All Articles For Signs of the Times

Recently, I (and I assume all the clergymen of our area) received a special mailing from G.R.A.C.E. (the ecumenical council of clergymen and rabbis in Grand Rapids) encouraging participation in a “hunger week” beginning last April 13. This was designed to make people aware of the hunger problem in the world as well as to raise monies to help relieve the problem. Enclosed: in this appeal was a suggested Bulletin insert for the Sunday of April 13, entitled, “The Shakertown Pledge.” I do not know how many churches actually printed that in their bulletins. Probably many did.

Well, this is the last article that you will read written by the undersigned, at least for awhile. For the next twelve articles in this rubric you must look to Rev. Bruinsma and Rev. Koole. It is my prayer that you who took the time to read my articles might have been edified by them. And further, it is my prayer that you who take the time to read the future articles written by my colleagues might also be edified by them. I am confident that you will be. 

“…unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate.”

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. Several years ago—around eight—there was much “to do” in Reformed writing and circles on the topic of the second coming of Christ. As Y2K approached, there was among the population in general a nervousness. In many Christian circles there was much misunderstanding and fear, and along with this came a torrent of erroneous teaching concerning the second coming of Christ and the end of the world. And we Reformed people responded in our writing, teaching, and witnessing by presenting the biblical teaching on the timing of Christ’s coming,...

That we live in what the Bible calls “the last time” there simply can be no question. The signs of Christ’s coming about which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to us in a passage such as Matthew 24 are all being fulfilled: wars and rumors of wars, nation rising up against nation, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. All these are occurring today in ever greater measure.

The last time: how are we living? Are we living in these last times by partaking of the king’s meat? Do we like the king’s meat? Do we find that it is desirable and that it tastes delicious? If our answer to those questions is yes, then we, you and I, are simply not living in these last times as we should. To put it bluntly, if our answer to those questions is yes, then we, you and I, are in deep spiritual trouble. We are in deep spiritual trouble. We are in deep spiritual trouble exactly because the Word...

In the last article on signs of the times we began a consideration of various signs in the realm of our society. It was pointed out that these signs, while not perhaps as noticeable or spectacular as those in the realm of nature, are nonetheless very significant for us. And just because they are often overlooked, the importance of seeing and understanding them needs emphasis. 

Last time we began to examine some of the factors which are helping to produce social unity, and pointed out that the women’s liberation movement is one social factor that has done much to strengthen the trend toward this unity. We concluded that this movement is one of the signs of the times in the area of society, and that the result of this phenomenon (and others) will be the antichristian kingdom. 

In the light of the teaching of the Scriptures, particularly the visions of Revelation 13, we have been examining various aspects of signs of the times as they become manifest in society. We have stressed the idea that in order for the antichristian kingdom to become a reality, there must be, as much as possible, uniformity in society, and a general equality among mankind.

In Revelation 6:5-6 we find the narrative of the opening of the third seal in the general context of the signs that point to and bring the coming of the end of all things. The content of that seal is a rider upon a black horse, which rider holds in his hand a pair of balances or measuring scales.