Signs of the End of the Age

Luke 21:7-11

Luke 21:7–11 LEB

And they asked him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, Watch out that you are not deceived! For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them! And when you hear about wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end will not be at once.” Then he said to them, “nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and famines and plagues in various places. There will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.

This is a passage that is gaining a lot of traction right now. I has been a favorite since it was written.

Jesus speaks about the end of the world and the cosmos, He says that many false Messiahs will come insisting they know “when.” Don’t listen to them. There have always been people that say they know, but all of them have been wrong.

How many of you have been looking at the signs and saying this might be it?

We look at the signs and say there it is. Nation rising against nation. War after war. Earthquakes devastating the earth. Plagues (Covid 19). Horrible signs from heaven.

We can live in fear. That seems to be how many are acting. Living in fear looking for every sign and listening to every false Messiah.

We can adopt the whatever attitude. we can try to escape the cares of the world in hedonism (pursuit of pleasure). This is the easiest for many of us when we see all the different false reports and unknowns. With so many different attitudes its easy to say well it will all pan out in the end and “what the heck”.

But Jesus tells us that we are to have a different plan. That is to “watch and pray.” He is asking us to watch and pray , secure in our insecurities.

We watch and pray.

Pestilence

The word that comes into our hearts right now. We cannot help think of this word as we are dealing with the word Covid-19.

Pestilence the Devastating epidemic that )T writers understood to be sent by God. (Exod. 9:15; Jer. 15:2; Hab. 3:5; Amos 4:10). God sent pestilence as punishment for persistent unbelief (Num. 14:12) and failure to fulfill covenant obligations (Deut. 28:21) as well as to encourage repentance (Amos 4:10). God withheld pestilence from Egypt to allow for survivors to witness to His acts of liberation (Exod. 9:16). Earnest prayer averted pestilence (1 Kings 8:37); fasting and sacrifice without repentance did not (Jer. 14:12). Pestilence is often associated with war and siege conditions (Exod. 5:3; Lev. 26:25; Amos 4:10; Luke 21:11).

War Conditions

I think about that. We are in war conditions. The Bible tells us that we are at war. War attacking the Gates of Hell. Spreading the Kingdom of God

So we dawn the armor of God. We put on the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the shoos ready to take the good news, the shield of faith, The Helmet of salvation, the sword of truth

That you may quench the flaming arrows that come your way.

We are at war. and we should expect that as the world follows the path of destruction. that as we are in a fallen world. We will continue to see signs of the end until the end happens.

Rise up in the war conditions and trust YHWH to see you through even if you must struggle.

Watch and Pray

pray