The time between Malachi and Jesus’ ministry is often referred to as the “Intertestamental Period.” Members of the Protestant community call it the “400 Silent Years” because it is believed to have been a span of time where God revealed nothing new to his people. FOUR HUNDRED years when God was virtually silent. No prophets… no word from God… for 400 YEARS!

There was another time of religious ambiguity known as “The Dark Ages.” Classical Antiquity long considered the “dark” age for its lack of Christianity. Since the 20th century, it is frequently applied to the earlier part of the era, the Early Middle Ages (c. 5th–10th century)… 500 years.

There have been times of moral degradation in America. In the 1700s immoral premarital sex was rampant. There was a reason it was called the “Wild West,” and “The Roaring 20s.” Both had infamous outlaws, gangsters, and moral decay of significant degree. More recently the 60s was a time of rebellion and significant immorality.

My point is this… America has had times of moral decline and decay. There have also been times in history when God was silent and the church was debauched (The Inquisitions {Click and click} for example). Ever so often Christians have been SURE Jesus’ return was next because of either decline or events related to Israel (As with the “Six Day War” and the “Yom Kippur War”). Hal Lindsey wrote a book in the 70s titled “The Late Great Planet Earth” strongly suggesting the return of Christ would happen any day! Another book was written in 1987 titled “88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be In 1988” (It didn’t happen).

Could it be there will be another time of God’s silence? Is it possible for there to be another “Dark Ages” in our future? Could we be entering a moral decline similar to what has been seen before? (ASIDE: Which is a great precursor to revival). And if these things are possible, how are we to understand them?

There is a passage to consider having to do with the return of Christ. I close with it for contemplation… it is written in 2 Thessalonians 2:2-5 there are TWO things that WILL happen BEFORE Jesus returns…

(Do) not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless (1) the rebellion comes first, and (2) the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?