Revelation watch: Day 8

Revelation watch: Day 8

 
A high-level political assassination, a magnitude 10 earthquake in California, food shortages, the deaths of prominent religious figures, civil disturbances, and economic collapse are among some of the predictions that several "prophetic messengers" have issued concerning the United States. Some of these events reportedly will take place September-December. Some of the predictions are so specific that we will know right away if they were on track or bogus.

Most of these predictions focus on the bad events while very little is known about how spiritual people will respond to them. What is the good side? (Hint: Read the Bible for details on all the good stuff that follows.) What are Christian churches doing to prepare their congregations for these things? The predictions I mentioned here are not found in the Apocalypse per se. The predicted events can happen anywhere and at any time. So, even if they come to pass, the events themselves are not a cue of the prophetic season known as the End Times. If not such events, then what should we be looking for? We need to look up the relevant prophecies.

 
When Jesus was born, the enormous event of this divine intervention caught Israel's Jewish religious and civil leaders off guard. They were blindsided by the big moment - the arrival of the Messiah. If it weren't for the wise men that followed the star that led them to Jerusalem, then the religious and civil leaders would not have realized that a major prophecy was being fulfilled in their lifetime. I believe this is how it will be with the End Times. It will be staring us in the face, and except for the street preachers waving warning signs, we won't even suspect it.

 
The spiritual state of Israel was dismal when Jesus arrived on the scene. It is no wonder then that Jesus announced the Good News to humble people; He did not seek a position of preeminence in the religious systems of the Pharisees and Sadducees. These people who failed to recognize the Messiah are the same ones that later plotted to kill Him. The Roman civil authorities, through Pilate, helped them achieve the murderous plot behind the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
How could learned men who were full time priests and ministers miss the next big that was supposed to happen on God's prophetic clock? It's happening now. Ignorance, an unwillingness to believe literally in what the Bible says, and a lack of repentance can leave people spiritually in the dark, just as when Jesus was born.

 
Christians who seriously want to discover what the Return of Jesus will be like must be willing to dig into prophetic writings, especially the Book of Revelation, for the details. Everyone has access to the Bible, many Bible translations are available online, and there many study tools available to expand on the research. Most importantly, born again people have the Holy Spirit, who the Word says will guide us into all truth. We either believe it or we don't.

 
John 16:13 (NLT) - "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future."

 

Luke 11:52 (NLT) - "What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

Luke 18:7-8 (WEB) - " ⁷ Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? ⁸ I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

 
The mission of John the Baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord. He called people to repentance for this very reason. Repentance is how we best can prepare ourselves for the return of Jesus, and how we can develop a spirit of expectancy with which to welcome the Savior, King and Lord. Amen.
Luke 21:28 (NIV) - "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

 
Revelation 22:20 (ESV) - "He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

Shalom and blessings to everyone as we continue this countdown.

Diana Washington-Valdez/Faith Today Christian Ministries (a free ministry)
Exalting the Name of Jesus!