Apathy Like I’ve Never Seen It Before
Most people who consider themselves to be students of Bible prophecy are familiar with the signs of the times. Some of the most common signs are warfare, earthquakes, floods, immorality or any political activity related to Israel. Of course the Bible warns us that these precursors to the Tribulation hour will increase—as we get closer to the end.
Most people don’t realize that apathy is the greatest indication of the last days. You could almost call it the anti-sign. Jesus talked more about the lack of awareness than any other sign of the times. The Lord was so insistent about getting this point across, He repeated himself four times in the space of a few verses. He also included a story about the ten virgins to illustrate the point of the surprise Rapture.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36).
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42).
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44).
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:13).
We live in a period that is both exciting and frustrating at the same time. It’s exciting because we know all the warning signs seem to say something big is about to happen. What makes it frustrating is the inability of most people to grasp our close proximity to judgment.
Apathy is a rather sinister thing because it eats away at our ability to comprehend the significance of other birth pang signs. Prophetic discernment is a crucial factor in knowing where we are on God’s timeline. Apathy is the main reason awareness has gone into a stunning free fall. We live in an age when even the most dire, warning signs fail to draw people’s attention.
Just a couple weeks ago we had horrendous typhoon in the Pacific. The storm set a number of records, and is just one of many that have occurred in recent years. As far as prophetic significances goes, I’ve never seen a disaster of this magnitude get so little attention. Years ago, the Haiyan typhoon would inspire people to write books about how it fits into prophecy.
In the past few weeks there have been several stories about the practicality of fitting people with electronic implants. I remember in the 80s and 90s any news story remotely related to the mark of the beast would trigger a wave of wild speculation by a group of people who specialized in the subject. Today not only is the chatter gone, the 666 watchers have also vanished.
I think the main reason why apathy has become so widespread is a historic lack of peril. No other generation has been less removed from dangers like: financial calamity, disease, and global warfare. Even though the potential threats continue to grow, the real danger remains elusive. I think the reason for this state of tranquility is that that we are prophetically in a great calm before the storm. Once the Tribulation hour starts there will be enough judgment for everyone.
The one positive aspect of apathy is that it aids the progression of prophecy. Because people are not watchful, events progress purely from the lack of opposition. I see us rapidly moving to the point where we could witness the global police state that the Word of God predicts. We keep losing our freedoms because the devil has deceived people into thinking they don’t need to worry about their liberties.
The cure of apathy is devotion, and a good way to stay alert is for every Christians to be productive in their spiritual lives. If you are busy about the Lord’s work, the moss of apathy won’t have time to grow on you. Because the Rapture is a clock-stopping event, it is critical that we realize what limited time we have here on earth.
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:10-11).
--Todd
No comments:
Post a Comment