End of the World Part 5

To this point we have seen that the end of the world, according to Daniel chapter 2, could not have happened during the empires of the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks, or even during the Roman Empire. It was clear, however, that during the time of the fragmented empire that was once Rome, the kingdom of God would be established. We have been in that era for approximately 1500 years.

In Daniel chapter 7 we gained further information of this last empire. It would tread down the whole earth and break it into pieces. Ten notable kings would emerge from this empire, and that after those ten, another king would become prominent. This king (or kingdom) would subdue three kings.

The period of European colonialism (or imperialism) is behind us now. The kingdoms of the shattered Roman Empire (known as the Holy Roman Empire) have already trodden over the whole earth. They have already broken it into pieces (colonies, then liberated into the nations of today). That period is over, having lasted from approximately 1500-1900.

We are well into the days of the shattered fourth world empire. We are beyond the days of the breaking up of the earth by the fourth beast of Daniel 7. Regarding the church, we have entered the days of the last church listed in Revelation: the lukewarm church. The days of the Philadelphia church, marked by widespread missionary activity and evangelism, sound Bible teaching, leaving names such as John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, Andrew Murray, William Carey, Adoniram Judson, George Mueller, Mary Slessor, Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, Billy Sunday, Donald Grey Barnhouse, G. Campbell Morgan and the like are now slipping away. The last of them, D. James Kennedy, Jerry Falwell, J. Vernon McGee, Oliver Green, Adrian Rogers are gone now, with others on their way out: Billy Graham, James Dobson.

Today's church is marked by liberalism: with gay clergy and women pastors. The Bible is no longer the final authority, but how one decides to interpret its words. Church members live in fornication outside of wedlock. Laodicea is the order of the day. Lukewarm is a very apt description for many leaders in our churches today. Jesus is at the door.

But before the end, there are several items of interest that have yet to be fulfilled. The restoration of Israel in 1948 set the stage for it. The restoration of Jerusalem to Israel in 1967 brought us closer to it. But today there is no Temple in Jerusalem. Look at 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

IF the "falling away" is a reference to the apostasy of the church, then that is happening. People have fallen away from Christianity in our times in proportions greater than any other time in history.

But the "man of sin" has not yet been revealed. This fellow probably corresponds to the "little horn" of Daniel 7. He will oppose God, and exalt himself above God, or anything that is worshipped. That has not happened yet. But as certainly as everything we have covered so far has happened, if I were a betting man, I'd put my house on it. He's coming. The last thing it says here in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 is that he will sit in the temple of God. There is no Temple in Jerusalem. Not yet.

More to come? We'll see.