BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

B V O V : 2 3 verse 4: "Take heed that no man deceive you." Most people read past that sign because they want to get right to earthquakes and famines and wars. But the fi rst sign that Jesus listed may be one of the foremost signs of the end of the age: deception. All the texts about the Rapture of the Church and the coming of the Lord list both deception, and the coming of the Lord. This implies that these two things will happen simultaneously. The Greek word for deception means "to lead slowly o• track." It describes a person who has walked on a solid, well-worn course year after year, but has stepped over into a place he has never been before. But this word applies not only to an individual, it also refers to a city, state, nation or people group. The word was even used to describe an animal that had gotten so lost that it could not fi nd its way back home. Jesus warned that deception will pervade society until it veers so far o• the worn path it used to walk that it cannot fi nd its way back home. Paul wrote about the end of the age in 2 Timothy 3:1: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." I don't want you to miss the deep meaning in this verse. The word last is the Greek word eschatos. It is where we get the word eschatology, which is "the study of end times." It was a navigational word used by the shipping industry to describe the farthest ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit was speaking through Paul to say: You will know when you have come to the end of the age because society will have gone o track morally. People will feel they have come to the end of the road and wonder, How in the world did this happen? Sign No. 2: Foolish Hearts That's a pretty good depiction of our times, isn't it? Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." The word hold in that verse is the Greek word katalambanó. It's a compound word. The fi rst part of the word, kata, describes something that is moving downward. The second part, echo, means "to hold or embrace." When we compound the two words, it's not only "holding the truth in unrighteousness," it's also a picture of people who know the truth but don't like it. They try to suppress the truth, lest it get out and positively a• ect the minds of thinking people. Verse 21 says, "When they knew God, they glorifi ed him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." That word knew does not mean they were all born again. It describes a general God-fearing attitude in society. We could translate it as: "Because when they [had a general respect for God], they glorifi ed him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations." The word vain describes something that is completely wasted. Imaginations comes from the Greek word logismos. It is where we get the idea of logical thinking. So we could translate this: "They became wasted, or ruined, in their ability to reason what is right and what is wrong." They didn't know it, though. Verse 22 tells us that they professed "themselves to be wise." They believed they were creating a new, progressive movement. They couldn't have been more wrong. The Holy Spirit calls them fools because they chose to swap God for their own inclinations. Sign No. 3: Reprobate Minds What's the result of this foolishness as we come to the end of the age? Verses 24-25 tell us: "Wherefore God also gave them up It's also a picture of people who know the truth but don't like it. They try to suppress the truth." "

• Cover