What Is The Time Of The End? (1)

How does the Bible use the term time of the end? What exactly is it? Are we in that time yet? Is there a way to know?

Jesus Christ's disciples admired the enormous and intricate design of the temple buildings in Jerusalem. Some of the foundation stones of the temple complex were massive, weighing many tons. Others were ornately carved in beautiful patterns. The sunlight sparkled on the polished stones and intricate gold ornamentation of the temple.

The disciples wanted to know if their teacher was as impressed as they were.Matthew:24:1-2
 describes the setting: "Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.'"

Jesus' statement (referring prophetically to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70) must have astonished His disciples. They were greatly troubled by His statement that the beautiful temple buildings would be destroyed. Later Christ's disciples came to Him privately, their minds still fixed on His shocking comments. "Tell us," they asked, "when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" (verse 3).

Searching for understanding

Some 2,000 years later, Christians are still asking what events will signal the end of the age and the return of Jesus Christ. He answered this important question. The problem most people face with His answer has to do with interpretation. We want our answers clean and neat, like a precise solution to a math problem.

Instead, the meaning of Christ's answer involves an understanding of the periodic repetition of trends and devastating events that have transpired over the last 2,000 years, as well as a perception of the increased intensity and magnitude of similar occurrences as we near the end.

But we should remember that Jesus made it clear that no one could know the exact time of His return: "… Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (verse 36). Only the Father knows the precise time of His Son's return. Yet we can understand important prophecies and prophetic principles that give clear indication His return is imminent.

Jesus gave His disciples signs that require a broad perspective of understanding. Some prophetic trends would recur over time but intensify before Christ's second coming. Other conditions will be unique to that one point in history. Some of the crucial prophecies that will usher in Christ's return are not fully apparent; many of the correlating signs we find in the lengthy end-time prophecy He gave and the writings of other biblical prophets are still unfolding.

We will discuss these biblical signs, the keys that unlock future events in the light of Bible prophecy. But first let's examine how the Bible uses the term time of the end.

What exactly is the time of the end? When will it come? Are we living in the end time? Is there a way to know?

The subject of the time of the end spans the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It is one of the major themes of Scripture. It is important to understand what the end time is.Misunderstanding it can cause great confusion, uncertainty and mental turmoil. But a good biblical grasp of the subject can bring comfort and confidence. So let's go to the Bible to see what it reveals about the end time.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you. 

Are We Living In The Time Of The End?

Many biblical prophecies leave us in no doubt that increasingly cataclysmic events will occur before God's direct intervention in human affairs.

For thousands of years people have been fascinated with predictions of the end of the world.

People who read and study the Bible are not the only ones concerned about where our world is headed. The late author Isaac Asimov, in his book The Choice of Catastrophes: The Disasters That Threaten Our World, listed and explained at least 15 dangers that could jeopardize human survival. Many of these potential global disasters, including nuclear war, have arrived at our door only in the last few decades.

At times people thought they understood when and how our age would end. But failed expectations about the end of the age have brought profound disappointment to scores of sincere religious individuals and groups. They thought they were correctly discerning the time and manner of the fulfillment of prophecy. But all have been wrong, or at least premature.

In spite of centuries of such disappointments, they haven't put an end to attempts to associate world events and conditions with biblical prophecies concerning the end time. This is especially true in America, where books, television and radio programs focusing on biblical prophecy abound.

If we look into the inspired writings of the Old Testament prophets and Jesus Christ's apostles, we find many prophecies that refer to the time of the end. Should we take them seriously? Should they mean anything to us? Are world conditions such that the predictions could be fulfilled in our day? Are we near the climax of the prophesied period in which the world is faced with insurmountable problems and global­distress of holocaust proportions? Are we approaching Armageddon?

Jesus Christ Himself talked of a future time so horrendous that "if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive"— everyone alive would die if that time was not cut short (Matthew:24:22, Revised English Bible, emphasis added throughout). Was He speaking of our time?

Many Bible prophecies leave us in no doubt that increasingly cataclysmic events will occur before God's direct intervention in human affairs. These terrifying prophetic occurrences will see their fulfillment at some future time. The crucial question is when.

Much confusion surrounds the timing of these prophecies. But this need not be so. The Bible itself reveals certain vital keys that will help us place these forewarnings in an understandable prophetic framework. We must let the Bible itself interpret its prophecies.

In this study, we will eixamine exactly what Jesus Christ, His apostles and the prophets of old really said about the perilous days they referred to as the time of the end.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you.

What Is Armageddon? Review (2)

The watching also means watch yourself. Keep an eye on yourself, not just world events, but I better be watching myself. Paul even tells us, the apostle Paul, it's high time to awake out of sleep and that we're to put on Christ. Clothe ourselves in Christ. Become more Christ-like, have a relationship with God. Those things are so critical when it comes to this time.

All through the entire Bible, especially in the New Testament, Christians are described as people who have cleaned garments. They are not spotted. And in all those passages, it's talking about righteousness (Ecclesiastes:9:8; Revelation:3:5;Revelation:19:8). And so, it's our faith in God and our obedience to God that is so important, and that those are the two things that are going to keep us focused as the world heads into a very deceiving time.

What Christ emphasized is that you can't have faith without obedience. They go hand in hand.

What is Armageddon? It is a place in the land of Israel that has a powerful and direct message for you and all in today's world. The message is this: Watch and understand today's world. Watch and understand how this culture of death is leading to a time of confrontation with God in a day and a place of judgment. Watch and understand how you can avoid its deceptions. In that day, you want to be able to stand before your Creator God.

Today's world events are leading to the day of the final battle for earth - the battle of the Great Day of God Almighty. That's why understanding today's world events matters. Stay in faith while you watch and pray.

God bless you. 

What Is Armageddon? Review (1)

Review:

Jesus Christ says, "behold I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments. Lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation:16:15). And the author of the book of Revelation says that here, interjects this thought. What exactly does He mean when He says watch?

Well He says to watch, because something's going to happen that deceives people so profoundly that they won't even recognize what's happening. So He's telling us to watch world events in light of the Bible. 

He even tells us that the elect could be deceived. You go back to Matthew 24, He tells them, be careful, you could be deceived. So there is something that looks like it's real, looks like it's religious, looks like it's right but in actuality it is not.

What's interesting is what He said before that. He said He would come as a thief, so you'd have to watch. Now when you look at this Book, and all the things that are in this Book, telling you what is going to happen before the return of Jesus Christ, how could anybody not know what is going to happen? All these events are there. If evrybody has a bible, Why will they not see it?

When you look at the description of the false prophet, it says he looks like a lamb, but he speaks like a dragon which is Satan (Revelation:13:11). Of course Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God. So it's not only a false doctrine, it's going to be a mixture of false doctrine. It says he does all kinds of miracles, so he is going to see people through miracles (Revelation:13:13). This is going to look like a great Christian leader because he is going to speak as the Lamb. That's what's very important. So it's false doctrine, it's miracles, it's going to be working together with the Beast power to exert an attempt at world government. So it's going to be very confusing for people if they don't' know this and they aren't watching. Will be very convincing for sure.

 Christ said, many will call me, "Lord, Lord." They will say, "Lord, Lord," but what will Christ's response be? His response is, "I never knew you" (Matthew:7:21-23

). That's a scary thing. So that people could be worshipping Christ but not really the true Christ, the true God.

Will continue this review later.

God bless you. 

What is Armageddon? (4)

What do your "garments" look like?

Are you standing with Jesus Christ today? Do you stand with God in truth when we see signs of spiritual and moral decay all around us? Have you looked at popular culture lately? The signs of inner-cancer are plain to see. Of course, we would all say that we try to stand our ground and keep our morals intact. But it's so easy to slowly allow tolerance of sin to seep into our lives.

Megiddo was a place where empires sought to control the ancient world. In this prophecy, it represents sinful man's final effort to control the world apart from the righteous creator God. And, there is a parallel to our society today. Let me explain why. Let me give you just one example.

There is one vivid lesson from the old city of Megiddo that illustrates my point. At the edge of the city is a large circular altar. Throughout history people would offer sacrifices on this altar in the worship of a fertility god. Now some historians even believe that human sacrifices were made here. This would also include child sacrifice. Imagine what one of those worship services might be like. Loud music. Worshippers dancing, shouting and calling out to the fertility god. A large fire roaring on the altar. And then they throw a small child into the embers to die an excruciating, senseless death in service of a fake god. It's difficult to imagine how people could do such a thing. Today, we recoil in shock and horror at the thought.

But you know what? It happened in Megiddo way back then - and it happens today. We don't call it child sacrifice, we call it abortion. Every year we sacrifice millions of babies to our modern gods - the gods of convenience and personal choice. We can't bring ourselves to call it murder. We call it planned parenthood. And instead of calling it a child, we call it a fetus. We deny that the child is a life and then we deny the child its life. We have corrupted our sense of right and wrong. We call good evil, and evil good. The stain of abortion today is but one of many sins that will bring God's judgment on our country and the whole world.

Yet abortion is just one sin that we've allowed to control us - greed, gluttony, adultery, drunkenness, and much more convict us before God. We are a society turned inside out, incapable of discerning righteous judgment.

Mankind's sin and rejection of God's way is exactly why this battle - that many people call "Armageddon" - why that battle must take place. This final battle represents God's judgment on a world that has forgotten and rejected Him in favor of their own desires.

We have forgotten God and abandoned His spiritual law. We are a people who do not want to admit that God has a sovereign claim on our lives. We are unwilling to submit to Him in obedience. What the apostle Paul wrote applies to us: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting" (Romans:1:28).

Megiddo was a key city in the ancient world. Whoever controlled it controlled a vital link in world commerce. And in the end of the age, Megiddo - or it's other name, Armageddon - represents man's last effort to control the world without God. Let God's words motivate us to discern this time and not be caught unaware, naked and ashamed.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you.

What Is Armageddon? (3)

We have seen that armies from all over the world will gather at Armageddon in the "time of the end" to fight Christ at His coming. Armageddon is a place. The battle is the event. And, there is an important spiritual lesson that connects events that took place in ancient Megiddo to what is happening today . It has immediate importance to your life. What is it? Stay with me - I'm going to explain about that in a moment.

But right now, let's look at a couple of scriptures to set the stage.

Let's look at Zechariah chapter 14, where it tells us: "Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem... Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle" (Zechariah:14:1-3

).

The prophet Joel adds some detail to this. It says: "I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land" (Joel:3:2).

Jerusalem is where the battle of the great day of God Almighty is fought. Specifically, the focal point of battle will be in the steep valley that is today called, Kidron located between the Old City of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. Christ will descend with a spirit army and tread the winepress of His wrath. Revelation 19 says this: "And the winepress was trodden without the city, and [the] blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs" (Revelation:14:20). As human armies fight God the carnage will be so great that the blood will run several feet deep. It will be a terrible battle - one that will end in the peace of the Kingdom of God.

Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley provide an ideal staging point for this battle. We can imagine forces flowing in through the port of Haifa, a few miles to the northwest. Transport planes, and helicopters, troop carriers and tanks will ferry men and materiel into the region. Jet fighters and missiles will no doubt be engaged in a battle that suddenly turns its attention to a force coming from an unexpected location - the heavens above Jerusalem. In their folly and deception, they will fight Christ, never recognizing Him as the Messiah.

Today, this is difficult, very difficult to imagine. We read these scriptures and we ask, "How could political leaders be deceived to fight Jesus Christ, the Son of God?"

The answer may lie in one verse we skipped over in Revelation 16. Let's go back and read it. Notice that verse 15 is a thought injected by Jesus Christ, who is the author of the book of Revelation. It says this: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation:16:15). Here is Christ saying to those with ears to hear - there is a way to avoid being part of this great end-time deception.

What is Christ saying to us? What is in this message that we must understand? What is the spiritual lesson that Armageddon represents? It's this: That unless you obey Jesus Christ and His teachings every day, you too may be fooled into resisting Him on that day along with everybody else. See, the Bible says that the deception will be so subtle and so powerful that even somebody looking for it will be deceived. How? Look again at what Jesus says: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation:16:15).

What are the "garments" mentioned? They are keeping God's commandments, knowing right from wrong, discerning between good and evil. Garments are worshipping God instead of the devil, who is the god of this age. Garments are the "righteous acts" of God's people (Revelation:19:8). In the final confrontation between God and Satan, God wins! And Christ is summoning us to a life where we stand with Him - today - against the powers of darkness. That is what it means to keep one's garments.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you. 

What is Armageddon? (2)

Now take note of something remarkable in the Scripture in verse 15. It says, "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed" (Revelation:16:15). Right in the middle of this description of end-time armies, spiritual deception and the wrath of Satan is this little gem of a statement.

Then it continues right on after this as it did before with descriptions of more dramatic signs and events. It would be easy to just gloss over it, but that would be a critical mistake. I'm going to come back to this verse later in the program and I'll explain it a bit more.

Let's go on to verse 16 and see what it says, "And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon" (Revelation16:16). The word, "Armageddon" is just the combination of two Hebrew words: the word, "har" and the word, "megiddo." Of all the places, why then is this so significant? Why do the armies gather there? Well a brief look at the history of the area can help us answer that question.

On a map of the State of Israel, you can see the site of Megiddo. For thousands of years, it was a city where people lived. Every time it was destroyed in war, they'd fill in the dirt and they'd build on top. Today it is a hill popping up out of the flat plain called, Jezreel. Archaeologists have excavated the site for several decades. Their work has exposed ancient secrets long hidden beneath its soil.

Megiddo has seen more battles than any other place on earth. Why? Because whoever controlled Megiddo controlled a narrow strategic stretch of road called the Via Maris, which was a major international highway in the ancient world. This road stretched from Egypt all the way to Babylon, which is today, more or less, the modern nation of Iraq. In ancient times, this was the link - this Via Maris - between the major empires and the trade routes of the day. In the ancient world, any nation who wanted control of this region had to control Megiddo.

Over the years, many battles took place at Megiddo. In 1479 B.C., the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III launched a campaign near Megiddo to assert dominion over territories in- and north of Canaan.

In the Bible, King Solomon stationed troops, and chariots and horses in Megiddo, using the city as a northern fortress (1 Kings:9:15). Today there are massive gates still standing at the entrance to the ruins in Megiddo, and they date from this period and they are evidence of the city's strategic regional location. Later, during the reign of Judah's King Josiah, pharaoh Necho from Egypt came to Megiddo to fight against Assyria. Even though God told Josiah not to get involved in this battle, he did and he was killed (2 Kings:23:29).

And in modern times both Napoleon (1799) and the British General Allenby (1918) defeated Turkish forces at Megiddo. The area has never lost its significance as a battleground for control over this crucial crossroad of empires.

So we see that Megiddo is the place where armies have gathered in the past and it is where armies will gather in the future before the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty. Does the Bible show us then where the actual battle will ultimately be fought? It does, and I will show you where in a minute.

Conflict in the Middle East dominates the news today. In my lifetime I do not know of any period when problems in Egypt, Iran, Syria, Israel or Lebanon have not focused attention on the region. Why does this part of the world matter to you? The answer lies in Bible prophecy.

To be cont'd.

God bless you. 

What Is Armageddon? (1)

Most people believe Armageddon is about the end of the world. But what does the Bible actually reveal? Learn the real truth.

On the hills outside the city of Nazareth in Galilee of Israel, you can stand and look out over the flat plain of the Jezreel Valley. To the west, at the end of the valley you can make out a hill, the site of a place called Megiddo. There is indeed a connection.

Nazareth is where Jesus was raised by His parents, Joseph and Mary. It is not hard to imagine Jesus as a youth spending time in these hills overlooking the valley. Jesus, who was God in the flesh - knew the history of the land before Him, both past and future. He knew one day, on that spot, armies would gather to fight Him at His glorious second coming.

Jesus grew up near a place called Armageddon. Armageddon carries a powerful message for the world - a message that comes straight from Jesus Christ.

You are invited in this study, as we examine a message straight from God's Word, "What is Armageddon?"

Amageddon! What do you think when you hear that word? Most of us probably think of the end of the world - or a movie.

But what most people believe is not accurate. Armageddon is actually just an old city. It's a real-life place on the map and you can travel there today. It's a place no longer inhabited and it's surrounded by a long and wide valley.

In future prophecy, Revelation reveals that armies will gather in this valley to fight Jesus Christ when He returns in glory and power.

There's a powerful message for each of us in the prophecy of Armageddon. If you heed that message, it can change your life and prepare you for Christ's return.

For every person you ask about Armageddon, you'll get a different answer. But what's the truth? What do the Scriptures say? Let's look in the book of Revelation.

In chapter 16, we see seven devastating plagues that represent God's final judgment on the world - a world that has rejected Him. They are symbolized by bowls being poured out upon the earth.

The fifth of these bowls brings darkness on the throne of the evil ruler of the final superpower of mankind, which is depicted as a beast. The impenetrable darkness will be so frightening that people will be gnawing their tongues out of despair. In their anger and their pain they are going to curse God. And instead of turning to Him for help, they will refuse to humble themselves or to repent. Tension in the world will escalate (Revelation:16:11). Satan, of course, is pulling out all strings behind that evil leader called the Beast, and in his rage against God, he prepares to maneuver the world and its armies into a box canyon. There will be no way out.

Notice what it says in verse 12. "Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." In other words, great armies from the east will be on the move toward Israel. It continues, "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet." Who is the dragon, the Beast and this false prophet? The dragon is Satan. The Beast is the leader of the final, evil superpower of mankind. And the false prophet is an evil religious leader who will deceive the whole world with his false religion.

 The Scripture continues: "For they are spirits of demons performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Revelation:16:12-14

).

What we're reading is an incredible peek into the invisible spirit world. With hints like this throughout the Scriptures, we know that there is another dimension that we really can't see, feel, touch or taste. But it is very real. It's inhabited with good spirits - angels, servants of God - and evil spirits, Satan and his demons. In this verse, it gives us a metaphorical vision of what is going on in the spiritual dimension. It shows the dragon - Satan - spewing from his mouth evil spirits - represented here by frogs. What happens in the spirit realm has always had a connection with what happens in our own physical realm. What we're reading here are evil spirits causing chaos in the spirit realm. These evil spirits directly influence events in our physical world.

In other words, Satan's rage behind the scenes will be what causes the armies of the world to gather in the land of Israel. Armageddon is not the name of the battle that will be fought. It is the place where they will gather for what is possibly the largest, and certainly the most conclusive, battle in all world history - The Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty. Of all the great battles in history - battles such as Gettysburg, Thermopolye, or Normandy - this battle is more significant than all the others combined. It's been named two thousand years in advance.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you.

Why God Allows Suffering? (23)

Walking Through the Valleys of Life

In this life we face trials. We are constantly exposed to a range of strains and stresses. However, we can call on several strategies to lessen the load. Here are a few effective steps.

King David wrote in Psalm 23 about walking through "the shadow of death." This is probably a metaphor for life's trials in general, though it also applies to a person facing his own death or the death of a loved one.

In this life we face trials. We are constantly exposed to a range of strains and stresses. However, we can call on several strategies to lessen the load. Here are a few effective steps:

• Learn from trials and suffering. They can help us learn new skills. Jesus Christ learned by His difficult circumstances and experiences (Hebrews:5:8), and so can we.

• Count your blessings. When we focus on pain, we often forget how good life has been to us. Paul said we should always be thankful (Philippians 4:6). He also explained that the result of giving thanks is a "peace which surpasses all understanding" (verse 7).

• Don't be a prisoner of your suffering. Severe trials can cause emotional paralysis. We need to remain active because inactivity further devastates morale. Dr. Paul Brand, an expert on the subject of pain, said: "When I confront intense pain, I look for activities that will fully absorb me, either mentally or physically. I ... have found that conscious distraction and the discipline of activity can be helpful tools in combating pain" (Paul Brand and Philip Yancey, The Gift Nobody Wants, 1993, p. 254).

• Find someone with whom you can share your load. Many people undergoing severe trials make the mistake of trying to handle them alone. Without question, those who reach out to others in times of need benefit from doing so. We need human contact. "Two are better than one ... But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up" (Ecclesiastes:4:9-10
).

• Break the trial into bite-sized bits . When your difficulty or workload is daunting, divide it into manageable chores.

• Take life one day at a time. People battling depression, emotional struggles and difficulties in general often share a self-defeating mind-set. Their emotions tell them their trial will never end. In such times we need an attitude that realizes that this trial, too, shall pass—as most difficulties indeed do. Adopt the psalmist's perspective: "This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm:118:24), in spite of our difficulties.

• Don't be frustrated by trifling issues. Learn to put minor problems behind you and make decisions of lesser importance with a minimum of stress and worry.

• Eat a balanced, nourishing diet. Our bodies and minds are much less able to deal with stress and other difficulties if we do not provide them with the nutrients they need.

• Exercise regularly. Proper exercise relieves stress, provides a feeling of well-being and helps us sleep better—all of which are important for our contentment and mental stability.

• Provide yourself regular rest and relaxation. God commanded that we rest every week on the Sabbath day (Exodus:20:8-11


). We also need relaxing time on a daily basis.

• Make a change. We cannot avoid some distressful situations, and others we shouldnot avoid. To opt out of them would be wrong. But don't be a glutton for punishment. If you can escape a trial without being irresponsible, take steps to do so (seeProverbs:22:3).

• Develop your sense of humor. "A cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs:17:22, NIV). Humor helps us rise above stresses. Viktor Frankl discovered, while imprisoned in Auschwitz, that humor is an innate weapon in the fight for survival. Laughter truly is effective medicine.

• Realize that ultimately all things are in God's able hands. Jesus points us to God: "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit" (Luke:23:46). David urges us to "commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him" (Psalm:37:5). The Hebrew word translated "commit" means "to roll some object on." A mental picture that can help make the meaning clear is the thought of flinging yourself upon God—as a child would fall helplessly into his physical father's outstretched arms.

Hope you were helped somewhat with the question often asked, 'Why God Allows Suffering?'.

God bless you all. 

Why God Allows Suffering? (22)

When will it end?

The good news is that God has not given up on mankind. Just as He allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to choose, so He lets the nations and the nations' inhabitants go their own way. He allows the world to suffer to teach us we cannot find lasting peace, security and contentment without Him.

We are learning the hard lesson that we cannot rightly govern ourselves apart from God and His laws. The eventual result of our efforts is that, just before Jesus returns to the earth, humanity will teeter on the brink of annihilation. "If that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive" (Matthew:24:22, REB).

This was Jesus' warning nearly 2,000 years ago. Only in recent times have we entered an age in which we actually possess the power to destroy the world. Leaders of government, science and religion believe that the only way we can avoid destruction is to establish a system of international cooperation.

Michio Kaku, scientist, author and television host, writes that the "sheer power of ... scientific revolutions will force the nations of the earth to cooperate on a scale never seen before in history." He adds: "In the background always lurks the possibility of a nuclear war, the outbreak of a deadly pandemic, or a collapse of the environment" (Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century, 1998, p. 19).

Christ prophesied that the nations, not surprisingly, will fail in their efforts to peacefully cooperate. He warned that warfare will not cease, but will increase (Matthew:24:6-8

). Suffering will not disappear; it will intensify in the years leading up to His return(verse 21-22).

God is allowing people to attempt to rule themselves even as they fumble in spiritual darkness. But because they have cast His commandments aside they cannot succeed. God will bring all people to realize they cannot achieve world peace and bring an end to misery and suffering without His intervention.

As the living and just God, our Creator will not allow an evil and unjust world to continue indefinitely. He will not allow us to annihilate ourselves. He will send Jesus to earth, this time to rule as King of Kings (Revelation:19:16). The Messiah will intervene at the hour of man's gravest crisis (Daniel:12:1).

In effect, God must tear everything down and start over. Once the worldwide destruction described in Revelation 6-19 and other biblical prophecies has run its course, Christ will intervene to establish a kingdom of righteousness and begin to rectify the injustice and unfairness in the world.

How those who suffer will finally find peace

God's plan includes a way to redeem all who have suffered and died in the past without understanding why they suffered. Billions of men, women and children have lived and died throughout history without knowing God or realizing His purpose. The majority of these never heard of Jesus during their lifetimes. They lived and died ignorant of why He came and with no comprehension of God's plan.

The Bible reveals that, 1,000 years after Jesus returns, God will bring back to life all who ever lived but received little or no understanding of God's purpose. He will resurrect them to a temporary physical life and give them a final opportunity to exercise their free will—but this time with an understanding of true spiritual knowledge in a world in whichGod's way, not Satan's, holds sway.

At that time they will have to choose, or knowingly reject, God's way of life. Their choice will determine whether they will receive eternal life or perish in the lake of fire (Revelation:20:15).

This will be their first opportunity for salvation, because they were previously alienated from God through the deception of the devil (2 Corinthians:4:3-4
; 1 John:5:19;Revelation:12:9).

With Satan blinding them, they never comprehended God's purpose. When God resurrects them into a world in which His truth will be freely available (Jeremiah:31:34;Isaiah:11:9), they will reflect on the immense suffering that sin caused down through history and can choose anew, this time with full understanding of the consequences of sin and the suffering it brings. Most will begin to make right choices and accept Christ as Savior—a path that, if chosen, will lead them to eternal life.

Revelation:20:12 describes this resurrection: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books [books of the Bible, revealing the right way to live] were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books" (Revelation:20:12).

God will resurrect these people, and they will then be judged by biblical standards according to how they respond to the spiritual enlightenment they will have now received for the first time. (For more details about the resurrections described in the Bible, 

This present evil world is not just and never can be. As we have seen, it is Satan's world, not God's. But God is perfectly just, righteous, merciful and fair. His plan provides for a transformed world, a way for all mankind to be redeemed and, when all is said and done, all suffering to be erased.

Revelation:21:3-4
 describes the time when suffering will be no more: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'" What encouraging words!

What should you do?

Many people hold to an erroneous concept that was popular in Jesus' day. At that time people commonly assumed that a person's health and wealth were an indicator of his righteousness or guilt. Those who had a comfortable, prosperous life were presumed to be blessed by God while those who suffered from poverty, disease or other adversities were thought to be divinely cursed for their sins.

Jesus addressed this notion when people told Him of a tragedy that had stunned the inhabitants of Jerusalem. On the Roman governor's orders, several men had been brutally killed while bringing sacrifices to the temple.

Jesus asked: "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke:13:2-3
).

It was incomprehensible to those who heard Christ's words that such a tragedy could befall people who were in the very act of doing good. They couldn't begin to understand how God could allow such a disaster.

Jesus made the point that no one is immune to the twists and turns of this life. The lesson? Unless we repent we will perish.

Jesus reinforced the lesson with another example. "Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (verses 4-5).

Untimely deaths, such as the murder of the Galileans bringing their sacrifices, were simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The victims of these tragedies weren't greater sinners than other men and women; they were random victims of random events. They were sinners, however, and, as with all who sin, they were destined to die.

The same is true for us. We may not be the victims of random violence or a collapsing building, but we are sinners, and eventually something will do us in. When we realize that, Jesus' warning should pierce our consciousness: "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Knowing that we live in a world awash in misery, in which tragedy can strike at any time, shouldn't we heed Christ's warning to repent and begin aligning our life with His? As Jesus told a man He had healed of a longtime affliction: "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (John:5:14).

Christ expects us to repent and turn to God. Indeed, God "now commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts:17:30). Knowing our time on earth is short, we had better be sure to concentrate on the things that are most important to Him. 

When you suffer

If you are suffering, what should you do? Take your problem to God through prayer in faith and ask for His comfort and encouragement! In the book of Psalms we read of King David asking the Creator many times to relieve his sufferings.

Jesus came to earth to ease our sufferings. He is no stranger to the suffering of humanity. He offers comfort, help and hope to those who suffer. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden," He says, "and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew:11:28-29
).

We need not be discouraged by the evil that pervades the world. Knowing that suffering occurs for valid reasons helps us deal with the question of why God allows it in the first place. God is sovereign and ultimately in charge. He has promised to liberate the world from suffering—not now, but when Christ returns to establish God's Kingdom. He tells us to pray for the arrival of that Kingdom and to wait patiently for that time (Matthew:6:9-10
; Luke:21:19). Only then will suffering end.

As for your own life, be sure you have surrendered to God in genuine repentance, as Jesus commanded (Luke:13:3, 5). When Christ came to live on the earth as the Son of God 2,000 years ago, He realized He was coming to a people groaning under the burden of injustice and pain. Of that world He said, "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Matthew:4:16, NIV). The light Jesus spoke of was Himself and the truth of God that He revealed.

Jesus told the people that their responsibility was to turn to God: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (verse 17). This, above all else, is what we need to do. We cannot avoid suffering in a world full of evil, but when we turn to God we can experience the comfort and hope of looking forward to a world free of suffering.

Take strength, courage and hope from the promises of God. In spite of the sorrows of this life, we can experience great joy in living according to His will today while having faith in His revealed truth about the world to come. As we've seen, Paul explained that the sufferings of this age are not worthy to be compared with the glorious future we will experience in God's Kingdom (Romans:8:18).

So wonderful will it be that, in the scope of eternity, all the pain and suffering of today will seem minor and fleeting, though it is hard to bear for the moment. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians:4:17-18
 (New Living Translation): "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

To be cont'd. 

God bless you.