It was laid to the charge of the Pharisees and Sadducees by the Saviour that whereas they were adept at reading the face of the sky in order to forecast the weather they were very backward when it came to discerning the signs of the times. In the light of Scripture all the signs of the Messiah were being fulfilled in Him. They were seeing and hearing such things as many prophets and kings had desired to see and hear in their own day but had not done so, the time for their fulfilment having not yet arrived. In answer to John the Baptist’s query, “Art thou He that should come, or look we for another?”, the Saviour merely drew attention to the miracles, wonders and signs which showed that He was the one approved of God and that Scripture was being fulfilled before the very eyes of men. If we, guided by Scripture, discern aright the signs of the times we live in our duty in these circumstances ought to be plain enough to us.
Paul writing to those in Rome who were “beloved of God, called to be saints,” seemed to take it for granted that they were exercising their spiritual discernment in taking stock of their surroundings and cognizance of the nature and character of the period or season in which they had been allotted their portion. Having directed attention to the duties owed to the civil magistrate and the obligation they were under to perform all social and relative duties, he further wrote, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep . . .” Here we have, of course, the mind of Christ and what Paul wrote is of perpetual obligation being an integral part of that Word which reveals to us what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of men.
In knowing the time they were bound to recognise it as one of Gospel privileges. The same is true of our day. The righteousness of God without the law is now manifested; He is declaring at this time His righteousness. The Gospel reveals it. Christ in the glory of His person and finished work is set before men but on taking stock we fear that they are but few who are seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. For the most part, Gospel hearers are made up of those who give every appearance of being asleep in the grave of spiritual death. It is high time, the very hour, when such should awake. “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” Even the professing Church seems in large measure to be lulled into a wise-virgin-like slumber. To it these words are particularly addressed. Knowing the time and realising the preciousness of Gospel privileges it is high time to awake in order to watch and pray.
The present time is one of conflict. The same enemies are abroad as in Paul’s day and still endeavouring, however much in vain, to separate believers from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord. Believers in Ephesus were also reminded of this conflict: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We cannot both sleep and withstand in the evil day, or emerge out of the conflict “more than conquerors”, without having girded on and proved the worth of the whole armour of God. The warrior does not put on his armour to sleep in it. Bunyan’s Christian slept in the pleasant arbour located midway to the top of the Hill Difficulty and in doing so lost his roll. He experienced much distress and sorrow before eventually recovering it. However mountainous the difficulties and numerous the enemies the Christian’s victory through Him that loved him is sure. “The sufferings of this present time are not to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us”. The time is short and so is the triumphing of the wicked.
The falling away or apostasy spoken of by Paul in Second Thessalonians continues in our time. The “mystery of iniquity” was already at work when he wrote but the “Wicked” was not to be revealed until the Roman Emperor was taken out of the way. That “man of sin, the son of perdition” has now long since come on the scene and continues to sit “in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” So strong is the delusion in 1985 that we find the Roman Pontiff held in almost universal regard as the foremost Christian of our day and the apostate Church of Rome as the Christian church. The Rome-ward trend in the Church of England has now almost brought it within the embrace of “the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet colour”. We are to pray, “Arise O God, plead thine own cause!” How easy for Him by an outpouring of His Spirit to bring to nothing the many false religions of our day and to gather in the nations of the world to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. On fulfilment shall be plainly understood what Paul meant in describing Israel’s restoration: “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” Knowing the time, his heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved. We do not know how far spent the long night of apostasy nor how near at hand the dawn of the millennial day but we do know that He who has determined the times and seasons would have us pray: “Thy kingdom come”.