Discerning the Times
“He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” (Matt. 16:2-4)
It is an amazing time to be alive. It is a privilege to be living in these times but it is also a bit daunting as we try to sift through all that is happening today and relate it to what the Bible says about these times. Things have been happening so fast that it is hard to keep up with all the events and to know which ones are the most important at the time. Jesus says we are to be able to discern the signs of the times. The signs will not necessarily be miraculous wonders or events but as we can see today the rapid deterioration of our society and the violence, false idol worship, immorality, lack of truth, the rise of race problems, increasing suicides among the young, increasing domestic abuse and drug abuse, pandemics, etc. that are overtaking our nations relate to what Matthew 24 says about these times we are in. These things along with earth events, which are increasing, and signs in the sky, nation rising up against nation, environmental problems, major die-offs of animals and sea life all show that we are in deep trouble and unfortunately things will not really get better as we believe we are in the end times before Jesus returns.
The unfortunate thing about all of this though is that the churches generally do not talk about these things. They are silent. They will mention the judgment day of Christ’s return but they do not speak of it in relation to what is happening today. Possibly it is because they do not understand Revelation and the prophecies around these times, but they are committing a big disservice to their church goers as they are not preparing them for what is to come. Unfortunately, without the Israel message a lot of them will never totally understand prophecy and therefore they probably don’t bother studying it. How sad because it brings the Bible to life and it helps us to understand what is happening today. This then helps to increase our faith so that we are not afraid when we see these events come to pass. We know God is in control and His plan is being fulfilled. There are 170 results for “fear not” in the King James version of the Bible, so God does not want us to fear these events but to trust in Him to see us through them.
It is too bad we can’t help others to understand where we are in Bible prophecy because we as watchmen can see the signs and we are trying to sound the alarm but most will not hear it. They cannot discern the times and therefore do not want to hear. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. (Heb. 4:9-12). We are not the children of the darkness who are ignorant and wicked. We are of the light and can discern the times we are in and know that our Saviour Jesus Christ will be returning very soon to save His people and set up the Millennial Kingdom here on Earth for 1,000 years. We are blessed to be living in this time and to be able to see what is happening today. “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (1Thess. 5:1-5).
The world is changing before our eyes and it is a very unsettling time. I think that in these times it is best to remove anything in our lives that takes us away from God and His Word. We must not be impatient but watchful waiting for His instructions on what to do at this critical time. I like what Habakkuk 2:3 says, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Wait for it, it shall speak truth! We are certainly living in exciting times and I wish more people could recognize the times we are in but unfortunately at this time we appear to be relatively few in number. We are very privileged to have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” (Malachi 3:17-18)
