HL: We Live In A Generation That Has Turned From Solid, Unchangeable Truth To A Quicksand Of Lies; ‘goblin mode’ Oxford Dictionaries’ ‘word of the year’; Jesus’ return?


COGwriter

A reader sent me a link to the following by Hal Lindsey:

We Live In A Generation That Has Turned From Solid, Unchangeable Truth To A Quicksand Of Lies

December 5, 2022

Any time we approach the end of a particularly tumultuous year, we look forward to the next year as a return to “normal.” But at this point, the old normal no longer exists. 2023 looks like a continuation of the last few years, only worse.

Sin deluges our society in countless ways. Consider this one. We live in a generation that has abandoned truth. The word now depicts an emotion. It’s about “how I feel about things,” rather than what is really so. Jesus spoke of truth as a foundation — something dependable that you can safely build on. But the people of our time portray truth as malleable. They speak of “Your truth,” and “My truth,” as different things.

But real truth does not change from person to person. Our understandings may be different, but truth is truth whether we understand it or not. People who devalue truth make themselves vulnerable to things like fake news, fraud, duplicity, hypocrisy, treachery, manipulation, cunning, guile, and just plain lying. Jesus prophesied that the last days would be a time of deception, and here we are.

Romans 1:25 speaks of a people who “exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” They turn from solid, unchangeable truth to a quicksand of lies. Verse 28 says God gives such people over to “a depraved mind.” …

When respected and influential members of society openly teach such abominations, we have moved into perilous times. More than that, we are raising children in perilous times. https://harbingersdaily.com/we-live-in-a-generation-that-has-turned-from-solid-unchangeable-truth-to-a-quicksand-of-lies/

The evangelical Protestant writer Hal Lindsey is probably best known for writing a book titled The Late Great Planet Earth decades ago. That book went into various aspects of prophecy–many of which were in error–as well as several items Hal Lindsey currently erroneously teaches (see, for example, Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected?).

That said, yes, we live in perilous times. That was prophesied by the Apostle Paul:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Now as far as being “lovers of themselves” goes, notice Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year:

Oxford Dictionaries names ‘goblin mode’ its word of the year

December 5, 2022

Oxford Dictionaries said Monday that “goblin mode” has been selected by online vote as its word of the year.

It defines the term as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”

First seen on Twitter in 2009, “goblin mode” gained popularity in 2022 as people around the world emerged uncertainly from pandemic lockdowns.

Despite being relatively unknown offline, goblin mode was the overwhelming favorite, winning 93% of the more than 340,000 votes cast. https://apnews.com/article/europe-oxford-e1ce91a4c56588c5ece25353cbe52810?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_09

Many in this generation being in ‘goblin mode’ is consistent with the Apostle Paul’s warning.

Notice also something from the Old Testament:

11 There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation — oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives, (Proverbs 30:11-14)

Yes, we a seeing a generation like that.

Notice something from the Protestant website called The Big Wobble:

Matt 24:22 If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Now, our military has a term for that scenario: it’s called “MAD” or Mutual Assured Destruction: We are “that last generation” spoken of in the Bible

We are without doubt the generation Jesus had in mind when he discussed the end times with His disciples in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13. A good example is in Matt 24:21; For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. “Nobody would be saved?” Now, our military has a term for that scenario: it’s called “MAD” or Mutual Assured Destruction. Yes, we could have a situation here in our generation with the threat of everyone on the planet in danger of being killed and is termed “MAD” by the powers that be. So as you can see, Jesus was right on the money in Matt 24:21. Never before in history has it been possible to kill everyone on the planet until now, so it’s safe to assume He was talking about us.

Another prophecy regarding “our” generation is mentioned in Daniel 12:4; “But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the “time of the end,” when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.” Rush here and there is a reference to how this generation can travel around the globe so easily and talk to each other globally on the “WorldWideWeb.” And not just our planet: if you consider, the first people to fly a plane were the Wright brothers in 1903, just 66 years later man had landed on the moon and just 100 years after that historic flight a spacecraft had visited every planet in our Solar System. As for knowledge increasing… The technology explosion has been insane. A guy called Buckminster Fuller created something called the Knowledge Doubling Curve. He noticed that until 1900 human knowledge doubled approximately every century but by the end of World War II, knowledge was doubling every 25 years. We are now doubling our knowledge in less than a year but, according to IBM, the tech company, we will soon be doubling our knowledge every 12 hours.

Jesus was indeed talking about “our generation in Luke 21: 10-11 he prophesied; 10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. …

“Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

The times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled when Jesus begins “His rulership” here on earth, (the 1,000 year Millenium Kingdom),

05/07/21 https://www.thebigwobble.org/2021/05/matt-2422-if-those-days-had-not-been.html

Yes, Jesus will return and establish the millennial Kingdom of God.

The efforts of governments, Big Tech, academia, and much of the media to attempt to redefine, censor, and distort truth is setting the stage for something else that is prophesied to happen in the last generation:

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12, KJV)

With all the limits on so-called “hate speech,” which in more and more Western lands includes quoting the Bible and/or teaching against sin, we are getting close to that time. See also: Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word.

Jesus said:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.  (Matthew 24:4-14)

33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near — at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  (Matthew 24:33-35)

As far as the beginning of sorrows goes, they are tied in with the ride of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Related to that, the Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

24:08

These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun

Are we at the time of the ride of at least some of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse? If so, are many prophecy watchers missing signs associated with them? History shows that authoritarian totalitarian regimes tend to arise after famines and/or pestilences. Those are events associated with three of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Could the beginning of sorrows, and the associated ride of the first horseman of false ecumenical religion, have started in the Fall of 2009? What is the significance of this rider having a bow? Is Satan the prince of the power of the air? Did Dr. Thiel warn of a prophetic threat of a “novel” coronavirus back in 2013? Could COVID-19 been related to the taking away the peace from the earth that is associated with the ride of the red horse, the second horsemen of war? What are some of the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict and the opening of the second seal? Was Amos inspired to write that God does nothing without revealing it to his servants the prophets? Who warned of these matters? The ride of the third horse, the black horse of famine and food price inflation–specifically wheat, barley, edible oils, and wine. Since Ukraine is a major exporter of the first three, could this, as well as fertilizer shortages, have anything to do with the ride of that horseman? The pale horse of the fourth seal mentions one-quarter of humankind being subject to being killed by the sword, hunger, and pestilence–will this be a factor in the rise of the Beast of Revelation 13? Is persecution associated with the start of the Great tribulation and the rise of the Beast? Why is the Beast going to be in charge of a European-based empire? Will the opening of the first four seals and the starts of the rides of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse get Europe to reorganize such as is prophesied in Revelation 17:12-13? What does Jesus say you should do? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this video.

Here is a link to our video: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.

It is the final generation of this age that experiences the beginning of sorrows and the ride of the four horsemen (and the opening of the first four seals). This looks to have possibly started in the Fall of 2009.

After the four horsemen have started, that will be followed by the opening of the fifth seal and the start of the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation is coming soon.

Jesus noted that the events in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 would all happen within the same generation. Perhaps that is as little as 20 years (cf. Exodus 38:26). Biblically, a generation was seemingly considered to be 30 or 40 years according to what appears to be Smith’s Bible Dictionary’s understanding of Job 42:16 (Smith W. Smith’s Bible Dictionary. Originally written 1863, Hendrickson Publishers, p. 211). Here is that scripture:

16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. (Job 42:16)

Essentially, 140 years divided by four generations equals what may be considered 35 years per generation, with 40 years more probable as that would make the grandchild of the last generation 20 years of age. 20 to 40 years from 2009, certainly seems to fit for the time of a generation.

Now, even if a generation is biblically longer, it would not seem to be over 70 years or at the most 80 years:

10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10)

80 years would seem to be the maximum possible length of a biblical generation–and that seems to long.

Now the book, whose cover is shown at the beginning of this post, points to 1948 as the start of the last generation. While that starting point is in error, using it would lead one to conclude that the last generation would end in no later than 2028 with Jesus’ second coming. Yet, since Jesus returns AFTER the tribulation per His words in Matthew 24:29-30, at this stage, that 2028 date is too soon for Jesus’ return.

Yet, 2028 is not too soon for a possible start date for the Great Tribulation.

We made a video related to that:

34:10

Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028?

Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it.

Here is a link to the video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028?

We are in the final generation.

But there will be sorrows and tribulation before Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom of God.

That said, some COGs do not believe that any of the seals of Revelation 6 are open and that apparently all will be opened within a very short, rapid, timeframe. However, if that was to be the case, then it would seem Jesus would not have needed to say that a generation would not pass away until all was fulfilled as that would basically make the timeframe from the start of the sorrows to Jesus’ return no more than 4-5 years (which “rapid succession” would imply). Jesus’ use of the term generation seemingly points to a longer period–more in the at least 20 year range.

For information on how close we are, you can also check out the article: Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or ? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Here is a link to shorter video made in 2022: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Here is a link to a related sermon: Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation. Some shorter related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2022, 2023, or 2024? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here are two related YouTube videos titled Final Phase of the Work: Need and Background and The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.



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