END-TIMES PROPHECIES: THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST (Pt. I)

END-TIMES PROPHECIES: THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST (Pt. I)

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing (more than ever) the indisputable fact that Jesus Christ will return very soon.  It greatly grieves me that our world has fully embraced the exact conditions of spiritual and moral decay that existed immediately prior to The Great Flood of Noah’s day.

Genesis 6:5-7 (NKJV)

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

Any and all future judgments of mankind would not be a duplication of the first.  No longer would there be a judgment by water, but by fire. (Luke 17:29 and Revelation 14:10)  Moreover, it is important to note that the world’s present (pre-Rapture) conditions were prophesied by Jesus Christ, Himself.

Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV)

26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Tragically, the church-at-large seems to shackled by the same mindset that was prevalent when Noah warned of impending global destruction.  That is, the insitutional church seems to have closed its spiritual ears to crystal-clear indicators of the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  We don’t really want to hear about it, or so it seems.  Nevertheless, the signs of the times are everywhere: “wars and rumors of wars,” along with “famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” (Matthew 24:4-7)  

The Word of God specifically predicts that temple sacrifices will be reinstituted in Israel during the last days. (Daniel 9:27; 12:11)  The Prophet Daniel foresaw the Antichrist ending daily sacrifices at the mid-point of seven-year Tribulation Period.  Therefore, the Jewish sacrificial system must be restored during the last days.  Currently, there are several hundred young Jewish men in training for the Levitical priesthood.  The Temple Institute has already recreated all temple furniture, vessels, priestly garments, and most recently the Ark of the Covenant.  Additionally, the architectural renderings (blueprints) for the building of the 3^rd Temple of Jerusalem have already been completed.  Time is winding up!

It is important to note that no additional prophecies need be fulfilled prior to the Rapture of the Church.  Bible scholars believe it is entirely plausible that the 3^rd Temple will be constructed during the first half of the seven-year Tribulation Period, which commences the day a peace treaty is signed between Israel and the Palestinians.  It is called The Confirmation of the Abrahamic Covenant. (Genesis 12:1-7 and Daniel 9:27)  Further details are forthcoming in future postings, but be aware that the Bible makes no specific requirement that Temple construction must occur prior to the Rapture of the Church.

Many in the institutional church seem reluctant to study or hear about these impending global events.  Many excuses are offered for such hesitancy or skepticism.  Some suggest that Bible prophecy is much too hard to understand.  Others believe that any mention of the end-times is unsettling and only produces anxiety or fear in members.  Also, there is a common tendency to emphasize matters which are now-oriented – one reason why prosperity teaching has become the dominant message in so many churches. (II Timothy 4:3-4)  But the Word of God issues a clear command on this issue: “Despise not prophesyings.” (I Thessalonians 5:20)  This mandate refers to both written and oral prophetic messages.  The Book of Revelation offers a special blessing to those who read, learn and follow the teachings of end-times prophecies.

Revelation 1:1-3 (NKJV)

¹ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, ² who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. ³ Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Whether we are comfortable with Heaven’s methods or not, we serve a GOD who specializes in the prophetic.  Even a superficial analysis of the Old Testament reveals scores of prophetic messages foretelling the birth, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We should be grateful for these divine communiqués.

Isaiah 46:9-10 (NIV)

⁹ Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come…

God’s plans for His creation are clearly revealed through signs and signals in the heavens and on the earth.  God posts prophetic signs to warn us to “flee from the wrath to come.” (Luke 3:6-8)  Throughout this series, we will introduce a host of signs (in the heavens and in the earth), which are veritable harbingers of Christ’s imminent return.  To wit, a sobering choice is set before us.  We can opt to go about our everyday business and passively ignore what GOD is declaring (and signs are screaming) or we can pay closer attention and prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Sisters and brothers, stay tuned as our series continues, and be continually blessed!