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Times, Epochs and
the Taking of the Church
The world is
becoming more dangerous, and the U.S. is becoming more divided. Most
people would agree to that and would attribute these things to the ebb and
flow of 21st Century life. But to Christians mindful of how these
times fit into Bible prophecy they are much more than that. As the
sound of rushing water filling a container increases in pitch, so the
events contributing to the growing dysfunction of humanity surely indicate
that the world is getting full. And the closer it gets to the
overflow point the more specific they become.
This can be illustrated by Luke 21. The events of verses 20-24
happened in AD 70, but the verses surrounding that text are still
prophetic. Take verses 25ff, for example. When Jerusalem was
taken by the Romans in AD 70 the nations were not in dismay, no one was
perplexed, men didn't faint from fear, etc. In fact no one outside of
Judea cared a hoot about what was happening to the Jews. But when
these things happen during the tribulation the specifics will be felt by
the entire world; dismay, perplexity, fear, etc.
Now consider another text relative to the global situation just prior to
the rapture. The first part of 1 Thessalonians is taken up with
various matters that Paul wanted to mention to the church in
Thessalonica. But, in 4:13 - 5:11 he concentrates upon the return of
Jesus for His church and what that event will mean for those Christians who
have died and for those Christians still alive at that moment. But he
also mentions a specific false belief concerning expectations for peace and
safety that will be prevalent in those days.
Another thing should be understood about the text, and about the entire
book for that matter, that might give us a better perspective. This
letter was written after Paul had visited the Thessalonians, thus we cannot
know what he and they talked about when he was there in person.
Because of this he did not feel it necessary to repeat everything in his
letter. But, we are not left in the dark by this, for he did repeat
himself to some degree, and one of the matters he repeated was the teaching
regarding the rapture of the church. But more to the point, he warned
of the world's specific, but false, belief that peace and safety would be
near at hand.
 There are several
conclusions that can be made so far. First, the context from
chapter 4:13-5:11 is the rapture of the church and the resurrection.
Second, it means that the world will be talking "peace and
safety" in the days prior to the rapture, for they certainly won't be
talking peace and safety just prior to the 2nd Coming. And third is
the fact that what really is coming is not peace and safety, but sudden
destruction. Jesus gave us a fairly detailed view of the destruction
that would quickly come upon the world in Revelation chapters 6-19.
This will be suffering and carnage at a level that has never been seen
before, and man won't be able to stop it.
Further, the word "time" in 5:1
means time as defined in general English: that is, "continuing
duration". But the word "epoch" is a little
different. It means a period of time characterized by the events that
happen in it. Put another way, this epoch is a space of time within
the end time wherein certain things will happen.
When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians he well knew about the end time and
about the conditions that would exist in those days. But, he did not
know how the specifics of those days, the epochs, would play out 2000 years
from his day. But today, when we take the biblical template of all
end time prophecies and place it over today's events, we get a good idea
about some of the things that will characterize this epoch.
Consider some events that make up this epoch (Ezekiel 37, Zechariah 12-14,
1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Peter 2, etc.) and see how the events
characterizing the last few decades (even the last decade) are biblically
relevant to the return of Jesus. From the birth of Israel in 1948, to
the rise of ISIS, to the burgeoning coalition between Russia and Iran, to
the impact of that coalition on the Middle East, to the estrangement
between the world and Israel, to the escalating chaos in nations; it is all
directly relevant. It is becoming very clear that the ominous things
the prophets said would be present in the time just preceding the rapture
are upon this generation, and that humanity is in fearful anticipation
about something they can't understand or even identify.
American Christians are very concerned about
what is happening around the world. We have a heart-felt compassion
for the lost and for Christians who are being persecuted and even martyred
by Muslims, Communists and others. But we are also very concerned by
what is happening in our own country, so it is from this perspective that
this epoch is directly related to us. Think, for a moment, about
how it is in today's America.
The political and social correctness of the last few years have been very
costly and very divisive. And not only that, but so-called
"liberation theology" has gotten involved from some pulpits and
this has legitimized hate, bigotry and division. There are many
examples of this, but just consider the brazenness of race related crime
along with its blatant and overt justification by discreditable
politicians, bureaucrats and religious leaders who relish being called
"reverend". What is immediately called a hate crime in one
case is not even considered as a hate crime in another case solely because of
the race of the perpetrator and victim. And the stone-faced religious
purveyors of hatred don't even blink in the face of such obvious hypocrisy
(2 Timothy 4:3).
Further, though the Bible clearly says that if a man will not work he is
not to eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10), the bestowment of unearned entitlements
upon sluggards is the law of this land. Marriage is no longer held in
honor, and the taxpayer subsidizing of immorality and illegitimacy have
also become the law of this land. Tax-paid public education is a
miserable joke in most places, and when motivated teachers look to parents
for support regarding their child's indiscipline and irresponsibility they
are most often vilified by those same parents, the legal system and even
the school system. And, in most cases there is just one parent
involved in the situation.
Something else must be noted, and its presence in America is both divisive
and ominous. Anarchists are dispatched to political rallies in order
to instigate violence and silence candidates. Does this not remind us
of what has happened before among civilized people? Do we not
remember the Nazi Storm Troopers in Germany who went to opposition rallies
in order to silence speakers? They literally busted the heads of all
who opposed their National Socialism party. Violence and intimidation
worked for Hitler in the 1930s, and this tactic is still in the playbook of
those who hate God-given liberty and its inherent blessings and
responsibilities.
In reaction to the anarchists there is a growing number of people are very
angry, frustrated and even fearful of loosing their liberty. Obama's
former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, said, "You never want a serious
crisis to go to waste." Neither does Satan.
At the end of the day Satan does not want a solution to these
problems. Much like political anarchists he desires to exploit every
crisis to his end. Anarchists are working to impose their own
disastrous way of life upon others, and Satan is waiting to impose his own
human leader upon a world that is so disturbed that it makes reckless
choices. Frustration, anger and fear contribute greatly to the
framework of that scenario.
 Consider a statement
made March 12 by Dan Bongino, former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent,
in a TV interview on Fox News. He sees something dramatic on the near
horizon as a result of this anger and frustration. He believes it
does not originate with a particular political party, but believes it stems
from patriotic people who are collectively "fed up" with those
who are violently shutting down and shutting out conservative
principles. He did not say specifically what will be the breaking
point or what will be the result, but most people watching the interview
might have had their own idea as to what he was talking about.
Never before have so many people been so livid and exasperated that they
are preparing to such a degree for some kind of ultimate political
calamity, or even a confrontation. They don't know what it might be,
or who might be involved but they are making preparations by hording items
for direct use or for bartering. But the important thing is this is
not paranoia based upon unrealistic, emotion-based fear. People are
expecting something to happen, and if 1930s Germany is any example their
fears are rational.
The real point that must not be missed goes beyond politics and
chaos. These things are part of that final epoch in end time events
making them specific to a certain event - Jesus' removal of the church.
The world is technologically small which means that a particular event does
not have to be dramatic in order to have national and international
impact. Though it is true that the world has always been on a decline
toward self-destruction, the difference of late is that what happens in one
place has inclusive ripple effects. Look for a growing number of
ripples to morph into a very large and global tsunami.
How, we might ask, can anyone think that all this desperation and fear
could suddenly change into an expectation of peace and safety? The
answer is hiding in plain sight: deception. And it could come
from any direction. In 1914 France had been at peace for several
decades and people had forgotten much of the hardship of war. As the
clouds of war gathered many had glorious visions of marching infantry and
dazzling cavalry all in impressive uniforms. They celebrated at the
train stations as the men marched off to war. Many farmers who left
in July thought they would be home for the fall harvest. They were
deceived. Likewise, many Americans expected that the long-sought
utopia had at last arrived with all the "hope and change"
promised in 2008. They, too, were horribly deceived. Does
anyone really have to ask how this could happen again?
The danger of not seeing the epochs of this age through the lens of
scripture, and of putting faith in humanity is that people set themselves
up for being deceived. And the greater the frustration the faster it
happens.
From the Christian perspective a person should do whatever they think they
should do to protect and provide for their family and whoever else is
dependent upon them. To do nothing in the face of danger is similar
to the person who will not work, but demands food from those who do.
But we should never be driven to reckless decisions by undo fear of what we
see going on around us. The antidote is to know what God has said.
Remember that God's presence before Elijah on Mt. Horeb was in the form of
a great wind, an earthquake and a fire (1 Kings 19). But at that
point Elijah did not need God's personal intervention in his fight with
Jezebel. Rather, he needed to hear His voice. Interestingly,
though God's presence was dramatic, His voice was found only in the quiet
breeze outside the cave.
 During this end time
with all its chaos and with the characteristics of this epoch being obvious
at every hand, we would be wise to pull away from the crowd and listen to
what God is saying. His personal intervention by His removal of His
church is imminent, but until that moment it is important that we listen
to Him. Do not forget that these perilous times should not surprise
us, for they are merely end time events that are to be in place when Jesus
returns for His church. The darker the sky, the brighter the
hope. DLM
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