The End Times & Prophecy. Where We Are Now: Living In The In Between Times!

We looked at eternity past to understand that God established His entire plan of salvation through faith, before He created anything. 

God's redemptive plan was set in motion after creation was finished and before sin entered the world, through the serpent's deception and Adam and Eve's failure to obey God.

This truth means that the end times were actually established in eternity past.

When God's prophets speak of the day of the LORD judgment, or end times or last days, or Armageddon, their prophecies were set in stone before the world was created.

They were only speaking what God had already decreed would happen in eternity past.

This reminds us of the amazing and awesome glory of God, who with perfect wisdom, ordained the beginning and end of all things, according to His good purposes.

Where are we today?

Technically, we are living in the end times because they were set in motion when creation was complete.

Thus, we live in between the creation of all things and the final end of all things.

Today, all believers in Christ are part of His body, the church. 

This means that we are also living in the age of the church and of gospel preaching.

We live in the "in between" times of carrying out the great commission while we wait for Jesus to return.

Christians must wake up from spiritual lethargy or love of the world and live each day for Christ. 

Romans 13:11-14  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  

The apostle Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit to warn Christians to wake up from sleepwalking through this life.

We need to be roused up from spiritual lethargy because the night of sin's darkness and the Devil's kingdom are nearing an end.

Waking up in this manner means reading and heeding the call of God in His Word.

He calls us to live a holy life not a worldly one.

He calls us to live a prayer filled life not a prayerless one (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

He calls us to watch and wait for His coming rather than being careless with our time.

He calls us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, not with strange fire or carnal music (See John 4:23-24).

He calls us to study His Word so that our minds are renewed and so we can draw closer to Him (See 2 Timothy 2:15).

He calls us to have a good testimony so that we can be His faithful witnesses, rather than living in hypocrisy that drives people away from God (See Matthew 5:13-16).

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We  need to wake up when we love the world more than we love God, for we are commanded "Love not the world" (See 1 John 2:15-17).

Jesus taught us that we cannot serve two masters. We either serve mammon (pursuing wealth) or we serve Christ. The choice is clear for the Christian.

2 Thessalonians 3:13  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

We need to wake up when we have become weary in well doing, so that we call upon the Lord for renewed minds and for His strength to flow into us.

Christ's return was viewed as imminent and the moment of His coming draws nearer each hour.

This is why Paul tells us to cast off the works of darkness that may be influencing our decisions, and to put on the gospel armor.

Jesus' apostles spoke about His imminent return and our spiritual duty.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8  I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5  That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6  Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8  Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Paul always expressed his thanks when he saw the grace of God at work changing people's lives. 

He wrote to believers at Corinth to encourage them to pursue a Christ like attitude while they waited for Jesus to return.

Paul knew that each Christian will stand before the Lord and give Him an account of how we served Him after He saved us.

The apostle did not want any Christian to suffer a loss of reward from Christ because they lived for self or the world (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-16).

Philippians 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Paul's letter to the Philippians is very personal as he loved them greatly.

He reminded them to always be fair and equitable in dealing with other people because this pleases God.

Our motivation is that "The Lord is at hand" meaning that Jesus could return at any moment.

1 Thessalonians 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul had many things to say to the Christians at Thessalonica. 

He prayed that God would work in the people in such a way that their entire life was transformed and sanctified for holy living.

This ought to be our posture as we anticipate the coming of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:36-38  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

The author of Hebrews reminds believers that we need to wait patiently for Christ's return.

His coming is certain and sure and though Christ tarries now, the Father will send Him at the perfect time according to His perfect counsel.

Therefore, we live by faith, hoping in the promises of God and obeying His commands while serving Him.

James 5:7-9  7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

The apostle James connected patience with anticipating Christ's return.

Jesus is like the husbandman who manages a productive farm.

It takes time to prepare a field, plant the seeds and for the seeds to germinate.

It takes time for wheat, corn, oats, barley and other grain crops to mature for harvest.

The picture is that the seed of the Word of God takes root in our hearts so that it produces fruit for the kingdom of God (See Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 13).

It also pictures an orchard or vineyard where patience is needed as the plants and trees awaken from a winter slumber.

It takes time for the pollination and growing process to yield fruit.

This connects with Jesus telling us we must abide in Christ the Vine.

Christ is willing to wait for the right time with His harvest will be full, complete and bountiful.

If Jesus is patiently waiting for fruit to form in the lives of all those who trust Him, we too, must be patient as we wait for Jesus to come for us.

Remember, Peter told us that God is not willing that any soul should perish in their sins and suffer eternal damnation.

He wants all people to hear the gospel of Christ and to respond with repentant faith in Jesus (See 2 Peter 3:9).

Paul told is that God "will have all men to be saved" (See 1 Timothy 2:4).

This is why we wait patiently and remain faithful servants of Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

Peter warned us that the end of all things is at hand, meaning that it was very near in the says of the apostles.

Because it is true Christ could return at any moment, we must be a sober minded people of prayer who love and serve God to the best of our abilities.

1 John 2:28-29  And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. 

The apostle John reminded us that Jesus will suddenly appear one day and that we ought to serve and love Him as our highest priority.

If we seek to live for the glory of God then we will not be ashamed to stand before Jesus when He does return.

Luke 12:35-37  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36  And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 

Luke reminds all Christians that we must live a Spirit guided life such that we are truly the light of the world shining forth God's truth into a corrupt and decaying culture.

We are to be constantly watching and waiting for Christ's return and when He does come again, we open our heart to Him without hesitation.

Let the words of the Psalmist guide our thoughts as we think about what it means to live in between the beginning and final end of all things.

Let these words shape our hearts as we think about what it means to live in between the two comings of Jesus Christ.

Let us be those who watch for our Lord's return with patiences.

Let us be those who walk worthy of His glorious name.

Let us be those who worship Christ in Spirit and truth.

Let us work for the Lord with gladness of heart until He calls us home to heaven.

Bob

Psalm 39:4-5  LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5  Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 

Psalm 90:9-12  For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.