CH 16 The Last Days: The Times of the Gentiles
In our last chapter, we learned of the Parable of the Fig Tree and how it is the sign which would signal the nearness of the end of this age. We rejoiced in realizing that on May 14th, 1948, this sign occurred. We also noted that our Lord said much would happen in the time between his first & second Comings to our planet. Wars, birth pangs, persecutions, false messiah’s & false prophets would be in play.
But there is more to consider. The Prophet foretold of three other signs which make our day today the time of the End of the Age. Signs that will also motivate us to look with great anticipation for the Coming of our Risen Savior!
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:37-39
Do you believe the Flood actually occurred?
Jesus did!
Some things in the Bible may be so miraculous and unusual that they are hard to believe. When this is the case, we often can look at our Lord’s take on the difficult subjects. He spoke of Jonah and the whale, of the fate of Sodom & Gomorrah, of Adam & Eve and here it would seem to appear that he believed that a world-wide flood did indeed occur. If these beliefs were good enough for him, so it will be for me!
Back to the sign of Noah. As we discussed earlier, wickedness was a continual pastime in Noah’s day, not unlike our day today. Also, in Noah’s story, we are told that it was in a time when men were multiplying upon the earth, (Genesis 6:1). This also likens our day to Noah’s. Indeed, over the past century, the population of the world has skyrocketed, never before seen, and this can be said of no other time. It would appear to me, that the 21st Century will be the fulfillment of Jesus’ comparison to Noah.
Note also, that in Noah’s day the people were taken by surprise. This also is in play in our day. Unbelievers, for the most part, have heard the Gospel message as well as the teaching of the return of Christ, yet they mock it. Let that not happen to us. Paul gives good advice when talking of this same subject;
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace & safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. You are all children of the light, and the children of the day: We are not of the night, nor of the darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Our world is heading toward the birth, yet the masses are asleep, unaware of the impending labor. But we can & should be awake, mindful of the times and the seasons. Living life understanding that our “Hope” could come back on any day.
In Luke’s gospel account Jesus also likens the time around his return, i.e., the days we are living in now, to the days of Lot. Let’s listen;
Likewise, also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded: But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. Luke 17:28-30
It was business as usual in the day of Lot. They were busy, full & growing. Just as in our day. Of course, when we think of Sodom, celebrated sexual aberration first comes to mind. Again, in our time today, the alternative lifestyle is elevated greatly. The act of sodomy is no longer taboo, only calling it sodomy is. It’s now sanitized, re-labeled and propagated as acceptable, if not desired. At no time prior has this been the case. In the past, sodomy was hidden and not out in the open as it is in our day, and as it was in the days of Lot.
Ezekiel gives us additional insight to the days of Lot which are helpful in our comparison to our times now.
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: Therefore, I took them away as I saw good. Ezekiel 16:49-50
Pride, abundance, trivial pursuits and lack of compassion in addition to the abomination in God’s eyes which we associate with Sodom were her sins, were the hallmark of the Days of Lot. Indeed, this is what we also see in much of the World today. Business as usual, rights of the individual over the group, abundance of material possessions, food and free time with a noticeable blind spot towards the poor and needy of our world.
So, we see that just as in the days of Noah, the days of Lot resemble our day today, like no time before!
Notice also, that in both accounts Jesus uses to illustrate his near return, that immediately after the subjects were rescued (Noah & Lot), judgment fell. That is, the flood began when Noah and his family entered the Ark, and the fire and brimstone fell immediately after Lot, his wife & daughters, left the city. In like manner, we will see the departure of God’s people in our day today immediately prior the judgment of the Tribulation proceeding forth. That is, Jesus will next tell of the rescue of his own before allowing tribulation, before letting the final judgment begin. Paul has echoed this paradigm in preaching that believers are saved from the wrath to come, (1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 5:9).
So, pay attention! For the Prophet is now about to give the last event of the pre-tribulation era (our day today) and the signal to the start of Jacob’s Trouble with his following words to the disciples. These are words to which we may want to attend. For they are speaking of next event on the prophetic clock!
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Matthew 24:40-41
The word “taken” is used three times in association with the Lord calling his people unto himself, (Matthew 1:20, Matthew 17:1 & John 14:3). This verse is speaking of the Rapture of the church, of the departure of believers prior to the day of wrath, just as occurred with Noah & Lot. Paul described these words of Jesus with his own amplified preaching.
But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (those who have died believing in Christ), that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope (who don’t understand that death is not the end). For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (have died) in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent (proceed) them which are asleep (have died). For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (Raptuso in Latin) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: And so, shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (italics added for clarity)
Behold, I show you a mystery (something which had not been previously revealed): We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 (italics added for clarity)
Simultaneously with our ascent to meet the Lord, we shall be changed from mortal men & women to immortal beings ready to live on into eternity with our Lord. Oh, happy day that will be!
Most importantly, don’t sleepwalk through life. The clock is approaching midnight!
Watch therefore: For you know not what hour your Lord does come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known what watch (what time of night) the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be you also ready: For in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes. Matthew 24:42-44 (italics added for clarity)
The word from our Lord is that we are to be watching, we are to be awake. We don’t want to be taken by surprise!
And while we are watching and waiting, we are to be working. Going about the Kings business as we patiently watch for him.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom the Lord had made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom the Lord when he comes shall find so doing. Truly I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Matthew 24:45-47
Do you want to be great in the Kingdom of God? Then finish strong. Run through the tape! I want to be watching and working as I wait. For I don’t know the day or the hour, but it is clear what season in which we are living. The day of the Lord is at hand!
Now in finishing Jesus’ answer to his disciples concerning the sign of his return, the Master includes some important additional details which mark the time leading up to the end in Luke’s account of this same question.
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: Luke 21:20-24a
The Jews were told in Matthew’s rendering that when they see the abomination of desolation, they need to escape. But we must note, that though these instructions are the same…to run, to get away, the setting is vastly different. Luke is talking about something which has already occurred to us, the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, while Jesus in Matthew’s gospel is speaking of escaping from the city when they see the abomination of desolation. An event which is still in the future to us. But in Jesus’ next words he gives another prophecy which would be, and has been, fulfilled prior to the day of his return.
And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Luke 21:24b
In June of 1967, this prophecy was fulfilled! In 586 BC the Jews lost Jerusalem to the Babylonians and never regained control of the city until that fateful day when General Moshe Dayan and the Israeli freedom fighters took control of the Old City. On that day, the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. We are living in a day when all of the prophecies the Lord gave to his disciples telling of his return have been fulfilled. We are in overtime! We are past the due date! Again, I’m pleading with you…Look up, his coming is nigh!
Summary:
The “Rapture” of the Church will occur before the onset of the Tribulation just as Noah & Lot were “taken” out of harm’s way before judgment fell in their stories.
Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 that we believers do not need to be caught off guard as concerning the return of the Lord.
The Rapture of the Church is the next event on the prophetic clock in our day today!
The Lord desires that his followers be watching and working as we wait for his return. (See Matthew 24:42-47)
The Times of the Gentiles were fulfilled on June 7th 1967.
For Further Study:
What happened in June of 1967?
Do you believe that the Flood of Noah actually occurred? Did Jesus believe it happened? What about Sodom & Gomorrah? Jonah & the whale?
What are the four signs from Genesis 6 that liken our days to the Days of Noah?
What are the five signs from Ezekiel’s prophecy which likens our day to the Days of Lot?
What does “finishing strong” look like to you?
What are the four fulfilled prophecies of Jesus which lead us to conclude we are in the Last days?
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