There will be famines, natural disasters, and earthquakes in many different places ... (Matthew 24:7).
As I look at the news this morning, the things that are
happening in our world seem overwhelming. There are three major hurricanes in
the Atlantic. One of them has demolished several Caribbean nations and is
headed toward the mainland U.S. There is another major hurricane right behind
it. The island of Barbuda is demolished and people are trying desperately to
get off of the island before the second hurricane hits them. Mexico was rocked
with a major earthquake this morning on its west coast while Hurricane Katia
pummels the east coast. This is all after Hurricane Harvey has done so much
destruction in Texas.
As I look at the destruction, I am reminded of something God
spoke to my heart in prayer at this time last year. After the floods in Denham
Springs in August of last year, God spoke to me heart about our country. He
said that we were going to see a rise in natural disasters. They are going to
be so severe that the government cannot take care of the need and people are
going to have to depend on one another. He spoke this to my heart very
strongly. People will have to depend upon one another. This is what we saw
happen last year in the Baton Rouge area and it is what we are seeing in the
aftermath of Harvey. People helping people!
The Bible says clearly that one of the signs of the end time
would be a rise in natural disasters. This is the meaning of the Biblical word
translated pestilences in the King James Version of the Bible. We are seeing
troubling things happening in our world on an ever increasing timescale. (Matthew
24:7). I know there will be some who will say these things are just a part of
life and have always been. It is incumbent upon the Christian to hear what the
Spirit would say to the church. I think we all recognize that we are living in
different times and we are seeing Biblical prophecy fulfilled. Let us not be
lulled into believing that this is business as usual.
I am reminded that Jesus said two very specific things in Matthew
24 about the end times. He said that nation would rise against nation, kingdom
against kingdom; he also said that we would see famines, pestilences, and
earthquakes in many different places. Our country is experiencing both. We have
seen a rise in the nation against nation category in the last few years. The
word nation here is ethnos and it means ethnic groups. The last few years shows
us just how divided our nation has become on the issues of race, language, and
culture. We are seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy. I believe the second
part of that prophecy is also coming to pass. The rise in natural disasters is
happening before our very eyes and we have become largely blinded to it.
Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:8 that “all these things are
the begging of sorrows.” The things we are seeing happening in our world are
the begging of a chain of events that will fulfill Biblical prophecy. There is
coming a day soon that the fulfillment of verse fifteen will take place. We
will see the Abomination of Desolation take place. We will see the anti-Christ
himself take seat in Jerusalem and claim to be God. We must be prepared lest we
be deceived.
Some say that God will take his church out of the world
before then; others say no. They believe the church will see the anti-Christ
and live through part of what the Bible calls the great tribulation. I certainly
can’t say definitively either way. I like to tell people that I hope for a
pre-tribulation rapture but am prepared for a post-tribulation rapture. I would
like to believe God will spare us but know that His Holy Ghost power can keep
me through any tribulation that God allows.
My main point here is not about the tribulation. It is to
make us aware that we need to pray for our nation like never before. We need to
pray for God’s mercy. We need to pray for God’s protection. We need to pray for
revival. Most of all we need to pray that these disasters will draw us closer
together and turn the attention of this nation back to our God. Instead of
rioting in our streets and fights about flags and national monuments, may we
have prayer meetings and times of repentance for our nation. God help us to all
work together to help the victims of these natural disasters. Let us pray that
God will have mercy on us. Some things are not set in stone in scripture. I
believe this is because God is looking to see how he will respond.
I am never one to say quickly saw that a natural disaster is
always the punishment of God. The scripture warns us against such folly (Luke
18:1-3). We must realize, however, that God can use the natural elements to
bring a nation to its knees (consider Egypt and the plagues.) If this is what
is happening, may we not harden our hearts like Pharaoh and the Egyptians did.
Let us pray that God will soften the heart and soul of America that we can turn
our eyes once again upon him.
Blessings,
Pastor Sullivan Jones
Agree
ReplyDelete