Current events have impressed upon me the dire need for dialogue on the subject of the fullness of time as referred to in the Bible. First I must discuss the Biblical context of time.
God set the entire universe in time. Everything from birth to death are subject to it. And it is separated into days, months, years, seasons and dispensations.
Scofield’s Bible definition of “dispensation” is “a period of time during which man is tested with respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” If every dispensation is period of time in which mankind is tested to fulfill a requirement by God in order to accomplish redemption while learning the definition of good and evil, then it must progress into the knowledge of God and His plan of salvation for man.
At the close of all dispensations we find God’s final declaratory judgment on man’s test and a further revelation of the salvation plan. In each dispensation, man is subject to universal laws that dominate his success in that test. The law of use is the most dominating law which is referred to by Jesus in Luke 8:16-18. If we don’t use the revelation we do have, we lose it. Each dispensation proves that mankind cannot redeem himself and needs a Savior.
So where are we now in this dispensation of grace? We are definitely at the fullness of time in that we have all the required elements Jesus and the apostles spoke of.
- The gospel must first be preached around the world.
Although many agree that the gospel has yet to be preached around the world, there are projects endeavoring to do so in various forms. Certainly with television, film and the internet we are close to that accomplishment. Regardless of which side of the persuasion you fall on, there is no assurance that the gospel must first be preached around the world before the rapture of the church. I find no definitive chronology in this regard and I believe the chronology is not stated in order for us to be like the 5 wise virgins and keep our lamps trimmed and filled with oil. The world could see the gospel preached through the tribulation, which I believe is after the rapture.
- Jesus said false teachers and false prophets would come.
The Rev. Jim Jones was a wake up call for the 70’s, the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide to go to a better place was one for the 90’s. This generation has seen numerous examples of those who follow cults and false teachers but now we especially have them in the pulpits of Christianity like never before. Many have forsaken their first love and iniquity has their love waxed cold, just like Jesus said. With so many churches redefining good and evil to accommodate the world’s opinion, the fullness of time certainly has come.
All definitions of good and evil must be decided at the base of the Cross. This is why the Apostle Paul said, “woe be it to me, if I preach not Christ and Him Crucified!” He knew it was key to building the kingdom in quality before it could advance in quantity.
Instead, churches today are more interested in quantity rather than quality. Quantity is important, but quality is more important simply because quantity is not enough to bring a revival. If you really want a move of God you need to touch the throne and that just simply can’t be done unless people get sincere in their walk with God. Jesus said we must worship in spirit and in truth. It doesn’t take a genius to know that if you want God to move in your midst, you might want to worship Him the way HE wants to be worshipped.
Remember, Jesus said it will be like the days of Noah; they ignored Noah’s preaching and laughed and mocked at him right up to the day of the flood. Jesus also said that deception would be so rampant that “if it were possible, could deceive even the elect.”
The best test I can think of is the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have done unto you. So whenever I see a gift of the spirit, I look for it to be ministered by way of the fruit of the spirit. For example, if I see someone giving a ‘word’ of admonishment to another, I look for it to be executed with the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, meekness, patience, temperance – against such there is no law.
- Jesus said that the generation that sees Israel become a nation will be the final generation that sees the end.
That happened in 1948. So regardless of what event your looking for to be fulfilled, it could all happen in a very short span of time. But we know Jesus said the rapture will come like a thief in the night. He wasn’t just talking to the world but specifically the church here. If it’s a thief in the night for the church, we need to watch and pray.
Just think about the rapture happening and who will be left behind. And then think if a minister is left behind! What a frightening thought. Any minister left behind will be subject to unbearable humiliation, people will mock them, some will probably even be murdered because of the fury of those who followed them and were deceived by their idolatry. Remember, Jesus said, “pray that you be counted worthy to escape the things to come.”
Here’s my final thought: 1st Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first…” This is the most quoted and memorized scripture on the rapture. Would the God who wrote ‘mene mene tekel upharsin’ on the wall raise up a world leader by the last name of “Trump” as a reminder to keep our lamps filled with oil and trimmed? It’s just a thought….
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