Where have you gone, Hal Lindsey?
He’s been missing in action for about two months now, well, at least the column he usually writes for WND has been so. There have been no posts from the Late Great Planet Earth author since May 22nd of this year. Maybe he took the summer off. I have been an avid reader of his column for quite a few years now - I like the way he explains current events as they relate to prophecy in the Bible. Yes, he has been wrong on more than a few occasions, but his insights are very interesting and most of the time he is not too far from hitting the mark.
In the interim, a friend of mine has turned me on to other columnists and web sites that are built around the subject of the end times as prophesied in the Bible. Most of them are interesting and some are even in agreement with each other as far as the chain of events they suppose. They advise me to keep an eye on Israel, pay attention to the monetary system, and keep abreast of the various changes in US policy. Each earthquake, flood, famine, or rumor of war is investigated and hashed over on those sites; and sometimes you have to simply stop reading as you can get depressed if you ponder upon them for too long. The times we are living in are perilous, indeed.
In God’s Word there are many signs we as Christians are instructed to watch and be ready for as the clock here on earth begins to wind down. Sometimes, however, we can watch too closely and if we do so the most obvious signs might be overlooked. The political climate, the unrest, changes in weather patterns, and declining morals are all spoken of by the Bible and are easily discernable to even the most casual reader of prophecy. But there is another prophecy spoken of by Paul that is much too often ignored. We do not like to think about it therefore we usually sweep this one under the rug. To heed it would mean we might need to examine our own churches, as well as our own individual hearts.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” II Thessalonians 2:3. The day Paul is writing about is the day of the Lord, and he tells us that first will come a falling away in the church. There will be earthquakes and famines, pestilences, one-world government and religion, and of course there will be the anti-Christ to contend with. But this withdrawal from the church and the things of God will happen first.
Personally I do not think he meant that everybody would stop going to church all at once. But we do seem to act as though it is less important to join with other believers in weekly praise and worship of God; at least not in the way we used to. Sunday mornings in the Bible Belt are still fairly important to us, while Sunday nights now appear to be much less so. There are too many things going on to even consider returning to church on Wednesday nights for most of us these days, and besides, we are simply too tired from work and school to do so. Overall attendance is down during all services from what it was barely ten years ago. And what about Sunday School? Not only has it become harder and harder to keep a class in regular attendance, but it now appears harder to find a teacher that will be reliable enough to actually show up each week. Ironically, this is but one end of the spectrum.
The other end contains the mega-churches that are apparently having no attendance problems whatsoever. At face value this appears to be a good thing. But when you dig a little deeper into what is taught and preached there, it appears to be a watered-down version of salvation without repentance. I went to a big church as I grew up and I enjoyed the programs and I believe they taught me a lot of things I was able to apply in my life even unto this day. But I also had a family that was spiritual in nature and while I learned a good bit in church, I also learned at home. I’m all for programs if they are used correctly. I’m all for praise and worship music in services if they are used correctly. But I am against conforming to the world and its standards just to draw in a few more numbers. If it has a hip-hop beat, you should leave it out on the street.
A preacher-friend told me the story of a young couple with two children that recently visited his church. They were looking for a church to attend regularly and they asked him what his church had to offer for their children. He replied, “Jesus Christ”. That should have said it all, but strangely enough in this day and age, people seem to want more than that. They want entertainment. And they apparently want someone to assume the spiritual responsibility to teach and train their children in the ways of God without having to be a part of it themselves. I wonder – does this help them sleep better at night?
Church should not be a social-club extravaganza each week. If you use a hot dog fellowship to draw people in this week, you’d better have steak and potatoes ready for next week. Jesus said if He was lifted up, He would draw all men to Himself. These days we seem to have forgotten that. And until we right our ship, remembering that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance; I strongly fear that this falling away will continue as predicted.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8
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