06/22/10 GET GOD'S PERSPECTIVE
God considers the End Times and the Second Coming to be serious and important subjects. God considers the events (signs) that precede the End Times and Second Coming to be of such importance that He has announced them through prophecies; not to be taken any less reverently than the prophecies of His first coming. He intended for us to humbly study them and learn from them, not discard them or treat them lightly.
A True Sign of the Times...
I have noticed that the advancement of Reformed Theology, Modernism/Liberalism, the Emergent Movement and Neo Evangelicalism has thrown a pall over the literal interpretation of eschatology in general and the premillennial/pretribulational view in particular.
It is not unusual to hear someone say, "Concerning the end times and second coming, some people are Pre or Mid or Post, but I am Pan; I am just letting it pan out." Then they smile or give a knowing smile, as if those who know what they believe are necessarily wild eyed fanatics and the serious study of end times/second coming is a waste of time.
Even if the Tribulation starts tomorrow, I am not planning on being here (since I do believe in a pretribulational rapture); still, I believe God gave us the signs of these events for various reasons, and not to be taken lightly or derisively.
Knowledge and a proper understanding of prophecy verifies Scriptural authority, protects against false prophets and teachers, gives comfort to believers, leads to purity of heart and life, presents fuller view of Christ and salvation and ultimate victory over sin and death and Satan, promotes evangelism, strengthens faith and hope and patience.
Not only is it a subject to be treated with reverence, it is a subject to be proclaimed with the fundamentals of the gospel.
While there are those who have become unbalanced in pursuit of prophecy, many more are unbalanced because of neglecting or deriding prophecy.
