Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: Sin – Wrath (Page 3 of 4)

Blog posts about sin and wrath.

A Troubled Country…

January 23, 2021 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #205 ~

This country is terribly troubled! It is sharply divided. It has major problems in its cities. It has big problems in its schools. It has huge problems in the government. It has problems economically. It has problems with crime, drugs, immigration, and human trafficking. There are problems with marriages, families, and even with churches. It is obvious that this country is going downhill, and sad to say, and sovereignly so, it will keep getting worse until Jesus Christ comes back and takes over, not just this country, but the entire world. Rev. 11:15

The real reason for this country’s problems is her sin. The truth about sin and its consequences must be understood by Christians, or else we will be looking for answers in the wrong places. Humanistic and worldly thinking never give us the answers about the spiritual need of the soul, our relationships, and how we can truly live – they only come from God, His word, and from Jesus Christ. John 8:32, 14:6

Sin is a major subject in the Bible. Sin is talked about from the beginning of the Bible to the end of it. One of the best lists of sins is in 2 Tim. 3:2-4: “Men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Another detailed list is found in Gal. 5:19-21: “The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealously, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.” Jer. 2:13 sums up sin this way: “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.” Indeed, the sin of rebelling against God and rejecting Him is the root of all kinds of other sins.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only solution to our sin problem. The wages of sin is death, both physical and spiritual death. “The soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). As people, we have sinned against God, and deserve to be punished, and eternally so. But thankfully, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of man, became our substitute, and suffered and died on a cross to pay for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). “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.” All those who repent of their sin and believe that Jesus Christ died for them, satisfying God’s wrath, and then rose again are born again, receive eternal life, are forgiven, and will go to heaven.

Many Bible stories illustrate our sin problem. There was Cain and his sin of murder, and he was judged (Gen. 4:9-14). There was the family of Achan greedy for gold and silver, and God had them stoned to death (Josh. 7:16-26). There were the proud, immoral, and gluttonous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and God righteously rained down fire and brimstone upon them (Gen. 19:23-29, Ezek. 16:49). In Noah’s time, the people in the world were extremely wicked for “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.” God had no choice but to devastate the entire earth with a flood, and so everyone was punished, and perished, except for Noah and his family (Gen. 6-8). These examples, along with many more, are to wake us up to our serious and deadly sin problem. It is that which affects and afflicts every person, every family, every village, every city, every country, and the whole world.

A time when Israel was troubled by sin and found mercy – 2 Chron. 15:6 tells us, “many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the land. Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.” It was God Himself who afflicted and troubled Israel because of her sin, because she rejected Him and worshiped false gods. And because of her “abominable idols” (vs. 8), “Israel was without the true God” (vs. 3). But King Asa was stirred by the words of the prophet Azariah who told him, “As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (vs. 7). The king responded by removing the idols and calling on the people to repent and seek the Lord. And by God’s amazing grace, the people “entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.” This led to a great revival for we see that God “let them find Him.” The undeserved and unbelievable blessing was that “the Lord gave them rest on every side,” and there was peace, for there was “no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.” 2 Chron. 15:15, 19

A major part of Israel’s history is her sin against God. Time after time, the Bible graphically describes how God’s privileged people sinned against Him, and therefore, He judged them. (Ps. 78, Ps. 106, Neh. 9, and the prophets). From around 1450 BC to 600 BC, God demonstrated great patience and love for His people (Ps. 136). There were short periods of time when the Israelites lived in a godly way, but most of the time they kept on sinning. Finally, and righteously, God had many killed and many others exiled from their land. After the Jewish people returned to their land and had been there for about 500 years, a most incredible thing happened – Jesus Christ, the son of God and Savior of sinners, actually came to Israel. Sadly, most of His people rejected Him, and again God exiled them, this around 70 AD, and this time to all parts of the earth (Luke 21:20-24). Since the 1880’s, God has been mercifully, and according to His promise, bringing the Jews back to Israel, a number now totaling close to 6.6 million. That all these Jewish people returned and now reside in their God-given land is the #1 sign that we live in the end-times, and that Jesus Christ will soon return to rapture the church and begin reigning over this world. Dan. 12:1-4

The Old Testament prophets spoke extensively on the subject of sin. 1) The prophets talked very openly to the people about all the different sins they were committing. 2) They made it clear that what they were doing was wrong, and consequently, were guilty before God. 3) They strongly exhorted the people to repent of their sins and turn to God for mercy, for forgiveness. 4) They warned them that if they didn’t repent that they would be judged for their sins. 5) They gave the Jewish people hope, for they spoke about the coming Messiah, One who would be both a Savior and a King. 6) The prophets told them about God’s promises, that in the future He would save a remnant of Jews, give them an eternal King, and that they would inherit a large portion of land (Ezek. 37:21-28). The writings of the prophets occupy a sizeable portion of the Old Testament, and that’s because God really wants us to learn about His holiness, the danger of sin, the consequences of sin, His great mercy, and the hope He has for Israel, which also relates to the hope He has for the church (Ps. 37:11 – Matt. 5:5). It’s not just important, but imperative, that you read the sobering, instructive, and purifying messages of the prophets, for it relates to you, and to the times we live in.

God has been judging the United States. We have been and will continue to be plagued by troubles, and it won’t stop unless we, as a nation, repent of our sins and turn to the Lord. But I do not believe that will happen. Why? Because of the profound magnitude and seriousness of our sin, because of all the Old Testament examples of nations who greatly sinned and then were judged, and because we know that God, as a final and irreversible judgment, gives people over to their sin, especially to gross sexual sin (Lev. 18, Rom. 1:18-33). I don’t believe there’s any stopping our nation’s downhill slide, which we have been witnessing since the 1960’s. David Ettinger, in a recent issue of Zion’s Hope, said, “America is undergoing upheavals, and many of us are concerned. It is tough seeing the foundations upon which our nation was built under attack… If you believe godlessness and secularism in the United States have passed the point of no return – which I, and many evangelicals do believe – then it is highly likely 2020 may have been a spark that quickly becomes an inferno of cataclysmic events paving the way for the rise of the Antichrist and the return of the Lord Jesus. Don’t count on 2021 – and 2022, 2023, 2024, etc. – to offer any respite from the downward spiral in which our nation is swirling.” (Zion’s Hope Magazine – “A Perfect Right Now Passage” – Vol. 31, No. 5, p. 22) 

Just because God is judging the United States does not mean He is not working, that people are not getting saved, and that the church is not growing. Jesus Christ is still building the church in this country and will continue to do so until He comes back at the end of this age and raptures the Christians who are still on earth. Until that time, you are to have faith, hope, and love, and be a holy, dedicated, and obedient Christian. Your job is to carry out the assignments God gives you, love all the believers, use your spiritual gift, and be united with the church in making disciples. And remember, seeking God’s kingdom is your main priority (Matt. 6:33). It’s not being consumed with the world, politics, pleasures, sports, or fame. It’s not making money. And it’s not taking it easy (Luke 8:14, 12:13-21). Jesus plainly and lovingly tells us, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). What an opportunity and what a joy to work with God and fulfill His purposes at this time in history – and it results in Him receiving eternal glory, others being eternally blessed, and you receiving eternal rewards.

You may be saddened to think this country is in decline, but you must be thankful and happy in the Lord. “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice” (Ps. 97:1, 1 Thess. 5:16-18). You should know that what is now happening is by the sovereign hand of God, is part of His end-time plans, and must take place before the Antichrist comes to rule over this earth, and before Christ returns to rapture the church, defeat the Antichrist, judge the world, and reign over the world. I cannot stress enough the importance of seeing this big picture, of knowing where things are headed, and that God’s eternal plans are unfolding day by day. It won’t be long before Christ’s coming, and then He will dramatically and wonderfully change everything, and all for the glory of God. “He had made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Rev. 1:6-7

P.S. This message about how our sin is in trouble because of our sin is extremely important to understand. I would also encourage you to read two other posts – “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”, and “In a Wicked World, You Have to Have Hope.”

“If the Foundations are Destroyed…” – Psalm 11

July 17, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #179 ~

This has been a very difficult year for the United States – I can’t believe all that has happened so far! I am wondering if God’s patience with US is coming to an end and if, in fact, He has withdrawn His sin-restraining hand from US. Of course, we don’t know all that God is doing, but His word does tell us what we are to know and do. For example, there’s Psalm 11, which is most enlightening, and essential in helping us understand the present condition of our country, as well as learn how God deals with both good and bad people, the righteous and the unrighteous.  

Verse 1 tells you that you need to take refuge in the Lord. At times, you may feel like you need physical refuge, that you need to get away from your problems by escaping to a safe place. But no, your biggest problem is not physical, but spiritual – it’s your sin, and the answer is to take refuge in the Lord, to trust in Him. Only because of Jesus’ death and resurrection can you find spiritual safety, salvation from your sins, this merciful and eternal deliverance from God’s wrath. “His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 2:12

Verse 2 talks about our enemies, those who are unrighteous and wicked. These unbelievers don’t fear God (Psalm 36:1), hate God and hate us (John 15:8), love to do evil (John 3:19), and don’t think God sees them. And they don’t want to be seen by people, and so they “shoot in darkness at the upright.” They work behind the scenes, try to stay hidden, and embed themselves with other people, for they do not want to be exposed (Eph. 5:11), stopped, and arrested for their evil activity. Psalm 10:8-11

The result, the cumulative effect of the enemies’ work is summed up in verse 3 – “the foundations are destroyed.” This is sobering and shocking, and is describing the present state of our country, that our spiritual foundations are being torn down. We may not have seen this coming, but this devastating work is clearly obvious. It’s now seen in our churches, families, schools, businesses, government, media, and music. Our laws, rules, morals, and values, that which hold us together, are being changed and replaced with that which is just plain godless, evil, and of the devil. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thess. 2:7). This should grieve and sadden our souls for, at this time in history, we are actually witnessing the foundations of our country being destroyed. “They know nothing… They walk about in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.” Psalm 82:5-8

The question I have, and assume most of you have, is then stated: “What can the righteous do?” What do we do about all the problems taking place, the pride, lies, hate, crime, violence, disrespect, and lawlessness in our country? What do we do when people say evil is good and good is evil? (Isaiah 5:20). Thankfully, God gives us the answers in vss. 4-6, and it’s not what the righteous are to do, but what God is doing. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of these few verses, for they will help you think rightly as you observe this evil on earth. And this evil will not just continue, but will increase, and then the Antichrist, that most lawless man, will come and rule the world, after which Christ will come to rapture the church, and then begin His 1000-year rule on this earth. Matt. 24:12, 2 Thess. 2:1-10

What are the answers? What do we need to know, understand, and believe? That God is not oblivious, ignorant, and just going “to sit on His hands” when it comes to the evil now being seen on these earth.
* 1st, God is in His holy temple, which means He is holy, supreme, and altogether different than those living on earth. He is pure, righteous, and hates man’s sin.
* 2nd, God is on His throne, which means He is sovereign, and that nothing happens that He does not allow or authorize. Man cannot do just what he wants, for God is in control and, by His power and wisdom, predestines the actions of man. Dan. 4:35
* 3rd, “His eyes behold.” God is omniscient, and sees and knows every single thing that the righteous and wicked are doing on this earth. Proverbs 15:3
* 4th, God doesn’t just see, but He tests, He examines both the wicked and the righteous, and this is for the purpose of judging, and then punishing or rewarding (Eccl. 12:14). And God hates those who love violence. This is strong language, but it’s the truth. Because God is holy, He hates those whom He knows will not turn from their sin and turn to Him for mercy and forgiveness.

But it’s not just that God hates sinful man but, because He is just, His punishing wrath must be poured out upon these unrighteous, unrepenting, unsaved sinners of the world. The language speaks of fire, the kind of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, that will be seen during the day of the Lord, and that sinners will feel for all eternity. “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire… these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt. 25:41,46

Finally, there’s verse 7, my favorite. “The Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.” God is righteous, and He loves you, His righteous one, and the righteous things you do. Then there’s that encouraging and wonderful truth, that you “will behold His face.” As Christians, you know the Lord and have a relationship with Him, and by faith, you see Him now, but by sight, you will literally see Him in the future. It cannot get any better than this! Job 19:25-27, Psalm 17:15

These are powerful, life changing, grace and peace giving truths, and you need them today, and for your entire life, up until that time when you physically die, or are raptured, and taken to heaven. You shouldn’t be confused, upset, worried, sad, angry, or feel defeated about what’s going on in our country. Believe the truths of this little Psalm, that God is on His throne, that He is holy, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, and judges, and will punish the wicked, those who “freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Psalm 12:8). Whether the enemy is attacking you or the foundations are being destroyed, always remember that God gives you refuge (vs. 1), and a relationship with Him that lasts forever (vs. 7).

P.S. I am not one to give you false hopes. I am compelled to tell you the truth about the last years of this church age, for God wants you to know what is going to happen, and to be ready for it. Here are two other posts that speak about our future – “It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better” and “Christians Go Through Tribulation.”

The KING of kings and LORD of lords – Psalm 2

June 19, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post # 175 ~

In times of distress, whether it’s personal, or out in the world, we need God’s word, we need His answers to these problems, and this is especially true at this juncture, one of the most explosive and evil times in U.S. history. Psalm 2 gives the big-picture answer, and it relates to prophecy, that during this sinful age, human kings are ruling and rising up against God – but the good news, especially as we see this present rebellion in our country, is that Christ the King is returning to judge the world and establish His glorious kingdom on earth. Now the answer for each individual is to take refuge in Christ, and eternally experience His mercy and blessing, instead of rejecting Him and eternally experiencing His wrath. Matthew 25:41, 46; John 5:24

Psalm 2:1-3 tells us about the wicked and their rebellion against God. Four groups are described – there are the nations, the different countries, and they are in an uproar, a rage, a tumult. There are the peoples, the individuals who live in these nations, and they are plotting and scheming. But it’s vanity, for what they are doing is worthless and comes to nothing. There are the kings, the Presidents, and they are taking a stand, declaring their positions, and making policy. Then there are the rulers who are working together and carrying out the desires of their king. But notice what it says? They are actually counseling together against the Lord, against God Himself, and they are also against His Anointed, the Messiah, that is, Jesus Christ. Revelation 13

Now it’s not like leaders in the US, the EU, or the UN are meeting together with their fists literally raised up against God, but if they’re not fearing God, if they act like there is no God, if they are not following His lead, then their hearts are raised up in opposition to God, resulting in sinful and worldly actions that affect the lives of many other people. A leader’s and all mankind’s main problem, like the devil himself, is that they are proud – they doesn’t fear God, seen in that they don’t worship God and obey His will, but rather, do what they wants, do what is wrong. Genesis 11:1-9

Psalm 2:3 illustrates a person’s sin, his defiance of God, his insubordination, his pride. An unsaved person hates and rejects God, and does not want to be under His authority but, instead, wants to tear off what he believes are fetters, are chains – he wants to be completely free from God’s rule in and over his life. The Bible describes different authorities God has established – people are to fear God, children are to obey their parents, wives are to submit to their husbands, citizens are to be subject to the governing authorities, and slaves (workers) are to obey their masters (employers). One of the quickest ways to find out if a person fears and obeys God is to see if he fears and obeys the authorities God has placed over his life. Colossians 3:18-25, 1 Peter 2:13-3:9

It doesn’t take long to see that the resistance and rejection of authority is rampant in this country, and is taking place at all levels, in families, at workplaces, in the government, and on the streets. Do you see how people are disregarding and disobeying the law? Do you see the lawlessness and anarchy, people destroying and stealing property, and rebelling against the police? It’s obvious that people don’t want to be told what to do, but want to do their own thing, want to be “free” from these God-given authorities that, if obeyed, will result in peace, harmony, order, and prosperity.

Psalm 2:4-6 tell us God’s response. He laughs, He scoffs – He knows that people are but fools when they rebel against Him, that they are like little ants attempting to rise up against man. Sinful people don’t realize who God is, that He is holy and just, and can quickly and powerfully crush any rebellion. But God is not just thinking these things to Himself (i.e. the Trinity), for “He will speak to them in His anger.” God wants people to know that He is righteously angry because they have rejected Him and, in fact, He is furious, and will not put up with this human rebellion.

Psalm 2:6 declares God’s plan, that He has already installed His King as ruler over the world. During this evil age, the devil has been given limited power to rule the world (1 John 5:19). But Christ is sovereign over the devil’s work and is now, at this same time, building His church. In the age to come, we will literally see Jesus Christ in Zion, in Jerusalem, and with us, He will build His kingdom on this earth. Psalm 47, Matt. 6:9-10

Psalm 2:7-9 tell us how God the Father and Christ His Son are working together to execute this decree, this plan, what Christ wants the whole world to understand, one that will be carried out during the coming kingdom age. These verses give us a glimpse into the intimate relationship that Christ has with His Father, His submission to Him, and how the Father wants to bless His Son with a special gift, a redeemed and restored world filled with godly people. This passage closes with God’s promise to Christ that, with a rod of iron, He will powerfully judge the sinful world we now live in (the day of Lord), and then will fulfill His Father’s plan on this earth (the millennial kingdom). This is our hope, and what we need to be looking for, especially as see how this world is becoming more and more evil. John 17; Rev. 8-9, Rev. 19:11-21, Rev. 20

Psalm 2:10-12 is the Spirit’s sobering instructions to this sinful world, especially to kings and judges. He tells them to wise up, to get smart, and warns them that the coming judgment He has just spoken about will come upon them if they don’t fear God. Indeed, our first and foremost duty is to fear God, to worship and serve Him, and to rejoice in Him alone. Romans 1 tells us the same thing, that God’s wrath will be poured out upon all those who don’t honor and thank God, who won’t and don’t worship Him. Prov. 1:7, Mark 12:30

The Holy Spirit makes it clear that it’s not just loving the Father, but loving the Son, showing homage to Him, that is, kissing Him. What the Spirit is saying is that the only way to be saved, to not be judged for your sins is through Jesus Christ – the only way to know the Father is through the Son. If you don’t show homage to Jesus, if you don’t kiss Him, spiritually speaking, then Jesus, as your righteous judge, will have to punish you, and you will perish forever. These last few verses are present tense, meaning this passage applies to what is going on in our country today, that God and Christ at this time, in June of 2020, are warning this world of their need to repent of their sin and turn to Christ, before it’s too late. The final and concluding phrase speaks not of God’s justice, but of God’s mercy, for it promises that all who take refuge in Christ, all who trust in Him, will be blessed, now and forever, in this age and in the age to come, when we will literally be reigning with Christ the King over this world. “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2). “Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” Revelation 5:10  

P.S. You can’t understand what’s going on in the world around you, if you don’t understand God’s word. Psalm 2 is one of many prophetic Psalms that speaks about our present situation. I encourage you to read “Prophecy Psalms for the Jews and for You” – Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. It’s obvious that many things are changing in our country, but you haven’t seen anything yet – please read, “Everything on This Earth is Going to Change.”

Murder, Looting, and Anarchy – It’s Sin

June 4, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #173 ~

I can’t believe it! What’s been happening this past week is shocking, horrific, sickening, some of the worst things I have ever seen in our country. It started with the brutal murder of George Floyd by that depraved and evil “policeman.” Then there were peaceful protests, people being rightly upset about the crime that had been committed. But then there were rioters, looters, gangs, and anarchists, smashing, stealing, shooting, and burning, creating mayhem in many of our cities – I have never seen such a blatant disregard for law and order. Some of the people were looking for “excitement,” others wanted “loot”, and others want a new “American Revolution,” with a goal to fundamentally transform this country.  

What’s the reason for all these problems? It’s our sin – the root problem is our sin, our rejection of God. You may say that’s too simplistic, that some of the reasons relate to families, government, education, and the church. To some extent, I agree, but I am not here to analyze all the factors contributing to our present problems. I am here to say that the underlying problem is sin, whether that’s in the policeman’s life, the lives of the rioters, or your own life. I was reading Jeremiah this morning, and what he said about God’s judgment of man’s sin motivated me to write this post. “… The Lord pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you.” Jeremiah 40:3

This verse, like hundreds of others, tells us that sin is our real problem, and it must be judged – and right now, it is being judged. Our country is spiritually going downhill, and our recent history is evidence of that – a country politically divided, a pandemic that has resulted in the loss of 109,000+ lives and has slammed our economy, and now this recent murder of a black man accompanied by this sudden outbreak of crime and violence. That Jeremiah verse, along with many others, is to let us know that God is righteously angry, and not pleased with our sinful and corrupt country.

But what is this sin? At it’s heart, it means we are not loving God but, instead, are loving ourselves or things, whether that’s our body, money, houses, cars, music, movies, etc. Sin is also seen when we are racist, when we are thinking and acting like we are better than those of a different race. Col. 3:8 describes sin as “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech.” 2 Tim. 3:2-4 says sinners “will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God.” God gives us many lists of sins because He wants us to know that it is our main problem. Mark 7:20-23, Romans 1:28-31, Galatians 5:19-21

Sin started with Adam, and then spread to all mankind. Genesis 4 tells us about Cain’s murder of Abel. Genesis 6 talks about an entire world greatly sinning against God, except for Noah and his family. Genesis 11 describes a rebellious world trying to build a tower to the heavens. Genesis 19 speaks about the hideous sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. And the prophets go into great detail about the sin of Israel and other countries. You and I then should not be shocked by the sin in our country, for it has always been evident during this evil age. And this most recent eruption of evil reveals once again the sin that is in the heart of man. As I said, God is now judging the sin in this country, and He will continue to judge it, and the time will come when she’s no longer the world’s number one power, paving the way for the devilish kingdom of the Antichrist to be raised up and become this world’s last superpower. Revelation 13, 17:8-17

What’s God’s answer to the sin in this world, in your life, and to that most wicked Antichrist? It’s Jesus Christ, sent by His Father to this earth to be a mediator between God and man. Christ died on a cross to deal with this sin, both paying for man’s sin so God’s justice would be satisfied, and disarming and defeating the devil. God could then forgive sinners, and give eternal life to all those who repent and believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins, and then rose again. This eternal and spiritual life that God gives a true believer is love, joy, peace, a relationship with Himself, and a purpose in life, that will satisfy their soul like nothing in the world can ever do. John 7:37-38; Rom. 5:8, 6:23; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:10; Col. 2:15

Now as Christians, we are part of the church, which has continued to grow for close to 2000 years, her holy light shining in the darkness. But since we still live in this evil age, this sin still greatly affects the entire world. And we wish things were better, that there would be no more hate, murder, racism, or riots, but instead, only love, peace, and unity. But that’s not the way it is, and it’s not going to really change until Jesus Christ comes back. In fact, Matt. 24:12 tells us lawlessness will increase in the end-times, which means this world will become even more evil and wicked, until that time when Christ returns to rapture the church. Matthew 24:30-31

I have mentioned this coming Antichrist, one described as “the man of lawlessness,” the “son of destruction” (2 Thess. 2:3). Yes, there’s lawlessness and destruction now, but this most wicked man will make things much worse, especially for the Christians and Jews he will be persecuting. But in all this, don’t be afraid – be strong, courageous, and loving, knowing that this is our time to live for God, to tell people the good news about how they can know Jesus, be forgiven, and be a member of His great and glorious kingdom. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

I write all this so you understand that sin is the main reason we are having all these problems, and that only Jesus Christ can truly make things better in your life, and in this world – and so don’t be looking for the answer to be found in some President, governor, or mayor. While you are still here on earth, don’t focus on politics, but instead seek God’s kingdom, and do the work He wants you do. And soon, Christ will come back to take you to heaven, and will then judge this evil world and the Antichrist, during what’s called the Day of the Lord. Then He will take back control of the world, and begin His 1000-year reign as King, and like never before, there will be glory to God, peace on earth, and good will toward men. Isaiah 6:3, Luke 2:14

P.S. This subject of sin and God’s judgment of it is an important one, and one you need to understand. When you get time, read “It’s Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better,” and “The Antichrist is Coming Soon, and It’s Before the Coming of Christ.”

The World, The Church, And The KING

July 26, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #128 ~

We live in a world that lies in the power of the devil, and with that, in a world filled with humanists, those who believe that humans, and not God, have the answers to life and life’s problems (Humanist Manifesto II). The majority of people, including many leaders, scientists, educators, business men and women, have rejected God and His plan for the world. They are proud, boasting of their achievements. They want power, they want to be in control and run their own lives and the world. They want fame, they want to be recognized, applauded and awarded. They want fortune, they want money, property, nice homes and nice cars. They are lovers of pleasure, desiring to “take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.” 1 John 5:18; Luke 6:24-26, 12:19; 2 Timothy 3:2-4

They want freedom to do whatever they want, but not freedom from sin. They want peace, but it’s man’s peace, based on guns, sanctions, and signatures on a piece of paper, not a God-given peace in their hearts. They want the physical salvation of a planet, but they don’t see that they are separated from God, and that their primary need is for the spiritual salvation of their soul. They look for saviors, ones who can save the nation, the economy, the environment, and can give them jobs, security, and healthcare, but they shake their fists at God. And God laughs and scoffs at them; and He warns them of coming wrath, and their need to worship His Son, the true Savior and King, the One who will reign over the world. Judges 21:25, Romans 6:15-19, Ephesians 2:1-3, Jeremiah 6:14, Psalm 2

Then there is the church, you and me, and all Christians, and God wants us to be lights in this dark world, and to be fighting for the truth. We are not here for fame, fortune, power, position, and personal glory. We are not to be worldly and set our minds on the things of earth. We are not to get too comfortable, with plans to live long and self-satisfying lives. We are not to be fixated on the political process, thinking that the answer is in secular leaders, for the government cannot do what only God can do. We are to put our hope in God, and not in men. Ephesians 5:8-14, Luke 6:20-23, Colossians 3:1-3, Psalm 146:3-5

We are here for God’s glory, and we are to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to proclaim and praise His name, and make Him famous. We are to sacrifice our lives for Jesus Christ, and be willing to suffer for Him. We are to preach the gospel, telling people that to enter the kingdom of God, they need to be born again. Our purpose is to build the church, a spiritual kingdom, where Christ is King in believers’ hearts. Our purpose is to be seeking God’s kingdom, and to be praying for Christ’s kingdom to be established on earth. Doing this will bring glory to God, intimacy with Christ, and blessing to your own life. Mark 12:30; Matthew 6:10,33; Luke 6:20-23; John 3:3, 14:21

Jesus Christ, the King of kings, is coming soon. We know this because we live in the end-times, which means it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and take over the world. But this is an evil age, and it’s hard to live in this wicked world, in the midst of lawlessness and the stench of sin. But this is our time, the time God has chosen for us to be alive. And it will get tougher, for the pseudo-savior, that deceptive and devilish Antichrist, will be ruling this earth and making life difficult and distressing for God’s people. But once Christ finishes building the church, He will rapture the Christians on earth, and gather all believers from all time to Himself. Then He will pour out His wrath, righteously punishing the unbelievers on earth. And finally, He will seize that evil Antichrist and cast him into the lake of fire. Matthew 24:9,31; Revelation 8-9,16,19

At the end of Daniel’s 70th week, we will be excitedly saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). At that time, a large remnant of Jews will be saved, and they, along with all glorified believers, will help Christ rule over the world. This will be a very good age, a most glorious time, a 1000-year period called the millennial kingdom. But for now, let’s be doing the work God wants us to do, and be looking forward to this future time when Christ the King will bring true peace and prosperity to this earth. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, Romans 11:25-27, Revelation 20:1-6

Jesus Christ is coming to reign over this earth, and we will reign with Him. This is our hope, and it will surely come to pass (Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10). Be encouraged by the following verses that speak about our coming King, and the magnificent future we will have with Him. “The Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only One” – Zechariah 14:9. “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom” – Isaiah 9:6-7. “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne” – Psalm 47:7-8. “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the people with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth” – Psalm 67:4. “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” Psalm 72:18-19

P.S. Two previous posts will help you in your understanding of God’s past, present, and future kingdom work on earth, “The Kingdom of God,” and “Kingdom Instructions for the Church.”

Antichrist Revealed, and Then the Rapture – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

June 7, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #121 ~   

The apostle Paul had written one letter to the Thessalonian church, and much of that focused on the future, on details about the coming of Christ. But it wasn’t long before Paul became very concerned about them, for he heard that many in this young church were alarmed and troubled. They received a letter, heard some message, or somehow got the impression that the day of the Lord had already started, which worried them, and made them wonder if they were even saved, and therefore, had missed the rapture.

Paul dearly loved these Christians and knew he needed to write another letter to clear up any confusion, to answer any questions they had. In 2 Thessalonians 1, he tells them that the rapture, and the relief that comes with it, would occur before God’s retribution, before the day of the Lord, before God’s punishment of unrepentant sinners. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Paul reminds them that at the coming of the Lord, all believers would be gathered to Him. Then in verse two, Paul referred to the day of the Lord.

But before we go any further, you need to see how the coming of the Lord and the day of the Lord relate to each other. First, let me define this word coming. It is a noun and means arrival and continuing presence, and in this case, the arrival and presence of the Lord. It is not referring to a simple, instantaneous event, but to a comprehensive whole, which includes many events directed by Christ. The 1st event to occur at His coming will be the rapture of the church, immediately followed by the 2nd event, the day of the Lord. I say immediately because of what Luke 17:29-30 says: “On the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” What this tells us is that the day of the Lord starts on the same day as the rapture of the church. At the coming of Christ, the church is raptured, and after that, on that same day, the day of the Lord begins.

Now let’s go back to 2 Thessalonians 2. In verse one Paul speaks of the coming of the Lord. In verse 2 he mentions the Day of the Lord. In verse 3 he tells us about two identifiable events that will occur before the day of the Lord, and also before the coming of the Lord. He says there’s the apostasy, and that the man of lawlessness needs to be revealed. This word apostasy means rebellion, defiance or defection; and I believe part of this apostasy relates to the revealing of this lawless man, the Antichrist, which occurs at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, a seven-year time-frame. Daniel 9:27

Let me explain the connection between the apostasy and the revealing of the Antichrist. Sometime in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, the Jews will be permitted to build a temple and offer sacrifices to God, for which they will be very happy. Then along comes the most arrogant and evil man ever, the Antichrist, and in total defiance of God, he desecrates their temple. Verse 4 tells us that he “opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15

This shocking display of pride and power, along with other signs, will cause many Jews, and many so-called religious people around the world to be deceived, to defect, and to turn away from God (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). The result will be that most of them will begin to worship this lawless man, this beast, this Antichrist. (Revelation 13:3-17). What Paul is saying is that the apostasy and the revealing of the Antichrist will occur before the day of the Lord. These two events did not take place back then, and still have not taken place today, close to 2000 years later. In particular, we have not seen the Antichrist on earth, at least not yet. Therefore, we know that the day of the Lord has not yet started, and we know that the Lord has not yet come in the clouds and raptured the church, but He will, and it will not be long from now.

In the near future, the Antichrist will be revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, and after that, at some unknown time to us, the coming of the Lord and the day of the Lord will begin. Since the rapture of the church is the first event to occur at the coming of the Lord, we know the rapture will take place sometime after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, after the Antichrist is revealed, sometime during the last half of that 7-year period. This means Christians will be living on earth when the Antichrist is revealed, and is ruling over the world.

Let me go back to the first word in this passage. It is the word request and is translated as beg, plead or beseech. In verse 3, Paul says, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” Paul, a concerned pastor, was strongly pleading with these young Christians, warning them not to be tricked, lied to, nor led astray by anyone, in any way. I have the same concern, that you know the truth about the end-times and the coming of Christ, and are not at all deceived, confused, or in error. God wants you to know about these events that will be taking place before the coming of the Lord, and also have a clear grasp as to where they fit in, that is, understand the sequence of these end-time events. When you understand these things, you will realize that you may go through some short-lived tribulation brought on by the Antichrist, but you will not go through the eternal wrath brought on by God. This is very good news, for “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ… we will live together with Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

P.S. What I am talking about in this post relates to the sequence, the chronology of end-time events, something all good students and teachers of Bible prophecy need to understand. The best chapter that covers this subject is Matthew 24. I encourage you to read my article, entitled, Matthew 24 – The Most Important Prophecy Chapter in the Bible.

Relief or Retribution – 2 Thessalonians 1

May 31, 2019 /

By Steven J.Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #120 ~

Ever since the start of the church, Christians have been persecuted. But this should not be a surprise to us, for the Bible told us this would happen. Jesus said to His disciples, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). In his epistle, Peter wrote, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow” (1 Peter 2:21). The apostle Paul said to fellow Christians, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

Paul, who suffered greatly himself, was involved with many churches who were being persecuted, one of which was at Thessalonica. He was there for only a few weeks, but after leaving and hearing this church was enduring much tribulation, he writes a letter to encourage them. “Grace to you and peace from God the Father… we ought always to give thanks to God for you… we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith” (2 Thessalonians 1:2-4). Now God had this chapter written with the big picture in mind, taking us from the time of the Thessalonian church clear up to Christ’s return, which means these verses are for all believers living during this church age, but are particularly relevant to those living in the end-times.

What Paul says to the Thessalonian believers is instructive to 21st century saints who live in the midst of persecution. We are to keep trusting the Lord. We are to love one another. We are to persevere, to bear up under unjust suffering. We are to know that suffering is proof that we are true Christians, and are worthy of God’s kingdom. And we are to also have hope – we are to know there will be permanent “relief” from this suffering. Close to 2000 years have gone by since the church began, which means relief and rest has already come to millions of believers who have died, and are now in heaven with Jesus. But since we live in the end-times, there is a good possibility many of us won’t die, but will continue to live on, and suffer for Jesus, and then be raptured and given relief.

There is something else God wants us to know. As Christians we sometimes complain when we suffer. We may even look at unbelievers with an envious eye, wishing to have the comfort and ease which they seem to have. Yes, they may be eating, drinking and being merry, but don’t forget, if they don’t turn to Jesus, then God “will cast them down to destruction” (Psalm 73:18, Luke 12:4-21). God wants us to know that unrepentant unbelievers may afflict us for a short while on earth, but they will be eternally afflicted in hell. It is imperative that we have this perspective, and realize that “momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17), and that the unrepentant unbeliever will receive eternal retribution, God’s holy vengeance.

God goes on to explain the who, what and when of His vengeance, His righteous wrath:

* Who receives this wrath? All people who don’t know God, who have rejected the gospel, God’s offer of mercy, will be judged and suffer His eternal wrath.
* What is this wrath? It is eternal destruction. This does not mean God annihilates sinners, that He wipes them out of existence. It means they will be “away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power.” It means they will never experience any bit of love, joy, peace, mercy or pleasure. But it’s not just the absence of that which is good, it’s the presence of eternal pain. Jesus says, “these will go away into eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46). But always remember, when God brings retribution, He is completely righteous, for His wrath is based on His perfect and holy justice.

* When does this wrath, this eternal destruction begin? First, know that all unrepentant unbelievers who die before the return of Christ are cast into Hades (Luke 12:5, 16:19-23). Second, know that 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 has particular reference to the end-time unbelievers who are on earth at Christ’s return. Their judgment starts when Christ is revealed from heaven, on that very day when He comes to be glorified in His saints, which is at Christ’s coming. The first event to occur at His coming is the rapture of the church, and right after that begins this eternal destruction, which has three stages to it. First, these unbelievers suffer during the day of the Lord (Revelation 8-9, 16). Second, they are cast into Hades, where they will remain for one thousand years. Third, they are thrown into the lake of fire, where they will be eternally punished. Revelation 20:11-15

This last section about the unbelievers is true, and very sad, and most sobering. How then does Paul conclude this chapter? With a prayer, “that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power.” Jude 21-25 tells you what to do: “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire… to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority.”

P.S. 2 Thessalonians 1 tells us that Christians go through tribulation from the beginning of the church age to the end of the church age. We also know that Christians all over the world will go through great tribulation in the time leading up to Christ’s return. Two posts that speak about this are: Christians Go Through Tribulation and Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation.

Salvation Instead of Wrath – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

May 24, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #119 ~

The young church at Thessalonica had a great interest in learning about Christ’s return and the future God had for them. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul taught that at Christ’s coming, all believers who had died throughout history would be resurrected, and all believers still living on earth would be raptured, and then together they would meet the Lord in the air. But Paul had much more to say about God’s end-time plans for the believers and the unbelievers, and so he continues to teach them.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Paul knew they did not need to know about times and seasons, about dates and events, for he had already taught them these things. “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” Right after the Christians are raptured, this day of the Lord, God’s cataclysmic judgment, will devastate this evil world. And “they”, the unsuspecting unbelievers, will be totally caught off guard. With the Antichrist ruling the world, “they” will be saying “peace and safety,” and be “eating and drinking” (Matthew 24:38). But “they” will be deceived, for it’s a pseudo peace. Suddenly the skies will darken and there will be a great earthquake, and “they” will try to run and hide, but there will be no escaping “the wrath of the Lamb.” “Then destruction will come upon them.” Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 8-9

1 Thessalonians 5:4-5. “But you brethren are not in darkness…” Paul makes a clear and marked contrast between the Christians and the unbelievers who are living in the end-times, for “they” refers to the unbelievers, but “you” refers to the believers. “You” are not in darkness. “You” will escape God’s judgment. The day of the Lord won’t overtake “you.” This day of the Lord will not be like a “thief in the night” to “you.” And why won’t Christians be caught off guard and surprised by the sudden coming of Christ? Because they are children of God, “are sons of light and sons of day,” and know all about the “times and seasons” leading up to Christ’s coming. Not only that, but they love Christ and are serving Christ, and are looking forward to His return. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, 11. What Paul communicates in these verses are clear, concise instructions as to how Christians should live at all times and, particularly, in the end-times. It is the 21st century and “salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). I’m convinced God is now raising up an army of godly Christians who have insight, and know what they should do in these last years before Christ’s return.
* We should not be asleep, we should be awake and alert in both mind and heart. We should not be unaware of, nor indifferent to, what God’s word says about the events associated with Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. We should be watchful and discerning Christians, ones who are rightly assessing what is happening in the world around us. And we should be excitedly living for Christ and looking for His return. 
* We should be sober, and not be drunk. We should not be wrongly influenced by worldly indulgences and sensual pleasures that dull our mind and soul, and our love for God. We should be serious, self-controlled Christians, living all out for God by diligently doing all the work He wants us to do. 1 Peter 4:7-11
* We should put on the breastplate of faith and love, for this is our spiritual protection, our means of standing firm against the schemes of the devil. We should trust God by trusting in His word, in His promises, and in His power. We should love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and love our neighbors. Ephesians 6:10-18, Mark 12:30

* We should put on our spiritual helmet, which is the hope of salvation, for hope motivates us and helps us to endure for the Lord. We should know all about our future, being glorified, with Jesus, with other believers, and reigning with Christ in the millennial kingdom. We need to know that the best is yet to come. Psalm 84
* We should encourage one another, and all the more as the day of Christ draws near. We are tempted, we sin, we get weary, we get discouraged, and we need one another and need to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24-25
* We should build one another up. By both word and example, we are to disciple others, care for others, and help others spiritually grow up and make progress in their lives, character, and work for God. Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-16

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10. “God has not destined us for wrath…” How incredibly merciful and amazing that God enables us to escape His punishing wrath. Oh, we may go through momentary, light tribulation, but we will experience no “day of the Lord” at the end of this age, and no painful “lake of fire” that lasts forever. We will experience just the opposite, a perfect, wonderful, glorious and eternal future, with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and all the saints. Whether we are awake (alive when Christ returns), or asleep, (have died before His return), we will obtain “salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.” As Christians, we will soon be glorified, and then forever live together with Jesus. “Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18

P.S. A post that helps you understand what God wants Christians to do in the end-times is “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?” A post that tells you more about what happens to the non-Christians in the end-times is “The Day of the LORD: The Wrath of God on Earth.”

A Sin-Wrecked World and the Coming of Christ

March 29, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

A Saturday Morning Post #111 ~

Our real problem, our #1 problem, is sin, and it severely sickens every single person in this world. Like a spiritual cancer, it is a global plague that is spiritually and physically deadly. The only answer is Jesus Christ, for He has dealt with it, and will deal with it, “one way” or the other, and that’s the good news, the best news there is. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Romans 6:23

When I think about the spiritual condition of our world, I think of Ephesians 4:17-19, which says unbelievers are “being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God… and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” Similarly, Psalm 82:4 says, “They do not know nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are being shaken.” Since the sin of Adam and Eve, the world has continually been hating God and trampling on His truth. At this time, in the beginning years of the 21st century, it’s obvious that the majority of the people living on this planet are sinners who don’t love God, don’t know God and don’t understand His truth. Our spiritual foundations are crumbling around us, resulting in damaged and destroyed lives, morals, families, schools, cultures, businesses, governments, and yes, churches too.

For close to 50 years now, I’ve been watching our sinful world get worse and worse. I am spiritually sickened as I see this world flooded with sin. There’s love of self, love of money, and love of pleasure. There’s an increased lack of respect for those in authority, whether it’s parents, teachers, policemen, or government leaders. There’s a growing disregard for the young, the old, and the unborn. There’s a sharp increase in sexual sin, in unmarried people living together, and in divorce. All kinds of people are liars, in big ways and little ways. Personal and public speech is more crude, filthy, obscene and hateful. All over the world, there are lawbreakers, many who have no conscience, and many who receive no consequences. Much of our music, movies and video games is unholy. People say things are good when they are evil, and say things are evil when they are good. People do what is right in their own eyes, but not in the eyes of God. There’s crime, theft, corruption, murder and all kinds of devilish deeds. There are many people whose thinking is depraved, who are out of their minds, don’t make sense, and aren’t rational. The bottom line is that people don’t fear God, don’t love God, and therefore, reject His truth. Mark 7:20-21; John 8:31-47; Romans 1:18-32; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-5

And it’s going to get a lot worse. That’s what Matthew 24, the end-times prophecy chapter tells us: “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” God is saying that lawlessness will increase in the years leading up to Christ’s return. Paul substantiates this sad truth when he talks about the Antichrist, this “man of lawlessness… the son of destruction… the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8). The unrestrained sinful flesh of man, along with Satan and his devilish Antichrist inciting them to sin against God, will result in this world becoming more lawless and corrupt the closer we get to the end of this age. Now that we live in the end-times, it’s clear that our sinful world is on an irreversible collision course with the Day of the Lord, the dreadful wrath of God. Nothing can stop God from carrying out His predetermined plan to judge sinful people and this sinful world. Psalm 98:9

It’s sobering and somewhat depressing talking about all this sin in the world, but always remember that God is sovereign (Daniel 4:35), God is merciful, and God is holy.
* God is merciful, for Jesus Christ, at His 1st coming, died to pay for the sins of people, and then rose again. If you aren’t saved, if you don’t know Christ, then now’s the time to repent of your sins, and ask God for mercy, for forgiveness, for eternal life. Then expect to be perfected, to be glorified at Christ’s 2nd coming, during the rapture. Hebrews 9:28
* God is holy, which is seen in 3 ways. 1) Individual sinners who reject Christ’s offer of mercy, will perish, will be cast into hell and punished forever. 2) Jesus Christ will defeat the Antichrist: “that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearing of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). 3) This sinful world will be judged by Christ after the end of this age, during the Day of the Lord, but not before He raptures the church, rescuing the Christians who live on this earth from the wrath He will pour out upon this wicked world. Revelation 8-9, 16

Let’s go back to Matthew 24, which instructs us how we are to live in the end-times.
* Verse 12 warns us, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” It’s important for you to know that this world will spiritually and morally get worse and worse.
– Verse 13 says, “The one who endures to the end will get saved.” There will be increasing lawlessness, but Christians need to endure. Some will die and go to heaven, and others will persevere to the end of the age and be saved, that is, be raptured and go to heaven.
– Verse 14 tells us to preach the gospel “to all the nations, and then the end will come.” No matter how difficult it gets, remember to tell people about Christ and how they can be forgiven of their sins and escape God’s wrath. What a great privilege to be alive for Christ in these last years before His return to rapture the church. “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). “Go make disciples of all the nations… surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

P.S. The increasing sin of the world is such an important subject to understand. I encourage you to read two other posts related to this one: “It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better,” and “How Then Should We Live in the End-Times?”

The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church

January 18, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #103 ~

Jesus Christ is coming to judge the world (Psalm 98:9), and you don’t want to be here when it happens, for it will be a fierce and fiery world-wide devastation. This is the great and holy wrath of God, often called the day of the Lord, and it will be directed at unbelievers who are on earth at the return of Christ. But Christians living on earth at that time will be supernaturally rescued from this wrath to come.

Now that we are in end-times, we can see this day of the Lord drawing near (Hebrews 10:25). It won’t be long before “there will be signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord” (Acts 2:19-20). These dramatic signs will get everyone’s attention! With a huge exclamation point, they mark the end of this age, letting us know that God’s wrath will soon be poured out upon this sin-infected planet.

But the good news of salvation means Jesus will rescue all Christians from this coming world-wide wrath. “To wait for His Son from heaven, …, Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). The means of this miraculous rescue is the rapture, for Jesus will return in the clouds, and Christians will suddenly and safely be taken from this earth to be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This rapture is also the means of relief, of being delivered from great tribulation. Some of you may not believe what I am saying, or want to hear what I am saying, but it’s true. Christians alive in the end-times, specifically during the rule of the Antichrist, will go through great tribulation for awhile, and then it will be cut short by the signs on earth and in the heavens. Matthew 24:21-22, 29-30

This teaching that Christians won’t be here when the Antichrist is dictator of the world, and are therefore exempt from great tribulation, is wrong, is error, and actually very harmful. You see, many Christians have heard that great tribulation is God’s wrath, but that’s not true. You see, tribulation can’t be God’s wrath, for tribulation is defined as pressure, distress, suffering or persecution, and is what the Bible says all Christians go through. Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33), and Paul said, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Now great tribulation just means great pressure, great distress, great suffering, great persecution, and will affect Christians still on earth in that last couple of years or so before Christ’s coming.

This great tribulation is great because of its severity, for Christians will be killed for their faith, and because of its scope, for it will occur all over the world. “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matthew 24:9). But who of us should not be willing to suffer and die for Jesus in view of the fact that He suffered and died for us? This great tribulation is nothing compared to the eternal life and love that God has given us, and which we will forever experience and enjoy with Jesus and other believers. “Momentary, light tribulation is producing for us an eternal weight of glory, far beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

What does Revelation 6-9 say about all this? Revelation 6 talks about great tribulation (verse 9), and signs on earth and in the heavens telling us that it’s the end of the age (verses 12-14). Unbelievers are scared to death, for they know God’s wrath is coming, that they are damned and doomed, and that there’s no escape (verses 15-17). Revelation 7 then tells us about a great multitude suddenly appearing in heaven, and worshiping God and Christ (verses 9-10). The angel says these believers “are the ones who come out of great tribulation” (verse 14), that is, were just raptured from the earth. Finally, Revelation 8-9 describes God’s punishing wrath on earth. This is the sequence of coming events: great tribulation, end of the age, rapture, and wrath. It’s can’t be any clearer.

This means the rapture of the church is after the great tribulation, persecution brought on by the Antichrist, but before the wrath, punishment brought on by Jesus Christ. Again we see that believers will be rescued from this cataclysmic, torturing and deadly wrath. But woe to those who reject Christ and the gospel, who don’t get saved, who are left behind on earth, and who are justly tormented by this, the righteous wrath of God.

Judgment is coming for unbelievers, except for those Jews and some others who are protected by God. But the rapture, the greatest rescue operation this world has ever seen, is coming for believers. God only knows, but you might be alive on earth when Christ returns to rapture the church. Be thankful that you will be rescued, not only from this earthly wrath, but also from the eternal wrath, that very painful, everlasting lake of fire. “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). As a Christian, be glad that Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, saved your soul and, at the rapture, will give you a new body. Now is your time to live for Him, share His gospel with the lost, and use your gifts for the good of the church and the glory of God.

P.S. Here are three other posts that go along with this post, giving you more understanding about the tribulation Christians experience, and the wrath of God that unbelievers will go through. The Day of the Lord: The Wrath of God on Earth, Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation, The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching is False.

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