Key verse: Joshua 3:4b. …. ‘that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way before.’
Proposition: No saint has been in this end times way before!? We are in lock down, indoors for a season and all of us must be wondering what lies ahead? Will we be constrained by a maximum of 50 people in public meetings by ‘the powers that be’ for months even when it is safe to meet again! (A reported Parliament ruling). The elders are praying about and pondering this very thing! How much time is there left for us to evangelise etc. Will we ever meet again except in the air! As always, we must go to the Book for the answers, the Plan, the Patterns and the Principles are within.
Romans 4:3. ‘For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.’ (The first of many Principles).
Teaching: There are so many voices out there, but most of them are not of the Lord. Their theories and humanistic wisdom do nothing for us, we are a people of the Book of books. (The Plan). Within, the Holy Scriptures we have the oracles of God, the voices of His Prophets and Apostles written for us and then we have the words of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus, the only Messiah, the Name above all names, for every knee shall bow, every tongue should confess Him as Lord … Philippians 2:9-11.
Firstly, let me share with you something that the Lord gave me many Jewish Moons ago which I then spoke of in a sermon. (A Pattern of many) – The Earthly 5 C’s.
1) First comes Complacency – our adversary is watching and waiting! 1 Peter 5:8.
2) Next is Compromise – to agree with ungodly standards. 2 Tim 2:4; 3:5.
3) This leads to Conformity – the things of this world. 1 John 2:15-18.
4) Next comes Contamination – letting sin reign in our bodies. Romans 6:12.
5) Finally, Corruption – the salt is trampled upon. Matthew 5:13.
We need to stand fast within the New Covenant and the Lord’s Commandments, which will teach, guide, guard, grow, reprove and comfort us unto eternal life.
We are in a battle and so at times it can be for us, as it was for Israel and Judah in
2 Chronicles 20:12. “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.” (Preachers arrested, complaints about tracts distributed etc.)
Ecclesiastes 1:9. ‘What has been will be again ….’ at The Battle of Armageddon!
The answer for us at all times is to – Obey His voice. Jeremiah 7:23.
Why? Because the rulers of this age are coming to nothing. 1 Corinthians 2:6.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Isaiah 5:20.
For truth has fallen in the street and equity cannot enter. Isaiah 59:14.
We are not to think of men or go beyond that which is written. 1 Cor 4:6.
7 Human Points about Yeshua – What He experienced just as we all do.
Hebrews 4:15. For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
1) He knew thirst. – John 4:7. John 19:28.
2) He knew hunger. – Matthew 4:3-4.
3) He was tempted. – Matthew 4:5-11.
4) He knew tiredness. – Matthew 8:24-25.
5) He suffered rejection. – John 18:39-40: 19:14-15.
6) He tasted pain. – John 19:16-18.
7) He tasted death but our Lord conquered it, sin, Satan and Hell. John 19:30.
The Midnight Cry – The Parable of the Ten Virgins.
The very pointed lesson from our Lord is simple, we are to watch! Are our lamps trimmed and filled with oil? What has come about is clearly a call to be awake spiritually, to mend our ways and to be ready! Because He Cometh!
5 is the number of Grace.
5 were wise and 5 were foolish – Matthew 25:1-13.
5 had oil in their lamps. (Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit).
5 had no oil. They tried to buy from the wise. (Salvation cannot be bought!)
There was a midnight cry! “The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.”
The foolish virgins cry out “Lord, Lord, open to us.” The sad answer is “Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” The reply clearly denotes the unwise were never born again! Scholars see the application of the parable being fulfilled when the Lord returns with His bride from Heaven at the Second Coming. If so, it teaches us to be ready for the Lord can come at any time for His Bride, The Church (Jew and Gentile).
Isaiah 21:11b. Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
John 9:4. “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
All wise virgins are watchmen, they see the signs of the times and the times of the signs. They have trimmed their lamps. They are ready. Amen.
“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:28.
“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” – Mark 2:10.
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” – Matthew 16:27. cf. Luke 12:35.
(The title Son of Man is used 78 times in the N.T.
then as son of man 93 times in Ezekiel and once in the Psalms and Daniel)
Fact – We are in the last days of the world’s history. History is His Story but
free will has seen too much rebellion! So, the Father sent His only Son as the only Redeemer for mankind. We are a fallen creature living in a cursed creation! But Christ our Creator is Coming and He is coming soon! Rev 22:20.
The signs of His return are all around us and there is a quickening going on!
We are living in the Days of Noah (Violence) and the Days of Sodom and Gomorrah (Sexual permissiveness). The Church and the World are waking up to either living in righteousness or remaining in rebellion. (Hebrews 12:1-29).
There are 4 scenarios ahead of us:-
RUIN – The Newspapers and TV News channels are continually reporting on
earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, famines, diseases, pestilences, the waves roaring, rivers flooding, wars and rumours of wars. The earth cannot sustain the numbers that are now living on this planet and the powers that be know it.
The word pestilence can be found 47 times in the Tanakh (O.T.) and the plural form pestilences twice in the Brit HaDashah (N.T.) Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11.
REVIVAL – The Lord could send another wonderful awakening as in centuries and years past but it would probably be another remnant as we keep seeing. Whether it be few, hundreds or even thousands there is little sign of millions seeing the light and truth of the wonderful Gospel Age and then repenting.
RAPTURE – The next event in the Lord’s prophetical calendar is the ‘Catching Up’ of His Church. There is no Church prophecy to be fulfilled except the last sinner coming to faith before the Tribulation Period begins at some point.
REVIVAL – Many of us note a great spiritual awakening following the Rapture. (Read Rev 7:1-17). It will be a second great harvest like that which followed Pentecost in 33AD and onwards. The great Roman Empire fell as God set free many nations conquered and held in captivity by an anti-Christ slavery system. The rich elite, middle and lower classes – Nothing new under the sun!
1) There are Two Roads and Two Ends – Matthew 7:13-27.
2) There are Two Destinies to be Contrasted and Compared –
1 Peter 4:17-18 and Revelation 22:11-15.
3) There will be Eternal Glory for the Saved – 2 Timothy 2:10. 1 Peter 5:10.
4) There will be Eternal Woe for the Unsaved – 2 Thess 1:8-9; Rev 20:14.
‘As it is written, so shall it be’.