How do we cope with living in a world that appears to be on the precipice of devastation?
Since Hamas' barbaric attack on Israel, the buildup of military forces on the Mediterranean Sea exceeds anything we have ever seen in recent times. One report states that the U.S. has 40 ships, 3 submarines, 200 jets, and 40,000 soldiers on its destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Middle East. Other nations, including China, also have warships on the way to the area.
Will the terrorism spread far beyond the borders of Israel? Many believe that it will after Israel invades Gaza. Is it a time to be extra vigilant? I think so.
Some say that Bible prophecy scares people. I beg to differ. It's the news headlines of our day that frighten those paying attention. Furthermore, a look at what Scripture says about our future prepares us for what lies ahead, produces hope in our heart, and generates a peace that truly goes beyond anything we can explain.
How do we get to such a place of such confident assurance amid the violence that threatens our wellbeing?
Recognize That God is Sovereign
God is sovereign over all things. He not only oversees the raging of the nations, but He also controls their destiny. Because of this, He’s able to reveal the distant future from ancient times (Isaiah 46:8-10). His ability to declare "the end from the beginning" demonstrates his sovereignty over all government leaders in our world.
What we see happening today is precisely what the Lord, through His prophets, said the world would look like in the end. Regardless of how chaotic our world appears, God will accomplish His purposes for both our lives and the end of human history as we know it.
The Lord's supremacy over all things resounds in the words of Isaiah 46:10, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." He will not fail to bring us to glory and fulfill all His promises to us.
Believe What Scripture Says
Today’s convergence of signs screams that the world is headed in one direction: God's judgment on the ungodly during the Tribulation period followed by Jesus' thousand-year reign over the nations. We not only see this sequence in the book of Revelation, but also throughout the writings of the Old Testament prophets.
The preparations for war in the Middle East stagger our imagination, but God's Word tells us that someday Jesus will make "wars cease to the end of the earth" (Psalm 46:9). It's then and only then that the words of the following verse (Psalm 46:10) will become a reality:
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Scripture assures us that someday we will reign with Jesus as He rules for a thousand years over the nations in peace and righteousness. As believers, we have an inheritance that will someday result in wonders and pleasures far beyond what even the rich and famous of our day currently enjoy.
Focus On Jesus' Appearing to Take Us to Glory
Scripture tells of a future event that will rock the world. The Lord Jesus will suddenly appear, raise all the "dead in Christ" with immortal bodies, and catch living believers up to "meet Him in the air," also with glorified bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:47-55). Since the words of the Bible are true, we know the sequence of events described in these passages must happen. Jesus will appear and when He does, He will give us glorified and incorruptible bodies; this is the promise of Scripture.
Regardless of what happens in our future, we rest on the expectation that Jesus is coming to take us home to glory (John 14:2-3; Colossians 3:4). This is the substance of what Paul described as our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:11-14). It’s this focus that enables us to hold our earthly aspirations loosely in our hands as we face an uncertain future.
Trust Jesus!
During these turbulent times, it's essential that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and believe His promises to us. A glorious and joyous eternity awaits us.
The Gospel message includes both forgiveness of sins and the hope of Jesus’ appearing to take us to glory. This is the expectation that sustained many New Testament saints in their afflictions and will do the same for us in the turbulent days ahead.
Please don't fall for today's most popular manner of setting a date for the Rapture, that of assuming it cannot happen anytime soon or in one's lifetime. We cannot know exactly when it will happen, but it's foolish to think that the Rapture cannot take place today, next month, this year, or anytime after that.
If by chance you are reading this newsletter and have not yet trusted Jesus as your Savior, please do not delay. One thing we do know for sure, the world will become an increasingly dangerous place in which to live in the weeks and months ahead. We already see this in the tragedy that unfolded in Lewiston, ME, as I was working on this newsletter.
I explain how one can know for sure that he or she possesses eternal life in my post, Jesus is the Only Path to Eternal Life. Please don't delay in calling out to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and the certain promise of unending life in Heaven.