Bible Study with the Cincottis – The End Times – 06/28/2026
Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti.
Listen to our Bible Study Discussion at: The End Times
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The End Times
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in the time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Heb. 1:1,2
Welcome to the last days. “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” II Pet. 3:8. Imagine how many generations have passed who contemplated that they were living in the last days. Certainly, in recent times, many must have thought that World War I and World War II were it. Global conflict on a massive scale, and yet, here we are still. Every worldview has a notion as to what the end will look like. Just as surely as there was a beginning, there will have to be an end. It’s the law of entropy.
Today, we will examine what the Scriptures say about the end times without, somehow, falling into the trap of compulsive obsessing and caving into fear. Peter goes on to say, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…” II Pet. 3:9. Though we should be prepared for a thief, we know that any effort to predict when the thief will break in is futile. So let’s stop doing that. The Bible gives us substantial details, but no exact times.
Jacob speaks of the “last days” all the way back in Gen. 49:1 before he embarks to prophecy over his sons. Little did he know how much must yet come to pass. Daniel gives us a puzzle of end times events in chapter 9:24-27, speaking of “desolations.” Ezekiel weighs in with a vision of judgment ty the invasion of Gog and Magog, but a triumphant end in which the LORD says, “I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see my judgments which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.” 39:21; and also, “I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel.” 39:29. That language must sound familiar from Joel’s prophecy that Peter quotes, “And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and daughters shall prophesy…Jl. 2:28. Zechariah adds, “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming…Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two…” Zech. 14.
Jesus had much to say about the end. He speaks of, “great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Mt. 24:21. He also warns that, “many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Mt. 24:5… “false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Mt. 24:24. We should be more concerned about deception than about tribulation. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Mt. 24:35. His overarching prediction is that, “he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Mt. 24:13.
The apostle Paul gives us the language of the rapture when he says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” I Thes. 4:16,17. He goes on to say, “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” 5:3. Later, in
I Tim. 4:1 he says, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,”
All this sounds rather foreboding. It’s not surprising that fear would creep in. None of us wishes to endure such turmoil. Many already are. These descriptions speak of the enduring quality of man left to his own devices. It is evident that the depravity of man will crescendo towards the end, and literally, all hell will break loose. The good news is that there will be an end-times harvest of souls. In selections from Mt. 13, Jesus says, “the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels… Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Peter asks an interesting question, “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be..?”
That question is posed to us, too. Should we be scouring podcasts, building bunkers, stocking up on Ramen Noodles, shedding all possessions, and camping out on the Mount of Olives waiting for Jesus to return? Should we be running to end times conferences and criticizing the culture as going to “hell in a hand basket?” Should we be hiding under our beds with squinted eyes, hoping that this won’t hurt much? I don’t see a lot of weight for any of that in the Scriptures. Peter goes on to say, “…looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless...II Pet. 3:10-14
It will take some effort on our part to cultivate peace in such an atmosphere of turmoil. The only way to do this is to cultivate our relationship with Christ in such a manner that is honoring and glorifying to Him and satisfying to us. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper. Jesus said, “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” Mt. 24:40-42
I take this to mean that we should keep doing what you are doing. Unless, of course, what you are doing is sinning without any intent toward repentance. We should be conducting our lives as we should always be conducting our lives: exercising spiritual disciplines, cultivating our relationship with the Lord, quick and reticent to forgive offenses, extending a helping hand, pray, and stepping out in faith as the Lord leads us. Paul writes, in Gal. 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in well-dong, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, which follows Jesus long discourse on the end times, He said, “Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise too oil in their vessels with their lamps.” Mt. 25:3,4. Most commentators suggest that the oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. Our hope and aim in sanctification is to grow in the fruit of the Spirit that the gifts of the Spirit may be manifest more readily in us. Sanctification is submitting to God as He changes us into the image of His Son. No unrighteousness will dwell in His presence. God is faithful, He knows His own, and no one will snatch them out of His hand. Let’s not be foolish, though, and jump out of His hand, because He honors our freedom of choice.
The good news of the gospel is that there is salvation in no other name under heaven than the name of Jesus. He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Jn. 6:29
As things heat up, we will be tempted to veer away from the basics and to rush after end-times fervor. Keep in mind that for many of us, our end time may only be a moment away. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Live each day as if it were your last.” We will certainly have to up our game as depravity and demonic activity increase around us, but be ever mindful of this truth: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I Jn. 4:4
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