The Return of Jesus (Episode III)

Daniel 11:27  “And both these kings hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 

There are three aspects of the geo-political realm.  One is the public display where photo-ops are set up, sound bytes are launched and network reporters claim to have an exclusive handle on breaking news.  (Incidentally, whenever I see such meetings, the above verse almost always comes to mind.)  Second is the behind-the-scenes dealings and secret alliances that none of us are privy to but many who watch such events suspect are taking place.  The third, is the spiritual forces behind such dealings as the whole world is being primed to follow a world leader and receive a mark of allegiance to that leader.  While we don’t know exactly what twists and turns lurk around the corner, we can be certain that these are times like none other in history as the basic apparatus for a world government and a cashless society is in place. 

Matthew 24:6  “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

A small verse that tells a lot.  Wars and rumors have been around for generations, but never has such a climate existed as todays where a nuclear exchange could remove entire nations from the face of the earth.  The turmoil in the middle east, the massive buildup of military power in China, (kings of the east) terrorism, (which poses a very real threat, but also serves to obscure a much bigger picture) and the worlds appetite for oil creates a perfect geo-political storm; the course of which is unpredictable at best.  Such things should not trouble those who are in Christ.  On the contrary, times of uncertainty are great times for evengelism; when folks come to grips with the instability of flesh.  It’s a time to shine the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ into every nook and cranny before time runs out.

The words “but the end is not yet” should be a warning to not become overly confident in our charts and the going “fill-in-the-blanks” prophetic teachings of the day.  While I wasn’t around during the second world war, I can imagine that some thought Adolph Hitler to be the antichrist.  (He was “an” antichrist, but not “the” man of sin that will cause the whole world to wonder after him.)  Such a teaching would have seemed to fit the flow of events, but would be erroneous.  The times will grow increasingly intense as the day of the Lord approaches, but none of us have a perfect picture of how it’s all going to come to pass.  Certain things may indeed line up as we perceive and some things may catch us completely off guard.  Our primary focus should be on the Lord Jesus Christ; knowing that he is our strength and refuge while the storms rage on every side.

I Thessalonians 5:2-3  “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  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.”

One may wonder why such a topic should even be discussed when we don’t know how it’s all going to come to pass.  For me, it’s two-fold.  First, Jesus intentionally opened up the topic in Matthew chapter 24 when he stated “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  This along with the many other biblical references to these times reveal that it’s important for us to be watching.  Just as a watchman would be atop the wall of a city. He may not know exactly what will appear on the horizon, but he will notice when something does and will have to determine whether or not it poses a threat.  Second, it causes me to be mindful of the shortness of time, to draw closer to the Lord Jesus, and be about the business of the kingdom.  If we draw close to him during the peace and safety, we’ll be prepared when the sudden destruction comes. 

Matthew 24:7-8  “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.” 

This is one nation taking action against another.  While it says “rise up against” there’s not mention that it must entail military intervention; although such will most likely be a part of a rising up.  For example; suppose that the Chinese government determined that the time was ripe, for whatever reason, to bring down the United States.  All that they would have to do is dump all of their U.S. dollars.  It would take seconds and those of us in this country would awaken to a very different reality than the one in place when we went to bed the night before.   That’s how percarious our present standing is and how unpredictable the flow of events can be from day to day. 

When one observes the fulfilment of verse seven; nations in dispute, famines, and a noticable uptick in seismic activity, one would be convinced that this simply cannot go on.  yet according to verse 8, these are the beginning of sorrows.  Currently, things appear at a rate where many will say “well we’ve always had wars and famines.”  This is true and I wonder how long before it becomes blatantly obvious that the situation in the world today is far different than the situation of twenty, or even ten years ago.  For those who refuse to see, the upswing in the distress of nations, pestilence, earthquakes, and bizarre weather may not provide enough contrast from past occurrances; even when their own livelihood is threatened.  The following passage is chilling as it portrays the level of hardness that ones heart can reach when they reject the truth that can make them free. 

Revelation 9:20-21  “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:  Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, not of their fornication, not of their thefts.”

While explaining these things on the Mount of Olives, Jesus doesn’t give us a distinct time scale.  He does, however, tell us what to watch for and how to get through these events.  “Endure unto the end.”  To hold fast the profession of our faith regardless of the circumstances of the day or the deceptions which make so much sense that any who are not grounded in the Lord Jesus Christ will be swayed.  To have our affections on things above where we have an inheritance uncorruptible and that fades not away.  In the next installment, the topic of “enduring unto the end” becomes center stage as persecution and false teachings abound. 

Until the next time, I wish to all, a blessed day in Jesus.