How Do We Live
In Dark Days.

How Do We Live In Dark Days

1. Remember – Yeshua told Us Of Such Days.

Prior to the Tribulation there will be ‘Dark Days’, Yeshua called them ‘the Beginning of Sorrows’.

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age   Matthew 24: 3-14.

³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Yeshua is answering a question about the signs of His coming…and the end of the (church) age.

 The Beginning of Sorrows is marked by certain events:

1. Deception in the Church – ‘false christs’ – teachers & prophets proclaiming ‘new truth’.
2. Wars and Rumours of Wars – two world wars and many others.
3. Nation Rising Against Nation – inter nation strife and antagonism.
4. Kingdom Rising Against Kingdom – e.g.: the EU vs. the UK, or the West vs. China.
5. Famines – there have been many and it is coming to us (the Climate Change agenda).
6. Pestilences – there have been many…and now Coronavirus (‘man made’).
7. Earthquakes – there have been many and sometimes continual (Christchurch, NZ, Turkey, Syria).
8. Persecution, Tribulation and Death – Christians in many places…and now here.
9. Offence at Each Other – betrayal and hatred – the ‘Offence Culture’ to stifle freedom.
10. False Prophets – deceiving many – not just in the Church but in Society.
11. Great Lawlessness – causing love to grow cold – no law…no respect for others.

We see each of these things today in increasing number and severity.

Yeshua urges us in these ‘dark days’:

1. Don’t be deceived – reliance upon His Word and His Spirit.
2. Don’t be troubled – these things must happen (in God’s purposes and plan).
3. Endure to the End – salvation (completion of our redemption) is the prize.

2. Overcoming Through Yeshua

Yeshua told us that we would have tribulation (increasing pressure and trial) in the world.

Yeshua also told us that He has overcome the world.

Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World                   John 16: 25-33

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; ²⁷ for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. ²⁸ I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

²⁹ His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! ³⁰ Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? ³² Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. ³³ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The context of what Yeshua says is important:

1. He will not be here (physically) but He will send the Holy Spirit
2. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement.
3. The Holy Spirit will be our Guide into all Truth.
4. The Holy Spirit will Glorify Yeshua.
5. Sorrow will turn to Joy – like a woman in labour.
6. I will see you again – a joyful reunion.
7. Ask the Father in My Name – prayer ‘To the Father’, ‘Through the Son’, ‘In the Spirit’.
8. Ask and You Will Receive – that you may be joyful (full of joy) – to live this promise.

Yeshua tells us these things that, in Him, we may have peace – in the midst of ‘dark days’.

3. Overcoming By Faith

John the disciple’s [apostle?] first epistle is all about light, love and relationship.

In the last chapter, he tells us that the victory which overcomes the world is our faith.

1. Obedience by Faith 1 John 5: 1-5

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Again, the context is important:

1. The spirit of Antichrist is in the world – it is a spirit of untruth which denies Yeshua’s deity (1 John 2: 22) and His humanity (1 John 4: 3).
2. The Holy Spirit in us is greater than the spirit of antichrist – so we can overcome because we are ‘of God’, not ‘of the world’.
3. Love one another – it is the manifestation of God’s love to us.
4. Confessing Yeshua as God’s Son – it is the evidence that God dwells in us, and we dwell in Him – so keep witnessing to others in the ‘dark days’.
5. God’s love, perfected in us, drives out fear – gives us boldness in the day(s) of judgement.
6. Loving God means loving our brothers and sisters – we will love those born of Him.
7. Loving God means obedience to His commandments – it is an easy burden.
8. Know (be assured) that you have Eternal Life – and keep going through faith in Yeshua.
9. Ask according to His will – through prayer in His will – He hears us…He will answer.
10. The Faith that Keeps us Going in ‘dark days’
11. Based on Truth – God’s Truth (the Word and the Spirit are our guides)…don’t listen to or be deceived by the lies of the world or the lies of the spirit of antichrist
12. Faith in Yeshua – in His victory which is the guarantee of our victory…even in persecution and trial we can be overcomers – whatever (whoever) is ‘born of God overcomes (v.4).
13. The Lord is Our Strength – Paul’s strength was in the Lord (Philippians 4: 11-13) … v.13 is a much-misused verse because preachers/saints ignore its context.

¹¹ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.            Philippians 4: 11-13

Yeshua will give us strength to cope with whatever happens – it’s true!

20. Yeshua is Ever-Present – He will never leave us or forsake us – see Genesis 28: 15; Deuteronomy 31: 6, 31: 8; Joshua 1: 5; 1 Chronicles 28: 20.

The Lord Will Not Leave You, Nor Forsake You (Deuteronomy 31: 8) – no fear, no dismay.

⁸ And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

1. The Day of The Lord is Coming – we are not ‘appointed to wrath’ but ‘to obtain salvation’.

The Day of the Lord  (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-10).

¹ But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. ² For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ³ For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵ You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸ But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

We should do as Paul urges the Thessalonians to do (they were enduring tough times):

1. i) Know that the Lord will come suddenly – the Rapture could happen any time – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye – be expectant…be ready.
2. ii) Be alert to what is happening – don’t be asleep (like most people today).

iii) Put on the breastplate of Faith and Love – a covering of your heart (emotional help).

1. iv) Put on the Helmet of Salvation – a guard to your thinking (rational help).
2. Love and Unity – we are stronger in unity with the Lord…and with each other.
3. Keep Going – persevere in both witness and in standing firm – and live in hope, for our hope will not disappoint (Romans 5: 3-5; James 1: 2-4) – our sure and certain hope in the Lord is the key to living in joy, even in ‘dark days’.
4. Comfort and Build Up Each Other 1 Thessalonians 5: 11

¹¹ Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

There is great encouragement and strength when we are together – be a community.

So let us care for each other, comfort each other when we feel overwhelmed or worried, be in contact regularly with each other, meet together (not just on Shabbat).

4. Be Prepared

A well-known quotation: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin.

The ‘dark days’ will continue and they will get darker – the Lord told us so; so we need to be prepared for this

The following is written with the aid of notes from David Silver of Out of Zion Ministries –

1. Be Prepared Spiritually – It is the most important thing I can encouraged you to do.

     We need to have both of our feet firmly anchored on the rock and that rock is Yeshua and the Covenant relationship that His precious blood seals with our Father in Heaven.

     We need to be so close to Yeshua and through him close to the Father, so that He will lead us and guide us by His Holy Spirit.

‘The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.’ Daniel 11: 32b

     The key in that verse is to ‘Know our God’, and the small still voice of His Ruach (Spirit).

1. Be Prepared Emotionally – We need to be able to deal with the emotional stress of our world falling apart around us.

     People are falling apart now because they were not able to go to the shopping mall, gym, restaurants, bars and nightclubs; how will they deal emotionally as things get even worse?

     The only answer to such stressful situations is to know and trust in the LORD with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3: 5-6).

     Remember that the 3 million Israelites survived 40 years living in the desert, with no supermarkets, or even a corner store in sight, relying n the Lord for food, water and clothing – one of the most overlooked miracles in the Bible is that their clothes and sandals did not wear out for all those years.

     The Lord is able to supply all of our needs if we put our trust in Him.

1. Be Prepared Physically – In these ‘dark days’ in the End Times, we need to maintain a reasonable degree of physical fitness – doing what is appropriate to keep our amazing God-given bodies in reasonable shape and fitness.

     It means we need to eat healthy and keep our weight in order (I am preaching to myself).

1. Be Prepared Practically – The well-known saying “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible, but there is some truth in it.

     In some situations where we pray and ask the Lord to do something practical for us – it is right not to just pray and then sit back waiting for the Lord to do it, but to take some simple action ourselves (it is not a ‘lack of faith’ to do this).

     If we do what we can to assist our survival, God will step in and give us the victory

     We should make practical preparations for difficult days ahead.