"...ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?"

Or as the (inspired) 'Apostle to the Gentiles', Paul - formerly Saul of Tarsus - expressed things in the pivotal Reformation-heralding book of Romans : He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth . In, again, a time wherein there will be distress of nations, with perplexity... Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth...

All of which - if in a somewhat different context as waves of persecution pursue the saints - is but what the Master Himself counselled (in the gospel of Matthew ) when, after citing the unnatural enmity that steadfast adherence to the gospel and the proclamation thereof would create amongst people's own kindred, their 'nearest and dearest', and declaring ye shall be hated of all men for [M]y name's sake He stated: But when they persecute you in this [particular] city, flee ye into another: for verily...Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come  [again].

But isn't that just an elaboration, admittedly vivid at that, of the emotional fall-out from the events outlined in the Scriptural injunctions issued by our LORD and Saviour Himself - in all three of the 'synoptic gospels', i.e. those of Matthew, Mark and Luke - that (As Matthew states): [At ' the end of the world ']... there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places...All these are the beginning of sorrows . (As Mark puts things): [The ' sign when all these things shall be fulfilled ']... shall [include] earthquakes in divers places, and...famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.   (And as the 'beloved physician' Luke expresses matters): " And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences... " ? And as Timothy, the Apostle Paul's later missionary companion, put things rather more succinctly: Mark my words, in the last days there will be times of g...

Unfortunately, Folks, Methinks this very time  has likewise now well and truly come upon us - all...