Are We Living in the Time of the End?

Posted February 28, 2022]

Hi Mike,

I hope this email finds you well. I have a question I don’t want to bring anywhere else except to the people at IWWB. I know you always admonish us to focus on the inward kingdom within us, and I do my best not to give too much attention to the affairs of the outward world, but this is just too big for me to ignore.

With the world still in the grips of a deadly pandemic, experts warning us of a possible global economic crisis coming soon, and now with these recent events unfolding in eastern Europe which could possibly lead to a third world war, do you believe we could be witnessing the beginnings of the cataclysm that is spoken of in Matthew 24 which occurs just before Christ makes His visible return to this earth? I can’t recall a time in history when so many large scale events were all happening at the same time all over the earth.

Once again, I know we should be concerned with “the kingdom within” at this time, but I can’t help but feel a little anxious with what is happening outwardly right now. I know we should not “think above what is written” but I would like to hear your thoughts about this. Thank you always for your help and I’ll look forward to your reply.

your brother in Christ,

C____

Hi C____

Thank you for asking for ​my​ ​thoughts on what is happening right now as of February 27th, 2022.

You and I are in complete agreement in thinking that everything is pointing to the ​imminent return of our Lord. However,​ I hope to give you some encouragement and peace of mind even in the face of all the outward turmoil we see in the world around us.

I have been told that people have been predicting the return of Christ since the day He ascended into the heavens:

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Christ’s ascension into the clouds of heaven symbolizes Him entering into His elect who are even called “a great cloud of witnesses… by [whom] He judges the people”:

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Job 36:28  Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
Job 36:29  Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
Job 36:30  Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
Job 36:31  For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

Those who are “in Christ” also have Christ in them:

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Therefore we should not be anxious about His appearing because He is already here protecting us, providing for us and professing us before His Father. That is the very definition of ‘life eternal’:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

In answer to your question, ​yes, I do indeed expect that Christ’s appearing is imminent​,​ and the scriptures declare that we are all to have ​such a​ mindset:

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [G165​: ​’aion‘, age] are come.

Verse 34 of Matthew 24 makes it clear that our primary application of these words should be inward and spiritual, but verse 34 in no way denies the truth of these words of the apostle Paul:

1Th 4:15  What we tell you now is the Lord’s own message. We who are living now might still be living when the Lord comes again. We who are living at that time will be with the Lord, but not before those people who have already died.
1Th 4:16  The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a loud command. That command will be given with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first.
1Th 4:17  After that, we people who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those people who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever.
1Th 4:18  So encourage each other with these words. (ERV)

The holy spirit adds to these words this message through the apostle Peter:

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

So, yes, indeed, men have been expecting the appearing of Christ since the day He ascended, and that should also be our mindset.  Notice, we are told to “be found in Him in peace…” so “be anxious for nothing.”

Php 4:6  Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thankfulness make your requests known to God. (ACV)

We are living in the most exciting times in the history of mankind. This era is far more exciting than “the days that were before the flood” to which these days are likened by Christ.

Continuing on from where we left of in Matthew 24:

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Verse 39 is true both inwardly and outwardly. It is our old man who is being carried away and destroyed in the flood of the Lord’s words, while our new man remains to inherit a kingdom.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Reading further in Matthew 24:

Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

These words are not a prophecy that 50% of mankind will be in the first resurrection, rather it is a statement that our old man will be “taken and destroyed” and our new man will remain to “inherit the earth”. It is also an admonition to be expecting the Lord’s appearing all the time.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts [the “old man” in all of us], made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Psa 37:22  For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

For those of us who are granted to believe these words they are both encouraging and exciting as we wait for the redemption of the purchased possession, which is the first resurrection:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

I hope this answers your question concerning my thoughts about the times we are living, and I pray you are as excited and as encouraged as I am.

YbiC, Mike