CHRISTIAN DOMINION HOMESigns and Wonders!
(End time prophesies as explained by the King himself!)
by
Lt. Col. Gordon Jack Mohr, AUS Ret.
Crusade for Christ and Country'And when all these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your REDEMPTION draweth nigh".
- (Luke 21:28)End Time Prophesies of Jesus Examined!
We have heard the term "end time", or "end of the Age", or even "end of the world", used many times, especially by prophetic preachers. Yet few Christians seem to understand the significance of these terms, and what is actually meant by them.
It is the purpose of this study, to examine in detail, the prophetic messages Jesus gave to His disciples, just prior to His crucifixion, as found in the revealing Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Part I of this study will examine in-depth, the Matthew 24 prophecy, looking at the meaning of every "key" verse in the original Greek and perhaps by this means, and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we can come to a better understanding of what will happen in the days before Christ's return, and how we can better prepare for it. Just being saved is not enough! This is only the first step in the Christian process.
To the Preterists, (those who believe that all Scripture prophecy has been fulfilled), this will be redundant, since they believe Christ has already returned and that the prophesies of Matthew 24 were fulfilled in the First Century A.D. While I have no intention of arguing with these Christian brethren, let's take a close look at this Scripture and see what it really says. Vs. 1 of Matthew 24 needs no explanation, as it's meaning is perfectly clear to anyone of normal intelligence: "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to show Him the buildings of the temple".
I have often wondered why the disciples felt it necessary to show Jesus the temple buildings, because he had been in them many times. I don't believe we would be far wrong, if we paraphrased this verse to read: "And as Jesus departed from the temple, His disciples called His attention to the buildings of the temple."
Vs. 2 - "And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things?" (The word SEE as used here is a primary verb for the Greek word EIDO [14921 and is used in the past tenses. According to Strong's it means: "to gaze upon with wide-open eyes, as on something remarkable". It also borrows from [37081, the word HORA which means: "to stare at".)
It other words Jesus was saying to His disciples: "Don't you see these remarkable buildings, verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down". These words need no explanation. It is a description of utter destruction for these beautiful buildings.
Those of you who have studied the history of this period, and who may have read the historical accounts of the noted Jewish historian JOSEPHUS, know that the soldiers of the Roman General Titus, in AD 70, during the siege and destruction of the city, set the temple on fire, in spite of Titus's attempts to save it. According to these accounts, the gold trappings on the temple walls melted, and the greedy soldiers literally tore the temple walls apart, trying to get at the gold that had seeped into the cracks in the walls. This prophesy was literally fulfilled in 70 AD.
Vs. 3 - Here we have a change in location, as Jesus and His disciples have moved out of the temple to the Mount of Olives, one of Christ's favorite teaching spots. After having looked in detail on the magnificence of Herod's temple, they came to Jesus privately (He did not discuss His prophecies with the multitude) and asked Him: "Tell us when these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world (Age)". (The English word THINGS, as used here comes from the Greek PROIMOS, which means "dawning", like in the beginning of the day). The word
SIGN, comes from the GK SUSPARASSO and indicates a "violent convulsion; to throw down".) Evidently Christ's return will be indicated (SIGN) by violent convulsions of nature. The word COMING, comes from Greek PAROUSIA which in this instance means "The coming of Christ to punish Jerusalem and finally the wicked" - It refers to a physical, not a spiritual coming.
The English word END, is the Greek SUNTELEO [49301 meaning: "the consummation of a dispensation or age". The word WORLD is AION [165] and refers to an AGE, rather then to the physical world. We would be faithful to it's meaning if we called it the "World order".
There is no implication here that the disciples were referring to the physical destruction of the world, as some imply, but rather to Christ's second physical advent which would bring to an end, the present World Order, or as we sometimes call it the "Babylonian System".
Vs. 4 is a warning from the King Himself: "Take heed that no man deceive you". The word HEED, comes from the Greek BLEPO [991] which literally means: "beware!" The word MAN, as used here comes from the Greek TIS [5 10~ and refers to "some person or object". DECEIVE comes from the GK PLANAO [4105] and means: "to cause to stray from the truth; to seduce; a delusion".
So what we see here is a warning: "Beware that no person causes you to stray from the truth". A very good warning for these days in particular!
Vs. 5 - "For many shall come in My name (Jesus), saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many". The word MANY comes from the Greek POLUS (4183) and refers to a very large number. The word SAYING, from EGO (3004) which is a primary verb meaning "to lay forth", or generally referring to individual expression.
CHRIST is the New Testament title for Jesus the Messiah and is not found in the Old Testament. It comes from the Greek word CHRISTUS (5547) and in every instance in which it is used, it means: "the Messiah; the Anointed One". It always refers to Jesus, not to some Jewish Messiah, or some Greek God named ZEUS, as some aver. The word DECEIVE, as we have seen, means to "cause to go astray; seduce".
In other words, what this verse is telling us is that "a large number of people shall appear in Jesus name, saying that they are the Christ, and that they will lead many astray". Turn anyone loose with what appears to be miracles, and a large number will follow them no matter how false they may be!
Vs. 6 says: "And ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all these things MUST come to pass, but the end (of the Age, not the world) is not yet".
The English word HEAR, is the Greek word AKOVO (191), meaning: "to hear; to understand; be noised about; be reported". WARS, from the GK POLEMUS (4171) means: "warfare; battles; war". RUMORS, GK AKOE (189) means: "to act; to sense; a thing heard or reported".
In our modern usage, it usually refers to an "unconfirmed act or event".
Yet rumors are often indicative of an actual truth. It's sort of like a man who is hunting in the woods during the fall deer season. He smells smoke, and knows there is a fire nearby. He doesn't know if it's a forest fire, or from a camp fire, but he does recognize it as a sign of fire. So it is with rumors coming from many sources, they are usually indicative of something going on. At present in this country there are numerous reports of foreign, United Nations troops training in this country, all these reports cannot he officially confirmed, and the government denies them, but our people see these foreigners, in uniform in many areas of the country, and lo and behold, it finally comes out that "rumor is fact!"
TROUBLED, GK THROEO (2360) meaning: "clamorous; to frighten; to trouble". ALL is PAS (3956), a primary word meaning: "many; all; every; the whole". MUST is DEI (1163) meaning "it is necessary". COME is GINOMAI (1096) meaning: "to cause to be; to become; to be brought to pass". PASS is PARERCHOMAI (3928) meaning: "to come near; to approach". END is TEKLOS (5056), meaning: "the conclusion of an act; ultimate prophetic purpose, etc."
YET is the Greek OUPO (3768) meaning: now
So what this verse actually says is: "And there (speaking both to His disciples, and I believe to future generations), shall be reports of warfare, and battles, and rumors of wars. But don't be frightened by these reports, for all these things must happen before the termination of this age".
Vs. 7 - "For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilence, and earthquakes in divers places".
Lets analyze this verse. NATION - Gk ETHNOS (1484) means: "a race or tribe; a foreign (usually non-Jewish) one which by implication is pagan. This is sometimes erroneously called GENTILE, RISE, Gk EGEIRO (1453) meaning: "rouse up as from a sleep; rise up against; lift up; rear up; stand, etc."
KINGDOM is BASILEIA (932) meaning "royalty; a ruler; a realm; a kingdom". FAMINES is LIMOS (3042) meaning: "a scarcity of food; hunger". PESTILENCES is LOIMOS (3061) meaning "a plague; disease". EARTHQUAKES is SEISMOS (4578) meaning: "commotion of the air or ground". DIVERS is POIKILOS (4164) meaning "manifold; many". PLACBS is TOPUS (5117) meaning: "a spot; locality, etc."
Putting these together we come up with this rendition: "For foreign nations shall rise up against pagan nations, and rulers against kingdoms; and there shall be great scarcity of food, and great hunger; and great commotions will be seen in the earth in many localities
Vs. 8 tells us - "All these are the beginnings of sorrows".
The THESE is from the Gk TAUTA (5023) meaning "these things". BEGINNINGS is ARCHE (746) meaning: "commencement as applied to time and place" - SORROWS is ODIN (5604) meaning: "pain; sorrow; travail".
So we find that verse eight tells us that "All these things (earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, famines, and pestilences) will be the beginning of pain, sorrow and travail on this earth".
Verse nine continues by saying: "They shall then (the Jews - explanation follows) deliver you up to be afflicted, and they shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name sake". THEN is the GK TOTE (5119) meaning "At that time or in the future". The THEY can only refer to Jewish authorities, since at that time there was no overt persecution of Christians from Rome. A further indication of this can be found in Matt. 10:14, where Jesus told His followers: "But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the council (law) and they will scourge you in their SYNAGOGUES". The only people who worship in synagogues are Jews. In John 16:2, we read: "They will put you (Christians) out of their synagogues (this was a central meeting place, like a town hall); yea, the time cometh that whosoever shall kill you will think he doeth God service". We are fast approaching this time in America, where the Jewish controlled media is working overtime, to make the gullible public believe that Christians and their influence in America is bad. Acts 4:21 indicates that Jewish persecution of Christians came because they preached Jesus and the people glorified God because of what they were doing. Later the Apostle Paul noted this persecution in 1 Thess. 2:14 - "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered like things from your own countrymen (the Jews of Thessalonica), even as they have of the Jews (of Judea): Who (the Jews of Judea) both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us (the Christians in Judea); and they please not God, but are contrary to all men". That's a pretty apt description of Jewry everywhere, including this day and age. These people are not the Chosen People of the book, as the Judeo-Christian leaders tell us, but are avowed enemies of Christianity, who have openly declared their intention to destroy White Christian civilization and all the benefits it has brought to mankind. Those who support these anti-Christ's fall under the condemnation of 2 John 10, 11 - "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, (that Jesus is the Son of God, the Redeemer) receive him not into your house, neither give bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him, God speed, is partaker in his evil deeds". In other words, those in the Christian world who support the Jews as God's Chosen, will be held guilty of their evil deeds! How many of you Christians in the Judeo-Christian churches will be willing to answer before God for the millions of unborn babies which have been murdered in mostly Jew owned and run abortion clinics? How many will be willing to answer before God for the millions of American youth who have been placed on the road to hell, by alcohol, drugs, pornography, prostitution and rock music, all primarily sponsored and owned by Jewish interests? Think about this! It's mighty serious!
This is the meaning of verse nine.
The disciples knew that this prophesy dealt with them, but as is so often true of prophesy, it had a "long term" meaning as well, which is being fulfilled in our day, in spite of the teaching by the Preterists that all prophesy was fulfilled in the time of the disciples.
We can see the immediate application of this prophesy in Acts 12:1-3, where speaking of King Herod, and his persecution of the Apostle Peter, it says: "Now about that time Herod (an Edomite Jew) the king (of Judea), stretched forth his hand to vex (persecute) certain of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John with the sword". (NOTICE CAREFULLY NOW) "And because he saw that it PLEASED THE JEWS (emphasis mine), he proceeded further to take Peter also . .
But to go back to our original text, Verse 10- "Then (at the time of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilence) shall many be OFFENDED, and shall BETRAY one another, and shall hate one another". The word OFFEND comes from the Greek SCANDALIZE (4624) meaning: "to scandalize; trip up; entice to sin; entice to apostasy". BETRAY is PARADIDOMI (3860) meaning: "to surrender; deliver up; put in prison". ANOTHER is ALLELONI (240) meaning: "each other; one another". HATE is MISEU (3404) meaning: "to detest; to persecute;' to hate".
This verse could very well read: "And at that time shall a large number be enticed into sin and apostasy, and shall deliver you up to be persecuted, and shall detest and persecute you." This has already taken place in many Communist countries, where children have been taught to turn in their parents to the anti-God authorities, and where family members turn on their own families to save their own skin and ingratiate themselves with the authorities. Today, we see this same move underway in our education system, where the children are being encouraged to "tattle" on their parents home activities, and where the government encourages citizens to spy on citizens. This is what happened in the Soviet Union.
Vs. 11 indicates that "many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many".
FALSE come from the GK PSEUDOLOGOS (5573) meaning: "speaking lies; promulgating erroneous doctrines." Modern examples of this in the church can be seen in the RAPTURE DOCTRINE; JEWS CHOSEN PEOPLE; CHRIST DID AWAY WITH THE LAW; in the Judeo-Christian church, and the SEEDLINE; insistence on worshiping on Saturday, and the demand that we must use the Hebrew names YAHWEH and YASHUAH in Christian Identity circles.
PROPHETS comes from the GK PSEUDOPROPHETS (5578) which refers to: "spurious (false) prophets; a religious pretender; a false prophet". We have many of these today in the church world, with the VAN IMPE's; the FALWELL's; the ROBERTSON's; the SWAGGART's; the ROBERT's and the LA LONDE's and many more. For "By their fruits shall ye know them", and their fruits are Jewish fruits.
DECEIVE in Greek is PLANAO (4105) meaning: "to cause to roam; to go astray from the truth".
In Acts 20:29, 30, the Apostle warns the church about these deceivers: "For I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flock. And also of your own selves shall men rise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them". If you don't believe this, spend some time in the evening watching the TRINITY BROADCASTING SYSTEM (TBS) on your tube. Watch the gyrations of the principles in their gaudy studios, and the hypnotized crowds who gyrate and scream on cue, to the hypnotism of some high powered evangelist. Their gyrations to "Christian rock music", are more like the movements of demon led African savages, than of Christians. I have lived in Africa, and I can tell you that their actions and movements are identical! Then add to this their constant pressure for money, and you have something which is decidedly un-Christian! But it brings in "big bucks!"
Verse 11 could well read: "And many men shall promote erroneous Christian doctrine, and shall appear, causing many who are weak in the faith, to stray from the truth".
Vs. 12 - "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold".
BECAUSE in Greek DIA (1223) meaning: "The channel of an act; through; because of; by reason of; wherefore; etc.," INIQUITY is ANOMIA (458) meaning: "violation of the law; wickedness; transgression". (See 1 John 3:4). While the preachers in the Judeo-Christian churches trumpet the falsehood that the Law was done away at the cross, 1 John 3:4 tells us differently, as it gives us the definition of SIN; "Whosoever committeth SIN, transgresseth (breaks) also the LAW; fur SIN is TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW". So if there is no LAW, then there can be no sin, and we all know the fallacy of this kind of thinking.
ABOUND in Greek is PLEUTHUNO (4129) meaning: "to increase; abound; multiply". LOVE in this instance is AGAPE (26) meaning: "affection or benevolence". WAX is PSUCHO (5594) meaning: "by implication; a reduction of temperature; to chill the air". COLD is the same as the above.
So this verse could well read: "And because of violation of the law and the wickedness this causes, wickedneod".hall increase and the affection of many for the Lord shall become chilled and cold".
Vs. 13 - 0 "But he that shall endure unto the end, shall be saved".
ENDURE - Greek HUPOMENO (5278) meaning: "to remain; to bear the trials of; have fortitude; persevere; be patient, etc." It is the exact opposite of that which is taught by the RAPTURE, where men and women cower in their "spiritual foxholes", waiting for Christ to rescue them from the mess caused by their own apathy, when they should be out on the front lines of the battle. I had a vivid example of this a few years ago, when during a Question and Answer period, after I had spoken on the dangers of Communism, a nice Christian lady, I assume, said: "I believe everything you have told us. But I'm saved, you know, and I don't worry about the Communists or any others, for Jesus is coming back to rescue me before things get all that had". Talk about being wrapped up in a blanket of self-righteousness, that sister was more like enclosed by a shroud.
SAVED - GKSOZO (4982) meaning: "healed; persevere; saved; made whole". I don't believe this "saving" mentioned here has anything to do with "spiritual salvation", which we KNOW is not a matter of WORKS, but of FAITH!
So verse 13 could read: "But he that bears the trials of being a Christian to the conclusion of these things, the same shall be preserved and made whole".
Here we have a promise from the King Himself, of final victory if we persevere unto the end. This cannot take place when you remain within the confines of a "spiritual foxhole". When Jesus told His followers to "Occupy until I come!" He was not speaking about "Hiding in a spiritual foxhole with holy hands folded in prayer, as we ask Him to return to RAPTURE us out of the mess of our own making". OCCUPATION is a "front line" military venture and He had Christian perseverance in the face of danger and suffering in mind when He spoke these words. Most modern day Christians do not want to think about the possibility of having to suffer for Him. Yet it is clearly spoken of by both the Apostle Paul and Peter. (Rom. 8:17) ". . . if so be we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together". (No suffering, no glorification!) Get that through your head!
In Phil. 1:27-29 we have this assurance from the Apostle Paul: "... stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel (and again, this can't be done from a foxhole): And in nothing (')e) terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake". Did you get that, lukewarm Christian. We should look on the act of suffering for Christ, as a great privilege. How many churches do you know that preach this truth?
2 Timothy 2:12 - "If we suffer (for Him), we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us". Again the criteria for reigning with Him, is the willingness to suffer for Him.
1 Peter 3:14 - "But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled".
Vs. 14 - "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then the end shall come". Did you know that as of today, the Kingdom message has been taken to ALL people, around the world. It has been carried exclusively by the Israelite people and is one of the marks which identifies them as Israel.
The Preterist teaching falls apart here, for only a very small portion of the world had heard the Kingdom message before they say Christ returned in the First Century!
What is the Gospel anyway, could it be that the Gospel which is now being taught in most of our churches, is not the gospel of the First Century A.D.? Most certainly, unaccounted, and mostly undetected, there has come into popular evangelical circles, a NEW CROSS. It looks like the old cross, but it's different, the likenesses are superficial; the differences fundamental. The teaching of the NEW CROSS has resulted in a "luke warm Christianity", that does not want to be made uncomfortable by Gospel teaching.
From this NEW CROSS, we have seen a new philosophy of Christian life spring up, and from the new philosophy, a new evangelical technique. This new evangelicalism employs the same language as the old-time evangelism, but its content is not the same, since it's emphasis has been misplaced.
The OLD CROSS had no ties with the world, since it carried into effect the penalty of death imposed by the Law of Sinai. Today, men and women want to be free from that law. They want to be free to "do their own thing", without having to worry about the penalty for their acts. The NEW CROSS let's sinful Adam live without interference. His life's motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in sinful things. His accent is still on enjoyment, although his fun is now on a higher plane morally, if not intellectually.
The NEW cross encourages a completely new approach to evangelism. It can be seen clearly in the TV tel-evangelists who today clutter up the airwaves. A few nights ago, I watched parts of the Black propaganda film, SHAKA ZULU, and watched as the natives engaged in their frenzied ungodly dancing, which I had seen so often when I lived in Africa. Then I turned over to the TRINITY BROADCASTING SYSTEM (TBS), and saw the same kind of dancing and convulsions, going on in a supposedly Christian crowd of thou sands. The screaming, drum beats, and bodily writhings could not be distinguished between so-called Christians and Black heathen Satan worshipers. I thought: "My God, what has Christianity come to, that they call this worshiping our Savior?" (All this from a studio that cost thousands of dollars, with an every night pressure for their listeners to give more. "The telephone lines are open, so call in your pledge for the Lord's work!" I can see nothing for this kind of giving, anywhere in the New Testament). But it is the evidence of believing in the NEW CROSS, and the viewers are given loads of entertainment by long haired male singers who evidently don't believe that it is a "shame for him to let his hair grow to where he looks like a woman," (1 Corinthians 11:14) says - "Doth not even nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" Not on TBS, it's the norm!
The NEW CROSS has encouraged a new and different approach to evangelism. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old sinful life before a new life can be received. He does not preach contrasts, but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring for at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the Gospel offers, the religious version promising to be more spiritually fulfilling than the worldly one
The NEW CROSS does not slay the sinner; it only redirects him. It gives him a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. He does not need to humble himself for any reason. To the self-assertive it says: "Come and assert yourself in Christ". To the egotist it says: "Come and do your boasting in the Lord". To the thrill-seeker, it says: "Come and enjoy the thrill of knowing Christ!" Any Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to be able to make it more acceptable to the public. I remember, a few years ago, speaking in a large Christian University. During a casual conversation with its President, I asked him why he thought a very popular evangelist would no longer hold revivals in a city, unless he received the backing of the liberal National Council of Churches. He replied: "Dr So-and-So was here a few weeks ago with his wife, and I asked him that same question. He would not reply, but his wife looked me straight in the eye and said: 'Dr . . we intend to do anything necessary to fill the football stadiums' ". This is the NEW CROSS in operation!
The philosophy behind this kind of deception may be sincere, but it's sincerity does not keep it from being false and dangerous. It is false, because it is blind. It misses completely the Gospel message of the cross.
The OLD CROSS was a symbol of death. It stood for abrupt, violent end of a human being. When a man in Roman times took up his cross, he had already said good-bye to his friends. He did not come back! The cross in those days made no compromise, it modified nothing. It spared nothing. It slew the man, completely and for good. It struck cruelly and hard and when it had finished its work, the man could not be found.
The race of Adam, is under the death sentence as surely today, as it was 2,000 years ago. There has been no commutation, and there is no escape. God cannot and never has approved any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or how beautiful to the eyes of men. God saves the individual by killing him on the cross and then raising him to a newness of life, just as He did with His own precious Son.
Evangelism which draws a friendly parallel between the ways of God and the ways of men, is false to the Bible, and cruel to the souls of its hearers. Faith in Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it! In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up to a higher spiritual plane; we leave it at the cross! The kernel of wheat must first fall to the ground and die, before it can bring forth "fruit for the Kingdom".
We who preach the Gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves as commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, sports and modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets. Our message is not compromise, but an ultimatum!
God offers us life all right, but it is not an improved old life. The life God offers is eternal life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever wants to possess eternal life, MUST first pass under the rod. They muHolyepudiate themselves and agree with God's just sentence against them.
What does this mean to the individual, to the condemned person who must first find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, they must repent and believe! They must forsake their sins and then go on to forsake themselves. They must cover up nothing, defend nothing they have done, excuse nothing, and never try and come to terms with God, but how their head beneath the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge that they are worthy to die!
Having done this, they can then turn their gaze with simple trust in the risen Savior, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The same cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now ends the life of the sinner, and the same power that raised Christ from the dead, now raises the sinner to a new life in Christ Jesus.
To any who object to this assessment as being a narrow, private view of truth, let me say that God has set His hallmark of approval on this message from the time of the Apostle Paul to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of ALL preaching which has brought life and power to the Christian world for 2,000 years The Reformers and Revivalists put their emphasis on the OLD CROSS, and the mighty operations of the Holy Spirit gave witness to God's approval.Dare we, as heirs of this legacy of power, dare we with our stubby pencils, to erase the lines of the blueprint, or alter the pattern shown us on Calvary? God forbid! Let us return to preaching the OLD CROSS and know first hand, once again, the old power of the Gospel.
This is the Gospel spoken of in Vs. 14, which has been taken into ALL the world. The Good News that Christ saves sinners from their sins, and prepares them for His Kingdom. The Greek word for GOSPEL is EVAGGELION (2098) which means: "to announce the good news; to declare the good news; to preach the good news, that Christ does save and satisfy!"
We read of the King's final command to His followers in Matt. 28:19, 20 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations people), baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen!"
It is our Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus the Christ, who will become the Savior of all who are called by the Holy Spirit, and who receive Him. These can and will be adopted into the family of Abraham. Thus, the major obligation of "true Israel", which we have sadly neglected and which accounts for much of our trouble, is to preach this message to all men. In 1 Peter 2:9, 10, we read: "But ye (true Israel) are a chosen generation (bloodline), a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should show forth the praises of Him who bath called you out of darkness, into His marvelous light. Which in time past were not the people (the church world called us "Gentiles") of God: which had not obtained mercy (we had been sent into banishment for our disobedience), but now have obtained mercy". (See also Hosea 1:10). Hosea says: "In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the Living God (Christians)".
So when we take all these things into consideration, verse 14 could well read: "And this good news of Christ's redemption of all mankind, MUST be published in all the world for a testimony unto all nations. When this comes to pass, then you will see the conclusion of this Age".
Vs. 15 - "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place. . . Then let them which are in Judea flee into the mountains".
I believe the Preterists are correct when they say this took place in 70 A.D. when the Roman General Titus captured and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. It may be of interest at this point, to note that according to ancient historians of that time, including the Jewish historian Josephus, who was a Roman general, while over a million Jews were slaughtered, not one Christian lost their life. They had heeded Christ's warning to "flee to the mountains", and took refuge in the city of Pella, in the mountains to the east.
I also believe that this prophesy, as many others has a dual meaning and a special application to the future, and that the "Abomination of Desolation" is now in Jerusalem in the form of "those which say they are Jews and are not; but are of the synagogue of Satan," Rev. 2:9; 3:9). These false Jews, now sit in positions of world power, having "brainwashed" the Judeo-Christian world into accepting them as God's Chosen, while acknowledging themselves to he the anti-Christ. There is little doubt in my mind, that these false Jews are returning to Palestine so that Christ's prediction of Luke 19:27 will take place, when the King will tell His servants: "But those mine enemies, which would not that I reign over them, bring hither and slay them before Me". It is interesting to note that many orthodox Jewish rabbis are warning their people that the Israeli government in Palestine, is not the one which will foreshadow the return of their Messiah.
This is a considerable different message than that which is preached from the majority of pulpits in America.
Vs. 17-21 indicates the chaos which will come to the world as the Tribulation Days descend on us. Vs. 22 goes so far as to state that conditions would deteriorate to the point that "except those days be shortened (Gk. KOLOBOO [28561, meaning: "cut short") there shall no flesh be saved. (Gk. SOZOl [49821 meaning: "delivered; protected") but for the ELECT'S sake (Gk. EKLEKTOS [15881 meaning: "favorite; by implication chosen") those days shall be shortened".
A study of both Old and New Testaments will reveal that the word ELECT, applies only to "true Israel". It has never meant the church, or the anti-Christ's of Judaism!
What are the implications of this verse'? I believe it clearly shows that conditions on this world will deteriorate and become so bad, that God will have to step in to keep men from destroying themselves. This is another indication that God's people will be here during the Tribulation, and will not have taken a "flying saucer" back to heaven in a Rapture.
Thank God, we have His promise that for our sake, (not because we are so holy and righteous,) but because we are His people, He will step in and take control of things. MARANATHA! This to me is much more exciting than to think that we may be able to escape the coming conflict via a Rapture! That's the Christian coward's way out.
Vs. 23-28 are a warning against "false Christs". (Anti-Christ's would be an accurate term to use here!) According to Vs. 24, there will be those who will show up on the scene who are so clever, they will show great signs and wonders. (I believe the sign of healing will be one of them, and often wonder if men such as Benny Hind and Oral Roberts, don't fit into this false prophets category). If you have a strong stomach, take some time and watch one of their TV spectaculars, and see them as they touch people on the forehead and have them pass out in a dead swoon. Don't tell me this is the Holy Spirit at work, for He doesn't operate in this manner. Oral Roberts has even gone so far as to say that he can teach people to speak in tongues", although there is no spiritual justification for this. At no place in the New Testament, can you find an example of Christians speaking in the "glossolalia - heavenly language gibberish" of the Charismatics. The "speaking in tongues", found iontre New Testament was always a known language.
Yet millions of so-called Christians are being deceived by charlatans in the church, who are making a fine living off their deception. These smooth speakers will deceive many who are not deeply rooted and grounded in the Word. See them by their screaming thousands as they twist, gyrate and shriek on TBS, all in the name of praising the Lord! The latest is for them to go off into fits of uncontrollable laughter, all in the name of Jesus! But it's not scriptural!
There is no reason for us to be hoodwinked by the anti-Christs, for the scripture gives us a clear definition of who they are in 1 John 2:22, 23 - "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ. He is ANTICHRIST, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same denieth the Father; (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also". There is no group of people, anywhere in the world, who fit this description as well as the Jews.
Then in 2 John 7, after stating: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an anti-Christ." John goes on in vs. 10 and 11 to tell Christians how they MUST react towards these anti-Christs. "If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine (that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed (helps him in any way) is partaker in his evil deeds". I wonder how many Christians know that they will be held accountable for the evils done by these anti-Christs they support with their money and their praise?
Vs. 27 indicates that Christ's return will be sudden and open. It will not be a secret Rapture which will take Christians off the scene without the world knowing it.
Vs. 29 indicates that it will immediately follow the Tribulation. The word IMMEDIATELY comes from the (Gk. word EUTHEOS, meaning: "directly; soon after; forthwith; soon"). This will be the time when the sun and moon are darkened, and we will see mighty convulsions in the heavens. It will be after these things, that we will see the SIGN, not the SON, but the SIGN (Gk: SEMEION, meaning: "an indication of; wonder") of His appearing. What this sign is, we are not told, but it will shake up this old cold, sinful world, as we are told that at this SIGN, "all the tribes (GK -PHULWE, meaning: "races; clans; kind reds; tribes"), of the earth will mourn, when they see the Son returning in the clouds, with power and great glory".
This will not be the "meek and lowly Jesus," our churches love to project, not the Babe of Bethlehem, but the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, spoken of in Rev. 14:14-16 and Rev. 19:11-15. Vs. 15 of this latter passage says: "And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron; and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God". He will not be the One that the world leaders will laugh and scorn anymore, but "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is King". His Word will be the Law!
We are given some indication of this awful day by the Prophet Isaiah in 11:4, when he says: "... And He (Jesus) shall smite (Heb. NAKAH [5221J meaning: "beat; strike; give wounds to; kill; slaughter; punish") the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked". 2 Thess. 2:8, speaks about the final revelation of "that wicked one", who will come with "all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of truth that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them a strong delusion (GK - PLANE meaning: "fraudulent; straying from orthodoxy; deceitful") that they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned (Gk - KRINO meaning: "condemned; judged; called in question; sentenced"), who believes not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness".
Whether you want to accept this truth or not, evidence proves that our churches today are filled with unsaved members, and that because of this, many churches which were once "lighthouses" for God's truth in the neighborhood, have for all intents and purposes turned into "religious country clubs", where men and women attend, not because they love God so much, as because it is considered respectable and beneficial to be members of the big FUST CHURCH. Others have turned into "religious honky tonks," replete with flashing psychedelic lights and religious rock. All that would be necessary for them to fit into a "whore house" district, would be to place a red light over the door.
This is very possibly the major reason, why with 50-million professing "born again" folks in America, we are headed for hell faster than at any time in our existence, for in spite of the great revivals proclaimed by the charismatics, such as the Trinity Broadcasting System, spiritual conditions in this country are getting worse and worse.
2 Thess. 2:8, tells us that at His Second Coming, the Lord Jesus will "consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming". Nevertheless, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
When God is finished with His judgment on this wicked world, we are told in Ezek. 39:21, 22 - "And I (God) will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen (Hebrew, "goy, meaning non-Israel people) shal thre My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel (not Jews) shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward". Evidently it's going to take some terrible times for our Israel people to wake up, believe, obey and be saved!
My professing Christian friend, especially if you belong to a Judeo-Christian church, it behooves you to see that your salvation experience was real, and not something you were talked into by a smooth, fast talking evangelist. (I'm thinking of charlatans like Benny Hind, for instance.) Be sure from the Word, that you are saved, not from what some preacher says.
We are told in Joel 2:17 that our religious and political leaders need to weep in our churches and pray to our God: "Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should reign over them: wherefore should they say, among the people, Where is their God?"
This is what the anti-Christ's in government and the media are literally saying to Christians today: "Who are these Christians who insist that we have prayer and Bible reading in our public schools? Who do they think they are to tell our women that it is wrong to murder their unborn children? Everyone knows a woman should have control over her own body! Who are they to lay down standards of morality, that the majority of us don't want or like? Who are they to say that our homosexual life style is wrong?"
We have not yet experienced the literal foreign invasion of America, by heathen troops, as pictured in Ezekiel 38, 39. (This scripture is speaking of Israel in their new land, promised to King David in 2 Samuel 7:10.) Yet we have already experienced a heathen invasion of America, and heathens have run this country for the past eighty or more years, regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats have been in the seat of power. But the military invasion is coming, you can count on it. It will be the invasion Gen. George Washington saw in his vision at Valley Forge. You say: "How can Russia invade America, when Communism is dead?" Oh, but my friends, Zionist controlled Communism is not dead, it has just changed it's name to fool our gullible people and while our One World Order leaders have led us into disarmament, the old Communist world has been rearming faster than at any time in their existence.
Since 1987, we have not built a nuclear sub, in fact our President disarmed ours. They have been floating two every three months. We have not built a super-carrier in over five years, they are building two per year. They have got rid of thousands of their intercontinental missiles, only to replace them with more powerful, more accurate ones, and while our leaders cry: "Peace! Peace!", the enemy prepares for war against Christendom. It's coming!
But "thank God", in the midst of the gloom, and fearfulness which often grips our heart, we are told in Joel 2:19, 20, that God will take care of the "northern-enemy army". Vs. 20 says - "I (God) winturemove from you (Israel) the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face towards the eastern sea, and his hinder part towards the uttermost sea". My friends, this description cannot possibly fit Old Palestine, no matter what Peter LaLonde or Jack Van Impe may say to the contrary.
Then in Joel 2:30, 31, we have a further confirmation of Christ's prophesy of Matthew 24:29, made hundreds of years later: "And I (God) will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke (nuclear war, possibly? Sounds like it!) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, (a poor translation, since the word BLOOD in Hebrew is DAM, which means literally "to perish"), before that great and terrible day of the Lord". But thanks be to our God, that vs. 32 is true: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered. . ." But be sure that He hears you when you call, for scripture indicates that He does not hear all our prayers. Isa. 59:2, indicates that He will not even listen to our petitions, when there is unforgiven sin in our life. So keep the lines of communication open between you and God, by asking His forgiveness on a daily basis.
You rich men who trust in your big bank accounts and your riches, they will not save you in that day. Listen to Zephaniah 12:18 "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath .
In Zep. 3:8, we are further told: "Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the Lord, until the day that I raise up to the prey, (Heb. AD [57061 meaning: "the aim of an attack") for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour out upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger! for all the earth shall be devoured (Heb. - AKAL [398] meaning: "burned up; consumed"), with the fire of my jealousy".
This is quite a different picture from that given in the average Judeo-Christian church, where God is always pictured as a "God of love", who loves the sinner, while hating His sin. Maybe this is one of the reasons they dislike the Old Testament so much, since it "tells it like it is!" and makes no attempt to sugar coat scripture to make it appeal to men and women.
But let's get back to Matthew 24.
Vs. 31 - Here we have evidence of the regathering of "true Israel", not a people we call Jews. This will take place after the nations of the world see the Son returning in great glory and power. This will not be a secret gathering, as the Rapturists teach, but will be announced with the "great sound of the trumpet".
Vs. 32, 33 - These appeal to our common sense and say in essence: "Just as you know summer is near when you see the fig tree put out leaves, so when you see the things I (Jesus) have spoken of take place, you know my return is at hand". Of course La Londe, Van Impe and other prophetic preachers of their stripe, say this "fig tree" is represented by the Jews, but Jesus is not speaking of a literal fig tree here, but is using it as an illustration to show that summer is at hand.
Vs. 34 has caused some confusion in Christian circles. The Preterists say that this verse refers to the people Christ was speaking to, and that ALL these things took place within their lifetime. This was true to a certain extent, but I believe it refers to the generation which sees these things take place, and some of the predicted things did not happen in 70 A.D.
There was no darkening of the sun. There is no evidence proving that the stars fell from heaven. There was no great persecution of the Christian church. The persecution of Nero, under influence of his Jewish wife, Poppaea, ended with his death in 68 A.D. Although Christ predicted great persecution of His people before His return, and there had been this persecution under Nero, it had abated, and Christ had not come back visibly, as He said He would. The world had not seen His return in glory!
While there were wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes, such as there have been since the beginning of 6000 years of earth's written history, at no time in the First Century did they reach the intensity of what is happening now.
Christians were not hated world wide as they are now. False prophets were not running rampant, "brainwashing" the people through a public media such as television. The Gospel of the Kingdom had not been preached to all people, worldwide, as Christ said it must!
God did not end the days of Rome's destruction of Jerusalem to save the "elect". They had already listened to Christ's warning and had fled the city before it fell. There were no false Christ's showing signs and wonders. But these things are happening now! I watched one of their nauseating displays on Trinity Broadcasting System last night, where from coast to coast, in what they called a "PRAISE THE LORDATHON!" they whirled, danced like whirling dervishes to Satanic religious rock music straight from the Satanism of darkest Africa, while all the time exhorting their "brainwashed" followers to SEND IN YOUR PLEDGES! One woman, who looked like a painted prostitute, "ala Tammy Bakker" exulted, "Praise the Lord, we have just passed the $2 million dollar mark." It made me angry, when I thought of all the elderly men and women, who have sent in their pittance, from a Social Security income of very little, so these charlatans could put on a show from their studio which must have cost at least $250,000 to furnish.giouJudeo-Christian preachers on prophesy, such as the La Londe brothers, Jack Van Impe and Hal Lindsay, proclaim that we are living in the last days. Most of these fellows believe in a "pre-Tribulation Rapture", which is not taught in the scriptures, and which was unknown in Christian circles before 1850. They envision "saved" folks being taken out of the mess that was caused by their apathy, and oh how the gullible Christians love to listen to their sweet words.
Hal Lindsay is probably the best known of the Pre-Tribbers, and he has sold millions of his books on subjects such as THE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH. He is a welcomed guest on TBS. He has an exciting way of stirring up a church crowd of thousands to where they thrill with the expectancy of taking a trip into the stratosphere to be with the Lord, at any moment! This teaching has destroyed more "soldiers of the Cross", than anything I know of, for instead of being on the battle line where they belong, they hide in their comfortable, air-conditioned spiritual foxholes, folding their holy hands as they ask God to do the dirty work for them! "I'm saved, you know," one lady told me, "and I don't have to worry about these awful things happening, because Jesus will take us out of this world before it gets all that bad". I wonder how they explain Matt. 24:22, where Jesus said: "Unless I intervene, there will be no one left alive!" These people are so wrapped up in their "shrouds of self-righteousness", that it is problematical whether they get unwrapped in time when He does return!
When you follow Lindsay's reasoning that Jesus will return within a generation after the Jews were restored to Palestine, that generation of 40 years ended in 1988. Hal being a "pre-tribber" believes that the Rapture will take place before the seven year tribulation begins. Like Van Impe, and the LaLonde boys, he believes there will be 3-1/2 years of peace under the anti-Christ, followed by 3-1/2 years of calamity. So since the generation of forty years ended in 1988, minus the seven years of tribulation, the Rapture should have taken place in 1981. Only it didn't, and those who promoted this falsehood are still here, still peddling their poisonous fare to gullible Christians.
Of course none of these fellows are stupid enough to set actual dates. But they give what they believe are Bible dates to make it clear what they mean, and then say: "You figure it out!" According to Bible definition, they are "false prophets", who should not be listened to. In Deut. 18:22 we are told: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously (Heb. zawdon [2087] meaning "arrogantly; proudly"); thou shalt not be afraid of him". In Deuteronomy 13:5, we listen as God pronounces the death penalty on false prophets. It's no light thing in the eyes of God, to make predictions when you don't know what you're talking about!
A serious study of scripture will reveal that Jesus may not return in our lifetime. I wish He would. I pray that I will see His triumphal return! But this "Any moment" teaching has an adverse effect on many Christians. Why prepare for the future, if Christ will return any day now they seem to say!
Some who preach the Rapture don't believe in it, as can be seen by their actions. A few years ago, a young Baptist pastor told me, "The Lord will return before the end of this year". (It was about SeptemberHolythat time). When I asked him how sure he was of this taking place, he said: "As sure as it is that I'm speaking with you now". The problem was, he didn't know that I knew some things about him, and when I asked why if he believed this, he had just taken out more life insurance, and why he still put money in the bank every month so his two boys could go to college, he got angry and stalked off. You see, it was quite obvious he was preaching something he didn't believe. We have thousands of these fellows standing behind the pulpits of our land preaching what they don't believe, because it is church dogma, not because it is scriptural.
When you come right down to it, the historical Christian view of the End of the Age, is quite different from that of most contemporary Christians, or those put out to millions via TV and authors such as Hal Lindsey. Lindsey is noted for his sensationalism, which sells millions of books, but doesn't coincide with scripture!
The theory of the "any moment return of Jesus" is unorthodox, and anti-historical Christianity.
I believe that you are going to see a drastic change take place in the thinking of fundamental, Judeo-Christians, when it finally sinks into their consciousness that they have been fooled by very clever "wolves in sheep's clothing", who have occupied their pulpits. What their reaction will be, I don't know, but I would not want to stand in the shoes of one of these charlatans when the truth finally comes out.
Jesus is coming back all right! Make no mistake about this! The Word says He will return, and that's good enough for me (see Acts 1:10, 11).
Jesus never prayed that His followers would be Raptured out of tribulation, but He did say (John 17:15) - "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from evil".
Now is the time when genuine Christians should be getting serious about their associations with the King. Now is the time when we should look for DISCIPLINE AND OBEDIENCE in our lives.
We look at the world powers arrayed against Christians and victory seems impossible. But we have a FORMULA FOR SURVIVAL, which will work, if we are willing to give it more than mere "lip service". It is found in 2 Chron. 7:14. Remember the experience of Gideon in Judges 7. He was prepared to go against an army of 130,000 Midianites with 32,000. untrained Israelite soldiers. God had him cut this force down to 10,000, by letting all the cowards go home. Then he further cut this force to a mere 300, by an exercise in discipline, and it was with this tiny 300 DISCIPLINED, OBEDIENT men, that he won a magnificent victory without even using a weapon. Isa. 59:1, indicates that our God, is today the same God that opened the Red Sea for our forefathers, and shook down the walls of Jericho. I would go so far as to say that if we are OBEDIENT, He will once again come to our aid with miracles.
We can be sure of God's promises and He reiterated this in vs. 35 when He said: "Heaven and earth may pass away, but My words shall not pass away!" We can be as sure of this as that the sun will rise tomorrow morning.
Vs. 36 - Any time you hear some prophetic preacher predict when Christ will return, remember this verse. For Jesus proclaims him to be a "liar". He said: "But of that day or hour (of His return), knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, by My Father only.
In vs. 37-41, Jesus gave further clues as to the time of His return. He said those days would be as in the time of Noah. What do we know about those days from scripture? Vs. 38 says that people were "eating, and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And they knew not, until the flood came and took them all away".
What further clue do we have of these days from scripture? Gen. 6:5-7 says: "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (Heb. - yester [3336] meaning: "purpose"), of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man that I have created". (Note that the men He destroyed were the created one's of Gen. 1:27, who had been CREATED male and female. ADAM was FORMED, male only, Gen. 2:7. Noah was from the Adamic seedline, and was "perfect in his generations". In other words, he had not mingled his blood with other races (vs. 9). This is why God spared him.
Things haven't changed very much, have they? The imagination of the vast majority of mankind is still evil continually, as can be seen by their life style and actions.
Men no longer see the importance of keeping the Adamic bloodline pure, and when you even mention it, you are labeled as "racist". Men continually seek excuses for miscegenation, contrary to the law of God. So we are living in a generation which was like that of Noah. Millions of Adamites were destroyed in the flood, because they had not listened to God, or the preaching of Noah. (2 Peter 2:5) Noah had preached "righteousness" for 120 years as he built his ark, and no one listened to him other than his immediate family. Those who would not listen perished!Because of our indifference, when He comes back, we will see a division among the people, vs. 40 says: "two will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left" vs. 41 - "Two women will be grinding; one will be taken and the other left", and the Rapturist will say: "See, doesn't govt prove the Rapture?" Not at all! Look at Jesus parables of the Good and Bad Fish and the Wheat and the Tares, in Matthew 13:24-30; 37-43; 47-49. Vs. 49 clearly states: "so shall it beat the end of the world (Age); the angels Will come forth and sever the wicked from among the just". It will be the "tares" and "bad fish" which will be removed.
Vs. 42 is an admonition for us to be on the watch for His return. The Apostle Peter warns us of those who will say: ". . there shall come scoffers in the last days, walking after their own lusts (desire for material things). 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 creation". (2 Peter 3:3, 4).
These words may seem a contradiction of my statement that His return may not be eminent. But notice. Here it is 1994, almost 2,000 years from when this promise was made. Men and women who have loved Him, down through the ages, have looked for His return during their lifetime. The Preterists say He came back in the First Century and is here now, but we have no visible proof of this. But because we have not seen His return, does not mean that He has broken His word. No way! He will return at the Father's appointed day and hour, and in a time when many, even those professing to be Christian will not be ready. We have Jesus' parable of the ten virgins to prove this. Five were "saved" and "wise". The other five were "saved" but "foolish". There is no reason to believe that the "foolish" girls were not "saved". But they missed out on the wedding feast because they were not prepared for the Bridegroom's return. In 1 Corinthians 3:13 we are told by the Apostle Paul about men and women who build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, an edifice of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble. When their edifice is tried by fire, the gold, silver, and precious stones become purified and more valuable, while the wood, hay and stubble most of us send forward, are burned up, although Paul says that these folks will be "saved, but as if by fire". (1 Cor. 3:11-15). I have heard church folks rave about the golden mansion they are going to have in heaven, when they have not been sending any gold and silver building materials on ahead. This ties in with the observation of the Apostle James in James 2:17, when he said: "Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead; being alone". This makes sense, for although we are "saved by grace (the unmerited favor of God), through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast," (Eph. 2:8,9). Yet the proof of our salvation is in our works, not in what we say. There is a great deal of difference between standing up in church and telling folks how much we love the Lord, or showing it by what we do for Him.
"What you do shouts so loud that we can't hear what you say!" So don't brag about how much you love the King, if you aren't showing it by what you do!
In vs. 43, Jesus tells us that if we knew the hour when the thief would come, we would be prepared to defend ourselves against him. Therefore, it is our duty to be ready for the King's return at all times, even though He may not return in our lifetime, or that of our children.
God does not expect you and I to be SUCCESSFUL. He does expect us to be FAITHFUL! I am not worried about what my position is in His Kingdom, for I have made up my mind to be satisfied with any position He gives me, even "private rear rank". All I want is to hear His: "Well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord".
Matt. chapter 25, is a continuation of examples given in chapter 24 and further shows the necessity of being FAITHFUL!
In Vs. 31 Christ says that when He returns He will gather all nations before Him and will separate them as a shepherd does his sheep and goats.
Isn't it interesting to note that the "sheep - God's saved people", are on the "right", while those who have rebelled against Him and have been rejected will be on the "left".
Note carefully vs. 35-46. It will not be those who shout "Lord! Lord!" the loudest who will enter the Kingdom, but those who OBEY Him. I have always been intrigued by Jesus' words in Matt. 7:22, 23, where He tells about the many who in the Day of Judgment will remind Him of the wonderful things they have done for Him. My! My! How they have prophesied in His name; how they have cast Out demons in His name and healed people in His name". And the King says, He will say to them: "Depart from me, ye who work iniquity. I never knew you!" What does that word INIQUITY imply? It comes from the Greek word "anomia" (458) which means: "lawless; violation of the law". What are we told about this in the scripture? 1 John 3:4 says: "Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth (breaks) also the Law; for SIN is transgression of the Law". Many of you in your Judeo-Christian churches have been taught that Christ did away with the Law when He died on Calvary, although both He and the Apostle Paul say something quite different. So how do you explain this? You believe in SIN don't you? You can see it's results all around us every day. If there was no Law, there could be no SIN. This in essence is what the Bible says. So as long as "sin abounds", GOD'S LAW MUST be in effect. It should be as plain as the nose on your face.
We have a sequel to this in Luke's Gospel, chapter 21. It is essentially the same story, given from a different viewpoint, but carrying the same message. I like Luke's message of hope, as given in Luke 21:28. After stating in vs. 26, that "Men's hearts will fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth . . ." and this is literally true, for suicide, brought about by fear, is now one of the number one killers in America. It is the number one killer among college aged youth, and the psychiatrists and psychologists who are supposed to tell us what's wrong, and what we can do to alleviate it, are killing themselves off four times faster than the rest of us "nuts". This should tell you something!
But Luke 21:28, is a shout of triumph, for it says that when we, who love the King, see things happening which distress and frighten others, we are to "LOOK UP, FOR OUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH! HALLELU'YAH!
What more can I say?
Be prepared for His return, and remember again that
OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST COME BEFORE WE CAN HAVE VICTORY!
Your brother and servant in the King's business,
Gordon "Jack" Mohr
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