Please consider the following scripture as we move into this 8th post.
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:1
**All scriptures are taken from the NKJV**
We live in a day of designer theology. The one size fits all maxims of scripture have become a “you may believe that but I don’t” multi-ring circus, where you can find pretty much whatever you want. Just go through any one of many doors and join the crowds who love the variety and freedom of being a narcissistic fool. They’re always looking for the “right church”, the “right people”, the “right teaching”, the right “whatever” that fits their damnable prejudice of a very warped cross! Strong words and sad to have to use them. God help us wake up!
The above statement must not be you dear reader. It describes multitudes of Catholicized/Protestantized church going people who left the pages of scripture for “another gospel.” Don’t join them. Break ranks with these multitudes of fools who love the popularity of having it their own way. Christianity is the most serious business on the face of the earth. You enter its ranks and you have all of hell against you. Don’t play the fool. Get it right. It is a very lonely path that is up hill all the way, but it will get you to heaven.
The opening scripture is about Paul and Silas’s visit to the town of Berea, highlighting the Berean’s openness to the word of God. Please try to follow their example of “receiving the word with all readiness of mind, and searching the scriptures daily whether those things were so.” We’re going to be crossing a lot of churchy non line upon line theo-babble, Orwellian style newspeak gone religious. Don’t get stuck in these intersections as we move on. Questions, concerns? Please contact us via this website.
“When for the time you ought to be teachers”
Let’s start off with a very unusual statement. In fact let’s start off with a couple. Hey I like unusual statements. It’s the unusual statements of scripture that make you an unusual person. Unusual is a good thing to be in our day. All you really have to do firstly is actually believe the Bible really does matter, and secondly stay far away from church leadership. That’s right, church leadership these days typically involves being a “yes man” or woman as the case may be. Promoting someone’s walls was never a Kingdom concept. Stay far away from it! Oh yes, it’s a lonelier path but it’s the right one.
Anyway, in this current mess that we call orthodox Christianity, I find unusual statements closer to the truth than status quo. Status quo is the problem right now, and more of it is not going to get you any closer to where we need to be! So to the subject. At this point in the history of the Christian church we should know exactly what is going to happen in regard to the return of Christ. Yes you heard me right. The fact that we don’t know is not due to the complexity of the subject. It is due to the extent of our ignorance and our unwillingness to acknowledge it and deal with the consequences. So let’s shift our thinking a little bit, or perhaps quite a bit. If any people should have a grip on the days we live in it should certainly be us CHURCH! So why don’t we, and why does it seem so many people run from this reality? We, of all people, have got approximately 6000 years of human history behind us. All the mistakes and successes of previous generations are there for our learning. The scriptures are available to us in the best form they have ever been in. The Holy Spirit has been given to lead and guide us into all truth. Revival histories are ours to learn from etc. etc. We of all people should not be struggling with so many of the questions we’re dealing with, especially on this issue. So again why do we? Why don’t we question our ignorance? Why don’t we recognize it as ignorance. Stupid is not a good thing! It never has been! How, for God’s sake, did such ignorance become orthodox and why do so many of our pulpits promote it?? We are post Christ not pre-Christ. Why don’t we act like it?! We are being robbed people. We are being ripped off by the devil and seemingly no one is getting their back up. We seem to love playing the fool to this stuff. Is it any wonder our world is in such trouble with a church like this? Yes, I’m sorry for the cynicism. I’m sorry that it needs to be. But there are millions of people that will never find there God-given purpose because of this stuff and it needs to be exposed!!
Ok, so you’re and oddball if you question all this stuff going on today. So be an oddball already!! Welcome to the oddball’s club. The blood of Jesus paid your membership. Anyway, as was said, we should know exactly where we are in the history of God’s plan for man. We should have clarity to help people in this hour of darkness, not more confusion. Jesus said that we are “the light of the world” not the darkness.
(Let me push this down the road a bit further because it needs to be pushed)
We certainly should have these things down by now don’t you think? The fact that we don’t should not be celebrated as a wonderful example of our freedom and diversity (as it is), but a disgusting example of our divisiveness and ignorance. Yes and I do mean disgusting. Truth requires agreement or it’s worthless. That is not a deep concept. It is more than obvious regardless of what our walls have done with it. To play around with concepts of unity without addressing the concepts that justify our countless disagreements is incredible hypocrisy. Biblical unity is based on agreement not disagreement. Why don’t we recognize that? Truth doesn’t contradict itself, so why do we? Let me rephrase it this way, why do we allow and promote all these contradictions in thinking and yet claim we “just believe the bible”? That’s not possible. Contradictions don’t unite, they divide. The apostle Paul said it this way,
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles
of the oracles of God.” Heb.5:12
That’s exactly where we are. We need the “first principles” to be taught to us again. The word “again”, stated by Paul, is a question for this generation. Did we ever understand the “first principles” to begin with?
Paul told the Corinthians,
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed
you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still
not able; for you are still carnal.” 1Cor.3:1-3
We live in an era when the truths and mysteries of millenniums are ready to be revealed. God told Daniel,
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro
and knowledge shall increase.” Dan 12:4
“Seal the book until the time of the end.” Well here we are ladies and gentlemen, fellas and fellers. The time of the end is upon us. Certainly that should mean something to some people. Inquisitive minds should be saying, “Hey, it’s time for these things to be unsealed.” But where are the inquisitive minds to press heaven on this?! Does anyone care? We’re far to content with our blindness. When Daniel “understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Dan.9:1-2), what did he do? What was his next move? Just say “praise God” and let it slide as so many would today? No, he sought God “by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Dan.9:3) with much repentance for God’s favor to return. Where is that today? Where is that kind of passion and understanding today? C’mon people, there are prophesies bursting at the seams to be understood by God’s people. Where is the searching, the crying out and repentance for understanding and deliverance?? We look practically in vain to find it! Is it any wonder we go on in so much apathy, darkness and confusion? This is not a time to play the fool for the devil or some pulpit. We are unfortunately prepping ourselves to miss Christ’s return if we go on like this! Great men and women are rare but we live in a time when they must come forth. Jesus said,
“No one when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand,
that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden
that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has to him more
will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
Lk.8:16-18
Context, context, context- the top three of biblical interpretation. The above scripture was in the context of Jesus’ discussion of the importance of receiving the word of God (the parable of the sower-Lk.8:11-15). The context there was not talking about sin being exposed or some similar issue. It was talking about the revelation of the word of God and who would receive it. Jesus is saying that everything God has given man to understand will be revealed. It will “be known and come to light” before the end. Again, where is the searching for this? Where is the questioning on the implications of this verse? Please, please understand this. Refuse this godless commitment to ignorance that pervades so much of the current church. We need revelation. We need it now and we are meant to have it, especially in the day we live in. Truckloads of revelation, mostly the recovery of it, are designated for this time.
“For when they say, ‘peace and safety.’”
So if we drop into our current subject from a pre-post apostolic viewpoint (I said it that way to avoid the inference that post-apostolic events were acceptable, which they weren’t for the most part) you find such statements as this from the apostle Paul,
“But concerning the times and the seasons brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say,
‘peace and safety’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall not escape.” 1Thes.5:1-3
I mentioned in the last post that we would look at the things yet to be fulfilled before Christ’s coming. We’ll begin with this verse. This is one of the most profound scriptures in the New Testament regarding the timing of Christ’s return. Don’t miss it. It implies massive changes on the world scene. It reveals the environment that sets the stage for His coming. We can’t know the “day or the hour” but we can certainly know the environment- the “times and the seasons” that will exist at the time. That needs to be recognized in this verse and so many comparable verses we will soon look at. God does not want His people to be in darkness about this, as so many unfortunately are. So let’s pull back a minute and finish the earlier point about ignorance. Paul addresses it here saying, “you yourselves know perfectly.” They weren’t struggling to understand the “times and the seasons” of the “day of the Lord.” They knew “perfectly” that it would come in as a “thief in the night” when people are saying “peace and safety.” They had perfect understanding on the matter of the timing of Christ’s return. Again we can’t know the day or the hour but WE CAN KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDING IT. The fact that so many don’t is appalling and is the fault of our pulpits and leaders, not scripture. Other good translations say it this way,
“For you yourselves know full well” NAS
“For you yourselves are fully aware” ESV
“For you yourselves fully know” BLB (Berean Literal Bible)
“For yourselves have known thoroughly” YLT (Young’s Literal Tran.)
Ignorance was not a virtue. It was treated as an enemy jeopardizing people’s readiness to meet the Lord. Why don’t we understand that today? Yes I keep repeating that question- it’s needed! It’s time to quit playing the fool to the pervasiveness of this ignorance and those that promote it! Deception is parading as orthodoxy, imperiling millions. The classic statement comes to mind, “If we learn anything from history, it’s that we learn nothing from history.” Wake up pulpits. Judgment is coming! The apostle Paul considered it an absolute necessity to thoroughly inform his churches on this issue. He said to the Thessalonians in regard to the event of Christ’s return,
“But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren…” 1Thes.4:13
Again in Paul’s second writing to the Thessalonians, while warning them not to be deceived on the timing of Christ’s return he said,
“Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things.”
2Thes.2:5
This is the mindset of a true biblical apostle of Christ. They cover all the bases making sure the saints are given a full opportunity to be completely informed and equipped for the work of Christ and salvation. Paul says further in 1Thes.5:4-5
“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons
of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
A few more verses on this.
“Therefore do not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Eph.5:17
“That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Col.1:9
“But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as a thief.” 1Thes.5:4
“That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting..” Eph.4:14
Now back to 1Thes.5:1-3. I made note above that it implied massive changes on the world scene prior to our Lord’s return. Note the highlighted words,
“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in
the night. For when they say, ‘peace and safety’ then sudden destruction comes upon
them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”
1Thes.5:1-3
The turbulence we are witnessing across so much of the world today is soon to change and change drastically. I’m going to repeat that because it needs to be understood. I said, the turbulence we are witnessing across so much of the world today is soon to change and change drastically. Something or somethings with mammoth implications are soon to transpire calming the storms. Remember scripture is binding and that it speaks globally unless noted otherwise. It is not subject to the whims and fancies of human speculation and bias! World events are subject to it regardless of their source. So prepare yourselves people for an unprecedented time of “peace and safety” or “peace and security” as the original language implied. Third world countries are going to go bye bye as they move into this unprecedented time of opulence.
Sounds strange doesn’t it; that such a turn of events could happen in the world’s current climate of “wars and rumors of wars”? This is a very similar situation to that of Elisha’s time. The King of Syria was attacking Israel, which was in Samaria at the time. Great famine was taking place throughout Samaria to the point of cannibalism. The story goes on and says,
“Then Elisha said, ‘hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, ‘look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?’ And he (Elisha) said, ‘in fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” 2Ki.7:1-2
The next day came and the officer saw Elisha’s word come to pass as the scripture notes,
“And so it happened to him (the officer), for the people trampled him in the gate, and
he died.”. 2Ki.7:20
The people were so famished that in their rampage to get to the food that was now available, they trampled on the officer. Watch this people. Things are going to shift and many, many will not be ready for the ramifications of the change. “Tomorrow about this time” is a refrain highlighting the quickness of changes we shall also witness. This will not just be about opulence. It will also be about deception and many will be like ripe fruit on the tree for it to pick off. Yes, though it will be an amazing time of affluence it will also be a time of great jeopardy for God’s people. It’s this jeopardy that will take multitudes of Christians by surprise and leave them lacking when Christ returns. They will be the 5 foolish virgins who “took their lamps and took no oil with them” (Matt.25:3). They will say, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But He will say, “assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matt.25:11). The apostle Paul’s words “sudden destruction will come upon them” are soon to happen.
(Those who have embraced the “whole church will go in the rapture” scenario are going to face quite a wake up call. We will have much more to say about that later but for right now back to the current issue)
This amazing and very dangerous time of “peace and security” preceding our Lord’s return is alluded to in Lk.17:26-30,
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will also be in the days of the Son of Man:
They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day
that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it
was in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from
heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man
is revealed.”
This is talking about normal life or, should we say, the normalization of life at the time of Christ’s return, “when the son of man is revealed.” It doesn’t seem to indicate an escalation of the instability the world is now facing but a deescalation. We will look at this further but please take note of this. Current events are going to change, and change drastically. Jesus told His disciples,
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing,
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. For it will
come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.”
Lk.21:34-35
The implications of this verse should starkly stand out. Jesus had been discussing earth shaking events in the previous verses. Note vs.25-26
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth distress
of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them
from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Did you notice the disparity between that verse and the previous one. The original scripture in Lk.21:34-35 preceding this one, is clearly talking about a time of affluence or opulence and therefore ease. The second one is talking about a time of “distress”, “perplexity”, “hearts failing” and “fear.” All those words appear there. The two scriptures are clearly talking about significantly different times even though they appear (common in biblical prophesy) to follow one another. Lk.21:25-26 exemplifies catastrophe similar to Rev.6:15-17 which says,
“And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the
rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us
from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the
great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’”
Again Jesus’ words in Lk.21:34-35 highlight the opulence that is coming with a very serious warning. Note again,
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing,
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. For it will
come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Lk.21:34-35
The two phrases “take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down” and “for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell upon the face of the whole earth” highlight the danger involved. This is a danger that will encompass the whole earth. Many, many are not aware of this. The snare will entrap them as they play the fool to the “peace and safety” that is coming. “Supposing that godliness is a means of gain” will be their hellish reasoning (1Tim.6:5). They will be like Israel of old saying “peace” before the slaughter by Babylon.
“They have also healed the hurt of my people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When
there is no peace.”. Jer.6:14
This scenario is soon to come again as many Christian leaders and so called prophetic gurus praise that era with their soothing words to “heal the hurt of my people slightly”.
How interesting it is that scripture highlights Israel’s future state in their land with the following words from Ezekiel 38,
“Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you;
and be a guard for them. After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will
come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from may people
on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the
nations, and now all of them dwell safely…you will say, ‘I will go up against a land of
unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling
without walls, and having neither bars nor gates…” Ezek.38:7-10
Much could be said on this. Note the emphasis on “peace and safety” surrounding them at that time. Where did that come from? Suffice it to say here this is certainly not Israel’s condition at this time. Something is going to transpire to shift the current perilous times and move them to an unprecedented time of “peace”. It is in such a time that Israel’s security will be so assured that they will dwell “safely, all of them dwelling without walls..”. Can we grasp that?! Obviously something is going to shift our current perilous times. Peace will come to the Middle East situation. This time of peace and safety will be pregnant with prophetic relevance. It will be a relevance that must be understood and readied for. Those who miss it or fail to understand it will undoubtedly find themselves defined by Paul’s statement of “sudden destruction comes upon them” (1Thes.5:3). It will undoubtedly be during such a time that Israel will be able to rebuild their temple that will eventually be desecrated by the Antichrist (Note: Dan.8:11-12; 11:31;12:11;2Thes.2:4).
(We don’t have time to cover it now. But this time of peace and safety will undoubtedly come in with the rise of two opposing influences soon to enter the scene. Firstly a time of worldwide revival and secondly the rise of a form of world government without the ascension of the Antichrist as its head)
Now we come to the most insightful scripture of those we have looked at. To the church of Laodicea in Rev.3 the scripture says,
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold
or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you
out of my mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need
of nothing’- And do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked…”
Rev.3:17-18
Did you get those words. It will be in this 7th and final age of the church; here called “the church of Laodicea”, that this incredible time of wealth and security will set in. So trapped by it they will say “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” This will be the snare spoken of by Christ in Lk.21:34-35 “For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Jesus’ response to their deception will be “you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked..” This will not be the response they’d expect. To many today interpret scripture in light of what they want to believe rather than interpret what they believe in light of scripture. Backwards never goes forward! Twisted never goes straight! Prophecy exists to forewarn people of what’s coming, giving them the opportunity to correct before it’s to late. But God’s people have largely turned themselves over to fables, having itching ears- “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers” (2Tim.4:3). God’s people desperately need to be warned about this time that is soon to come. Few if any understand it. The question is will they even listen? Do they have ears to hear such a message? Do you have ears to hear this message? This time of opulence will be so universally accepted and promoted, few will be able to escape its seduction. Jesus’ words weigh heavy on this generation, “Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk.21:36).
Ok, all that said, I remind the reader of the previous post in light of this. The “all things have been fulfilled, Jesus could come back at any moment” scenario is a scam from hell! Don’t be taken in by it. Imminent theology guts scripture by the “trickery of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph.4:14). We have only looked at one item that will precede Christ’s return. It will be in this environment of “peace and safety” that He will come back. Many, I say, many will not understand this. He will come in an hour that they think not. They have been prepped by mercenary pulpits to think otherwise and in the midst of their “rich and increased with goods” thinking they will be LEFT BEHIND!! May God help us. Much more coming.
Luther Canon
Sola Scriptura