(Continued-Chapter 2 -The Signs of the Times)

According to these young people it is socially acceptable for young folk to have premarital sexual intercourse. A French scholar observed that freedom of sexual intercourse between young men and women is fully accepted in America.

A few years ago, a Danish psychiatrist wrote that she had interviewed hundreds of women of her country about sex matters. Of the ones she talked with, only 1.4 per cent were still virgins when they married. In 1963 eight per cent of the births in Denmark were illegitimate. Abortion is legal in Denmark.

A U.N. correspondent revealed that among teenagers on the East European scene, sex experiences are casual. in Hungary in 1961 there were 20 percent more abortions than natural births. In Budapest hospital abortions outnumbered natural births four to one during that year.

Pornographers are working fervently stimulating sexual promiscuity in our society. Their filthy and wicked pictures, literature and devices are getting into the hands of thousands of youngsters. It is reported that one firm in Los Angeles, California, dealing in pornographic materials spent $225,000 for one mailing. Read the article in February 1964 issue of Reader's Digest, "The Battle Against Mail-Order Pornography."

Present-day sexual promiscuity certainly indicates that we are living in the end of this age. Jesus taught, "As were the day's of Noah" so shall it be in the end of the age. Sexual promiscuity flourished in Noah's day, as it is recorded in Genesis 6:4: The Nephilim were if the earth in those days, and also after that when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

Very sobering information is given in one of Dr. Peale's articles. He wrote that "Professor J.D. Unwin of Cambridge University . . . made a study of 80 civilizations ranging over a period of 4,000 years and concluded that a society either chooses sexual promiscuity and decline, or sexual discipline, which produces a surge of creative energy. Wrote Dr. Unwin, 'Any human society is free to choose either to display great energy, or sexual freedom; the evidence is that they cannot do both for more than one generation.'" Since the present generation has chosen to follow immorality, there is little hope that the next generation will not follow in their footsteps. "Like father, like son."

Educators, sociologists, and theologians recognize that no previous generation of young people has had such an enormous and detailed amount of information made available to it concerning scientific facts. And probably none has been left so ignorant of, and so undisciplined in, ethical behavior. Also, there has never been a time in history when man was so free to perform the dictates of his own mind.

It is frightening to realize this, for a growing number of young people are using their God-given power to exercise their intelligence and make their own decisions, and they are doing so independently of God, Who is the source of all wisdom and righteousness. These are becoming victims of the orgy of open-mindedness. Seeds of uncontrolled indulgence are being planted in the minds of many, and are producing an enormous crop of freethinkers.

It has been predicted that society may come up with a "new moral code". If the present trend continues, any "new moral code" that society may adopt will be founded on the standards of godless freethinkers. Such a code would be far below the wholesome and uplifting moral code given in God's Word, the Bible.

In Noah's day godless society formed its own moral code, so that it is written of them, "the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Jesus taught: "As were the days of Noah" so shall it be in the end of the age. In the end days more and more men will cast off moral restraint and immorality will be rampant.

The Bible prophesies that a generation will arise with its own moral code--everyone's actions will be pure in his own eyes. In Proverbs 30:11-14 it is written:

11 There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their 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 as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

Is the generation described above living today? It is frightening to think what its "moral code" will be.

In addition to the increase in crime, and the decline in morality, more and more men and women are becoming obsessed with the desire for personal gain, material things, and pleasures of this world. The next time you read your newspaper, compare the following quotation with the day's news. This was written over 1900 years ago, yet the author describes perfectly our present-day society.

3 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these turn away, 6 For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (II Timothy 3:1-7).

These seven signs of the times indicate that we are living in the closing days of the present age. Besides these, the Bible prophesies other signs that will be manifest during the last days. According to the Bible, demonism will flourish in the last days. Faith in God will become rare. Atheists will increase in number. Scoffers at the truth that the Messiah of Israel is coming will grow in number. Extraordinary catastrophes in nature--great storms, tidal waves, monsoons, etc.--are to be expected in the last days.

The Bible also teaches that there will be a breakdown in family life among the Jews in the end days. Early in 1964, Mr. Maccabee, editor, Jewish Information, wrote,

While our culture should strive to accept the best from that of our neighbors, we should reject and resist the worst, such as: The trend toward broken homes and divorce. Although our standards are still higher than that of our non-Jewish neighbors, the trend seems to be downward. The trend toward illegitimacy, juvenile delinquency and violence unheard of among the closely knit Jewish communities in the Europe of yesteryear.

The Lord said, "Behold, I will send you [Jews] Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah [the Tribulation] come. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:5,6).

The Bible is the infallible Word of God. It is true, and it will be fulfilled before our eyes. Most of the signs of the end times, which were prophesied in the Bible centuries ago, are becoming a reality today. If only one or two of these signs were evident, it would be impossible for us to say with assurance, "This is the end of the age." However, practically all of these are occurring simultaneously today; this is ample evidence that we are living near the end of the age and the Time of Jacob's Trouble is approaching.

The signs of the times definitely show that we are living in the last days of this age. In the not too distant future an unprecedented time of trouble is coming upon the world. Therefore, it is important for every man, woman and young person to know what is in store in the terrible time that lies ahead.

The remainder of this book sets forth God's purpose in sending His judgments upon the world, tells His way of escape from that terrible time, and gives a comprehensive account of what the Bible teaches about the Tribulation--the Time of Jacob's Trouble.