Matthew 24: 3-8
3 “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.'”
It does not take a long time of searching to find all kinds of predictions concerning the coming solar eclipse. I saw one commentator wondering if the Simpsons had predicted the date of the rapture in one of their episodes; they did not. I will admit that there are many weird things associated with this coming solar eclipse and the one previous to it about 7 years ago. The fact that darkness passed through cities called Salem (Jerusalem in Genesis 14). And that the current one will pass through cities called Nineveh does peek our ears and arouse our curiosity, and frankly, it made me think and wonder. But this is where we need to find our way back to the scriptures.
Yes, there will be signs, there will be things that happen, and we who spend time in the Book will see patterns emerge, and the sense of darkness will become more and more prevalent as we get closer and closer to seeing Jesus.
All of verse 7 is being played out right before us, and if the scientists are proven to be true, we will see an apocalyptic emergence of locust-like insects that come out of the ground over the mid to end of spring. These cicadas will attack fruit plants to lay the next generation of eggs, and there may be shortages of fruit for a time.
While we all understand that COVID was a planned pandemic, the reality is that our leaders have the tools necessary to create havoc if they want to in order to enforce draconian ideas and rules. It took me a long time to realize that while there are many good people in our government, the government as an entity is, for the most part, the greatest enemy of its people. There is constant lying and deception, all in the name of security, that need not be, for the most part.
I am 57 years old, and as far as I can remember, there has been some war somewhere being fought. I was born in the middle of the Vietnam War, then the war in the Middle East of 1973. Soon, the British were at war in the Falklands, then the Cold War was in Europe, the drugs wars, and the wars in the Middle East. And today, the war in Ukraine. It never stops. Peace never prevails, and if it does, it is short-lived. Men love war.
But the end is not yet. I am not saying that the end is not near, but the mere fact that many lost people are talking about it, it is one their tongue tells me that this is not the time. Jesus will come suddenly, and the rapture will be a global catastrophic event where billions will disappear, leaving unmanned planes, businesses, hospitals, and homes all over the world. It is not just a North American thing. The loss will be so pervasive that the reaction will be a global effort to contain the panic by weaving a narrative that includes ‘alien abductions’, hence the sudden disclosures of UFO sightings all over the world. All of a sudden, the hidden encounters of military and civilian pilots have been made public when they were once classified information only.
Satan’s minions are prepping the world for the rapture, make no mistake. They know it is coming, but they do not know when it is coming. We, too, know it is coming but not when.
Are you ready for a famine here in North America? No, I don’t want you to dig bunkers in your backyard, but extra canned foods, a working barbeque, lots of propane, maybe some firewood. Get a weapon and know how to use it. You may need to hunt to feed your family; many already do. Buy extra cases of water, invest in a water purification system, and take some precautions. Prepare a bit, and it may be enough to get you through to the rapture.
We have a word of encouragement from King David, Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Jesus told Peter as he was preparing to leave to make sure he had a sword (Luke 22:36). This is not a call to war. The Kingdom of God will not be won by man’s wars, but we are to be ready to defend ourselves and protect our loved ones. Scarcity will bring havoc, panic, and the sinful nature in men will come to the surface. Be ready to protect your loved ones.
The rapture will come; we know it. But I honestly do not think it will be during the solar eclipse. But is it another sign? Yes, it is. Should we be prepared and looking to the skies? Yes, we should. Should we do all we can to warn the wicked that Jesus and judgment are coming? Yes, we are to be. Enjoy the wonder of the solar eclipse, have fun with your kids, and make some memories. But don’t get your eyes off the prize, and don’t get dismayed when this is not it. Jesus will come when God the Father sends Him, not a moment sooner, and certainly not later. But if I am wrong, see you in the air shortly.
God bless you,
Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church
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