By
Pastor Mike Taylor
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.
7 For
nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places.
Everyone
that is alive in this hour of the last days of man-kinds last gasp of
ruling themselves, can see the chaos that is virtually enveloping
this world. If it hasn't hit you directly, you may know someone who
has felt the upheaval that is coming upon this world, and the
neighborhood around you. Be it either natural environmental
disasters, flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes that have come awake all
up and down the Pacific coastlines and elsewhere, raging fires that
are out of control in California or other states in the western
section of the USA, or see the wars that have broken out in the
Middle East and the threat of wars that could effect every man and
women on this planet.
But
with all this surrounding us and many that are in fear of what is
coming upon the earth, it is good to step back and survey the
surrounding landscape of historical details along with current events
that can only be related to Bible prophecy that is being fulfilled in
these last days. Let us, for a moment, consider the awesomeness of
this big picture that is coming quickly into clearer view.
UNDERSTANDING
WHERE WE ARE IN PROPHECY
For
two thousand years, since the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to
the right hand of God our Father, mankind or the generations of those
who put their faith in our Savior, have looked expectantly at the
clouds and believed that they would see the coming of our Lord in
their generation.
There
have been so many signs that points to the nearness of the Jesus
return for His church, that people have become almost complacent with
the routine they have seen down through times past. Many disbelieving
people who scoffed at the very idea of the Lord's return came to
believe He wasn't coming at all.
2 “That
ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy
prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and
Saviour:
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.” (2nd Peter 3:2-4)
Those
of us who are living in this generation of the last days are
eyewitnesses to events for which the ancient prophets had no words to
describe, but can only be decipherable to that generation that lives
in it. To the prophets, to them it was “somewhere in time”.
DANIEL'S
VISION OF THE FUTURE
For
example, the prophet Daniel was so confused by what he witnessed, and
so unsure of how to describe it in words that made sense, that he
actually complained to God's Messenger about it:
"8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
10 Many
shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand."(Daniel
12:8-10)
Just
try and see it from Daniel's perspective. He had just absorbed a
vision of Israel's future, divided into seventy weeks of years.
God
revealed to Daniel the rise and fall of four successive world
empires; Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Much of Daniel's
vision would have been somewhat familiar; the mechanics of government
and technology of war didn't change that much from the 5th century BC
to the 1st century AD.
But
Daniel's vision took a hard right turn following the 'cutting off of
the Messiah.'
26 “And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for
himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy
the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a
flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined.”(Daniel
9:26)
The
Messenger of God jumped from the first century AD to somewhere in the
21st
Century when Jerusalem would be sacked and the temple destroyed in
70AD by Titus and then jumping forward near 2000 years to the
confirmation of a seven year treaty between the many nations and the
coming Anti-Christ and the start of the Tribulation period of 7
years, or Daniel's 70th
week.
Daniel
had seen things that staggered him so much he didn't know where to
begin.
Consider
the angel's reply carefully:
"And
he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for
the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."
(Daniel
12:8-9)
There
is a principle in Bible scriptures that dictates that God doesn't
repeat Himself unnecessarily, but has a purpose if He does. If God
tells you something twice, then it is really important and those who
read it should really take notice, as God wants you to get what He is
saying.
That
is the case here. Earlier, Daniel had voiced a similar complaint, and
the angel had already told him:
"But
thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the
time of the end," but in more detail, adding that, 'in the time
of the end', "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased."
(Daniel
12:4)
The
visions were so complex that the prophet was left near speechless to
understand what it was he was being shown. This is the same man, who
was so in tune with the Mind of God that he could divine and
interpret dreams, but this vision was designed only for the
generation that would actually live it and see its fulfillment.
As
mentioned, each generations has watched for signs of the times that
pointed to the imminent return of our Lord, but they all lacked one
thing. That one thing will be mentioned further in this message.
Take
for example, the Church at Thessalonica that was so convinced that
the Day of the Lord was upon them, and that they had missed the
rapture of the Church and were sore afraid. Paul had to comfort them
and tell them what the signs would be before the coming Day of the
Lord, and they were not living in it yet.
“Now
we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
by our gathering together unto him,
2 That
ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor
by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at
hand.
3 Let
no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the
son of perdition;
4 Who
opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that
is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember
ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”
(2nd Thessalonians 2:1-5)
But
the angel that came to Daniel said that the signs of the times would
only be understandable to those who were actually living in that
particular time of the generation of the end.
KNOWLEDGE
VS. WISDOM
There
is a world of difference between 'knowledge' and 'wisdom'. One can
have great wisdom without much knowledge. Some of the wisest men I
ever knew had little or no education. But it is equally true that
you can have a tremendous amount of knowledge but have no wisdom, but
is known to have book smarts, but no common “horse sense”. I've
known many just such as I describe.
The
bookstores are full of examples of Ph.Ds who have dedicated
themselves to proving just that and it fills our universities of
those who have knowledge but very little wisdom.
Wisdom
and knowledge is what Daniel was seeking when he made inquiries of
the Angel Gabriel, which is who the Bible says was sent.
Indeed,
the angel Gabriel went on to say;
"Many
shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise
shall understand."
(Daniel
12:10)
The
Proverbs of Solomon explain 'understanding' as an equation that could
be expressed this way: "wisdom plus knowledge equals
understanding."
"The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the
holy is understanding." (Proverbs
9:10)
That
is the whole purpose of the Proverbs;
Daniel
was a very wise man, but he had nothing to compare the revelation he
was receiving to what was evident in his world at the time and had no
understanding of what was being revealed. It left him totally
confused, but to write what was seen, as the understanding of this
knowledge was not for him, but for another time. I believe it was for
our time in the generation we are now living.
THE
BIG PICTURE
As
we look around us and try to understand what is happening and the
Big Picture, it comes down to the sign that Jesus told us would be
the sign of the last generation. That is what was lacking of all
past generations...the rebirth of Israel.
It
began when, for the first time since the times of Daniel, there
is, in
this generation,
a political and national entity called "Israel" composed of
Daniel's people and living in Daniel's city.
24 “Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon they holy city to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint
the most Holy.”(Daniel
9:24)
From
the day that Israel was reborn it was unheard of for a nation to be
reborn in just one day, but was prophesied that it would happen just
that way when Israel would, against all odds, be reborn once again in
one day.
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.”
(Isaiah 66:8)
But
on 14 May 1948, the countdown clock began ticking down. As the
prophecy spoken of by Jesus came to pass, and as I have mentioned in
many messages past, Israel is the door to end time prophecy, and
Jerusalem is the key to that door. God made a promise to the Prophet
Daniel, and God keeps His promises. As noted, the Messiah was cut off
after 483 years of a 490 year prophecy that still has 7 remaining
years for the prophecy to be completed. That clock is now ticking
away. But one doesn't need only to judge by the “fig Tree” of
Matthew 24's prophecy to make that point. The point makes it all by
itself. Virtually every major component of Bible prophecy makes the
Big Picture by tracing it to this point in modern history.
Many
things are linked with the restoration of the nation of Israel and it
all began in the same year of 1948.
-The
war on terrorism and the rise of Muslim atrocities began in 1948 and
continues to the present time.
-The
prophesied coming of the Anti-Christ began with the destruction of
Jerusalem and the burning of the Temple, and those legions of the
Roman Empire as spoken of in Daniel 9:27 .
-Those
“people” became the modern version of the Roman Empire in 1948
when the European Union was formed out of the Benelux Treaty.
-The
current East/West geopolitical alignment in the Middle East is a
direct result of the US/Soviet Cold War which officially kicked off
with the 1948 Berlin Airlift.
-The
first Constitution for a global government, the Universal Declaration
of Rights and Freedoms was ratified by the UN Member States in 1948.
-The
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Treaty establishing
global economic policy rules (and ultimately evolving into the World
Trade Organization) was signed and ratified by the UN in 1948.
-The
World Council of Churches was established under UN auspices in
Amsterdam in August, 1948.
-China
and Taiwan were divided by the 1947-1948 Communist takeover of the
mainland, giving birth to the inscrutable People's Republic of China.
-Muslim
Pakistan broke from newly independent India in 1948, creating the
Islamic republic that ultimately gave the world the first Islamic
Bomb, the Taliban and Osama bin Laden.
This
is all historical facts that anyone can point to that speaks of the
co-ordination by Divine authority to put in place the final actors on
the world stage to wind down this generation that we are living in.
But if a person does not have “wisdom” then the knowledge of
these historical events mean nothing to them in the Big Picture that
God is orchestrating to come to pass to bring His will into being
completed.
When
Jesus said that “this generation will not pass till all be
fulfilled” We must re-emphasize what a generation is. The Psalms in
chapter 90 says that a generation is 70 years, and 80 years by
strength, then we fly away. So when in 1948, that timeclock of 70
years began for a generation born would see all things be fulfilled.
And this year in May will be 70 years since Israel was reborn. It
means that on the outside of 80+/- years, Jesus will be back on this
earth, reigning and ruling for a thousand years. But a Tribulation
of 7 years must be sandwiched between now and that end time of 80
years, somewhere of what was written of a generation in the Psalms.
If the tribulation is that close, then the removal of the Church is
even closer. This is the picture we see, and it remains to be seen
when and how the generation of the Lord's return plays out according
to God's plan and not ours. God gave us a general time frame.
What
the secular world sees, being devoid of understanding, is chaos,
terror and upheaval of this world all around them. This lack of
understanding breeds nothing but fear, as the world doesn't know what
is happening, but the minute you start to tell them what is happening
on God's Time Clock, then that is when they begin to shut you out or
flee from your presence and label you a “prophecy nut”
But
remember in the first destruction of this planet that was flooded
over with a deluge of water, Noah preached for 120 years without a
single convert? I would call that most discouraging. So it is with
the day that we live in, as men scoff at the idea that the end of
this age is close at hand, they close their minds and their hearts to
the reality of what is actually happening. Although they have
knowledge of the events, they have not wisdom that leads to
understanding. We as “watchman on the wall” see the sword
coming, and we are commanded to warn the people. As it is written in
Ezekiel:
4 Then
whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning;
if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own
head.
5 He
heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall
be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But
if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the
people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from
among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I
require at the watchman's hand.” (Ezekiel 33:3-6)
So
we continue to warn the people, to give them knowledge, to hopefully
produce wisdom and to lead them to understanding. We know not all
will listen. But if only one comes to the understanding and escapes
what is coming upon the earth known as the Tribulation, then that
soul is priceless in the eyes of God. Our work is for even that one
who believes, but we pray for more.
So, in
this message, I think it is good to step back once in a while and
drink in the awesomeness of the events to which we are now almost
daily witnesses of.
As we
see the hand of God moving directly in the affairs of this World to
fulfill His Word in this generation, then our individual setbacks
pale in comparison.
We all
should be encouraged to know that God is in control and that His Word
will NOT come back to Him void.
“So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not
return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and
it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
RECEIVING
ETERNAL REWARDS
It is
encouraging to know that those who look for the Glorious Appearing of
our Lord and Savior will receive a special crown, a “crown of
righteousness” that is reserved in heaven for all who have believed
by faith and followed our Lord Jesus and seek to do His will in this
time of the last generation. Paul speaks of this special crown that
is reserved for the Children of God:
8” Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but
unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2nd
Timothy 4:8)
Even
more encouraging words are spoken by Titus in chapter 2 that
believers should not be quaking in fear of what is coming upon the
earth, but we are looking for that “Blessed Hope” which is
Christ, the Lord.
"Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13)
Looking
at the signs of the times is terrifying. Understanding the times of
the signs means a 'crown of righteousness' and represents our
'blessed hope'-- the soon Rapture of the Church.
Still,
it is natural to feel a sense of fear, as after all, we all want to
go to heaven, but none of us want to hasten that process by dying. It
is as the old saying goes “everyone want to go to heaven, but
nobody wants to die”. It's a natural human response that is fueled
by the sympathetic nervous system, of the “fight or flight”
desire to preserve life at any cost. But being fearful at times is
not a sign of a lack of faith, it is a sign of being human.
Paul
explains that we are dual-natured creatures, part carnal and part
spiritual, so it is not disloyal (or schizophrenic) to be afraid with
the natural part and overjoyed at its spiritual implications.
6 “Wherein
ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in
heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That
the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise
and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom
having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
LET
ME ASK YOU A PERSONAL QUESTION.
Are
you afraid of what is coming upon this earth? Are you fearful that
your family could be swept away, or that death could be right around
the corner for you or any of your loved ones? With all the violence
even now in our schools, I don't blame you. It is entirely human to
fear something you don't have understanding of.
To
be afraid of evil men who want to destroy the innocent lives around
them is totally human but is devoid of Godly faith. Because you have
nothing that you can hold onto and take courage that Jesus is the
answer to that fear...For it is written:
7 “For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.” (2nd
Timothy 1:7)
The
whole world knows that something “BIG” is coming. Those who have
nothing to place their anchor in are fearful of what is coming. They
can see how the world is starting to implode upon itself, and evil is
growing unabated and it is right on our front doors steps of even
this country.
Men's
hearts are failing them for what is coming upon the earth. But if you
think it is fearful now, just wait, if you be so unfortunate, to see
what WILL come upon the earth in possibly a few short years.
“And
there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and
the waves roaring;
26 Men's
hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26)
Men
and women can't explain what is coming, they just have knowledge, but
no wisdom or understanding of what God said would happen in these
last days.
A
time of terrible suffering is fast approaching this world, even to
the shores of this once great country known as the USA, which may not
be so great in the time that is still to play out.
“Blow
ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let
all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of
the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
2 “
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick
darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people
and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any
more after it, even to the years of many generations.” (Joel 2:1-2)
21 “For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And
except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”
(Matthew 24:21-22)
A
time that anyone who has wisdom coupled with knowledge will receive
understanding and turn to the only Source of not being afflicted with
this time called Jacob's Trouble. It is calculated that during the
time that is fast approaching 80%+ of all man-kind left on earth will
be destroyed. That is 5-6 billion people in 7 short years. Will you
be amongst those who meet an untimely death and devoid of any hope
for eternity? Many people will miss this coming span of death and
destruction, but many people will endure this intense suffering and
most assuredly death from something none of us want to think about.
But make no mistake, it is coming. Jesus is coming, and His wrath
will fall on all who have not believed the following verses and
confessed who Jesus is in their lives.
16 “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
17 For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved.
18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
8 “But
what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy
heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved.
10 For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
My
question to you, are you ready to meet Him? Him? Jesus Christ our
Lord, for readers, He is coming, and He is coming soon.
This
is pastor Mike Taylor sounding the alarm. Jesus is coming and coming
soon. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, then
email me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com.
God bless you all.
TILL
WE MEET AT JESUS FEET
