In the last days perilous timies shall come

     

 “These are the times that try men’s souls.”   Thomas Paine 1776

I’m pretty sure that you’ve heard the above quotation spoken before and I thought it sort of appropriate to cite at the beginning of my year-end message to be considered.  I’ll come back to it in a few moments for an additional thought but first, let’s discuss some things that currently are being witnessed in our societal lives.

If I had to choose a scripture that I feel is fitting to the events and times relative to this passing year, especially events of late, two of them come readily to my mind.  I’m sure that you can probably come up with others that match your take on the year, but these are the ones that my mind favors.

First, I recall these words written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy for the purpose of alerting us to a time that would someday be upon us and I see them as relating to the words of Thomas Paine cited above.  Paul wrote: “This know also, that in the last days perilous timies shall come.”  (2Tim. 3:1)   I suppose that things could become more perilous than they are right now, but I’m not sure how.

My second chosen scripture fitting to my thoughts today comes from the words of Isaiah, the Prophet:  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”  (Isa. 5:20)   Maybe it’s just me that feels like the world has turned upside-down, but I doubt that.  Allow me to touch on some of the things that cause me to think this way, which in turn, causes me to write the words of this editorial today.

One thought that relates to the “perilous times” and the calling of “good for evil” and vice-versa was the recent release of a Senate report about the so-called “torture of prisoners” by a government agency.  The prisoners involved were captured members of an organization that killed thousands of Americans on 9-11-01 and has continued on with the slaughter of innocent people to this very day.  All supposedly in the name of their religion.

Now let’s see, they crash airplanes into buildings to kill people; they kill anyone who differs in religious opinion with them using the most barbaric methods imaginable up to and including public beheadings.  They show absolutely no regard for the life of anyone opposing their way of thinking and yet, according to this “report,” the pouring of water on their face and the depriving them of sleep is torture.  It’s as if the “reporters” are calling the ones charged with protecting us from the barbarians “evil” and thus, by comparison, the truly “evil” become the “good.”

But probably the most prevalent example we can look at of “upside-downness” in our society is the ongoing anti-police movement.  And I’m fully aware that the majority of people are not involved in this movement, however the news media, by the way they report it, almost seem to portray it as such.  You get the idea that everyone is protesting.

So what are we seeing in this action that fits with Isaiah’s words?  We see the police out there doing there jobs protecting everybody in their jurisdiction from the “evil doers” who would harm them in any way possible and the thugs and robbers plying their “trade.”   And when confronted by the authority of the law, physically resist arrest, sometimes to the point that they are killed due to their actions.

And, not only are those who perpetrate evil resisting the legal authorities, the 13th chapter of Romans tells us that, in so doing, they are resisting God.   In this situation that police officer, while lawfully doing his duty, is “the minister of God” and that “he does not bear the sword in vain.”  (Rom. 13:4)   There is a reason that police officers carry weapons and it’s because sometimes the ultimate measure has to be taken to preserve a life.  And I will say further that, having spent a career in enforcing the law, no police officer wants to take the life of another person, but yet that is how they are currently being portrayed.

So, now we’ve got the “evil doers” resisting authority being called “good” and the police officers (the good) being called “evil.”  And that’s exactly what the protestors, and those whose lives are seemingly devoted to fomenting and exploiting situations for their own benefit, are bringing about, IE: the turning “good into evil” and “evil into good.”

Here’s another situation that connects in my mind to both the “perilous times” and the reversing of “good and evil.”  I’m speaking of the moral decay of our society.  We have a growing-in-number segment of society who not only accept homosexuality and same-sex marriage, but promote it.  Just bears out the old saying that “what one generation tolerates the next embraces.”  But, don’t we see the “calling of good, evil and the evil, good” here too?

Even on the federal government level we see this “reversal.”   There are a lot of people who believe that the government should operate in accordance with The Constitution.  These are not people who are criminals.  They are totally law-abiding citizens who try to do things open and lawfully. 

But, they are looked upon by agencies of the government as somehow treasonous to expect the federal government to be responsible and abide by The Constitution.  They’re seen as being “evil” and must somehow be silenced even though they’re only promoting “good.”  Now, let me explain, I am not involved in any such movement or group, but I do watch the news and I’m only expressing my opinions on what I’ve seen taking place.

Yes, it’s been an interesting year in a lot of respects, hasn’t it?  Like all years before it, there’s been the highs and lows.  There’s been the “good” and the “bad.”  But one thing we must strive for in the future is to always “rightly divide” the “good and the bad.”  Let’s always keep the “good good” and the “evil evil.” 

And, as far as “perilous times,” the world has always had them and will have them as long as God allows this world to exist.  Plus, we have to recognize that we are now living in “the last days” and we certainly know that we’re living in “perilous times.”

Knowing all of this reminds us that we must stay strong in our faith and our duty, not only to God, but also our fellow man.  We can’t opt out of our duty to either in standing up for “good” and despising “evil” and in keeping them in the proper order.  I told you that we’d come back to the words of Thomas Paine before we closed and here is how we’ll do it.

I’m going to give you the rest of his statement after he mentioned the “times that try men’s souls” and, at least in my mind, they directly relate to what I just said in the above paragraph.  He said further: “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

Yes, our “souls” are “tried” on a daily basis, but neither God nor our country is benefitted by a “summer soldier” or a “sunshine patriot.”  And, in further regards to “perilous times,” I leave you today with the words of Jesus Christ:   “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:31)

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey