Rev 1:19
The Things That Shall Be
\\#19\\ …the things that shall be hereafter."
I wish to do something a bit different this morning. I want to speculate with you
on some things that I believe the future holds.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a prophet. I have no gift of seeing the future. I am just
a preacher that has been around for awhile and I see how things happen. I would
like to share some things that I believe will happen.
Just so you know, I am not going to make all of this up out of thin air. We are
going to start with the Bible. The Bible tells us some things that definitely
will happen. You will see them written directly in the Scripture. These things
are absolute. They will happen.
What I am going to speculate upon is HOW what the Bible says might come to pass
from here. The event will come to pass, maybe not now, maybe not the way I
think, but it will come to pass none-the-less.
There is one more disclaimer. While there is no doubt the things the Bible says
are going to come to pass, no man knows WHEN they will come to pass. The things
that I am speaking of this morning may happen in 2012 or they may not happen for
years, but they will happen.
I. Evil will increase.
A. That evil will increase in this world is undeniable for the Bible says
so.
Mt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Romans 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy
of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
1Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
B. The question is what kind of evils will increase.
1. Drug use will increase.
a. According to a new Gallup poll, 50% of Americans say that the
use of marijuana should be legalized. On the other side, 46%
say marijuana use should remain illegal:
When Gallup first asked about legalizing marijuana, in 1969,
12% of Americans favored it, while 84% were opposed. Support
remained around 20% favoring its legalization from the late
1970s to the mid-1990s, but has crept up since, passing 30%
in 2000 and 40% in 2009 before reaching the 50% level in
the Oct. 6-9. 2011, annual Crime survey.
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/health/addiction/poll-50-percent-americans-want-
marijuana-legalized
b. I believe that marijuana will be legalized.
(1) I don’t know when, but if 50% of American want it, it
will happen.
(2) And I believe that kind of drug mentality will keep
growing. (That is the mentality which says. "It is my
body; It relaxes me; I enjoy it; I need it; They are
going to do it anyway; Let’s tax it and make some money
off it."
(3) According to figures released by the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration in 2009, about 119
million Americans had used an illicit substance at least
once in their lifetime. (There were only 305 million
people in America in 2009), with 22 million using an
illicit drug every month.
(4) But it is not just illicit drugs, in 2004 the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) says that at least
half of all Americans takes at least one prescription
drug daily, with one in six taking three or more
medications.
(5) I know that most prescribed drugs are nothing like the
illegal drugs on the streets. My point is not whether
a drug is right or wrong just that we are highly
dependent upon them. Some call America "the most
medicated nation in the history of the world."
(6) This mentality that drugs are normal and needed is only
going to be fed by the legalization of marijuana.
c. Drug use is not a passing fad. It is now part of the world
culture and drug use along with its vices will continue to
increase in the future.
2. Sexual perversion will increase.
a. For some, that is hard to imagine.
(1) We already have an abundance of pornography, adultery,
pre-marriage sex, sex trafficking, and homosexuality.
(a) Homosexuality is legalized in ten countries:
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden;
(b) Six countries recognize same-sex marriages: Aruba
(Netherlands only), Curaçao (Netherlands only),
Israel, Mexico: all states (Mexico City only),
Sint Maarten, (Netherlands only), United States:
CA (conditional), MD:
(c) Six U.S. state governments (along with the District
of Columbia, the Coquille Indian Tribe, and the
Suquamish tribe) have passed laws offering
same-sex marriage: New York, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
(2) What some do not know is that most of the sexual
immorality and perversion came out of California in
general and Hollywood in particular.
(a) Now that homosexuality is commonly accepted, the
secrets of the Hollywood’ stars have come out.
(b) It is amazing to find how many television and big
screen stars were secretly homosexuals—even going
back to shows that you and I would have never
guessed like The Beverly Hillbillies and the Dick
Van Dyke show.
(c) I have read that there was an sexual underground in
Hollywood where this kind of immorality was known to
exist but was kept out of the public eye.
(d) The Hollywood underground quietly worked for decades
to get their agenda before the public, accepted, and
legalized. (It appears they were very successful.)
(3) Currently,
(a) There are ten animated series (some for kids) with
homosexual cast members.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animated_television_programs_with_LGBT_charac
ters
(b) Fifty-one dramas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dramatic_television_series_with_LGBT_characte
rs
(c) Fourteen situational comedies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_situation_comedies_with_LGBT_characters
b. What is even more horrifying is to learn that Hollywood
underground still exists, but their agenda has grown much
darker.
(1) They now practice/advocate pedophilia, bestiality, sex
trafficking, and other perversions which cannot be
mentioned.
(2) As Hollywood and California pushed America to accept
homosexuality, so they are pushing America to accept
these other deviant behaviors.
3. Add to this list the general increase in crime and violence,
a general deterioration in people’s willingness to work, in
morality, in respect for the law, and a shortage of prisons,
courts, and monitoring systems, and you can easily see how evil
will increase.
C. What is the significance of these things?
1. I believe these two evils more than any of the others are being
used to destroy the fabric of our modern day society.
a. Don’t think me fanatical but I believe these are tools of
some powers that want to destroy society as it exists and
replace it with their own model.
b. I do not say that these "powers" are human for they may be
spiritual, but I do believe they exists none-the-less.
2. These two evils more than any others are fueling an overload
in the judicial system, devouring society’s resources, and eating
away at the morals of society.
II. While evil is increasing, righteous religion will decrease.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first,…
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.
A. The church is falling today, not only to effect a change, but even to
leave an impression.
1. According to a Barna Group poll, forty-one percent of Americans
are unable to identify anyone they consider to be an influential
Christian. When surveyed about their Christian heroes, many
Americans came up blank. Only Billy Graham, the Pope, Barack
Obama and Joel Osteen were mentioned by more than 1 out of 50
adults as the most significant Christian leaders, reported Barna.
2. 43 percent of Americans said it doesn’t matter what religious
faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons; Half
of Americans believe that all people are eventually saved or
accepted by God no matter what they do.
B. As time progresses, this kind of erroneous thinking will take hold
more and more.
1. Some churches do not believe the Bible anymore and many who do do
not really teach and preach it.
2. False doctrine will prevail and right doctrine will be shunned.
3. Eventually the powers that be will outlaw the preaching of anything
that is against their own agenda. The religious who long ago
abandoned the Word will join with them declaring that such laws
are just and that those who still preach the Bible just do not
understand the god of love and peace.
4. I have said many times and say again, one day some of you will look
back on these as the good ol’ days when you could go to a church
that still believed the Bible, preached its truths without regards
to popular opinion or laws, and meet without fear of the state
police.
III. Governments will merge.
A. Governments merging or even rising and falling does not of itself seem
to be earth shattering news.
1. It happens all the time.
2. Indeed, it might continue to happen for another 1,000 without any
Biblical consequences.
B. However, the Bible does warn us that eventually the nations of the
world will form a confederation of nations or a one-world government.
1. Notice the ten horns in John’s revelation.
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received
no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
2. If you are wondering who the beast is, John already described him.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the
bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall
wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of
the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
3. Most of us would call him the anti-Christ; but back to the ten
horns.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he
is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and
chosen, and faithful.
4. The Bible says that ten kingdoms shall join together AGAINST
CHRIST.
a. That doesn’t necessarily mean 10 nations.
b. Presently, the European Union is comprised of 17 nations, but
God might count it as 1 kingdom.
5. Regardless, nations are going to come together to form a union
which will pledge its allegiance to the anti-Christ.
C. I see the makings for a major re-alignment of the nations now.
1. The European Union (which celebrates its 10th anniversary today)
is cracking under the weight of its debt and its non-productive
nations. (Like it or not, there is one problem with socialism—it
doesn’t work!)
2. I believe the European Union will either fall completely apart
or have to be modified.
3. Either way, a stronger, more totalitarian union is likely to
be formed.
4. Much like our Federal government.
a. Our Federal government is being a totalitarian government.
b. Individuals and states are raiding losing rights to a more
imposing Federal government.
c. Look at health care, abortion, prayer in school, border
control.
d. I am not complaining. I am not politicking. I am just
stating a fact.
5. Even the most democratic governments are seizing power and
the more crises there are, the more willing the people are
to let them.
a. Never mind the fact that it is the governments who are causing
most of the crises.
b. Granted, some of them are God-caused, but if the nations
of the world practiced sound financial principals, the
natural crises would be able to be easily handled.
D. Sooner or later, these governments are going to use that power to join
the anti-Christ.
1. I know Christians have been talking like this since the Inter-
Parliamentary Union of 1889 and the League of Nations of 1920.
2. But more than ever the world sees a need for it and it is highly
possible that the great recession of 2007-2009 (and its abiding
presence since) will be the catalyst to spur its organization.
IV. These conditions (and others like them) will cause several things to
happen:
A. Truth will become rare and precious.
B. Persecution will become common and severe.
C. The (true) church will become slim lined and stronger.
D. These are not my guesses:
Mt 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye
therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Lu 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute
you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before
kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Mt 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father
the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them
to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to
the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I
say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of
man be come.
V. In the midst of such a world what are we to do?
A. We are not to sit around with dread feeling sorry for ourselves.
B. Jesus told us that these very things were going to happen and then told
us what to do!
1. Be confident in our God and the Word of God.
John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may
remember that I told you of them….
a. This is all part of the plan of God!
b. God is in control when things are going AS we think they
should, but He is also in control when things ARE NOT!
2. Trust the Holy Ghost to lead you.
Luke 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates,
and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye
shall say:
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
a. God has promised that the Holy Ghost will NEVER lead us nor
forsake us.
b. With His presence, we can be assured that whatever God wants
to accomplish with us in any situation will be accomplished!
3. Do not be afraid!
Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul….
Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an
evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because
fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
4. Get busy doing God’s business!
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
1Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be
sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken
in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith
and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
5. Look earnestly for Jesus’ second coming.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
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