How Close Are We to the End of the Church Age and the Great Tribulation of Revelation Chapters 6 to 19?
As a reference to the subject of the end times I refer you to the study of Daniel chapters 2, 7 and 9. Chapter 2 and 7 cover the Gentile powers up to Christ s Millennial Kingdom. They are historically Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the first phase of the Roman Empire. The final form of the Roman Empire is presently forming and will conclude with 10 kings or kingdoms from the area of the old Roman Empire giving their power for a short time to the Anti-Christ just prior to and through the 70th week of Daniel.
Reading Revelation 17 v 12,13
- Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
- Rev 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Daniel chapter 9 v 24-27 speaks of the 70 weeks of years given to Israel to conclude all national and Messianic promises and bring in the 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom where the lamb will lie down with the lion.
Reading Isaiah 11 v 6-9
- 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
- 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
- 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp (deadly poisonous snake), and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den (brood of vipers).
- 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
We know that 69 weeks of years have been completed from the call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem to the Lord Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the foal of an ass. The time clock has been stopped for the last week of 7 years or what is called the 70th week of Daniel as God has been gathering out of the Gentiles and Jews a bride for His Son for almost 2,000 years. The Church age began at the feast of Pentecost a few weeks after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But we now observe that signs of the times are gathering to end the Church age and conclude the last 7 years promised to the nation of Israel.
My web site below has a good write-up on Daniel chapters 2, 7 and 9 https://www.truedino.com/prophplanch5.htm
I also recommend a commentary on the book of Daniel by Renald Showers called The Most High God. In addition because I believe that the end of the Church Age concludes with the rapture before the 7 year time period I also refer you to a second web site listed below called the Pre-Trib Research Center. It provides an apologetic defense for this understanding as there are many other aberrant views which bring confusion to Bible Prophecy. But as usual be a Berean and search the scriptures yourselves. Hold fast to what is clear, hold lightly to what is not yet clear.
Pre-Trib Research Center http://www.pre-trib.org
And a final thought on this opening is the uniqueness of the Bible. Only the Bible has prophetic scriptures written centuries in advance which have been fulfilled with remarkable accuracy. Only the Bible has the true fingerprints of the infinite Creator who sees the end from the beginning. Keep this in mind as we will only look at but a few prophecies and I have mentioned the date in which they were written. Any good detective will consider these words carefully. No other religious book claiming to be from God has any worthy prophetic credentials to match.
As we look around us the question becomes, where are we on God s prophetic plan for the Church and for Israel. What is God doing? Can we know how close we are to some of the major prophetic events laid out in the Bible? How are we supposed to conduct ourselves if we are in the last days of the Church Age? Well, I believe there are a number of scriptures that limit the amount of time left in the Church Age. As well, God has identified a number of conditions of the world and the church that would be present when the time left is moving to its end. And briefly we hold to the event that ends the Church Age called the Rapture.
This event calls for the resurrection of all Church saints and the living Biblical Christians to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. This event is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4 v 13-18 and John 14 v 1-3. This event is called the Blessed Hope for the believer for the 7 year treaty ushers in a time of unprecedented tribulation upon the whole world and God has promised that the Church will be removed first. And on the other hand God also indicates that an apostate Christian church will be left behind. See Revelation 3 v 14-22, the dominant but compromising church of Laodicea.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Then God will complete his promises to the nation of Israel and usher in the Millennial Kingdom with the Lord Jesus Christ ruling and reigning from Jerusalem.
Let's look at a number of passages that limit the amount of time left for the Church Age. We can start with the birth of the nation of Israel. The 12 Tribes of Israel in the past has been exiled out of the land once to Assyria (10 tribes, circa 721 BC) and Babylon (last 2 tribes, circa 600 BC) and a second time to all the nations (70 AD). The return of Israel after the second dispersion is specifically linked to the last days or the time of the end.
The Rebirth of Israel in Unbelief
Ezekiel was written circa 600-570 BC ie means before Christ, so 2,600 years ago.
Reading Ezekiel 37 v 1-21
- 1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
- 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
- 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
- 4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
- 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
- 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
- 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
- 8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
- 9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
- 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
- 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
- 12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
- 13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
- 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
- 15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
- 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
- 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
- 18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
- 19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
- 20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
- 21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
Now I want you to note in this passage that God says that the nation of Israel had been dead as a nation a long time. And he identifies this re-gathering in verse 21 as from all the heathen nations. So by this we know that God is referring to the dispersion from Israel to all the nations in 70 AD. The first dispersion and regathering were only from 2 nations, Assyria and Babylon. And phase one of these passages was fulfilled on May 14th, 1948 as Israel became a nation in one day after a long sojourn of suffering among the heathen nations, almost 1,900 years. In fact God records prophetically in Isaiah 66 v 8 that the nation of Israel in the future would be born in one day. Isaiah was written circa 700 BC.
Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
The tribulation of Israel in the 70th week of Daniel (one week of years- see Daniel chapter 9 v 24-27 for the 70 weeks of years) at the time of Israel signing a 7 year peace treaty with her Arab and Islamic enemies she would face an invasion from them shortly thereafter. Is the current effort started in 2020 with the Abraham Accords moving the peace treaty forward?
Reading Ezekiel 38 v 1-11
- 1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
- 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog (Southern Russia), the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
- 4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
- 5 Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
- 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters (area of Turkey), and all his bands: and many people with thee.
- 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
- 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
- 9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
- 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
- 11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
This Islamic coalition aided militarily by Russia will attack Israel and be destroyed; I believe during the time of the 7 year treaty. This coalition continues to form as Russia has provided Syria and Libya military equipment and forgiveness of debt in exchange for 2 Russian ports on the Mediterranean. Russia has a strong alliance now with Iran (whose ancient name is Persia). Turkey has turned from looking west back into the Islamic fold as she is predicted to be part of the Ezekiel chapter 38 and 39 coalition. Talk about falling in with bad company!
In the historical past cities were walled to protect from invasion, in our time Israel will achieve a temporary peace and because of modern weaponry lives in unwalled cities, a thing unheard of in the time of Ezekiel. What type of prophetic foresight is this?
There is some dispute as to the timing of this invasion but I presently place it during the 7 year tribulation but I leave room for a different timing as God for his reasons and purposes has not made it as crystal clear as he has other prophecies, at least not yet to me anyways.
The conversion of the Nation of Israel - at the end of the 7 year tribulation when Jesus himself delivers them and judges the nations (see Revelation chapter 19)
The book of Zechariah was written circa 500 BC.
Reading Zechariah 12 v 9, 10
- 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
- 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
The restoration of the Kingdom to Israel - the final phase of Israel's ingathering to start the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ. One note is that "all" nations will come against Israel. Does this mean that Anti-Semitism will be the lead position in governments and the UN. Tragically this seems to be the case. Satan hates Israel and all the nations will be deceived by him to follow his bidding. Revelation 20 v 2,3 where Satan is bound for 1,000 years says "that he should deceive the nations no more".
The book of Isaiah was written circa 700 BC.
Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Now the question becomes as to how long after this event (Israel's birth) do we have before the Church age is closed and the 70th week of Daniel is started? I think that here we have God limiting the length of this period and a number of scriptures point to this.
There are 4 main lines of scripture that indicate a time limit on the end. The first is that all will be completed in one generation (the fig tree generation), the second is that the end will be completed like a woman giving birth, and the third is that we born again believers will see the day approaching, and the fourth is the growing pressure on Israel to sign a 7 year peace treaty.
At the same time there is also great detail given as to accompanying signs and world conditions that will be present and accelerating in parallel with the move towards the 7 year treaty. The great apostasy of the visible church with many false teachers denying the pre-tribulation prophecy teaching, denying the book of Genesis, setting aside sound doctrine, seeking after false signs and wonders, seeking after mystical experiences, promotion of humanistic psychology rather then the sinful nature of man, false dreams and visions, false Anointings or seeking the "presence of God" when He is already present in each born again believer, false new Apostles, turning back to fellowship with Roman Catholicism, the rise of the Revived Roman Empire, the rise of the Islamic enemies of Israel, the moral decay of the world as in the days of Noah and Lot, the rise of atheistic evolutionary humanism, the ability to destroy the planet with nuclear weapons, the rise of the technology to view events live and transmit them around the globe as well as the ability to mark each person with a chip in their right hand or forehead in order to conduct commerce. This is the first generation in history where all end time players, world conditions and technology are present at the same time and accelerating as a woman that gives birth.
A brief comment on how we arrive at a global system where people are coerced or mandated on pain of death to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead to be able to buy or sell (Revelation 13 16-18). I think there are at least two currently visible prongs leading to this event. One is "Climate Change" with its penalties and possible future restrictions and lockdowns to "save the planet". The other is what I label "Medical Tyranny" which the world is experiencing with Corona lockdowns and restrictions. In both cases heavy handed censorship of contrary views and supression of valid early medical treatments raise a huge red flag! A "consensus of scientists or medical experts" that are on the government payroll or grant system or part of Big Pharma bribery is so dangerous to freedom! I am working on putting together some material by dissenting scientists and honorable medical experts from both the climate and medical field.
Let's look at our "first time limiting verses" related to a generation. Here we want to look at the parable of the fig tree. Jesus in the previous verses of Matthew chapter 24 has just described all the birth pangs of the end times such as religious deception in the name of Christ, wars, earthquakes, pestilences in various places but then abruptly switches to the parable of the fig tree.
Reading Matthew 24 v 32-39
- 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
- 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
- 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
- 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
- 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
- 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
- 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Luke chapter 21 is a parallel passage to Mathew 24 describing the fig tree and the end times in a slightly different way.
Reading Luke 21 v 29-32
- 29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
- 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
- 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
- 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Who is the fig tree and all the trees? Well, I believe it is Israel and all the other nations lining up for the end times.
Reading the Parable of the Fig Tree in Luke 13 v 6-9
- 6 He (Jesus) spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree (Israel) planted in his vineyard (the nations); and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
- 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
- 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
- 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
In the Old Testament Israel is symbolically identified with a fig tree and the fruit thereof in Jeremiah 24 v 1-10 and Hosea 9 v 10.
During the 3 years plus earthly ministry of Jesus Christ the nation of Israel rejected his message of repentance and trusting in the Messiah for salvation but instead were trusting in their good works and their heritage for entrance into heaven (Romans 10 v 1-3). Therefore they were bearing no fruit that God would consider worthy. In Galatians 2 v 16 God has said by the works of the law shall no man be justified.
Now if the fig tree is the rebirth of Israel how are we to understand the phrase "this generation will not pass away"? Is this a time limit verse? I believe it is but cannot be absolutely dogmatic as an interpretation of the parable is required and may not be spot on as we "see through a glass darkly" so to speak.
Some have tried to interpret "this generation" as meaning that the Jews as a distinct people will survive until the completion of all things, however this is known as a tautology. A tautology is a unnecessary repetition of something that has been obviously stated before. The prophetic plan throughout the Bible has the nation of Israel back in her land, witnessing the one whom they have pierced, and repenting of their sins. It would be meaningless to say "this generation" refers to Israel's survival when she is clearly on center stage in order for God to complete his promises to her.
If this understanding is correct and the generation which witnesses the rebirth of Israel is the last one then where does that leave us? Well, I believe it was my father's generation which witnessed the rebirth of Israel and his generation is almost passed away. So I believe we are right at the door of the rapture. Do current conditions warrant my saying this?
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers (various) places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (the term sorrows means birth pangs)
1 Thess 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
In our "second time limiting verses" the speed of development of the signs of the times for the 7 year tribulation are said to picture a woman giving birth. Not that I am much of an authority on a woman giving birth, and correct me if I am wrong but birth pangs will begin but they will be spaced apart at a certain time interval, then as these birth pangs develop they become more intense and the time interval is closer together, then at a certain point the end is near and things are most intense as the baby is delivered. You see once the birth pangs begin to develop they are not going into remission for a hundred years, things will not slow down they will speed up. And who cannot say that the signs of the times have not both intensified and sped up. Again a time limit on the last days.
Our "third line of reasoning on time" is that the believers of that generation will see the day approaching.
Reading 1 Thessalonians 5 v 1-9
- 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
- 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
- 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety (when the 7 year treaty is confirmed by Anti-Christ); then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
- 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
- 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
- 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
- 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
- 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
- 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (with like minded believers not the compromising and apostate church of Laodicea), as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
In the past when I was studying prophecy trying to put it all together certain individuals would throw me off by saying well you can t really know "it s like a thief in the night" or they would quote "no man knows the day nor the hour only the Father". It wasn't until I read the passage in Thessalonians above that I realized what group the "thief in the night" reference was for. The reference is for those unbelievers in the world who are unaware of God's word and plan. They are planning and building and partying it up as the storm clouds gather on the horizon.
It wasn't until I understood the Jewish wedding ceremony that I clued into the "no man knows the day nor the hour only the Father" reference. In a Jewish wedding the son would pay the price for the bride and then return to his fathers house to build a home. The son could only go get his bride when the father gave the okay that all preparations were complete. In Jewish culture it was custom that the father held the authority to say when his son could go get his bride. Jesus came to earth and paid the cost for his bride, returned to Heaven to prepare us a place and will return at His Father's word to get His bride.
Reading John 14 v 1-3
- 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
- 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
- 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
So we see the day approaching but the unbelieving world does not, they are in spiritual darkness and the rapture (the calling home of Christ's bride) will be like a thief in the night to them. We see the peace treaty approaching but the world does not understand its real meaning. It will not be "peace and safety" as they declare but it will mean the rapture of the Church has taken place prior to this and their declaration will usher in the worst time of tribulation the world has ever seen as God pours out his righteous wrath on a planet full of rebels who would not repent though given many many opportunities.
How immensely patient has God been with the millions of murders of unborn children, the increase in sex outside of marriage, the rise of unashamed groups that flaunt their moral deviancy from historical norms, the murder of innocent people by religious zealots (Islam) thinking they are going to be rewarded in heaven for these acts, the rise of pornography, the rise of drug use and pharmacuticals, the love of money and on and on. It is only God s mercy giving time and space for people to repent that delays his judgment. For when God finally judges the cost is eternal separation from him and this he does not want. He wants people to confess and turn from their sins and settle out of court thru His Son. And yet there is a timetable where the window of opportunity will close for the Church Age as God's program for Israel must start.
The fourth time limit is the development of the 7 year peace treaty with Israel and her enemies. We, who hold pre-tribulation view, as we see this treaty develop, know that the rapture of the church will take place sometime just prior to its finalization. The stronger the pressure upon Israel becomes from all nations especially the EU, Russia, the USA, the UN and other Middle East nations, the closer the end of the church age approaches. Have you been following the peace process? It is moving along as prophesied. And we know from Daniel chapter 9 that it is not finalized until after the rapture with the Anti-Christ guaranteeing Israel's security. Were you aware that there is agreement in principal to divide Jerusalem, the only outstanding issue is the Temple Mount and this may be left to the Anti-Christ to finalize.
In 2020 we have been following the Abraham Accords as this agreement seems to be laying the foundation for the 7 year treaty but there could be a few twists and turns yet to appear.
Well we know that the peace process has had many stops and starts but prophetically speaking it will shortly arrive to its completion per God's overall timetable.
So how are the other signs of the time moving along? Are things dovetailing together? Another term could be the "convergence" of end time events.
There are a number of watchers documenting the convergence and acceleration of signs! https://www.youtube.com/@keeganfernandes1255/channels https://www.rapturecountdown.com/
Days of Noah - eating, drinking, building and giving in marriage, spiritual apathy - Matthew 24 v 37 - 39 Days of Lot - advancement of sexual deviance from historical norms
Days of Apostasy - the move back to joining into fellowship with Roman Catholicism despite the false gospel they teach (Jesus plus the sacraments) and the watered down gospel of Protestantism/Evangelicals which excludes the ploughing of the heart to bring the conviction of sin and real repentance, following after signs and wonders to experience false manifestations of God's presence, psychology and occultic techniques
2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
If you would like to see those who are itching the ears of people these days do a study on the teachings of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and Joel Osteen leaders of what are now called Mega-Churches. Joel Osteen from a Word Faith background and pastor of a 40,000 member church in Houston recently came to Calgary and 10,000 sheep showed up at the Pengrowth Saddledome to hear him say that all is well and there are "good days ahead". Of course this is directly opposite to what is really coming, the worst time of judgement in all of history. Of course if you are a speaker that tickles the ears of people with flattery, lies and a watered down gospel you can draw the big crowds.
The same thing happened in Jeremiah's day. Jeremiah spoke the truth about the sins of Israel and how God was finally going to judge them by exiling them to Babylon. Now did Jeremiah get his 40,000 member following? No, they said we don't want to hear what this guy is saying and he was thrown in the dungeon and threatened with death. But there were false prophets in Jeremiah's day who said peace and safety and prosperity is coming!
Jeremiah called the people to account for their sins and called them to repent or else God was going to send the King of Babylon to judge them and remove them from the land for 70 years.
Reading Jeremiah ch 6 v 12-14, ch 27 v 9,10,14,15 ch 29 v 8,9
- 12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
- 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
- 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
- 9 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
- 10 (For they prophesy a lie unto you), to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.
- 14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.
- 15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
- 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
- 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
Reading Ezekiel ch 13 v 1-3, 16
- 1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
- 2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
- 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
- 16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
You know our generation of Christianity is filled with false teachers and false prophets who say peace and safety and claim their vain dreams and visions are from God. Joel Osteen is just one of many. There is a worse bunch filling the pulpits as they graduate from apostate Seminaries and Bible colleges.
2 Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
If you know the Lord follow after Titus 2 v 1 and separate from these deceivers who flatter you for gain and seek to make merchandise out of you. God will enable you to stand even if it is alone.
Rise of Atheistic Evolutionary Humanism 2 Peter 3 v 3-6
- 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
- 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
- 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
- 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
War and Environmental Birth Pangs - Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers (divers means various) places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (or birth pangs)
Alignment of the Nations - the Islamic coalition of Ezekial 38,39 (Russia is providing arms to Syria and Libya for 2 ports in the Mediterranean), the Asian army of the Kings of the East, the EU as it morphs into the Revived Roman Empire.
How close must we be?
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
We know from birth pangs that things will accelerate. We know from Revelation 17 v 12 that the rise of Anti-Christ will be very rapid so there need not be a long drawn out process after the rapture.
Acts17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
We know by Acts 17 v 31 that God has already fixed a date for the end of the 7 year tribulation where the Lord judges the nations to start the millennial kingdom.
It is not a floating day out there somewhere. If this date is fixed so also is the start of the 7 years. And I believe we are rapidly approaching it. The world is highly motivated through economic incentives to push the peace treaty to its conclusion. The world knows that if ever the world is to experience a man made peace they must exert great pressure on the nations in the Middle East and this I believe they are starting to do.
So how then shall we live out whatever time we have left?
First and foremost examine yourself to see if you are really saved. Have you come to real repentance? Do you hate sin in yourself and desire to be free of practicing it? In that repentance have you truly turned your will over to the Lord Jesus? Have you recognized that on your own running your own life you are more like the devil in behavior than like God? Do you still love the world, the music of the world, the movies of the world, the thinking of the world? Have you recognized that your sin caused an innocent man to be put to death in your place. Have you personally recognized this, have you understood this was the love of God manifested for you by satisfying the justice of God who cannot let sin go without dealing with it? Do you have a desire to be loyal to Jesus and his commands? Do you have a desire to be free of the sins of your tongue? Do you separate from falsehood or those who misrepresent the Lord?
Has Satan taken an interest in you and is opposing you, tempting you, attacking your mind? Are you experiencing freedom from sin, self will and Satan? Do you quickly confess your sins to the Lord Jesus and to any others you have offended to be free and again under the Lordship of the Holy Spirit or do you excuse yourself or justify yourself by blaming someone else or just sweep things under the rug? Do you have the fruit of the Spirit and the correct teaching of Holy Spirit so you are able to discern truth and to exercise discernment between good and evil. Do you desire above all that the person and character of the Lord Jesus may be manifested in your life through yielding daily to the Holy Spirit. Do you have real and personal assurance that you have trusted Christ and that payment in God's courtroom has been given to you? Getting truly saved is a hard narrow process of evaluation and meditation on the word of God not a quick thoughtless emotional prayer.
Don't deceive yourself as many many people are deceived and on the wide road of religious Christianity lead by false teachers who are experts in watering down the Bible. They make the road wide but false with all their sins of compromise. God says to seek him with all your heart until you know that you are saved. You have to personally know that you are saved and know that you have had the new birth. Don't settle for anything less no matter how horrific your sins look to you when God reveals them as a first step in the road to conversion. Don't sweep them under the rug and hide, face them, ask God for deliverance into his Son's kingdom. Time may be so short!
If you are saved God wants each one of us to serve him faithfully and loyally each day knowing that we shall give an account for rewards, to avoid being ashamed at his appearing, that he may say well done good and faithful servant. Luke 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Invest your time in things to advance the kingdom. Turn away from the lusts of the world and don't defile yourself with unholy things such as hellavison and unholywood. Ask God for opportunities to speak the truth. Don't compromise with the Laodicean church but separate from it or else you will be guilty of joining their misrepresentation of the gospel and the Christian life.
Seek to be filled, directed, and controlled by the Holy Spirit for apart from Him we can do nothing but things of the flesh, even if they are Christian in appearance. Put on the Armor of God daily for Satan will make effort through attacking you through your mind and your eyes and your own fallen flesh to bring you back under his thinking. He will seek to intimidate you off your ground of freedom that the Lord has given each believer.
Keep short sin accounts with the Lord to maintain your freedom ground and yielding control moment by moment to the Holy Spirit. Expect trials and troubles from those waving the same Christian flag as you. Satan is an expert in discouragement and will use false believers to attack your walk and bring confusion to sound doctrine. Seek to be a worthy ambassador for the Lord so he may give you a reward for service, for no other choice will yield worthy fruit.
Maranatha! Maranatha!