Understanding the Times

The Times We are In

Of all the things happening in the World, the corona virus epidemic has become center stage.

Christians should be aware of the facts, and understand the times.

Some of the facts:

As of yesterday CV-19 infections had reached 663,000 worldwide including 123,000 in the US and 81,000 in china

Total deaths from CV-19 had reached 30,000 worldwide, including 2,200 in the US and 3,200 in China

Of the 81,000 people who have contracted it in China, 75,000 have recovered. They have only 3,100 active cases.

So, it appears that China has for the most part gotten it under control.

In response to this “pandemic” governments around the world of ordered commerce, education and industry to nearly a halt.

Governments have spent unprecedented amounts (or committed to) in order to prop up their economies

Over 3 trillion dollars in the US. (15,000 for every adult in the US) alone.

This is not money they actually have.

Will it be enough?

What next?

People have panicked into hoarding supplies and weapons.

Many people are also living in fear

Be Wise, but Don’t Panic

It may not be popular to point some of these things out, but there are worse things that could happen.

There are worse things that have happened.

There are worse things that will happen

Keep it in perspective:

Although a disease that has infected over 100,000 people and killed over 2,000 in our country should be taken seriously.

It is not Ebola, Smallpox, or the Black Plague

In many ways it can be compared to the flu.

Although over 100,000 people have contracted CV-19 in the US, according to the CDC as many as 54,000,000 people have contracted the flu in the us this season.

The CDC estimates that there have been as many as 62,000 US deaths from the flu this season, compared to the 2,000 CV-19 deaths (so far)

Worldwide these numbers are much higher, with the WHO estimating as many as 500,000 deaths from the flu.

CV-19 symptoms are said to be much like the flu

most people who catch it do get better.

China is an example of this, with more than 92% of cases already recovered

The Flu is very serious also, but we have not reacted the same

Why thy hype?

Many possibilities

I don’t have all the answers, but I do not that we have not been given the answers (the truth)

hidden agendas

Spiritual powers - The times we are in

Understand the times

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1 Chronicles 12:29–32 NKJV

29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

Recounting the times of turning the kingdom from Saul to David.

The bible lists numbers from each tribe who took part in David’s army and leadership

3,000 Benjamin, Ephraim 28,000, Manasseh 18,000… etc.

And of Issachar 200 “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do

We need more people who have understanding of the times that we are in today

relatively few in comparison

just a few of understanding can make a great difference.

The leaders of Jesus’ time did not have such understanding:

Luke 19:44 NKJV

44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:43–44 NKJV

43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus wept over them becasue that did not know the time of their visitation:

Daniel also had understanding of the time:

1 Chronicles 12:29–33 NKJV

29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks;

1 Chronicles 12:29–32 NKJV

29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

1 Chronicles 12:30–32 NKJV

30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

Daniel 9:1–3 NKJV

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Daniel understood from the book of Jeremiah that the time was at hand

1 Chronicles 12:32–34 NKJV

32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks; 34 of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear;

this was important, becasue it determined how he acted, and how he led, and what he expected of the Lord

While he and Jeremiah had instructed the people 70 years ago to settle in at Babylon, and to to embrace the captivity

Now, he is preaching the opposite.

Now he understood the time was at hand, it is time to prepare to leave Babylon

Time to return to Jerusalem

Now instead of praying for wellbeing in Babylon, they began to pray to leave it behind

Like the people of Issachar, his interpretation of the facts at hand was accomplished through his understanding of the times

We Are In the End Times

I believe that we are in the end times

We should understand many of the events happening in the light of the bible’s prophesies

Understanding this should cause every Christian to read the bible and try to understand more.

Every fact that comes to me, passes through the filter of biblical prophesy

Although we are in the “End Times”, we are not in the tribulation: But it is coming

The bible speaks of a number of events: economic turmoil, famines, plagues...

A few excerpts from the book of revelation concerning the tribulation times:

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Revelation 6:7–11 NKJV

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

rev7.

Revelation 8:7–11 NKJV

7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Revelation 9:20 NKJV

20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

Revelation 9:20–21 NKJV

20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

There will be a Tribulation

This is not the “Tribulation”, but we should take note of it.

The events that are happening now are not the plagues mentioned here. Most people are getting over CV-19.

But, too many Christians do not take the endtime prophecies seriously because they believe that it does not apply to them. That is wrong

Christians will be on the earth during the tribulation, and so we should be prepared.

And that preparation must be according to the Word. According to a biblical understanding of the times.

Matthew 24:5–21 NKJV

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 rumors 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. 15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

How Should We Prepare?

By Faith.

Above all, we must walk by faith: They who know their God....

These events are not the plagues of the end

But if we panic under the threat of CV-19, how will we react to the real plagues

If we retreat into panic, fear, and worldliness, How will we be faithful unto death?

If we are salt that has lost its savor, what good are we

I hear of people dying alone, and no Christians, going in to pray with them

the church in many places is afraid to be the church

Do we understand the times?

The things happening - are setting the stage for the anti-Christ system

When the disciples faced threats, they ministered to the people, embraced the storm, cast out the devils, refused to be silenced

Don’t be too quick to believe everything the TV tells you

Don’t fail; to live by faith, even if you do believe there is a threat:

What are you doing to witness in this time?

What are we doing to shine for Jesus?

There may be a time when the Christians should withdraw, but it is not now

If we understand the times, we would understand that

Jesus said “When you see the abomination of desolation”. That is, when the anti-Christ is revealed, as Paul said.

The, he said they should go … leave their homes if need be (not kill everyone who threatens them).

Will be be lead by the Spirit?

Will we understand the times.

Even them, those who know their God will be strong.

How are we living our faith, in these times?