When someone asks you for the time, you expect it to be the time right at the moment you asked, such as 7:53 AM. If you ask what time is the event on Saturday, you would expect the answer to be when the event was slated for, such as 7:00 – 9:00 PM. You also expect the number to include AM or PM unless you are using military time (24 hour). You were looking for the time as it pertained to you. One time I was in a US State and a kid asked me what time it was and when I told him, he panicked because he thought he was late, but what I realized after was I gave him the wrong time because of the time zone difference. Yes, that was before every person had a cell phone. So, when you ask for the time, you expect it to not be some random number or when you ask what time the event will be, you expect the answer to be when it is actually taking place.
Humans are bound by time, and it seems that time is flying by. In Canada, life expectancy is around 83 and the world is around 73. You might expect to live a long life, but that is really beyond your control as God holds the details of your life in His hands. Daniel said to king Belshazzar, king Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Daniel 5:23 “you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.” How many people in this world could that be said to? He would die that very night. Even though God holds our lives in His hand, most want God to operate according to our timeframe. Most expect God to respond according to a time that is to our liking. When we pray, most want God to answer right away and now would be perfect. But is it perfect for God? Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Yet, we think we can tell God what to do, how to do it and when to do it.
No one knows why God chose the time He did when He created the universe and man. Also, no one knows when the end of what God created will come to an end. Most cannot fathom that God has always been, nor can they fathom the beginning of everything as seen with ludicrous ideas about the beginning. One site said, “Measurable time is believed to have effectively begun with the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago.” That is like asking someone when an event will be, and they answer it is coming at 8. The big bang theory is as ridiculous as it sounds simply because an explosion needs elements to explode with, thus you must ask where the elements came from, plus the number can be give or take millions upon millions of years. It really explains nothing, but if they would turn to God they would find the Theory of Everything that they have been searching for. God explains everything and no there is no way to understand that God chose a certain time for the universe to begin just as He has chosen a time for it to end. This is about faith. Do you believe in a big boom / God particle or God? Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” If you do not believe as Genesis states, “In the beginning,” you will have trouble believing the rest of scripture. Also you cannot pick and choose the parts of scripture you wish to believe in.
The universe has been doing what it was created to do ever since God spoke. The amazing part is that God, who is not bound by time, created everything in six days and rested on the seventh, thus forming time for His creation. God did not need six days to create but the world was now on the clock, counting down to the end. As you may have seen, the Doomsday clock is about to run out. Their site says, “Closer than ever: It is now 89 seconds to midnight.” They said, “In 2024, humanity edged ever closer to catastrophe. Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course. Consequently, we now move the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to catastrophe.” What is actually needed to change course is to return to God’s word. Each of us is also on the clock and only God knows the plans and the timing of those plans for each of our lives. The disciples knew how important it was to be ready, because Jesus could return at any time. They were not wrong, even though Jesus has not returned yet. Each of us, as they say have one life to live. Most choose to live that live for themselves and do not submit to God. When we die, eternity is upon us as there is no second chance, so we must be prepared to meet our maker.
When God created the universe, he created it to be so precise, so much so that NASA has solar eclipses timed. I looked at a Five Millenium Catalogue (-1999 to +3000) of solar eclipses with very precise dates and times. It really is amazing, too amazing for an explosion to create. Throughout scripture we see God operate within the timeframe He created, but we also see Him move outside of that timeframe. God will say at that time, or suddenly, but does not give us specifics about the time other than it was about to happen. God told His servants the prophets what was about to happen but did not always say the exact time, other than it would happen both good and bad. Amos 3:7 “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Sometimes like the time in captivity it was 70 years as Jeremiah prophesied and other times what was prophesied was about to happen or would happen in the future with no specific time. Daniel 10:14 “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Matthew 13:16 “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Isaiah was not wrong about Jesus when he prophesied about Him who would come much later after Isaiah, but He did come. Isaiah 7:14 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Then right after Isaiah said this, he prophesied about Assyria who did come when Isaiah was alive. (read Isaiah 36, 37)
The church has been destroyed, but not completely as promised by God to David, by the abomination that causes desolation. We were told that destruction would happen in Daniel and Jesus also warned us about it, plus described the severity of this desolation. After describing the desolation, Jesus said, Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” False messiahs and prophets are everywhere in the church even though Jesus warned us not to be deceived. Paul also said Acts 20:9 “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” 2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all.” That means false teachers were already among them when Paul was alive, therefore false teachers are everywhere in the church.” Some say the power of God stopped with Paul but the reality is the church listened to the savage wolves instead and rebelled against the word of God.
Just as the earth began, it will come to end and no one knows the timing of that, other than God. As Christians our job is to prepare people for the end. This is why the disciples taught to be ready. Zechariah prophesied about John the Baptist but this should also be the church Luke 1:16 “He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” God’s timetable is different than ours, so we must be prepared and ready. Peter said 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” Daniel read that captivity as prophesied by Jeremiah would last 70 years but for years people have tried to figure out the timing of the end times, even though scripture is clear that only God knows when that is. Yes, there are numbers and many people believe there will be a millennium but will it be a day or is it 1,000,000 days or neither as the teaching that Jesus will reign on the earth for a thousand years is false. The false teaching of the millennial reign of Jesus on earth goes hand in hand with the false teaching of the rapture.
When talking about the timing of the end, we are told, Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” One guy I saw online speaking on this, thought he was smarter than God, said even though scripture tells you that you can’t know, he said he did know and taught that because there was an alignment with the stars, the end time event would happen just as he said it would. The time he predicted came and went and no he did not know. Many have fallen into the failed prediction trap. Many also keep changing their predictions and still ignorant people with a lack of knowledge of God’s word continue to follow them and believe their false predictions. For example, the Millerites and the great disappointment. One site said, “He was certain from his studies of the Bible that Jesus Christ was going to return on that day.” Did he just ignore Matthew 24:36 or did it just not fit with his doctrines and theology?
The above verses is one of the verses where the nonsense of the Hollywood rapture, which is a doctrine of demons comes from. It is talking about the speed of which the end will happen. Paul said 1 Corinthians 15:51 “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” If you are waiting to make up your mind about God, His word Jesus and the Holy Spirit, don’t wait! Also don’t make up your mind about God based on the church you see today. This is why Peter said, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” And as disciples of Jesus we tell others to do the same. Jesus goes on to say, Matthew 24:42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Paul said 1 Thessalonians 5:1 “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” The false prophets in Jeremiah’s time did the same thing. Jeremiah 5:11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. 12 They have lied about the Lord; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine. 13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.” There is a time, but we do not know exactly what time it will be other than we are told to be ready.
In the last blog I talked about the ridiculous, though terrifying movie called “The Thief in the Night.” You may say, didn’t we just read that Son of Man will come like a thief in the night. I was thinking about how satan works. He takes scripture and distorts it and people in the church believe his distortions. Yes, there should be fear and dread as we think about the return of Christ but that is far different than horror as seen in this stupid movie. The return of Christ means eternal life or eternal damnation, but that fear should draw us to Him, not away. satan turned the return of Christ into a horror show which was filled with lies. That is what satan does. Living Godly lives like Peter said means we are fearfully looking forward to this day. The rapture, that is the church leaving this earth, means that God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and disciples will be gone too. They teach that some will make it through the tribulation but without the church??? The first thing Jesus did was call disciples to Him, starting with Jews and then Gentiles, and then empowered them. Those who teach the rapture are leading people astray and they will not be ready for the true return of Jesus to take us into eternity. Instead they will hear, Matthew 25:41 “‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” If you follow other gospels and a different Jesus you will not see eternal life.
We are supposed to be prepared and ready because we do not know the time, but if you are following doctrines of demons, you have been deceived and deluded into believing you do not have to be ready because what you have been taught is supposedly the truth when it is not. Yes, there is a tribulation but not like all the nonsense that is being taught from pre, mid and post or whatever else is out there. We are told Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 12:10 “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
As we read earlier, this attack on the church is so severe that only a few will survive and that is only because God intervened. These people that are teaching a tribulation that is coming in the future, plus some are teaching they will miss it completely even though it is already happening, have already been deceived. I have seen the charts with the timing all carefully laid out according to their own beliefs and doctrines (like the Millerites, the false teacher David Jeremiah teaches “the Rapture is the next event on God's prophetic timeline, and believes it is imminent possibly in his lifetime. I actually heard him accidently say the Millenium would be a million years, but he meant 1000) and these gurus think they have it all figured out, but they do not and they continue to lead their followers astray, leaving them totally unprepared for the day Jesus returns to take His people to eternity. This is why we were warned so many times not to be deceived nor turn away from God’s word as the church has done. We are not waiting for Jesus to come and reign on this earth; He already did that and still does. The problem for the church is that, like the Jews, the church has rejected our Messiah and King. Jesus already reigns on the throne of David but because the church refuses to repent, the kingdom is not coming near, which means there is no power. Jesus said, Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Jesus said the time has come but that time still applies to us today for anyone who would repent. Peter said at Pentecost Acts 2:38 ““Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Yet, the church refuses to repent and turn from wicked ways. Jesus left this world and said He would return, but the church was to carry on and do as Jesus did, in the same power and with the same authority over satan. The church was to continue destroying the work of the devil until He returns to take us into eternity.
When Jesus said the time has come, that was not a specific time like AD 30 at 7:00pm but a time that meant now, so whoever reads these verses, the time is now as God’s word is the living word of God. We also see that in Hebrews. Hebrews 3:7 “the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” Today means now is the time. Hebrews 10:35 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
For God, a little while could be a couple of days or over two thousand years for us. Two thousand years seems like a long time, but not for God. As Peter said, 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The church has completely failed in this and has not sped up His coming. People in the church have become comfortably numb and forget that in a blink of an eye, you will either spend eternity in heaven or hell and still the church refuses to fear God and repent. We really cannot comprehend either of those places; one being void of God and the other in the presence of God for all eternity. 2 Peter 3:3 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God operates in His own framework of time not ours, but our lives do operate in a framework of time and we do not know when our time is finished. Today there is so much deception and delusion that even on the deathbed people refuse to turn from their wicked ways and sadly most do not know they need to.
Israel and Judah were warned over and over again but they refused to listen. Jeremiah 1:14 “The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. 15 I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. 16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.” Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors. 27 “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.” Ezekiel 24:25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, and their sons and daughters as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.” Because of the rebellion of Israel and Judah, there was a time set in place for God’s wrath to be poured out on His people. and even though they were warned by God’s servants, they said we will not listen.
There is also a time set in place for the destruction of the enemies of God’s people which is good news for the church. Jeremiah 50:17 “Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria; the last to crush their bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” 18 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria. 31 “See, I am against you, you arrogant one,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty, “for your day has come, the time for you to be punished. 32 The arrogant one will stumble and fall and no one will help her up.” Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves. 7 Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad. 8 Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken. 13 Your end has come, the time for you to be destroyed. 14 The Lord Almighty has sworn by himself: I will surely fill you with troops, as with a swarm of locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you. 24 “Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion,” declares the Lord. 36 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “See, I will defend your cause and avenge you; 56 For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full.”
Just as God brought His remnant back to the land of promise just as he said he would, God will also restore the church just as He said He would. Daniel 7:21 “As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. 26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’” Daniel 9:27 “And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” Matthew 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” Matthew 24:10 “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
The church has been decimated with only a remnant of survivors. Jesus had said Matthew 24:1 “when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” The church has not listened just as the Jews did not listen and for a second time the temple was destroyed. This is also talking about the church, and it too has been decimated. The good news is this desolation and captivity the church is in will come to an end. We do not know the time, but what we do know is that it will end so we must be ready not only to meet Jesus when He returns to take us into eternity but to go into the world and preach the true gospel with power and authority and then the end will come. Jesus said to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:9 “Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. 17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 2:4 “The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.” Ezekiel 3:4 “He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”
Throughout scripture we see God’s people waiting for His perfect timing. When God says wait, He means it as it is not a suggestion. Yes, waiting when it is not according to our schedule can be heard but it is always right because God’s timing is always perfect. Isaiah 64:4 “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Isaiah 8:17 “I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” Lamentations 3:22 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Psalm 27:13 “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 33:20 “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” We also see God’s people refuse to wait. Waiting is hard for people as most want God to operate within our time. Instead of waiting, they rebel against God’s word and go with their own timeframe. Psalm 106:13 “But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. 14 In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.” We also do not tell God to hurry up as if God must prove Himself to us. Isaiah 5:18 “Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, 19 to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel— let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.” Don’t ask God to prove Himself to you. Luke 4:3 “The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
So when you ask, when are these events going to take place? The answer is right now, so be prepared, repent, submit, be ready and stay ready. Matthew 25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
These are dangerous times as satan is on the prowl because Revelation 12:12 “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” There is still hope for the church. Isaiah 49:8 “This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’” Isaiah 57:14 “And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.” 15 For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. 16 I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created. 17 I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. 18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, 19 creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord. “And I will heal them.” 20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. 8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. 10 Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 “For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Lamentations 5:19 “You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation 21 Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.”
