3-24-23

I recently heard someone say that the Book of Revelation is too hard to understand, there are codes and hidden messages in it. I do not agree. I think it is very forth coming. It’s just that John did not live in this day and time. God gave him the visions that he had because they were something he could relate to. I have also heard people say they want to know more about the end times but are afraid to read Revelation. Like much “prophecy”, the “end times” is scattered all through the Bible, so Revelation isn’t the only thing to read.

1 Th. 4:17 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The word “Rapture” does not appear in the bible. This is the word given to the action here in 1 Th 4:17. It is debatably the most important future event because it starts our eternal life with God. What an amazing thought!! 

Matt 24:4-8 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Matt 24 gives a lot of information about “end times”.

Is. 13 speaks of the awful things AFTER we are caught up. The darkness that will overcome the earth, the punishment that some will receive. 

Daniel 12:1-4  “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise[a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

2 Tim. 3:15 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. So there are many places in the bible to learn about end times. God would not give us such an important event without several places to research it. In fact, most things of importance are repeated in the Bible more than once, usually written by a different author with a little different perspective.

On the radio they talked about a poll they took that showed many people have fear or anxiety about the end times. Of course, even we believers can be a bit uncomfortable talking about it because it IS (in our minds) “unknown”. But it’s not really. It’s all there in the Bible! 

God has planned a way for us, his imperfect creation, to be saved by His sacrifice, and when He comes back to take us up to heaven with him, it will be GLORIOUS! Can you even imagine the beauty???

1 Thes 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

So be encouraged this day. God is on the throne and He loves us! His plan is amazing and we are the recipients of that amazing plan! Don’t miss it!!

Amen!

Shirlene Peterson