas