The Lord's Return

Habakkuk 1:5 - Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.

I read the above scripture this morning. It's a good word for us. You know how I have written about God being in control of all things, even though we don't see it, how He sets all things in place like a puzzle. Someday He will put in that last puzzle piece. Like the words of the Bible, prophetic fulfillment...things must take place, will fall into place, for the fulfillment of the Lord's return.

For thousands of years we have heard Jesus is returning and we've not seen it. Some have placed dates on when He would return, and they were so terribly wrong. Remember a thousand years to God is as a day. Since creation He has been putting together that puzzle. This first must happen in order that this will and so on. You can't take one puzzle piece and place it haphazardly in the puzzle if it does not have another one to connect to. 

There will be skeptics...they are also called scoffers, those who roll their eyes at the truth. The Bible tells us this will happen. The Bible is truth. There will be wars and rumors of war. We see this happening. While I'm not the best person to write about prophetic events, and I may not be as in tune with world events as others, I think when something big happens I will know it. I sense things even now and wait for the other proverbial shoe to drop!

I read a news article the other day. It's been one I have anticipated and looked forward to for a while. It's been written that before the Lord returns, a new Temple must be built...in Jerusalem, the City of God, Israel's capital, the place where Jesus will return. I have read the new garments and utensils used within the Temple have been finished. The article I just read is entitled: Jewish Home MK calls for a Third Temple in Jerusalem and says that although there has been a plan for years to rebuild, that plan could be in motion shortly. For additional information, check out this link: Temple Institute. 

Even if we are wrong and we don't see His return in our lifetime, I am grateful to have been a part of all that is transpiring, to first be called by God to become a follower, to gain wisdom and discernment that He provides and to be able to see and identify that God's hand is working things out...all things work together for good...even if we have to go through difficulties in our lives. Those difficulties strengthen, and draw (or should) us closer to God.

If a person understands scripture and can relate it to what is happening around us today, we can see how all this is putting puzzle pieces together in God's eternal puzzle. He has so got it so all figured out. It's exciting even in the midst of probable disaster. If we are called His people we will be taken care of, we will be given strength to endure.

There WILL come a new world order (Revelation 13:16-17). There WILL be one charismatic man who will be the head of it (Daniel 7:8). He WILL be the anti-Christ, who is satan (1John 2:20), and he WILL profane God's Holy Place, the Temple, by proclaiming he is the Messiah (Daniel 11:36). (2Thessalonians 2:3-4 - Let no one deceive you by any means...the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.) I've known for a time that the anti-Christ will be middle-eastern, probably Islamic. Does this give one a sense of what we have to look forward to for our future? Do we see a rise in this culture across the world? A good reason to know what the truth of God's Word says and Who Truth is and what He proclaims.

When this happens, there will be seven years like we've not seen before. And after those seven years Jesus will return to fight one last time before reigning for 1,000 years on earth with His people, called by His name, before reigning eternally in Heaven where there is no war, only peace, no sickness, only perfect bodies, where we will see the Lord face to face. 

Often God tells us to open our eyes, minds, ears and hearts to receive the words He has spoken. "Let no man deceive you..." If we don't know His Word we will be deceived. And one evil man will cause deception; he will cause one to scoff, he will cause the truth to be twisted. Will? Is!! I know there is a blindness in this world today that causes some to think everything will be just fine. Some day it will not. And for some it may be too late.

The word is out there. People are trying to bring the message...the same message that has been brought from Genesis to Revelation. There is a God who desires your allegiance...a personal one. He desires your heart so you will be spared in the last days. He desires hearts devoted to Him, not scoffers. He has laid out the source of all truth in His Word. He has sent His Word to us in the form of Jesus, who is also known as THE Truth. To avoid the disaster that is to come, follow the Way, Jesus.

Look around and see that God is doing something...in order that you might take notice. What's the worst thing that can happen? We give our lives to Christ and live with a peace in our hearts and confidence, that even if He doesn't show up in our life time (depending on our age!) we have become His, despite what the world wants to believe, and our eternal life is secure. To coin a very old phrase, better safe than sorry.

Acts 13:38-41 - "Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin...Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: "'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'"