While we don't know the day or the hour of God's actions (Matthew 24:36), He has given us insight into the 'End Times', as many call the days we live in.
Matthew chapter 24 is devoted almost totally to key points signifying the last days (also detailed in Mark 13 and Luke 21). Most of the book of Revelation, while often veiled in unusual terminology, offers additional insight and several portions of the book of Daniel also offer details about the last days - our time.
If we have all this information, then how might we be mere weeks from the rapture of the church and hear so little about it? Perhaps one reason is that so many have falsely cried 'Rapture Now!' through the years that the cry, 'Jesus is coming soon!' isn't nearly so shocking or novel as one would expect. Also, while we have many verses detailing the last days, many of them are 'veiled' and hard to understand.
Here's what I understand that concerns me right now... I understand that Israel and the Palestinians are working on a peace treaty that is supposed to be concluded within a short time. If this is the important 'covenant' that is referred to in prophecy, then this would also herald the opening of the first four seals of Revelation 6 (in which 1/4 of the world population may die) and the rise of the Anti-Christ... And all this could begin in just weeks!
What should we do?
We should pray!! We should pray for our selves; that we are understanding and compassionate and, above all, that we are ready to meet God. We should pray for our family and friends; that they may see the peril of these last days, anchor themselves in the church and live wisely. We should pray for our leaders; both those in the Church and in Government. We should pray for Jerusalem; for those who pray for her are promised peace (Psalm 122:6). And lastly, we should pray because we love God and prayer is the lifeline of the soul. :)
What else can we do? We should diligently apply ourselves to studying the Word of God, sharing the word of God, and to ever more (and more) intense prayer. When Paul said, 'Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving' (Col. 4:2), he was giving great advice; prayer is best when it is continued!
Understanding the endtime, our time - this time, is a great opportunity to reach our world with a message that is ultimately relevant and captivating and we will understand our times much better if we are a seriously praying people. May God bless you as you use prophecy to reach those who need God or may seem cold to Him. Prophecy, as one man said, is like reading tomorrow's newspaper today - it's riveting!
Do we really have a very short time until the rapture of the Church? Perhaps not; it could be 4 weeks. Or two. Or 52... But this much I am sure of: We are living in perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-5) and we need to turn to the Word of God and prayer as never before. We most definitely are living in the last days and we need to be prepared for God to use us for the harvest of the world.
For additional details about prophecy, keep in touch! I also find Irvin Baxter, www.endtime.com, to be a great source for prophetic understanding.
For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com
Matthew chapter 24 is devoted almost totally to key points signifying the last days (also detailed in Mark 13 and Luke 21). Most of the book of Revelation, while often veiled in unusual terminology, offers additional insight and several portions of the book of Daniel also offer details about the last days - our time.
If we have all this information, then how might we be mere weeks from the rapture of the church and hear so little about it? Perhaps one reason is that so many have falsely cried 'Rapture Now!' through the years that the cry, 'Jesus is coming soon!' isn't nearly so shocking or novel as one would expect. Also, while we have many verses detailing the last days, many of them are 'veiled' and hard to understand.
Here's what I understand that concerns me right now... I understand that Israel and the Palestinians are working on a peace treaty that is supposed to be concluded within a short time. If this is the important 'covenant' that is referred to in prophecy, then this would also herald the opening of the first four seals of Revelation 6 (in which 1/4 of the world population may die) and the rise of the Anti-Christ... And all this could begin in just weeks!
What should we do?
We should pray!! We should pray for our selves; that we are understanding and compassionate and, above all, that we are ready to meet God. We should pray for our family and friends; that they may see the peril of these last days, anchor themselves in the church and live wisely. We should pray for our leaders; both those in the Church and in Government. We should pray for Jerusalem; for those who pray for her are promised peace (Psalm 122:6). And lastly, we should pray because we love God and prayer is the lifeline of the soul. :)
What else can we do? We should diligently apply ourselves to studying the Word of God, sharing the word of God, and to ever more (and more) intense prayer. When Paul said, 'Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving' (Col. 4:2), he was giving great advice; prayer is best when it is continued!
Understanding the endtime, our time - this time, is a great opportunity to reach our world with a message that is ultimately relevant and captivating and we will understand our times much better if we are a seriously praying people. May God bless you as you use prophecy to reach those who need God or may seem cold to Him. Prophecy, as one man said, is like reading tomorrow's newspaper today - it's riveting!
Do we really have a very short time until the rapture of the Church? Perhaps not; it could be 4 weeks. Or two. Or 52... But this much I am sure of: We are living in perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-5) and we need to turn to the Word of God and prayer as never before. We most definitely are living in the last days and we need to be prepared for God to use us for the harvest of the world.
For additional details about prophecy, keep in touch! I also find Irvin Baxter, www.endtime.com, to be a great source for prophetic understanding.
For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com
