Scripture Passage: 1 John 2:18-29

The days are growing gloriously dark; the time is ripe for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

1 John 2:18-29 heeds three warnings to us as we near the rapture and Great Tribulation prophesied in the Book of Revelation.

First, we are living in the last days and we need to be awake.

“Little children, it is the last time....” (v. 18)

Ever since the ascension of Jesus Christ, we have been on the brink of His return. And because the signs of the revelation are here, we know the rapture must be very close.

When He raptures His church, He will come secretly, like a thief in the night; we must be spiritually awake.

Second, the antichrist is coming and we need to be aware.

“...and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” (v. 18)

There is a wicked, malevolent, ungodly person waiting to be revealed after the rapture of the church; he is called the antichrist. We must be aware that he is devilish, divisive, deceptive and destructive.

Third, our Lord is on His way and we need to be abiding.

“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye shall also continue in the Son, and in the Father.” (v. 24)

While living in the last days, we need to make ourselves at home in the word of God.

Now more than ever, we need to appreciate, appropriate, and assimilate Scripture.

We must make ourselves at home with the Spirit of God.

Adrian Rogers says, “Anything I can talk you into, somebody else can talk you out of; the one who teaches you is the Holy Spirit of God.”

Finally, we need to make ourselves at home with the very Son of God.

When Jesus comes for us, we shouldn’t have to be formally introduced. Rather, when we see Him face-to-face, it should feel like uniting with someone we’ve known heart-to-heart.

Apply it to your life
The signs of the upcoming revelation are all around us in these last days. Are you ready for Jesus to come? Are you awake and aware — are you abiding in Christ?