February 14, 2021 NOTES
NOT EDITED
America In Prophecy: Or Is It? Pt. 3
Acts 17:26-27
SIS: America is not mentioned in Biblical prophecy of the Last Days because we are no longer a world leader, if a nation at all, but Christians still have a mandate to practice justice politically and seek the salvation of souls spiritually.
Armageddon. Nearly any adult alive in the Western world has heard that word. It has an ominous cloud hanging over it as a symbol of the apocalyptic end of human history. Armageddon comes from two Hebrew words. “Har” means mount or hill, and “geddon” is a reference to the city, Megiddo, in the Jezreel Valley of Northern Israel. Rev. 16:12-16 describes the final epic battle of Armageddon:
“The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the beast’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty. “Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame is blessed.” So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.”
Armageddon, or Megiddō, is site of nearly continuous conflict throughout the ages. It is an easily defended mount or hill that sits at the crossroads of ancient trade routes. These trade routes were called the “Via Maris,” or “way of the sea.” Wikipedia describes it like this: “Via Maris is one modern name for an ancient trade route, dating from the early Bronze Age, linking Egypt with the northern empires of Syria, Anatolia and Mesopotamia — along the Mediterranean coast of modern-day Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria.”
The Jezreel Valley, the broad, fertile plain in this reason was a precious commodity many groups tried to gain control over. At the Tell of Megiddō, (a tell is an archeological term for a mount with several layers of civilizations stacked on top of each other) there are at least 26 layers of civilizations, including the grand rebuilding under King Solomon. The history of battles at Megiddō go back to the Bronze Age. The first major battle of the ancient world recorded in history took place at Megiddō when Pharoah Thutmoses III fought the King of Kadesh about 1479 B.C. So, as we see, the Valley of Jezreel and the Hill of Megiddo host both the first major battle of human history and the last.
Everything in human history in regard to nations have been pointed in the direction of Armageddon since the beginning of time. The Bible teaches the continuing rebellion and open sinfulness of man that leads to the ultimate battle where Jesus Christ, Himself, leads the Army of the Redeemed against the Armies of the Reprobates.
This is important to note because the Bible teaches a continuing decline of humanity, including America. America has been the “saving power” of the world since WW1. We have been the world’s “policeman,” holding back evil regimes. That will all change as the end of the world nears. We have been in the End Times since Jesus left the earth 2020 years ago. We see the fabric of America hopelessly torn by crippling economic implosion, crushing encroachment of illegal immigration, the crud of unbridled moral depravity, and soon the cataclysmic fracture of the rapture. America’s fate has been sealed which is why the Bible is silent in regard to America’s prominence in the Last Days.
So, now that we have a sufficient foundation of “doom and gloom” for the morning, what should be the Christian response during the death of our nation?
Let briefly outline several ineffective and negative responses that we should avoid.
① We could retreat or run from culture. Someone has called this “rapture practice,” the equivalent of dawning white ascension robes and sitting on a mountain top so we can be closer to Jesus when He “comes in the air.” Groups, like the Millerites in the 19th century have already tried this. This is a non-sensical, not to mention, a non-Biblical approach to life. Jesus said we are to be “salt and light” (Mt. 5:13). Salt does little good if it stays in the shaker and light is ineffective if we put it under a basket. Retreating is not an option.
② We could simply become constant critics of culture. Of course, we as Christians are called to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). So often that gets translated, according to one writer as, “lobbing gospel grenades from within the safe and secure confines of the church walls.” We become know for “everything we are against” without communicating clearly everything we are for. This is an ineffective approach to the ills of culture because the world just tunes us out. Again, let me say, the church must stand up and speak out boldly against evil. But as we “speak truth in love” let’s make sure they see the love as well as hear the truth.
③ We could create a “Christian sub-culture” trying to give the world a Christian version of the same products and services they consume daily. Some has said that when we do this we become the Christian version of “Walmart.” We are just a “cheap version” of the same worldly entertainments the lost world is already consuming. When we as the church try to provide the same activities the world provides we water down, or completely neglect, the one, unique product that the church provides that people can get nowhere else in the world—the soul-saving, life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ. We turn the Great Commission upside-down when we play to the consumerism of culture. Instead of “we all go,” church ministry morphs to a “you all come.” This has proven to be ineffective in transforming our culture or maximizing a harvest of souls.
④ We could just let ourselves become “absorbed by culture.” [CUDDLE CULTURE] We just do what they do, go where they go, watch what they watch, and enjoy the same recreation they enjoy. In other words, we just surrender to culture. Many churches have done just this. They are pro-choice, pro-gay, pro-alcohol, and just pro-sin in general. I don’t think I need to press the issue that this is NOT an effective way for the church to influence culture for good.
So, let me offer a BETTER WAY for Christians and churches to engage culture in these declining years of American society. We can, and should, 1. Watch and Pray; 2. Work poltically; and Witness and Warn persons passionately.
1. WATCH AND PRAY (MK. 13:33; Mt. 24:42)
“Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming.” (Mark 13:33, HCSB)
“Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is
coming.” (Matthew
24:42, HCSB)
I quoted
both of these texts because they both occur in a longer section teaching about
the Last Days. They both say the same
thing, but they use two different words, both translated “be alert” (CSB). Mark’s version actually adds another watch, “blepō,” meaning to “look
intently.” or “watch in the sense of being highly alert.” The point I am making here is that in
regard to the issue of prophecies regarding the Last Days, we must be very,
very vigilante.
The idea
of watching involves three components: 1. vigilance (wakefulness), 2. Protection (as in
stationing a guard), and 3. learning, or studying the signs or situations. One of the two main words used for “watch, or
be alert” is agrupneō.
A trusted Greek resource points out that this word means, “to make
an effort to learn of what might be a potential future threat” (Louw-Nida).
Remember,
over 60% of the Bible is
prophecy. An entire book in the
New Testament, Revelation, is devoted wholly to the prophecy of the Last
Days. Sadly, most church folk are
ignorant of the prophetic texts even though they are the majority of the
Bible.
“But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored
up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly
men. Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day
is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not
delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not
wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. But the Day of the Lord
will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud
noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on
it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,
it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as
you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens
will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with
the heat. But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new
earth, where righteousness will dwell.” (2
Peter 3:7–13, HCSB)
God’s
prophetic Word is an expression of His love and mercy because He wants “all
people to be saved.” Of course, we know
all people will NOT be saved. Not everyone heeds warnings.
Mt. Pinatubo
is a stratovolcano in the Philippines. June 12, 1991, it erupted, resulting in
the second-largest eruption
of the 20th century. The ash plume height reaching more than 40 km (28 mi) high and ejecting
more than 10 km3 of magma. The eruption cost $700 million in damage, $100
million of which was damage to 16 aircraft flying at the time of the eruption
and $250 million in property. More than
800 people perished. And yet, everyone knew Mt.
Pinatubo was a volcano. How could
such loss of human life and massive property damage happen? Here’s what the Philippine Department of
Volcanology said, “When a volcano is silent for many years, our people
forget that it’s a volcano and begin to treat it like a mountain.”
This is
why Christians must “watch diligently” studying the massive number of prophetic
signs given in the Bible. We “watch” not
in fear, but in preparation—preparing our witness and warning to others, and
making sure our own hearts are prepared for what is coming.
2.
WORK POLITICALLY
Now, some
may argue, “if this nation
is doomed and the path to destruction is assured, why bother with politics?” There is no easy answer to that
question. The answers are actually
complicated and even confusing at times.
The first reason we must work politically is that while we cannot change
the course of the trajectory for our nation and world, we can preserve the
liberties for a time so that we can more freely present the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Second, we
must work politically because God has told us to “work until He comes.” Jesus taught his disciples to, “Engage in business until I come back.” (Luke
19:13)
This work
includes all the common
business of life, including participating in the political process. Also, working politically does not mean just
working on national issues. In fact, the
real difference we can make is in “local politics.” We can still have a great influence in our
local community even if we seem to be able to have much less influence in our
State and National politics. If
Christians demonstrate the love of God as we stand for truth, we may not have a
great affect on the outcome of elections, but we may have an “eternity changing
affect” on our neighbors.
Working politically will NOT—I repeat, will NOT—prevent the
ultimate demise of America as a superpower.
Working politically, however, can change the ultimate destiny for non-Christians
in our community. It can be, as one
person wrote, “a bridge to
evangelism. It can break down prejudice and suspicion, open doors, and gain a
hearing for the gospel.” (The Grand Rapids Report, 1982).
Just the
other day, a church in our area baptized 90 new believers as a direct result of
taking a very public, and very unpopular stand against government overreach
during the Covid virus response.
As someone
has pointed out, politics means “about the people.” We are part of the people. Avoiding politics is not possible. The beloved Christian philosopher, Francis
Shaeffer often remarked, “man
is not just a soul to be saved.”
Shaeffer meant that we must view a person holistically seeking to meet
all the needs of our neighbors. Another
great theologian, John Stott said, “Therefore, if we truly love our neighbors, and because
of their worth desire to save them, we chall be concerned for their total
welfare . . . and, our concern shall lead to practical [meaning political]
programs.” (Decisive Issues).
3. Most importantly, WITNESS and WARN Prophetically
As I began, I mentioned that nearly everyone has heard of Armageddon and almost everyone has some idea of the teaching about the End of the World. As we saw from our clip earlier, “Judgement Day” even came up in the comedy movie, “Ghostbusters.”
One of the most successful fiction series ever written was the “Left Behind Series” by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins based upon the Last Days prophecies in the Bible. It eventually reached 16 substantial volumes. Sixteen years ago, the Left Behind series caught the eye of the venerable news outlet, “60 Minutes.” They wrote,
“All together, there are 58 million books in print, and another 20 million in spinoffs. Plus, the "Left Behind: The Kids," audio books and comic books are all worth more than $100 million in annual revenues. Their latest book, "Glorious Appearing," sold 2 million copies before its publication date in March. It's also No. 1 on this week's New York Times bestseller list.” The books also sparked several major movies, including such A-list actors as Nicolas Cage.
People are interested in Bible prophecy. Like salt, it creates a thirst explore spirituality deeper.
Throughout
the Bible we are exhorted to “warn” people of God’s coming judgement, and
prepare them to receive the grace of God that will save them from eternal
damnation. One of the great Last Days
prophets in the O.T. gave this instruction to God’s people:
Ezek. 33:1-7, “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to
your people and tell them: Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the
people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their
watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his trumpet
to warn the people. Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores
the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his
own head. Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but ignored the warning, his
blood is on his own hands. If he had taken warning, he would have saved his
life. However, if the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the
trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away
their lives, then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, but I
will hold the watchman accountable for their blood. “As for you, son of man, I
have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My
mouth, give them a warning from Me.”
There is no act of love, short of dying
for another, greater than witnessing to and warning neighbors of pending disaster. That is the very essence of discipleship. Not
everybody will heed the Bibles waring and accept the free gift of saving grace,
but we are obligated to witness and warn them anyway.
I remember
two young men who
were standing by the side of the road holding a sign that said, in big black
letters, “THE END IS
NEAR!” As one car drove past them
the young men put the window down and yelled obscenities at the young men
calling them idiots. Just a few seconds later there was a loud crashing sound
and a plume of smoke rose off in the distance.
One young man looked at the other and said, “Do you think we should
change the sign to say, BRIDGE
OUT AHEAD?”
More and
more our nation is being covered in a blanket of darkness. We as God’s people must—I cannot stress this
enough—we must let our light shine with a “bold, loving, prophecy-driven
witness.” We must WATCH AND PRAY; WORK POLTICALLY;
and WITNESS PROPHETICALLY as the dark cloud of God’s judgment descends
upon on our world.
Prophecy
is not given by God to panic us, but to prepare us for what lies ahead so we
can prepare others.
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