ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Question: Chaplain, Can you speak in regards to Matt 24:15. ..... in the context of the nearness of Jesus  second coming ..... just want to make sure I am interpreting it correctly?

I invite you to turn with me to Matthew 24:15, 16 and read

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. 

Mark 13:14. But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

Luke 21:20-22. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

The burden of Dumah. He calleth me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come" (Isa. 21:11, 12). In ancient times watchmen, or sentinels, were stationed on the walls or in the towers surrounding the cities, to guard against surprise attacks by the enemy. When danger threatened they awakened the sleeping inhabitants by the blasts of the trumpet. They also answered inquiries as to the time.

The importance of the responsibility of a watchman is pictured in Ezekiel 33:1-6. At any time, but especially in time of war, the penalty for unfaithfulness on the part of a military watchman is death. The Lord gives this a spiritual application: "So thou, 0 son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, 0 wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul" (verses 7-9).

In the light of these words the responsibility of being a spiritual watchman, or gospel minister, is very great. Everywhere at the present time voices are calling out of the darkness of the night of sin, "Watchman, what of the night?" or, "How far has the night gone, watchman?" Up until this point in history, “The period of the reign of sin has been both day and night. It has been daytime for the wicked, and night- time for the righteous. We call it "the night of sin." Therefore the end of human history at the second advent of Christ brings in an eternal day for the righteous, and an eternal night for the wicked, a night that will never end. But both day and night are preceded by a brief period of twilight during the transition between the two. Twilight is a time of semi-darkness. Also just before the close of human history there will be a twilight hour for human civilization. It is just before that twilight period, that we shall taste of the time of desolation.

Let us turn our Bibles to Zechariah 14:1-6, "Behold the day of the Lord cometh," we read: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark." In other words, it will be twilight. "Not day and not night" is the rendering of the Revised Standard Version. We are in that twilight time now. "The morning cometh, and also the night"— morning for one class and night for the other. But both will be eternal. Sin is the great light extinguisher. Therefore during the long reign of sin "darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people."' Jesus is declared to be "a light," John 8:12, "the light of the world," and "the true Light, which lighteth everyman that cometh into the world." John 1:9, But, "Night cometh" to all who reject Him and His gospel light. Jesus said, "If . . . the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" Matthew 6:23

Those who accept and follow Christ become "lights in the world," Matthew 5:13-16 and the church is called "the light of the world." The apostle Paul wrote in talking about the church in  (Phil. 2:15, 16): "That ye may be blameless and harm- less, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and per- verse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life".

Philippians 2:15. The sons of God, without rebuke,

So that men cannot rebuke you, and will have to invent a lie before they can do it; and even then the falsehood is too palpable to have any force in it: “without rebuke.”

Philippians 2:15. In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

You cannot straighten the world; but you can shine in it. The world would destroy you if they could; but all you have to do is shine. Stop competing with the word! If Christian’s would give more attention to their shining, and pay less attention to this crooked and perverse generation, and much more would come of it. But now we are advised by the world to “keep abreast of the times,” and to “catch the spirit of the age.” If I could ever catch that spirit, I would hurl it into the bottomless abyss; for it is a spirit that is antagonistic to Christ in all respects. We are just to keep clear of all that, and “shine as lights in the world.”

Philippians 2:16. Holding forth the word of life;

You are to hold forth the Word of life as men holding forth a torch. Your shining is largely to consist in holding forth the Word of life.

Philippians 2:16. That I may rejoice in. the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

God’s ministers cannot bear the thought of having laboured in vain; and yet if some of us were to die, what would remain of all we have done? I charge you, brethren, to think of what your life-work has been hitherto. Will it remain? Will it abide? Will it stand the test of your own departure? Ah, if you have any fear about it, you may well go to God in prayer, and cry, “Establish thou the work of my hands, ” Paul cared much about God’s work; but he did not trouble himself about its success. Because he knew that all things worked together for good, to those who loved the Lord, to they who are the called according to his purpose.

Now the Bible says, “Just before the end of the night of sin and the dawn of eternal day, there will be the greatest display of spiritual light since apostolic times. In Revelation 18:1-5 is pictured the final gospel appeal, symbolized by an angel coming down from heaven "having great power," and "the earth was lightened with his glory." This message announces that Babylon is fallen and has become the habitation of devils, or evil angels. Then comes the cry, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Stop to read Revelation 18:1-5

Ladies and gentlemen, this brilliant illumination of the gospel light is taking place around the world today. 

But we are in a time of Lukewarmness. 

We are told that the message to the church of Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-5) also applies to God's people at the present time. When the early church lost or relaxed its first love, an apostasy, or spiritual fall from a high plane of experience, began that finally plunged the world into the Dark Ages. Only those who love Christ can witness for Him, and when love grows dim the candlestick, or privilege of witnessing, is removed. Lukewarmness in affection for both God and man is the Laodicean condition of the remnant of God's church, according to Revelation 3:14-22. There must be a revival of faith that works by love in the church.

In the light of what is happening in all parts of the world, can anyone question that we have come to the twilight hour of human history and that "the morning cometh, and also the night?”

The counsel of the apostle Paul is very timely. "Carry out these injunctions because you know the critical period at which we are living, and that it is now high time to rouse your- selves from sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first became believers. The night is far advanced; the day is about to dawn. We must therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness, and clothe ourselves with the armour of light. 

Living as we do in broad daylight, let us conduct ourselves becomingly, not indulging in revelry and drunkenness, nor in lust and debauchery, nor in quarrelling and jealousy. On the contrary, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings.” Rom. 13:11- 14.

In answer to the question of the disciples, "When shall these things be? What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Jesus said: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:25-28.

Since these events have been taking place for years with ever-increasing momentum, it is high time that those who are looking for the coming of their Lord wake up, get up, dress up, and look up with the expectation of being caught up to meet their returning Lord. Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees "hypocrites" because they could forecast the weather but could not "discern the signs of the times." The same rebuke applies to many in the modern Christian world. It is estimated that there are at least one thousand distinct prophecies in the Scriptures, most of which pertain to the last days.

 Between 85 and 90 per cent of them have been fulfilled, and most of the others are in process of fulfillment. All but the closing statements in each of the great lines of prophecy in the books of Daniel and the Revelation have met their complete fulfillment. The predicted growth of the power of darkness, the present formation of the image to the beast in the federation of the religious bodies, the mounting wave of crime and juvenile delinquency, the rumors of war and preparation for war, the peace and safety cry, and numberless other signs all proclaim the nearness of the end of the reign of sin and the dawn of eternal day.

One of the greatest of all the evidences of the times in which we live is the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." The present world-embracing message, announcing the coming of the King of kings and His kingdom of glory, is a sign that cannot be ignored.

The transforming power of the Advent hope is beautifully set forth in the following scripture: "For the grace of God has displayed itself with healing power to all mankind, training us to renounce ungodliness and all the pleasures of this world, and to live sober, upright, and pious lives at the present time, in expectation of the fulfillment of our blessed hope—the Appearing in glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us to purchase our freedom from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people who should be specially His own, zealous for doing good works.” Titus 2:11-14.

It is time for a great spiritual revival and reformation to visit God's remnant people in order that this beautiful scripture may be translated into a reality. We are told that "when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." I John 3:2, 3.

At the time of Christ’s coming, His anointing by the Holy Spirit, His death, and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles were definitely pointed out. It was the privilege of the Jewish people to understand these prophecies, and to recognize their fulfillment in the mission of Jesus. Christ urged upon His disciples the importance of prophetic study, and should we not do the same? Referring to the prophecy given to Daniel in regard to their time, He said, “Whoso readeth, let him understand.” Matthew 24:15. After His resurrection He explained to the disciples in “all the prophets” “the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27. The Saviour had spoken through all the prophets. “The Spirit of Christ which was in them” “testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:11.

If in the providence of God we can secure places to live in places away from the cities, the Lord would have us do this. Because there are troublesome times before us. The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the move by the nation to enforce a day of worship will be the signal or warning to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains should now be considered.

Erelong there will be such strife and confusion in the cities, that those who wish to leave them will not be able. 

But we are not to locate ourselves where we will be forced into close relations with those who do not honor God. . . . A crisis is soon to come On the earth, and God wants us to be read.

Jesus is coming:

Zechariah 14:5-7 King James Version (KJV)

5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:

7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

If you are getting ready for the coming of Christ like I am, then go out and tell someone today. 

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Blessings, Blessing, Blessings

Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Kevin J.T. Santucci

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