Have you seen the
news? Everyone who
reads the newspaper,
listens to their TV,
scans the internet,
or reads even the
Drudgereport, sees
all the strange
reports of worldwide
death of animals,
birds, fish, and
other sea creatures.
People are emailing
me to ask what could
this mean? What is
coming upon the
earth?
It gives a person
pause to try and
understand what is
happening, as this
is not normal in any
sense of the word.
Lame stream media
tries to spin it
that it’s electrical
storms, fireworks
going off, or
environmental
changes due to
“climate change”.
Then others dismiss
it as a normal
occurrence that has
happened before and
we’ve seen this in
the past? Have we?
If it’s a natural
occurrence, then why
is it just one
species affected in
several cases? Black
birds by the
thousands falling
out of the sky in
Arkansas,
or drumfish by the
hundreds of
thousands washing up
on the banks of an
Arkansas river
that is not a
hundred miles away?
Why didn’t it affect
the other fish, if
it’s natural? Why
not other birds in
the area, if it’s a
natural occurrence,
or environmental? I
read where a river
in Canada along the
USA
border in
Ottawa,
turned a bright,
fluorescent green.
They showed a
picture of it. It
was most
disconcerting and
totally
unexplainable.
Bright green water
that flowed for
hours, then suddenly
cleared. How about
the latest news of
200 head of cattle
suddenly dying in
Wisconsin?
The whole herd was
found dead. Can’t
explain it in the
natural? Neither can
I and it makes some
people very
apprehensive what
could be the cause?
Now I don’t know
exactly the cause,
and I’m not into
conspiracy theories,
but when things
start becoming
strange and
unexplainable, I
turn to my bible for
any possible
explanation that
might give comfort
or an answer to
these type of
events, especially
when I believe that
we are in the very
last days before the
start of the
Tribulation. Is the
news supernatural?
Time will tell, as
if these events
continue, then
stress on men’s
minds and hearts
will increase.
Luke
21: 25, “And there shall be signs in
the sun, and in the
moon, and in the
stars; and
upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea
and the waves
roaring;
21:26 Men's
hearts failing them
for fear, and for
looking after those
things which are
coming on the earth:
for the powers of
heaven shall be
shaken.
Are these events
causing distress
amongst the nations?
It is coming, and if
this is what men
fear, it will only
get worse, as the
above verses lay
out. So what could
be the explanation
of these strange
events? I turn to
the book of
Zephaniah and look
at this prophets
words concerning his
prophecy concerning
judgment on the city
of
Jerusalem
and Judah, the southern Kingdom of Israel:
1:1 The
word of the LORD
which came unto
Zephaniah the son of
Cushi, the son of
Gedaliah, the son of
Amariah, the son of
Hizkiah, in the days
of Josiah the son of
Amon, king of Judah.
1:2 I
will utterly consume
all things from off
the land, saith the
LORD.
1:3 I
will consume man and
beast; I will
consume the fowls of
the heaven, and the
fishes of the sea,
and the
stumblingblocks with
the wicked: and I
will cut off man
from off the land,
saith the LORD.
1:4 I
will also stretch
out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut
off the remnant of
Baal from this
place, and the name
of the Chemarims
with the priests;
1:5 And
them that worship
the host of heaven
upon the housetops;
and them that
worship and that
swear by the LORD,
and that swear by
Malcham;
1:6 And
them that are turned
back from the LORD;
and those that have
not sought the LORD,
nor enquired for
him.
1:7 Hold
thy peace at the
presence of the Lord
GOD: for the day of
the LORD is at hand:
for the LORD hath
prepared a
sacrifice, he hath
bid his guests.
In
verse 5, who
is Malcham? It is
another word for
Molech and God saw
how they passed
their children
through the “fires
of Molech”. Child
sacrifice was what
was going on by the
idolatry and worship
of Molech. Not to
mention all the
abominations of the
worship of the other
false gods of this
time.
This prophecy was
Zephaniah warning
the people about
their idolatry and
about coming
judgment for their
sinful ways. Have we
not passed our
children through the
fire? Can you say
elected abortion of
a whole generation
of American citizens
who never got a
chance at life?
Zephaniah is a
prophet of judgment.
He prophecies of the
imminent devastation
of the
land
of Judah and the destruction of
Jerusalem
because of
Judah’s
injustice, hypocrisy
and idolatry (chap.
1, sound familiar?)
This prophecy was
fulfilled in 586 BC.
This is why the
faithful remnant is
called to seek
Jehovah when the
nations near and far
will feel Jehovah’s
vengeance (chap. 2).
The actual corrupted
state of things
stands in contrast
to the future
blessings of the
people as described
in chapter 3.
3:16 In
that day it is said
to Jerusalem, `Fear not, O Zion, let not thy
hands be feeble.
3:17 Jehovah
thy God `is' in thy
midst, A mighty one
doth save, He
rejoiceth over thee
with joy, He doth
work in His love, He
joyeth over thee
with singing.'
The blessing of God
being with us, will
remove all the wrath
and judgment, as God
has laid waste all
who rebel against
Him, and He will
appear in the clouds
of Heaven and return
with His Saints to
rule and reign for a
thousand years.
Leading to His
return to set up His
kingdom, God gives
them ample warning.
He warns them to
seek His face and
to repent. Zephaniah
chapter 2. “Gather
yourselves together,
yea, gather
together, O nation
not desired;
2:2 Before
the decree bring
forth, before the
day pass as the
chaff, before the
fierce anger of the
LORD come upon you,
before the day of
the LORD's anger
come upon you.
2:3 Seek
ye the LORD, all ye
meek of the earth,
which have wrought
his judgment; seek
righteousness, seek
meekness: it may be
ye shall be hid in
the day of the
LORD's anger.
Again, God speaks to
us from His word,
especially for this
time that we live
in:
II Chronicales 7:14,
“If my people, which
are called by my
name, shall humble
themselves, and
pray, and seek my
face, and turn from
their wicked ways;
then will I hear
from heaven, and
will forgive their
sin, and will heal
their land.
The whole book of
Zephaniah makes it
clear that the
prophet looks far
ahead of the
imminent destruction
of
Jerusalem
on to that dreadful
day of Jehovah, the
day of His anger and
judgment, upon which
however will follow
the blessing of the
millennial reign of
peace.
You can see our
nation in the words
of Zephaniah. We are
Judah,
we are headed for
judgment. God is
trying to get our
attention, and
worldwide. It’s not
just happening in
America,
it’s happening all
over the globe.
Events described in
the above reports
are coming from
England
to the other side of
the globe to
Australia,
not just the
USA.
Unexplainable events
that Zephaniah was
warning the land of Judah
about are being seen
right now.
Zephaniah was
speaking of the “Day
of the Lord”. It was
an imminent time in
their history, but
it does not stop
with this ancient
people. There are
pecularities in the
prophecy when
Zephaniah is warning
the people about the
coming day of the
Lord.
The day of Jehovah
is mentioned as
follows in the book
of Zephaniah:
Chapter 1:7 - the
day of Jehovah
Chapter 1:8 - the
day of Jehovah’s
sacrifice
Chapter 1:9 - the
same day
Chapter
1:10 -
that day
Chapter
1:14 -
the great day of
Jehovah
Chapter 1:15-16 - a
day of wrath, of
trouble and distress
Chapter
1:18 -
the day of Jehovah’s
wrath
Chapter 2:2 -
the day of Jehovah’s
anger
Chapter 2:3 -
the day of Jehovah’s
anger
Chapter 3:8 - the
day that I rise up
to the prey, says
Jehovah
Chapter
3:11 -
that day
Chapter
3:16 -
that day
He is speaking of
the imminent day of
wrath and is
speaking of that
Day, but also of a
future event that
will precede the
“coming of the
Lord”. He is
speaking a duality
of prophecy of our
time, not just
theirs. He speaks of
the signs of the
great day of wrath
that is to come upon
this earth….our
earth, our time. He
is speaking of the
return of our Lord
and Savior Jesus
Christ for His 1000
year reign upon this
earth, which is
preceeded by a
cleansing of the
earth in righteous
judgment.
What will it take
for
America
to wake up? Will a
catastrophic
earthquake that
destroys large land
masses and their
population shake
them awake? How
about a new
terrorist attack
that makes 9/11 pale
in comparison?
Remember how we came
together after the
attack of the twin
towers, the
pentagon, and the
fields of Pennsylvania that shook our nation and we
returned to our
churches in
unprecented numbers?
How long did that
last? After 6 months
of being convicted
and shaken, we
returned to our old
ways and our
continued sinful way
of life. The Church
needs to wake up
from its sleep or
the next wake up
call could be the
start of our
downfall as a
nation. I just read
a commentary of what
our downfall will
look like. A third
world nation that
has no power, no
authority to do
anything to solve a
worldwide calamity,
as this nation has
ceased to exist in
its superpower
status. Is that time
closer than we even
think?
Worldwide calamity
may be starting.
Time will tell if it
is, or not. As it
becomes stronger and
stronger, and the
convulsions of a
earth ripe for
judgment fills the
airwaves and the
news outlets are
coming fast and
furious, you can see
what I quoted above
coming to pass in
all its fury.
Quoting Luke chapter
21 again:
Luke
21: 25,
“And there shall be
signs in the sun,
and in the moon, and
in the stars; and
upon the earth
distress of nations,
with perplexity;
the sea and the
waves roaring;
21:26 Men's
hearts failing them
for fear, and for
looking after those
things which are
coming on the earth:
for the powers of
heaven shall be
shaken.
Some who read this
commentary, will
come away with fear
and a dread playing
on their hearts and
minds, but we have a
promise, even as we
see these events
start to unfold.
Psalm 91: 7, “A
thousand shall fall
at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy
right hand; but it
shall not come nigh
thee.
91:8 Only
with thine eyes
shalt thou behold
and see the reward
of the wicked.
My brother in
Christ, do not fear,
do not let your
heart be troubled,
as God is in
control, even as
times of tribulation
get closer and
closer:
I Thessalonians 5:9,
“For God hath not
appointed us to
wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ,
5:10 Who
died for us, that,
whether we wake or
sleep, we should
live together with
him.
This is the time
when we must be
warning others who
are outside of God’s
protection. These
are those who see
what is coming on
the face of the
earth and are
starting to feel
anxiety. They know
something is coming.
They know that “evil
is coming this way.”
They don’t buy the
stories coming out
of the media. They
feel a dread and a
sense of foreboding.
You who read this
message, do you feel
it? So what are you
to do? Paul warned
in
1 Thessalonia
chapter 5:
For yourselves know
perfectly that the
day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in
the night.
5:3 For
when they shall say,
Peace and safety;
then sudden
destruction cometh
upon them, as
travail upon a woman
with child; and they
shall not escape.
5:4 But
ye, brethren, are
not in darkness,
that that day should
overtake you as a
thief.
As a warming
messenger, I
admonish you and
give you an open
invitation to quiet
the fear in your
mind and in your
heart and God’s
Salvation.
Romans 10:8,
“ But what doth it
say? `Nigh thee is
the saying -- in thy
mouth, and in thy
heart:' that is, the
saying of the faith,
that we preach;
10:9 that
if thou mayest
confess with thy
mouth the Lord
Jesus, and mayest
believe in thy heart
that God did raise
him out of the dead,
thou shalt be saved,
10:10 for
with the heart doth
`one' believe to
righteousness, and
with the mouth is
confession made to
salvation;
God is trying to
shake us awake. God
is calling whoever
will believe on His
only begotten Son
unto salvation. The
time is drawing
down. The start of
the coming 7 years
of Tribulation of
Daniel’s 70th
week could be in the
imminent future. So
what do you do with
this warning, this
call unto
repentance? You
could discard it as
the ravings of a
madman, or look
around you and see
that things are
becoming very
fearful and mind
troubling. You may
feel a tug at your
mind and your heart.
Jesus said in John
6:44,
“No man can come to
me, except the
Father that sent me
draw him: and I will
raise him up in the
last day.
6:45 It
is written in the
prophets, And they
shall all be taught
of God. Every one
that hath heard from
the Father, and hath
learned, cometh unto
me.
Listen to that voice
inside your spirit.
Romans 10:13,
“whoever shall call
upon the name of the
Lord, he shall be
saved.'
But in
the end, don’t take
my word for it, all
that I have written,
search God’s Word
for yourself. Take
the news all around
you, and the warning
in your bible and in
your heart, listen
to the voice of the
Holy Spirit calling
you. Make that
decision for Jesus
Christ today, right
now.
If there is anything
that I can pray with
you about, counsel
you with, or give
you biblical
support, then email
me at
realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit me for more
biblical instruction
at
www.churchofgod-usa.org.
This is Pastor Mike
Taylor, wishing you
well, till we meet
at Jesus feet.