But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God . . . (2 Timothy 3:1-4, NASB)
This portion is from the Apostle Paul’s second letter to his son in the faith, Timothy. Timothy was still at Ephesus trying to right wrongs in the church there, and his mentor was writing advice. This is Paul’s last letter we have in our Holy Bible, as he was again imprisoned in Rome, and he says it doesn’t look good for him. In this excerpt he speaks of signs of the End Times, before Jesus comes back to earth for His people.
Paul begins with a prophecy: “In the last days difficult times will come.” He elaborates with the characteristics of the people of the times: They will be “lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Does this sound familiar? It reminds me of the world around us. There is so much lawlessness and rebellion going on everywhere. “Wars and rumors of wars.” (Matthew 24:6) Chaos everywhere. Confusion. Are we in the Last Days? I don’t know, it sure looks like it. But . . . I remember at Sunday School or Bible study, hearing someone tell of a conversation with some senior members at his church. They were getting closer to the end of their lives, and they expressed disappointment that Jesus had not come back for them. They thought for sure that during their lifetimes . . .
The point is, since the beginning of Christianity, believers have thought they were in the Last Days. Paul’s list of evil traits is not new, not original to our generations; yet to us it seems that the evil around us is more pronounced and accelerating. Jesus said it’s not for us to know the hour or the day of His return, that only the Father knows for sure. So what shall we do while we wait for His glorious return?
Well, first we need to (in the words of CBN’s Gordon Robertson) populate Heaven. God knows how many souls will be in heaven at the end. If He tarries, it’s to get to that number. Second, practice. As believers, we’re in dress rehearsal for what we’ll be doing for eternity in heaven. And third (we’ll be doing this in heaven), execute what Jesus called the two greatest commandments: Love God and love other people!