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Discussion » Questions » Religion and Spirituality » Are we living in the last days?

Are we living in the last days?

https://tv.jw.org/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwb_201706_9_VIDEO

 Morality in the Last Days (2 Tim. 3:13)


2 Tim 3:1-5,13; 2 Pet 3:1-5; Matt 24; Luke 21; Mark 13

Posted - June 24, 2017

Responses


  • 2657
    Quote: [Absolutely.  But not the end as most people think of the end.  This is the end of the world as we know it.   This is not the end of the physical planet or the end of the world as you may think of it.

    We are currently undergoing significant change and it is happening so rapidly at present, that the end of life as we are used to it is upon us. ]



    I agree, thank you for your answer.
      June 26, 2017 9:23 AM MDT
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  • 46117
    Okay.   And just so you know I Do NOT believe in the Bible.  I don't believe like its a fairy tail.  I understand the concepts of all Bibles written.  I don't ascribe to THE BIBLE. Because?  There is NO The Bible.  There are a lot of Bibles. 

    I believe in the underlying message.  I believe Prophets were seers, visionaries and they were definitely connected with the thoughts of the Source.  But they were still putting words into what cannot be described.  The unseen.  And they were trying to define it for all times.

    Well, the trouble with that is that men are fallible and men transcribed the Bible, twisted it, turned it, left passages out that inconvenienced them and basically bastardized some of the chief truths in the Bible.

    In order to understand the Bible, we need to look at all bibles.  We need to read what was handed down in other parts of the world.  America is a little teeny dot on the planet compared to what else is around.  India was here long before Jerusalem and Jesus Christ. 

    Jesus learned from his travels in Kashmir much of what he taught.   The Bible was truly a work of many visionaries, but so was the Bhagavad Gita and the Q'ran.  Each according to the law of the land it was written in.  Each according to the times it was written.    Much of what needs to be taken from the Bible is to seek within and find God. 

    That is the only Bible we need if we live a good and true life connected with God each day.

    And please don't site me any freaking passages.  I won't read that drivel.
      June 26, 2017 10:17 AM MDT
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  • 2657
    Funny that in some threads you condemn me for doing research on the Bible then in other threads like this one you seem to think that I haven't done enough research on the Bible. Go figure? Often when you see texasescimo in threads in the religion section of answermug, you are going to see some verses from the Bible. If it is really that bothersome to you, you might wan't to avoid post from texasescimo, unless you are a glutton for punishment.

    I know very little of Sai Baba. A quick search reveals some David Copperfield type tricks. I don't tell you that you cannot post anything about him. Does he give you hope for the future?
      June 26, 2017 1:43 PM MDT
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  • .

    7335
    For many these ARE the last days.  People who won't get that second chance because when they were ready it didn't come around.  Right now I know a group of people that have dedicated their lives to helping those who can't or haven't learned how to help themselves.  This group of dedicated volunteers led by a husband and wife who have donated their time and money for over 21 years.
    A well established outreach, they want to give so much more, Job placement for one.  They found a larger building that will suit their needs well. Such a worthy need.  Those who can help, haven't.  I just don't understand how anyone who has the capability to help so many, can stand by and idly watch "life happen" and not do something about it.  It is very frustrating to me.  Meanwhile how many are lost forever.  
      June 24, 2017 12:37 PM MDT
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  •   World events are heating up!” “The beast of Revelation is about to burst onto the world scene!” Such statements are typical of the buzz phrases Bible prophecy pundits use to get people excited. The truth is, of course, that world events have always been hot. There is always a nation planning to attack another nation, there have always been despots brutalizing their subjects, and freedom fighters have always harassed armies and terrorized civilians. These have all been going on from the dawn of civilization. The only difference today is that the world is more crowded,  and weapons exist today that can destroy vast numbers of people in a single exchange. But the “heat” of human conflict has always been present. 

     Likewise, “The beast of Revelation is about to burst onto the world scene” is an emotion-stirring statement. But once again, it is a meaningless one. The person making the statement purports to know something that no one else knows, namely, exactly who or what is the beast of Revelation, and exactly when this who or what will make itself known to the world. The truth is, the person actually knows neither, and is simply making the statement to sound dramatic, get people excited, and pawn himself or herself off as speaking for God, which they are not. 

      What does Jesus say about this? Jesus could not have been plainer about people, believers included, knowing when he would return. He said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Some prophecy “experts” say they understand we can’t know the day nor the hour, but we can, they say, know the year, or the month, or the week. Nice try, but such reasoning only points up the human tendency to prefer the exciting over the truth.  Jesus was not playing word games; he was saying that no one would know in advance of his coming. What many people don’t understand is that “When?” is not the central point of Bible prophecy. The central point of prophecy is “Who?”

      What are we supposed to be doing while we wait for Jesus to return? We’re supposed to be loving one another and loving our neighbors. We’re supposed to be living and sharing the gospel. We’re not supposed to be obsessing over whether Jesus will return in this generation. Get on with life, forget about your charts and timetables. They are worthless, and worse than worthless, because they divert your attention from what really matters. Where are we now in prophecy? Right where every Christian has always been, or at least should be — about our Father’s business.
      June 24, 2017 1:47 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    From here? https://www.gci.org/CO/prophecy


    I
     think that we were giving warnings about what to expect and what to do for a reason. It seems that Jesus, Peter and Paul wanted us to know. Not sure why the author of that article wants to be critical of the scriptural warnings?

    (2 Peter 3:3, 4) First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.”
    (Luke 21:34-36) “But pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you 35 as a snare. For it will come upon all those dwelling on the face of the whole earth. 36 Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that must occur and in standing before the Son of man.”
    (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8) Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape. 4 But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as it would thieves, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness. 6 So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But as for us who belong to the day, let us keep our senses and put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as a helmet
    (Romans 13:11) And do this because you know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers.
    (1 Peter 4:7) But the end of all things has drawn close. Therefore, be sound in mind, and be vigilant with a view to prayers.

    (2 Timothy 3:1-5) But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.
    (2 Timothy 3:13) But wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.
    (2 Peter 3:1-5) Beloved ones, this is now the second letter I am writing you in which, as in my first one, I am stirring up your clear thinking faculties by way of a reminder, 2 that you should remember the sayings previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” 5 For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God;


      June 26, 2017 9:37 AM MDT
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  • 22891
    seems like it
      June 24, 2017 1:56 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    Yes it does. Reading the cited verses and watching the news seem to go hand in hand.
      February 24, 2018 3:23 AM MST
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  • 5808
    .....Maybe we are living in the last days of Ignorance?
    The time is here for people 
    that are living in the illusion and believing it to be true
    to wake up.
    ...Gradually they are...with one person at a time
    seeing through the illusion of the untruth of
    who we think we are to the truth 
    of who we really are
    with the enlightening experience
    of God existing within us as us.
      June 24, 2017 8:21 PM MDT
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  • 32663
    Yes, I do believe we are in the End times, the time just before Jesus returns. 
    I know people have been saying that for centuries but the said it in ignorance. Israel  was not a country again at those times. It only came to be in 1948. 
    Also it was not until  1776 that the US came to be and it is one of the countries listed that will be on Earth in the time of Jesus' return. (US, Britain, Germany, and the European Union) The EU is even more recently.
    It will not be tonight or tomorrow as not all prophecy has been fulfilled yet.

    This post was edited by my2cents at June 25, 2017 6:42 AM MDT
      June 24, 2017 8:30 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    We agree that we are in the end times.


    Do you agree about the world powers that had an affect on God's people are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome?
    https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2012442?q=copper+greece+beast&p=par

    Who do you think the two horns in Revelation 13:11-15 represent?

    Do you think that the United States of America collaborated with Britain to form the Anglo-American dual world power? This post was edited by texasescimo at June 28, 2017 2:28 PM MDT
      June 26, 2017 9:39 AM MDT
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  • 32663
    Yes, I believe those are empires. And they are represented in the statue in the dream. 
    I believe the beast of Rev 13:11 is the false prophet. 
    I do not believe the US will be involved with the one world government. Because looking at the beast of the world government the eagle wings are not there. The seven headed beast is Lion (no eagle wings), Leopard (4 of the heads), the Bear, and the ten horned beast like no other. 
      June 28, 2017 2:25 PM MDT
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  • 1393
    Perhaps you could shed some light on your statements "Israel  was not a country again at those times. It only came to be in 1948." 

    1- Why "again"? Was Israel ever a country before, for it to be a country again?

    2- Israel has been created by the ethnic cleansing of the Christians and Muslims who lived there for centuries by Zionists and their supporters who had been living in other countries for centuries and had never before set foot on that land. That is a very big injustice. Does your God approve of huge injustices?


      June 27, 2017 3:33 PM MDT
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  • 32663
    Yes, Israel was a kingdom/nation/country complete with it's own King. King Saul, King David, King Solomon.....
    It is believed the first Kingdom of Israel was established approx 11th century BC. 

      June 27, 2017 5:35 PM MDT
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  • 1393
    1- The claim that a country called Israel existed before, is that claim supported by the Bible?

    2- Here are some facts:

    a] “Between 3000 and 1100 B.C., CANAANITE civilization covered what is today Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon and much of Syria and Jordan.."

    b] “The extended kingdoms of David and Solomon, on which the Zionists base their territorial demands, endured for only about 73 years...Then it fell apart...[The independent kingdom was not revived, but even] if we allow independence to the entire life of the ancient Jewish kingdoms, from David’s conquest of Canaan in 1000 B.C. to the wiping out of Judah in 586 B.C., we arrive at [only] a 414 year Jewish rule.” On that basis Muslims would have a much stronger claim to Spain, they ruled it for nearly EIGHT centuries.

    c] “Recent archeological digs have provided evidence that Jerusalem was a big and fortified city already in 1800 BCE...Findings show that the sophisticated water system heretofore attributed to the conquering Israelites predated them by eight centuries and was even more sophisticated than imagined...Dr. Ronny Reich, who directed the excavation along with Eli Shuikrun, said the entire system was built as a single complex by CANAANITES in the Middle Bronze Period, around 1800 BCE.” The Jewish Bulletin, July 31st, 1998
      June 27, 2017 7:01 PM MDT
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  • 32663
    1. Yes, the Bible declared a King of that Kingdom and before that there were the Judges.
    2. Of course the Cannites were there first that is who Joshua defeated to take the land that God promised to Abraham...the land of milk and honey. 
    Again as I have explained....wars have consequences. 
      June 28, 2017 2:36 PM MDT
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  • 1393
    1- I assume you found verses in the Bible to a land named israel. i was expecting you to at least give a reference to the verse.

    2- So the claim to the land is not based on Jewish rule over that land in olden times because we know that that rule lasted for only about 73 years. By repeating "wars have consequences" in our discussion about the justification of Israel occupying Palestine I assume you are saying it is justified in international law to acquire land through war. So why did the US cry foul and intervene when Iraq did a military take over of Kuwait? And are Afghanistan and iraq now part of the USA?

    3- Is your God against evil and immorality or is He against certain races of people?
      June 30, 2017 4:00 AM MDT
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  • 1326
    Absolutely,  unequivocally, we are now in the end of the end. Each day brings us closer to the day of armageddon. (Revelation 16:16)
      June 25, 2017 11:38 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    Thank you for your answer Autumnleaves. It may be seem to be delaying to human eyes, but the day is set. 

    (Habakkuk 2:3) For the vision is yet for its appointed time, And it is rushing toward its end, and it will not lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it! For it will without fail come true. It will not be late!
    (Acts 17:31) Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.”
    (Acts 10:42) Also, he ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witness that this is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
      June 26, 2017 9:42 AM MDT
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  • 1326
    Those that refuse to listen to the warning don't realize that they are fulfilling part of the prophecy, just like in the days of Noah. (Matthew 24:38,39)
      June 26, 2017 11:31 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    Yup, Noah warned as many as he could but they didn't listen then either.
    (2 Peter 3:3-6) First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” 5 For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; 6 and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water.
    (2 Peter 2:5) And he did not refrain from punishing an ancient world, but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, safe with seven others when he brought a flood upon a world of ungodly people.
      June 27, 2017 5:25 AM MDT
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  • 2217
    Ask again next millenium 
      June 26, 2017 3:20 PM MDT
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  • 1393

    Are we living in the last days?

    =========================

    What IS certain, has always been certain and cannot be denied by anyone is that each one of us is on an unstoppable conveyor belt headed towards death. We’re all living in our own last days. We should focus on that certainty and do what good we can in the time we have remaining.



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      June 27, 2017 4:01 PM MDT
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  • 2657
    Somehow your post here supposedly addresses this:
    So then you recognize at least one thing somewhat worse than in times past, yes? 
    Did you miss the rest of my post?

    I think that it's only been within the last century that the world has ever seen world wars, a billion abortions, televised beheadings, atom bombs, nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, planes flying in to buildings, global terrorism, and all of that is just one aspect.
    (Revelation 6:4) Another came out, a fiery-colored horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword.

    Does that seem normal to you?
      June 27, 2017 5:54 PM MDT
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  • 1393
    Obviously it is not your answer to the the main question, but it IS an answer to the question "Are we living in the last days?"

    If that question is seen as synonymous to "Is the end near?" then the answer "Nearer than it was yesterday" is quite true.
      June 27, 2017 7:13 PM MDT
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