Doom and Gloom pt. 2
I hear a lot of people in the church saying that the truth about the end times is "doom and gloom" or "negative."
This should be really troubling to hear. It reveals a misunderstanding about the true nature of Jesus' end time plans, and is the core of the warning about "offense" in Matthew 24:
Matthew 24:9-13 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. (10) And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Offense is not produced by events...it is produced by wrong expectations. This is the warning over and over by Jesus regarding His return: do not be deceived.
False prophets prophesy smooth and positve things. This is why their prophecies are SO deceptive...because itching ears WANT to hear them. True prophets direct people into readiness, because the human heart is not naturally inclined to see the need.
Consider this warning...which is an end time warning in its proper context:
Isaiah 30:9-17 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; (10) Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. (11) Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us." (12) Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: "Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them, (13) Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. (14) And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern." (15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not, (16) And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses"—Therefore you shall flee! And, "We will ride on swift horses"—Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! (17) One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill.
Here is the New Testament version of the exact same warning:
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, (12) that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In this passage, strong delusion is given to the portions of God's people who don't like the warnings...think they are negative.
Delusion can't be given to the "world"....its already deluded. Its already unsaved and going to hell. No. Delusion is promised to the church that WANTS to fall away!
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: (2) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; (4) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (5) But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Do not be deceived. MANY are falling away from the faith right now. They won't stop naming the name of Jesus...Jesus will not name them...
Matthew 7:19-25 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (24) "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: (25) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
This should be really troubling to hear. It reveals a misunderstanding about the true nature of Jesus' end time plans, and is the core of the warning about "offense" in Matthew 24:
Matthew 24:9-13 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. (10) And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Offense is not produced by events...it is produced by wrong expectations. This is the warning over and over by Jesus regarding His return: do not be deceived.
False prophets prophesy smooth and positve things. This is why their prophecies are SO deceptive...because itching ears WANT to hear them. True prophets direct people into readiness, because the human heart is not naturally inclined to see the need.
Consider this warning...which is an end time warning in its proper context:
Isaiah 30:9-17 That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; (10) Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. (11) Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us." (12) Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: "Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them, (13) Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. (14) And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern." (15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not, (16) And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses"—Therefore you shall flee! And, "We will ride on swift horses"—Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! (17) One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill.
Here is the New Testament version of the exact same warning:
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, (12) that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In this passage, strong delusion is given to the portions of God's people who don't like the warnings...think they are negative.
Delusion can't be given to the "world"....its already deluded. Its already unsaved and going to hell. No. Delusion is promised to the church that WANTS to fall away!
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: (2) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; (4) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (5) But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Do not be deceived. MANY are falling away from the faith right now. They won't stop naming the name of Jesus...Jesus will not name them...
Matthew 7:19-25 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (24) "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: (25) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
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