Today, it appears people are moving further away from establishing any sort of relationship with Our Heavenly Father. We are rapidly moving more and more toward a world that is following Isaiah 5:20; “Those who call evil good and good evil, are as good as dead; who turn darkness into light, and light into darkness; who turn bitter to sweet and sweet into bitter.” (any emphasis mine)
For anyone to speak out against Christianity, there are virtually no consequences. It’s considered an individual’s “right” to do so. However, if anyone speaks against the LGBT and all the other letters, as well as Islam, or speaks against the “transgender issue,” they are subject to being considered as breaking some sort of law. In some countries today, this would subject a person to large fines, and even jail. In some countries, to speak against Islam is tantamount to a death sentence. Parents who refuse to allow “transgender” training for their children even in the lowest grades, are viewed as abusers. Does this not fit into the Isaiah 5:20 profile to a tee?
There are several places on this earth where if someone professes to be a Christian and believes in Jesus, they are subject to martyrdom. Christian media has reported the murders of whole church attendees, yet there is barely a whisper about this in social secular media. According to an internet news posting, there were more than 1,000 Christians killed by “Islamic militants” in Nigeria in 2019. It is also reported that in December 2019, 14 Christians were killed in a church attack in the West African Nation of Burkina Faso. Did anyone see any of this reported on any of our faux news networks?
The one who is least surprised by all this is the Lord God Jehovah. Through His Son, Jesus, along with the prophets and some disciples such as Peter, John and Paul, we are told this would all be taking place just prior to the return of Jesus to this earth. Prior to that taking place, the “70th” week of Daniel will happen (Daniel 9:27). This is known as the Tribulation/Wrath period which will be worse than any time recorded on this earth thus far.
It won’t just be in Africa, China, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia or other places where Christians are presently being persecuted. The antichrist and his false prophet will rule over the entire planet for a 7-year period of time. There will be some bad issues Christians and Jews will face during the first half of this time; however, the last half (given as 1,260 days) will be an outright attempt to totally eliminate them worldwide. God will protect a remnant of His chosen, where the antichrist will not be able to reach them. It’s believed this will be at Petra in Jordan.
At the end of the 7-year Tribulation/Wrath period, Jesus will actually step foot on earth in Jerusalem. There He will reign from the throne in the Temple for 1,000 years.
For true believers today, this 70th week of Daniel will happen without us. We are promised in numerous places in the Bible that there will be a taking up of all true believers to meet Jesus in the Air before the actual start of the Wrath.
Looking at 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:9, we have just two examples of God’s word that we are not destined for the wrath to come. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 about how there will be the sound of the trumpet of God, and a shout from the Arch Angel. Then in the “twinkling of an eye,” we will be caught up to meet our Jesus “in the air.” This whole event takes place in a fraction of a second, and is not something you would want to miss.
Just rising to meet Jesus isn’t the whole story here. The dead “In Christ” will rise first, and then all believers who are alive at that instant will be taken off this earth. The dead will reunite with their souls that have been with Jesus since the moment they took their last breath on this earth. It doesn’t matter how much or how little of the earthly human body is still here; God knows where every molecule is.
On the way up, both groups – alive and deceased – will be transformed into an imperishable “forever” body that will never die. During the wrath period on earth, we will be with Jesus; and as given in 2 Corinthians 5:10, we will appear before the “judgment seat of Christ.” This is not a punishment judgment, but there we will learn of our rewards, or lack of rewards, that we will receive. No one at this occasion will be condemned to the Lake of Fire as described in Revelation 20:11-15.
The Creator of the heavens and the earth loves us in ways we can never fully understand. All other so-called deities, which are all man-generated, have many stipulations as to how they are to be worshiped. There must be numerous works, constant “prayers” and “sacrifices” to their gods. No one in these false religions even knows when or if they have done enough to earn their place in paradise.
Our Heavenly Father took it upon Himself to provide the only pure, sin-free sacrifice that He could ever accept. He sent a part of Himself, one-third of the Trinity in the person of Jesus the Christ. Though He came to this earth as fully human, He was still fully God. He lived on earth, was tempted as we are by the evil one, and suffered a death that He did not deserve; yet, He did so willingly for us. (John 10:18). During the entire time He was here, He never sinned. Had He done so, His sacrifice would have been worthless. Though He had the “authority” to put a stop to His sacrifice at any time, He was fully prepared to obey the Heavenly Father without question, and to fully complete the mission for which He came.
As a Christ-follower, to see the turning away from anything Christian is sad at the very least. Jesus Himself knew the majority of this world would reject Him, and only a few would enter by the “straight and narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13-14).
With this in mind, a song from 1965 came to me, and in a way I had never thought of before. It is a secular song about love and was written by Stuart Hamblin, and is called “Remember Me; I’m the One Who Loves You.” It was performed by the late Dean Martin, yet the words could have come from God Himself. Consider the lyrics:
(1) When you’re all alone and blue, no one to tell your troubles to, Remember Me; I’m the One who loves you.
(2) When this world has turned you down, and not a true friend can be found, Remember Me; I’m the One who loves you.
(c) And through all kinds of weather, you’ll find I’ll Never Change; through the sunshine and the shadows, I’ll always be the same.
(3) Ok, we’re together, right or wrong; where you go, I’ll tag along. Remember Me; I’m the One who loves you.
When no one else seems to care, our Awesome God is there for us. When we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, He is there to lighten our burdens. He is unchanging, and the same now as He was yesterday, and as He will be forever. We never are alone; He is there.
What He asks of us is given in Romans 10:9-13. He is telling us we can never earn or buy our way to Him, and the price for our pardon was paid for by the pure, shed blood of our Jesus. Each one of us must accept the gift and receive Jesus as our Savior. No one else can do this for us.
One question: is it hard to understand that if we reject the awesome gift given at Calvary, and refuse to accept Jesus as our Savior, that we will be separated from Him forever? Satan is full of lies that he’s plagued this earth with starting way back in the Garden of Eden. His outcome is assured, but he wants to pull away as many souls as possible from the Savior.
Call on Jesus today to forgive you, and to save you, and to prepare a place for you at His soon coming (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; John 14:1-3). To wait may just cost you the freedom from the wrath that could start at just about any time now. When the Believers are gone, it’s a whole different world that will exist, and to reject the antichrist and accept Jesus will be possible, but at the cost of your life. Personally, I’m looking forward for my “Bridegroom” to come and take me away to my Home with Him, that He has prepared for all believers. It would be an honor to share My Jesus with all who will accept Him. Just don’t wait too long.
Maranatha