I write a post such as the following every once in a while to condense my opinions written often in these posts on the day and age that we live in.
I have become convinced by both Scripture and what is going on in the world that the Second Coming of our King Jesus Christ is near, but more importantly, I desire it to be near. Where this world is heading is not a place that one should want to live. We think that technology is taking us to a new frontier of the super human but it is rather a subhuman world just beyond our gaze.
There are some key points that brought me to this conclusion. In retrospect it seems that God has been warning us very specifically for anywhere from 40 to 70 years. This seems normal to me as to how God had dealt in Scripture with the rebellious Hebrews. I am 34 years into this study and cannot explain away the miraculous birth of Israel or the Jewish hold on Jerusalem since 1967 other than to say that they are indeed end-time indicators.
The geopolitical turmoil today is begging for a nuclear conclusion. The geological rumblings are too frequent and too threatening not to consider in an end-times sense. The cosmic possibilities that we are becoming more and more aware of cannot be ignored either. The rejection of God, by our government, the single most blessed nation in history other than faithful Israel, fits the descriptions from Old Testament prophets of an Israel and Judah that were about to be judged. Laodicean churches dot the landscape. We are no longer capable of outrage at the level of violence in our society. In fact what would not make sense, and would not be spiritually observant, would be to come to any other conclusion.
If you do not want to come to these conclusions for yourself then do not read the Bible beyond a few chapters a night, and by all means do not read the Old Testament prophets other than fulfilling your 'read the Bible in a year' commitment. Stay away From Matthew chapter 24 or its corresponding chapters in Mark and Luke. Skip the first few chapters of Revelation and go straight to the really confusing stuff. And under no circumstances should you read the Psalms as if they actually pertain to us today! Do these things, avoid these things, and you will be all right.
Should Jesus tarry for ten or twenty years or even beyond, I will have been eternally thankful that I came to the point of desiring His return and not just assenting to its eventual occurrence. I will have been thankful to be able to give warnings that I know are God's very truth no matter what age one lives in; but should the Lord indeed be mounted at this moment along with His holy angels, may His warnings increase and become so clear as to wake all of the redeemed up and bring us together in anticipation, preparation, soberness, extreme humility and worshipful praise that is due our calling....."For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things! To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
Belshazzar's Feast
The White House Correspondents Association has held an annual dinner for almost a century now. It often takes the form of a 'roast' of the current president. Criticism of it of late has been that it has gone Hollywood. I never pay much attention to it but usually a joke or two makes the news. The Drudge Report had it as it's top story along with a video of the event's main performer.....Larry Wilmore....sorry, never heard of him until last night.
I watched the video. At one point a journalist who was the butt of a joke extended his middle finger to the dais. As the camera panned the audience of White House journalists, news executives, celebrities of all sorts, and even Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden....and as I looked into the faces of the crowd as they laughed, at times hysterically, at the jokes about race and foreign policy, possible riots in Cleveland, and Obama's continuous golfing while in office....a thought came to mind of another party held long ago in ancient Babylon and recorded in the 5th chapter of the Book of Daniel.
Known as Belshazzar's Feast, the king, a successor to Nebuchadnezzar, holds a feast for those who served him in official capacities. He demanded that the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought from which to drink! A hand suddenly appeared and wrote these words on the wall.....Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. The terrified king called for his magicians to come and interpret the words which they could not do. The Queen advised that a Hebrew be called to interpret, Daniel, for he had done so for Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel reminded Belshazzar of how Nebuchadnezzar saw the works of the Most High God and had humbled his heart, and added..."but you...Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this." Daniel then interpreted the words. Belshazzar had been weighed in the balances and found wanting....his kingdom was finished.....to be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
The handwriting is on the wall for America. We know very well of our Christian past and how at times our leaders had humbled themselves before the Most High God, but today we are as Belshazzar...unrepentant, arrogant, festive and proud.
I have become convinced by both Scripture and what is going on in the world that the Second Coming of our King Jesus Christ is near, but more importantly, I desire it to be near. Where this world is heading is not a place that one should want to live. We think that technology is taking us to a new frontier of the super human but it is rather a subhuman world just beyond our gaze.
There are some key points that brought me to this conclusion. In retrospect it seems that God has been warning us very specifically for anywhere from 40 to 70 years. This seems normal to me as to how God had dealt in Scripture with the rebellious Hebrews. I am 34 years into this study and cannot explain away the miraculous birth of Israel or the Jewish hold on Jerusalem since 1967 other than to say that they are indeed end-time indicators.
The geopolitical turmoil today is begging for a nuclear conclusion. The geological rumblings are too frequent and too threatening not to consider in an end-times sense. The cosmic possibilities that we are becoming more and more aware of cannot be ignored either. The rejection of God, by our government, the single most blessed nation in history other than faithful Israel, fits the descriptions from Old Testament prophets of an Israel and Judah that were about to be judged. Laodicean churches dot the landscape. We are no longer capable of outrage at the level of violence in our society. In fact what would not make sense, and would not be spiritually observant, would be to come to any other conclusion.
If you do not want to come to these conclusions for yourself then do not read the Bible beyond a few chapters a night, and by all means do not read the Old Testament prophets other than fulfilling your 'read the Bible in a year' commitment. Stay away From Matthew chapter 24 or its corresponding chapters in Mark and Luke. Skip the first few chapters of Revelation and go straight to the really confusing stuff. And under no circumstances should you read the Psalms as if they actually pertain to us today! Do these things, avoid these things, and you will be all right.
Should Jesus tarry for ten or twenty years or even beyond, I will have been eternally thankful that I came to the point of desiring His return and not just assenting to its eventual occurrence. I will have been thankful to be able to give warnings that I know are God's very truth no matter what age one lives in; but should the Lord indeed be mounted at this moment along with His holy angels, may His warnings increase and become so clear as to wake all of the redeemed up and bring us together in anticipation, preparation, soberness, extreme humility and worshipful praise that is due our calling....."For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things! To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
Belshazzar's Feast
The White House Correspondents Association has held an annual dinner for almost a century now. It often takes the form of a 'roast' of the current president. Criticism of it of late has been that it has gone Hollywood. I never pay much attention to it but usually a joke or two makes the news. The Drudge Report had it as it's top story along with a video of the event's main performer.....Larry Wilmore....sorry, never heard of him until last night.
I watched the video. At one point a journalist who was the butt of a joke extended his middle finger to the dais. As the camera panned the audience of White House journalists, news executives, celebrities of all sorts, and even Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden....and as I looked into the faces of the crowd as they laughed, at times hysterically, at the jokes about race and foreign policy, possible riots in Cleveland, and Obama's continuous golfing while in office....a thought came to mind of another party held long ago in ancient Babylon and recorded in the 5th chapter of the Book of Daniel.
Known as Belshazzar's Feast, the king, a successor to Nebuchadnezzar, holds a feast for those who served him in official capacities. He demanded that the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought from which to drink! A hand suddenly appeared and wrote these words on the wall.....Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. The terrified king called for his magicians to come and interpret the words which they could not do. The Queen advised that a Hebrew be called to interpret, Daniel, for he had done so for Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel reminded Belshazzar of how Nebuchadnezzar saw the works of the Most High God and had humbled his heart, and added..."but you...Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this." Daniel then interpreted the words. Belshazzar had been weighed in the balances and found wanting....his kingdom was finished.....to be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
The handwriting is on the wall for America. We know very well of our Christian past and how at times our leaders had humbled themselves before the Most High God, but today we are as Belshazzar...unrepentant, arrogant, festive and proud.
