The Last Days

[Toney]

That title evokes great emotion and often fear. As Christians, we are taught neither to fret about nor to fear “the day or the hour” of Christ’s return, for only the Father knows. Nevertheless, we think about it and we talk about it; quietly perhaps, to carefully chosen listeners.

I will be less careful for I am truly interested in your response.

Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim 3):

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Why raise this woeful topic now? For the sake of argument, let us suppose that we are indeed living in those difficult times. As offspring of Mary the Mother of God, we are called to array ourselves for battle because as her offspring we are at war with her eternal enemy whether we like it or not. (Rev. 12:17)

The theology of this battle cry goes to our discussion of the “Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate” teachings of the Magisterium of the Church in Mother of All the Living and brings us into one of the deepest mysteries of our faith.

Dr. Mark Miravalle of Franciscan University terms it, “… the mysterious interaction between divine providence and human free will.” Our free will can actually tie God’s hands? How? Because God wrote the rules and plays by them: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and what you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.” (Mt. 18:18)

When the Fifth Marian dogma is proclaimed, Miravalle tells us “Mary will be freed to mediate the special graces necessary for our present human situation.”

What is our response-ability? Because we do have the ability to respond, indeed as Catholics we have a duty to respond.

In Christ,
Toney

 

[Michelina]

People don't like to talk about this, Toney. I don't mind it. I think there is a good chance we are approaching those fateful days. Pope Pius XII said that he thought we had crossed the threshold into the last age. This was in the late 40's, early 50's!

Certainly, the stage is set politically. Ezekiel 38 & 39 predict Armegeddon to be a Mid-eastern coalition of states (w/Russia?) vs. Israel. Islamic Fundamentalism is growing in intensity and numbers everyday.

 

[Toney]

People don't like to talk about this, Toney.

I was not sure. I will not bump the thread and only respond if a question is asked of me. If it goes away, it goes away.

Thank you for your comments!

 

[Michelina]

I was not sure. I will not bump the thread and only respond if a question is asked of me. If it goes away, it goes away.

Thank you for your comments!

Maybe one of our hackers will post the relevant OT & NT Scriptures. Or some predictions from Private Revelations and the writings of the Saints.

 

[RhetorTheo]

My understanding is that we are in the last days, which is the time after Jesus left. However, I believe the end times is something different and not yet here.

 

[cougan]

Seven centuries prior to the birth of Christ, Isaiah proclaimed:

“And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”​

Let us explore some of the magnificent truths contained in this Old Testament prophecy, e.g., the: what, when, where, who, why, and how.

What Is under Consideration in this Prophecy?



The reference is not to a “temple,” supposedly constructed for the “millennial reign” of Christ, as some religionists allege. Rather, the oracle concerns the establishment of the Lord’s church under the figure of the “house” of God.

In the New Testament, the church is referred to as the “household of God” and as “a holy temple” for the Lord’s habitation (Eph. 2:19-22). Elsewhere Paul declared that “men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God . . .” (1 Tim. 3:15). Peter also described the church as “a spiritual house” wherein God is now served (1 Pet. 2:5).

When Was this House to Be Established?



The prophetic expression is: “in the last days.” The phrase “the last days” depicts the final dispensation of time, i.e., the Christian age. It represents that era from the day of Pentecost until the ultimate return of the Lord. Observe this line of reasoning.

Joel had prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be “poured forth” in “the last days” (2:28ff). The apostle Peter, in his inspired sermon on Pentecost Sunday, quoted Joel’s declaration in connection with the outpouring of the Spirit that very day. He announced:

“. . . but this is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel: And it shall be in the last days . . .” (Acts 2:16-17).​

Note the connection between “this is that” and “the last days.” Clearly, on the day of Pentecost, “the last days” had begun.

The last days were “the days of the Messiah” (Barnes, 31). This is further supported by Peter’s reference to Pentecost in Acts 11. There, in explaining the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles (Acts 10), the apostle suggested that this event represented a “like gift” (11:17), even as the apostles had received “at the beginning” (15). This is an allusion to the beginning of the Christian age, or “the last days.”

Presbyterian commentator J.A. Alexander observed: “This is here called the beginning of the Christian dispensation . . .” (425).

Baptist scholar Everett Harrison has commented that since the church was to be built upon a “rejected” stone, all attempts to find “the origin of the church at some point in the pre-cross ministry of Jesus” are futile (83).

Where Was the Church to Be Established?



The prophet indicates that the location was to be in Jerusalem, which is where the apostles were when they proclaimed the facts of the gospel, and a multitude obeyed the truth (Lk. 24:47-49; Acts 1:4-5; 2:1ff).

I once debated with a friend, a Baptist minister, who contended that the church was established in Galilee during the Lord’s personal ministry. In response I noted that Isaiah declared that the “foundation” of the Lord’s house was to be laid in “Zion,” i.e., Jerusalem (Isa. 28:16). I further observed that it would be something of an oddity for a builder to lay the foundation in one place (Jerusalem) and then erect the superstructure elsewhere (Galilee). The “Galilee” theory creates a difficulty for the biblical symbolism.

Exactly Who Is to Enter into the “House of God”?



Or, to say the same thing in another way, who is to constitute the church? Under the Old Testament economy, only priestly Jews could enter the “house of God.” Gentiles were restricted to the “court of the Gentiles,” an outer region of the temple compound. Separating the “court of the Gentiles” from the sacred enclosure was a stone wall about four and one-half feet high. Upon it was written a warning, in Greek and Latin, that no Gentile should proceed beyond the barrier upon the penalty of death. Paul, symbolically alluding to this wall, called the law of Moses a “middle wall of partition” that separated the Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:14).

By way of contrast, Isaiah indicated that “all nations would flow unto” the new house of God. This refers to the fact that the church would be open to both Jews and Gentiles. Any movement which seeks to nationalize access to God is wrong.

Why Was this New System to Be Inaugurated?



So that men might “walk in his [God’s] paths,” enjoying the blessings thereof. It is the inclination of man to walk according to his own desires. In the days of the judges, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Jdg. 21:25). Man does not have the ability to direct his own steps (Jer. 10:23).

Until a person is able to divest himself of his arrogance, and submit to the will of God, there is no hope of redemption.

How Does One Access the “House of God”?



First, he must exercise the personal initiative to know the will of God. Those who aspire to salvation exercise personal initiative, saying: “Come ye, let us go . . . .”

One need not wait for some compelling operation of the Spirit which will mysteriously sweep him into union with God; that will not happen. Rather, conversion occurs by allowing the Lord to “teach us of his ways.”

Christ declared: “. . . And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that has heard from the Father, and has learned, comes unto me” (Jn. 6:45). The Christian Way is a taught and learned religion, and those who are not willing to invest the time and energy to investigate the claims of this divine system, will not be able to access the spiritual blessings provided by God. Carefully study Isaiah 2:2-4 and absorb the rich truths of this prophecy.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

I don't know- it has come up a lot here lately without being too obvious. I have no fear, and if I ever do feel fear (which is usually more like sadness that if these are the end times my babies won't get to grow up and live their beautiful lives serving God) i just try to remember that fear is not of the Lord- and that makes me all the more determined to beg for the grace to really teach my children the Faith.

To me- my response-ability- is no different from what it always has been- to live, as much as possible, in a state of grace- to preach to other's about the love of Jesus, and to bring as many people as Jesus' permits me into the One, Holy , Catholic, and Apostolic Church-- although for me personally I feel as though my particular charism is for bringing the Faithful into deeper relationship with and appreciation of Christ, particularly through Adoration and frequent reception of the Eucharist and Confession.

I guess in my ramblings (I am really tired!) my point is to always try to be living as though any moment might be the end. We should really follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and share the love of Jesus with everyone we meet!

 

[Polycarp1]

Our Lord made a number of allusions to the Last Days during His earthly ministry, according to the Gospels. Immediately after the condemnation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 for their focus on the letter of the Law at the expense of its spirit, he proceeds to discuss the Fall of Jerusalem and the Last Days. Matthew 24 and 25 are devoted to these two subjects, which our Lord's discourse covers together. (I should mention that some Modernist scholars conclude that Jesus expected the Last Days to come hard on the heels of the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD; this view is rightly disclaimed by all Catholic theologians and most other Christians as well. However, it is within the bounds of acceptable Biblical discourse, I think, to suggest that either Matthew confuted our Lord's FoJ and LD prophesies in compiling his Gospel, or people reading his intertwined account of our Lord's teachings on these two events are prone to confute them.)

Beyond this, we have two specific statements from him: 1) No one knows the time of the Day of the Lord but the Father, not even Christ (during His earthly ministry); 2) Therefore, we are commanded to Be Ready.

This instruction -- not to try to second-guess the Lord's timing, but to rather be about His work and in a state of grace -- strikes me as the most practical advice possible to Christians of all communions as regards matters eschatological.

It would be most interesting to know what the third, sealed Fatima prophecy has to say on this most controverted of doctrinal topics.

I think it appropriate to close out with the Episcopal Church collects appointed for the four Sundays of Advent, as appropriate prayers for us all on the topic. Perhaps someone with access to a Catholic lectionary might post the Catholic equivalents.

First Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.



Fourth Sunday of Advent

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

[InnerPhyre]

The reign of the Immaculate Heart is upon us. As she puts it....."watch now, little children"