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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Sin – Wrath (Page 1 of 4)

Blog posts about sin and wrath.

The Enemies of God in the End-Times

September 18, 2024 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #313 ~

The subject of God’s enemies, of people who hate God and therefore hate you must be understood (John 15:18-21). It’s imperative that you know what God says about sinners who are against Christians. You don’t want to be naïve with regards to this subject. In the end-times, the enemies’ opposition to Christians will increase, culminating in the great tribulation, the last years of this age when the Antichrist is ruling the world and persecuting Christians. Thankfully, those days of suffering will not last very long, and then Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, will gloriously return to rapture the church. Matt. 24:9, 21-22, 29-31

For this study of our enemies, I’m looking at the Psalms because it is so extensive in what it says about them. Over 80 Psalms speak of these evil sinners, of who they are, what they are doing, and how we are to get the victory over them. “O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain. Through God we shall do valiantly, and it is He who will tread down our adversaries” (Ps. 60:11-12). In today’s post I am looking at several Psalms that describe our enemies and God’s judgment of them.

Psalm 2:1-3 – “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed One, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their deeds from us!’” Evil rulers are opposed to and are working together against God the Father and His Son – they do not want to be under His control. These truths from Ps. 2 are present day realities – devilish nations are now uniting as a globalist force, which will soon lead to the arrival and rule of the Antichrist. At the right time, Christ will come back and crush the Antichrist, and then begin His glorious 1000-year reign on earth. Speaking of this most certain future, God said, “I have installed my King on Zion.” Ps. 2:6

Psalm 10 – “The wicked boasts of his heart’s desire. And the greedy man curses and spurns the Lord. The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, ‘There is no God’” (3-4) … “His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and wickedness” (7) … “He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” (11). Many of the wicked do not believe there is a God, and thus, have no knowledge of Him. Others believe there is a God but that He doesn’t see the evil they are doing. They are proud, greedy, cruel, hateful, and deceitful people. But “The Lord is King forever and ever; nations have perished from His land.” (16). In the end, “man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.” (18)

Psalm 14:1-2 – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who does good. The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Many sinners do not believe there is a God. So they believe they can do whatever they want and get away with it. But they are dead wrong, for God sees all evildoers and all their evil, and He will justly judge them, and then eternally punish them.

Psalm 36:1-4 – “Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes, for it flatters him in his own eyes concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He plans wickedness upon his bed; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not despise evil.” The sinner is a fool for he does not fear God and he has no love for God. The sinner is known by his proud thoughts, wicked words, and evil paths, a life of sin. But he does not even know his sin, and thus he does not despise or hate his sin. Here is the true and sobering future of sinners – “The doers of iniquity have fallen; they have been thrust down and cannot rise.” Ps. 36:12

Psalm 52:1-5 – “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? … Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.” The evil man is deceitful, he speaks lies – you cannot trust what he says. He is destructive and devouring, not wanting to help people but instead wanting to hurt them. So what happens to the proud person who trusts, not in God but in his money, who things he has all this power, who is determined to do evil (7)? “God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, and uproot you from the land of the living.” (5)

Psalm 59:12-13 – “On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, and on account of the curses and lies which they utter. Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more, that men may know God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth.” A sinner, a proud, cursing, lying person, is usually judged in two ways: 1st, he is caught in his sin and suffers while he is on this earth; and 2nd, he will suffer eternally in hell, where he will be rightfully and severely punished.

Psalm 73:6-9 – “Pride is their necklace; the garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; the imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; they speak from on high. They have set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue parades throughout earth.” The wicked are proud, violent, and oppressive. Their thoughts run wild – they think they can do whatever they want. They speak against God and mock man. So what happens? “You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors” (18-19). The wicked person will be utterly shocked when his earthly life suddenly ends, and he appears before his Maker and Judge. Without warning, he will go “into eternal punishment”, “into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil.” Matt. 25:46, 41

God has chosen you to be on this earth for such a time as this. Be a good soldier for God, one who is strong and courageous! (Josh. 1:7-9). If you have enemies, God wants you to love them, pray for them (Matt. 5:44), and tell them the good news about Christ. Now it may happen that “they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you to synagogues and prisons, and bring you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony” (Luke 21:12-13). God wants you to tell your enemies that Christ is the only way they can be forgiven of their sins and have eternal life. May God have mercy on some of them, and save their souls from suffering His eternal wrath.

We learn so much about the enemy from the Psalms. Now that we’re in the end-times and are seeing the increasing activity of the enemy, we must know these things. I will say it again – we must know these things. Know also that God is sovereign, that the enemy can only do what God lets him do. (Daniel 4:34-35). And if he doesn’t repent while he’s on earth, then God will punish him forever in hell. Rev. 20:15

In a related article, I list out most all the Psalms that speak of God’s enemies, and ours too. Finally, here is God’s promise to you – “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Matthew 6:11

P.S. We live in extremely dangerous times, spiritually difficult times. As Christians, we must not just be in “work” mode but in “war” mode (Nehemiah 4). The enemy is raging, but our Lord and Savior, our great and glorious God, is winning the war. My sermon this past Sunday was, “The United States and the Need for the Gospel.” In this message, I am very open and direct about the terribly sad condition of our country, and the need to vote, pray, and share the gospel. May God have mercy on our country. I would also encourage you to read my more extensive article on this same subject, our enemies.

Now Is Not the Time for Justice, But for Mercy

August 5, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #282 ~

This world is full of criminals and crime – and as you know, God has tasked the governing authorities with the job of pursuing justice with lawbreakers (Rom. 13:1-7). A recent and continuing problem in this country is the government’s increasing lack of dealing with crime and carrying out true justice. Conservative newscasts and podcasts give numerous examples of an unrighteous justice system, of gross injustice, and of criminals running free.

Sinful / criminal behavior is ignored, excused, and even promoted by individuals, groups, and governments (Rom. 1:32). Many are calling evil good, and good evil (Is. 5:20). And many are targeting Christians and Christian nationalists, saying they are “the problem”. More than ever before, they are being mocked, cancelled, persecuted, and arrested. It’s insane, it’s crazy, it’s of the devil.

What is a Christian to do? We can hope for justice in the courts. We can ask politicians to carry out existing laws or pass new ones. We can spend time promoting a candidate for the next election, in hopes that he will bring about change. But the real answer isn’t found in the government, a politician, or a judge. “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men… How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord… who executes justice for the oppressed…” Ps. 146:3-7

I’m not saying we shouldn’t want justice to prevail, for the government to do their job, but that’s not our primary purpose. And it’s surely not pushing some political agenda or placing some person in office. It’s reaching out to the lost, it’s telling them the gospel, that they have sinned, but that Jesus Christ died to pay for their sins and then was raised from the dead, and that they can be forgiven of their sins if they repent and believe in Christ.

Isn’t this what Jesus said in John 3:16-17? He told us that His Father sent Him into the world, not to judge the world but “that the world might be saved through Him.” Jesus is offering salvation and eternal life to whoever believes in Him. Isn’t this your mission too, to tell people how they can be saved and become children of God? Yet we get caught up into thinking this country needs the justice of man when what this country really needs is the mercy of God.

Why spend so much time thinking about someone possibly being indicted for a few of his crimes against man? Again, the real and greatest problem is a person’s innumerable sins against the living and holy God, resulting in an eternal and painful punishment (Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:1-2, Matt. 25:41, 46). Again, the only answer to this problem is Jesus Christ. So shouldn’t we focus our energy on telling people that God wants to grant them mercy for their many and terrible sins against Him? Yes, yes, yes, for this is the gospel message, the most important message in the world!!! Matt. 24:14, John 1:12-13, Acts 20:24, Eph. 2:8-9

Here are some key points on this subject of justice and mercy:
1. Remember Jesus’ purpose when He was on earth. He didn’t go around judging sinners, but He loved them and shared the gospel with them – He wanted them to experience His mercy, and not His wrath. Hear what Jesus said about unbelievers on this earth – “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47, Mark 1:15, John 5:24, Luke 19:10
2. Be like Jesus, and don’t be judging people. Pray for them, with hopes that God will grant them repentance and faith (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Love those who are lost and look for open doors so you can share the gospel with them. Col. 4:2-6

3. Pray for those in authority to be saved, and that they would be “an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” 1 Tim. 2:1-2, Rom. 13:4
4. Don’t be angry when there’s a lack of justice. Trust God and do good. Ps. 37:1, 8
5. During this church age, God delays justice for sinners in general because He wants to save sinners in particular. So be patient. James 5:7-9, 2 Pet. 3:9

6. Imperfect, man-made governments are to punish evildoers, but no matter what happens, God will, in due time, perfectly carry out true justice towards all unrepentant sinners. For example, there’s the Day of the Lord at the end of this age – Rev. 16:4-7, and the lake of fire at the end of the millennial kingdom age – Rev. 20:11-15
7. Aspects of God’s justice are recorded in the Bible to keep us sober and to remind us that God is holy and that He judges sin. Numbers 16:1-50, the Prophets, Acts 12:20-23, Rom. 1:18
8. God raises up evil people and rulers, often withholding justice for a period of time, so that His divine and eternal purposes are fulfilled. Pharaoh greatly persecuted God’s people, but finally he was killed. “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” Rom. 9:17-18

9. True justice is dealt out by God at different times, but the full measure of His justice does not take place on earth, but in Hades (Luke 16:23), and then in the lake of fire. “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:13-15. Note Rev. 19:20 with respect to the Antichrist and the false prophet.
10. Don’t be like Jonah. He wanted justice, but God wanted mercy. Jonah was mad that the wicked Ninevites didn’t get the justice they deserved, but he should have been glad that God showed them undeserved mercy. Jonah 3-4

It’s vitally important that you understand this message. We are living in the end-times and from now until the coming of Christ, injustice will gradually and increasingly get worse for Christians. More and more we will be hated, arrested, persecuted, and even killed (Matt. 24:9, Rev. 6:9-11). But you must have hope, you must know that what you go through for Jesus Christ will be infinitely worth it, for “momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” 2 Cor. 5:17

P.S. You can’t live rightly for God if you don’t properly understand sin and how you are to think of it with regards to your life and the lives of others. Here are three more posts about sin and salvation: “In a Wicked World, You Have to Have Hope”, “A Sin-Wrecked World and the Coming of Christ”, “Living with Evil in the End-Times.”

When There’s No Justice, What Should You Do?

June 10, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #278 ~

Pray! Pray! Pray! And keep praying! That’s what you should do. Jesus uses a parable to teach us about faith and prayer (Luke 18:1-8). First, He gives the meaning of this short story, that “at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart” (Luke 18:1). We are to have faith, to persevere in prayer. Yes, we may be tempted to give up, to quit, but God wants us to keep looking to Him, to keep trusting Him, to keep praying.

This parable is about a widow, and she was needy, she was hurting, for she had been taken advantage of by her adversary, and so she’s going to a judge for justice. But this is an unjust, uncaring judge – he “did not fear God and did not respect man.” For whatever reason, this judge did not want to spend his time helping this widow. But this poor widow is persistent, she does not give up, she keeps bothering him. Finally, this evil judge has had enough, and he gives her justice. Luke 18:2-5

Jesus then explains how this parable applies to the elect, to believers. “Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?” (Lk. 18:6-7). It’s a lesson from the lesser to the greater. If this unkind and unrighteous judge helps this widow, how much more will our loving and righteous Father give us justice? Jesus tells us that a key to this justice is desperate, persevering prayer. It’s the asking, seeking, knocking kind of prayer He had talked about in an earlier parable. Luke 11:5-13

This parable is most applicable at this present time. It’s obvious to me and I’m sure to you that we are living in an increasingly unrighteous country. (Matt. 24:12). It’s not just that more people are evil, but that lawless judges and DAs don’t even address the evil. (Is. 5:23). Many government officials are unjust, are soft on crime, and are letting criminals go free. Not only that, but they are going after believers, and like never before. It won’t be long before Jesus’ prophecy about the end-times is fulfilled – “You will be hated by all nations on account of My name.” Matthew 24:9

So what can you do when you personally experience injustice? You can address it to a judge in court – but most importantly, pray to the Judge, to God Himself. You may get justice from the judge, and you may not. But you will definitely get justice from the Judge. And now we are watching all this lawlessness in our cities, states, and country – and the people affected may or may not get justice from the judge. That’s why it’s imperative for Christians to not put their hope in earthly judges, but to keep asking the heavenly Judge for justice. Sooner or later, He will give us true and perfect justice.

No matter what happens in our courtrooms on earth, know that God is on His heavenly throne, and He will most certainly bring justice (Ps. 97:1-3). He won’t excuse sin – He can’t let it go – He must punish it, and God deals with it in four ways: 1) A person may be judged by an earthly authority (Rom. 13:1-4). 2) He may in some way suffer God’s wrath while he is on earth (Acts 12:18-23, Rom. 1:18). 3) If he dies and is unsaved, then he immediately goes to hell where he’s justly punished (Lk. 16:22-25), and then at the great white throne judgment he’s cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). 4) He may be alive on earth when Christ comes back, and will experience God’s wrath during the day of the Lord. Revelation 8-9. And this final point is one of the themes of Luke 18:1-8.

This takes us back to Luke 17:22-37, the prophecy passage that’s just before the prophecy-related parable in Luke 18:1-8. In Luke 17:26-30, we read of two examples of God’s justice, of God pouring out His wrath on sinners. There’s the flood during the time of Noah, and the fire and brimstone during the time of Lot. Now it’s our time, and the result of the sin we’re seeing will be God’s wrath, similar to the sudden, devastating justice we read about in the days of Noah and Lot. In this present crisis of evil, we must know that it is our duty to pray, to keep crying to God for justice. And this justice will be dealt out at the end of this present age, during the day of the Lord, which is point four from the previous paragraph. So keep praying, for “He (Christ) is coming to judge the earth.” Psalm 98:9

There’s another point we cannot overlook, and it’s the last phrase of vs. 7 – “delay long over them” or “be patient over them”. From the 1st coming until now is close to 2,000 years, and God’s justice upon this earth is being delayed, even though many believers have cried out, “How long O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10). This justice is delayed because God is patient, because He wants to show mercy to the chosen, to the rest of the elect. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient towards you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

James 5:7-9 says it this way – “Be patient brethren until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, until it gets the early and the late rains. You too be patient for the coming of the Lord is near… behold the Judge is standing right at the door”. Farmers must wait for the right time to harvest the grain, and Christ is waiting for the right time to rapture the church. “Reap, for the hour to reap has come.” Revelation 14:15

This country, the United States of America, is going down fast, driven by a devilish increase in sin, and a corresponding decrease in justice. This is clearly affecting believers. Just the other day, a Christian, standing across the street from some people celebrating sexual sin, was arrested for reading the Bible, for what the policeman said was disorderly conduct. Do you see what’s going on? God’s enemies are coming after us more and more (John 15:18-25). Persecution against Christians is growing worse in this country. So what should we do?

We are to have faith, we are to keep praying to God for justice. And that’s how this parable concludes – “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth” (Luke 18:8)? We are living in the end-times, in very difficult days, and we need to keep having faith until Christ comes. It would be sinful to be worldly, to be complacent, to be unbelieving. “We are not of night or darkness, so then let us not sleep… let us be alert and sober… having put on the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thess. 5:5-8), and let us keep praying. Then “He will bring about justice for them quickly.” This justice, this day of the Lord wrath, takes place at the end of this age, and it will happen quickly, suddenly, for Christ returns, Christians are glorified, and God pours out His wrath on this most evil world. Rev. 6:12 – Rev. 9

But remember to be patient, and to pray for God’s mercy upon sinners. Jesus told us, “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). So do your part in sharing the gospel “to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14), and the Son of Man will rapture the church and judge the world. “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

P.S. Here are a few other posts to read that are related to this subject, and will be very helpful to you: “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”, “It’s Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better”, and “Living with Evil in the End-Times.”

The Prophets’ Punishing End-Times’ Message!

May 27, 2023 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #277 ~

The prophets’ punishing message is particularly relevant as we think about what’s now happening to the United States? The border is being overrun, there’s two-tiered justice, massive debt problems, unchecked crime, the fentanyl crisis, evil rulers, families falling apart, children under attack, homelessness, human trafficking, socialism, communism, countries turning against us, etc.

Habakkuk 1:3-4 sums up what I know many of you have been thinking: “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. The law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.” It’s the prophets that explain why all this terrible but justified evil is now occurring in our country!

The news media surely doesn’t give you any answers. The real problem isn’t the economy, the schools, the government, the border, the climate, etc. You must get past the surface to the heart of the problem, and it’s the prophets that tell you our root problem is spiritual in nature – it’s sin, it’s turning from God to idols. And what you are now witnessing in our country are the consequences of our sin, God’s righteous judgment of our wicked ways. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Romans 1:18-32

The prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi, make up one fourth of the Bible, a major portion of God’s word, and they need to be read to understand this present time. They illustrate the sinful condition of countries and cities and how God punished them. Thus, they give us wisdom, enabling us to see and sort out what’s now going on in our own country and in our own cities. “Jerusalem has sinned greatly… Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins.” Lamentations 1:8,5

The prophets tell us that sin, at its core, is two sins – it’s rejecting God and turning to false gods, it’s forsaking God and loving other gods. “They went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty… My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:5, 13). “Nations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin.” Hosea 10:10

This double sin, this root sin, results in many other sins. There’s drunkenness (Is. 5:22), denying justice for a bribe (Is. 5:23), rebellion, stubbornness (Jer. 5:23), arrogance, overeating (Ezek. 16:49), cursing, lying, stealing, murder, adultery (Hos. 4:2), idolatry (Hos. 4:12), disobedience (Jonah 1:3), rejecting God’s law (Amos 3:4), laziness (Amos 6:1), love of food, wine, and music (Amos 6:4-6), coveting, defrauding (Mic. 2:2), hating good and loving evil (Mic. 3:2), divorce (Mal. 2:14-16), robbing God (Mic. 3:8), etc., etc. The sins that took place over 2500 years ago are, for the most part, the same sins now being committed in our own country.

God must punish all sins for He is holy – He can’t just let them go. “I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). And the prophets specifically tell us how He punished these sins. Here are some examples: “a lion from the forest will slay them” (Jer. 5:6); “sickness and wounds” (Jer. 6:7); “their houses shall be turned over to others” (Jer. 6:12); “I’m bringing disaster on this people” (Jer. 6:19); “neighbors and friends will perish” (Jer. 6:21); “an army is coming – they are cruel and show no mercy” (Jer. 6:22-23); “I will ruin her vines and fig trees” (Hos. 2:12).

“I will ignore your children” (Hos. 4:6); “a nation has invaded my land” (Joel 1:6); “the people’s joy is withered away” (Joel 1:12); “the seeds shrivel… the grain is dried up… herds of cattle wander aimlessly” (Joel 1:17-18); “I will send fire” (Amos 1:4); “I will destroy the king” (Amos 1:5); “I gave you empty stomachs” (Amos 4:6); “I will send you into exile” (Amos 5:27). In the past, God punished sinners in many ways, and now we are watching God’s diverse and dreaded judgment of the United States. By reading the prophets you can understand what’s taking place, that we are greatly sinning and are being greatly punished by God.

Man’s sin and God’s judgment of his sin are God’s primary messages in the prophets, but there are many other themes. They tell you about God’s identity, that He’s the Lord (Is. 26:4), the Rock (Is. 26:4), the Judge (Is. 33:22), the Lawgiver (Is. 33:22), the Shepherd (Is. 40:11), the Creator (Is. 43:1), the Savior (Is. 43:3), the King (Is. 44:6), the Redeemer (Is. 44:6), the Holy One (Is. 45:11), the Servant (Is. 52:13), and our Husband (Is. 54:5).

The prophets tell you about God’s character, that He’s holy (Is. 6:1-3), wise (Is. 11:2), supreme, powerful (Is. 40:12-31), just, loving, righteous (Jer. 9:24), true, living, eternal (Jer. 10:10), sovereign (Dan. 4:34-35), compassionate and forgiving (Micah 7:19).

The prophets tell you about Christ’s 1st coming, that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), would suffer (Is. 50:6), would be pierced (Is. 53:5), would die to pay for our sins (Is. 53:4-12), would proclaim the good news (Is. 61:1), would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech. 9:9).

The prophets tell you the good news, that God shows you mercy if you repent of your sin and believe that His Son is the Messiah, the Christ who died to pay for your sin. Yes, God is judging this sinful country, but know that He judged His own Son so you could be forgiven, have hope, and be eternally loved. Isaiah 53, Ezekiel 37:23, Micah 7:18-20

The prophets also tell you about Christ’s 2nd coming, and the amazing hope God has for all His people. This is an extremely, eternally important message of the prophets. Sad to say, many people, even believers, don’t see it this way. They believe the truths about Christ’s first coming but not the truths about His 2nd coming, many which are found in the prophets. Much that is said about this hope is easily discovered on the pages of the prophets, but some, like hidden treasure, must be searched for. Here are some verses about this hope: Gen. 12:1-3, 17:4-8; Is. 2:2-4, 4:2-6, 9:6-7, 54:5-8, 61:2b-11, 65:17-25; Jer. 23:5-6, 32:37-44; Ez. 37:22-23; Dan. 2:44-45, 7:13-14; Hosea 1:10-11; Joel 3:16-21; Amos 9:14-15; Micah 5:4; Hab. 2:14; Zeph. 3:14-17; and Zech. 14:9-11.

Here are some final points about reading the prophets and our future:
1. The prophets focus primarily on the Jewish people. There’s nothing specifically in the prophets about the church age. But there are important lessons for all believers, ones that will help you grow in your relationship with God, and in faith, holiness, and hope.
2. The prophets, in general, are predictive. Some of the passages are about their present time and / or the years following. Some are about Christ’s 1st coming. Some are about Christ’s 2nd coming and the kingdom age. Others have a near and a far perspective.

3. If you have not read any of the prophets, I’d recommend you start with the minor ones, like Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Jonah, and then move on to the major ones, like Isaiah and Jeremiah. I will admit, they are not always easy to understand, but ask God to teach you as you read them, and He will.
4. Be looking for the primary subjects in the prophets – God, man’s sin, God’s judgment, the Jews, Christ’s 1st coming, salvation, Christ’s 2nd coming, and hope. 

5. I suggest that you write down the passages that talk about the hope of the Jews. That’s because your hope, your future blessing as a Christian, is in many ways tied to the hope of the Jews. For example, both Jews and Christians will inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11, Matt. 5:5), and together they will be glorifying the Lord. Romans 15:8-12
6. This world is on a fast track to the end of this age, at which time the church will be raptured and the nations will be righteously judged. It’s not just the United States that falls under the judgment of God, but all nations in the world. Psalm 9:17-20; Zeph. 1; Rev. 6:12-17, Rev. 7:9-14, Rev. 8-9

7. One reason why the United States needs to be judged and lose its position as the #1 power in the world is to make way for the Antichrist and his kingdom. I don’t believe it will be long before this takes place, and the Antichrist is ruling this earth, but only for a very short time. Then Jesus Christ will come back to rapture the church, judge the world, save a remnant of Jews, and reign on earth. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 47
8. It is true that the United States is being judged and is going downhill. But remember the story of Jonah, and how God had mercy on that wicked city of Nineveh. As Habakkuk 3:2 says, “In wrath remember mercy.” Pray that God would bring revival. Might Daniel 9:4-19 be our prayer – “We have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from your commandments (vs. 4)… O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay (vs. 19).

P.S. I pray that you are awake, alert, and watching. We must not be asleep in times like these. We must be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what they should do, and like John the Baptist who was preparing the way of the Lord. I suggest you read these two posts: “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, and “The Day of the Lord: the Wrath of God on Earth.”

The Day of the LORD – God’s Righteous Wrath

August 12, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #254 ~

The whole world will be judged! That’s what God tells us, that’s what she deserves, and that’s what’s going to happen! Isaiah and Paul call it the “Day of the Lord” (Isaiah 13:6, 1 Thess. 5:2). John the Baptist says it’s the “wrath to come” (Luke 3:7). And this wrath won’t be a super volcano, global flooding, a nuclear war, EMP’s, or any combination of these things, but rather a series of disastrous, God-planned events specifically described in Revelation 8-9, 16.

Most people don’t know about this, don’t have even a clue of the catastrophic events that will soon devastate this earth. Or if they have heard about it, they don’t believe it’s going to happen – they are judgment deniers. (2 Peter 3:3-7). They don’t believe life on earth will be radically different, that this world, as we know it, will soon come to an end. Thinking that everything is going to stay the same, they will be eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building. (Luke 17:24-28). Will they ever be shocked when God’s righteous hand suddenly strikes this earth.

Why is God going to punish this world? Because He’s perfectly holy. Rev. 4:8 sets the stage for this end-of-the-age wrath when it says, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” The Judge is sitting on His throne, and He has already told us His verdict, that this world is guilty of grave sins and a great many sins, and there must be justice, there must be divine retribution. “You have sat on the throne judging righteously, You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins.” Psalm 9:4-8

The vast majority of people don’t understand God’s holiness, that He demands perfection from every single person. Even in our own courts, a person shown to be guilty for one crime is pronounced guilty by the judge for that crime and must be punished (James 2:10). But that’s on a human level – here is God, the divine Judge, and He examines an individual’s entire life, and He knows all their evil thoughts, words, and actions, each one being utterly offensive to Him. (Hab. 1:13). Those who have not repented of their sins, not trusted in Christ, not believed He died to pay the penalty for their sins, will be guilty forever, and therefore perish, be punished forever. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16; Mark 1:15; Matt. 25:46

God cannot ignore sin, He cannot say it’s no big deal, He cannot forget it! God cannot excuse sin, not even one! Because God is altogether righteous, He has no choice but to pour out His wrath upon sinful people, and upon this entire world. The Bible gives us story after story about God judging individuals, families, cities, nations, and the world. Sinful Cain was a vagrant and a wanderer upon the earth (Gen. 4:12). The great, global flood destroyed an extremely wicked world in the time of Noah (Gen. 7). Fire and brimstone rained down upon those two evil cities, Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24-25). There were 10 punishing plagues poured out upon rebellious Egypt (Exodus 7-11). There was all Israel stoning and burning Achan’s family (Josh. 7:25). And look at the hundreds of warnings by the prophets! God’s word continually, clearly, and conclusively testifies to the holiness of God in history past. Might we learn from them, and be holy. Romans 15:4

It’s quite obvious to spiritually minded Christians that sin is rapidly increasing in the United States and all over the world. Grievous sin is running rampant, corrupting countries and polluting the entire planet (Lev. 18:24-25). This was predicted in Matt. 24, the most important end-times’ chapter – “lawlessness is increased” (Matt. 24:12, 2 Thess. 2:7-12, 2 Tim. 3:1-4). God must and will punish the whole world, and very soon. “Near is the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly… a day of wrath is that day, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom.” Zephaniah 1:14-15

The day of the Lord was prophesied in many places – Isaiah 13:6-13; Joel 2:30-32; Amos 5:18-22; Obadiah 1:15; Zeph. 1:1-3, 14-18; Acts 2:19-21; 1 Thess. 5:1-4. These predictions, plus many other references to this final cataclysmic judgment are to warn the unbelieving world about what will be taking place. God is alerting believers as well, for we should be living holy lives, especially in these few and final years leading up to the coming of Christ. 1 Thess. 5:5-8, 1 Peter 1:13-16

It’s now relatively calm in this world compared to the catastrophic judgments to come, the deserved and dreadful wrath of God that will be poured out upon this earth – hail, fire, blood, demonic locusts, malignant sores, extreme torment, scorching heat, darkness, and death (Rev. 8-9, 16). It’s calm because God is being patient with the lost (2 Pet. 3:9), wanting Christians to lovingly and urgently share the gospel with them before it’s too late, warning them of the destruction and death to come, begging them to be reconciled to God, to turn from their sin and turn to Christ, to receive His eternal life and love. 2 Cor. 5:21, James 5:7-11

If sinners remain unrepentant and are still alive on earth when Christ returns, not only will they go through the fiery day of the Lord, but they will also go to hell, first to Hades for 1000 years, and then to the lake of fire for all eternity. “Depart from me accursed ones into the eternal fire” (Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:11-14). I hope you are seeing the big picture, the powerful, painful, and punishing wrath that evil unbelievers will experience forever and ever, and rightfully so. “Upon the wicked He will rain snares; fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. The Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright will behold His face.” Psalm 11:6-7  

Jesus Christ is returning to this earth to reign as King, but first, He must be a Judge and eradicate sin by punishing this evil world and casting out sinners. God is perfectly holy, and He has to clean house, He must purify this place – then Christ can begin reigning and ruling over this world. “He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity” (Ps. 9:8). Then we will all declare, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

Jesus Christ is also returning to rapture all Christians living on earth at that time (Hallelujah!), and this occurs just before God pours out His wrath. “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven… who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:9-10, 4:15-17). “God has not destined us for wrath” (1 Thess. 5:9). I cannot wait for this to happen! “‘Behold, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

P.S. This is a most sobering subject, and you need to learn from it and be holy. And be thankful for God’s mercy on your soul, that He saved you from the wrath to come, and from an eternal hell. I encourage you to read these three other posts – “The Day of the LORD, the Wrath of God on Earth”, “What About the Unrepentant Unbeliever in the End-Times?”, and “Rescued from the Punishing Day of the Lord.”

How Can We Live In This Sinful World?

June 16, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #249 ~

You may wonder why I keep talking about sin. Because it’s accelerating, it’s hyperactive, it’s on overdrive in our country. And it’s not just growing, it’s becoming much more wicked and perverted. We see all this evil in our schools, government, families, media, music, movies, and yes, even in our churches. Depravity is on full display, and is being celebrated and applauded. (Rom. 1:18-32). As a Christian, you need to understand this subject of sin and sinners so that you spiritually survive, and so that you live a godly, fruitful, victorious life. Don’t stop reading this post just because it’s not one of those feel good subjects. You must hear these truths so you can know how to live in this wicked world.

Here are several things you need to know about sin and sinners.
1. Sin is our biggest problem, for it results in spiritual death, and ultimately results in physical death, and if not righteously dealt with, eternal death, forever and infernally being separated from the living God. (Ezek. 18:4, Rom. 3:23, Matt. 25:46). Our root sin, our central sin, is not loving and worshiping God, our Creator, but instead, loving and worshiping the creation. Jer. 2:5, 13; Rom. 1:19-25

2. If you don’t see that sin is the #1 problem in a person’s life and the world at large, then you will wonder why evil and devilish things are happening. You may feel sick to your stomach. You may be extremely sad. You may be disgusted. You may get discouraged as you see our country growing more sinful. You may get scared by what’s taking place. You may get angry at the evildoers. Or you may feel hopeless, and want to just give up. But what does God say? “The men of Issachar understood the times, and knew what they should do.” 1 Chronicles 12:32, Isaiah 1
3. If you don’t realize that sin is our fundamental problem, then you may think that other bad things in our society are the real problems when, in fact, they are the result of sin. Rom. 3:23, 6:23

4. If you don’t know that sin is our real problem, then you won’t see the need for Jesus Christ, that He’s the only answer to sin. Christ came to earth to die on the cross to defeat sin and death. Only He can solve our sin problem, along with every other problem. Only He can set a person free from their sin. John 8:31-32, Rom. 5:8, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Pet. 3:18, Titus 3:3-8
5. If you forget that sin is the core problem, then you will forget the fact that Christ is the only answer, and get off track, and focus on fleshly and worldly solutions, things that may relate to education, racism, equity, inflation, the border, climate change, etc. But these are superficial answers, only band-aids, and they don’t get to the root, they don’t really solve our problem of sin. Psalm 146:3-5

6. Knowing that sin is our main problem should motivate you to fulfill a key aspect of God’s will for your life, which is being a witness for Jesus Christ, telling people how they can be delivered from sin, death, hell, and the devil, telling people how they can know God and Christ. Acts 1:8, 26:15-18
7. We live in the end-times which means this sin problem will get dramatically worse before the coming of Christ. “… lawlessness is increased…” (Matt. 24:12-13). Keep this in mind as you think about the future, as you carry out God’s purpose for your life, and as you persevere to the end of this evil age. 2 Thess. 2:3, Rev. 13

In this world of sin and sinful people, how should you think, how should you live?
1. Love God by living a holy life, by living like a child of God. Resist temptation, confess sin, walk in the light, and be a godly and righteous Christian. Rom. 6-7, Eph. 4, Col. 3, 1 Thess. 4, 1 John 1
2. Know that God is sovereign over sin and sinful people, over evil and evildoers. God allows and uses sin for His divine purposes and glory, and also for your good. Acts 2:23, 4:27-28; Rom. 8:28
3. As you live in this evil age, and in an increasingly sinful world, keep trusting God and keep looking to His word. Ps. 37, Ps. 119:81-88, Heb. 11

4. Be a light to the lost, be the salt of the earth, be Christlike in your words and actions. Show unbelievers what a believer looks like by being kind, gentle, patient, and forgiving. Matt 5:13-16
5. Love your enemies. Like Christ, be compassionate and patient towards sinners, for they are truly hurting – they’re lost, blind, empty, sad, deceived, and caught in their sin. Matt. 5:44, 9:36; 2 Cor. 4:4
6. Pray for sinners to be saved. Ask God to open their hearts so they see and are convicted of their sin and their need for Christ. Ask God to have mercy on their souls. Matt. 5:44, Rom. 10:1

7. Share the gospel with the lost. Tell them about sin, death, and hell. Tell them about Jesus, that He is the Lord, Savior, and coming King, that He is the bread of life and the light of the world. Tell them about His sacrificial and substitutionary death, and His resurrection. Tell them about heaven and hell. And share with them your testimony, what God has miraculously done in your life. Isaiah 53; John 1:12-13, 1:29, 3:16, 5:24; Rom. 3:23-26; Eph. 2:1-9; Col. 4:2-6, 1 Pet. 3:18
8. Don’t be angry with evildoers, with the wicked. Don’t be vengeful, don’t retaliate. God is closely watching each and every sinner and will deal with them in due time. He will either save them or judge them, show them mercy or show them wrath. Prov. 15:3; Rom 9:14-16, 12:19
9. Always stay close to Jesus. Be careful when you are with sinners, for you don’t want their sin to corrode your Christian life and result in you sinning against God. Psalm 63:8-10, 119:149-151; Jude 23  

10. It’s an honor and a blessing to be persecuted by sinners, for Jesus was persecuted. “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary…” Heb. 12:3, Matt. 5:10-12, John 15:18-25, 1 Pet. 2:21-23
11. A key to living in this devilish world is hope, is knowing Christ is returning to earth to rescue and glorify Christians, to put an end to sin and the evil doers who promote it, and to begin reigning as King over this earth. You must have hope, for it will help you live a holy life, and motivate you to keep going for God. Romans 8:18-25, Hebrews 11
12. God will justly punish sinners. Some of this may happen during this life. But for all who remain in their sin, who never repent of their sin during their time on earth, it will be a dreadful, deserved, eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Matt. 25:41, 46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:11-15

This last point, that God judges unrepentant sinners, is very important to understand. As I said, we should always love and pray for sinners, for those who don’t know God, for those who are opposed to Him and us (2 Cor. 2:14-17). But God won’t save every sinner, for many will stay in their sin, reject Christ, and forever be punished. What you must realize is that there are hundreds of verses about God’s righteous dealings with sinners, on earth and in hell. The whole Bible, book after book, talks about sin, sinners, justice, and wrath, especially the Psalms and Prophets, which are much more extensive in their discussion and detail of sin than other books.

Most of these Psalm verses are listed below. They talk about God’s present and future punishment of sinners. They educate you about God’s justice and wrath. They will help you be more holy and sober. They are an antidote to any wrong attitudes you may have about sin and sinners – like fear, worry, fretting, hopelessness, or unrighteous anger. And they remind you that sinners don’t win – they lose, and justly so. I strongly encourage you to read them, especially since we are living in a very sinful world, and are now in the end-times,

Psalm 1:6; Ps. 2:9-12; Ps. 3:7; Ps. 5:6-7; Ps. 6:10; Ps. 7:15-16; Ps. 9:3, 5-6, 15, 17; Ps. 10:15; Ps. 11:6-7; Ps. 17:13-14; Ps. 18:17-19, 48; Ps. 21:8-10; Ps. 25:19-20; Ps. 27:1-3; Ps. 28:3-4; Ps. 31:3-4, 8, 15, 17-18; Ps. 34:16; Ps. 35:1-8, 24-26; Ps. 36:11-12; Ps. 38:19-22; Ps. 40:14-16; Ps. 41:11-12; Ps. 44:4-8; Ps. 45:4-5; Ps. 52:1-7; Ps. 54:4-7; Ps. 55:15, 23; Ps. 56:4-7; Ps. 57:2-4; Ps. 58:1-9; Ps. 59:1-5, 12-16; Ps. 63:9-10; Ps. 64:6-8, Ps. 68:1-2, 21-23; Ps. 69:22-28; Ps. 70:1-3; Ps. 71:12-13; Ps. 73:16-20, 27; Ps. 75:7-10; Ps. 76:5-10; Ps. 78:42-52; Ps. 79:6-12, Ps. 81:13-15; Ps. 83; Ps. 91:5-10; Ps. 92:6-10; Ps. 94:1-11, 21-23; Ps. 97:1-3; Ps. 109:6-20, 29; Ps. 112:10; Ps. 119:21, 84, 118-119; Ps. 120:3-4; Ps. 125:5; Ps. 129:5-6; Ps. 135:8-11; Ps. 137:8-9; Ps. 139:19-20; Ps. 146:9; Ps. 149:5-9

Oftentimes, we read or hear about sinners in our country, sinners who are doing some of the most evil and perverted things, and who are encouraging others to do the same . And we want there to be justice, we want them to be punished for their sins. I encourage you to be patient, to pray for them, to ask God to have mercy on their souls. (2 Pet. 3:9-10). And if they don’t repent, they will be punished, justly and eternally so (Ps. 73:18-19). Indeed, there are degrees of punishment in hell. Matt. 10:15, 11:21-22; Heb. 10:20

Psalm 1:6 – “The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Psalm 11:6-7 – “Upon the wicked He will rain snares; fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.”

P.S. This subject of sin must be understood so you can deal with it in your own life, and so you can know how to relate and respond to the world around you. I cannot stress this enough. That’s why I encourage you to read and/or reread these other posts on sin and sinners – “Sinners and Saints in the End-Times”, “Living with Evil in the End-Times”, and “If the Foundations are Destroyed.”

Sinners and Saints in the End-Times

June 6, 2022 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #248 ~

Isn’t it true that you see, hear, and feel the sin most all the time? And you may be thinking it’s getting worse in this world, and it is. Then you may wonder why this country, along with other nations, are becoming so sinful, so evil, so wicked. What are the reasons for this?

Five things are currently contributing to and compounding the sin and the evil in our country:
* First, all people are sinners, and because they’re sinners, they sin. The following passages each give a list of specific sins – Mark 7:20-23, Rom. 1:28-32, Gal. 5:19-21, 2 Tim. 3:2-4, and Rev. 21:8.
* Second, we live in an evil age which is why we live in a sinful world. This age started with Adam’s sin and ends with cosmic disturbances suddenly darkening this entire planet. Matt. 24:29, Rev. 6:12-14
* Third, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). The devil wickedly and greatly affects every part of this world. And though not responsible for a person’s sin, he tempts and entices him to sin. “… the snare of the devil…” 2 Tim. 2:26, Gen. 3:1-5

* Fourth, from the 1960’s until now, there’s been a dramatic decline in our country’s character, and a corresponding increase in sin. People have been saying, “God is dead,” children have been told they can’t pray in school, evolution has been publicly taught, and there’s a steady decline in church attendance. Rom. 1:18-32 explains what’s happening, from rejecting God to immorality to homosexuality to depravity. God has given this country over to her sin and has also given the devil more freedom to fulfil his evil plans (Job 1:6-12). 2 Tim. 3:12 sums it up, “Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse.”
* Fifth, we live in the end-times, and Christ told us that during this time, evil will increase. (Matt. 24:12). And don’t forget that the “man of lawlessness”, the Antichrist, is coming, and he will further fuel this sin, injecting evil into our world like never before. 2 Thess. 2:3, Rev. 13:7-8

As Christians, we should never be surprised by all the evil in this increasingly sin-sick world. What took place during the time of Judges aptly describes what’s now going on – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). And we can’t deny that it’s difficult to live in a world that hates God and hates us. The Bible gives examples of this: Lot was “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men… (Lot) felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds” (2 Pet. 2:7-8). David was harassed by sinners – “Evils beyond number surround me” (Ps. 40:12). Paul was persecuted by evildoers – “Jews… stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.” Acts 13:9

Then there’s Jesus Christ, a “Man of sorrows.” And why? The Son of God knew and felt the core problem of our spiritually dark and dirty world far more than anyone else. Can you imagine how troubling it was for this perfect Man to live on this unholy earth? But He knew He was the Light of the World, the Savior, the Answer to our problem, the Victor over all sin and all sinners. As a Christian, be extremely thankful that Christ loved you and saved your soul from sin, death, the devil and hell! “You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:12-13

But we’re still in this world, and being surrounded by all this sin is like like living in a filthy-dirty, clutter-filled house, and only much worse. This is when you need to understand that God is sovereign over sinners, and uses them for His eternal purposes and glory. Here are some examples:
* God sovereignly used sinners to bring about the death of His own Son. “This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death, but God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 2:23-24). Back in eternity past, God planned that certain evil men would kill His Son, and they did, resulting in the salvation of millions, if not billions of sinners, and God being eternally glorified. Acts 4:27-28
* God raised up that wicked Pharoah, using him to terribly oppress the Jews, which led to their freedom, their exodus out of Egypt. “For this purpose, I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” Romans 9:17

* God wanted Paul to be persecuted and put in prison for the preaching of the gospel. “… my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard.” Phil. 1:12
* In the future, God will sovereignly direct that most devilish man, the beast, the Antichrist, to carry out His plans. “God has put it in their hearts (the ten horns and the beast) to execute His purpose by having a common purpose.” Rev. 17:16-17

* Be encouraged by God’s power over sinners, for it relates to your life, and to all of life. Sinners will only do what God desires, what He allows them to do. Even today, the rulers in our country are fulfilling His purposes. “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov. 21:1). And yes, there are murderers and mass murderers, liars, rapists, robbers, cheaters, and false teachers, but God is sovereignly and wisely using them for His purposes. And don’t forget that God is just, and that all evildoers who never repent of their sins will be severely and eternally punished in the lake of fire. Matt. 25:46, Rev. 20:11-15

What about your own life? I am sure you are affected by sinners and their sin in a way that’s troubling, tiring, saddening, and yes, maddening. Seeing and hearing about their pride, anger, hate, and sensuality, makes you want to leave earth and go home to heaven. And this sin will only get worse the closer we are to the end of the age. 2 Thess. 2:9-12 says the sinners “took pleasure in wickedness.” Matt. 24:9 informs us, “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Luke 21:16 warns us, “You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.” Rev. 13:7 soberly says, “It was given to him (Antichrist) to make war with the saints.”

Woe! This doesn’t sound good, but it’s true, and it’s what God wants you to know. When it comes to suffering, Jesus told you: “Remember the word I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than His master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). He also said, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great” (Matt. 5:10-12). Do look at 1 Peter, a needed epistle for the end-times, one loaded with truth about suffering for Jesus – 1 Pet. 1:7-8, 1 Pet. 2:20-24, 1 Pet. 3:13-18, 1 Pet. 4:1, 1 Pet. 4:12-19, 1 Pet. 5:8-11.

But it’s not just about suffering for Jesus – it’s about serving, soldiering, and sharing the gospel. A great many sinners will be saved and become saints in the last years of this age. Hallelujah! Know too that God is raising up an army of spiritually strong soldiers for the end-times, Joshuas, Deborahs, Davids, and Pauls, ones who will be bravely battling for God. They will stand firm (Eph. 6:10-13), be overcomers (Rom. 8:35-39), and be victorious (Rev. 7:9-12). God will give them and us all the faith, love, hope, courage, wisdom, grace, and peace we need to keep living and fighting for Him. “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.”

In all this, remember the good news. The good news is Jesus Christ and the gospel message of salvation from sin. The good news is that God deeply loves you all the time. The good news is that God, through the Holy Spirit, is always with you. The good news is that it’s not totally dark in this world, for the true church is a light for Christ, a light to the lost. The good news is that it won’t be long before this evil age comes to an end, and Christ returns to rapture the church, glorify the believers, take us to heaven, and then judge this wicked world. The good news is that Jesus Christ will perfectly and gloriously reign over this world for 1,000 years, and we will reign with Him. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

P.S. As a Christian, you must understand the nature of sin and sinners in the end-times, or you will get discouraged by what’s happening. Here are two other posts that will also help you understand sin, sinners, and what’s going on in our world today – “Living With Evil in the End-Times”, and “What’s Wrong With this World?”

What’s Wrong With This World?!?

November 7, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #230 ~

What’s wrong with this world? The problem is SIN. It’s not the economy, guns, the climate, schools, police, lack of food, corrupt leaders, or bad laws. The root problem, the real problem is sin, a spiritual cancer that corrupts (Rom. 8:21) and kills. “The soul that sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). And it’s related to all our other problems. Here are some important lessons to learn about sin:

Sin, the sinner, and its consequences:
* Sin is not worshiping God, the Creator, but instead, is worshiping the creation. Sin is idolatry. It’s rebellion. It’s disobedience. It’s pride. It’s not trusting God. It’s trusting self. Sin is evil, vile, sickening, wicked, wrong, revolting, devilish, and deadly. Deut. 5:7-9; Jer. 2:5, 13; Rom. 1:20-23

* Sin starts in a person’s heart, in his soul, in his innermost being. A sinner’s soul is spiritually blackened, thoroughly dirty, altogether disgusting, and completely detestable to God. Sin is revealed in a person’s thoughts, words, and actions. Ps. 10:3-11, 36:1-4, 51:5-6; Rom. 3:10-18

* The root sin of not loving God is manifested in many ways. In His Word, God describes 100’s of specific sins because He wants us to know what they are and the consequences of committing them. Mark 7:20-23, Rom. 1:28-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, 2 Tim. 3:1-4, etc.

* God demands a payment for a person’s sin, and it’s death. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Sin, the most serious crime, is against God Himself, and He must punish it, and its death. This death is spiritual, physical, and may be eternal (the person who never turns to Christ is forever punished and separated from God). “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of God” (2 Thess. 1:9). “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire.” Matthew 25:41

* Some people are inwardly sinful but appear outwardly righteous. “You are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness… hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt. 23:27-28, Luke 18:9-14). Other people are inwardly sinful and outwardly sinful. “There was a woman in the city who was a sinner” (Luke 7:37). Either way, sin is utterly deadly and must be dealt with, or else there will be hell to pay.

* Many people do not believe in sin. The world often classifies sin as a person’s personality, an addiction, mental illness, or behavioral disorder (anxiety, eating, conduct, etc.). Yes, some people’s problems are strictly mental in nature, but most are spiritually based. Most sinners want to forget, excuse, ignore, or gloss over their sin, for admitting it would mean that God exists, and that they are guilty and deserve to be judged. “If we say that we have no sin… the truth is not in us… if we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar.” 1 John 1:8, 10

* God judges a sinner at different times: 1) During his life on earth – “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18, note Deut. 28:15-68). 2) The day of the Lord – for those sinners living on earth at the end of the age (Rev. 8-9, 16). 3). In Hades after his life on earth (Luke 16:23). 4) In the lake of fire at the end of the millennial kingdom. Revelation 20:11-15

Jesus Christ is the only answer to sin:
* Jesus Christ pays for a person’s sins by His death on the cross, or a person pays for his own sins by being punished forever in hell. If a person repents and believes Christ died for him, then he’s forgiven, has eternal life, and goes to heaven. “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). “God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” Titus 3:5

The Christian’s response to sin, and his purpose in life:
* God commands you to keep yourself holy in this evil world. People clean their house, wash the dishes, take a shower, weed the garden, etc., but what’s most important is keeping your soul clean. By God’s word, by God’s Spirit, and by being in a good church, you can live a holy life, and you need to, for only then can you please the Lord and be useful to Him. “Flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord.” 2 Timothy 2:22

* Don’t focus on the sin in this world. Don’t be occupied by the bad news and bad things in this world. Don’t think much about the crime, corruption, and conflicts, or you’ll find yourself fretting and getting discouraged. Look to God, do what is good and right, and carry out the work He gives you to do – that’s what can make a difference, and what’s eternally important. “As for you, be strong, and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chron. 15:7, Neh. 6:1-4, Psalm 37:1-6

* As a Christian, be an ambassador for Christ. You are to be a bright shining light in this dark and evil world. Be a witness to the lost by your life and words. Share with people the gospel of Christ. Exhort them to turn from their sin and turn to Christ. Tell them that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. “We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20-21). “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15, Eph. 5:8-13, John 14:6

* To successfully get through life, you need hope. It’s eternally worth it to live for God during your short life on earth – He has a magnificent future in store for you. Your hope is that you will literally be with Jesus (John 14:1-3), that you will be in heaven where there’s absolutely no sin, that you will have an immortal, powerful, perfect, and glorious body (1 Cor. 15:40-42), that you will be with your Christian friends as well as all believers from all time (Heb. 12:22-24), that you will be greatly rewarded for serving God and suffering for Him (Matt. 5:11-12), and that you will be reigning with Christ during the millennial kingdom. Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:6

The nations, the world, and the end-times 
* God judges an individual nation because of its collective and cumulative sin. God’s word gives many examples and history proves it. You should pray, “Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail. Let the nations be judged before You” (Ps. 9:19, Rev. 6:9-11). The final judgment of the nations, the outpouring of God’s wrath, occurs just after the rapture, during the day of the Lord. (Rev. 8-9, 16). “You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked.” Psalm 9:5

* Sin is the worst problem, engulfing the entire world, yet God is sovereignly causing all its evil to result in His purposes being fulfilled. God used Herod and Pilate to carry out the worst sin ever, the crucifixion of Christ, but it was the best thing that ever happened (Acts 4:27-28). So too, all this sin is part of God’s plan to bring about Christ’s return and the rapture, His wrath, and His 1000-year reign. “All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord; they will bring glory to Your name. You are great and do marvelous deeds. You alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

* The United States is being judged for her sin. Rom. 1:18-32 describes the reason for God’s wrath, a 4-stage progression of sin, which is what we have seen in this country over the past 60 years. We have gone from rejecting God to immorality to homosexuality to depravity (Isaiah 5:20). God has been righteously and severely judging our country, with the result that she is being diminished in power, and sometime in the future, Antichrist’s kingdom will be ruling this earth (Rev. 13). (And don’t ever think that the government, leaders, laws, capitalism or socialism, or conservatism or liberalism are the answers. Remember, sin is our real problem, and only Jesus Christ is the answer. And there’s no doubt that we will see His victory over sin in this age and the next age). Psalms 67, 96; Phil. 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:24-28, Rev. 19:11-21

* The world will become increasingly sinful as we get closer to Christ’s coming. For the Christian, this will be an extremely treacherous place to live. That’s because “lawlessness is increased” (Matt. 24:12); “the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed” (2 Th. 2:3); they “took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Th. 2:12); and “evil men… will proceed from bad to worse” (2 Tim. 3:13). And there will be great tribulation – “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matt. 24:9). Yet, this is the time God wants you to be alive. Remember, God will give you all the grace you need to be holy, to be a good witness, and to do the work He wants you to do (2 Cor. 9:8). “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Romans 13:12 

You must understand this subject of sin, especially in the end-times, and here’s why: #1, for your own life and conscience, and so you can be loving God with all your heart; #2, so you can be a “vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master” (2 Tim. 2:21-22), and a good witness to the lost; and #3, so you are not confused, upset, or discouraged by what’s going on in this terribly wicked world, but rather, are a good servant and soldier for Christ. “The men of Issachar understood the times and knew what they should do.” 1 Chron. 12:32

P.S. As Christians, this subject of sin must be understood, or you will have problems growing in the way God wants, and difficulty helping others, both saved and lost. I would encourage you to find the time to read these three articles, for they will be extremely helpful now and in the years ahead: Evildoers in the End-Times; A Little Suffering and A Lot of Glory; and Your Spiritual Service: A Member of The Special Forces.

What’s Wrong With the United States?

October 20, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #229 ~

Very bad things are taking place in the United States! There’s the border crisis, growing inflation, continuing Covid-19, problems in schools, the supply-chain dilemma, drugs and death, the tragic Afghani situation, loss of global status, increasing crime, atheistic philosophies, and false teaching. These are all major problems, and they are not just random or accidental. God has sovereignly directed them and are His way of judging our country. “In those days… God was troubling them with every kind of distress” (2 Chron. 15:5-6). “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people.” Rom. 1:18

Why are these bad things happening? Why does God cause / or allow them to occur? Why does He want us to suffer like this? Because God is holy, and He wants to wake us up to the fact that we’re sinning against Him, and that sin is our primary problem. As a country, we’ve turned away from God, and are not loving our Creator, but instead, are idolatrous, are loving the creature, are greatly sinning. Rom. 1:19-25

A massive amount of sin has infiltrated every city and town of the United States, and it’s worse than ever been before. You know that cancer can kill – well our sin is like a malignant cancer that’s close to killing our country. We are in critical condition! And sadly, most people, even some Christians, don’t realize that sin is our main problem. This country has been very concerned about Covid-19, the physical virus that has infected 100’s of millions of people all over the world. But what should really upset us is sin, that deadly spiritual virus that has affected every single soul on this planet and is terribly and eternally worse than Covid-19.

What exactly is sin? God’s word explicitly and continually describes sin. That’s because God wants us to know exactly what it is, and convince us that it’s our most serious problem. And it must be dealt with or else there will be horrible consequences. Today I want you to look at some verses on sin. Read them slowly, for its vitally important that you understand this subject of sin, for its our root problem, our #1 enemy, one that attacks the soul and the mind.

First, here are some verses about sin in general:
* Exodus 20:3-5 – “You shall have no other gods before Me… you shall not make for yourself an idol… you shall not worship them.” 
* Psalm 14:1 – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable idolatries.”
* Psalm 36:1, 3 – “There is no fear of God before his eyes… he has ceased to be wise.”
* Psalm 78:22 – “They did not believe in God and did not trust His salvation.”
* Isaiah 5:24 – “They rejected the law of the Lord… and despised the word of the Holy One.”
* Jeremiah 2:5 – “They went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty.”
* Romans 1:21, 24, 26, 28 – “They did not honor Him as God or give thanks… (they) exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man… God gave them over to sexual impurity… to degrading passions (homosexuality)… to a depraved mind.”
* 1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness.”

Here are a number of verses that specifically describe this sin:
* Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a stranger… you shall not afflict any widow or orphan.”
* Exodus 23:1-3 – “You shall not bear a false report… you shall not follow the masses in doing evil… nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.”
* Psalm 10:3 – “The greedy man curses and spurns the Lord… his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’”
* Psalm 119:69-70 – “the arrogant… Their hearts are callous and unfeeling.” 
* Proverbs 6:16-19 – “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven… haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and a man who stirs up dissension.”
* Proverbs 19:15 – “Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle man will suffer hunger.”
* Isaiah 3:16-26 – “The daughters of Zion are proud and walk with heads held high, flirting with their eyes, going along with mincing steps… In that day the Lord will take away the… headbands, crescent necklaces, dangling earrings, bracelets, veils… finger rings, nose rings, festal robes, capes, cloaks, purses, and mirrors… destitute, she will sit on the ground.”
* Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”
* Isaiah 5:21 – “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” 
* Isaiah 5:22-23 – “Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine… who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right.”

* Jeremiah 5:27-28 – “They have become great and rich. They are fat, they are sleek, they also excel in deeds of wickedness.”
* Jeremiah 23:31 – “I’m against those who prophesied false dreams… and led My people astray.”
* Ezekiel 16:15 – “You trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame.”
* Ezekiel 16:49 – “… the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughter were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and the needy.”
* Hosea 4:2 – “There is no… knowledge of God in the land… There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.”
* Amos 6:1-5 – “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion… who recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches and eat lambs from their flock… they have composed songs for themselves… they anoint themselves with the finest of oils… they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.”
* Malachi 2:7-8 – “The lips of a priest should preserve knowledge… but as for you, you have turned aside from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble.” 
* Malachi 2:14-16 – “You have broken faith with her, though she is your wife… I hate divorce.”
* Matthew 7:15 – “Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
* Matthew 12:36 – “Every careless word that people speak, they shall give an account for it on the day of judgment.”

* Mark 7:21-22 – “Out of the hearts of men proceed the evil thoughts, sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”
* Luke 6:24-26 – “Woe to you who are rich (fortune)… who are well-fed (food)… who laugh now (fun)… woe to you when all men speak well of you (fame).”
* Luke 12:15, 19 – “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions… ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’”
* Romans 1:29-31 – “They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless.”
* 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards… will inherit the kingdom of God.”
* Galatians 5:19-21 – “The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry… strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger… envying, drunkenness, carousing.”
* Ephesians 5:4 – “There must be no filthiness, silly talk, or course jesting, which are not fitting.”
* Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without grumbling or complaining.”
* Colossians 3:18-22 – “Wives, be subject to your husbands… Husbands, love your wives.”
* 2 Timothy 3:2-4 – “People will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
* James 5:5 – “You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure… you have condemned and put to death the righteous man.”

Each of these verses describe the sin in our country, and help you understand the heart of our problems. Indeed, the United States is sick with sin, so sick that she’s on her death bed. This is extremely sad and sobering and should greatly concern every single person in this country. What’s really wrong with our country is not climate change, the schools, the economy, crime, guns, the police, the politicians, the government, or the Russians or the Chinese. Our #1 problem is our sin, and it’s directly related to everything else that’s bad in our country. 

Thankfully, there’s an answer to this deadly sin, and it’s the person of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:23). That’s because He dealt with our sins by dying on a cross, thereby paying for them. And only those who admit they have sinned, and repent of their sins, and believe that Christ died to pay for them will be forgiven, be perfectly holy, and be forever with God in heaven. “God made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

I’ve been observing things as a Christian for close to 50 years now, since the early ‘70s, and it’s obvious that our country is spiritually and morally much worse – and I don’t see things getting any better. It’s quite clear that the people “do not know nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken” (Ps. 82:5). Look at our churches, families, schools, and culture – generally speaking, they have been going downhill, and are now in very bad shape. Not only that, but we live in the end-times, the last years before Christ’s return and the rapture of the church, when the Bible tells us that “lawlessness is increased.” Matt. 24:12

Dear friend, these are extremely dark and difficult days, and increasingly so. There’s going to be more sin, evil and wickedness in this world, and yes, God will keep judging it. But what a time to be alive, to live for God, to share the gospel, and do our part in ushering in the kingdom of God! “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10). “Come Lord, Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

P.S. The United States is quickly and tragically going downhill, and it’s all part of God’s end-time plans. Here are two other posts that will help you understand His plans for this country at this time in history: “Afghanistan and America – Lessons to Learn” and “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ.”

Afghanistan and America – Lessons to Learn

August 25, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #224 ~

How do you feel about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, and the role of our country? Shocked, bewildered, concerned, angered, betrayed, outraged, disheartened, frustrated, confused, defeated, embarrassed! What in the world is happening?! What is the United States doing, and why? (Yes, I believe we should get out of Afghanistan, but it’s how it’s being done that’s upsetting). But what is God doing? That’s the question that needs to be answered. Anytime something disastrous happens, it’s essential that we look to God and learn from Him. “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is as great as our God?” (Psalm 77:13). What are some of these things that God wants to teach us?

First, God is sovereign, He is in charge. We need to know that God has control over all people, events, countries, and rulers. No person and no President can do what he wants apart from God’s decrees, apart from His will. Anything that happens is always in accordance with His perfect, eternal, and glorious plans. Rest and rejoice in the fact that God is sovereign over all the actions and words of every single person in the world, including all those in Afghanistan and the United States. “God does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” Daniel 4:35

Second, God is holy and just. He is altogether righteous and must punish all sin. Therefore, God deals with all the evildoers in Afghanistan, in His way and in His time. But there’s a ton of evil in the United States too, and it’s because of her awful sin that she is declining in power, status, and influence around the world. This downhill slide that’s been going on in our country the past 90 years is explained in Rom. 1:20-32. It starts when the people reject God (vss. 20-23) which leads to immorality (vs. 24), then to homosexuality (vs. 26), and then to depravity (vs. 28 – people saying evil is good and good is evil – Is. 5:20). Fret not, for God is righteous, and He will not be mocked – in due time, He will punish all sinners who rebel against Him. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth.” Romans 1:18

Third, God is good, that is, He works all things together for good in the lives of Christians. You may be upset or saddened when you think of Afghans and Americans being persecuted for their faith but, remember, God is working this out for their good, and His glory. And pray for them. In the United States, we are seeing increasing crime, rising inflation, border problems, Marxism being taught, the continuing Covid crisis, and again, God is in complete control, and is working all this out for the good of the Christians. He is helping us grow in character (Rom. 5:3-5), is causing the spread of the gospel (Mark 13:9-11), and is carrying out His end-time plans. “In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:10-12

Fourth, God is merciful. Whenever I hear about some calamity, I think of the gospel and how God desires to show mercy to those in trouble, and I am not just talking physically, even though that is desired in this Afghan situation, but spiritually. He wants the afflicted and hurting to know that their real problem is not the war, a fire, a hurricane, a virus or whatever, but their sin – and death that results. What people ought to be really concerned about is sin and death. And Jesus Christ is the only answer, sent by His Father to this earth to die on the cross and rise again from the dead to pay for the sins of all the people who would repent of their sins and believe in Him alone for forgiveness and eternal life. When you hear that people are experiencing problems of any kind, then pray that they would turn to Christ, and that God would have mercy on them, and save their souls, and bring them into His eternal family. “Jesus Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

Fifth, this is God’s will, part of His eternal purpose. All that is now happening, whether it’s in Afghanistan, the United States, or in your own life, is part of God’s end-time and eternal plans. God is wisely and faithfully working in the life of every single person, directing every single event, and working in every single church and every single country, all which is leading to that most glorious time when Christ returns to rapture the church. “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet, and they will gather together His elect.” Matthew 24:30

Specifically, what is happening, and what are His plans?
1. This present conflict is part of the birth pains. Jesus told us that wars (Afghanistan), along with plagues (Covid), earthquakes (Haiti), famines (Africa), and economic problems (inflation) would happen in the end-times and would increasingly get worse before Christ’s coming. “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines.” Luke 21:10-11, Rev. 6:5-6

2. The United States needs to lose her position as the #1 global superpower so that, sooner or later, Antichrist’s kingdom can come to power. This nation is in spiritual decay, witnessed by her moral, political, financial, academic, and international decline. This nation is experiencing big-time domestic and foreign problems, solid and sobering evidence that God is judging her for her sin, leading to her downfall. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days – you would not believe if you were told… I am raising up the Chaldeans… You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge.” Habakkuk 1:5-6, 13

3. These recent events in Afghanistan are leading to changing global power structures and new alliances among nations, which, as God predicts, must happen before the rise and rule of the Antichrist. This once great nation, now in grave danger, is visibly going down, and this will have a dramatic impact on the present world order. I don’t believe it will be long before that devilish beast, the Antichrist, is revealed and becomes dictator of the world. “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast (Antichrist) for one hour.” Revelation 17:12

4. Israel, the most important nation in the end-times, will definitely feel the effects of these recent events. That’s because anti-Semitic nations have been ordained by God to be her enemies (Psalm 83), and are presently being emboldened. You can’t imagine how happy Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, etc., are to see the United States, the “Great Satan”, leaving that part of the Mideast. In the months and years ahead, we will see these countries more united than ever before in their fight against Israel and the United States. They truly want to wipe them off the map – but God is sovereign, and His purposes will prevail. “The Lord nullifies the plans of the nations… the counsel of the Lord stands forever… blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12

5. God wants you to serve Him and help Him fulfill His purposes. As a Christian, you are a key player in what God is and will be doing in this world. Like a piece of a puzzle, He is fitting you together with others, and using you to bring about His end-time plans, Christ’s return to earth, the rapture of the church, and the day of the Lord. “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed… Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Romans 13:11-12

I have spoken of God’s character and purpose, which you must know if you’re to be a hope-filled, Spirit-filled, Christ-glorifying believer. But what are you to do? First, love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). Second, don’t be distracted by the evil that’s happening in the world, and thereby keep you from doing the work God wants you to do (Neh. 6:1-4). Third, trust God, believe that He is in control, is building the church, and will use you for His purposes (Eph. 2:20-22). Fourth, obey God’s commands, use your spiritual gifts, and do your part in making disciples and building the church. Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20

P.S. There’s lots God wants you to know about the end-times and the coming of Christ. Three posts that relate to this particular post that I would encourage you to read are: “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, “What Needs to Happen Before Christ’s Return?”, “Truths You Need to Know about the End-Times.“

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