Devotional - 98-03-28 - A Sure Word of Prophecy

Today we live in a troublesome world. Today God has left special warning and special instruction for also. In answer to the disciples' questions in Mathew 24:3-8 "...What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the age?" The Lord Jesus answered by giving them the infallible unmistakable sign of the end of the age. The military forces of the world will array themselves against each other, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, in a world-wide holocaust. This will be accompanied by disease and pestilence and earthquakes. Since the beginning of our century we have seen WWI, WWII and outbreaks of all manner of diseases and pestilences. Earthquakes have been so devastating in our century; literally millions have been affected. Guess what time it is, folks?

Jesus said all these were the beginning of birth pains - in other words this is just pain number one. He then gave this explicit illustration to indicate the nearness of His return.

Matthew 24:32-34 Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away.

It seems that this generation that lives and views these things will not pass away until all of these things are accomplished. Along with this revelation, God in His Word has given a number of other signs (all of which I will not cover) that cover the end of the age, so the faithful, prayerful reader need not mistake the day in which we live. One of those predictions is that of lawlessness. In some cities which I have lived people are afraid to walk in broad daylight through the streets. Drugs and crime are rampant. Each day the papers carry stories of murder, madness and chaos all through the country in which we live. The government seems unable to curb this trend in lawlessness. In Daniel 2:28 an image and its significance is given to Nebachudnezzar. In this passage Daniel describes world governments, depicted from head to toe with lesser grades of metal as we go from head to toe. The image coincides with that of what we see -- a decrease in civil government and a decay of authority. The psalmist prophesied this:

Psalm 96:2-9 A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this: When the wicked spring as the grass, And when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; It is that they shall be destroyed for ever. But thou, O Jehovah, art on high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Jehovah, For, lo, thine enemies shall perish; All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

The prediction in this psalm is clear. At a certain time in history wickedness is to spring up like the grass (grow quickly). The workers of iniquity spread rapidly.

When we study Matthew 24:11-12 carefully

Matthew 24:11-12 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. ¹² And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.

we see that more is found concerning conditions existing at the end of this age.

The prophet Isaiah also described coming judgment on the world during the great tribulation

Isaiah 24:5-6 The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. ⁶ Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

The Apostle John sums it up that lawlessness eventually culminates in one evil personality.

I John 1:18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.

John tells us just like Paul does that the lawless one is destined to come

II Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming;

He is the personification of evil He is destined to become the ruler of the world

Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns He will wage war against him and...

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:

SO WHAT CAN BELIEVERS DO NOW ABOUT LAWLESSNESS?

II Peter 1:4 virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.

• get saved
• pray
• fellowship
• read your Bible
• tell somebody else

It's that simple. Keep looking up.Keep doing what you are doing. Abide!

In His Service,
Liv4Yeshua