Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou had known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knew not the time of thy visitation.
The last sentence of the above passage teaches us of the utter blindness that had gripped those who had lived in Jerusalem, a few years before it became a heap of ruins. As Christ passed through the gates of the temple for the last time, He wept over it, for the majority of its inhabitants had no clue that their day of grace was almost ended.
That same blindness is referred to in Revelation 3, where Christ mentions His last day church, Laodicea as not being able to see clearly nor correctly discern the signs of the times that are upon us. Not only do we have difficulty in ascertaining what’s transpiring, we also seem to have a problem with self-evaluation, which inevitably leads to spiritual complacency.
The fact is, that by the time the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem figured out what was upon them, in the siege by the Romans, the train had already left the station, for although their empty religious rituals continued uninterrupted, The Spirit of God had long left the people, and they were now being controlled by devils, though they knew it not. Let’s read:
[The Great Controversy pp 24] The shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place; the ark, the mercy-seat, and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein. No voice sounded from Heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah.
For forty years after Jesus Christ had predicted the overthrow of Jerusalem, God’s grace and mercy had continued to shield them from themselves. God had delayed the coming destruction so that those who desired to be saved from it could find their refuge in Jesus.
But as is so often the case, many had mistaken His grace for weakness and most of them continued in sin, just as if Christ had never spoken. The grace and longsuffering of God is very often misunderstood to mean that Christ would not fulfill that which He has warned us about. This misinterpretation of grace is explained in the scriptures. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Though a sinner does evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.
13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God.
2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Noah preached the same sermon for 120 years until it began to sound like a broken record, and for all intents and purposes, it seemed as if he was under a serious delusion, for the evidences of history, and the evidences of science suggested that his message could be completely off the rails.
Noah could have preached some of those positive sounding sermons, given by motivational speakers, to have their congregants pumped and fired up with the promise of a bright future. The only problem is, God had not commanded him to deliver any such sermon.
The day of grace for the Antediluvians was drawing to a close, and every person then living was to be made aware of what was coming, so that they could make a clear choice, either for or against God. Thus, because there is nothing new under the sun, those messages given in Revelation 13 and 14 would have to be repeated, until earth’s inhabitants make their choice on the matter in question.
In Noah’s day the sun had risen and set in the east and west respectively for hundreds of years and the earth was watered by a mist that arose from the ground in the wee hours of the morning; added to which no rain had ever fallen upon the earth. So, both science and nature literally debunked Noah’s sermons, until the train left the station, and they knew it not.
Those who deliver the three angel’s messages may not always find support in nature or in science, yet they must persevere in delivering the truth, so that all who will may find shelter in Christ, before there is a rush for the door as it was in the days of Noah.
It is because of the mercies of God why we are not consumed, and it’s because of His restraining power upon the human heart, why our planet has not yet convulsed into chaos and self-destruction. It is all due to the power of God alone, and nothing else.
But there comes a time when His mercies become exhausted, and because of our persistent refusal to accept His gracious overtures, He has to let go, for He has given us the freedom of choice, and He will honor our decisions, either for good or for evil.
Now folks, we do not mean to sound like a broken record, but we must speak forth the words of truth and soberness, as God has commanded us to do in these last days of earth’s history, for if we do not, many who could have heard the message, wouldn’t have a clue as to why our world, and our nation are currently in such an unsettled state.
At no other time in our history have so many flight attendants been assaulted, both in the air, and on the ground. Persons feel free to punch and attack those who are tasked with assisting travelers in flight. It just seems as if there is a profound lack of self-control where there may be disagreement on some issue.
At no other time in history has civility, decency, courtesy and forbearance seemed to be relics of the past, and in their place a blind, unreasoning attitude has taken hold of many persons. And authorities, as well as observers cannot rationally account for this tectonic shift towards insurrection, intransigence, and violence.
Then we have the latest phenomenon of smash and grab, where out of the blue, many individuals would rush into stores and snatch all they can, scaring the shoppers and store owners alike. There was a time when seasonal shopping would be pleasant, as folks would take joy in buying gifts for friends and family.
But shoppers cannot feel safe anymore, for no one knows when and where looters may strike, and for this reason, what used to be an exciting experience, previously, is now fraught with an uncertainty, and danger that befuddles the most intellectual minds.
At no other time in American history have sitting members of congress been threatened with such violence openly, and the perpetrators been cheered on as if they were heroes. When persons are willing to go to the capitol, and threaten openly to hang a person who has been duly elected, then we know that our train has left the station.
Again, at no other time in history have our scientists been scrambling to play catch up with a virus which shows no sign of slowing down, and which has now mutated in so many ways that we are firing scatter shots, hoping that some antiviral would stick. It is true that former pandemics did wreak havoc on populations, but the speed at which new viruses, and diseases are emerging causes great concern.
The global economy was shuttered for a long while, bringing us to our knees, and yet we do not seem to grasp what is taking place. Our supply chains have become so clogged up that, merchants, and buyers alike are scrambling to fill the void whereas in times past, such situations scarcely existed.
Thus, with the convergence of all of these problems two important questions are now being asked: Are these things a passing, temporary blip, and will we be going back to normal? The short answer is that we have now entered into a permanently unsettled state, that will not be going back to “normal” as we know it.
That’s because the four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the winds of strife have already begun to loosen their grip, which is the reason why the problems of earth are intensifying as they are, and that’s why the Bible study is titled: “The Train Has Left the Station”.
In other words, unleashing the winds of strife does not refer to a specific event, but to a process which will culminate in the restraining power of God being completely removed from the multitudes of people who reject Christ. The four angels will not suddenly release their grip.
Instead, they will gradually remove restraint from members of the human family who reject Christ, and the forces of nature would increasingly be let loose, in tandem with the rejection of truth, until a crescendo has been reached and then an unbridled, cascading effect will envelope the entire world in irretrievable ruin.
According to the scriptures, and according to light given to God’s remnant people, this is where we are currently, in the stream of time, and that is why the good old days of wine and roses are fast becoming relics of the past. Let’s read:
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
[Last Day Events pp 143] At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble would be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel.
There are two very important points for everyone to understand, as it pertains to the climactic events referred to in the scriptures, and in the writings of God’s servant. [1] The reason why such strife would come to pass. [2] The Remnant’s response to the rising emergency.
[1] The reason why the winds of strife will come to pass.
Without God, human beings don’t have any means by which to control themselves. Let’s repeat, so that all may hear clearly: Without God human beings have no means whereby to control themselves.
Some persons may dispute this fact, and others may endeavor to debunk this truth by pointing to efforts made by human agents in drug rehabilitation, and a myriad of other ways and means employed by the professionals in solving deep-rooted societal issues.
This year alone, more than 100,000 persons died in this country from drug overdoses, and governments and certain states have taken measures to address, and hopefully curb the dilemma. Counselling, and medicines, crackdowns on dealers, and bathrooms specifically designed as safe for drug users, are now being implemented, with some measure of success, no doubt.
But God will have us to understand that whatever success is thus achieved, occurs only because Christ is still in the heavenly sanctuary and because of this sacred truth, His restraining power is still exercised even in persons who may not be aware that this is indeed the case.
There is a phrase coined by atheists: “Good without God.” This phrase is a misnomer, and is absolutely a non-starter in the spiritual realm, for what we often describe as following our own dictates, is really the dictates of another mind. Eve did not eat of the fruit all by herself; she was following the thoughts of another mind through her freedom of choice. Let’s read:
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 55>56] Whatsoever contradicts God's word, we may be sure proceeds from Satan. The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve.
Then he reminded her of her own words, that God had forbidden them to touch it, lest they die. She would receive no more harm from eating the fruit, he declared, than from touching it. Perceiving no evil results from what she had done, Eve grew bolder.
Thus, the evil thoughts and intentions coming from the prince of darkness are then infused, embedded and embodied into our own consciences through our freedom of choice, becoming our own because of our embrace of them, but at the end of the day, the author is absolutely another. Thus, without the restraining power of God to hold us in check, we would be at the mercy of another master, who in fact does not know what the word mercy means. Let’s read:
Revelation 12: 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knows that he has but a short time.
2nd Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He who abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[The Great Controversy pp 28>29] The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus, they rejected the last offer of mercy.
Then God withdrew his protection from them, and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors.
Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason, controlled by impulse and blind rage. They became Satanic in their cruelty. In the family and in the nation, among the highest and the lowest classes alike, there was suspicion, envy, hatred, strife, rebellion, murder. There was no safety anywhere.
The rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves. By their actions they had long been saying, “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” [Isaiah 30:11.] Now their desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.
[Desire Of Ages pp 337>338] With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out of them. His words penetrated the darkened minds of the unfortunate men. They realized dimly that One was near who could save them from the tormenting demons.
They fell at the Savior's feet to worship Him; but when their lips were opened to entreat His mercy, the demons spoke through them, crying vehemently, “What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God most high? I beseech Thee, torment me not.”
This is where we are now heading with lightening speed, and that’s why it’s important for us to know that January 6 was a very faint inkling of what is to engulf nations and states, when God’s restraining power has been removed, when the train has left the station.
[2] The Remnant’s response to the rising emergency.
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.
29 And he spoke to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
The phrase “Lift up your heads” refers to the mental attitude that we are to cultivate during these times in which we are living. Whilst faith, courage, hope and anticipation of Christ’s soon return are to move us to greater godliness, we must at the same time be careful not to become influenced and inundated by the barrage of bad news engulfing the airwaves.
At no other time in earth’s history have so many, in high and low places, succumbed to a multitude of conspiracy theories, and never before have so many been willing to believe a lie. Therefore, the remnant are to shun, and avoid as much as possible, hearing and reading of these things, for as the Bible says “By beholding we become changed.” Let’s read:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The other pressing issue that is to grasp our utmost attention and energies, is the fulfilling of the great commission in our neck of the woods, and wherever possible, worldwide. Just as Noah invested time, energy, and money into what he believed, and preached, just so should the Remnant people of God be busy with advancing the interests of God’s kingdom throughout the world.
On this point, it is worthy of note that as the rise of instability increases, there is also a corresponding rise of a flurry of business activity. And because of this, we are to be very careful lest we get sucked in to that mindset which places our temporal interests first, and God second. Let’s read:
2nd Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
There is work in God’s kingdom for everyone to do. Not all are called to preach or teach, for some are given other gifts whereby the kingdom of God and His righteousness can be advanced in our sphere of influence.
In other words, there are homeless people to be sheltered, there are hungry mouths to feed, there are sick and dying persons who are to be given the opportunity of knowing that Jesus still saves. Let not it be said that there is nothing for us to do, because we are all called to serve in one capacity or another.
Therefore, we’ll end with two passages of scripture which remind, and encourage us to do our part, in lieu of the times in which we now live. And if we were to ask God He would show us ways and means whereby the gospel commission can be applied and implemented in our interaction with our fellowmen. Let’s read:
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
God Bless!