What Is The Time Of The End? ( 25)

Protection for God's servants

One of the most encouraging aspects of this subject is knowing that God has promised to watch over and care for His people during this time of unprecedented worldwide turmoil. Jesus said there is nothing wrong with wanting to avoid suffering the end-time disasters. In fact, as we saw in Luke:21:36, He encourages us to be alert and aware, watching our own spiritual state as well as world events and conditions and earnestly praying we will be worthy to escape the coming devastation, if it occurs during our lifetime.

Just as in Noah's day, God will provide a way for many of the faithful to be protected during those 3 1⁄2 years. As Zephaniah:2:3 tells us, "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger."

Although Satan will try to destroy God's people, God will provide the means for many of them to be spared this dangerous time (Revelation:12:13-17



). Jesus says He will care for those who faithfully serve Him during that time.

He tells one faithful group at the end, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation:3:10).

In Revelation 7, God's servants are sealed and spared from the coming global upheavals. "Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads'" (verses 2-3).

Who are these servants of God? Notice how the book of Revelation describes them. They are those "who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus," those "who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" and "those who do His commandments" (Revelation:12:17; 14:12; 22:14).

The book of Revelation shows that those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus are God's people. 

Yet, sadly, prophecy reveals that not all of God's people will be protected during the end time. Christ foretold that part of His Church at the end would not be spiritually ready. In Matthew 25 His parable of the 10 virgins shows that some of His people would neglect their spiritual state and be unprepared.

He concludes the parable with this warning: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew:25:13). Consequently, as the end time begins, some of God's people will be protected from Satan's persecutions while others bear the brunt of the devil's fury (Revelation:6:9-11

; 12:14, 17).

A time to be spiritually awake

Although the end time is a period of unprecedented world trouble, it is also the threshold of God's Kingdom. Paul gives a wonderful perspective of how we should spiritually prepare for that time, regardless of when it comes:

"But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

"But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians:5:4-11






, NASB).

We should take great comfort in God's promises and the knowledge He has made available about the end time. The good news is that, if we prepare ourselves spiritually, this can be a time of confidence, hope and joy leading inexorably to God's incomparable Kingdom. As Jesus assures us in Luke:21:28, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

God bless you all.