You may love him or hate him, but you cannot deny that Rush Limbaugh animates the national conversation. Because of his weekday on-air monologues, we have terms such as ""drive-by media," "feminazi," "the Ninth Circus Court of Appeals," "low-information voters," and "state-run media" in the American lexicon.
Rush Limbaugh can take a great deal of the credit for energizing conservative thought and action on the national political scene. He has the distinction of being the face the Left visualizes when it refers to the "vast right-wing conspiracy." According to the President, it would seem that Limbaugh, along with Fox News and George W. Bush, are the causes of the woes that seem to dog his administration.
Limbaugh came of age in the Ronald Reagan era. He has always seemed convinced that "morning in America" is coming soon. But maybe not Jesus.
Now by and large, I usually agree with what Rush Limbaugh says. And I always appreciate his political insight. He has an uncanny ability to identify the issue and articulate a conservative response.
However, in August he seemed to lose a bit of his grip on his optimism. He made a statement that struck a chord in me. Limbaugh said, "Every generation of people has among them a sizeable percentage who think they're in the last days. Every generation has a sizeable percentage of people who believe that times have never been worse."
Now, I think that both statements are probably true. But I think that believing we're in the "last days" is not the same as believing that "times have never been worse." That linkage misses the point entirely.
We believe we're in the "last days" because God gave us certain identifying markers that would all arise in concert just before those days, not simply because "things have never been worse."
There have been plenty of times in the history of this world when things have literally "never been worse." Some of you who are reading these words have lived through those dark days of world war and world depression. Yet Jesus has yet to return to claim His bride.
So bad circumstances and dark days aren't necessarily the indicators of the "last days." Don't make the mistake that Rush's statement implies he has made. Instead, do as Jesus Himself recommended -- actually, commanded -- we do. Learn to recognize the "signs" of the end times. And there are very specific indicators of the approach of those days.
This week, I want to make sure we're all on the same page regarding those indicators.
Rush Limbaugh made another statement, though, with which I wholeheartedly agree. Among other observations, he noted, "There is a genuine transformation coming over this country.... There is a fog of depression that's just permeating everything. Everyday life just doesn't feel right, even among people who ought to be robustly happy by past standards."
He's right. But I would add that it doesn't "feel right" because it isn't right. The world is askew and getting worse. Something's wrong and deep inside everyone knows it.
But true believers and followers of Jesus Christ aren't surprised by this because our Lord warned us these days were coming, and He told us how to recognize them. But He also told us that when we see these days arrive, we should be encouraged, not depressed. In fact, He said, "Lift up your heads!" because our time of liberation and triumph is drawing near.
Only faith in Jesus and confidence in God's immutable promises can turn Rush Limbaugh's lament into a reason to rejoice.
So rejoice! It won't be long now.
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