Final Days
There are many church leaders who have joined the dark forces rather than trying to stamp out evil, and are trying to justify it and extinguish the light of Christ’s truth. I am reminded of what Jesus said to the religious officials when they arrested Him: “This is your hour and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). Many theologians do not accept the Bible as God’s final words, so their doctrine is no standard for the rest of us who believe the Bible to be God’s words.
Big name evangelists have been preaching the coming of the Lord from the beginning of time for thousands of years about the return of Christ and the end of the world. Can we really believe we could possibly be living in the end of times? We have heard this and so many have looked for His return, how could we know if this is really the time of the end? Did Christ leave us any signs to look for? In times like these, just like the ones in which we live, the Lord will come. It can happen at any moment.
“And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying; tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (age)” (Matthew 24:3).
“And He spake to them a parable; behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:29-31).
You see that Christ used the fig tree as an example of signs. We use the same signs when we see spring approaching. The disciples believed Christ when He spoke of the end, but they wanted to know what the signs were going to be. Christ reassured them that there will be signs pointing to His return but it is up to us to look and watch for them. He did leave us signs, but what are we to look for?
The light of Christ is the way of life--eternal life in the day of resurrection--but the darkened mind is destined for death, the final death at judgment. This is sad, but even more saddening is preachers that preach a Christ that “died for you,” and all you have to do is “accept Him.” Mini-skirted girls and fuzzed--face, long--haired boys see a new “kick” and join the easy churches. The surfer’s Christ is acceptable to the world today. This is the easy gospel. It requires no repentance; no forsaking of sin, no dying to the flesh, and it has produced a group of useless Christians sitting around that won’t fit into the gospel of Christ.
Something is drastically wrong in the churches today. Instead of obeying the Lord’s command to “feed my sheep” we are entertaining “the goats” with rock bands. God never intended His church to be an entertainment center, pattering after the world and the T.V. set. On and on it goes while we are promoting the Lord and the Holy Spirit right out of the church. Every minute of precious time that we are gathered should be used to preach the gospel, instruct, teach, exhort, and to worship God. People have changed, church discipline has changed to meet this compromising age; but God has not changed neither has the Bible.
The Church of Laodicean was suppose to be in a safe state, perfectly sure of final salvation because they had begun well and laid the right foundation. It was this deceitful conviction that cut the nerves of the spiritual diligence, they rested in what they had already received, and seemed to think that once in grace must still be in grace. Instead of being children of God, as they supposed, and infallible heirs of the kingdom, they were, in the sight of God, in the condition of most wretched slave; without the image of God, and not clothed with holiness and purity. A more deplorable state in spiritual things can scarcely be imagined than that of this church. It is the true picture of many churches and innumerable individuals which has become lukewarm.
And what of the woes? If there were things that caused God’s displeasure in Isaiah’s days, we can be sure they are displeasing to Him now, God’s character has not changed. Oppression, greed, injustice, arrogance, and self-sufficiency bring their own results. They carry with them the seed of destruction, perhaps God would again like to penetrate our preoccupation with lessons for us to hear.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20)!
Knowledge increased, we live in a time where all we have to do is type in a word and so much information comes up for us. Knowledge is everywhere; we are able to find out information on anything we desire. He speaks of our times when "they will turn away their ears from the truth," who wants the truth today? A simple thing like the number 7 and number 1, He says to keep the 7th day Holy! Difficult? Who really wants to hear the truth? Today we don't say the word "wrong", it's "evil", no we say well, I don't do it, but if it's right for you it is o.k. It isn't o.k. with God, if He said it was wrong 6,000 years ago, it is still wrong today. Christ hasn't changed, nor has His words. These are just more signs to look for before His return.
It is important to observe that what follows is asserted to be the working of the divine judgment, the punishment of folly and sin. And the punishment takes, as so often, the form of men’s being allowed to plunge deeper and ever deeper into sin.
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:26-32).
Sound doctrine requires worthy behavior. Proper thinking cannot be separated from proper acting. Saying the right thing and doing the right thing are bound up together. All groups in the churches conduct themselves consistently and appropriately.
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:3-5).
The older men are to be under self-control. The older women are likewise to show discipline and influence the young women to demonstrate moral character personally and in their house.
The prophet in this condemns the shallowness of performing religious functions such as worship and fasting, without an accompanying ethical concern for your follow man. God’s supreme concern is for justice, mercy, and humility rather than it being done merely as a duty. Gloomy over national conditions the people again began to feel that God had deserted them and they began to charge Him with indifference. But the prophet, bringing God’s message, states that their condition is not due to God’s inability to save or hear; rather their sins have separated them from God.
“Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths” (Isaiah 59:7).
What are the women like today? Don't these scriptures describe the women what they would be like? I once read "the safest place for an unborn child is in the Mothers' womb, today it is the most dangerous. What does this statement say? You get pregnant today it isn't looked at as a blessing but is it the right time to have one? Is it convenient for us? Can we put this "object" in our schedule? Are men in authority of his household? What has happened to the home? How many women look at there family as their number one priority? How many abortions or innocent blood are shed on a daily basis? Isn't this murder in God's eyes? Nothing is more innocent than a child, in a womb or out. Women are no longer in there homes taking care of the family as God set it up to be, look what the Women's Right Movement has done. We are at the point of legalizing same sex marriage; this is not how Christ created the family. He created Adam and Eve and said to multiply. We have let false teachings creap in slowly, and now the Churches have accepted them. Need more signs?
After a very brief form of greeting he passed immediately to his central theme. Paul writes to place Christians on their guard against the activities of certain despicable persons who slyly understand the godly character of the Christians community. First he emphasizes the certainty of the divine judgment, and then follows a vivid characterization of the wickedness of the troublemaker. The true Christians are to fall back upon the authority of the apostles and to continue steadfast in perpetuating the original customs of the new religion.
“To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 15-18).
The truth about man’s sinful condition and ultimate judgment of death is absolute agony to the darkened minds of this generation. It is unbearable unless one is willing to subject himself to the operation of that light, to have his sins manifest, to thrust himself completely into the unquenchable flame of God’s truth and light of His love, and be cleaned of all sin through faith to the gospel.
Noah illustrates how people were when they were warned and how shocked they were when the waters began to rise, and how the life of Lot was going on as usual and how surprised when the Lord came down and destroyed the two cities with fire and brimstone.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, and they build. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark” (Matthew 24:37-38).
The design of these verses seem to be that the desolation should be as general as it should be unexpected, they did not lay Noah’s warning to heart, till it was too late to profit by it: so shall it be--and so it was in this coming of the son of man. It is a warning to all men that the way they treat the followers of Christ is the way they are treating Him. For a true Christian, discipleship involves social action to meet the needs of man. But the man who ignores or rejects Christ is facing certain condemnation, no matter how much he may protest that he did not realize that he was actually ignoring the King.
This has happened before, Christ warned them, the people didn't believe and He brought fire and brimstone, floods and destroyed them all. The same thing is happening today, the signs are there, the warnings have gone out, and all is looking the other way and saying the same old thing, it isn't going to happen, He Loves Us! We live under Grace! Yet Christ warns us of the last days and he tells us to be prepared, look and watch the signs.
Jesus pointed here to the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of this age, and the second coming of Christ all in one passage! He warned them against any who might claim to have special insight, and then warned against false Christ. He did warn them that with much precaution laid out before them the gospel must be preached to all nations before He would return.
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations” (Mark 13:6-10).
Beware of False Teachers, there teachings will send you to hell! He warns us, they will deceive many. Look how many religions there are today! How many read from the Holy Bible? How many teachings can you get out of one book? Make sure the Bible says it, not the teaching of ones belief. He speaks of wars, earthquakes, famine, look at our earth. Man is destroying the necessary elements it takes to survive. The air and water are polluted, we are destroying our rain forest, we have to protect animals or they will go extinct. God is using the elements to send us signs, but we still refuse to listen and head his warnings, the signs are there.
Zechariah chapter 12 begins with a statement of the Creator’s power of God who promises through His prophet to defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. To describe the triumph of the city over its adversaries He uses such terms as; “Cup of trembling,” “burdensome stone,” “hearth of the fire,” “and torch of fire.” The people living in the surrounding country will be saved first and those within the city will not have cause to boast. God himself will be the deliverer and will make the feeble strong “As David” and the royal house “as God.”
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
Don’t restrain the Holy Spirit and don’t take teachings lightly, reject strange forms of Christian expression. Don’t be naïve! Think! Ask questions! Put all things to the test: keep what is good, and avoid every kind of evil. The letter concludes with a challenge to holy living. He asks that they pray for him, greet the brethren, and see that the letter is read to the entire congregation.
Put into a brief prayer the ideas which are uppermost in the writer’s mind: peace, that complete purity of life and spirit which makes ready for the coming of the Lord, and finally the certainty of that advent and its rescue of the faithful from the sins and suffering of life, a certainty based on the faithfulness of God.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Mathew weaves together the teaching of Jesus on two aspects of judgment: the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of Jesus at the end of this age, every sign whether famine or earthquake or war, is a reminder that turmoil and tragedy will mark history until Jesus comes. The impending destruction of Jerusalem, like the time of tribulation and judgment in every age, is simple a preview of the final great tribulation and judgment at the end of this age.
“For then shall be a great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 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).
Watch Israel! We are coming to a close dear friend. Jerusalem Christ said would be a burden to all. Watch the news, Jerusalem is a very troubled city. This will be the focus point at the end, Christ gave us the signs, the warnings, and what the end will be like. If He didn't return as He promised, there will be no flesh saved, man would destroy all. Take heed to the warnings He left us; be prepared to meet thy God. If you have not prepared to me your God, but you wish to be- come a Christian, repent and be baptized, join a church that teaches the truth.
There are many church leaders who have joined the dark forces rather than trying to stamp out evil, and are trying to justify it and extinguish the light of Christ’s truth. I am reminded of what Jesus said to the religious officials when they arrested Him: “This is your hour and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). Many theologians do not accept the Bible as God’s final words, so their doctrine is no standard for the rest of us who believe the Bible to be God’s words.
Big name evangelists have been preaching the coming of the Lord from the beginning of time for thousands of years about the return of Christ and the end of the world. Can we really believe we could possibly be living in the end of times? We have heard this and so many have looked for His return, how could we know if this is really the time of the end? Did Christ leave us any signs to look for? In times like these, just like the ones in which we live, the Lord will come. It can happen at any moment.
“And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying; tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (age)” (Matthew 24:3).
“And He spake to them a parable; behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:29-31).
You see that Christ used the fig tree as an example of signs. We use the same signs when we see spring approaching. The disciples believed Christ when He spoke of the end, but they wanted to know what the signs were going to be. Christ reassured them that there will be signs pointing to His return but it is up to us to look and watch for them. He did leave us signs, but what are we to look for?
The light of Christ is the way of life--eternal life in the day of resurrection--but the darkened mind is destined for death, the final death at judgment. This is sad, but even more saddening is preachers that preach a Christ that “died for you,” and all you have to do is “accept Him.” Mini-skirted girls and fuzzed--face, long--haired boys see a new “kick” and join the easy churches. The surfer’s Christ is acceptable to the world today. This is the easy gospel. It requires no repentance; no forsaking of sin, no dying to the flesh, and it has produced a group of useless Christians sitting around that won’t fit into the gospel of Christ.
Something is drastically wrong in the churches today. Instead of obeying the Lord’s command to “feed my sheep” we are entertaining “the goats” with rock bands. God never intended His church to be an entertainment center, pattering after the world and the T.V. set. On and on it goes while we are promoting the Lord and the Holy Spirit right out of the church. Every minute of precious time that we are gathered should be used to preach the gospel, instruct, teach, exhort, and to worship God. People have changed, church discipline has changed to meet this compromising age; but God has not changed neither has the Bible.
The Church of Laodicean was suppose to be in a safe state, perfectly sure of final salvation because they had begun well and laid the right foundation. It was this deceitful conviction that cut the nerves of the spiritual diligence, they rested in what they had already received, and seemed to think that once in grace must still be in grace. Instead of being children of God, as they supposed, and infallible heirs of the kingdom, they were, in the sight of God, in the condition of most wretched slave; without the image of God, and not clothed with holiness and purity. A more deplorable state in spiritual things can scarcely be imagined than that of this church. It is the true picture of many churches and innumerable individuals which has become lukewarm.
And what of the woes? If there were things that caused God’s displeasure in Isaiah’s days, we can be sure they are displeasing to Him now, God’s character has not changed. Oppression, greed, injustice, arrogance, and self-sufficiency bring their own results. They carry with them the seed of destruction, perhaps God would again like to penetrate our preoccupation with lessons for us to hear.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20)!
Knowledge increased, we live in a time where all we have to do is type in a word and so much information comes up for us. Knowledge is everywhere; we are able to find out information on anything we desire. He speaks of our times when "they will turn away their ears from the truth," who wants the truth today? A simple thing like the number 7 and number 1, He says to keep the 7th day Holy! Difficult? Who really wants to hear the truth? Today we don't say the word "wrong", it's "evil", no we say well, I don't do it, but if it's right for you it is o.k. It isn't o.k. with God, if He said it was wrong 6,000 years ago, it is still wrong today. Christ hasn't changed, nor has His words. These are just more signs to look for before His return.
It is important to observe that what follows is asserted to be the working of the divine judgment, the punishment of folly and sin. And the punishment takes, as so often, the form of men’s being allowed to plunge deeper and ever deeper into sin.
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:26-32).
Sound doctrine requires worthy behavior. Proper thinking cannot be separated from proper acting. Saying the right thing and doing the right thing are bound up together. All groups in the churches conduct themselves consistently and appropriately.
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:3-5).
The older men are to be under self-control. The older women are likewise to show discipline and influence the young women to demonstrate moral character personally and in their house.
The prophet in this condemns the shallowness of performing religious functions such as worship and fasting, without an accompanying ethical concern for your follow man. God’s supreme concern is for justice, mercy, and humility rather than it being done merely as a duty. Gloomy over national conditions the people again began to feel that God had deserted them and they began to charge Him with indifference. But the prophet, bringing God’s message, states that their condition is not due to God’s inability to save or hear; rather their sins have separated them from God.
“Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths” (Isaiah 59:7).
What are the women like today? Don't these scriptures describe the women what they would be like? I once read "the safest place for an unborn child is in the Mothers' womb, today it is the most dangerous. What does this statement say? You get pregnant today it isn't looked at as a blessing but is it the right time to have one? Is it convenient for us? Can we put this "object" in our schedule? Are men in authority of his household? What has happened to the home? How many women look at there family as their number one priority? How many abortions or innocent blood are shed on a daily basis? Isn't this murder in God's eyes? Nothing is more innocent than a child, in a womb or out. Women are no longer in there homes taking care of the family as God set it up to be, look what the Women's Right Movement has done. We are at the point of legalizing same sex marriage; this is not how Christ created the family. He created Adam and Eve and said to multiply. We have let false teachings creap in slowly, and now the Churches have accepted them. Need more signs?
After a very brief form of greeting he passed immediately to his central theme. Paul writes to place Christians on their guard against the activities of certain despicable persons who slyly understand the godly character of the Christians community. First he emphasizes the certainty of the divine judgment, and then follows a vivid characterization of the wickedness of the troublemaker. The true Christians are to fall back upon the authority of the apostles and to continue steadfast in perpetuating the original customs of the new religion.
“To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 15-18).
The truth about man’s sinful condition and ultimate judgment of death is absolute agony to the darkened minds of this generation. It is unbearable unless one is willing to subject himself to the operation of that light, to have his sins manifest, to thrust himself completely into the unquenchable flame of God’s truth and light of His love, and be cleaned of all sin through faith to the gospel.
Noah illustrates how people were when they were warned and how shocked they were when the waters began to rise, and how the life of Lot was going on as usual and how surprised when the Lord came down and destroyed the two cities with fire and brimstone.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, and they build. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark” (Matthew 24:37-38).
The design of these verses seem to be that the desolation should be as general as it should be unexpected, they did not lay Noah’s warning to heart, till it was too late to profit by it: so shall it be--and so it was in this coming of the son of man. It is a warning to all men that the way they treat the followers of Christ is the way they are treating Him. For a true Christian, discipleship involves social action to meet the needs of man. But the man who ignores or rejects Christ is facing certain condemnation, no matter how much he may protest that he did not realize that he was actually ignoring the King.
This has happened before, Christ warned them, the people didn't believe and He brought fire and brimstone, floods and destroyed them all. The same thing is happening today, the signs are there, the warnings have gone out, and all is looking the other way and saying the same old thing, it isn't going to happen, He Loves Us! We live under Grace! Yet Christ warns us of the last days and he tells us to be prepared, look and watch the signs.
Jesus pointed here to the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of this age, and the second coming of Christ all in one passage! He warned them against any who might claim to have special insight, and then warned against false Christ. He did warn them that with much precaution laid out before them the gospel must be preached to all nations before He would return.
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations” (Mark 13:6-10).
Beware of False Teachers, there teachings will send you to hell! He warns us, they will deceive many. Look how many religions there are today! How many read from the Holy Bible? How many teachings can you get out of one book? Make sure the Bible says it, not the teaching of ones belief. He speaks of wars, earthquakes, famine, look at our earth. Man is destroying the necessary elements it takes to survive. The air and water are polluted, we are destroying our rain forest, we have to protect animals or they will go extinct. God is using the elements to send us signs, but we still refuse to listen and head his warnings, the signs are there.
Zechariah chapter 12 begins with a statement of the Creator’s power of God who promises through His prophet to defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. To describe the triumph of the city over its adversaries He uses such terms as; “Cup of trembling,” “burdensome stone,” “hearth of the fire,” “and torch of fire.” The people living in the surrounding country will be saved first and those within the city will not have cause to boast. God himself will be the deliverer and will make the feeble strong “As David” and the royal house “as God.”
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).
Don’t restrain the Holy Spirit and don’t take teachings lightly, reject strange forms of Christian expression. Don’t be naïve! Think! Ask questions! Put all things to the test: keep what is good, and avoid every kind of evil. The letter concludes with a challenge to holy living. He asks that they pray for him, greet the brethren, and see that the letter is read to the entire congregation.
Put into a brief prayer the ideas which are uppermost in the writer’s mind: peace, that complete purity of life and spirit which makes ready for the coming of the Lord, and finally the certainty of that advent and its rescue of the faithful from the sins and suffering of life, a certainty based on the faithfulness of God.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Mathew weaves together the teaching of Jesus on two aspects of judgment: the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of Jesus at the end of this age, every sign whether famine or earthquake or war, is a reminder that turmoil and tragedy will mark history until Jesus comes. The impending destruction of Jerusalem, like the time of tribulation and judgment in every age, is simple a preview of the final great tribulation and judgment at the end of this age.
“For then shall be a great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 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).
Watch Israel! We are coming to a close dear friend. Jerusalem Christ said would be a burden to all. Watch the news, Jerusalem is a very troubled city. This will be the focus point at the end, Christ gave us the signs, the warnings, and what the end will be like. If He didn't return as He promised, there will be no flesh saved, man would destroy all. Take heed to the warnings He left us; be prepared to meet thy God. If you have not prepared to me your God, but you wish to be- come a Christian, repent and be baptized, join a church that teaches the truth.