The Waiting Game

“I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.”        Psalms 69:3 NKJV

“Are we there yet?”  How often I heard that when traveling with my daughters when they were small.  In retrospect, I think it was preparation for how often I hear it now as I teach on the nearness of the rapture of the Church.  How do you cope with waiting? We live in a world that embraces and often demands instant gratification, so it comes as no surprise that even believers have difficulty waiting. Yet when we study the scriptures, a reoccurring theme from God is often our need to wait upon Him! Obviously God in His wisdom has decided there are lessons to be learned from waiting, and I'm sure most of us have cried out much as David did because we are weary from waiting. But are we alone in this? Look at what Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans.

“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only [that], but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”      Romans 8:22-23 NKJV

Why does the entire creation groan? No doubt because of the changes brought about by the fall in Genesis where even the shape of this world was altered by the introduction of sin. Notice that Paul is telling us here that both nature and man are waiting for the exact same event; the return of Christ! And the reason we groan? We as believers know what we will receive when Christ calls us home to be with Him forever. The anticipation of leaving this earth grows every day as we watch the events around us which give evidence that the world is, like in Noah's day, moving farther away from God rather than towards Him.

I have noticed lately that many believers are becoming weary from waiting for the return of the Lord for His church. Although we as believers know without a doubt that what we are seeing today are the labor pains leading up to our Lord's return, it is still difficult to watch what is occurring all around us, and patiently wait for His return. Is it no wonder we find it difficult to wait upon the Lord? We watch as our nation experiences anger, protest, and even violence. Yet that it what is expected of us as believers, so I think it important that we understand what God wants from us as He asks us to wait for His return.

“Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”     Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV

I find myself continuously returning to this passage whenever I consider the nearness of Christ's return because it specifically tells us what is expected of us as we “see the day approaching”. Paul's message to us here is actually a very simple one, but also a very important one. The first thing he does is encourage us by reminding us of the fact of God's faithfulness. God has promised that He will deliver us from this world and He will be faithful to do exactly that. The second thing Paul does is tell us to do is pass this encouragement along to others who believe.

As I thought about this passage one of the ideas that came to mind was that discouragement means our focus is inward. We get discouraged because our concern is about what we have yet to receive, impatience that we are being asked to wait, and probably a little doubt about the validity of the promise. I think that is why Paul's first advice to us concerns God's faithfulness. We often need to be reminded that God is always faithful to deliver on His promises. It's never a question of “if”, but of “when”.

“He who calls you [is] faithful, who also will do [it].”     1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV

Of course, if we stop looking in and start looking out, we then see that there are others who will benefit from the encouragement we can give by sharing the message of God's faithfulness. How often have we thought that we were alone in being discouraged when in fact there are so many others within the body that deal with the same problems we do. Becoming discouraged while being made to wait is something we have all felt at one time or another, and what better way to cope than to get together with other believers who can empathize and encourage? Sharing the encouragement of God's faithfulness to others in the body is Paul's advice to us especially at this time.

“and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”   I think that this phrase is also Paul's way of saying that the closer we get to the rapture of the church, the more the need for encouragement. I read more and more every day of those in the body who are going through hard times and facing attacks from the enemy and are in desperate need of encouragement. I have no doubt that Noah and his family felt their share of persecution in the time leading up to the flood, and how difficult it must have been to not get discouraged as they waited for the Lord. Yet I believe the key once again is to look forward to the promise we have from God with the knowledge He is faithful to do as He has promised.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,”     2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV

The more we must endure down here increases the joy we will find when we finally experience the glory of life with God in the place He has prepared for us. Remember, the longer the wait, the stronger the anticipation and the greater the appreciation. We know what is expected of us here on this earth, and it should come as no surprise that the opportunities to share our faith will increase dramatically as the end draws near. In a way, you could say this is our time to shine, and God has promised to give us the strength necessary to succeed.

“For the LORD [is] good; His mercy [is] everlasting, And His truth [endures] to all generations.”     Psalms 100:5 NKJV

 Are you discouraged today? Does it seem like what we are waiting for will never get here? Let me encourage you by reminding you that our hope is in the Lord. He is always faithful to do as He has said. God has never failed to fulfill a promise, and of course He never will. Take the time we have left by sharing this promise with others and encourage them to receive the gift of eternal life if they have not already done so.

At times, waiting can be agony. I won't deny that and neither will you. It's easy to become discouraged when we are asked to wait when our expectations are so high. How long? I have no idea, but it certainly doesn't look like it will be much longer until the labor pains will be over and we will be delivered to glory with Him, and the world to its tribulation. There are reasons for making us wait, and it goes without saying that every day the Church remains is another day that we can share the promise of salvation that is available because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look to God for strength, and be busy making the most of the opportunities we have in the short time we have left.

Keep watching.

Our Heavenly Wedding

“Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ “  Isaiah 46:9-10  NKJV

I am sure most everyone is aware of the royal wedding which took place this weekend between Prince Harry of England and his bride.  While much of the world’s attention was focused on this event, to be sure, there were many other events happening around the world which I believe should serve to focus our attention on a different wedding which most agree could happen suddenly and without warning.  It will be a wedding that promises unspeakable joy to those invited, and the utmost despair to those left behind.  Of course, I am talking about the rapture of the Church and the wedding between Jesus and His bride.

I would be the first to say that I am sure someone could write an entire book expounding these two verses from the prophet Isaiah.  This is my “go to” passage when someone tells me we don’t need to study the Old Testament anymore because we have the New Testament to rely on.  In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth for there is so much to be found in the stories of the Old Testament, especially as it relates to the future of this world in general, and the Church in particular.  Paul even discussed this in his letter to the Corinthian church when speaking about all that happened to the nation of Israel during their history.

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”   1 Corinthians 10:11  NKJV

Typology is the term used to describe the study of past events as a picture revealing the truth of a future event.  In essence what this means is that many of the events in the Old Testament were actually pictures of what was to occur in the future.  Many scholars see the rapture of Enoch, which occurred just before the flood of Noah, as a type or pattern of the rapture of the Church, which will also happen just before the start of the final period of God’s judgment of an unbelieving world. 

Other examples would be the story of Abraham being told to sacrifice his only son Isaac, and God providing a lamb as a substitute. Or Joseph, sent by his father to visit his brothers and being “killed” in a sense by his imprisonment in Egypt only to reappear as second only to Pharaoh as ruler in Egypt. Also, there is Jonah, being thrown overboard allowing the others to survive while he suffers the punishment of God's wrath in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. There are many more, but hopefully these are enough for you to begin to see what is meant by the study of typology.

Considering this, if we talk about the relationship between the Church and Jesus, especially as it has been described as a relationship between a bride and her groom, a few interesting facts appear.  If we choose to apply the study of typology, what we would do then is look for stories of weddings in the Old Testament and examine them closely to see if there might be an application to the future wedding of Jesus to His bride, the Church. Using that perspective, the story many have found most applicable is the one we find revealed in the book of Ruth.  Many believe that the story it tells, especially in light of typology and the Church, reveals some amazing truths that say much about our future, and quite possibly even the timing of the wedding.

Why is that?  Consider just a few of pictures we find in this little book.  Here we find Naomi, (as a picture of the nation Israel), Ruth, (as a picture of a Gentile bride, the Church), and Boaz, (the kinsman redeemer who restores Naomi’s land and then marries Ruth the Gentile bride).  If we look closer at the wedding between Boaz and Ruth, many believe we can also discover clues concerning the future rapture of the Church.  The wedding occurs after the harvest season, specifically the wheat harvest, which in Israel would usually be at the very beginning of summer.

“So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.”  Ruth 2:23  NKJV

Coincidentally, one of the seven feasts of Israel occurs at this same time which is the Feast of Shavuot.  Shavuot means literally “weeks” and it is a celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai which according to the Torah, was a journey from Egypt that took exactly seven weeks.  It is one of the three “pilgrimage” festivals where travel to the temple in Jerusalem was required.  Shavuot is also considered to be a harvest festival as during the temple period this is when Jews would bring their firstfruits to the temple.  It is also a Jewish tradition that the book of Ruth be read on the Feast of Shavuot, the sixth of Sivan, as they stay up all night.  Is it any coincidence that the Church is admonished to wait and watch, using illustrations like the “thief in the night”?

Speaking of the Church, another name for this holiday is the Feast of Pentecost, the word for fifty being penta.  Many will recognize this holiday by that name, especially considering what occurred on this day, just fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”  Acts 2:1-4  NKJV

The sixth of Sivan, the Feast of Pentecost, is the day the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples, and also the day many consider being the birthday of the Church. Could this be significant?  Just as there always is when studying the scriptures, there is more to the story if we take the time to look a little deeper. There is a Jewish rabbinical tradition that Enoch was not only born on the sixth of Sivan, but was taken on his birthday as well.  Looking at Enoch as a type of the rapture, is it possible the Church could be raptured, taken to Heaven as a bride for her wedding, and the Holy Spirit (restrainer) removed on its birthday, the Feast of Pentecost, just as Enoch was?

Whether or not this proves to be true, the book of Ruth is not only a wonderful love story but also beautiful picture of Jesus redeeming His Gentile bride, the Church.  He is our kinsman redeemer who chose to give His own life as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. If you have never accepted this gift, I urge you to do it today. Jesus paid the price for His bride, and the Church could disappear at any time.  Simply pray this prayer or put it in your own words but tell God you believe He sent His Son to pay the price for your sin, and that you will turn control of your life to Him.

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."

Keep watching.

Listening to the Earth

The waters saw You, O God; The waters saw You, they were afraid; The depths also trembled. The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound; Your arrows also flashed about. The voice of Your thunder [was] in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook. Your way [was] in the sea, Your path in the great waters, And Your footsteps were not known. You led Your people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 77:16-20 NKJV

When I talk with people about the command to watch, the question naturally arises as to just exactly what are the sorts of things we should watch for?  That is a very good question, and one that I believe every one of us should ask ourselves in light of what the Word tells us about signs of the end of the age and the nearness of Christ’s return.

In this passage from the book of Psalms, the author is troubled and in despair so he thinks back to the past and the times that God manifested Himself in human history by actions man could only describe as supernatural. The verses above refer to the time that God led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and through the Red Sea on their journey to the Promised Land. Now I think the important point to make here is that although Moses and Aaron were used by God to shepherd His people, it was God Himself who led them.

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, [from] before the people.

Exodus 13:21-22 NKJV

Now why do I think this is important? Look closely at the passage from Psalms and notice what the author says the reaction of the earth was to the presence of God. Do you see what I see? We are told the waters were afraid, the depths trembled, there was a downpour of rain, thunder along with lightning that lit up the entire world, and not to mention earthquakes that shook the earth. Yet to me, the most important part of this passage is the fact that it does not say God “caused” these things to happen, rather it was a response of the earth to actually “seeing” the presence of God.

Right about now some of you are probably thinking wait just a minute here; do you really believe the earth can “see”? Well, why not? Not only do these verses say it does, we are told elsewhere that the earth can talk too.

Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: " 'Blessed [is] the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

Luke 19:37-40 NKJV

So if we are to believe what the Bible tells us, the earth has and can react to the presence of God in physical ways, some of which might surprise us. Is that really so hard to believe? After all, the earth was created by God just as we were created, so who knows what physical reaction could be produced by the approach of the power which created it? This is the question that I would like you to think about in light of some of the things happening in the world right now.

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only [that], but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.                              Romans 8:22-23 NKJV

Why does the entire creation groan? No doubt because of the changes brought about by the fall in Genesis where even the shape of this world was altered by the introduction of sin. Notice that Paul is telling us here that both nature and man are waiting for the exact same event; the return of Christ! And the reason we groan? We as believers know what we will receive when Christ calls us home to be with Him forever. The anticipation of leaving this earth grows every day as we watch the events around us which give evidence that the world is, like in Noah's day, moving farther away from God rather than towards Him.

Most of us would agree the Bible clearly teaches that there will be signs that precede the return of Christ, many of which are physical in nature. Events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis can explain many of the events described as occurring just before Christ returns. Many of these things are beginning to happen right now in various places in the world, and most of those who are watching and waiting for His appearing believe the time is very close. Jesus Himself said this about the signs that would appear just before His return.

For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  2 Peter 3:5-7  NKJV

I’m sure by now most are aware of the volcanic eruptions occurring in Hawaii.  Pictures are everywhere showing the advancing lava flows as they consume houses, cars, and anything else that gets in its way.  What many might not be aware of is the sharply increased number of earthquake swarms around the world, especially in California and along the west coast.  So much so that articles warning of the potential “big one” are appearing again in the news.  Israel has experienced so much rain that flash flooding has occurred along with regrettable loss of life.  I also read a report that a well-known Rabbi in Israel has suggested that the unseasonable rain is a sign of the Messiah’s imminent return.

"So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near--at the doors!

Mark 13:29 NKJV

So here is my question for today; does God cause these things to happen, or just like the events in Exodus when God came to earth to lead His people away, is the earth reacting to His approach once again? Is it possible that the increase in frequency and intensity of physical events is because the closeness of Jesus returning for His church is causing a physical reaction by the earth?  If we consider what the Bible has to say as being the true and faithful Word of God, I would suggest that we should, as well as understanding that by what we are told, this is only the beginning.

"Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

2 Samuel 22:8 NKJV

Is the earth speaking?

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When God Goes Fishing

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, “and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. “I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, Ezekiel 38:1-4   NKJV

Like many people who love the outdoors, I have spent a good portion of my free time enjoying the sport of fishing.  While not all that proficient at it, I do enjoy it and have had the opportunity to fish with people I would describe as expert at convincing fish to take what is offered to them.   I would also say that a great portion of what makes up a person’s expertise at fishing, and a talent I have struggled to learn, is knowing exactly what sort of bait the fish finds irresistible.   Of course, something we can never overlook is that while a fish can be tempted to take the bait, it goes without saying that they regret it immediately when they feel the hook.  Over the years, while reading and studying the Word, for many reasons I have come to the conclusion that Jesus is a great fisherman.

Many believers feel strongly that current events certainly make it seem as if God is setting the table for the events of Ezekiel 38-39 to occur.  Not a week goes by now that something major happens in the Middle East to fuel this belief and this past week was no exception with the news of Israel’s acquisition of documents proving Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.   This certainly makes it appear that not only is dinner just about ready but the main course looks to be fish.  Now if this sounds a little odd to you, stay with me while I explain my thinking.  You see, when talking about the decision to attempt an invasion of Israel by these countries, God reveals that He chooses to use “hooks in the jaw” to bring them in.

‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: “You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’—“to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.      Ezekiel 38:10-12  NKJV

From the fight that occurs after the fish feels the hook, it is reasonable to assume that the fish is not interested in coming to you willingly.  I believe this is an important fact to notice when looking at this passage of scripture because of God’s use of the phrase “I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out”.  I believe that what God is making clear here is that while these countries may not actually want to come, it is He who leads them to make the attempt, possibly by using some sort of bait that they find irresistible, or that at least can be used by them to justify their attack on Israel.

The animosity that Iran and Turkey have for Israel is well known, and the threats of violence are so frequent lately that many believe that war is inevitable if not imminent.  What should never be forgotten as well is the relationship between Iran and Russia, and the treaties in place that would compel Russia to defend Iran in case of a conflict.  Could these agreements be the “hook” that brings Gog into this conflict or could there be something more that provides some justification for their actions against Israel?  Remember, God also tells us these countries devise a plan “to take plunder and to take booty”. 

For this to occur, obviously there will be something of great value in Israel which will tempt Gog to gather his armies along the northern border of Israel to attempt an invasion with the intent of taking plunder.  Many scholars have identified Magog as Russia, and I would be inclined to agree based upon my own study.  However, considering the size of Russia, and especially the size of their economy as opposed to Israel’s, what could Israel possibly possess that would tempt them to invade?  A fact that I learned long ago as a history student in college was the importance of oil as a factor in so many of the wars of the past.  It has been said by many that in order to rule the world; one must first control the world’s supply of oil, and by studying the conflicts of the past it is apparent that many have believed that is true.

Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas production and export to provide the income for their economy.  Estimates run between 40 and 60 percent of their budget depend on this income, which is staggering considering the volatility of oil and gas prices.  Simply consider that if the price of oil drops 50%, you immediately lose half of your income.  The result is dramatic inflation, a loss of buying power, and a very angry population wanting to know just what the government is going to do about it.  Of course, it follows that the volatility of the oil market occurs because too many countries produce the oil at different rates which affect the supply available at any given time.  Consider however, the power one government would hold over the world if it controlled the majority of the oil available at any given time?

In doing a little research I found the following figures.  Russia produces approximately 38% of the world’s natural gas, and 25% of its oil.  The Middle East produces 35% of the world’s natural gas and 45% of its oil.  Now if Russia were to control the Middle East production they would suddenly hold sway over almost 75% of the world’s natural gas and oil as well.  What kind of power do you think they would then possess over the rest of the world?  Is it possible that the presence of Russia in the Middle East is a sign of their intentions to possibly attempt to take control of these resources?  If so, where does Israel fit in?

Most are aware that in the past few years Israel has discovered massive fields of natural gas off of the coast of Israel which some estimates have put in the “trillions” of cubic feet.  In and of itself, there you have a very tempting “booty and spoil” for someone to consider stealing, but if that were not enough, how interesting was it to see just this past week the announcement in Israel that they have discovered oil in the Golan Heights?  Early estimates put that discovery in the “billions” of barrels and could possibly be even higher.  Now suddenly Israel finds itself in the position of owning two of the world’s most desirable and necessary resources, and quite possibly the motivation for an invasion by an aggressor. Will these discoveries prove to be the plunder Gog is seeking?  Only time will tell, but it would not surprise me in the least if it proves to be true.

Again it would appear we see the possibility that God is setting the table for the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the future of Israel that we know occur just before the tribulation begins.  Is the time really that short?  That is a question all of us should be asking ourselves, as well as making sure we are prepared for that time in history which the Bible speaks so much about.  Have you made the decision to accept the salvation offered to you by God in the person of His Son Jesus Christ?  If not, I would suggest there is no better time than right now, especially as we see the day approaching when Jesus will call all those who believe to come up to Him and escape the wrath that is to come upon this world.

If you are reading this and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ into your heart and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered you by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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