GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE – PART 3

 

WHERE ARE WE IN GOD’S TIMELINE?

The time is near. Could it possibly be that we are already in the Last Days? If so, when did they begin?

Let’s take a look at what Jesus and His first disciples had to say about the Last Days, the End of Days, the End of the Age

Matthew 24:4-31, Jesus describes a panorama of the tribulation and the Last Days. Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, (see Matthew 24:3-4),

(1). “In the Last Days, there will be a rise of false Christs and false prophets. (This was an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. See Matthew 24:4-5).

(2). In the Last Days, there will be famines and earthquakes. (This has been a regular occurrence since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:7 and the Fourth Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:5-8).

(3). In the Last Days, there are wars and rumors of wars. (Wars and rumors of war have been occurring since as early as A.D. 35 or earlier. See Matthew 24:6 and the Second Tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:3-4).

(4). In the Last Days, there will be a persecution and martyrdom of Christians. (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35. See Matthew 24:9 and the 5^th tribulation Seal, found in Revelation 6:9-11).

(5). In the Last Days, there will be a falling away from the faith. (This has been an ongoing problem since as early as A.D. 35, and has been increasing to this very day. See Matthew 24:10).

These things, false Christs, wars and rumors of war, famines, earthquakes and plagues, persecutions, martyrs, which Jesus calls the ‘Birth Pangs’ of the tribulation, are nothing new; and from these cited verses, we can plainly see that the first 5 tribulation Seals have been broken, and the effects had begun at the time of the birth of Jesus, and have been overlapping and increasing in their intensity since those early days.

Jesus calls the First phase of the tribulation the ‘Birth Pangs’ (Matthew 24:8). Jesus then calls the Second phase of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21), also known as the Sixth Tribulation Seal, (Revelation 6:12-14), The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31), and the Wrath of the Lamb, (Revelation 6:16).. (Please click these links for verification and understanding). Now, what do you think?

Acts 2:14-17, the Apostle Peter says, “let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be‘. (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

1 Peter 1:20, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “He, (Jesus), was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 1 Peter 4:7, (the Apostle Peter), saying, “The end of all things is at hand.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 2 Peter 3:3. (the Apostle Peter), saying, “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60, and Peter called those days the LAST TIMES, THE LAST DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS. Now, what do you think?

1 Corinthians 10:11, the Apostle Paul says, “Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 1:2, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

Hebrews 9:26, (the Apostle Paul), saying, “But as it is, Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS. Now, what do you think?

 2 Timothy 3:1, Timothy says, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

If these verses say all these things began occurring in the LAST TIMES, THE DAYS, and it is THE END OF ALL THINGS. Now, what do you think?

 1 John 2:18, the Apostle John says, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 30 to A.D. 60).

 Revelation 1:9, (The Apostle John), saying, “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation.” (Spoken and written in or around A.D. 95 to A.D. 100).

If these verses say that John was a fellow participant IN THE TRIBULATION in the year A.D. 95. What do you think now?

 These testimonies clearly tell us that the Last Days, also known as The End of All Things, The End of the Ages, The Last Hour, The Last Times and the tribulation, began at or around the time of the birth of Christ; and these mark the first 5 tribulation Seals being broken. They have been ongoing, overlapping and intensifying since those days. (We are still awaiting the breaking of the Sixth tribulation seal, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of The Lord, the Wrath of the Lamb and the Great Tribulation).

WHAT DOS THIS MEAN TO US?

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE CONCLUSION OF THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN A MOMENT AND THERE WILL BE NO SECOND-CHANCES. THE TIME IS UPON US.

Furthermore, Jesus taught and warned, in Matthew 24:37-41, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”

The word “flood” is used about 28 times in the Bible. It is used eleven times in the Book of Genesis and refers to God’s Judgment on the world for sin by way of the Great Flood.

The word “flood” is used either in general terms or symbolically, twice in Job, five times in Psalms, once in Proverbs, Isaiah and Nahum, once in Luke.

It is used in reference to God’s Judgments, once in Daniel, twice in Matthew, once in Luke once in 2 Peter and once in Revelation. All of these references are related to the End of Days in some way, except for 2 Peter.

The Bible mentions a flood in conjunction with God’s Judgment and the “End of Days” as mentioned, in Daniel 9, Matthew 24 and Revelation 12.

Let’s focus on the narrative of a flood in Matthew 24:37 which speaks specifically about the “Flood”, comparing what is past and what coming.

The flood in Matthew 24:37 is a direct reference to the Great Flood of Noah’s day, which “took them all away” who were not safe in the Ark.

Matthew uses the same wording and warnings as found in the Genesis Flood account:

Matthew 24:39, tells us, “And, they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so, will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Verse 40. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

Verse 41. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Verse 42. “Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Verse 43. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

Verse 44. “For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Verse 45. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

Verse 46. “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.”

Here is the “takeaway” and what we are to be “so doing when he comes”.

1. In Noah’s day, although Noah warned them, they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away.
2. So, it will be with the coming of “The Son of Man, which is Jesus. But now we understand the warnings and will have no excuse. Still, if you do not heed the warnings, you will be taken away.
3. The warning is, “those who are not ready will be left”. They will be left. No excuses and no second chances, not even during the Tribulation.
4. “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes:
   • Be on the alert; he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into
   • Be the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time.

This is to be our response. Get Ready and Stay Ready!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ON THE ALERT AND TO BE READY?

1. Repent of your sin and fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sin. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (John 3:16). The Lord knows who are His, and He will leave none of them behind (John 10:14).
2. Be found living your life as Jesus has modeled and taught. This is only possible if you are guided by the Holy Spirit, Who empowers you with His gifts, Guidance and the Fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
3. Be found telling about and demonstrating the Good News of Jesus; making disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to do all that Jesus has commanded.

I realize this is just a synopsis of all that the Bible teaches. But it is a starting point. Now it is up to you and to me to continue to pray and study about God’s Plan and our part in His Plan.

Let me conclude by saying that everything that occurs in these Last Days is part of God’s Plan. You don’t really have to fully understand each and every event or occurrence and how they fit into this Plan. You just have to know, by faith, that God is sovereign and that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher that our ways. His word which goes out of His mouth will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish exactly what He has planned. It will succeed in the Purpose for which He has sent it. Therefore, your and I can go out with joy and be led in peace. This is what God says, “Guard justice and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come and My righteousness is to be revealed. Blessed is a man or woman who does this, and who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. I will give you an everlasting name which will not be eliminated.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Mark Driscoll on 5 signs of the End Times

Previous: God Has A Plan For Your Life – Part 2

For further reading and a complete teaching go to “The Journey to Perfection” on this website, or you can view it in digital book format at “The Journey to Perfection – digital”.