Is This Our Year of Redemption?

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."   Galatians 4:5  NKJV

I may have mentioned once or twice that the Church today bears little resemblance to the Church I grew up in so many years ago.  There are many reasons for that but one which I notice often, and probably miss the most, is the singing of the hymns that were for so many years the mainstay of worship in the Church.  Now before you start thinking I am some sort of traditionalist opposed to change, let me assure you I enjoy and listen to Christian music and am blessed by many of the artists who write and perform today.  What I miss, and to be truthful something which I believe is lacking in many of the songs sung in the Church today, is the theology written into the hymns of the past.

Redemption is a term many have heard, but often take for granted and never truly explore.  It is, also, something you used to hear preached about often but of late, rarely is expounded on from the pulpit.  Yet not only is it taught throughout the Word, it is something all believers should understand is not only necessary for our salvation, but something we could never do for ourselves.  It is a gift from God for which we as believers owe Him our very lives.  Take a minute to read the words from this old hymn I remember singing when I was young.

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His presence With me doth continually dwell.

Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.

I think of my blessèd Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long: I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

Redeemed, redeemed, Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.

I know there’s a crown that is waiting, In yonder bright mansion for me, And soon, with the spirits made perfect, At home with the Lord I shall be.        Fanny Crosby  1882

The word redeem in Biblical times was specifically a term applied most often to slaves.  In the Greek, it is the word exagorazō, which is translated; “by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off.”  If you are wondering why a term used in relation to slaves should be applied to mankind, the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans makes it very clear.

"For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."   Romans 6:5,6  NKJV

"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.  For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."   Romans 6:16-23  NKJV

As slaves to sin, mankind is destined to be paid the wages of sin, which is death.  But as Paul said in his letter to the Galatians, when the time was right, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Kinsman Redeemer.  In the book of Leviticus we are told that the Law specifies that only a kinsman could redeem a person or his property.  This is why Jesus had to be born as a man, to become man’s kinsman.  He also had to be God, in order to have the power to forgive sin.  Having God as His Father, and Mary as His mother, Jesus fulfilled the requirements necessary to redeem us all.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  Matthew 5:17  NKJV

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”  Titus 2:13,14  NKJV

You may have heard me mention a time or two just how close I believe we are to that time when we will hear the call to go home, or in light of our subject today, we will be released from our bondage in this body of death.  The laws concerning redemption by a kinsman redeemer can be found in the book of Leviticus and in them there is something I found to be very interesting in light of our belief we are approaching the end.  Read closely what the following  passage says about the timing of a slave being redeemed.

“And if he is not redeemed in these years, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee—he and his children with him.”  Leviticus 25:54. NKJV

Considering what this verse says about the Year of Jubilee, I suppose it is simply coincidence that many scholars believe that 2023 is in fact, a jubilee year.  If that is true then the obvious conclusion is that those who have never made the decision to accept the price paid by Jesus Christ on the cross to redeem us are living on borrowed time and that time is swiftly running out.

Those who choose to believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, lived a perfect sinless life, died on a cross and rose again from the dead on the third day, have been redeemed.  By accepting the redemption offered to us by His death and resurrection we become children of God and part of the Church which is the bride of Christ.  He is coming soon to take His bride away to be with Him forever, and by all accounts the signs of our approaching rapture to be with Him are all around us.  

If you have never accepted the payment Jesus made to redeem you, I pray you do it today, before it is too late.  Simply pray to Him, confess you are a sinner in need of redemption, believe He died to pay the price to redeem you, and you will be set free to enjoy eternity with Him.

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”   Luke 21:28  NKJV

Keep watching.

Looking for Mr. Wrong

“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive."   John 5:43  NKJV

 

In this passage we see Jesus making a statement to the Jewish leaders who were seeking to kill him because He claimed to be God.  Here Jesus prophecies that while they will reject Him and His claim, a time will come when the Jews will accept another man as their messiah.  This person is, of course, the man most often referred to as the antichrist, who comes as a man of peace but will ultimately plunge the entire world into war and suffering on a scale never before seen. If the world is as close to the tribulation as many believe, obviously this person is currently active on the world scene and in a position to assume his ultimate role.

If you follow events in Israel, you are most likely aware of the internal conflict happening at present with efforts to redefine the responsibilities of the judicial branch of the government.  Watching from afar, it appears to me that it would be accurate to believe Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government is in disarray at the moment.  Close to half of the country disagrees with his attempts to curtail the judiciary’s power and protests are occurring every week all over the country.  Considering that, my first thought went to the old idiom “nature abhors a vacuum”, and then wondered if it might be setting the stage for another end time event.  As applied to the situation which now exists in Israel, what a perfect time for someone to appear who seemingly has an answer which would appeal to both sides in this disagreement.

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.”  Daniel 8:23-25  NKJV

The truth is, what we are witnessing today occurring all around the world is Satan preparing the way for the emergence of his lackey, the antichrist.  Somehow this coming man of sin will rise to power by deceit and cunning while at the same time managing to broker and enforce a peace when so many before him have failed.  If we are as close to the end as many believe, this man is currently active on the world stage and being positioned by Satan. Most have noticed by now the number of articles being written about Klaus Schwab and his school "Global Leaders of Tomorrow" which he established in 1992. The list of names of those prominent in government and business today who have attended is extensive and I will leave it to you to explore, but many are of the opinion the coming man of sin will be a product of this school and I believe you will be shocked when you discover who some of the graduates are. With the formation of a one world government as one of their goals, it would certainly come as no surprise if the coming antichrist has been groomed by attending.

When discussing the coming antichrist, many have made the point of describing all of the attributes listed in God’s Word about this man as a way of explaining how he is able to somehow achieve the impossible. While not disagreeing about their importance I would like to suggest one simple explanation which may often be overlooked.  You see, in the passage above from Daniel we are told that although this coming world leader will be extremely strong, “his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power”.  So the question which follows is simply this; “if it’s not his power, who’s power is it?”  If we look at it this way, I believe the answer is clear as to where his power originates. 

“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”    Luke 4:5-6  NKJV

I’m sure many of you remember this passage from Luke, and the events which surround it.  Yet the point is clear that Satan, as the prince of this world, has the ability to not only control kingdoms, but to give their power to whomever he wishes.  That conclusion is obvious from the fact that Jesus does not dispute this statement when Satan makes it.  This then, is where the antichrist will get the power to control the kingdoms of the earth, and to enforce a peace between Israel and its enemies in the most volatile region in the world.  Yet it also raises another question that needs to be answered and that is why does the nation of Israel agree to this peace?

“But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. “        Luke 24:21  NKJV

I believe the simple answer as to why Israel chooses to place their security in the hands of the antichrist is that they believe he is their messiah.  Now if that sounds strange to you, it might be that there is an important part of Judaism many Christians are not aware of and it is simply this; in Judaism the coming messiah is not divine, but simply a great man descended from the Davidic line who will be a great political leader.  In the passage from Luke we see that the men talking with Jesus were disappointed because they were expecting a king who would “redeem Israel”. If we look closely at the thinking and especially the words of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, we are told the real reason they were so intent on putting Him to death.

"Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. " John 5:18  NKJV

Not only is it important to understand that the messiah Judaism is looking for is not divine, there is one other matter which will cause the nation of Israel to welcome him with open arms.  You see, something else Judaism believes is that the Jewish messiah will allow the rebuilding of the Temple and re-establish worship as it was in Old Testament times.  This, obviously, is an accomplishment many would consider equal to bringing peace to the Middle East.  The Jewish nation rebuilding their Temple for worship in the middle of a region which is almost totally Islamic, is to many, quite unbelievable.   Yet is it really so hard to understand if you consider the source of his power?

Given that his power and success is orchestrated by Satan himself, many might believe that there is no limit to what he might accomplish.  There are, however, within his seeming unlimited powers, the seeds of his own downfall.  While he will appear to be a savior to the world, his success will be short-lived and failure will be his ultimate accomplishment.  This, I believe, will be a result of a character flaw that many great men before him have suffered from, and one which we as a nation could say we see played out in our own political arena on a weekly basis.  Like many who have come before him, he too will fall from grace and his ultimate failure is guaranteed.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."  

           

John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton

Most of you have probably heard this quote at one time or another, and in the case of the coming man of sin it could not be more appropriate.  In the end, after all is said and done, you have to ask yourself why in the world do people accept this man of sin as their leader and embrace him with open arms?  Is he really so deceitful that the world is completely taken in by his lies and deception or is something else going on here?  A fact sometimes overlooked is that this man of sin somehow manages to rise from whatever position he now holds to the absolute ruler of the entire world in only three and one half years, when he sits in the temple and proclaims himself to be God.  Looking at the world as it is today, most if not all would say that the chances of that ever happening are growing more plausible and never forget that the Bible tells us it will happen.  Every day more and more are convinced that it is going to happen very soon.

"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,"   2 Thessalonians 2:9-11  NKJV

The stage certainly appears to have been set for someone with all of the answers to the worlds’ problems to appear.  If we are truly that close to the end of the age, there is one supremely important question that needs to be asked.  If you have never made the decision to accept the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I suggest you do that today so you too can spend eternity with our Father in Heaven, and watch all of these things unfold from there, rather than here.  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.

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.

A Preemtive Strike?

“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 46:10  NKJV

preemptive-adjective…taken as a measure against something possible, anticipated, or feared; preventive, a determent 

It would seem that the entire world is on edge right now fully expecting Israel to take matters into their own hands and attack Iran to prevent their acquisition of a nuclear weapon.  As no other country, including the United States, shows any desire to do anything other than wag their fingers, it seems a foregone conclusion that Israel will do what needs to be done in order to insure their own survival.  I want to share a very good article with you this morning by Terry James of RaptureReady, after which I will share a few thoughts of my own with you.

Iranian Nuclear Nightmare 

by Terry James

The last time we looked in this column at the prophecy about an apparent Persian/Iranian nuclear-type disaster was a number of years ago. At the time, it looked very much like the Iranian regime was on the verge of attaining the technology and obtaining the fissionable materials in sufficient amount to produce a nuclear weapon.

Israel looked to be at that time about to take out Iran’s nuclear production centers within the Bushehr Mountains by military strikes. However, the program seems to have been disrupted by something called a Stuxnet worm—a cyber virus introduced by Israel’s IDF into Iran’s nuclear development computer system.

Still the rumors persisted that the Iranians were on the verge of producing a nuclear bomb. The claim always seemed to indicate it would happen within several months, at most.

The bomb, of course, was never demonstrated to have become fact, and yet the same claims are made today. Iran is on the cusp of creating a nuclear weapon, and they promise to use it to eliminate Israel when the capability comes into being.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in power during most of those earlier Bushehr Mountain threats. We know how the Israeli government has gone in and out of various stages of political ideological phases since. And now, in 2023, Netanyahu is once again in power, and everything coming out of his government’s inner circle indicates the Iranian threat to complete its nuclear weapons program is about to come to fruition. Netanyahu continues to vow—as when he was in power in those earlier days—that Israel’s blood-vowed enemy will never be allowed to achieve nuclear weapons capability.

This would seem like a ho-hum moment, in that we’ve seen it before and nothing came of it. That they will once again come up with a Stuxnet-type technological worm to infiltrate and destroy Iran’s project before it can be completed is at the heart of the sense of not to worry.

There is an entirely different feel to these matters this time, however. This is particularly true among those of us who look at all other developments in Bible prophecy progression and see all the things mentioned by Jesus and the prophets as coming together into profound convergence. This factor and the obvious ratcheting-up of Israel’s military planning and Netanyahu’s strong words might indicate the Elam prophecy given by Jeremiah the prophet could be close to fulfillment.

Analyzing from a biblically prophetic perspective of the dangerous situation presented by Iran’s threats has been the mission of my friend Bill Salus of Prophecy Depot Ministries. He wrote in a 2014 article about a report outlining that danger.

The war-weary world is watching with worrisome eyes as Iran assembles a uranium enrichment arsenal that now numbers about 19,000 centrifuges. This many centrifuges spinning 24/7 can produce a nuclear weapon within about six weeks Perhaps even more startling is the June 9, 2014 headline below from The Washington Free Beacon:

“Israeli Official: Iran to Have 50–100 Nuclear Warheads by 2024.” (“Elam: Iran’s Forgotten Prophecy: Middle East,” Bill Salus, Koinonia House, June 2014)

Well, the year 2024 is almost upon us. And, like all other prophetic signals on the immediate horizon, our headlines at the moment blaze with news from Israel.

As stated many times in these commentaries: No matter in which directions the cameras and microphones might be turned at the moment, they always swing right back to focus on Jerusalem and Israel as the center of controversy.

That truth continues to be in play. The following portrays the seriousness of the moment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening, at the Hartog National Security Conference at the Setai Hotel in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, was interviewed by Prof. Walter Russell Mead, Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities at Bard College, and the ‘Global View’ Columnist at the Wall Street Journal…

In response to the question: What would the policy be on Iran, on the assumption that the US administration claims that the 2015 nuclear agreement is completely finished, and in light of reports that Iran has enriched its uranium to 84% just below nuclear level, Prime Minister Netanyahu replied:

“Ask a question. How do you stop a rogue nation from acquiring nuclear weapons? Let’s see. I mean, there have been some examples, so we can maybe deduce a rule.”…

“The only thing that has credibly stopped rogue nations from developing nuclear weapons is a credible military threat or a credible military action. You can couple that with crippling economic sanctions, but that’s not a sufficient condition. A necessary condition, and an often sufficient condition, is credible military action. The longer you wait, the harder that becomes. We’ve waited very long.”

“I can tell you that I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. That is not merely an Israeli interest; it’s an American interest; it’s in the interest of the entire world.” (“PM says stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons in interests of the entire world, not just Israel,” Arustz Sheva, Israel National News, February 21, 2023)

While Mr. Netanyahu lays out the nightmare for the entire world if Iran is allowed to develop its nuclear weapons program, it is the nightmare for the Persian people, sadly, that is in view from God’s prophetic perspective.

God, through Jeremiah, foretells that the Persians’ bow (its military capability) will be broken. There will be such a disaster as a result that the people of the region will have to scatter to the four winds to survive the carnage. I believe that carnage is nuclear radiation because of the facilities destruction.

Here is what Jeremiah said:

Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. (Jeremiah 46:39)

As I say, this is sad—tragic—if looked at as happening before the Rapture. There is a tremendous number of Christians in Iran, and reports have it that the number is growing spectacularly despite the evil regime’s efforts to stamp out believers in Christ. This might well be one more reason to add to the Rapture taking place before this prophecy is fulfilled—meaning that, with the seeming assault by Israel coming very soon, the great Rapture event might be sooner than even the most ardent Titus 2:13 watchman can imagine!

https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2023/03/05/iranian-nuclear-nightmare/

I believe that as watchers, the last sentence in this article is the most profound of all.  We don’t know, however, just how long God will wait before He lets Jesus call us home, so the obvious question to many is just what will we be allowed to witness before we go?  Understandably, without knowing when we will go, that question too, goes unanswered but I believe we can ascertain the series of events God has spoken of in the order that they will occur.  Of course, I hasten to add that what follows is simply my opinion as I am not a prophet nor do I claim to be but I believe this order of events seems logical.

In light of recent events concerning Iran, I think it highly likely the first event will be Israel launching a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  This in turn will provoke Iran to strike back at Israel’s nuclear facility at Dimona from their proxy locations in Syria.  This results in the destruction of Damascus by Israel as outlined in Isaiah 17.  Following that, Gog will begin to assemble his armies on the border of Israel opposite the Golan Heights in preparation for the attempted invasion of Ezekiel 38, and 39 in what is referred to as the Gog Magog War.

When this will begin, and how quickly will the events unfold is anyone’s guess but as God promises us in the passage I shared with you at the beginning of this article, He will do “His pleasure” so in all reality it is just a matter of time.  As always, I want to end with this. If you have never made the decision to accept the free gift of eternal life God has provided through His Son, Jesus Christ, I encourage you to do so today.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that right now by praying a prayer just like this one;

"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."

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Perhaps a Spring Wedding?

"For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!"  Song of Solomon 2:11-13  NKJV

I have shared this article enough in the past that some of you might have considered that it might just be my favorite on the subject of rapture timing speculation.  Obviously there is not a day or an hour specified yet certainly it’s a season that I feel strongly has many reasons to support the idea that it might just be when the Church will be called home.  If that weren’t reason enough, where I also believe we are as a world today on God’s prophetic timeline, leads me to share it again with you now.  So I hope you enjoy my thoughts on the Song of Solomon, and the possibility he is telling us when we are finally going home. 

Did you look forward to your wedding?  Did you possibly get a little more impatient the closer you got to the actual date?  I think most of us have either participated in our own, or observed someone else in this position and understand the impatience and anticipation someone approaching their wedding day experiences.  This though, raises a question in my mind which I would like you to consider as well.  Since the Church is described as the bride of Christ, and the Word also tells us He is coming to take His bride home at a future date, do you think Jesus is experiencing those same feelings of anticipation and impatience that we do?

When is the last time you heard a sermon taught on the Songs of Solomon?  To be completely honest, I don't recall personally ever having heard one.  Which truthfully seems to be a shame because if you believe that all scripture is inspired by God, and all scripture is profitable for instruction, you are then left with the question as to why this book was included in the scripture and what is its message?  As Solomon wrote this song to a Shulamite woman who he had fallen in love with, it is in essence his love song to her as he is courting her with the intent of making her his bride.  You don't need to read very far at all to understand the depth of his love for her, and the anticipation he has for the day she will become his own.

Seen in this light, it appears to me that this song can easily be considered to be what Jesus is feeling as He looks forward to His wedding to His bride, the Church.  Although the Jews have always looked at this book as signifying God's love for the nation of Israel, and it easily could be, I can also certainly see Jesus' love for the Church and His anticipation for the coming wedding in it as well.  One of the many interesting things I found while reading this book was this description of his intended which Solomon gives us in chapter 4.

"You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you."  Song of Solomon 4:7  NKJV

The fact that he sees no spot in her immediately brought to mind the description of the Church Paul gives us in the book of Ephesians.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."   Ephesians 5:25-27  NKJV

For many reasons, I can read this book and picture Jesus writing these words in anticipation of His future wedding with the Church.  Yet as long as we are going to talk about a future wedding, it would also seem appropriate to consider the possible timing of it, and see if Solomon gives us any clue as to when that might take place.  Notice his description in the passage from the second chapter, and everything that he says there.  It is obvious that Solomon is talking about the season of Spring, and all of the things that occur in Israel during that particular time.

"For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone."

Solomon tells us that the winter is past, as well as the early rains which normally fall in March and April.  It is these early rains which help start the growing season in Israel.

"The flowers appear on the earth;"

 

One of the things I, and many others appreciate most about spring is watching all of the flowers reappear after hiding under the snow for the winter.

"the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land"

 

Did you know that the turtledove is a migratory bird?  It normally leaves in the fall and returns to Israel in the spring.  

"The fig tree puts forth her green figs"

 

The fig tree normally produces its first crop in the spring, usually harvested in early June. 

"And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell"

 

The grapes are on the vine ripening in preparation for the coming harvest which normally occurs in July. 

The late Ray Stedman had this to say about this passage from Song of Solomon;

“There is the springtime of life. But it doesn't lie in the past. It lies in the future. One day this whole world will experience a springtime like that. The Lord Jesus Christ, returning at last to claim his waiting bride, will greet her in words very much like those. The springtime will come, the time of singing, the time when earth shall blossom again and the curse will be lifted and the flowers will appear on the earth. This is a picture of what can take place in the heart of one who falls in love with Jesus Christ and enters into springtime. The cold winter of loneliness, misery, and selfishness is past and the time of singing has come.” 

 

All things considered, I think it is safe to say that Solomon was anticipating a wedding just like many others have.  Many believe the Church is rapidly approaching its own wedding in Heaven, and a close look at the state of this world certainly seems to support that belief.  One day, very soon it would appear, the Church will hear the groom call out for her to "come away" just as Solomon wrote in this passage.  It is my prayer that you have made the decision to accept the gift of eternal life offered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your sin, and that you are part of the body, the bride of Christ which will live with Him forever in the place He is preparing for us.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do it right now. Simply admit to God that you need His forgiveness because you are a sinner,  be willing to turn away from your sins, believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and invite Him to come in and control  your life through the Holy Spirit by praying a simple prayer like this;

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.

 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"   John 1:12 NKJV

If you have prayed this prayer you are part of the body of Christ, a member of His Church, and like the rest of us are now waiting for the call to join Him in Heaven for the wedding soon to come. 

Keep watching.