The Wise Will Know…

Commentary

Roughly 2,500 years ago, God showed Daniel many things that pertain to the time of the end. God knew that Daniel would not be able to fully understand what he had seen, but it was written for the benefit of those who would live at the time of the end, who would understand. I believe that we are possibly that generation of people.

There is a lot going on in our world at this moment. The organized church is falling into apostasy. Israel is becoming stronger and more of a heavy stone for the surrounding nations. Turkey, Iran, and Russia, the leading nations of the coming Ezekiel 38 war, are growing closer and closer, like never before in history.

The signs are getting more visible, and those of us who are watching can see them. Just as the angel told Daniel, many will not understand what is going on. Many will even be oblivious to the times because they don’t know Jesus. But as followers of Christ, we should be those who see because we should be those who have insight, which is the written Word of God. To which we are given the ability to understand if we study and ask the Holy Spirit for understanding.

Commentary

The people on Earth at the time of Jesus lived Bible prophecy. What the Old Testament had predicted about the then-coming Messiah was being lived out in that day, during their lives. Sadly, many didn’t even realize what was happening when they should’ve, even though God had revealed it in His Word.

There are true followers of Christ who are distracted, focused too much on worldly things and not enough on the things of God. Then there are the fakes, much like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. They appear to be pious but inwardly are spiritually dead. In the verse above, Jesus made it clear that those men were not of God because they didn’t listen to God’s words. They were unable to in their dead spiritual condition.

How many today are sitting in churches or watching church online but are not actually listening to what God is saying through the message? God’s Word is playing out all around them, but they have no clue. My prayer is that this is not you. That you are a born-again believer who is so connected to God and His Word that you not only listen but absorb into your heart every morsel of it.

Commentary

You might be someone who doesn’t quite understand why the prophetic words of the Bible are so important, and that is understandable. The majority of churches today are anemic on the subject of eschatology (study of Bible prophecy), with many, many pastors choosing to avoid the subject or barely touch on it.

Jesus was not shy to teach on it, even telling us in the passage above that we should recognize the times and the seasons, just as we can with a fig tree. One can look at the budding and sprouting leaves and know that the tree will be producing fruit soon. How much more important is it to know the season that this world is in, in regard to God’s plan?

For the follower of Christ, knowing the season not only helps us in our desire to walk obediently to the Lord, in our witnessing to unbelievers during these prophetic times, but is also our Blessed Hope, the ultimate joy of the Lord’s return. Don’t you want to know how close we could be to seeing our Lord? I know I sure do!

Commentary

While the masses will remain confused and unaware of the times that we live in, those of us who are soaking up God’s Word and watching as commanded will be a bright light in the midst of the ever-growing darkness of this world. There are those who argue that Bible prophecy is not important and that the only thing that is important is the Gospel. I say to those, the Gospel is the embodiment of prophecy. The Old Testament prophets wrote several hundred prophecies that Jesus has fulfilled in His first coming, and many more that He will fulfill in His second coming. In Revelation 19, we’re told that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

From Genesis through Revelation, God’s Word is His prophetic revelation to man, with each age offering up its times of fulfillment. The day in which we live is no different and is shaping up to be one of the most prophetically rich periods of time since Jesus walked this earth.

Commentary

It can be difficult for some to wrap their heads around the reality that one day God will end this current age with the 7-year Tribulation of His wrath upon this ripe earth. Should that day come in your lifetime, then there is no need for fear or anxiety, as the Lord will take care of you if you’re a follower of His.

Jesus promises in the passage above that those who keep their spiritual eyes and ears closed due to the distractions of life will be shocked with the sudden onset of the end, but those who have the strength will escape that time. That strength is from the Lord alone, through your faith in Him. The NKJV version puts it like this, “pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things…”, your worthiness is because of your trust in the Savior, Jesus.

There are so many who are blind to the current season, fearful of everything they see, worried that they’re going to die from illness, die from war, die from lack of food, worried about everything because their only hope and joy is in the here and now. Let’s make sure that we’re doing as the Lord leads and giving these lost people the living hope of Christ.

As believers, you and I can find comfort in understanding that God’s plan for this world involves our eventual sharing in Jesus’ victory. Whether we first join the Lord in the air at the rapture or first join Him through bodily death, we have God’s perfect promises to look forward to, the prophetic word that He has revealed to those who can understand.