What explanation does the Bible give to the emergence of many religions, in our time? Why many preachers today, teach the so-called way to salvation? And why is it that, simultaneous with the upsurge of many religions and many religious preachers, is also the upsurge of wickedness and anomalies in various places? We will try to answer these questions with the use of the Bible.
For a start, let us pose this question: What particular Biblical period covers our time? Why do we have to ask this question? It is very important that a person becomes certain of the time, or period, stated in the Holy Scriptures, that covers his existence … for him to realize, also, what kind of period it is. From the very beginning of the history of mankind, until the would-be end of this world, all the important details about the PAST, the PRESENT, and the FUTURE are recorded in the Bible. The Bible contains a record of all the things that had happened, of the things that are happening, and of the things that will happen. This is what Revelations 1:19 says - “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”
If you noticed what the paragraph says, God is commanding St. John to write all the things that he saw. Therefore, this is one commandment that St. John abided by. God ordered him to write the things that had happened, the things that are happening at present, and the things that are yet to come, which were all shown to him. This is the reason why, whatever information we are seeking for, concerning faith, can all be learned from the Holy Scriptures. Now, let us find out from the Holy Scriptures what kind of period encompasses us. II Timothy says - “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
St. Paul was the one speaking here. And he was talking to Timothy, his fellow worker during the first century. He told him, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
Here, the Bible made reference to “the last days.” Why was it called “the last days?” It is because, these last days signal the coming end. When you say “the last days”, they refer to the forthcoming end. Why? Is there really such a thing as “last days,” or an end? In John 6:44 it says - “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
What we read earlier mentioned “the last days.” This time, it says “the last days.” Our Lord Jesus Christ said, all that were sent to Him by the Father will be risen by Him on the last day. The Bible is mentioning a “last day.” And whenever we say “the last days,” that means that, the very “last” is soon to come. And on that “last day””, as Christ said, He will rise again His servants, who had died.
And if we are going to refer to the Bible’s timetable, we are being covered by the “last days” that is spoken in the Holy Scriptures. And the reason why we are saying that, we are living in the last days, or in the days that are close to the end, is because of what Matthew 24:3-7 says - “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came upon him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
The Apostles were asking of a very significant event in the history of mankind, and that is, the end of the world. One of their questions pertained to the signs of the end of the world. And our Lord Jesus Christ answered them. “…Take heed that no man deceive you.”
Why do you think did He warn them to “take heed?” It is because many false Christ and false prophets shall come, and they shall show great signs and wonders. And if possible, they shall deceive even the very elect.
The birth of many religions today is one of the signs that the end is near. And each preacher, or minister, will claim that he is Christ. Actually, we are already witnessing its realization in our time, my fellowmen. We cannot deny this fact. Nowadays, there is an extensive effort on the part of the different religious organizations to propagate their faith. They have resorted to all possible means of preaching their faith: by boarding passenger buses, by going to market places and supermarkets, and by using the broadcast and print media. This is but a fulfillment of the pronouncement of our Lord Jesus Christ that, many false Christ shall come. And mind you, my fellowmen, they are many. Therefore, the appearance of many religions is one of the signs of the coming end.
What else did the paragraph say? “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilence, and earthquakes, in diverse places.” These are the signs of the coming end. And right now, we are witnessing how these prophecies are beginning to be realized, like the wars among nations, especially in some Middle East countries. And we are also aware that our fellowmen, from the different parts of the world, are suffering from famine and starvation. And also, the earthquakes that we experience today are not as frequent as the earthquakes previously recorded. Actually, even here in our own country, we also experience earthquakes quite more frequently. Do you know that earthquakes occurs everyday in various parts of the world? That is why we are definite that we are living in the last days – the time when our Lord Jesus Christ will comeagain to raise all of those who died following Him.
As he said in John 6:44 - “I will raise him up at the last day.” And when He said, when He comes, He will raise up His servants, He was, in effect, referring to the last day. And we are living within, what the Bible calls, the last days. However, these days do not refer to literal days. Please, do not get it wrong. The Bible’s interpretation of the “last days” is different from the people’s interpretation. For us, humans, a day is made up of 24 hours. (Sometimes, we associate a day with one complete revolution of the sun.) And as far as the Bible is concerned, the last days do not refer to the literal day, unlike how some people think.
Once again, let us read 2 Timothy 3:1-5 - “This know, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lover of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, truce breaking, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
These verses tell us of the signs that will mark the coming of the last day. The last days will be perilous, and men shall be lovers of their own selves. And these are all evident today. The people, nowadays, no longer care for their fellowmen. They only care for their own selves. They don’t care if their fellowmen are harmed, so long as they benefit from them. Let me give you a clear example.
There was a vast plantation of bitter gourd (ampalaya). When the owner of the plantation learned that the prices of bitter gourd had gone up, he immediately harvested his crops, even though he had just sprayed them with insecticide. The bitter gourd (ampalaya) were sold. Now, if the owner cares for his fellows, he should have waited first for several days before he harvests his crops, to allow the insecticide’s poison to subside. That way, the bitter gourd could safely be eaten. But, in his desire to earn a big amount of money, he sold them despite the hazard they pose to the people’s lives. This is a realization of what the Bible says, that, in the last days, people will be lovers of their own selves.
As what we have just read from the Bible, we are living in the last days … and these days will be perilous. And the worst peril that besets mankind today is the proliferation of false prophets and false Christs, whose aim is to deceive men. 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
The warning of St. John concerns us. It is in our time that the false Christs and the false prophets shall appear. And for this reason, we can say that, we are, indeed, living in a very perilous period. We might become victims of the deception of these false prophets and false Christs, which, according to the prophecy, will appear in the last days. But, why are they succeeding in deceiving many? In Matthew 24:24, our Lord Jesus Christ says - “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs of wonders; insomuch that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
In other words, the reason is, they are able to show great signs and wonders. That is why, it is no longer surprising to hear claims that they can heal the sick, and they can raise the dead. However, this is a big deceit! It is a blatant lie! They are the ones that our Lord Jesus Christ referred to as false preachers.
So, if we are really going to examine the present situation, we can very well say that, we are living in a period of deception. At present, the appearance of many false preachers has become very noticeable. You see them in every corner … you hear them over the radio and television … you can also read them in newspapers and magazines.