Posted by: missionventureministries | May 7, 2020

ARE YOU READY FOR HIS RETURN? BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR – Matthew 24:36

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) 

With the global corona virus pandemic that has led to governments enacting strict shutdowns across the world, Christians are naturally wondering whether this could be a precursor to the events the apostle John writes about in the Bible’s final book of Revelation, which details a global governance led by a leader called Antichrist, the worldwide tribulation, and the long expected return of Jesus Christ with His raptured saints (Revelation 19:14). 

Jesus said, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.… for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:42, 44). 

Those who study Bible prophecy are not surprised by the events that have been triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us signs that would precede His second coming, and one of the many signs that we are seeing today is “pestilence” (Luke 21:11). Pestilence is defined as a “deadly or virulent epidemic disease.” The Lord Jesus said the signs will arrive like “birth pains” (Matthew 24:8), meaning they will increase in frequency and intensity prior to His return. 

It is true that we have seen devastating plagues and pestilences throughout history, but none of them have had the global impact of Covid-19. Could it be that our sovereign Lord is giving a merciful warning of more devastating pestilences that awaits those who do not seek Him as their Savior? 

During the tribulation, one fourth of the world’s population will perish by plagues (pestilence) and the sword (Revelation 6:8). And more plagues will follow that will kill one third of the remaining world’s population (Revelations 9:18). 

Another one of the prophetic signs is that a global government will arise, that will be ruled by a dictator who will have “authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation” (Revelation 13:7). And he forces all, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and no one will be able to buy or to sell without having the mark (Revelation 13:16-17). 

This present world-wide pandemic has been a catalyst for globalists to centralize and digitize data on a growing segment of the world’s population. The ultimate goal of the globalist agenda is widespread surveillance and control over people’s lives, including our jobs, our religious activities, our medical care, our travel, and our buying and selling. Historically, we have seen that every serious crisis has brought about new opportunities for government control. This crisis may eventually diminish, but “the government” will never forget how easy it was to take control of our lives. 

The World Health Organization is proposing a cashless society because cash may be spreading the corona virus. To prevent the spread of the disease, they claim we need to use the latest technology to buy and sell. And an invisible quantum dot tattoo implant is now in the works that is anticipated to track who has been tested for and vaccinated against Covid-19 before you can go about your “new normal activities.” 

Countries like Singapore and China are using cell phone-based tools to identify and monitor people who might have been exposed to someone with Covid-19. Google and Apple have partnered to build a Bluetooth-based tracking system that can automatically log people’s interactions. The push for a global government, coupled with the necessary tools for surveillance technology, will one day enable the Antichrist to introduce his mark that will control a global economy. 

Over 180 countries throughout the world have been dealing with the devastating effects of this suspected virus, enforcing lock-downs and stay-at-home orders that have produced angry protests, rising unemployment, and a world wide economic collapse. 

The inflated death count along with all the fear-mongering and misinformation produced by the liberal media is inciting the flames of hysteria and causing growing confusion and hopelessness; and worldwide mandatory vaccinations are being proposed. Doctors are being commanded to report many normal respiratory, complications and other diseases as COVID-19 deaths. 

As we see, the whole world may be being primed for a man to rise up with all the solutions for a new world order of peace and prosperity. The apostle Paul described him as the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, who oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). And, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). 

Hence, we need to always be ready to stand before the Lord, because as Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour when He will appear, because His appearance will be according to our Sovereign Lord’s prophetic time clock. But, when the “beast” does appear, the whole earth will marvel as they follow him (Revelation 13:3). 

We have seen how God disciplines His people who go astray and how He judges godless nations with pestilence, war and famine. Therefore, the wisest response to God’s judgment has always been repentance, faith and obedience to the one true God and Savior. 

Christians, who have been called out of darkness into the glorious light of our Savior, are not to be troubled or afraid. Our Lord is with us no matter how hopeless the situation or circumstances appear to be. He is sovereign and controls everything in His creation, including Covid-19. 

We do not know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future. Therefore, “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25). 

Satan is waiting his time and he can read God’s Word just like we can. He knows his time to take over the entire earth is getting closer, and he is putting people and actions into place to use after the rapture has taken place. 

So when we hear references to a future global government, universal currency, a single worldwide economic system, a one world religion and the micro chips that are already voluntarily being implanted into people, we should be very alert because these are precursers to what biblical prophecies reveal to us. 

Satan will eventually get 3 ½ years on earth just like Jesus had 3 ½ years during His ministry. But where Jesus brought healing, love and freedom, Satan will bring just the opposite; sickness, hate and bondage. But true Christians will not be here to suffer the wrath of God. 

Keep in mind that while the Holy Spirit, the One who restrains is still present on earth and indwelling believers, Satan does not have complete control over the earth. 

As Bible prophecies teach us, it appears that we are presently living at the very end of the Church Age. And when this dispensation period concludes, there will still be the 7-year tribulation followed by the Millennium, the 1000-year reign of Christ, before the earth is burned up (2 Peter 3:10). Then all things are made new and there will be a new heaven and a new earth because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (Revelation 21:1). 

So even though we do not know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return for His bride, which we refer to the rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), our focus should be on how we can bring the Gospel to those who so desperately need to hear it. Remember that Paul said that when the last gentile is saved (Romans 11:25), which signifies that the Church will have a predetermined number of members and when that number is reached all true Christians will be removed from this earth. 

Please understand that there will be many, perhaps millions, of Jews and gentiles saved during the Tribulation that did not believe or did not think it was important to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. And the Holy Spirit is the only one that can accomplish this. Those left behind will have to endure terrible times and many will be martyred for their faith and others will survive to help re-populate the planet during the Millennium. Therefore, being saved before the rapture takes place is a much wiser commitment and decision. 

If you are a true born again believer remember what Jesus said to the church of Philadelphia who was a true church and kept His word: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth” (Revelation 3:10). 

God’s word tells us that no true believer will have to go through the tribulation. But we must be always ready, because Jesus is going to call His bride to meet Him in the air during the imminent rapture of the Church, at an hour we do not expect. 

As we see, we should live each day with an eye on that future day when “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). And we will be blessed if the Master finds us ready when He comes (Luke 12:37-38).

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