Most things we purchase in
life have an assumed guarantee. That would be why
businesses have a return
department. These departments are kept very busy during the Christmas shopping
season. Someone’s shirt didn’t fit. Someone got the wrong item. Well, you get
the picture.
Did you ever stop to think
that God gives guarantees? He sure does. Let’s take a look at only a few.
To our very first parents,
Adam and Eve, God told them the following.
“And the LORD God commanded
the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
They ate it. Now we all die.
Unless the Rapture comes first, I, and you, are going to die. That’s a
guarantee from God and we can ‘take it to the bank.’
He said in Romans 6:23, “For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ, our Lord.” (Two guarantees)
Adam and Eve eating “of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil” was a sin. Our original parents died,
and we have all been dying since then. We have covered that. The good news is
that God guarantees eternal life to all who come to Him “through Jesus Christ,
our Lord.”
God said in Revelation 22:7,
12 and 20 that “I come quickly,” meaning that He is going to return and it will
happen suddenly. That is a guarantee. He is coming back.
One more, and there are many,
many others. In Genesis 12:3 God says, “And I will bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.” This again is another guarantee, and this is where I’ll park my horse
for a while. We need to think about this. (Two guarantees)
I will be 69 years old
shortly. I have seen Israel regathered in my lifetime and made into a great
nation. May 14th will mark 68 years that Israel has come from a
people who became a nation, literally, overnight, and the clock is ticking.
Every other nation, to my knowledge, is against her, just as God said it would
be, and the world is getting darker every day.
Did you catch what I said
about “every other nation?” That includes the United States of America. That is
one thing I never thought I would witness, but in reality, God guaranteed it
would happen, and it has.
This is chilling. Sin brings
death. Jesus is coming back. All nations against Israel are in it up to their
neck. We are now siding with Israel’s enemies and are therefore numbered among
them.
The national leaders who are
running our country at this time have sold us down the river. Their greed,
stupidity, and evil hearts have placed everyone in the crosshairs of God’s
judgement.
Do not think for one minute
that because we are a Christian nation that God will make an exception with us.
He will not. For one thing, we are no longer a Christian nation. For another,
we have been blessed more than any nation in history and have more responsibility
toward God to do what’s right than any other nation. We are going down, and it
isn’t going to be pretty.
“But the one who does not
know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From
everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who
has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)
When you put Genesis 12:3 and
this verse (Luke 12:48) side by side, then consider our current rebellious position
with God and Israel, there can be only one outcome; i.e. severe judgment.
Throughout our society, by
way of our actions and even our laws, we have spit in the face of Almighty God,
then laughed about it as we go our way.
Our government,
entertainment, sports, education, families, businesses, churches and private
citizenry have all turned against God. Many in our government and even
religious organizations have openly turned against Israel.
In my opinion, the only thing
keeping us from collapsing economically is that God is waiting to remove His
Holy Spirit first, then a judgment this world can’t even imagine will roll into
town.
“For the secret power of
lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue
to do so till he is taken out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
I am referring specifically
to the Rapture, and I strongly believe that “the one who now holds it back” is
none other than the Holy Spirit. God will first remove His Church (the bride of
Christ), and then He will unleash judgment upon the earth. Since every
Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will not be removed
without the Church (the bride of Christ) He indwells.
The following verses are very
clear that every believer is indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
“Labour not for the meat
which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” (John
6:27)
“Who hath also sealed us, and
given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1:22)
“In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
(Ephesians 1:13)
“And grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians
4:30)
Our being sealed by the Holy
Spirit is a guarantee of our eternal security (OSAS) and that the Holy Spirit
will never leave us. Jesus will come for His bride prior to the time of
Tribulation. Then the Church, along with the one spoken of in 2 Thessalonians
2:7 (the Holy Spirit), will leave earth and proceed to Heaven. That day of
redemption (Ephesians 4:30) will culminate in our being transported to Heaven.
Once the Church (the bride)
is gone, of course the Holy Spirit is gone who holds back evil (2 Thessalonians
2:7), then God will allow evil to be turned loose upon mankind. If that weren’t
enough, God also will cast judgment of His own upon mankind while He is dealing
with Israel.
All of this is guaranteed to
take place. It is going to happen. We need to be ready.
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
