Is It The End Of The World Next Week?
Ξ June 6th, 2008 | → 3 Comments | ∇ End Times |
Welcome back!
We know that we are heading into the last days or end times when the scriptures are predicting the times of the end and they are coming to pass. People love to predict the end of the world. I have no idea why since all would vanish if such things were actually true. Now, I realize that we have had such predictors for years. I remember back when I was a kid, according to my nieces it was during the years of the dinosaurs, that there were cartoons and pictures of guys carrying sandwich board signs that said things like “The end of the world is coming! Repent!” and other such oddities. Those have been around since long before I was born. So, what makes it different today?
Not much except that when you read your Bible, you can see that the prophecies for the last days are actually coming true before your eyes. I am especially interested in what Jesus has to say in Mathew 24, aren’t you? We can see more and more wars and rumors of them; the earthquakes are really getting bigger, more of them and more often; hurricanes are causing much more damage, diseases are getting worse and worse especially some that the scientists thought were a thing of the past; people are starving in a world where there are resources enough to feed every man, woman and child every day for their entire lives but there are people who would rather see them starve than give a helping hand. And it is all more and bigger than ever before.
Jesus talked about the signs of the times of the end. He said that it was like birth pains. Any woman who has gone through a birth of a child knows exactly what He means. In our family recently, there was a new birth, a baby girl. She is absolutely beautiful. My niece had to go through birth pains that started small but gained in strength until it was constant. Like that, the world is seeing those same things but in ever increasing pain.
The wars and rumors, the diseases, the hurricanes and tornadoes that are so much worse this year than ever before, the earthquakes that are happening so much more often and so much worse than before. Just think for a moment. Those people who have steadfastly denied that the end times are upon us also said that we have always had the quakes, the tornadoes, hurricanes and so on all of our lives. I know that too. BUT, when I was a kid, there were maybe a tornado or two in a few years time. Now when the tornadoes break out, it is in large numbers all at once. This is totally different than ever before.
However, there is a danger in trying to predict the actual date of such occurrences that are in the Bible. In the last several years, there have been some people who decided that they could tell when the last days were going to happen or when the end of the world was going to occur.
I had some friends who had bought a book by what they thought was a reputable preacher who had predicted the end of the world and when the rapture was going to happen back in the early 80s. My friends fully believing the guy, were putting labels on all their things giving things away to people that they knew would not be included in the event that was predicted…the rapture. When that did not happen as stated in his book, he simply started a new book to put out for more people to believe. I think he had about 4 or 5 books out before he truly was no longer credible. That is amazing to me. He should have not been believed in the first place but if believed then, certainly not after the miss on the dates the first time around.
God is quite clear about not believing just anyone about this sort of thing. Jesus told the disciples not to be deceived. The problem is that those people that try predicting such things are actually deceiving others. It is highly possible that they are deceiving themselves as well if they really believe these things they are talking about. One the other hand, there are those that are strictly in it to deceive as many as possible. One such person appears to be a man named Hawkins who is spreading his own brand of the word of God. He maintains his own little cult in Texas. His prophecy is that the beginning of the end of the world, nuclear holocaust will happen next Thursday, June 12th or sooner. He also states that it will be around the river Euphrates. There is a grain of truth in what he says but it also is a problem for people. I will tell you why.
(Mat 24:4-5) And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.
(Mat 24:11) And many false prophets will rise and deceive many.
Those scriptures were warnings by Jesus to those of us who are living in the last days of the age. But it is imperative that people take note that God is telling us not to believe those false prophets. And how can we tell that they are false? Through studying the Word of God so that you know it very well. In the meanwhile, you can also tell by simply noting that it is a human who is bringing this to you. When someone tells you that such things are happening, do not believe the person just because he says it. Prove it out by going to your own Bible and searching out the scriptures for yourself. NEVER EVER believe anyone without doing that. I do not want you to believe me JUST because I say something. Go to your Bible and see it for yourself.
It is quite clear that there are to be many false prophets in the last days of the age. This particular person, Mr. Hawkins, who has a farm in Abilene, Texas, has conveniently been selling people supplies from his own store. He has many, many semi-trailers, hundreds so the media states, full of food and supplies sitting at the ready for “the day” so that his followers can hide from the worst. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this guy has predicted the beginning of the end of the world. This is just the latest in his efforts to get others to believe his stories. It is this very type of person to beware of as a false prophet. Now, he might mean well but he is not following what God has said. And this is deceiving others.
Oh yes, I should mention this one tiny detail about the end of the world. That isn’t going to happen. Read your Bible. God specifically says that after the tribulation time of seven years, the devil will be locked up for a 1000 years and then loosed for a short time. That does not say that there will be an end to the world. So, anyone who tells you that the world is about to end has no clue what they are talking about.
The key to knowing one way or another whether such people are actually prophets of God is to check everything out for yourself. Do not simply believe someone just because he says to believe him. Those who preach the Word of God and are credible will expect and tell you to seek these things out for yourself. Any preacher, no matter how good or nice, who gets upset about you proving things for yourself or doesn’t tell you to read your Bible for these answers is deceiving themselves and you if you believe them. God was clear…there WILL BE false prophets. They actually have always been here but now the devil is working very hard to make us believe his lies for he is the father of them.
We must be wise by seeking God’s face, seeking out His Word and what it says about these things. People like Mr. Hawkins may very well believe what they are saying but it is false. Do not be deceived. We do not need a go between. Jesus took care of that on the cross. We can talk to our Father, go directly to the throne to seek Him.
(Heb 4:16) Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Isn’t it time to spend more time with the Lord? Isn’t it time to study and seek His face so that we will not be deceived by those who know not? Make no mistake, we are living in the last days of the age. I did not say that we are in the tribulation. There are no indicators that we have gone into that period just yet. But it is most definitely close. I will not say when because I do not know when. No one does. Jesus even said that. He said that only the Father knows. Isn’t it time to believe the Lord and stop believing the humans who do not know? Take the time today to talk to the Lord. Enjoy this time. We may not have much left to get close to the Lord.
