It is my opinion that our
country, and this world actually, is already under the judgment
of God. He is
waiting to save that last soul that will be included in the Church. When that
happens, the Church will be removed in the blink of an eye, and an awful
darkness will envelop the world. The clock will start ticking, seven years and
counting. Countdown will begin for the bloodiest period the world has ever
experienced, and then Jesus Christ will return and set up His kingdom.
In the meantime, that is to
say “as I speak,” this world is being judged by God by Him allowing millions of
people to harden their own hearts to the Truth. I emphasize that this is my own
opinion, but I believe it to be so. Notice what Jesus says in the following
verses.
“Now is the judgment of this
world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will
draw all peoples to Myself.” This He
said, signifying by what death He would die.
The people answered Him, “We
have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say,
‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
Then Jesus said to them, “A
little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest
darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is
going. While you have the light, believe
in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and
departed, and was hidden from them.
But although He had done so
many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah
the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:
“Lord, who has believed our
report?
And to whom has the arm of
the Lord been revealed?”
Therefore they could not
believe, because Isaiah said again:
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with
their eyes,
Lest they should understand
with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”
(John 12:31-40 NKJV)
In these verses of course
Jesus is referring to His First Advent. He showed them many signs that He was
their Messiah, but they did not believe. Finally it got to the point, “He has
blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their
eyes, and lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I
should heal them.”
They had become so blind to
the Truth that, “And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and
hearing they might not understand.” (Luke 8:10)
Europe and this country in
particular have been blessed with the Truth. Over the last five centuries,
great men and women of God have opened the Word of God to those who would
listen in all parts of the world. We still have the writings of many of those
great saints of God.
In the latter part of the 20th
century, and now the beginning of the 21st century, the Lord God has
exponentially revealed last days prophecies to any who will take heed that His
Second Advent is upon us. Just as few recognized the signs and listened to His
Word the first time, the same is true now.
End times prophecy has been
opened up and made clear. We read the following words in Daniel 12:8-10,
“And I heard, but I
understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words
are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but
the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the
wise shall understand.”
The time of Tribulation
(Daniel’s 70th Week) is not even here as yet, but we already have a
good understanding of prophecies for the last days. The Rapture has not even
occurred, which precedes the Tribulation, but yet the prophecies are becoming
very clear.
Great teachers who have been
blessed with prophetical understanding have been faithfully teaching prophecy
that pertains to the last days. It was not meant for Daniel to understand
prophecies for these days. It is only meant for those living in the days of
Christ’s soon return to understand. We understand now because those days are
closing in upon us. Christ is coming back.
The rebellious ones of Jesus
First Advent were eventually blinded to the Truth because of their
stubbornness. Jesus allowed them to harden their own hearts and not understand
what He was saying on many occasions. In other words, it got to the point that
He gave them enough rope to hang themselves, and that is exactly what they did.
Today is no different. The
Bible is very clear on what is about to take place on the earth. The signs are
abundant, but few are noticing or even care.
“Knowing this first, that
there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
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.
For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing
out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But the heavens and the
earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire
against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
But, beloved, be not ignorant
of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day.
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.” (2 Peter 3:3-9)
The signs leading up to the
Tribulation are so abundant and clear only a blind fool could not see them. I
can understand why the world at large is not aware of what is about to happen,
but even the church crowd is basically unaware of what God tells us
prophetically about the last days.
God has told us ahead of time
in His Word; we call it the Bible, exactly what to look for in the last days
just prior to His return. You can place a newspaper beside the Bible and as the
newspaper prints it, the Bible has already stated it.
Many of our churches are like
entertainment centers in a cemetery. They’re all show and no life. They’re like
fool’s gold that sparkles but has no value. Cotton candy with no substance,
just sugar and hot air.
If the churches aren’t
getting it, God help those who never darken the doors. The church should be a
lighthouse, and not just for the Gospel of salvation, but the Gospel that Jesus
Christ is returning … soon.
A hardened heart has set in
on the churches and in turn of course the hearts of the general populace are
hardened because they are not being warned. But why should the world feel
threatened? The church crowd, generally speaking, lives just like the world.
Who can tell the difference? The church crowd isn’t concerned, so why should
they be concerned?
If the churches spent nearly
as much time on their knees and teaching the prophecies of Christ’s soon
return, revival would break out all across the land. But instead the today’s church
crowd is consumed with being politically correct while entertaining the masses
and collecting their money. “Let’s ordain another homosexual. Don’t speak of
that nasty ole word “sin.” You might offend someone. Send me some money, so I
can buy a new jet. Coffee anyone?”
Just as in the first century
our minds are set on our own desires and not the things of God. God showed up
and we missed it. Will that be our epitaph? “God showed up and we missed it …
again?”
Satan is working overtime to
harden every heart he can. He knows his time is quickly, very quickly, running
out. Surely he knows he is going to lose, but he wants to take as many with him
as possible. So what does he do? He distracts us until our hearts are so
hardened we wouldn’t see the train wreck even if we were in it.
If your heart is hardened,
ask the Lord to thaw it out. Ask Him to change your attitude and stimulate your
interest in His soon return. Get out your Bible and ask Him to teach you what
you need to know. Be ready, because He can come at any time and remove His
Church before all hell breaks out on this earth.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
