What’s one sign we are at the time of the end? What, the end of the world? No, the end of this age; what the Bible calls the end of the age of grace. What’s the sign? Increasing ridicule of the Bible: particularly that of the first eleven Chapters that speak to the 6-day Creation, Adam and Eve, the Temptation and Fall of man, Noah’s ark, the Great Flood, the Nations descended from Noah and the Tower of Babel. So powerful is the ridicule of these even much of the church world has bowed to it, now speaking of them as myths or fables. Why would churches do that? They would say they want to remain relevant; “keep up with the times,” so to speak.
I would not say that; I would say they fear man much more than they fear God! As a result they are snared by man. They bought the devil’s lie, “If you believe in all that then you are an intellectual pygmy.” I would also say they are snared in their own pride (inflated with self-conceit, high-minded). In reality that means they are snared by that which those who ridicule them are snared – fear plus pride. It’s most important for Christ ones to remember, people who ridicule do so with the content of their own heart; what is in them comes out of them and fear plus pride will always lead the way. What comes out of a man (person), defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts…… Mark 7:20-23. Like our former unredeemed selves, they’re spiritually black-hearted.
Speaking of the latter, one of them posted the following on “social” media the other day: “If you ever feel real stupid, just remember there are people who really believe that two penguins walked all the way from Antarctica to the Middle East to get into an ark.” I saw one similar regarding two kangaroos. “Did they hop all the way from Australia to get into the ark?” Although geographically very different then, our inability to explain is no cause to reject the Noah’s ark history; it should cause us to be ever in awe of God. Is anything too hard for the LORD Genesis 18:14. Abraham and Sarah didn’t find it as such. Neither did Jesus. With God all things are possible Matthew 19:26. The power of God is absolute, as is His sovereignty; that’s the core truth from the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
Why do I say the spiritually black-hearted are motivated by fear plus pride? One answer: you never see or hear of them ridiculing the Koran or the book of any other religion. Not that I’m suggesting one should do that anyway, but it simply never happens. Why not? The Bible gives the definitive answer: For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account Hebrews 4:12-13. (Underlines mine). No other book lays claim to such. No wonder the ridicule. But in truth that is merely a smokescreen!
Whilst the spiritually black-hearted will ridicule the Bible plus we who endeavor to live according to its revelation, even more so they fear both it and us. The above Scripture makes that more than clear. Stand in the presence of them with an open Bible in hand outside a church setting and observe their behavior. If there’s a group, ridicule will come fast but if only one person more likely there will be coughing, spluttering or squirming. That’s the power of the Bible; that’s the power of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Light. That doesn’t happen with those other religious books. The black-hearted fear the Light. He shines directly in on the blackness of their sin and while that’s going on they try to push it aside, but to no avail. What the Spirit of God personally reveals, one cannot deny.
They will “run” from what’s been revealed but again to no avail; it simply “follows” them. Hence their on-going ridicule, a smokescreen for their fear plus pride. Sadly for most people their sin stays with them right to the end, haunting them on their death-bed. At death it goes with them into an eternity where the Redeemer Jesus Christ is not. That breaks the heart of God. But sin must be judged otherwise the death of Jesus on the cross for it would be unjust in the extreme. Refuse the mercy God grants to you in Jesus Christ the Savior, and there is no more mercy for you because there is no other Savior. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved Acts 4:12 NIV.
For those who doubt the justice of God must come, think of it in human terms. Quote: “Imagine that Adolf Hitler had been found alive, hiding in Germany, and was brought before a judge. His crimes took nine hours to read, but, at the end, the judge said, “I see what you’ve done. Millions murdered. But I think you’ve learned your lesson so I’m gonna let you go.” He banged the gavel and cried, “Not guilty!” What rises in our hearts when we consider such a scenario? That emotion is outrage at injustice. We know the verdict is not just, and it feels intolerable to us. Evil requires an equivalent punishment. We inherited that sense of justice from our Creator, because He is just.” – J I Packer. There is no way we would let Hitler off the hook; there’s no way God would let us off the hook!
Too, the spiritually black-hearted love to speak of justice when wrong is done, but all too often it’s revenge they have in mind. “An eye for an eye,” they say, quoting misquoting from the Book they love to ridicule. To love one’s enemy and forgive all injury as Jesus told us to is not at all a pleasant prospect to them. Worse: Give them the environment Hitler gave his henchmen and they would do much the same. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9. The atrocities being carried out in the Middle East and Africa give witness to that truth, not to speak of the violence taking place in societies everywhere across the globe. Without the Spirit of God, who knows what level we could sink to given the right environment?
What is the age of grace? American pastor, Bible teacher and author, Clarence Larkin (1850-1924) said, “This is the Dispensation of “Grace” and it extends from the “Cross” to the “Crown” for Christ, and from the “Descent of the Holy Spirit” to the “Rapture of the Church” at the second coming of Christ for the believer. This Dispensation is thrown in between the “Dispersion” of Israel, and their “Restoration” to their own land. The purpose of this Dispensation is to gather a “People for His name,” called the Church, composed of both Jew and Gentile. This purpose of God was not revealed in the Old Testament Scriptures, and was unknown to the Patriarchs and Prophets. Christ was the first to hint at it, when He said……, On this Rock I will build My church Matthew 16:18.
Of this age, Bible theologian J Dwight Pentecost (1915-2014), said, “This present age has an unwholesome designation. It is called an evil age Galatians 1:4. It is so called because it is under the dominion of Satan, who is its god 2 Corinthians 4:4. This age is marked by spiritual darkness Ephesians 6:12. This darkness produces its own wisdom, in which there is no light 1 Corinthians 2:6-7. As a result it is marked by ungodliness and worldly lusts Titus 2:12, from which the believer is to turn away Romans 12:2, even though formerly he walked in conformity to its wisdom and standards Ephesians 2:2.” In addition, he said it is an age marked by antagonism to God and His anointed (we who belong to Jesus Christ).
Apart from the Bible itself, what better explanation is there for the increasing ridicule of that Book by the spiritually black-hearted motivated by fear plus pride? This is a primary sign this age of grace is coming to its end. Just how soon Christ will come for the church, only God knows. But the stage is set; everything is in place. Whilst there are numerous prophecies to be fulfilled before the Lord returns to take up His earthly rule, there are none to be fulfilled before the Rapture takes place. But until it does, we can expect ridicule of the Bible and antagonism towards God, Jesus Christ and ourselves to accelerate. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour 1 Peter 5:8.
And you He has made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins Ephesians 2:1. That’s God’s most gracious word to us, the biblical church. Until Christ revealed Himself to us, we too were spiritually black-hearted motivated by fear plus pride. Not all of us ridiculed the first eleven Chapters of the Bible or any other Chapter, but offend God in other ways we most certainly did and often. When we heard the Lord’s gospel of repentance and then by faith responded to it in humility, we experienced a miracle. Jesus tossed away the black heart and along with it, fear plus pride. Did it happen immediately? Judicially, yes, but experientially, no. Only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit does that come about; but come about it most assuredly does! I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life John 8:12.