The Bible records many cataclysmic events some have already occurred many are yet to come. Noah’s flood (Genesis Ch. 6&7) the separation of the continents (Genesis 10:25), the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah all weigh in on the cataclysmic scale, and involve the participation of the heavens and earth.
The futuristic events outlined in scripture will have an immense global impact. The sequential effects of the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls described in the Book of Revelation chapter 6 and following, are on a scale previously unknown or experienced by mankind.
Regardless of your rapture view and expectation, these events will occur. The world and mankind will remain until the end of the age. It is no longer risky to declare we are living in the last days of mankind, as we currently know them. With the nation of Israel as our prophetic time clock, we can easily conclude the last days are here. The establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948, their subsequent retaking of Jerusalem and the temple area are key events. The process of re-gathering the Jews to their home land according to prophecy is enough to settle the issue for most Christians. If one takes into account other related world events such as the assembling of the revived Roman Empire, the alignment of Russia (Gog) and the former soviet union (Magog-Ezekiel Chapter 38 &39). The preparedness of the Jews to rebuild the temple (Daniel 9:26, 27; Revelation 11:1,2). The emphasis on a new world order and countless other prophetic events, point to the fact we are rapidly approaching the end. International pressure on Israel to sign a Middle East peace agreement is unrelenting. We know the signing of the peace agreement will activate the 70th week of Daniel and mark the beginning of the final 7 years of this age (Daniel 9:25-27). Needless to say, we are experiencing the words of Jesus:
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceivers you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilence, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14
Jesus told us to take heed that no one deceives us regarding the end of the age and the coming of the Lord.
The Lord will use signs in the sky to inform us who understand His working with mankind and His time table. In the very beginning of creation, God created planets, stars, constellations, the sun and moon in order to communicate with us:
Then God said, “Let there be light in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;….” Genesis 1:14
God created our solar system to give us an accurate means to mark the time and seasons. The deeper intent of God in the lights was to signal to us His coming and the set time of convening His appointed feasts.
Gods time table and workings with man are revealed in His appointed feasts, the cycles of 7, and the sabbatical years.
Jesus has fulfilled the first 4 feasts through His life, death, and resurrection. The final 3 feasts are awaiting fulfillment by Him. These feasts as recorded in Leviticus 23:1-44.
1. Passover- Fulfilled by Christ as the sacrificial lamb (1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 2:24).
2. Unleavened Bread- Fulfilled by Christ, the sinless offering (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5).
3. First Fruits- Fulfilled by the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:19-23).
4. Pentecost- Fulfilled by Christ who sent the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:9).
5. Trumpets- (Rosh Hashanah) Unfulfilled prophecy of tribulation and rapture (1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 8:2,6).
6. Atonement- (Tom Kippur) Unfulfilled prophecy of Christ’s second coming and redemption (Heb. 10:3-4; Is. 66:5-9).
7. Tabernacles- (Sukkot) Unfulfilled, the 1000 year reign, God dwelling with man (Rev. 21:3).
While the first 4 feasts occur in close proximity during the spring, and entire season passes before the fall feasts begin. This long period represents the age of grace, the church age we are now living in. The last 3 feasts are observed in the fall and remain to be prophetically fulfilled at Christ’s return.
God uses signs in the sky to signal to us what is approaching: Concerning the timing of the opening of the 6th seal, (Revelation 6:12) which will unleash cosmic upheaval and terror on mankind, God will give to mankind a clear signal in the heavens, the end of the tribulation is near. Before the subsequent 7th seal, trumpets, and bowls are unleashed; God will give the nations one final chance to call upon Him for salvation, redemption, and the release from the coming wrath of God;
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31
The prophet Joel also prophesies of this time:
“I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:19-21
Could this be planet X described by Joel? Could it be the star Wormwood (Revelation 8:10-11)? Possibly. However, there are coming lunar and solar events sent by God to clearly communicate to us:
In 2014 and 2015 there will be four lunar eclipses and two solar eclipses, all occurring on Jewish feasts. NASA describes these occurrences as a “tetrad”, a rare series of blood red moons.
The last time this occurred in recent history was in 1948 and 1967. In 1948 Israel once again became a nation. In 1967 the Jewish people recaptured Jerusalem. It seem as though God marks significant events with lunar signs.
The four lunar eclipses are scheduled as follows; listed first by the Gentile calendar then the Jewish calendar:
April 15, 2014- Nisan 16, 5774- Feast of First Fruits
October 8, 2014- Tishri 15, 5775- Feast of Tabernacles
April 4, 2015- Nisan 15, 5775- Feast of Unleavened Bread
September 28, 2015- Tishri 15, 5776- Feast of Tabernacles
The four solar eclipses are scheduled as follows:
April 29, 2014 (total eclipse) Nisan 29, 5774
October 23, 2014 (partial) Tishri 29, 5775
March 20, 2015 (Eve of Sacred Year) Adar 29, 5775
September 30, 2015- After 6pm to be seen on feast of Trumpets.
God is still speaking, still calling out. We know that 2012 is not the end of the world. God has made covenant promises to us regarding the heavens and the earth.
“This says the Lord who gives sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (the Lord of Hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.”
Thus says the Lord:
“If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done says the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:35-37
Though NASA tries to search out the foundations of the earth and measure the heavens, they will be unsuccessful. As long as the sun rises and sets, we can remain calm. God has an everlasting covenant with Israel, they will never cease to exist, and therefore we can be certain the earth and heavens will remain. The devil would like nothing better than to bring the end of the world in 2012. This changing of the times and seasons (Daniel 7:23-25) would circumvent his destruction and leave him as the god of this world.
God is not going to let this happen. The earth will continue on as the Lord has declared.
“While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22
These are comforting words to us while the earth remains. There is coming a day in the not so distant future when the earth will no longer remain (2 Peter 3:10-13). However, December 21, 2012 is not that day.
The signs of the times are for our comfort and understanding. The greatest days for the church as the Bride of Christ are ahead. Great moves of healing, holiness and harvest are ready to be engaged. It is time for the Bride to make herself ready (Revelation 19:7).
“Now when you see all these things come to pass lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:28
If you don’t know the eternal destination of your soul as we enter into these epic times, you can experience the peace and assurance of God right now, today. Read on to discover how.
Many uprights, studious Christians believe the beginning of the tribulation period could start in 2009 and culminate in 2016. Those who hold a pretribulation rapture position believe the next event on God’s calendar is the rapture of the church. Others will simply need to add 7 years to the equation once the action starts. While it seems plausible a nuclear war between Iran and Israel is on the radar, the total destruction of the oldest inhabited city of Damascus would clearly mark end time events. Russia and its Arab/Islamic partners are ready to move on Israel with nuclear forces. Whether it is planet X, the “dark rift”, or nuclear war you must be ready spiritually. Jesus Christ, the Prophet of God, the Son of God is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. He declares no one comes to the Father (GOD) except through Him. Jesus sacrifices His life on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for our sin and reconcile us unto God. The Bible declares that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. This simple yet sincere act of believing Christ is our Savior, coming to Him, confessing our sinfulness is the way of salvation. The Bible declares one must be born again (spiritually from above) to see and enter the Kingdom of God (heaven).
The scriptures in the New Testament Book of Romans put the gospel truth forward like this:
“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your hearts (that is the word of faith we preach) ‘that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ For the scripture says, ‘Whoever believe on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whomever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
If you have made this simple prayer of faith to God, confessing your sinfulness, believing in forgiveness of your sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, you are saved, born again! You now have everlasting life in paradise with God, and the indwelling presence and witness of His Holy Spirit in your heart. Now it is time to connect with other believers, attend a local church that sings vibrant praise to God and preaches the word of God faithfully. You see, it’s not the end, but a new beginning that awaits us rejoice! Diamonds may last forever, but every forever must have a beginning. This is your day to trust in Christ Jesus for salvation, for a certain future regardless of what comes your way. It is your day to begin forever.
Got material from “Is 2012 the End of the World” by Randy DeMain
No comments:
Post a Comment