Luke 21:25-28 “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”
Jesus gives us warning of the times to come. Individuals would tremble with fear in their hearts while observing the things happening on the earth. There is distress among the nations and perplexity as the turbulent sea of life roars in their ears. Heaven and earth shaking and all of it points to the second coming of Christ!
As in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Lord. Many are called but few are chosen. This is not because God is only wanting a chosen few, but as a result of mankind rejecting the Lord’s offer of salvation! God is NOT willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. Noah was a preacher of righteousness and the people rejected his preaching! There was room in the ark for more people, but they were too caught up in their sinful pleasures to heed the warning from God!
The great apostle Paul spoke to his son in the faith Timothy the following words of instruction, as he himself was nearing his time of departure from life as he knew it:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers (stirring up hostilities instead of maintaining peace), false accusers, incontinent (without self-control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (rash), highminded (to inflate with self-conceit), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. II Timothy 3:1-7
We are living in unprecedented times. It is not that these sins have never been committed before but rather there is an onslaught in numbers of those committing things that are so displeasing to God, all under the banner of religion. We must consider what is taking place and look up and lift up our heads!
The writer of Hebrews said: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin”. Heb. 12:1-4
King Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah were outnumbered and afraid of the invading armies of the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon that were amassing against them along with others. Fearfully they went to the LORD in prayer in the house prayer. With all of Judah standing by, Jehoshaphat concludes his prayer with these words:
“O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee”. The Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel the Levite in the middle of the congregation and said, “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.” II Chronicles 20:12-17
Rest assured that we have the same promises of God today that our God will be with us and will fight our battles! Like Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah, it’s time for us to pray and look up, lifting up our heads unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith! We are no match for our enemies, but God is! Let’s look unto Jesus in these desperate times!
-Pastor Winkler