Signs and seasons, it seems to be the big thing today among the Charismatics, and sadly among a lot of Evangelicals as well, nearly everything is a portent. I even saw one just the other day that spoke of the events recorded in the Scriptures about Jonah, because the news media outlets reported that some man somewhere had inadvertently been swallowed then spit out by a whale after he ended up in the water. Can you say, “easily deceived,” can you say, “one extra-large nose ring, please.”
Every asteroid that leaves a trail in the sky, every time it floods somewhere, every earthquake, volcano, or every dead bird that drops from the sky is a sign from the Lord they claim, and they spend all of their time either looking for or speaking about “The signs.” In a sense I feel sorry for them, especially the ones I see on some YouTube channels with very large charts behind them, graphs that map the festivals of the children of Israel, the moon’s phases and what color it is this month, I feel sad because they have plotted the course of their lives to hopefully intersect with a singularity, the rapture, not with the meeting of the Lord so that they can forever be with Him. “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” (Prov. 15:22)
I have tried speaking to them, warning them in most cases about being or believing in a false prophet, but to little avail, they are so completely enamored with this idea that even if the date comes and then passes that they have set, and all of them have so far, they will still follow the one who made the video. They are beginning to remind me of those who drank the Kool-Aid with Jim Jones, but it may be much worse than that. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Tim. 3:13)
After some time, only the die-hard followers will continue to be led astray by these charlatans, many though will begin to lose what faith they thought they had in Christ in the first place, they will either be left behind, or be ashamed at His coming. They need encouragement, for they are not strong in their faith, and so Proverbs 24:10 can be applied to them, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” They refuse to see the truth, because they have no hope outside of this one blessed day, and so, as each day passes after the supposed date set by the one they follow, many will begin to lose hope, and the loss of their faith will not be far behind.
I have asked them this question several times, and received a reply only once, “What would you rather do, be raptured tomorrow, or die tomorrow.” I believe it hits a little too close to home, as it were, for them, for they will not repeat in earnest and all desire Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This has become, in its own right, a new religion, complete with many leaders, many acolytes, and many who have been blinded to all but this one particular moment in time, their lives are being devoured by it.
If you have ever witnessed, or should I say attempted to bring the truth of the Scriptures to someone who has been in the Roman Catholic cult for an extended period of time, then you understand full well what I am speaking about. I am reminded of Jeremiah here, twenty plus years of trying to warn the people, while possibly hundreds of false prophets wandered the land. Satan my friends loves this part of the show, if you will, anything and everything to keep their eyes off of Christ, and it is even sweeter to him when his attempts move towards those who believe that that is exactly what they are doing. If you want to see the truest sign of these last days, visit one of those sites, the blind are falling into the ditch by the tens of thousands, all with seemingly good intentions, but few with their eyes on the prize that is Christ.
