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PTNews

June 2019

Published monthly

Published monthly

All Bible references are from the KJV

Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy

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The Looming Global

Financial Crisis

By Mike Wingfield

According to the Bible, when the end of this age comes, the global population will experience a horrific financial catastrophe. Shortly after the rapture of the church, and near the beginning of the time of the tribulation, the world will be engulfed in the grip of hyperinflation, meaning the value of currency will plummet and prices of goods will escalate. During this economic crisis a man’s daily wage will only buy two loaves of bread (Revelation 6:5-6).

There are many parts of the world where this is already a reality. Several years ago, I visited Cairo, Egypt, home to a population of more than 12 million people. I learned that the average adult living in the Cairo area was struggling to survive on a couple of dollars of income per day. As a result, children were forced to work to help their family survive. Furthermore, the Egyptian government subsidized the cost of bread that was being sold on the streets. According to the Bible, this kind of financial madness will become a global reality near the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period.

Therefore, at some point in time, America and the rest of the world will be rapidly sinking in the quicksand of a deadly financial upheaval. It is only a matter of time before this occurs.

For the last several decades there have been many voices warning that a financial collapse of the U.S. economy is imminent. This warning is being voiced again, and some experts are saying it will happen this year. We cannot be sure when it will come. We do not know if it will happen before or after the Rapture. However, we do know that at some point in time, this will become a reality because the Bible predicts it will happen.

Without question, we are living at the time of the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world. The sad reality is that the U.S. is the leading culprit in this financial madness that is sweeping the world. In 1980, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, America’s total government and personal debt was about $3 trillion. Now, this total debt is almost $42 trillion. That means that every household in America would need to pay $338,000.00 to pay off this debt. Obviously, that is not going to happen.

These massive debt figures above do not include U.S. corporate debt. Government, corporate, and personal debt in America is now at $73.8 trillion. However, this is not the total debt the American government has incurred. Some have calculated that America’s unfunded liabilities (pensions of government workers and military personnel, social security, Medicare and Medicaid, etc.) now stands at $210 trillion. That means that the true U.S. debt totals $283.8 trillion. The total national assets are valued at 136 trillion. Therefore, our government owes twice as much as America is worth! Most Americans do not grasp the threat this poses to our national security. We are already bankrupt as a nation. This debt madness is nothing more than financial national suicide! I highly recommend you take time look at the ongoing updated U.S. debt clock at https://usdebtclock.org/. This will blow your mind!

No other nation in all of history has accumulated this kind of debt. It is total madness. The sad reality is that when the American economy tanks, we will take the rest of the world with us because we are one of the world’s largest consumers. Since World War II, the global economy has been driven by the U.S dollar. Current events cast their shadow on the future and what we are seeing is uniquely setting the stage for the largest financial collapse in all of human history. We really cannot fathom the full impact this will have upon the global economy.

Furthermore, an examination of the personal debt records in America is staggering. According to the U.S. debt clock, American personal debt is now $19.7 trillion. Americans owe $15.6 trillion on their mortgage debt and more than $1 trillion on their credit card debt. The growing number of Americans who are delinquent on their debt payments indicates we have reached a very dangerous point in the nation. Americans are drowning in debt. Seven million are delinquent on their auto loans and 37 million are failing to make credit card payments. When a greater number of Americans default on these loans it will wreak havoc on major financial institutions across the nation. This would likely trigger a domino effect that would bring the ultimate demise of the U.S. economy and set off a world-wide financial catastrophe.

Statistical data indicate that more than 78 percent of American households are living from paycheck to paycheck. This means that when the next major financial crisis strikes America, most people will not have any savings to help address an immediate emergency. The Bible exhorts us to not spend all of our income. It is always wise to save a little for the emergencies that come our way. Proverbs 21:20 says, “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Everyone should know that they will face some type of adversity in life. It Proverbs 24:10 states, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” The word “strength” in this context refers to financial strength (see verses 3-5). So, the Bible is exhorting us to be wise and prepare for the days of adversity that are coming. For the student of Bible prophecy, we know we are living in such a time. Therefore, our faith should guide us to act on God’s Word and prepare for these difficult times.

At the same time, we should honor another warning from God. The Bible teaches us to avoid interest and accumulating debt. Romans 13:8 says, “Owe no man anything.” Collecting interest from a believer or family member was forbidden under the Old Testament law (Deuteronomy 23:19). Debt should be avoided if possible. Proverbs 22:7 states, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is [a slave] to the lender.” God does not want us to be chained to debt. We are to be His servant, not a slave to money. He wants us to be free to use His resources which He has entrusted to us to do His will. God never indented for us to waste His resources to meet our lavish and greedy desires.

According to the Bible, God is the owner and giver of all wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:18, 19). He entrusts His wealth to us so that we may enjoy it and invest it for His glory (Matthew 6:19, 20). Most Christians cannot give to God or help the poor because they have selfishly and foolishly overextended themselves financially to satisfy their prideful desires.

God expects us to obtain our wealth through hard work and smart investments (Proverbs 13:11). He does not want His children to have an entitlement mentality or to be lazy (Proverbs 26:13-15; Romans 12:11). The wealth God gives us is not just for our personal consumption (Luke 12:13-21). We need to have the faith of Moses. He chose the treasures of Christ rather than the riches of Egypt so that He might obey and serve God (Hebrews 11:24-26).

The Bible repeatedly warns us that material wealth can be a spiritual snare (1 Timothy 6:17-19). It can become an idol that consumes us to serve it. The love of materials things can keep us from reading and obeying the Bible (Mark 4:19). Money can become an idol or god that demands our worship and service (Matthew 6:24). The Bible gives us this solemn warning, “If riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalm 62:10).

Jesus warned that it is difficult for a rich person to trust in Christ and be saved. He said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). Those who have material things may think they do not need God. From their finite, self-centered, earthly perspective, they have everything they need. Why do they need to trust God when they have their riches? Instead, they trust their riches rather than God. However, the Bible warns us to not trust in riches. Riches do not last forever (Proverbs 27:24). Proverbs 23:4, 5 gives us a very practical warning, “Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

America is drowning in covetousness. We are blatantly violating the 10^th commandment, “Thou shalt not covet…” (Exodus 20:17). Americans are being driven by desire to have the material wealth that other Americans have. What they do not know is that most Americans cannot afford what they have. They are overextending themselves and drowning in credit card debt and other forms of debt. We are seeing an epidemic, people are seeking to keep up with their neighbor and they borrow money they do not have to own things they cannot afford, and do not really need.

Credit cards are a scheme of this godless system to tempt people with lust and covetousness. Most people do not have the discipline to used credit cards wisely. Most Americans do not realize that living from paycheck to paycheck and using credit cards to survive is a very dangerous game to play. If you are not careful, you will eventually pay more interest than principle on the item you purchased with the credit card. A recent USA Today article noted: “If a credit-card borrower only made the minimum payments on $5,000 of debt, for example, they’d be in debt for more than 18 years and would end up paying $6,372 in interest based on national average interest rates, according to Ted Rossman, industry analyst for CreditCards.com.”

History demonstrates that the accumulation of wealth without God is a recipe for sin and ultimate divine judgment. When people become wealthy, they tend to forget God. Instead, they immerse themselves in materialistic pleasures. In Deuteronomy 6:10-12, God gave this warning, “And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildest not, And houses full of all good things which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Israel did not heed this warning. They forgot God and were eventually driven from the land.

The horrific judgment of fire that fell upon Sodom in the days of Abraham came about as a result of sins that included an abundance of wealth that caused them to turn away from God. In Ezekiel 16:49, 50, God gave the following indictment that caused the judgment to fall upon Sodom, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”

According to James 5:1-6, mankind will heap “treasure together for the last days” (verse 3). In this text, James is rebuking the rich for living as if the coming of Jesus is not imminent. Obviously, if people believe they will soon stand before a holy God and be judged, they will not be focused upon the collection of material possessions that will soon pass away. James warns them that their wealth will not help them when the day of God’s judgment comes. Their gold and silver will be worthless.

In light of many prophetic Scriptures, the rich who are left behind to enter the tribulation will suffer great loss. Their wealth, luxuries, comforts, and conveniences will suddenly be ripped away from them. At the onset of the tribulation, the Antichrist will conduct a campaign of global wars and terrorism that will trigger a major financial collapse (Revelation 6:5, 6). Then, there will be catastrophic natural disasters around the globe (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:7-9). This will be followed by an asteroid that will explode upon impact when it enters earth’s atmosphere (Revelation 8:10, 11). This judgment will bring death and destruction to sea creatures and ships. Great darkness will cover one-third of earth’s sky, probably as a result of a massive collection of volcanic ash in the atmosphere. Consequently, man’s modern way of living will be wiped away and financial conditions will worsen.

We cannot begin to imagine how this will impact the financial systems of our world. It will shut down and destroy all of our utility systems. It will disrupt the flow of food and manufactured goods to our supply chains. As the apostle Paul warned in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, “sudden destruction [will come] upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

No one will escape the brunt of the financial catastrophe that the tribulation will bring. Read Isaiah 24. This chapter describes in great detail the global destruction that will come upon the earth during the tribulation. All citizens of earth, regardless of their financial capabilities, will be devastated by the global natural disasters (verse 2). Isaiah 24:3 says, “the land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled [robbed of its wealth]…” People will not be able to turn to entertainment or music to sooth their fears (7, 8).

Friends, this message is very troubling. It troubles the mind to think about what is coming upon this earth. For those of us who are believers, we must remember that we should be looking for the Lord Jesus to come and take us home to be with Him at any moment. Most of the future troubles we have addressed in this article will not take place until after we leave this earth in the rapture. The Lord has promised His church that He will deliver us “from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). He has promised us, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

If you are saved, you must tell others about what is coming upon this earth. It is our obligation to warn them. God called Noah not to only build an ark, but to warn his generation of the deadly global flood that was coming upon his generation. We must share the gospel with everyone around us. There is only one way they can escape what is coming. Jesus is the only way of salvation from the fires of hell and the judgments of the tribulation. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).

Friend, if you have not repented of your sin and surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus, please do so now. Why not call out to Him to save you? He is your only hope. He lived a perfect, sinless life and became God’s perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world.

As we wait for and anticipate our Lord’s return, we cannot be sure that we won’t suffer some of the consequences of inevitable collapse of the American economy. We need to pray that we might imitate the hope of Job. Job lost everything he had in a very short time. Yet, Job did not turn away from the Lord. He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). We need to remember the exhortation in 1 Timothy 6:6-8, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and [clothing] let us be therewith content.”

Wealth cannot buy us salvation or joy. The Bible says, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverb 15:16). Despite the claims of those who espouse the prosperity gospel, the Lord has not promised us an easy and prosperous lifestyle. He said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Real peace does not come from living in a peaceful environment. Real peace comes from knowing and abiding in the Prince of Peace. Many men and women have died a cruel death with a smile on their face because their eyes were fixed upon Jesus. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

Make preparations now for the coming financial storm. No matter how bad it might be, He will always be with us. Nothing else really matters!

Earthquakes Rock Israel

All of the residents of Israel felt an earthquake on May 15. It was the fifth earthquake to hit Israel in the last year. These quakes are reminding Israelis that a big one is coming. The Jordan Valley, just 15 miles east of Jerusalem is a part of the Syrian-African Rift Valley. This valley stretches from Africa through the Red Sea, up through the Arava Desert, through the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee, and up to Turkey. It is one of the most dangerous earthquake fault zones in the world. According to geological records, this area is overdue for a major earthquake. According to the prophetic Scriptures, several of these earthquakes will take place during the events of the last days. Once again, this reminds us that we are living in unique times. The signs of the end of this age are all around us.

The Bible- Israel’s Deed to the Land

Recently, Israeli UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, addressed the UN Security Council, using the Bible to validate the Jewish peoples’ claim to the land of Israel. The International Embassy in Jerusalem released the following quote from his address: “Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addressed the Security Council on Monday [April 29, 2019] in New York, telling them among other things that Israel’s existence derives legitimacy from four things, including the Bible, history, legality and the pursuit of international peace and security. ‘This is our deed to our land,’ he said, pointing to a Bible. ‘From the book of Genesis; to the Jewish exodus from Egypt; to receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai; to the gates of Canaan; and to the realization of God’s covenant in the Holy Land of Israel; the Bible paints a consistent picture. The entire history of our people, and our connection to Eretz Yisrael, begins right here.’ 

“The Quran itself accepts the divine deed of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel,” he continued. “Even the Romans themselves admitted the land was ours. Those of you who have visited Rome may have seen that Emperor Titus famously commemorated his victory and the Jewish expulsion by building an enormous arch on the Via Sacra in Rome. If you look at the Arch, it includes an illustration of his men carrying away the menorah from the Jewish Temple. (But) the Romans attempted to destroy that link by renaming the land Palestina. This is how the narrow strip of land in Eretz Yisrael, nestled between Egypt in the south and Lebanon in the north, came to be called ‘Palestine.’ For two millennia, Jews across the world continued to pray three times every day for our long-awaited return home to Zion and Jerusalem. As we just said on Passover last week, as we do every year, ‘Next year in Jerusalem!'” (News brief from The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, April 30, 2019)

UN Consistently Opposes Israel

Have you ever wondered why the United Nations continually focuses upon the little nation of Israel? The UN rejects Israel, opposes Israel, and takes every opportunity to unjustly condemn Israel. Why?

If you examine the voting record of the 193 nations in the UN, you will discover that the communist/socialist block of nations always join with the Islamic nations to vote against the United States and Israel. Susan Michaels of the International Christian Embassy writes, “The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), whose original purpose was within the context of the Cold War, now has 120 member nations who control every corner of the United Nations except for the UN Security Council. NAM is an umbrella for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Fifty-seven member states are affiliated with the OIC and twenty-two of those states are members of the Arab League. This is a significant voting bloc in the United Nations.” (News brief from International Christian Embassy, May 18, 2019)

According to the Bible, when the end of this age comes, all nations will be against the Jewish nation of Israel. In preparation for the final battle, Armageddon, God said, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle…” (Zechariah 14:2). The world is preparing for their battle with God!

PTNews

February 2019

Published 10 times annually

All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

Israel Tells Iran- Get out of Syria, fast!

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by Mike Wingfield

On Tuesday, January 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the occasion of the swearing in of the new Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi (on the right in the photo), to send a very powerful message to Iran. For several years now, Iran has been building up its military forces in Syria, which border Israel to the north. Israel knows Iran’s goal is to develop a powerful Iranian military force on the northern border. Iran has openly bragged to the world that it will soon destroy Israel. The former out-going IDF Chief of Staff, Gadi Eisenkot (on the left in the photo), revealed that Israel has destroyed Iranian military instillations in Syria with thousands of missiles and bombs in recent years. According to Israel Today, Netanyahu is sending a very stern warning to Iran. He said, “I’m telling you, get out of there fast. We won’t stop attacking.”

As students of Bible prophecy, we know Iran, Russia, and Turkey will attack Israel, probably immediately before the Tribulation begins. (Read Ezekiel 38-39.) Three times in Ezekiel 38 we are told this attack on Israel will take place when Israel is dwelling “safely” in the land. The Hebrew word used here speaks of the military self-reliance Israel will exhibit at the time of Iran’s attempted attack. Netanyahu’s bold words certainly illustrate Israel is very confident in its own ability to defend itself, even in the presence of Russian and Turkish forces in Syria as well.

Israel may not fully recognize it yet, but their greatest defense is from above. The Holy One of Israel has promised to defend His people when they return to their land in the last days. Read Psalm 121. In Isaiah 54:17, God promised Israel, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”

Israel Going to the Moon

Israel is set to join the prestigious list of nations who have sent spacecraft to the moon. Following eight years of extensive planning and preparation, the unmanned spacecraft was recently shipped from Tel Aviv to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for a launch during the middle of February.

The space craft is called “Beresheet,” which is Hebrew for the first word in the Book of Genesis, meaning, “in the beginning.” On board the space craft will be a Jewish prayer shawl, the Israeli flag, the Israeli national anthem, the Bible, and pictures drawn by Israeli children. One of their main goals is “to inspire other kids to reach aspirations such as these.” (The International Jerusalem Post, January 4-11, p. 24) The spokesperson for this mission told The Jerusalem Post, “It’s quite symbolic the People of the Book are going to take this ‘virtual’ library and put it on the surface of the moon. … Today we are putting those dreams on the spaceship, like you would take a note and put it in the Western Wall [Wailing Wall], wishing for a brighter future.” (The International Jerusalem Post, January 4-11, p. 24)

Israel continues to demonstrate it is one of the leading nations in the world with scientific and high-tech innovations and creations. As one would expect, this is creating a lot of excitement in Israel. It is also sending a very strong signal to other nations in the Middle East concerning the advanced high-tech expertise of the nation of Israel.

Israel Is Safe

I have been going to Israel for 34 years and have always experienced the calm assurance that I am in a safe place. Contrary to world opinion and the biased American news media coverage, Israel is much safer than many areas within the United States. In a recent article in The Jerusalem Report, the Israeli author expressed how safe it is to live in Israel. “Israel is safe now. I live here with my children and I would not do so unless it was a safe place. … Since 1948, Israel has succeeded in building a thriving and stable economy, impressive health and educational system, and world class academia. It is also one of the most innovative countries in the world. With a strong and sophisticated army, effective security organizations and a young but deeply rooted democratic tradition – all these make Israel a safe, comfortable, prosperous and interesting country in which to live. …

“I live in Jerusalem, a city safer than the majority of American and European cities. Even at the height of the last knife intifada three years ago, Jerusalem was safer than New York, London, Paris or even Portland. I would not have raised my children in a war zone, nor in a country whose future is uncertain. I encourage you to believe this Israeli, who decided to live in this country, and raise his children in its capital – because, really, Israel is safe.” (Amir A Segal, The Jerusalem Report, “Israel is Safe,” January 28, 2019, p. 6, 7)

Over 100,000 Jewish Christians Prior to the Holocaust

According to a recent news article in Israel Today, during the years prior to the Holocaust, the Lord raised up a born-again Lithuanian Jewish evangelist, Jakob Jocz, to preach the gospel to the Jewish people. “It is estimated that, through outreach efforts like his, there were as many as 100,000 Jewish believers in Yeshua by the time war broke out in 1939, many of whom would no doubt have shared the fate of their brethren in the concentration camps but who would also no doubt have shared the life-giving gospel of their Savior.” When we get to heaven we will hear the testimonies of our Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ who came to know our Savior only days or hours before their death in the Holocaust, like the thief on the cross. (www.israeltoday.co.il)

Why I Love Biblical Prophecy – Part Two

(This article is a continuation of the featured article in the January newsletter. In the previous newsletter I gave four reasons why I love Biblical prophecy.)

5. Biblical prophecy helps us develop a proper worldview.

I love to study the prophetic Word of God because it is the will of God and it opens my eyes to the reality of the world around me and gives me wisdom and understanding.

Perhaps one of the greatest verses in the Bible that helps us develop a true biblical worldview is Genesis 12:3. God said to Abraham concerning the nation of Israel, “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 single verse, if ignored, leaves people in hopeless darkness without the ability to understand the developments among the nations. God has chosen a people group, the Jews, to demonstrate to the world that He, and He alone, is in control of the affairs of the world. Both biblical history and prophecy demonstrate this principle. John McTernan, in his excellent book, As America Has Done to Israel, gives us an entire volume with impeccable documentation to show how America has suffered many massive natural disasters when its government policies refused to bless Israel and recognize the promises God has given His chosen people. 

God has chosen to bless the Jewish people with a great ability to be a rich blessing to the nations. Through them, we have been blessed with the Bible, a written revelation that has almost in its entirety been recorded by godly Jewish men. Obviously, we have been greatly blessed because Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the world! Even in modern times, the Jewish people have made incredible contributions to our world. George Gilder, in his excellent book, The Israel Test, writes, “The Jewish three-tenths of 1 percent of world population have contributed some 25 percent of recent notable human-intellectual accomplishment in the modern period” (George Gilder, The Israel Test, p. 34). Isn’t it amazing that Satan has so blinded our world, including the majority of those who claim to be Christians, that they are anti-Semitic in their outlook and attitudes? Furthermore, many of them side with the radical Islamic enemies of Israel against the Jewish occupation of the land of Israel. Obviously, these people do not have a true biblical worldview.

We need more men like the godly prophet Daniel. Daniel walked with God. In the prophetic book that bears Daniel’s name, God revealed to him the grand summary of all human history, from the days of Daniel to the end of this age. Daniel knew his God was the One who “changeth the times and the seasons: he removed kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding” (Daniel 2:21). Daniel’s heart and mind were in the hands of God. He wanted to know everything he could about God and His plans for Israel and the nations surrounding his people. As a result, Daniel was informed by an angel, “Thou art greatly beloved” (Daniel 9:23).

God promised Daniel that when the end of this age would come the Holy Spirit would illumine the minds of believers so they might be wise and understand what God had revealed to Daniel about world events in the closing hours of this age leading up to the Kingdom of God (Daniel 12:9-10). Wisdom and understanding comes when we see things as God sees them. God sees everything! He is orchestrating all things for His glory and to His perfect ending. Surely, the child of God should want to know what His Lord is doing! This is only accomplished by knowing the prophetic Word of God.

God has given His people incredible details about our world at the end of this age in His revelation. He has graciously pulled back the curtain and given us a glimpse of what will transpire in the world in which we are living. Certainly, the believer should want to be wise and to develop a true biblical worldview. We should hunger to see the hand of God and to discover His will so we might know how to pray, work, evangelize, and live.

We should all desire to be like the children of Issachar, “which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). This means these men were wise because they had great discernment and were aware of the world in which Israel lived. I want to belong to the people group of our world that has an understanding of the times.

Unfortunately, too many professing Christians have fallen into the sinful trap of love for self that characterizes the dangerous climate of the last days. The Bible warns us that “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves” (2 Timothy 3:1-2). It is evident we live in a world that is not concerned about current events that do not influence their own personal agenda. People in general, including most Christians, are ignorant of the world around them. It seems they could care less about having a biblical worldview. They are too involved in their own little world. It seems as if they really do not care what God has said about the world we live in. They are walking in darkness because they do not know the God who is directing the affairs of all the nations. And yet, they claim that God is their Lord!

6. Biblical prophecy was the focus of many godly men in the Scriptures.

When I say I love Biblical prophecy I know that I am standing with the spiritual giants that God used in biblical days. Consider the life and ministry of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and all of the other prophets of Israel. This would include the writers of the psalms. [The psalms are filled with prophecy.] In the New Testament, the apostles continued the ministry of the prophets. This was demonstrated by their intense focus on biblical prophecy. When you examine the writings of Peter, John, and Paul, you will discover they continued with a focus upon the prophetic themes mentioned by the prophets of the Old Testament. Please notice Paul was only in Thessalonica three weeks (Acts 17:1-4), and yet when he wrote back to them to answer their questions, almost one-third of the content of his epistles was about the Second Coming of Messiah. While writing about the Tribulation and the Antichrist in his second epistle, he wrote, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things” (2 Thessalonians 2:5)? This certainly indicates the apostle Paul considered biblical prophecy to be a core doctrine that needed to be taught to new converts. As this great apostle faced the last few hours of his life before he would become a martyr for Jesus, he proclaimed he was one “that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Paul loved biblical prophecy. That is good enough for me.

When you examine the teachings of Jesus in the gospels, they are filled with prophecy. Jesus’ ministry was primarily a ministry that focused upon the gospel of the kingdom. The core of His teaching was upon the earthly kingdom that God has promised to Israel. The Bible says, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 9:35) Jesus was filled with a great zeal for this coming earthly kingdom. He taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Isn’t it odd that very little is proclaimed from the pulpits of the American churches about the Millennial Kingdom of God? If our Lord had a zeal for this, should we not also have a passion for His coming kingdom on earth?

In His Olivet Discourse, as recorded in Matthew 24, Jesus answered His disciples’ prophetic questions with a very lengthy reply (Matthew 24:4-25:46) In Matthew 24:15, Jesus pointed to the incredibly significant prophecy given by Daniel in Daniel 9:14-27. When Matthew wrote his gospel 35 years later, and recorded the words of Jesus, the Holy Spirit inserted the words “whoso readeth, let him understand” (Matthew 24:15). I am not going to disagree with the Holy Spirit. He said we need to understand the incredible prophecy of Daniel’s seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-25. Unfortunately, the majority of pastors in America consider these prophecies to be insignificant. Before Jesus died on the cross, He told His apostles the Holy Spirit would come upon them and guide them “into all truth … and he will show you things to come” (John 16:13).

It is not an accident that God chose men who had a heart for Him and His eternal purposes to be His prophets and apostles. While writing his book on the prophets of Israel, Leon J. Wood comments, “prophets had to be people of outstanding character, great minds, and courageous souls. They had to be this by nature and then, being dedicated to God, they became still greater because of the tasks and special provisions assigned them. Thus, they became towering giants of Israel, the formers of public opinion, the leaders through days of darkness, people distinguished from all those about them either in Israel or other nations of the day. … They were fearless men, those who were willing to stand for the word they believed God had given them, … true prophets were not professionals in the sense of king-pleasers. They were committed men, men who were ready to do what God wanted them to do no matter the task and no matter the danger” (Leon J. Wood, The Prophets of Israel, pp. 16, 20, 21) It is obvious the New Testament apostles were men of the same caliber.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are exhorted to be like these great men of God in their godly character and teaching. As the apostle Peter dealt with the scoffers of the prophetic message of the early church, he wrote, “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior: 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” (2 Peter 3:1-4)?

As a minister of the gospel, I am not commanded by God to model my ministry to follow the techniques, programs, and styles of the pastors of the large churches of our day. However, the Holy Spirit has commanded me to mimic the lives and message of the men of God in the Word of God. I am not to hold in high esteem those who are preaching to scratch people where they spiritually itch (2 Timothy 4:1-4). They are preaching to please people who have “a form of godliness … ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:5, 7). We are not to accommodate people in their sin. If our preaching is directed by the Holy Spirit, then we will follow the Spirit’s leading to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

7. Biblical prophecy trains our minds to focus upon eternity.

I love biblical prophecy because it keeps me focused on eternity and God’s eternal plans. When I read what the Bible has to say about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the coming Millennial Kingdom, I am forced to look beyond the moment and the events that are happening now.

It helps me to remember my true earthly status as an earthly pilgrim who is just passing through this time and living for the future, not just for the moment. This is the real stuff that faith is made of. Notice Hebrews 11:13, “These [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Real faith looks at what God has said about eternity and lives in that daily hope, while longing for these promises to become a reality.

One of the great marks of the Christian life is that we have a hope that is bound up in our future. Real believers constantly focus upon their future in Christ, not on the temporary passing fads and fancies of this present world. We live for the future, not for the momentary gratifications of this culture. Remember 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Biblical prophecy gives us a hope for the future. We know how everything is going to end because we know the One who is orchestrating it all to His end for His purposes, and for His glory. The apostle Peter declared, “hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)

In the world of science fiction and fake science we are made to believe our creation is following a hopeless, fatalistic path toward some cataclysmic destruction, such as a horrific ending due to global warming or an asteroid collision with earth. However, we know just how it will all end. It has been prerecorded in the Word of God.

Life here on this planet is not just a random order of events without someone in the driver’s seat. The events in history and prophecy are all being controlled by an infinite God. When the end comes, God wins. God will triumph over wickedness, death, wars, deception, disease, and disappointments. The kingdoms of this world and the evil kingdom of darkness will be defeated by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

8. Biblical prophecy informs us of the big picture—the war in the spiritual realm.

Far too many Christians live their lives without thinking about the reality of the ongoing power struggle in the spiritual domain. Since the beginning of time, Satan and his angels (demons) have been engaged in a powerful and deadly war with God and His angels. The Bible depicts this war from the Garden of Eden until Satan’s last rebellion against God at the end of the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:7-10).

The reader of the Book of Revelation cannot understand this final book of the Bible unless it is understood as the final phase of the war in the spiritual realm. This is why this book contains so many references to the good and the evil angels.

We are exhorted to realize all of us are involved in this war. As children of the Lord we, and the Jewish people, are the focus of Satan’s attack upon God. The apostle Peter understood this well. On the night of his denial of his Lord, Jesus told him, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31). After several decades of imprisonment, persecution, and hardship, Peter wrote to his Jewish brethren thirty-seven years later and reminded them, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, he reminded them that it was Satan who was working “in the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2) He exhorted the believers at Ephesus to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11) Finally, at the end of his letter to them, he reminded them that if they were to be strong in the Lord they needed to “put on the whole armor of God that [they] may be able to stand against the [schemes] of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Obviously, a very important part of living the Christian life is recognizing we are constantly wrestling against the powers of darkness. We need God’s wisdom and God’s might to fight this battle. I love biblical prophecy because it is a constant reminder to me that I am at war and I have an enemy who wants to destroy me and my family to bring shame and reproach upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

9. Biblical prophecy has been designed by God to have a profound spiritual impact in the daily life of the believer.

Someone has said, “Bible prophecy has not been created by God to scare us, but to prepare us.” After speaking about the signs of His coming, Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44). Prophecy has been designed by the Holy Spirit to change us and prepare us for that holy moment when we stand before our Lord.

So often I hear people tell me that biblical prophecy scares them. What concerns me is some of these same people like to watch movies and television programs that are filled with graphic violence, destruction, and death. It seems odd to me they can enjoy being entertained by the world’s scary stuff, but they do not want to hear about the real and awesome righteous wrath of God and His judgment upon the wicked at the end of this age. I personally believe these people do not really know God and do not want to consider He is sovereign and controls our world. Much of biblical prophecy pulls back the curtain of this world and shows us the holiness of God and His hatred for sin and wickedness. Some of these people do not like this. They might not like to admit it, but they are in love with this world system and are not ready for God’s judgment to fall upon this world.

The constant daily reality of the coming of our Lord has been designed by the Holy Spirit to create a spirit of expectancy, urgency, and accountability in the life of the believer to his holy Lord. Bible prophecy continually reminds us we are all going to be judged by the Lord in the not too far distant future. This is very healthy. We will all give an account to the Lord on Judgment Day. At the end of the first century, the apostle John wrote, “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). The real consideration of biblical prophecy as directed by the Holy Spirit will create within us a desire to be pure and ready for that moment when we shall fall at the feet of our blessed holy Lord Jesus in total humility, submission, and worship.

In reality, if we are in love with Jesus Christ, we should be living for the moment when we shall see Him. Bible prophecy is used by the Holy Spirit in my life to constantly change me and prepare me for that moment. I want that. I need that. That is why I love biblical prophecy.

10. Biblical prophecy is a spiritual tool for evangelism.

People are not saved by the convincing arguments of a Christian. The seeds that are sown in the human heart that eventually germinate and create eternal life are the seeds of the Word of God. The Bible declares, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the world of God” (Romans 10:17). The Word of God is the divine tool of the Holy Spirit that regenerates the soul of a sinner.

No one can be saved without the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). Eternal life comes from God. It is His gift to us through the salvation work of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

At the heart of the work of the Spirit in evangelism is the creation of a fear of God in the heart of the sinner. This is the foundation of all wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 9:10). In the process of teaching the sinner to have a fear of God, the Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of the holiness of God and the sinner’s own personal sinfulness. He reminds the sinner of the choice he must make between eternal damnation and eternal salvation. He will spend eternity either in heaven or hell. The Spirit of God points the sinner to the future day when he will stand before God and be judged. Jesus told His disciples that when the Holy Spirit would come after He ascended back to heaven, “he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). This is the way the Holy Spirit works in the process of evangelism.

To be effective in winning souls to Christ we must be filled by the Holy Spirit. This means we need to cooperate with Him. He is the one who saves, we are just His mouthpiece. If we are to allow the Holy Spirit to use us as His mouthpiece, we must be sure to use Scripture, including the passages that speak of the future judgment, the hope of heaven, and the warning about hell. These are the subjects that biblical prophecy addresses to produce the fear of God and to convict sinners to bring them to Christ. I am not suggesting that biblical prophecy is the only biblical doctrine that the Holy Spirit uses to produce salvation, but it is one of them.

In my travels across America in the last twenty-one years, I have had numerous people tell me they received Christ as the result of a prophetic conference or hearing a prophetic message. When pastors or believers avoid speaking about biblical prophecy they are hindering the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Unsaved people not only need to hear that God loves them, and that He is their savior. They also need to hear that God is holy, and that one day He will be their judge.

Finally, I love biblical prophecy because I want to be blessed by God. Revelation 1:3 gives the following promise, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” The word “blessed” means “happy.” A person is happy when he is focused upon and is in submission to the prophetic plan of God. He is our Lord. We are to love Him, worship Him, and want to be like Him. It should be our hearts desire to be with Him in His heaven.

So, when the believer pours over the prophetic Scripture his soul is being filled with the longing and hope that soon he will be with his Lord. He is gratified to think about the future moment when His Lord will finally fulfill His great eternal mission upon this earth. He is thrilled to know that God will triumph over Satan. He rejoices to know and be reminded that good will win over evil. It is a pleasure to know that the devil, the Antichrist, death, and hell will be finally cast into the Lake of Fire. It will be a pure delight to live in the new heaven on the new earth. Finally, we will be forever in our Lord’s presence. All sin, sinners, and the effects of sin will be no more. Friends, that is true bliss! That is our blessed hope!

P