Why Prophecy…… Why now?

Paul J. Simon

It has become evident in today’s society, that Christ has taken a back seat to all the

worldly activities that we witness on a daily basis. As people get further and further into the humdrum of daily life and concerns, the works of God are all around us….. but, we just don’t notice or recognize them. Some of us DO notice, and we feel compelled to let the world know why this is all happening.

     God is in control at all times. We tend to think that humans are in control, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most of the acts of humans are being controlled by Satan. Satan is the master puppeteer on the world stage. As we watch the tragedies of war and sin ravage the face of the earth, we begin to wonder ‘what happened?’

     ‘What happened’, is that we stopped listening and trusting God. It’s all written out for us in the Bible in whatever language you wish to read it in. The ‘word’ won’t change the world, because it is already set in motion and the prophetic word is working its magic. We can’t save the world, but we can save our souls. My philosophy comes from the epistle of Paul to the Galatians.

       “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:10 NAS)

     Although we were not at the crucifixion, the principle still applies in that we, as children of God, are to live our lives in the word of the Lord. Important parts of the word of the Lord are the signs that were made evident throughout all the books of the bible. Most people that read the bible will argue that it just doesn’t make any sense. There are no Kings and Kingdoms and horsemen and swords etc., etc., etc. No, not in the literal sense of today, but in the time that these words were written, these are the things that were known to these biblical authors, and we must equate them to today’s world.

     Why prophecy? Why now? These are the questions that come to mind if we’re considering finding out the truth.

     The bible holds the truth. It’s in there. You just have to read it.

     There are many people out there that say the bible is just a fictional story. Some go as far a saying that it’s ‘just a fairy tale’. These are the same people that have lost touch with God and find Satan more to their likings. The Apostle Peter foresaw this falling away from God.

     “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4 NAS)

     I, for one, don’t find the bible to be fictitious at all. From a scriptural standpoint concerning the validity of the bible, there are 333 prophecies concerning Christ in the Bible. 109 of those prophecies were fulfilled the first time that he came. I would say that that is a pretty successful track record. That would leave 224 of them to be fulfilled in the second coming. But, that subject is another article.

     When I talk about us ’saving our souls’, I speak with passion because Christ has promised us a life with him in his kingdom. But, that invitation is open only to those Christian believers who have come to Christ through a proclamation of faith. These believers have accepted Christ as their savior. They believe that Jesus was crucified on the cross, died, and was resurrected on the third day and that He sits at the right hand of the Father.

     “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” (John 14:6 NAS)

     “For God so loved the world, that He gave only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NAS)

     This is such a powerful promise. This is a promise that we can believe in because of the truth of the bible. This brings us to another point. Most people are skeptical and want some other form of tangible evidence. For those skeptics and non believers, that other tangible evidence will absolutely leave them speechless. I’m speaking about the Rapture of the church. For all of those that have accepted Christ, and have walked in the way of his word will be swept away in a time and hour unknown to man. This is another of those powerful promises that we learn from the pages of the bible. This is an event that those, who have not accepted Jesus, and are living at the time of this event, will NOT see it. This event is reserved for those of us who have accepted Jesus. What they will see, however, will be the aftermath and the chaos that ensues.

     “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NAS)

     It’s a promise to us that are living now. “Then we who are alive and remain…”

     “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NAS)

     But, what does this all mean? In the ‘twinkling’ of an eye? How are we changed? What’s wrong with the way that we are? The bible state in 1 Corinthians that ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God’, so we will be transformed with glorified bodies, similar to the one that Jesus had at his resurrection. The ‘twinkling’ of an eye is an idiom to visualize an instantaneous action. It’s more so likened to the speed of light, if not faster.

     In the first book of the Old Testament we find Adam (of Adam & Eve fame). In the genealogy of Adam we find Enoch. Enoch was raptured up to God.

     “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24 NAS)

     So, you see, there will come a day when we, as believers, will all be transformed just as Enoch was to be made fit to be with God in his Kingdom.

     What it also means, is that we have to be ready at all times. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior yet, what are you waiting for? You can’t claim your prize after the fact. As the old saying goes; “there’s no time like the present”.

     “For the coming of the Son of man will be like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that NOAH ENTERED THE ARK, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken away, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day you Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24 37-42 NAS)

     O.K. You want to know why this is so important. It’s simple, really. If you know what’s ahead, then you will understand the importance of the rapture, and why you really, really want to be part of it. You will want to be like the one that was ‘taken away’ in the passage above. They were raptured to be with God.

     The period after the rapture will be a time of great strife and suffering. This is the tribulation period and will commence after the signing of a 7 year peace agreement with Israel and the Anti-Christ. However, midway through, at the 3 ½ year mark, the Anti-Christ will desecrate the Temple and proclaim himself to be God. This will be the start of the Great Tribulation and the wrath of God. But God had promised his believers that we won’t have to suffer this period.

     “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NAS)

     “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NAS)

     Another point to consider is found in the book of Revelation. In the first 3 chapters, the church is mentioned numerous times. But, John (the Author) is called up to heaven to look down and witness those things that are about to take place during the tribulation, and the church isn’t mentioned again until chapter 19. So, why does that make a difference? Because we the believers (the church) have been called up to be with the Lord and the church isn’t in the tribulation.

     So, don’t you think that having a ring side seat in heaven far outweighs being on the playing field for the tribulation and wrath?

     “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly,’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord be with all. Amen (Revelation 22:20-21 NAS)

Paul J. Simon