My dear friend Terry James wrote about the forthcoming invasion of Israel by a coalition of nations spearheaded by Russia, Iran, and Turkey. He joined the chorus of prophecy teachers who placed this event as a post-Rapture occurrence. After reading his recent commentary on this topic, I could only agree with him one hundred percent!
There are hardly any questions about the nearness of this war when we look at what is taking place in real-time. The conflict in Ukraine is a probable precursor to the hook in the jaw (Ezekiel 38:4). Russia’s trump card by way of denying the European nations the much-needed natural gas could be in jeopardy as a result of a recently inked deal between the European Union and Israel – a flow of vital energy resources through Egyptian pipelines. Could it be a matter of time before the Russians do what is necessary for their supremacy?
What about the trigger, which is very likely to be from the destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1)? Israel has not stood down where air strikes on the Syrian capital are concerned – bigger and bolder where updates go. With all this in play, many people glued to the prophetic clock could second guess the climactic moment. Some could say that it could be breaking news at breakfast time following a night of proverbial tossing and turning – at least a fifty percent probability from the layman’s point of view, but I still disagree with them. The basis for my line of argument rests in the Rapture; it has to happen first and foremost. Unless a multitude of believers are going to miss breakfast or whatever meal, depending on which side of the globe they are on!
Herein lies the crux of the matter: you can speculate and take an educated punt, but it all comes to nothing because our Heavenly Father holds the ultimate key to the timing.
“And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, And knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).
So there you all have it; seeing something through the lens of our fallen nature can cause us to be severely sidetracked. This is the case when we use our academic qualifications and years of experience to gauge things. We have to seek knowledge and understanding from the Lord. Listen to His still, small voice of reason. It could do a lot better than heavy dosages of melatonin!
On a parallel and much closer to home note, there is that unprecedented flurry of activity emanating from a collection of cold hearts that form a no longer mythical cabal of immense cruelty. This is way beyond the rumor mill, beastly blueprints poised to be activated in the seemingly near future. Indeed, a scary thought that this is not a horror movie but a stark-naked reality – could it even be so before Thanksgiving?
There are a host of intimidating indicators that point to the inevitable and inescapable. Once again, if a lay person saw all that was happening at breakneck speed, nothing would be further from the ugly truth. The question is – is that what is defined as the truth?
That heinous wolf pack of wicked people could scheme up sophisticated and intricate devices to oppress humanity for their ultimate personal gain. They boast of timetables that would be rigidly adhered to as well as target dates. All this might appear to be something never imagined, but in all truth and honesty, it is really a very old idea. It all has to do with mocking the Creator of all living beings and proving His Living Word to be a laughing stock. So these folks want to be God, and they are doing everything to make it come to pass. But in all truth and honesty again, it is only a regurgitation of Lucifer’s aspiration, which ultimately fell apart.
“For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit in the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ You shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit” (Isaiah 14:13-15).
It appears that all of us live each day with a looming existential threat. But it is merely a half-truth. The store shelves could be emptied of certain items, and there is chatter about another pandemic. Food processing facilities have been razed, and more in store, as there are reports of poultry and cattle dying mysteriously. Prices of essential stuff skyrocket while projections by secular experts indicate a global food crisis. Free space currently enjoyed will be almost extinct in the near future. Enough to drive up cases of insomnia and the accompanying depression. The world is spinning out of control and towards destruction. Even for many who belong to the Body of Christ, there is that question of how many of these before the Rapture?
I can only find great comfort in Revelation 3:10. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth.”
It is very clear that a good number of these nasties are not meant for us – the salt and light contingent! Not even a portion of it. We must bear in mind that the ultimate timing of events is in the hands of the loving God. Flesh and blood can draw up grandiose plans with a stunning degree of elaboration, yet they could be reduced to smithereens by the mighty hand of our loving Heavenly Father!
We may scan through a newsfeed or a blog piece, for that matter, but digesting the contents should be a calm affair. This being so when we allow the Holy Spirit to be our shining guide. Some of the bad stuff looks like ’round the corner, but it might not even scratch us because the Lord holds everything in His hands.
“Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?” (Job 38:22-23).
Only the Most High knows the specifics, and be rest assured that He has our best interests in His mighty hand. How a lot of us, myself included, wish we could be out of the world tomorrow! But only our Heavenly Father decides on the exact moment. So long we are here, we have to turn our focus on Him and His infinite resources. We will be well taken care of right to the final split second!
Everybody stay strong in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Edwin
Contact me at edwinuk13@gmail.com