Matthew 24:25-31
INTRODUCTION
We have discussed the PROOFS that God has presented to mankind often times as a warning of thngs to come, but not always. Remember that God gave us a sign that He called the Rainbow and it was not a warning but instead it was a promise...something that would provide mankind with assurance that a Great Flood would never...NEVER...happen again.
But, most of the signs have been about His Son Jesus Christ...more specifically signs that He was about to either come to earth as a child or soon as a Conqueror and King.
We’re going to deal with the latter today...for our King is coming and coming soon...at least that is what I believe...I cannot speak for you...but perhaps we will be on the same page after today...Well that is my hope and prayer.
Let us pray right now before we get started.
<PRAYER>
It is always good to start with a prayer regardless of what it is...even a tooth cleaning or a baseball game.
We just read that Jesus, and therefore God (John 1:1-5), has been telling us things beforehand...before they happen.
But He also warns us that there will be those who tell us that He is in the wilderness or just inside...figures of speech. Last week we talked about False Prophets and they come in all sizes and shapes. There are many liars who would prefer that you become more like them and less like Jesus.
Don’t allow them...But they have arrived and are arriving.
POINTS
Our points today are these: #1: Why must we be Warned, #2: What do the warnings mean, #3: Why should we believe and #4: What happens Next?
POINT #1
Why must we be Warned?
The simple answer is: Because He Loves Us. Why did your Mother tell you never to go out without a clean pair of underwear? Why did they not want you to see that boy or that girl? Were they out to hurt you? Of course not. For the same reason...They loved you...more than most things except their God...at least that is my hope.
I’m going to tell you something that might cause alarm for you..but guess what...when it comes to smarts...we humans don’t really measure up. God is so much smarter than the smartest man or woman on earth...and that includes you and me.
Eve thought she was smarter than God...as did Lucifer. How did that work out for the two of them...and consequently you and me? Not well!
God warned Eve...but to no avail. He tried to warn Cain, but he would not listen.
He is warning you and me...that things would get bad...and have they not?
Would you say that the world is a safer place or has it gotten worse in that last several decades or century?
God warned those who were on this earth in the days of Noah that evilness was on the minds of man, “continuously”...and then what happened?
It took Noah 120 years to build the ark and mankind had plenty of time to change their ways...but...well here we are again.
God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to the wickedness of men and women of that time. He despises evil and wickedness...and again I ask you... has it gotten better or worse?
I will tell you this...We have been warned and perhaps for the final time...Take heed.
POINT #2
What do the warnings mean?
Which ones...there have been so many. Here Jesus tells us that we are about to be lied to and to be aware. But He tells us that we can believe one thing for sure...in Him...just as the lightning strikes in the east and the west.
He then talks about carcasses and vultures. What does that have to do with lightning or liars one might ask? They are warnings of things to come.
Revelation of John 19:17-21
You see...this is going to happen...as a culmination of things to come...the end.
Again...we have been warned...it ain’t going to be pretty my friend!
The sun will go dark and the moon red...and then what? The Son of Man will return. He promised us this right here and that was almost 2000 years ago. He was here and told those who would listen...some 500 or better... and here in His Holy Gospel...we too hear it.
The stars and the heavens will be severely shaken... with stars falling and later in Revelation we are told that the heavens will roll up as a scroll... Can you picture that?
Okay so why should the everyday man and woman believe any of this?
POINT #3
Why should we believe?
Why not is the simple answer. What keeps you from believing the King of Kings and the Creator of all things...unless of course you don’t believe He or they exist...hmmmm.
For those who hang their hats on science and mathematics...think about this. I read an article that talked about the probability that those things foretold ( about 350 the last I counted ) might be fulfilled for one man...any man comes out to be several trillion to one.
Everything had to come together. It had to be Seth, brother of Cain and Able, who would replace his murdered brother. It would then be Seth’s great, great, great and greater grandson that would be chosen by God to survive His Great Flood.
One man out of more than 600,000 that preceded him.
Then from him comes many generations later, a man named Abraham from whom most of us have as our great, great, great and greater grandfather.
Now, were talking millions of men and women who are his offspring. But that is not all, from him came a woman called Rahab, and a few other men and women who are the great, great, and greater grandparents of a young virgin called Mary and her espoused husband, both related all the way back to Abraham.
She was the Mother of Jesus and His birth was the culmination of 75+ generations who all had to come together to make it all possible. There are your odds of millions to one. Accident...I think NOT! I would suggest you read all about it if you want to be truly amazed. It is all contained within the number one book whose sales have long surpassed the numbers of copies purchased by the millions as well.
But, there is one prophesy that if studied closely should reveal why A) one should believe and B) Why it may be very soon...that Coming of our Lord...the End Times.
Revelation of John 11:7-10
Look close. This passage refers to what the Bible calls the “Two Witnesses.” These two will end up showing themselves in Jerusalem and after some amazing miracles, the will be murdered by none other than the Anti-Christ himself.
We know it is Jerusalem because it mentions the great city where the Lord was crucified. Historians and God’s Word makes mention of this event that literally rocked the planet.
But look what it says then...From among the peoples, tribes, languages and nations...the people will look at their dead bodies for 3-1/2 days.
When except, in the last fifty years...could this have even been possible. We have been working on communications that would link people world-wide for years and are just now hooking up G5 that is supposed to hook up people who do not live in a major city but instead out in remote and rural areas....We’re close...so take heed.
He...our Lord Jesus will appear in the clouds...and will have His angels gather those that are His children...those who have chosen Him as their Lord...all other people on this earth will mourn. Why would they mourn? Simple answer...they have been left behind.
Things then will be much worse and that we will talk about next week.
Isaiah 13:9-13
The Prophet Isaiah lived 3000 years ago and God told him to write these words. They should sound familiar, since we just talked about them to some degree. He writes that the stars of the sky will NOT give their light. The sun will be darkened and the moon’s light will be dimmed.
And why you ask? Verse 11 tells us that it is God’s punishment for a world that is evil and wicked. God will cause the arrogant to be humbled and many will die (rare as fine gold). Again we read that the heavens will tremble. Why? God is angry...He is sick of what man (and woman) have done with the souls that He has bestowed on us. Literally, man (and woman) continue to spit in the face of the Creator of all things.
POINT #4
What happens Next?
There is and has been for that last two millennias thousands of discussions and hyperbolae about what is next and when. Some people have even taken poison in masses to allow their spirits to jump on an incoming comet that their leaders convinced them to do because they would be rescued from all that is about to come into fruition.
There is what is called a pre-, mid- and post-tribulation which will be coming soon. It will include the two witnesses we talked about. I will leave you with this.
We are experiencing earthquakes in places that have never been considered by scientists to be scientifically possible or normal.
We may soon witness a world-wide pandemic like none other and many people starving world-wide...all predicted...all mentioned by Christ Himself.
I believe that the Anti-Christ is already here but that he has not revealed himself yet. But before he does or in concert with, the Hebrew Temple must be reconstructed in Jerusalem. Several things have happened that point to that happening in the near future. First, I have been told that Israel has been warehousing the materials to construct it as it once was...which is important to a Jew.
Second, I heard that Israel has discovered that the Muslim temple is NOT resting where the Temple once was. Last, our President has just moved the Israeli capitol back to Jerusalem...where it once was and where no former President thought it important enough to do...Praise God for President Trump.
The importance of the Temple is twofold. One, the Jews have not had a place to pilgrimage to for the sacrifices they once made to God there. Second, the Anti-Christ will disrupt the sacrificing and will sacrifice an unclean animal there as an insult to Jesus, the Lamb of God. In the Bible, it is called the abomination of isolation...meaning that the Temple will no longer be Holy and God’s people will be scattered...and eventually killed by this evil monster.
But, I want to leave you on a positive note.
Matthew 24:22
A Promise from our Lord Himself...just before He was hung on a cross in His beloved City of Jerusalem...But for those who are His Chosen ones...those days will be shortened.
If you accept Jesus as your Savior, you will be included as one of His Chosen few and these times will not be lengthy. He will come and rescue His Chosen...We will meet in the clouds with Him and those who were believers and have passed... gone to sleep in the words of Saint Paul himself.
Personally, I have a few people I can’t wait to see again... my Mom and Dad and Abraham Lincoln of all people. I intend to spend an eternity with Jesus. I hope and pray that you too will meet me there. Remember this: God loves you and so do I.
BENEDICTION
O LORD...O JESUS...You have my heart and soul. Please take them and do with them what is Your Will. I am tired and look forward to being with You. Strengthen me. Give me an extra dose of courage for these troubled times. Protect my family and me...and my friends, brothers and sisters...Amen.
