We hear and read much about war in both daily and religious papers. Many religious writers of the day are taking advantage of the weak and unlearned by pointing to the war clouds and capital and labor troubles, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, and floods, and claiming they’re a sign of Christ’s coming and the end of the world. In this way they scare many into joining their churches. Possibly some of those writers should be pitied. They may be sincere; they, too, may be scared and therefore are trying to scare everyone else.
Matthew 24:4-5. Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Notice carefully: There will be multiple deceivers, and they will fool many in the last days.
WHAT SAITH JESUS?
Matthew 24:6. Jesus said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not TROUBLED: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
Notice this verse; and mark it in your own Bible. We are not to be troubled at wars and rumors of wars. These things are to come like a train passing through a tunnel. Why scare the passengers? They will come out on the other side. Jesus instructed us to not be troubled over wars and rumors of wars. “…the end is not yet.”
Matthew 24:7-8: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, and a strange voice will they flee from. Reader: Are you troubled and scared over wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilence? Do you believe that troubles are going to usher in Jesus? Jesus plainly has said, “The end is not yet.” (But all these things are the beginning of sorrow.)
When these deceivers come to you, why not point them to those words of Jesus? Tell them that Jesus warns against deceivers, trying to trouble the hearts of men and women that wars and earthquakes, pestilence and famine will usher in Jesus and the end of the world.
Matthew 24:24. Jesus declared, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:25 “Behold, I have told you before.”
Reader: You should know a deceiver. You should flee from the voice of strange doctrine which bears not the seal of the Holy Scriptures. Those prophets shall show great signs and wonders, and if possible deceive the very elect, but the elect will not be deceived. They know the voice of the stranger and they know the voice of Jesus. It is true they have gained many and scared many into their churches by troubling them over wars, earthquakes, pestilence, famines and floods.
A frightened person makes many mistakes. Pilate was scared after he had delivered Jesus to be crucified, and washed his hands instead of his black heart.
Wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes and pestilence will not usher in Jesus.
Let us read the words of Paul to the Thessalonians. I Thessalonians 5:1-3.
“1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”
“2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
This verse unlocks the mystery that will usher in Christ. “3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
Reader: Will you mark this verse in your Bible and give it a place in your heart? When the nations begin to talk peace and safety, then suddenly Jesus will appear and destruction will come upon those that are in darkness; and a reward of eternal life for those that know His voice and follow Him. It is astounding to read the articles of many religious writers, troubling the hearts of people by pointing to the war clouds, capital and labor trouble. Jesus says, Be not troubled at those things. It is the peace and safety slogan that will usher in Jesus suddenly.
We can now understand why Jesus said, “Let no man deceive you.” We now understand how people will be deceived. The deceivers will point to the war clouds, earthquakes, pestilence and famines.
We thank the Lord for the comforting words written by Paul in I Thessalonians 5:4-5. “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
Daniel 12:10. “…but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Many are pointing to the Battle of Armageddon. It is true it is a future event. It is the sixth plague poured out by the sixth angel. Revelation 16:14-16. "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Be it remembered that the door of probation closes before the first angel pours out the first plague, which is several months before the Battle of Armageddon. See Revelation 15:8. "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."
The plagues will last one day. One day in prophetic reckoning of time is one year. See Ezekiel 4:6. "And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year." The most important part for sinners is to make their peace with God before the door of mercy closes. After the plagues begin to fall man can be saved. See Revelation 22:11. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."
Therefore, sinners, make your peace with the Lord and have a part in His closing message. The three generals will be seen coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the false prophet. These three generals will bring about the Battle of Armageddon. See Revelation 16:13. "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
Luke 21:36. Jesus said, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Reader: If you are troubled over wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, earthquakes and floods, you may write to us and we will help you to see the bright side of Christian life.
By: Elder J. Ijames
CHURCH OF GOD, BODY OF CHRIST