Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Even though many who know what is coming do not like to think about it, we know from the scriptures that things are not scheduled to get better on the earth, as far as the good old days go. It is a mistake to think that as we get closer to the second coming of Christ that peace, tranquility and life as usual will continue uninterrupted. This is what many hope for, but the scriptures are singing an entirely different tune, and if we intend to be in harmony with what is written we must then come to grips with reality.
While we are to pray for peace on earth amongst men, we are to expect a general deterioration of society on several fronts. The little time of trouble refers to that period in the history of earth just prior to the time of trouble that is referenced by Daniel in chapter 12. When those plagues mentioned in Revelation 16 will begin to be poured out, the probation of all earth’s inhabitants will have been already closed, and everyone would have made up their minds either for or against God.
That’s the big one the prophet John informs us of, but just before that time, trouble will be coming on the earth, with increasing frequency and intensity, and therefore, the sprinklings and beginnings of the little time of trouble may have already begun. There are very valid reasons why we should be wide awake to what is transpiring across the world for try as we might, things have been spiraling downward, not upward, for several years and on many different fronts.
In fact, what we are currently seeing is a sort of bottle-necking of troubles, with no end in sight. Now, it is true that there has always been hot spots of trouble across the world but in recent years there has been a rapid acceleration of troubles on several different levels and they just keep coming at earth’s inhabitants from several angles, and with increasing ferocity and intensity, in so much that even a casual observer is given pause for concern.
There have always been diseases and viruses, but there was never a time in the history of earth where disease has brought the world to its knees, as far as economic activity being ground to a halt. There was never a time when cruise liners have been stranded at sea worldwide, being prevented from docking for weeks and months on end.
There has never been a time in the history of the U.S, when forty plus million people have lost their jobs in a matter of weeks, and where governments the world over have been forced to borrow money they do not have, and cannot repay, which will be another cause for grave concern after the Corona dust has settled. There has never been a time in the history of the world when most airplanes were grounded because of a virus, and where flights were either half-full to empty in some cases.
These things are not normal, even to those who habitually bury their heads in the sand. There has never been a time in the history of this world when thousands upon thousands of gyms and restaurants have closed, and the once-thriving large name-brand companies like Hertz, Neiman Marcus, and J.C Penny, to name a few have gone bankrupt in such a short period of time.
There has never ever been a time in history, when the U.S stock market dropped almost 3000 points in one day, and treasuries the world over have been scrambling to shore-up companies that are literally in junk status as far as stock price is concerned. There has never been a time in earth’s history when almost one billion animals have been burnt to death by wildfires, and some of the deadliest and costliest hurricanes have occurred within the last fifteen to twenty years.
This is not normal by any stretch of the imagination. The scriptures teach us that there is nothing new under the sun, but the increased intensity and the increasing frequency of these occurrences portend a climactic event, of which we must be cognizant. There has never been a time in the history of earth where lying has become the norm, where the need for a Truth-o-meter has become so urgent.
Folks in power, and your regular John Doe have always lied at times throughout the history of this earth but the problem has never been so prolific as it is in our day when folks are lying for no apparent reason. Therefore, as a woman in labor pains experiences terrible contractions with increasing intensity and frequency leading up to the climactic event of giving birth, just so, these abnormal occurrences that are now sweeping the globe speak to us in no uncertain terms that the great day of God, often referenced in the Bible, is drawing near.
In fact, according to the scriptures, things are not scheduled to get much better before Christ comes; instead, the prediction is made that there are very serious troubles ahead for all of earth’s inhabitants, even if some may choose not to believe. Let’s read:
1st Thessalonians 5:1 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. 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. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
There is one particular phrase in the previous verses that sticks out more than the rest, and we all should take note of it because it has been repeated all too often in the Bible, for it to be passed by unnoticed. Here it is: “Thief in the night”. A thief in the night strikes when folks are most likely sleeping which by interpretation implies that the 2nd coming of Jesus will catch most people off-guard, a scenario that is aptly described in the parable of the ten virgins, in which all, both the foolish and wise were found to be sleeping.
Thus, there must be a reason why so many times in scripture the figure of a thief coming unexpectedly at night, is used to depict how the coming of Christ will unfold. At this time, most people are consumed with survival, and many issues are arising to distract us from what we should all be concerned about. Therefore, the figure of a thief in the night is used to warn us of a climactic event, that will certainly occur when we are preoccupied with other things. The warnings and cautions thus given in scripture are to arouse us, as it were, out of a deep slumber. Observe the following very carefully. Let’s read:
2nd Peter 3: 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments.
Matthew 24: 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the good-man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luke 21: 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
It becomes obvious that closely connected with the coming of Christ is the element of surprise, and as such the question must be asked, why? Why would the world, and especially Christians who believe in the Bible be caught off-guard, even though so many warnings have been repeated in the scriptures? There are several answers to this very important question, and we will study just three of them one by one, with the hope that we’ll take the word of God seriously, and apply ourselves to the work at hand, to be done in our own hearts, and for those who may not be aware of what is approaching.
[1] The general spirit of unbelief.
Unbelief in what God has plainly stated began back in Eden with our first parents and the tendency has been transmitted to every generation since then to our time and has now culminated in an attitude of general skepticism in both young and old alike. As Noah preached of the coming deluge, the people of his day tended to not believe his word, especially as life continued in its unvarying rounds. They saw in Noah’s preaching only the agitations of an old man, and they dismissed the prophecy as not even being worth their consideration.
Even when the animals and the birds obeyed God’s voice by entering into the ark in an orderly fashion, a phenomenon that couldn’t be logically accounted for, they persisted in unbelief and the rest is history. In like manner people in our day cannot account for the things that are happening across, the globe, and in our own backyard yet every other reason is being given, other than the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Lot also encountered the same problem of unbelief when he went out to warn his family, and relatives of the coming destruction. His daughters with their husbands pondered the issue and they reasoned as many do today, that things would continue as they were, at least for the foreseeable future.
Just before the destruction of Jerusalem of old, The Lord Jesus had warned the inhabitants that there was going to be great distress coming their way, but for the most part, the overwhelming majority didn’t believe that it would actually occur. Let’s read:
Genesis 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place. 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went out and spoke unto his sons in law which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
2nd Peter 3:1 Beloved, I now write unto you; in which I stir up your minds by way of remembrance. 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets; 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
[2] The theory of evolution.
The theory of evolution has gotten the multitude of people to think of the history of this earth in terms of billions of years, and not in thousands of years. Therefore, the current teaching of the doctrine of the millennium is also computed after the millions of years purported by evolution have elapsed. Now, it is a fact that if we do not know where we came from, we most likely would not know where we are going, and thus, if evolution is embraced in opposition to creation, then it becomes impossible to know where we are headed, for everything will be computed and understood in terms of millions, not thousands.
Of the creation account of the history of our planet we may read from Genesis to Revelation, but in all of the time frames and years given, no one can get even close to a million. Thus, as it pertains to planet earth’s history, the teaching of scripture is in terms of thousands, but absolutely not in millions. Let’s read:
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work. 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and, which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.
[3] Materialism and worldliness
Materialism essentially causes persons to center their interests only in the here and now, and this mindset prevents them from taking into account that future life spoken of in the Bible. Worldliness is also responsible for coloring the way the priorities of millions are placed. One who is materialistic in nature cannot and will not seek the interests of God’s kingdom first, for every earthly consideration will take precedence over what God has commanded.
And sadly, much of contemporary Christianity today savors more of materialism, than of true godliness. Hence the reason why the prosperity gospel would attract millions, but the religion of the Bible is not nearly as popular. Therefore, there is a toxic mix of money and glory, whereby the loaves and fishes of the Bible have been blended with an empty form of godliness, to produce a diabolical hybrid between God and mammon.
But this hybrid is strictly forbidden in the scriptures, for whenever and wherever it is embraced, things of eternal value are made subservient to the here and now, and thus, serving God boils down to a matter of convenience, and self-denial is taken off the table. In the hybrid gospels of our day, silver and gold, and monetary interests, materialism and worldliness are lifted up and cheered on by applauding multitudes, but obedience to the laws and principles of Christ are placed on the back burner.
Therefore, we must reiterate by the authority of the scriptures, that such toxic blends, where things of a mundane nature take the lead, with obedience and genuine faith trailing behind are forbidden by God as being anathema to godliness, and wherever such blends are embraced they will produce only grave disappointment at the end of life’s journey. Let’s read:
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
This leads us to where we currently are in earth’s history, for currently there is an insatiable desire for things to get back to normal as quickly as possible, but in the mad rush to achieve this goal millions are not reading the handwriting on the wall pointing us to midnight.
While it is good to hope and pray for a cure, and while it is good to get the wheels of the economy turning again, we must never allow these goals to obscure our vision, to the point where prophecies are being fulfilled before our very eyes, and yet we continue to bury our heads in the sand. The Bible also warns us about such a mindset. Let’s read:
2nd Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This is what caused the rich young ruler in the bible to miss out on eternity, for when he was presented with the stark choice between serving mammon or God, he chose mammon. And even though there was a genuine desire to serve Christ in his heart, it was overridden by materialism, and he was very sorry that such conditions existed. Let’s read:
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Christ was here asking the young man to rearrange his priorities so that things of eternal interest would take preeminence, and mundane things would be subservient. But this order of priorities did not rub the young man the right way, so he turned his back on Jesus from that day forward and his decision was never afterward reversed.
It is quite possible that we may be entering the first phases of the little time of trouble that will precede the big one spoken of by Daniel, but if we do permit the things of temporary interest to absorb our best time and energies we will inevitably turn away from Christ, who alone is able to sustain us during these difficult times. The distresses of nations, which would only increase with the passage of time, are not to distress us by causing us to retreat into survival mode.
God is well able to take care of our needs, and He has promised protection from the pestilence, to those who dwell in the secret place of The Most-High. Therefore, it is not what you know, but Who you know that will make all the difference. Let us not be overtaken with distractions or attractions, while the great commission is coming to a head, but rather let us ask God to show us ways and means so that the people who now sit in darkness can be saved.
We will end with two passages of scripture that will help us to make wise decisions, good choices and correct priorities, as we journey from this world to the kingdom of God. Let’s read:
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.
God Bless!