Does the End Have To Come Now?
Pastor Jerry Wilhite,
author
This study will do one of two things. It will liberate you or you will be offended. Remember offense only comes from the lie, so seek God and ask Him where the lie is. I discovered a long time ago where the lie was for me and it was not in His words or Him, but deep in everything of this world and life itself.
The times we live in seem so terrible and can seem like the end times. But remember they thought the same thing 2000 years ago because of their current events. I am sure in the 40's when it got out what Hitler and Germany did to over 6 million people that it seemed like the anti-Christ was on the earth and the end was near especially for those who went through it and died or survived.
No matter what we are not to sit back and let the end come even sooner. Oh yes, we could do that. I know some believe it is all predestined by God to happen and we can do nothing about it, but if you believe that then you are either missing a large point in John 3:16-17 or do not understand Grace and God. Predestined is just seeing ahead and knowing what is going to happen, but that does not mean it can not be changed. No we can not stop the end from coming but we can slow it down and proof of that is when Moses changed God's mind about wiping out all of Israel.
Exodus 32
9. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
So why would we want to slow down the end from coming? Because "God so loved the world" we are not able to save anyone, only Jesus can, but we can pray for them and in turn maybe a few more hundred, thousand, or more will make it with us.
It would be selfish to want it to end now just because we are ready. What if that had been the case, 10, 20 or more years ago? Where would that put you?
The end will come for the same reason Israel defiled itself in the wilderness while waiting on Moses. The more of us there are and the more technology allows mankind's perversions, and perverted ways of life to be expressed so easily and rapidly to others the more there will be that will not hear their call from the Lord to be saved. They will instead fall to the side of Satan and evil.
Think of the first major cities of Genesis. Of course there were those pre-flood and we know what happened to them. Then there were Babel, Sodom, and Gomorrah. The problem in each case was that with more people in a small area the better the odds are that they will not follow God but man instead.
What I find to be awesome is just how accurate the prophecies of the future (Old Testament prophets, Jesus, book of Revelation) were. They talk of a New World order and world religion, as well as when the two prophets of God will lay dead and are seen by the entire world. Just a few decades back we really could not comprehend that but now with satellites, television, instant transmitting of anything from anywhere it is now easily understandable how we could all see it at the same time. Consider the mark of the beast in the forehead or hand; now with microchips being put into children and pets to keep track of them; they can even put our whole medical history, banking, etc in that chip. It’s easy to understand how no one will be able to buy, sell, or trade without the mark. Even these times themselves amaze me the most. How well the prophets and Jesus told of the times we are now in, the new age, new age beliefs, and the falling away of the church from the truth. Oh yes many have fallen away such as the Baptist’s teaching that if you are not baptized in water you can not be saved. We all know Jesus saves not water and even John the Baptist said that the baptism to follow was the one we needed.
Matthew 3
11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Or how about the Jehovah’s Witnesses teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh? John said in I John 4:1-3 that if any one does not believe Jesus came in the flesh they are of the anti-Christ.
1 John 4
1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Many teach out of context to get support or to get people to commit to them. That is not what church is about. That may be what religion is about but church is about the relationship with God the Father and the knowledge of His Son.
How about those that still have idols and pray to someone other than God, such as saints, the Virgin Mary, Mohammed, etc. Some pray to them and some ask them for support in their prayers.
What about those (millions) that ate fish on Friday and were told if they ate meat they would go to Hell or purgatory or some where else other than heaven when in actual truth we go to the new earth. Then all of a sudden based on a man it is ok to eat meat on Friday.
When will people get it that religion is not the answer? Oh yes it seems comfortable, and it seems right, but so does so much of life that is not. For the person who believes eating meat is wrong those who eat it are worse than sinners are. The list again would be so long of the comfort zones of mankind created by Satan to keep people in the dark and from the truth.
One of Satan's lies is: "Yes, Jesus saves, yes, you need Jesus, but not today, enjoy today do it tomorrow" then you go out get hit by a truck and die and you are his.
Matthew 18
7. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Matthew 23
13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Knowledge from God is preferable to knowledge of the world and that knowledge is becoming more and more lost today.
Hosea 4
6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Revelation 1
6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The Holy Spirit (Ghost) shall teach us all things, not just those of God, but all things.
John 14
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
It is your choice. Follow man and his ways or God, but to follow God you have to know Him not just His word but Him personally.
John 4
23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.