Watching & Ready

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with giddiness, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  Luke 21:34-36

 

There are even some who are not truly Saved (Matt. 7:20) who anticipate that we are heading into some sort of end times scenario sometime soon.  A lot is transpiring in the world and it seems that worldwide the eyes are upon President-elect Donald Trump and what will take place beginning shortly.

 

Well we have spoken many times how the Bible tells Believers to be watching and ready (Matt. 24:42-44), in fact this article is being written in lieu of one of the regular Watching & Ready columns that have become a regular staple at All Will Stand’s website.  Yet, consider the opening passage here, especially the following ‘that Day come upon you unexpectedly’.

 

Just how could that happen?  Well for some, it certainly will be that they are absolutely watching and ready, but for others, many who profess to be Christians (Rom. 9:6) they are literally asleep ‘in the pew’.  Consider these words from Jesus in Revelation:

 

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing; and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked; I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”  Revelation 3:16-21

 

While there are many factors that would contribute to this condition of the vast majority of what one would reasonably consider to be ‘christian’ as not being watching and ready, let’s for the sake of this argument pick on some of the more conservative, evangelical type groups of Believers.

 

We would assume that here and there that there would still be Churches that are truly faithful to Christ, honoring Him and doing as He commanded, but for the most, those of us who are Believers, we will either know that we were able to find such a Church and diligently provide prayer that it remains so, or that we are in a Church with some compromise (perhaps with some ‘life’, teaching the –right- things, but not much life in there, more of a ‘motions’ type thing, not any real substance), an example would be a 1-2 (maybe 5) minute ‘prayer’ meeting one day per week.  Finally for many, there are those Believers who simply can not seem to find a Church to attend and they often try to utilize the resources on the internet, such as sermons from a different biblical Church.  And ‘no’ this article is not going to dwell into the arguments regarding these things, but rather we are going to focus on the watchfulness and readiness of these very churches, many who proclaim to diligently serve God (we are not going to pick on those that actually are doing those things, if you belong to one of these or minister in one of these, great!  Keep on doing God’s work).

 

In what appears to be the –very- last days, of which biblically all Believers would have done well, including the next generation, if that occurs, to believe such things (1 Thes. 4:16-18), as this is being written, a text was received that alerted me to Israel possibly using a low yield nuclear weapon in Syria.  After a quick bit of internet research, it does seem plausible that a weapon provided by the United States might have been a small nuclear weapon, shown by the radiation picked up afterwards by sensors.  Though this is largely silent in the media, but certainly not to the parties involved in the conflict.

 

So let’s set the basis for a few things, not getting into the details, but why I would suggest that now would certainly be a time for Believers to be diligently serving God, watching and ready, not with ‘hearts be weighed down with giddiness, drunkenness, and cares of this life’ going on.  Be warned, for that verse is certainly that.

 

A whole article could speak of the apostasy (2 Pet. 3:3; 2 Tim. 4:3), fulfilled prophecies (Ezek. 37), as well as other things (2 Thes. 2:3, etc.), but let it suffice with the following:

 

“After two days He will restore us to life. In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His presence.”  Hosea 6:2

 

“But, beloved, do not be unaware of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  2 Peter 3:8

 

Let’s add in the following as well:

 

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors.  Truly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled.”

 

So for those who perhaps don’t understand the significance of these Bible prophecies, let me briefly explain, though I will tell the scoffers and unbelievers to just go away and quit reading this now, this is NOT for you…

 

So I recall, I believe, listening to brother Hughie from Australia speaking of the significance of the Hosea prophecy.  I had also thought that was significant and didn’t understand why more people didn’t pick up on it.  So let’s chat about that for a moment.  Basically we know that ‘one day is as a thousand years’ and if we consider Hosea, this is speaking about Christ, so we could ponder that being 2,000 years.

 

Now when we see what is going on in the world, certainly that does seem to actually be the case.  Would this world survive another 1,000 years?!  Let me interject a bit of my own personal pondering on the matter, not saying it is so, but, I have wondered (as it is no longer the year 2,000), not to say that it is –exact-, BUT if we add the Lord’s 33 years on the earth we come to the year 2033, if we minus 7 years (Tribulation, ‘time of Jacob’s trouble’ Jer. 30:7) we come to 2026.  In a few days after this is posted, that is only a year away, look at the world now!  This is just a thought, not saying that this is a fact by no means, the Lord could come today or tomorrow or 20 years from now, but just an interesting thing I have considered.

 

Now the second part in Matthew speaks of ‘this generation’.  There have been Believers, true Christians, who over the years have considered that that was the generation that was alive when Israel became a nation in 1948.

 

Years ago, I had a Bible study with friends as we looked at generations and knew it was not the 40 years (Num. 32:13; etc.), then there is also the 70 year generation (Dan. 9:2; which we are now past that) and finally there is the 100 year generation (Gen. 13:13-16), but Psalms also mentions 80.  Would it not be sensible, that as long as that generation is alive, and they still are a decent amount, though it is decreasing quickly, that that generation still exists.  Well at the moment it does, in a few years???

 

“The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of vigor they are eighty years, yet their boast is toil and wickedness; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”  Psalms 90:10

 

Without digging into all of the potential nitty-gritty of why most people are not ‘watching and ready’ including churches full of those who profess Christ, let us just focus on the ones who –used- to readily talk about these things and REALLY scratch our head with all of these things going on in the world at the moment (just think about the fairly serious war in the Middle East regarding Israel for just one, and the prospect of –peace- (1 Thes. 5:3; Dan. 9:27)) where these –same- groups of people, a generation ago (I’ll use the term as speaking about our parents or grandparents) would have been head over heels talking about these things they are just waiting for Trump to fix everything and have been asleep in the pews for YEARS!!!

 

They need to ‘wake up’ but seemingly THEY WILL NOT!  Sorry for the –yelling- here, but I wish I could knock some sense into these ‘diehard’ believers who will be quick to chastise with words, but in actions, true actions for the Lord, they are more interested in protecting their ‘traditions’ then they are doing anything else.

 

“Therefore Jehovah said, Whereas this people draw near with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men;” …  Isaiah 29:13

 

As our Lord said:

 

“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”  Matthew 15:8

 

So what gives?  Why is there not a sense of the imminent appearing of Christ (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:17), that urgency that should cause that ‘watching and ready’, as well as warning those who are about to be Left Behind, aside from the fact that most who warm the pews are not truly Saved?

 

Certainly the apostasy is in full play here, that much is obvious and unread, by most, even those who proclaim to be Christians, volumes of ‘proof’ of the apostasy would be ignored by the masses, let’s get into the gist of what appears to be a potential problem here.  Can we not look at the ‘evidence’ of biblical prophecy and determine that we REALLY ought to be paying attention?!

 

So, let’s take the Baptists as a whole, a group of people who back in the 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s and even the early 00’s used to have evangelical preachers who would do circuits speaking of these things.  I would say, and by NO MEANS is this a promotion, I have never read the writings of Timothy LaHaye, but his books about being Left Behind where probably the last immensely popular movement in regards to those things and now that we are –even closer- than then, the attention towards these things has greatly diminished, especially in that being ‘watching and ready’ sense of ‘not wanting to miss that Rapture’ ‘feeling’ that was –very- popular amongst many professing Christians who were concerned for various reasons (unnamed sin???).  LaHaye, as far as I know, was a Baptist evangelical preacher who did correctly promote the pretribulation Rapture.

 

However, I have seen the Left Behind movies (not done by LaHaye) and I do not believe that do a good job at portraying accurate biblical prophecy.  However, before there was LaHaye, there was Hal Lindsey who authored many books.

 

I was just notified that Lindsey had passed away last month, at the age of 95 years old.  This article is not a critique of Lindsey’s work, I certainly don’t know enough at this moment, in fact I wish I could have sat down and spoken with him for awhile about these things.

 

For those who knew PB, I know that once PB mentioned Lindsey, though didn’t seem to ever read his material, but knew of him and heard an interview where Lindsey who was not so quick to make known that it is a pretrib Rapture, there, according to PB, in the interview seemed to be some hesitation.  That may be, but in the books that I have read thus far (which are now 3) there is no doubt in his old material of Lindsey being a clear proponent for a pretrib Rapture.

 

So Lindsey wrote The Late Great Planet Earth and that book sold TENS OF MILLIONS of copies.  This set off evangelical zeal and preachers who did circuits to Churches talking about these sort of things, warning, etc.  Things were really looking like they could have come to an end and the return of Christ (really His appearing (1 Tim. 4:1 –pay attention-)) was imminent.  Now I have finished reading another book, you could say an ‘update’ to that famous book and it is called The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon, another bestseller, at the time.

 

In fact, Lindsey mentions, though unofficial, but nonetheless he was invited to speak of prophetic things at the Pentagon to military officers and their wives, whoever wanted to attend this non-mandatory meeting.  Their computers where coming up with similar future war scenarios that Lindsey was also talking about in his original bestseller.

 

Lindsey made a great case regarding the European community coming together, the communist taking over, the United States of America declining in power or even getting taken over by the Soviets, the rising of that Roman Empire (European), etc.  In fact I would say that looking through the lens at the time, Lindsey did a remarkable job at putting together how things –could- have happen.  The only problem is they didn’t and still haven’t, but what has been done is it has caused sunglasses, perhaps the real dark kind, to go over professing and even true Christians eyes regarding what appears to really be these events unfolding right in front of our eyes at the very moment.

 

Recently a friend and an occasional contributor to All Will Stand’s ministry website completed a book called The Night is Far Spent regarding where this revived Roman Empire that the Bible talks about might be.  (There are links available on All Will Stand’s website regarding this book.)

 

Now, while no one can be absolute certain, the question should be presented and he has ample evidence to suggest, sorry superpatriots, but reality is reality, America might very well be the head of the revived Roman Empire.  By all appearances we are the revived Roman Empire!!!  The proof that he provides is really seemingly undeniable.

 

Now with that comes the prospect that, with that in consideration, we could be the country that the Antichrist rising out of.  So even though we have a man, Donald Trump, who MUST be a suspect, as he meets every characteristic that the Bible lays out that can be known prior to the Tribulation (see the free Repent! book for documentation and/or Brandon’s new book) the ‘watchmen’ or ‘bell ringers’ who –should be- sounding the alarm are actually (I will say this is the Baptists) guardians –against- this information from even being discussed because they are still of the thinking and evidence presented by people like Lindsey from decades ago that –never- happened (though it technically still could), yet they also claim to believe it is imminent, so the basic question could be this:

 

Questioner: So you believe that the Rapture is imminent?

 

Regular Baptist (who still believes these things, many no longer do) Member/Preacher/deacon/etc… : Of course, have you seen the world!

 

Questioner: Why do you think that?

 

Regular Baptist (many older preachers still believe this): Well ‘that generation’ will not pass away.

 

Questioner: Then where is the revived Roman Empire?

 

Well, here is the problem, there might be some sort of ‘answer’ but if you were to be able to have a fair conversation, they simply wouldn’t know.  However, a book like Brandon’s could provide the evidence to help them to strongly consider or to understand unfortunately the United States appears to be the revived Roman Empire.  Then a host of other questions occur.

 

So where, at the moment, is the military strength in Europe.  Well it is NATO.  Who controls NATO?  The USA.

 

Well Italy (where Rome is) has nuclear weapons, but guess who owns them, not the Italians, but the USA.

 

As I recently told someone, I would be more worried about Italy not selling pasta and tomato sauce then I would be about them attacking us, as if they are heading the revived Roman Empire.  For certainly the Bible is –quite- clear that this empire will have a military force that is not rivaled anywhere (Rev. 13:4).

 

Lindsey spent much time talking about Europe, the revived Roman Empire and even had this verse in that latest book of his that I read:

 

“And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall trample it down and break it in pieces.”  Daniel 7:23

 

When I read that verse in his book, I said ‘bingo’!  That is it!  This kingdom SHALL BE DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER KINGDOMS.  The Church (when they were looking) were looking for a revived Roman Empire that was the same as the empires of old, yet the Bible is quite clear that this one is different.  (Read Brandon’s book for documentation on just how different this appears to be.)

 

As Brandon is quickly learning, not from his pastor, but Baptist are not open to such ‘ideas’.  They will NOT hear it, in fact, Brandon wishes that they would sit down with him and tell him how his thoughts are wrong, to ‘reason’ with him (2 Tim. 4:2) that they would look at the evidence with Acts 17:11 type hearts, himself being willing to be under subjection, if shown wrong biblically, but instead, without even reading the material, when the pastor talked to other members about this information, instead he was asked to immediately remove that Church’s website from association with his new website for the book.  Though the pastor insisted that he keep his personal testimony regarding the Church available, as that is between him and God, of no business to any other Church member.

 

Imagine the heartbreak, doing the Lord’s work and your ‘fellow brethren’ not even looking at it.  In fact, if you want to get most Baptist going (I say this going to an independent fundamental Baptist Church myself (though this pastor is not like this)) just simply say one word against Trump and it is as-if you have blasphemed God.  Sadly it is that serious, you are instantly an enemy.

 

At least his pastor and some other elders agree that Trump must be a suspect and they see how America could actually be the revived Roman Empire.  Nobody is saying that Trump is the Antichrist.  The odd thing about this ordeal is that Brandon’s pastor got a call from a supported missionary/pastor friend in Argentina.

 

That friend asked his pastor whether or not he thought that Trump could be the Antichrist.  At that point his pastor told him about Brandon’s book and how he thought it could be so.  That Latin American pastor told him that his Church thought that Trump is the Antichrist.  Well, certainly a different prospective from what is usually a minority in Latin American countries, Baptist, compared to what we have here.

 

Even my pastor joked a few months ago about Trump being the Antichrist (this before the election).  This pastor from Argentina recognized Trump’s love for gold and also knew that this was a characteristic of the Antichrist (Dan. 11:38), so right there was some evidence to that Believer against Trump.  Shouldn’t other pastors do the same?  Don’t they know their Bible enough to see some of these characteristics?  Well they got those ‘sunglasses’ on.

 

Well, all I know is we live in a time like no other where everything seems to be aligning together.  Nothing else has to happen, the starting gun of the Rapture could be at any moment.

 

Well, dear reader, are you ready?  Are you watching?  This is not the time to be ‘playing games’ but we need to be diligent.  As Jesus said:

 

… “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”  Matthew 28:20b

 

Amen Indeed!