End Times – Page 5 – Light from the Word

As Were The Days of Noah, The Days of Lot…

(Matt. 24:37-46; Luke 17: 26-30)

And [just] as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of Man; people ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. So also as it was in the days of Lot. [People] ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heave and destroyed [them] all. That is the way it will be on the day that the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17: 26-30).

What does the days of Noah and the days of Lot exactly mean? Those days were defined by their increasing wickedness and God’s judgment that came upon them. The accounts of Noah’s days are described in Genesis chapter six. It reads, When men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair, and they took wives of all they desired and chose. Then the Lord said, My spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man for he also is flesh; but his days shall yet be 120 years. There were giants on the earth in those days – and also afterward- when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually, and the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart. So the Lord said I will destroy, blot out, and wipe away mankind, whom I have created from the face of the ground- not only man, [But] the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air- for it grieves Me and makes Me regretful that I have made them (vs. 1-7).

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Daniel Prayed

(Daniel 6: 1-22)

The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is much more than just a children’s story. In fact, this thought obscures the meaning of the events God allowed to happen to show what will be in the future for the nation of Israel. Many events in the Old Testament have happened with a purpose to point out to the near or far future. The Word of God is unsearchable; only those who desire to have the understanding of it, to them will be given revelation of its prophetic meanings. Much is missed because of that. The book of Daniel is clearly an example of it. When we read this book is like opening the future right before our eyes. From the four Jewish youths the Bible mentions in this book, Daniel stands out, because God chose him to be his end time messenger. Daniel’s experience in the lion’s den, like that of his friends in the furnace, has a prophetic meaning directed to his nation. Daniel and his friends well represent the faithful ones in the time of the tribulation and their deliverance.

When King Darius of Persia, who was the successor of Belshazzar, took over the kingdom of Babylon he set over the kingdom 120 governors in charge of all the kingdom. He also chose three presidents over them. Daniel was chosen to be one of them. The Bible tells us that he was distinguished above all the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him. The king then set him over the whole realm (Dan. 6:2-3). Daniel, like Joseph, was favored and placed in the right position to fulfill God’s plan. But like Joseph, Daniel had to suffer in the hands of the Gentiles for the truth to be sufficed. Jealousy abounded in the hearts of all those who worked closely to him. They desire was to find something to accuse Daniel in order to disgrace him. But Daniel was faithful to the only true God. They had to create a situation where Daniel would not bend to it. So they came up with an idea that seemed good in the eyes of the king: the establishment of a royal statute to whom all people must pray and make their request to. Upon the signing of this decree Daniel went into his house, with its windows opened toward Jerusalem, there he knelt as usual three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God (vs.5-10).

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When They Got Into the Boat

(Matthew 14)

The death of John the Baptist, lead YAHSHUA to withdraw to a solitary place by Himself. It was a time of reflection; a time alone with the Father, not because He did not know John’s future, but to consider His position in the world without his forerunner, who openly declared that him to be the Messiah. The timing for all to happen was perfect, as His ministry reached out with healings to all who needed them; not only physical healing, but also spiritual. It was a busy time for YAHSHUA and His disciples. The news about Him had reached far into Israel, as well into other countries at the time of John’s death. It was a solemn hour for Him, nevertheless, enough to want to spend a time alone. YAHSHUA must have spent the entire night praying, as it was His custom to do. The crowds came in the morning and stayed with Him all day until the day was over. He satisfied them all with healings and with food in a miraculous way. They counted about 5,000 men without the women and children. That was the perfect timing, indeed for Him to manifest Himself as the Messiah through the supernatural happenings that only He as the Son of God could do. When the crowds heard where He had gone, they followed Him on foot. That in itself confirmed the importance of His ministry. He looked at the crowds with His heart and He was full of compassion. He saw the matter of the hearts of those who were there anxiously waiting for their healing.

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Signs of the Times

Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away; for, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land; the fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance; The time of the singing has come! (Song of Solomon 2:10-13)

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Behold, the Lord Will Make the Land and the Earth Empty

(Isaiah 24)

The land and the earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly pillaged; for the Lord has said this (Vs.3). This chapter of Isaiah is a mini book of Revelation. Throughout the Old Testament God’s future judgements are predicted ultimately to destroy the earth and its wicked people with it. It is His final measure to deal with the stubborn, rebellious people. When this period of grace is past, His wrath will dominate the world and none who have rejected Him will escape. It will be merciless, with vengeance and no turning back. We see in this chapter, the character of His judgements, and the extent of it in verses 1-3: The scope of His judgements will include all peoples and all class of people. It shall be with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with this master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. No class of people will escape with the exception of those who have accepted Him. YAHSHUA said, For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the entire earth. But for those who have accepted Him He gave a word of warning: Keep awake then and watch at all times, praying that you may have the full strength and ability to escape all these things, that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man (Luke 21:35-36).

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The Hill Called Olivet Past, Present and Future

(Acts 1: 6-12)

The Mount of Olives is a very significant place in the prophetic pages of the Bible. Its past in the time of Solomon was used by him for idol worship. I Kings 11:7-8: Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abominable idol of Moab, on the hill opposite Jerusalem, and for Moloch the abominable idol of the Ammonites, and He did so for all of his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. From the distance we only see white sepulchers; nothing that shows life. Death is written all over it. We cannot understand why that mount was used for such a purpose, since it is located in a desirable area for all to see. In spite of this, Mount Olivet is also a place that speaks of the future pointing to the time of the end.

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Let’s Hold Fast Our Confession of Faith

(Hebrews 4:14)

Faith is a beautiful endowment to men. It is a spiritual gift enabling actions pleasing to our Lord YAHSHUA. In fact, the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11: 6a). This gift is given to those who believe that YAHSHUA is the Son of God. It takes us places where we experience God and His presence in the midst of tribulation and hardship. There is nothing impossible to achieve when our faith is focused on the promises of God. “Though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling and tumult” (Psalm. 46:2-3), faith sustains and uplifts above all circumstances. However, the human tendency is to be fearful in hard times. YAHSHUA often dealt with the disciples for their lack of faith, for even when He was physically with them, they would fear the unknown. We are no different than they were. When the test of our faith arrives, we often fail, and like them, we become overwhelmed even when the Word of God says, Let be and be still and know that I am God (Psa. 46:10a).

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An Incredible Journey Foreshadowing the Future

Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph (Ex. 1:8). There is a lot to consider in this few words, for they take us to the beginning when Joseph was sold to an officer of Pharaoh as a slave. However, God was with him and through all his life in Egypt, he prospered to become second to the King. Finding favor with him, Joseph moved his family from Canaan to Egypt, where they stayed 430 years. The Israelites, after so many years in that land, prospered and never returned to Canaan. That seemed to be the story of Israel throughout history after they were taken captives to another land. Not until pressure of persecution to the point of their death, do they return home, but not all. Let’s remember Hitler’s day. How many were killed? How many are still in that land today, including the whole of Europe? What will take them to realize the way home? History has being repeating itself over and over in the lives of Israel; today they call it anti-Semitism. After the slaughter of many of their ancestors in Hitler’s day Israel has said, “Never again.” But it will not be so, until they go home.

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When You Are in Tribulation in the Latter Days

(Deuteronomy 31:29)

For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands. Moses spoke these solemn words to Israel at the end of his journey through the desert. He had seen and experienced many things from his people as he led them to the Promised Land. It grieved him to see the indifference of the people toward obedience to God. From those many years traveling together, Moses could perceive the evil hearts of the people and through a song he prophesied about Israel in the latter days. He also prophesied concerning Israel’s idolatry and departure from God after his death: But Jeshurun (Israel) grew fat and kicked. You became fat, you grew thick, you were gorged and sleek! Then he forsook God Who made him and forsook and despised the Rock of his salvation. They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God-to gods whom they knew not, to new gods lately come up, whom your fathers never knew or feared…you forgot the God Who travailed in your birth (Deut. 32:15-18).

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At That Time Michael Shall Arise

(Daniel 12)

Daniel was a young man when taken captive to the land of Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in approximately 604 B.C. He was from a noble family. His name bears the meaning God is my judge. Through the entire time Daniel lived in that foreign land, he displayed faithfulness to God. His testimony before King Nebuchadnezzar always gave credit to God for his success in the interpretations of dreams, even before he went as far as to interpreting the dreams.

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