Signs of the Time
I believe that we are living in one of the most intense times in all of human history. The events we are witnessing and experiencing daily were described in great detail thousands of years ago.
Daniel 11 described a conflict that erupts on the earth involving Syria, Egypt, Russia, Israel, a revived Roman-like empire, and Iran. It is simply astounding that 2600 years later, these are the countries in our headlines daily.
Jesus described the world scene at the time Daniel described:
Luke 21:10 Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. 12 "But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers...
... 20 "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22 For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.
Shortly after Jesus spoke these words (40 years later) Jerusalem was destroyed before these events took place. There was no nation of Israel for over 1800 years after 70 a.d. Then one day in 1948, there was again a nation of Israel, just as the prophets had foretold. It was created in one day, just as the prophet Isaiah had described over 2500 years before It happened.
We can see, right now, world sentiment turning against Israel. According toabout.com (based on data collected by Gordon Cromwell Seminary) nearly 160,000 believers are martyred each year because of their faith in Jesus. These statistics are widely accepted from about the year 2000 on (according to the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, martyrdom worldwide dramatically increased in the year 2000). At 100,000 annually, that is more than 1 believer being killed every four minutes for professing Jesus.
We can see the stage being set for armies to surround Israel. We can see wars breaking out all over the globe, and tensions rising.
This last 5 years has brought an incredible rise in the number of earthquakes. Although the USGS consistently denies it, their own numbers show a dramatic increase in earthquake deaths in the last 10 years, and a quick google news search of the word earthquake will give you an alarming idea of how many moderate-sized earthquakes have occurred since July 2012.
We can see a turning away from God worldwide in a dramatic way...
but do we see these events as the time Jesus described?...the beginning of an amazing change overtaking the earth? This generation has more access to knowledge than any previous generation to ever live on the earth (a documented sign of the "time of the end" given to Daniel 2600 years before the invention of the internet), but do we have the wisdom to stop and study what it all means? Do we have enough interest in the time we live in to find out what we are supposed to do? Jesus, when describing all these events, asked his followers (he asked this question of Christians!):
Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"
This was not a rhetorical question. I believe God would say: make the most of these days. Find out what I am doing! Shout to the north, shout to the south, shout to the east, and shout to the west. In every way possible, announce to your own heart, and to those who don't know Me, that I am coming soon to set things right...that those that claim me as their only hope should know what I am doing.
We celebrate Paul Revere announcing that the British were coming, but we take no notice of the earth itself announcing that Jesus is coming. Jesus himself promised the time leading up to His return would be a much more intense time than the revolutionary war, or any previous time. Many of us mistakenly think that the world will just end one day and there is nothing to be done. We believe myths, rather than take the time to find out what our own Bible says will really happen. Jesus has an amazing plan that actually requires our agreement!
Jesus told His followers to be ready. Over and over, He told them to watch and know the season they were in. He said this time would come like a flood, catching even His followers unaware like in the days of Noah.
Jesus didn't say that we should know the season for no reason. There are specific things we are to do if we believe that the time of His coming is near.
If you want to read Jesus' exact words about this time I am describing, you can find them in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. It would take you about 10 minutes to read these words for yourself and then begin to decide if something remarkable is happening right in front of your eyes!
Daniel 11 described a conflict that erupts on the earth involving Syria, Egypt, Russia, Israel, a revived Roman-like empire, and Iran. It is simply astounding that 2600 years later, these are the countries in our headlines daily.
Jesus described the world scene at the time Daniel described:
Luke 21:10 Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. 12 "But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers...
... 20 "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22 For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.
Shortly after Jesus spoke these words (40 years later) Jerusalem was destroyed before these events took place. There was no nation of Israel for over 1800 years after 70 a.d. Then one day in 1948, there was again a nation of Israel, just as the prophets had foretold. It was created in one day, just as the prophet Isaiah had described over 2500 years before It happened.
We can see, right now, world sentiment turning against Israel. According toabout.com (based on data collected by Gordon Cromwell Seminary) nearly 160,000 believers are martyred each year because of their faith in Jesus. These statistics are widely accepted from about the year 2000 on (according to the International Bulletin of Missionary Research, martyrdom worldwide dramatically increased in the year 2000). At 100,000 annually, that is more than 1 believer being killed every four minutes for professing Jesus.
We can see the stage being set for armies to surround Israel. We can see wars breaking out all over the globe, and tensions rising.
This last 5 years has brought an incredible rise in the number of earthquakes. Although the USGS consistently denies it, their own numbers show a dramatic increase in earthquake deaths in the last 10 years, and a quick google news search of the word earthquake will give you an alarming idea of how many moderate-sized earthquakes have occurred since July 2012.
We can see a turning away from God worldwide in a dramatic way...
but do we see these events as the time Jesus described?...the beginning of an amazing change overtaking the earth? This generation has more access to knowledge than any previous generation to ever live on the earth (a documented sign of the "time of the end" given to Daniel 2600 years before the invention of the internet), but do we have the wisdom to stop and study what it all means? Do we have enough interest in the time we live in to find out what we are supposed to do? Jesus, when describing all these events, asked his followers (he asked this question of Christians!):
Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"
This was not a rhetorical question. I believe God would say: make the most of these days. Find out what I am doing! Shout to the north, shout to the south, shout to the east, and shout to the west. In every way possible, announce to your own heart, and to those who don't know Me, that I am coming soon to set things right...that those that claim me as their only hope should know what I am doing.
We celebrate Paul Revere announcing that the British were coming, but we take no notice of the earth itself announcing that Jesus is coming. Jesus himself promised the time leading up to His return would be a much more intense time than the revolutionary war, or any previous time. Many of us mistakenly think that the world will just end one day and there is nothing to be done. We believe myths, rather than take the time to find out what our own Bible says will really happen. Jesus has an amazing plan that actually requires our agreement!
Jesus told His followers to be ready. Over and over, He told them to watch and know the season they were in. He said this time would come like a flood, catching even His followers unaware like in the days of Noah.
Jesus didn't say that we should know the season for no reason. There are specific things we are to do if we believe that the time of His coming is near.
If you want to read Jesus' exact words about this time I am describing, you can find them in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. It would take you about 10 minutes to read these words for yourself and then begin to decide if something remarkable is happening right in front of your eyes!
Comments
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments.