Are we living in the last days?

In light of some recent political developments, I have been asked, "Do you think we are living in the very end times? The culture is so very dark. Things can't get much worse, can they?" 

Here's how I tried to answer: 

"I truly don't know. And, of course, we know that Jesus said, 'Only the Father knows' (Matthew 24:46). 

"Throughout human history, we've seen lots of disturbing decisions made by government leaders. I wonder what the remnant of believers in Germany thought about the darkness of Hitler's leadership and end times issues. I wonder what the remnant of believers in Russia thought about the darkness of Stalin's leadership and end times issues. I wonder what the believers in the early church thought about the darkness of Nero's leadership and end times issues. In each case, believers expected the imminent return of Christ because they thought 'things can't get much worse.'

"More recently. we saw Roe v. Wade take place resulting in the murder of innocent babies... and still the end did not come. 

"For us to say that these must be the last days because things look so bleak is to ignore some times in history when things might have even been bleak-er for some believers. Think about 70 AD when Jerusalem itself and the ancient Jewish Temple were destroyed by the future Roman Emperor, Titus. When things looked perhaps even darker in human history than they do now, still the Lord didn't come. 

"I do know that Matthew 24:14 says that the gospel must be preached to all nations and THEN the end will come. 

"It's why many missiologists focus on reaching the Unreached People Groups of the world. I once heard Jim Haney, a missionary to Ghana, pray, 'Lord Jesus, please don't come back yet - not until all Your lost lambs have been saved. Save more, Lord, save more. Please don't come back yet, Lord Jesus. Let us win more souls for You.' I had never heard anyone pray that way. But it sounds like a true missionary/church planter's prayer, doesn't it? My friend, Jim, was more concerned about the conversion of the lost than comforts for his life. 

"Notice how the prophet Joel, quoted in Acts 2 treats the last days as fuel for evangelism (note how it builds to verse 21) : 'And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. (Here's verse 21) And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

"And notice how II Peter connects the last days and evangelism: 'Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation..." The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance' (II Peter 3). 

"I believe we simply don't know if we are in the very, very last days of not. But I do think the church's best response to the darkness is 1) to shine, 2) to preserve, 3) to be holy, 4) to be ready for His return, and 5) to evangelize and plant churches in every nation on the planet. 

"So, I join with Revelation 22:20 AND my missionary friend, Jim, 'Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Save us from this wicked generation. But before You return, save more. Save all Your lost lambs. You laid down Your life for the sheep. And You have other sheep that are not yet saved. You said, 'I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd' (John 10:16). 

"We can take comfort in the fact that Jesus is still on His throne. He's not surprised by any political or judicial decision. He's still King of kings and Lord of lords. So, ungodly panic and uncivil outrage are not the appropriate responses for those who know that, according to Revelation 21 and 22, our King wins in the end. 

"And because He lives I can face tomorrow."