“Therefore keep watch, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes. And know this, that if the master of the house had known in what time of night the thief comes, he would have watched and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Because of this, you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes in that hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:42-44
The Lord once spoke to Dr. Lester Sumrall and asked him, “If he wanted to know the measure of the period of His grace?” When Lester responded, “Yes” the Lord then pointed him to, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:37 and the Lord revelled to him that when Noah first received instruction to build an Ark and was told of the impending destruction that was to come upon the world he was 500 years old. [Genesis 5:32] And Noah was 600 years old when he and his family entered the Ark and the flood came. “Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.” Genesis 7:6 The point the Lord was making was, the period of His grace is a 100 years. And Lester being quick in mind asked the Lord, “So when did You start counting?” To which the Lord never gave him a response. And Lester in turn tells us, “The Lord never responds to stupid questions…” [Sermon: Effective Ministry in the Last Days by Dr. Lester Sumrall]
Now we have scriptural foundation for this period of grace which we can then implement to discern the times we ourselves are leaving in.
Dr. Derek Prince also teaching on the times of the end, points to event which he himself lived through to be sign of the present day and age. Derek Prince uses the parable of the fig tree and all the trees to be the significant pointers of our times. “And He [the Lord] spoke to them a parable: ‘Behold the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout already, looking for yourselves, you know that already summer is near. So also you, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near.’” Luke 21:29-31 The same parable is told by Matthew 24:32-33 and Mark 13:28-29. But we will refer to Luke’s account because he gives more detail making reference to the rest of the nations which Matthew and Mark do not.
Derek Prince teaches the fig tree is a symbolic representation of Israel. So when the Lord says, “When its branch already may have become tender and it puts forth leaves.” This he says is a symbolic reference to when Israel once again became a nation, which it did in 1948 when Israel was once again recognised as a nation after the Jews being without a country of their own for nearly 1900 years. And this event marked the first of the emergence of the sovereign nations. The times of the colonial powers that spanned the world, the times of great empires was now brought to an end by the succession of two great world wars. And after Israel had put forth her leaves, many other nations followed suit, breaking free from the colonial powers and declaring their own sovereignty. “The fig tree and [all the trees].” And this sprouting of the trees has continued through out the years at times marked with brutal wars of ethnicity.
Now Lester Sumrall identifies this wars as wars of blood and not of nations. “For nation will rise up against nation.” Matthew 24:7 It is the Greek word “Ethnos” which the bible translators have translated to mean nation, when ethnic groups would have carried its true meaning. “An ethnic group will rise up against another ethnic group.” While wars of nations might be clearly apparent to the world, but ethnic wars within sovereign borders of a nation will go unnoticed. And the Lord points to these events to be the very beginning of birth pains.
Now the beginning of Israel putting out its leaves seems like a good point for us to calculate the period of God’s grace. However that statement is followed by a second clause, “And all the trees.” And since this sprouting of the nations has been a continual event through the years, it does not give us a fixed point of time. Nevertheless “the sprouting of leaves” is a significant marker from which we can look forward from. As Derek Prince would say, “the prophetic timetable must have Israel centre stage…” [Sermon: And Then the End Shall Come, Part 2: The Spine of Prophetic Revelation]
“And as He drew near, having seen the city, He wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you that your enemies will cast around you a barricade, and will surround you and will hem you in on every side. And they will level you to the ground, and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, because you did not know the season of your visitation.’” [Luke 19:41-44]
Now Joseph Prince also teaching on the signs of the end time, marks another event to be the very significant point of our age, that is when Jerusalem once agin came under the authority of Israel in 1967. And he shows the significance of this event as it relates to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, when Israel ceased to be a nation and the Jews were forced to be scattered into all nations. That AD 70 becomes a pivotal point in history that marked the beginning of the times of the Gentiles, which the Lord Himself spoke about. “And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:24
Therefore the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 in the six day war has significance because even though the land is fraught with contention it marked a very significant point; the beginning of the end of the times of the Gentiles. Which Joseph Prince equates this event to be as a miraculous an event as Israel’s first conquest of Jericho. As Jericho fell into the hands of Israel after it had been encircled for seven days, now Israel also once again took possession of her inheritance after a six day confrontation with the surrounding nations.
Therefore 1967 marked the beginning of the fulfilment of the word of the Lord, “Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” This gives us a firm ground form which we can calculate the period of God’s grace according to, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Therefore from AD 70 to 1967 marked the times of Gentiles, which gives us 1900 years with the addition of a 100 year grace period to make a total of 2000 years. Now we need to establish if this 2000 years period has any significance to the times of the Gentiles.
“After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.” Hosea 6:2
Now it is important to note this prophecy is made from the point of view of Israel, and Hosea gives us two parts of days to be the focus of his prophecy. The first part, “After two days” which refers to the need for Israel to be awakened and second part, “on the third day” which speaks of the resurrection. The last part speaks of the day of the Lord which John writes about in Revelations, “And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years shall have been completed. This is the first resurrection.” Revelation 20:4-5
The significance of the first part, “After two days He will revive us,” becomes more apparent as it pertains to Israel when we consider the last 2000 years have been marked by one astonishing fact that is the partial blindness of Israel in failing to recognise Jesus Christ as the Messiah. And Paul teaching on this he says, “For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, [of this mystery,] so that you may not be wise in yourselves: A hardening in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles may come in.” Romans 11:25 That is this very same period of hardening of Israel is also marked with the overwhelming acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour by the Gentiles. As it is written, “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.” Isaiah 52:15 Which Paul used to be the very backbone of his ministry to the Gentiles.
Therefore the end of these two days which point to the reviving of Israel that is in their recognition of Jesus Christ as the Messiah will mark the end of the times of the Gentiles and also of the age. “For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be if not life out from the dead?” Romans 11:15 Paul associates Israel’s acceptance of Christ as their Messiah to be the prelude to the conquest of death itself. We might say the full return of the gospel to the very place it originated. “Behold, I tell to you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Therefore the awaking of Israel is followed by the trumpet sound that announces the resurrection and the end of the current age.
“There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.” Isaiah 11:10
Now we can also see the significance of these two days as it pertains to Gentiles in the Lord’s own ministry. Joseph Prince makes a significant point from the Lord’s discourse with the woman of Samaria. Now Samaritans share in the ancestry of the Jews but were rejected as ones whose blood line is comprised being mixed with the Gentiles. “For Jews have no association with Samaritans.” John 4:9 This leads back to the days when mixed people came and settled in Samaria after the majority of Israel were displaced by the king of Assyria. [2 Kings 17:6] And when the Jews separated themselves from pagan wives and their children. [Ezra 9:1-2;10:3,10-11] So Samaritans here represent a type of the Gentiles as ones who share ancestry in Adam yet as without covenant or knowledge of God. For the Samaritan woman said to the Lord, “Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank of it himself, and his sons, and his livestock?” John 4:12 Declaring a clear ancestral relationship with the Jews and the Lord in the course of their discussion says to her, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is of the Jews.” John 4:22 Referring to how those in Samaria worshiped God as means to appease the God of the land. [2 Kings 17:24-33] The fact she knew of the Messiah gives credit to how similar the Jews and Samaritans were.
“The woman says to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ; when He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus says to her, ‘I who am speaking to you am He.’” John 4:25-26
And when Jesus told her who He was, she run told the people of the city. And the towns people came to Him and they compelled the Lord to stay with them for two days, during which many came to believe in Him. “And out of that city, many of the Samaritans believed in Him, because of the word of the woman testifying, ‘He told me all things I ever did.’ Therefore when the Samaritans came to Him, they were asking Him to abide with them, and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His word. And they were saying to the woman, ‘No longer because of your speech do we believe; for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’” John 4:39-42 Therefore the two days in Samaria are a symbolic representation of the times of the Gentiles as they come to the knowledge and worship of God through Jesus Christ. As Isaiah also prophesied saying, “I was found by those not seeking Me; I became manifest to those not inquiring after Me.” Isaiah 65:1
We have now established how the two days pertains to the ministry to the Gentiles, which was precipitated only at Israel’s rejection of the Lord. Which Paul stated to be the mandate given to him by the Lord to start preaching the salvation message to the Gentiles and refers to this verse. “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6
Now we will see how this two days are translated to mean 2000 years. Peter speaking of the great mercy of the Lord writes, “But beloved, do not let this one thing be hidden from you, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay the promise, as some esteem slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 Therefore each day represents a 1000 years cumulating to a 2000 years that marks the times of the Gentiles.
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” Joshua 3:3-4
Joseph Prince teaching on the crossing of the Jordan makes a significant observation how it pertains to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As he famously says, “There are no insignificant details in the bible!” That is events that are recorded in the bible are a symbolic visual representation of the gospel. So he breaks down each component recorded in telling the story of the crossing and how it plays its part in proclaiming the gospel message.
So the Ark of the Covenant which the priests carried on their shoulders is a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ through whom the mercy of God is revealed. The Jordan which is translated to mean in Hebrew, “going down into judgment.” Which flawed to the “the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea,” and Arabah in Hebrew means “desolate,” that is the Salt Sea which is currently called the Dead Sea in which there is no life. So the picture the story is painting for us in the symbolism of the River Jordan is of judgment that leads onto death. And he points to the fact that when the feet of the priests carrying the Ark touched the edge of the Jordan River the waters were rolled back to the city of Adam. “As those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water, that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan.” Joshua 3:15-16 The symbolic representation being as the Lord Jesus Christ stepped into the judgment of death that is due to us, the sins of the world that began at Adam [the first man] were rolled away that is the flood of ungodliness that was to take us to desolation and death was stopped.
Now he also makes a further observation that there is a distance of 2000 cubits set between the priests that carried the Ark and the rest of the congregation of Israel. The point of focus is the rest of the congregation of Israel had to catch up with the priests standing in the midst of the River Jordan in order to cross over. Then we might ask, why the distance? The significance of this distance is when it appears as though for a period of time none of the congregation of Israel were crossing over marks the times of the Gentiles. That is 2000 cubits. However once the congregation of Israel has caught up to the priests carrying the Ark in the midst of the river this marks the end of the times of the Gentiles. “Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.” Joshua 3:17
Therefore if we were to look for a significant marker of the very end, we ought to look at Israel’s response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul says, “What will their acceptance be if not life out from the dead?” That is the part hardening that has happened to Israel is removed at the time the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, which Paul says, “All Israel will be saved.” Therefore the last of the revivals is one that sweeps Israel before the return of the Lord. The Ark does not cross over until all Israel has crossed over. Then the waters of judgment [Jordan] will return back into full flaw marking the end of the acceptable year of the Lord, and the beginning of the day of wrath of God. From then forth God’s dealing with the world will be in wrath for a time.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [2 days], And the day of vengeance of our God; [the great tribulation] To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning. [The third day?] Isaiah 61:1-3
So the obvious question is does [2067] mark the return of the Lord? And is that not a clear contradiction to the word. “Concerning that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32 It will be extremely foolish to assume we will know the exact day or the hour, however we have a clear grounds to recognise the times in which we are in.
So it is important to note there are many assumptions that are made in the calculation of this date. For instance the type of calendar used if it be lunar based [Jewish] or solar based [world] makes a difference since they actually differ by an approximate eleven days in a year. And this slight disparity over a hundred year period in itself gives us close to 1100 days difference which is more than 3 years based on which calendar we use. And between AD70 and 1967 an approximate 1960 lunar calendar years have passed to 1900 solar calendar years.
And even the point of calculations which we assume to be fixed even the date that marked the birth of Christ is not accurately recorded. So every bit of calculations made here has an error incorporated. However what we can clearly show is how far spent the day already is, how close we truly are to the very end by the merit of [APPROXIMATION]. So 2067 is [A FAR OPTIMISTIC FIGURE] that fits based on the assumptions we have made. However one thing is most certain, we are the generation who will see all this come to the fulfilment.
“Now learn the parable of the fig tree: When its branch already may have become tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that the summer is near. So also you, when you see all these things, know that He is near, at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will not have passed away until all these things shall have taken place. The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35
So when the Lord says, “All these things shall have taken place.” He is referring to the ethnic wars, kingdom against kingdom, famines, earthquake, pestilences, the falling of the stars, the sun darkened and the moon not giving its light. [Matthew 24:7-8,29, Mark 13:8,24-25, Luke 21:10-11] And it is Luke who associates the signs of heaven and earth and gives us the reason for all these things and says, “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, sea roaring and surge rolling, men fainting from fear and expectation of that which is coming on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Luke 21:24-25 That is the principle cause of all these events is the principalities of the power of the air are themselves in turmoil over the impending end and it is this that is reflected upon the earth.
And we can see from the writings of Paul to the Hebrews what this shaking means, “Whose voice shook the earth at that time; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ And this, ‘Yet once more,’ signifies the removing of the things being shaken, as having been created, so that the things not being shaken should remain.” Hebrews 12:26-27 Paul uses this verse to show the shaking is according to the coming of the kingdom of God and of His Christ which necessitate the removal of all things that cause offence both form heaven and earth. And Isaiah relates this shaking directly to the war that engulfed heaven and says, “All the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heaven rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down as leaf falls from the vine, and as fruit falling from a fig tree. For My sword shall be bathed in heaven.” Isaiah 34:4-5 Therefore when the Lord said, “The stars will fall from the sky,” He is referring to the hosts of heaven who were removed from their place when heaven is shaken.
“And immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’” Matthews 24:12
And Matthew tells us these events will take place, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Now all the gospel writers are referring to the tribulation that befell the Jews in AD70. The Lord giving them a warning of the coming tribulation first says, “When you see ‘the abomination of desolation,’ having been spoken by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place —the one reading, let him understand — then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains.” Matthew 24:15-16 And Luke records what the resulting effect of those days were going to be and writes, “And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:24 And Daniel linking the tribulation of Jerusalem with that of the powers of heaven being shaken and writes, “And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.” Daniel 8:10-11
And John narrating on the sequence of these events writes, “And she brought forth a male Son, who is about to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron; and her Child was caught up to God, and His throne.” The woman in this instance is not referring to Mary but Israel herself as Paul also writes of Israel saying, “Whose are the patriarchs; and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, being God over all, blessed to the ages them.” Romans 9:5 Then he shows how this event was immediately followed by a war in heaven. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angles warred against the dragon, and the dragon and his angles warred back. And he did not have strength, nor was found a place for them any longer in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown out, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and satan, deceiving the whole inhabited world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angles were thrown down with him.” Revelation 12:7-9
The point is the Lord, Isaiah, Daniel and John are all speaking about the same event. The same one that exalted himself to the Prince of Host, and drew some of the hosts and stars down, is the same dragon that was cast out and with him the third of heaven. “And his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them on earth.” [vs. 4] So when the Lord said in Matthew, “immediately” he is referring to the immediate war that followed in heaven.
And John follows the shaking of heaven with the tribulation and persecution that followed on earth. “When the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.” And John shows here how the dragon sought to destroy Judea [Jerusalem] and records the tribulation was going to last for time, times and half a time. He described how the holy people were going to be shattered in the same manner as Daniel has done [Daniel 9:26-27; 11:30-35; 12:7]. But John going further writes, “And the dragon enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:13,17 He shows the persecution that followed after the Jews was against the christians.
Daniel and John create a direct link between heaven and earth. Daniel shows how Michael rising to war is directly related with the war on Jerusalem and describes it with all its consequences. “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1 Now did Michael fail Judea? No, the deliverance was promised only for those who had put their faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord also says, “But because of the elect, those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:22 And Paul says, the elect are those who have accepted the grace of God in Christ Jesus. [Romans 11:5-6]
“For in subjecting all things to Him, He left nothing un-subject to Him. But at present not yet do we see all things having been subjected to Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, because of the suffering of death, having been crowned with glory and with honour. ” Hebrews 2:8-9
Paul shows form the moment Christ was glorified until now, the victory Christ has won at the cross is being slowly asserted here on earth. And he says the end will come, “When He shall hand over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He shall have annulled all dominion, and all authority and power. For it behooves Him to reign until He shall have put all the enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 That is these principalities and powers who were ejected from heaven and cast down to the earth, are being stripped of all dominion, authority and power and being brought one by one under subjection to Jesus Christ, the last being death itself. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in the heavens and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11
And the evidence of their subjection is manifested in the lives of believers in the victories granted us in the name of Jesus. “And in a short time the God of peace will crush satan under your feet.” Romans 16:20 So as the end draws near and these powers and principalities are trampled under our feet in Christ, they ravage the earth and sea knowing their time is up. “Because of this, rejoice O heavens, and those dwelling in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great fury, knowing that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12
“Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.” Isaiah 24:23
The last point we need to address is, “The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” Derek Prince teaching on this, points us to the prophecy of Isaiah which also speaks of this coming day when heaven and earth are shaken, “It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth.” [vs.21] And he says the reason why the sun is ashamed [darkened] and the moon is disgraced [will not give its light] it is because at the coming of the Lord the exceeding brightness of His glory will completely overshadow them. For the same reason Revelation also says of the new Jerusalem, “And the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they should shine in it; for the glory of God enlightened it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” Revelation 21:23 So this event will be fulfilled the day the Lord appears on the clouds of heaven to gather to Himself His elect.
All these things have taken place, are taking place and will take place in this generation.
As the Lord gave Jerusalem being surrounded by armies to be a warning to the first Christians He also gives us the parable of the fig tree to be a warning for us of the closing of the age. That is all these events will come to conclusion within a generation. So whether we mark a generation to mean 120 years according to God’s decree. “And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3 Or mankind’s own estimation to be 70-80 years. “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” Psalm 90:10 Whether we take Israel’s independence in1948 to be a marker for the putting forth of leaves or the repossession of Jerusalem in 1967 which marked the end of the times of Gentiles. Even if we take an average generation to be equated to 100 years grace period of God. With all this consideration it gives us a range between 2048 – 2067 with an additional 3 years disparity depending on the calendar used.
The POINT is to stress how short the time really is, if our best hopeful estimate is as short as 25 years what does that really mean to us, We Being the Last Generation of the Age of Grace?
It is the Lord Himself who gives us pointers to look out for that we might correctly discern the times we live in. It is through His warning the first Christians were able to avoid the destruction that followed. And the Lord’s rebuke of the Pharisees was, “Evening having come, you say, ‘Fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘today a storm, for the sky is red, being overcast.’ Indeed you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but the signs of the times you are not able!” Matthew 16:2-3 And it is Daniel’s understanding of the times which he perceived from the writing of Jeremiah that prompted him to seek God with prayer and fasting and make confession of his sins and the sins of his nation so that God would fulfil His promise to bring His People back to their land. “I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:2
The Lord has repeatedly proclaimed by many of His servants with visions that the day is set and drawing very near. Dr. Oral Roberts was given of vision of a dark cloud that engulfed the US and that spread across the world. And the Lord’s rebuke of the christian world was how unprepared we are for His coming. How we failed to capitalise in the preaching of the Gospel according to the signs that seemed to engulf us. And how we ought to pay attention to the times we live in so that we may conduct ourselves accordingly. [Wake UP – Jesus is Coming Sooner than You Think!] And Rev. Jesse Duplantis was told by the Lord, “The time of His coming is set and cannot be changed.” And he was told to warn us of His impending return saying, “They do not know I am coming very soon.” [My Testimony of Heaven.]
“And do this knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken out of sleep; for our salvation is nearer now than when first we believed. The night is nearly over, and the day has drawn near; therefore we should cast off the works of darkness and should put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:11-12
Therefore we recognising the times of our day and the warnings the Lord Himself has given to us, may conduct ourselves in the pursuit of those things we have put off for another day. We are in the very midst of the period of grace the Lord has revealed to Lester Sumrall. We do not have years upon years for the work the Lord has given to us. So as we look with expectation of the day of our redemption drawing near we may take a moment to consider those on whom this day would come upon suddenly as a snare. “And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts ever be burdened with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of life—and that day would come upon you suddenly as a snare. For it will come upon all those sitting upon the face of all the earth.” Luke 21:34-35
“Toward the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12
The question is, are we also engaged in the pursuit of those things which the world also seeks after OR we being mindful of the time and season have cause to evaluate the objective of our lives? God told Lester Sumrall, “If My people would fast two meals a weak and give the proceeds to the ones who are in lack, there would be sufficient enough to feed all.” This is so we may see according to the scope of influence and not according to the needs of thousand upon thousands that would most certainly overwhelms us to nothing. But we may conduct ourselves according to the handful we know so that as each part doing it’s share may cause the body to grow. “From whom the whole body, being joined together and being held together by every ligament of its supply, according to the working in the measure of each individual part, the increase of the body makes for itself, to the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:16
“First of all, therefore, I exhort entreaties, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, to be made on behalf of all men for kings and all those being in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable before God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Paul exhorted Timothy of this one important point, that we ought to endeavour to be persistent in prayer for the purpose that, “all ‘mankind’ to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” When he says all people, it is according to scope of influence God has given to us, the handful we know of, our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues and in support of those to whom a greater scope of responsibility is given. Our ministry does not have to be overly complicated it can be as simple as “come and see.”
“Philip Finds Nathanael and says to him, ‘We have found Him whom Moses wrote of in the Law, also the prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Is any good thing able to be out of Nazareth?’ Philip says to him, ‘Come and see.’” John 1:45-46
Therefore we being a digital generation can make use of the vast array of platform available to us to proclaim the gospel message. We all have an address book full of contacts to whom we can send out invites to an online church or point them to a sermon we have enjoyed. God in the past has moved in big tent meetings, He has moved in open filed meetings, He has greatly moved in TV ministries and He is now moving through the Internet of which we all can have an active part in.
We are the That Generation!
Thanks to Pixabay.com where the images was taken from. Alarm Clock & The Earth. And Thanks to the Pixlr.com an online Photo editor & Design maker.
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