Hard Times Ahead

TODAY'S READING: Rev. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 13:5-10

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. ⁶ He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. ⁸ All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
with the sword he will be killed.

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

OBSERVATION: I am always rather amazed at Christian pastors and leaders that I hear who proclaim a "prosperity" gospel. These scriptures make it very clear that in the end times, Satan and his earthly lackeys will be given power to "make war against the saints and to conquer them". It goes on to say that some will be destined to go into captivity and some will be killed for their faith. Not a pretty picture for believers! I like comfort and pain-free living. But the Word is clear that I need to be strong in my faith and realize that I may have to suffer, even to the point of death, for my convictions. Some Bible scholars hold that many believers will already be gone from earth at the time when this persecution takes place (the "rapture") but others do not. No one knows for sure, as there are scriptures that support both theories. Whatever the case, I need to be prepared to endure through anything. Whether those that knew the Lord before these events have been taken out of the world or not, it is clear there will be saints on the earth when this world-wide persecution happens. How shall we then live?

APPLICATION: The last verse I listed here says that we Christians need to have patient endurance and faithfulness to get through this. I may suffer physically by being jailed, raped, tortured, or murdered. Whatever I suffer here, I need to remember that the forces of evil triumph for only a short time. Satan is doomed, as are all who follow him, and their suffering will be eternal. Once I die here, I will live forever in God's kingdom of love, health, and security, never again to suffer pain of any kind. I need to keep my eyes upon Jesus and the prize of eternal life. There are also practical ways I can prepare. I can get out and stay out of debt. I can plant food in my yard so that I have my own supply. (Scripture makes it clear that food will be pricey and hard to come by in the end times). I need to heed the scripture which says to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. And we better learn to like each other a lot more than we do now. It could be that enclaves of Christians will have to live together in order to survive. It's a depressing scenario but we must remember that it is short-lived and God conquers in the end forever!

PRAYER: Father, pour out financial blessing to your people now before all this evil comes, but let us not use the wealth you give us to get more "stuff". May we use it to get out of debt and to plan wisely for our futures so that we have resource to help ourselves and the greatest number of other believers as well. Keep me faithful an give me patient endurance through all things. Speak to the hearts of those I love who are far from you right now. Do whatever it takes to bring them close to you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.