Are we living in the last days?
October 21st, 2009 Posted in OC, Pastor's corner, essentials, sermons, travel | 3 Comments »I believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again.
In my understanding of Bible prophecy and what theologians call eschatology, the next event on the prophetic calendar is the rapture of the Church. That is the event where Christ Himself will call all true believers to join Him in heaven.
It will happen, as the Bible says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” I hope you are ready for that event.
I will be speaking this Thursday night in Orange County on this topic. The title of my message will be “Signs of the Times,” and it is the first of a five-part series on the last days.
I will also be speaking on this same topic next week at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in North Carolina. Joining me will be my friends Don McClure, Levi Lusko, and Pedro Garcia.
Israel is the key
The Bible is very specific in saying that a sign of the times would be the re-gathering of the Jewish people into their homeland of Israel. When that happened, the prophetic clock would be ticking.
The Bible tells us, “When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory” (Psalm 102:16). So it is not just a sign of the times, it is a “super-sign.”
Never had a nation been able to regain its national identity, 300-500 years after being removed from its homeland, until Israel!
Today, you will look in vain for the descendants of the Hittite and Babylonian nation, even though both were major powers in the ancient world. In fact, if it were not for the Bible, the Hittites would never have been remembered by history, so far had they sunk into the sands of time.
At one time, scoffers used to ridicule the Bible for even mentioning the Hittites. It was thought that they were fictional. But archaeologists in the 19th century eventually confirmed the accuracy of Scripture when they uncovered irrefutable evidence of the extensive Hittite Empire.
Still, you won’t find any Hittites today or Assyrians or Babylonians.
Not so with the Jews!
Why did they survive, while the mighty Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians have vanished? Because God promised they would!
That prophecy came true on May 14, 1948, when Israel became a nation again.
I will talk about this more tomorrow, but here’s a closing question for you: If Jesus came back today, would you be ready?
