Times of the Signs – by Hal Lindsey
In Matthew 24, the Lord’s disciples asked Him for signs of the end of the age. He began His answer with these words: “‘Take heed that no one deceives you.'” (Matthew 24:3 NKJV)
There is no denying that we live in an age of deception: fake news, false advertising, viral lies, clickbait, and mainstream media propaganda, to name just a few examples. And it gets worse every day.
But Jesus also mentioned other “signs” of the end of the age. He included “rumors of war.” The world’s stand-off with North Korea may qualify as a “rumor of war” on steroids!
Jesus noted “earthquakes.” In the last 30 days, two massive earthquakes have hit Mexico alone! So far, the death toll from last week’s is over 300. And they’ve not even begun to tally the monetary damage! Many places in Mexico City still don’t have electricity or constant running water.
In 2 Timothy 3:1, the Apostle Paul says that, “In the last days perilous times will come….” Then he enumerates a list of perils.
But notice that the list does not mention a single natural disaster. No floods, famines, pestilences, or earthquakes. That’s because the greatest perils of the last days are the dangers of moral decline.
Look at this list. It is stunning how it mirrors — with amazing precision — today’s America (even down to the NFL stadiums!): “In the last days perilous times will come, For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5a NKJV)
Is that not a rundown of a single day’s headlines on America’s news channels?
Jesus also warned of the moral decay near the end of this age. He said it would manifest itself in several ways. He warned of a rise in lawlessness. That doesn’t necessarily mean train and bank robberies and raping and pillaging! It also means a general rise in disregard for the laws and order of the nation. Even by its government and business and political leaders!
Speaking specifically of the end times, Jesus said, “Then they will deliver you (His followers) to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.” (Matthew 24:9 NASB)
In its annual report, The First Liberty Institute found a dramatic rise in hostility toward people of faith. The Institute’s Jeremy Dys said, “This year’s survey represents a 15 percent increase in just the last year. And an alarming 133 percent increase in just the last five years.”
But, thank God, not all signs of the times are negative. In Matthew 24:4, still speaking of these days, Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations.” Jesus is adamant that this will include every part of the earth. He emphasized “the whole world” and “all the nations.”
Author Joel Rosenberg notes that, “Amidst the worst persecution in the modern history of the Church, we are seeing the greatest advance of the Gospel and the greatest harvest of souls in the Middle East in the history of the Church.”
When both China and the Soviet Union finally opened up to the West, we found far more Christians than anyone thought possible. And there are many reports by other Christian ministries that the Gospel is sweeping the Middle East — thanks in large part to the internet!
The worldwide preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the major signs that Jesus will return soon.
Most people, Christians included, think of October 31 as Halloween. That’s understandable since business and the media begin pounding it home as soon as we say goodbye to Labor Day.
But October 31 is also the day we annually celebrate something far more important and uplifting than Halloween. It’s “Reformation Day!” It is the day we celebrate Martin Luther nailing his “95 Theses” to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of that monumental event.
In 1997, LIFE magazine called Martin Luther the third most important figure of the last millennium, behind only Christopher Columbus and Thomas Edison.
Though Luther undeniably had many flaws, at his best, he returned the Word of God to the center of Christian thought. He renewed the Church’s understanding of Christ as the author and perfecter of salvation. He brought salvation by grace through faith back into focus. In a very real sense, he reintroduced Christianity to Christ.
Retailers say that Batman will be the most popular costume this Halloween. I’m guessing there won’t be very many Martin Luther trick-or-treaters. Maybe it’s time to teach our kids about real people who truly changed the world!
Finally, have you ever wondered why conflict always seems to surround the city of Jerusalem?
Napoleon called Jerusalem, “…the hinge of history.”
Mohammed said that those who dwell in Jerusalem will be in a constant “state of jihad until Resurrection Day.”
Even the Berlitz Pocket Guide to Jerusalem notes that, “This is sacred ground and has had more blood spilled on it for its own sake than any other place in the world.”
Jerusalem does not possess the traditional assets of a great city. It is great because it is a spiritual city.
In Isaiah 45:13, God calls it, “My city.” In 2 Chronicles 33:4, He said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” (NASB)
To this day, the nations of the world are in turmoil over Jerusalem. Just as the prophets predicted.
As Jason Greenblatt, President Trump’s Middle East envoy prepares to return to the region in an attempt to restart the peace process, let’s remember to do what the Psalmist admonishes: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalms 122:6 NASB)
It saddens me to say goodbye this week to Carolyn Deibel. She has been a faithful part of our production team as our show’s script transcriptionist. This will be the first show in seven years that she has not transcribed. But Carolyn is suffering no longer. And I know we’ll see her again very soon. Goodbye, Carolyn. Thank you.
God Bless, Hal Lindsey
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World On Fire – by Hal Lindsey
At a recent campaign rally, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz assessed U.S. foreign policy, saying “The whole world’s on fire.”
Ted Cruz is certainly right when it comes to the recent exponential growth in nuclear weapons capability in the last five years.
The planet’s largest arsenal of atomic weapons belongs to Russia. On several occasions last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointedly reminded everyone of his country’s nuclear capability. He implied that he would be willing to use such weapons.
Putin’s nuclear ambitions are turning out to be bigger than anyone imagined. One of the most shocking things to come out of the Clinton Foundation scandal has been the fact that the United States government knowingly allowed Putin to gain control of as much as 50% of U.S. uranium production.
Russian ties to Iran have been gaining strength in recent days — an alliance foretold in the Bible as a last days event. With the cozy Russia-Iran relationship, it’s entirely possible that United States uranium could soon be fueling Iranian nuclear weapons.
In order to sell the public and Congress on a potential new deal with Iran, the U.S. recently declassified official assessments that Iran is only three months away from having the necessary uranium to build a nuclear weapon. But that’s only half the story. We also learned that U.S. intelligence officials came to this conclusion several years ago.
If Iran’s breakout time to a nuclear weapon is only three months, and it’s been that way for several years, how do we know they don’t already have such weapons? Maybe that’s why Iran refuses to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to all its nuclear facilities. Everyone knows the Iranians are hiding something. Maybe it’s a big something.
We also know that Iran is busy developing ballistic missiles. They already have the ability to hit Israel, and are working to develop the ability to strike the United States. When the sanctions are dropped, they’ll be able to invest vast amounts of their oil wealth in this endeavor. They may also try to buy intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) from cash-strapped Russia.
Add nuclear weapons to ICBMs, and even families full of “fast runners” are in danger.
For decades, China has been North Korea’s main ally and chief benefactor. But what they have learned about North Korea’s nuclear program frightens even them. The Chinese have told the United States that North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is far more advanced than anyone in the west knew. They say the Koreans already have as many as 20 nuclear warheads.
That’s enough to do unthinkable damage to countries in range of their delivery devices, including South Korea and Japan. Those two nations have been hinting that they may develop their own nuclear arsenals as a deterrent. That means an Asian nuclear arms race. But who can blame them? North Korea’s capacity to produce weapons-grade uranium is expected to double by next year. They could have as many as 100 nukes within five years.
U.S. defense treaties with Japan and South Korea commit the United States to retaliate against any country that attacks them. That could draw the United States into a nuclear war.
We also know that North Korea is working hard to develop ICBMs that can directly strike the continental United States. They may already have them. KN-08 missiles are ICBMs launched from a mobile platform. First displayed by the North Koreans three years ago in a military parade, they were carried on logging trucks that had been converted into massive transporter erector launchers. Their mobility means it is almost impossible to take them out in advance of a strike.
The missiles displayed in the parade were clearly not operational, but that may have changed. Admiral William Gortney heads the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). In a Pentagon briefing earlier this month, he said, “Our assessment is that they have the ability to put a nuclear weapon on a KN-08, and shoot it at the homeland. We assess that it’s operational today, and so we practice to go against it.”
Technology trends always head in the direction of greater abundance at lower cost. In regard to weapons technology, that means more and more countries gaining vast new levels of destructive power.
Nuclear arms are just one subset of one problem facing the world. There are many other things I could mention. Metaphorically speaking, the world really is on fire. And it’s only going to get worse. The Bible describes a series of dire catastrophes facing Planet Earth in the near future.
“Is the world on fire?” The answer is, “Yes.” But that’s not the whole answer.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 speaks of Christians when it says, “God has not destined us for wrath.” [NASB]
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” [NASB]
You and your loved ones can be in that number who will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, caught up to be with the Lord, and miss the most horrible things coming to our world. You do that by asking Jesus into your heart, letting Him cleanse you of all your sin, and give you a fresh, new start in life.
But for Christians, between now and the rapture, how bad will things get? That depends on how long before the Lord comes for His people. Things may become extremely bad, but God will still be extremely good.
The world’s on fire, but it’s what firemen call a controlled burn. God remains in charge. Despite the tenor of the times, His promises to His people remain in effect. His loving care for you and your children will not diminish until He takes us all home in the Rapture.
mail: HLMM, P.O. Box 470470, Tulsa, OK 74147
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