I live in Orlando, Florida—the vacation capital of the world. Everywhere you turn there is construction. Downtown just celebrated the opening of the new Performing Arts Center. A few blocks away they are refurbishing the Citrus Bowl. Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios are expanding, and Merlin Entertainment (here comes another wizard), is putting the finishing touches on a new aquarium and a wax museum.
Food and wine festivals are catering to the crowds and theme parks operators from all over the world just wrapped up their annual convention where they were buying and selling everything from electronic turnstiles to the latest thrill rides.
All of this economic activity reminds me of how Jesus compares our society in these last days with those of Noah and Lot before they were destroyed, as we eagerly await His return:
“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” (Luke 17:27).
Don’t you think it’s interesting how Jesus mentions marriage twice in this Scripture? Could He have been referring to same sex marriage in these Last Days – after all, what were Sodom and Gomorrah renowned for? Already 33 states have legalized gay unions and Disney World continues to celebrate “Gay Days” the first week in June as unsuspecting families with children are exposed to open displays of homosexual affection in the parks.
“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: they ate, the drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built” (Luke 17:28).
When Jesus said “they planted,” He could not have been referring to the American farmer in these last days, which sadly, is being wiped out of existence. Each week we see more than 300 farmers leave their land for good as conglomerates drive the average farmer out of business and farmland becomes a prime target for real estate investors.
Was Jesus referring to the legalization of marijuana in these last days? Although Amendment 2 was recently defeated in Florida, that bull will once again be paraded into the political rodeo arena as “grow farms” are being prepared across the state in anticipation of its legalization.
“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” (Luke 17: 29, 30).
A recent news article reported how boat sales are up across the state. A consumer was quoted as saying how people are once again enjoying themselves “since they realize America is no longer doomed.” This consumer ostrich should pull his head out of the sand and smell the prophetic coffee! The United States of America is nowhere to be found in end-time biblical prophecy. Nuclear war and financial collapse are threatening the very existence of “one nation under God’s judgment.”
But God has a foolproof, failsafe plan to protect His children—the Rapture!
Remember how the five foolish virgins who didn’t bring along enough oil for their lamps were not admitted to the wedding? Why did they run out of oil in the first place? Because the bridegroom tarried, he was delayed. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we, the church, are His Bride. Jesus is mercifully tarrying as He patiently awaits for us to finish the work He began 1,984 years ago here on earth.
But how much longer will He tarry?
Some think we seem to be in a period of “slow prophetic activity.” Did Jesus not prophesy that Christians would be persecuted and killed in the last days?
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by nations for my name’s sale” (Matthew 24:9).
Christians are being killed in Africa and the Middle East. All one has to do is Google: “Christians Beheaded” to find a horribly graphic color photo of a headless 5-year old little girl lying in a pool of blood – her Christian family murdered by ISIS in Iraq.
Billy Graham once said if America doesn’t come to repentance God would have to dig up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize to them.
Sadly, America has become the modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah.
Greg May