SIGNS OF CHRIST SECOND COMING

(The third installment)

(continued from October)

Do not think for a minute, that the doing of great signs and wonders are the only things which foretell the coming of Christ. The Lord Jesus speaks of wars and rumors of wars. But, you will say, there have always been wars. This is true, but the closer Christ’s second coming nears, so shall the measure of the rider of the red horse’s sword be increased.

The wars shall become greater and more intense. The facial mask of man is forcibly removed during a war. Egoism is brought to the foreground. Man’s morality is lowered; some act as animals or worse. Remember the sadists of both world wars that lie behind us. The terribleness of the workings of sins is seen in war. Note the expansion of war techniques.

What will this earth look like after the third world war? We do not know — we can only tremble at the thought that the rider upon the red horse has been given powers to take peace away from the earth.

The Lord Jesus speaks of an increase of hate between nations: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”(Matt. 24:7) All this against the pleasant-sounding words and the conferences that are currently being held. Men speak of “friendly nations,” we read of state-visits between nations but in the meantime men spy upon each other in such an intensive way as they have never done before.

There will also be famines. John saw a “black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny. “(Rev. 6:5 & 6) A penny was the normal wage and a measure of barley was a ransom for a man. Out of this we gather that food will be expensive and rationed.

Have we forgotten the food rationing times? What is the reason for this hunger and anxiety? The form for the Lord’s supper says: sin! But Christ took away the reason for all this hunger and anxiety for His chosen. Blessed is he whose sins are forgiven, who is cleared forever from the guilt of sin.

The Lord Jesus further names the plagues. These shall accompany the famine. The seer at Patmos saw “a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed him. “(Rev. 6:8)

Dreadful vision and dreadful tidings! The wages of sin is death. Through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death has been transferred to all men. We bloom upon the graves of our forefathers. But: Descendents will soon be mourning our death, our life is short — we fall as dead leaves off a tree.

Isaiah heard a voice that said “Cry” and Isaiah said “what shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as a flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. “(Isa. 40:6 & 7)

At Patmos, John heard a voice saying: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, … I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen.”(Rev. 2:11 & 18)

There will also be earthquakes in various places. The earth sighs under the curse, she brings forth thorns and thistles. When the earth trembles, it is God’s hand that stirs the world. Then His Godly power glides through the earth.

When God visited His people, Israel, in the wilderness, Mount Sinai shook. When Christ finished His redeeming work, the earth trembled, and when He arose, a great earthquake took place. The whole creation sighs and labors until now.

Do you not hear His voice in these trying times? Because He comes; yes, He comes, to judge the world in righteousness. Satan shall try his utmost and with all his strength to make the final triumph of Immanuel impossible. The wrath of the enemy shall be intensified against the church. But it will also be manifested what is pure metal and what is not. Many will be offended, and betray one another, and shall hate one another. “(Matt. 24:10)

Tremble, you who bear the Christian name and in truth are enemies. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.“(Matt. 24:39, 30) This sign shall precede the great majesty wherein He shall appear. The Son of Man shall be seen coming upon the clouds encircled by the heavenly multitudes of pure angels.

Finally, the time that precedes the coming of Christ will be like the days of Noah. There was no fear for God in Noah’s days. The people lived carefree. Men laughed at that preacher of righteousness. This continued until the day Noah entered the ark. Then their faces were changed to the likeness of a pot and God Himself locked the door of the ark behind Noah.

O, watch therefore, for you know not at what hour the Lord comes. Many shall try to enter in but shall not be able. Many shall still cry “Lord, Lord” and shall rely upon and relate the deeds they have done. But, they have not done the will of the Father.

Blessed are they, who have been shown the path of life. “In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name”.

Hebrews 13:15

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