Where is the world going to? Is
there hope in the future? Or, is there no hope at all? According to the Second
Law of Thermal Dynamics, the Law of Entropy, everything in the universe is gradually
deteriorating as we are getting aged and old day by day. No one knows what is
coming after death. The realm of death is mysterious and unknown though it is
not something simply forgettable or ignorable. What would be really like at the
end of the day? Thank the disciples of Jesus who asked the question to the Lord
of heavens and the earth, Jesus Christ the Son of God who gave the answer. “Some
of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful
stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see
here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one
of them will be thrown down.’ ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘when will these things
happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?’” (Luke
21:5-7) These mostly Galileans are impressed and marveled by the magnificence
and beauty of the Jerusalem Temple which is their national pride. But soon they
are greatly shocked and alarmed by what the Lord Jesus says to them that the
Temple will be destroyed completely. So, they are anxiously asking Jesus when
these things will happen and what the sign that they are about to take place
will be. Our Lord Jesus answers them first what will be the sign and then when
it will be coming.
First of all, Jesus says that
the deceivers will be rising in the latter days. “Watch out that you are not
deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is
near.’ Do not follow them.” (Luke 21:8) This is the age of deception. The liar
and the father of lies has poisoned the world. The devil disguised in a shining
angel which in fact he was deceived the woman who ate the forbidden tree and
gave it to Adam who ate it too. Being deceived and consequently being
disobedient to God, mankind is lost and fallen. This devil also tried to tempt the
Son of Man Jesus Christ but failed completely and retreated for a while till
another opportune time. Our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The devil is cunning and crafty,
planting the seed of doubt about God and his love and stimulating our pride to
take care of ourselves. It is the lie. God is love yesterday, today, and
forever and we cannot take care of ourselves apart from him, not even a single
breath of air. Although the people of Israel are rejecting the blessed Messiah
of God who came from the Father in heaven, they will accept the one who comes
in his own name. “I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me;
but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” (John 5:43)
They are the false messiahs and antichrists. They pretend to be the messiahs
but in fact they are nothing but the fakes and shams, abusing the name of the
blessed one and deceiving many.
Why are we being deceived
anyways? Dissatisfaction, frustration, discontent are lurking around in our
lives. There is no difference in race, status, age, and time and space. All
humanity is suffering from these invisible and yet so deadly plagues and
diseases. The hunger and thirst of humanity are intense and unquenchably penetrating
and powerful. So, many plunge into digging to hunt down the temptations and
attractions of the world like sex, opioid, alcohol, money, and success. But
they never find the satisfaction out of the things they cling. It is all but
temporal and fleeting like wind. These things of the earth are ruining and
wreaking our lives beyond measure although they are seemingly promising to
deliver much. As a matter of fact, they are not saving at all but killing
people. See the opioid crisis, alcohol additions, and sexual promiscuity in every corner of the countries around the
globe. Many young people are despairing and frustrating due to difficulties and
failures in academics and relationships and many are trying to end their lives.
In short, life is tough and complex and complicated. No one is exempt from
being inadequate, incompetent, powerless, or useless. So, the devil without
missing the opportune times is attacking and hitting hard the vulnerable
humanity. But Jesus says, “Do not follow them.” The worldly idols cannot be the
savior of the world. They are just things God made.
How many times does the
Scripture give warning against the idol worship? Over and over again. “Do not
make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not
place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your
God.” (Leviticus 26:1) The idols are made up of things, silver and gold, by
human hands. “But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They
have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot
hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but
cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats.” (Psalm 115:4-7) “If
a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to
you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the
prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us
worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The
Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your
heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:1-4) Idol is anything that
replaces with God. It attracts and tempts us to deliver something but in fact
it cannot. It is a dangerous and treacherous practice against God. It has been
so since the devil deceived the woman in the first place. It has been so even
after the devil failed to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ. But there are more to
come, says our Lord Jesus.
“When you hear of wars and
uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end
will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines
and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you
over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings
and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to
me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend
yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries
will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents,
brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to
death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will
perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.” (Luke 21:12-19)
We hear of wars and uprising
everywhere from the Middle East, Europe, Far East, every cities of all
countries. Where people live there are wars and uprisings. In some area live bullets
are flying in the air and many people are being killed including the innocent
children. In others, intense conflicts, uneasy tensions are uprising among different
races and between government and people, the rich and poor, the white and blue
collar, and the right and left. These things must happen first but the end will
come right away, says our Lord Jesus. It is not too difficult to know that we
are living in a last days. Just look around the world and see how much our
humanity is struggling and being stressed day after day. I believe it is not
yet begun the great tribulation period recorded in the Book of Revelation. In the
last tribulation period, these struggling and waging wars will be intensified
and increased to nations against nations, kingdom against kingdom. There will
be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful
events and great signs from heaven. There are three seven series—the series of
seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls, which are recorded in the Book of
Revelation Chapter 6 through 16. These things will be happening in a greater
scale, magnitude, and frequency than ever before on the earth and in heavens in
the last days.
Before all this, there will be a
great persecutions against those who bear testimony to Jesus Christ the Lord.
As the Book of Revelation indicates, before the great tribulation begins, the
church of Christ in this earth will be caught up into heaven. It is the reason
that there is no mention of church at all since Apostle John was summoned into
heaven recorded in Revelation Chapter 4 Verse 1. “After this I looked, and
there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first
heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what
must take place after this.’” The nation Israel reemerges in the main stage of
history and God calls those who were sealed, 144,000 from all tribes of Israel
(Revelation 7:4). These men will go out to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ
throughout the end times. In the great vision, John witnessed that there was a
great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people, and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands (Revelation
7:9). One of the elders told John that these were those who had come out of the
great tribulation; they had washed their robes and made them white with the
blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). Jesus foretells that even if they will be
handed over to the synagogues and put in prison, they shall not worry what to
tell because Christ will give the words in their mouth what to say. They will
be persecuted and betrayed by their own parents, siblings, relatives, and
friends and some of them will be put to death. “But not a hair of your head
will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life,” says the Lord Jesus. Even in
the midst of the great tribulation, God is in control and reign over all things
in heavens and on earth and under the earth.
“When you see Jerusalem being
surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those
who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let
those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in
fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days
for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the
land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be
taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ‘There will be signs in
the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and
perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from
terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies
will be shaken.’” (Luke 21:20-26)
The prophecy of Jesus over
Jerusalem was eventually fulfilled in A.D. 70 as the Romans led by General
Titus destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Temple after besieging the city
for many years. This was a terrible time for the people of Jerusalem,
especially for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Since the fall of Jerusalem
and the Temple, the people of Israel had been scattered all over the world for
twenty centuries until the end of the World War II. However, although the
nation Israel was reestablished on the land of Palestine, the Temple has not
yet been built and no sacrifice is ever offered. This destruction of Jerusalem
and the Temple is the preview of what will be eventually coming. I believe that
someday, soon or later, the Jews will build the Temple and begin to offer
sacrifice. It will be built by the antichrist who is honored and endorsed by
the nations. Prophet Daniel prophesied in the middle of the tribulation the
sacrifice and offering will be stopped and an abomination will be set up by the
antichrist. “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the
middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the
temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that
is decreed is poured out on him.” (Daniel 9:27) This is called the half of the
seven, the three years and a half. This is the last stretch of the devil in his
might and power. This is the most dreadful and stressful times for people on
earth. Nations will be in great anguish and perplexity and people will faint in
terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, because the heavenly
bodies will be shaken. Matthew records that there will not be like this great
tribulation nor had happened before. “For then there will be great distress,
unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled
again.” (Matthew 24:21) However, there is the true hope coming soon. The Lord
Jesus Christ will be appearing and visibly seen by the nations.
“At that time they will see the
Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things
begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption
is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28)
The humanity and all creation have
eagerly been awaiting for this moment to come on tiptoe (Romans 8:19-23). At
that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory. Our Lord Jesus is returning to the earth to claim his possessions as the
Lord and Judge. This is called the Day of the Lord. Jesus says, “Do not be
amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear
his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and
those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
This is the day of eternal redemption for the elect. “And when the Chief
Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade
away.” (1 Peter 5:4) This is the day of eternal punishment for the wicked. “But
the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be
consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
(Revelation 21:8) What is it that our Lord Jesus is saying all these things?
Now the question is when it will be happening. Our Lord gives the answer why he
is telling all these dreadful things to come. The world is ever speedily
travelling to this culmination point exactly according to what our Lord Jesus
Christ has said. “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not
the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear
from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18) So be on the watch,
says our Lord Jesus.
“He told them this parable: ‘Look
at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for
yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things
happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ‘Truly I tell you, this
generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ‘Be
careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and
the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For
it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on
the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen,
and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.’” (Luke 21:30-36)
When will it be happening? But
about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, only the Father (Matthew 24:36). However, our Lord Jesus tells a parable
how to know the time from the nature. When the tree sprout leaves, we know that
summer is near. Look around how much what our Lord says is true and happening
before us. Wars, rumors of wars, genocides, famines, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis,
tornadoes, waging struggles between classes, races, generations, and nations
are increasingly intensifying and uprising ever and ever. Jesus says that when
we see all these things happening, we know that the kingdom of God is near. But
the end is not yet come until all the words of God have been fulfilled. Though no
one knows that day or hour, we know the number of our days are speedily
approaching to the end. So, what shall we do? Jesus says, “Be careful, or our
hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of
life, and that day will close on us suddenly like a trap.” Not paying attention
to what the words of God say inevitably invites emptiness and meaninglessness in
life, which cause carousing and drunkenness and the worries and anxieties of
life that consume our minds and hearts. Simply, it is wasting time. Again Jesus
says, “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that
is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
How are we always on the watch? It
does not mean to be awake always without sleep. Nor it means to do nothing but
reading the Scriptures and praying. Rather, it means no matter whatever we do,
we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who will be coming in a cloud with great
glory and power. It means to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the pioneer and
perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). Fixing
our eyes on Jesus, we listen and follow him in obedience, loving and forgiving
others as he loved and forgave us. Although it seems not so when we look around
all pains and heartaches among all peoples on earth, God loves, loves, and
loves and gives, gives and gives everything we need, that is, Jesus Christ our
Lord. We have been made righteous through the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
so we are able to stand before the Son of Man without being ashamed. “And now,
dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and
unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 1:28)
May 6, 2017
© 2015-2017 David
Lee Ministries – All Rights Reserved.
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