Prelude To The Beginning of Sorrows Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Unemployment and a Poor Economy Extreme Record Breaking Weather Prelude to Signs During the First Half of the 70th Week of Years Many Shall Run To and Fro and Knowledge Shall be Increased As it Was in the Days of Noah and Lot 2 Timothy 3:1-9 By definition, the beginning of sorrows is characterized by pain and sorrow. Jesus gave several specific signs that would cause sorrow and pain during this time frame. There are other things during this time frame that have caused pain and sorrow, especially within the last ten years or so. For example, many people have lost their jobs and homes because of a poor economy. Also, extreme record breaking weather all over the world has killed and hurt people, and has cost billions of dollars in damages. These events have added to the overall pain and sorrow caused by the signs that Jesus said would happen, and are additional indicators that we are living in the beginning of sorrows. Another area to consider are the signs that Jesus mentioned that would occur during the first half of the 70th week of years. While these signs will become prevalent and obvious during the first half of the 70th week of years, they most likely will start during the beginning of sorrows. The Prophet Daniel says that many will run to and fro, and knowledge will increase. This will not happen overnight, and, in fact, has been happening over the last 100+ years! Jesus also likened the end times to the days of Noah and Lot. What was it like in those days? In 2 Timothy 3:1-9 the Apostle Paul gives us some additional characteristics of the last days. UNEMPLOYMENT AND A POOR ECONOMY Crisis stalks Europe again as deflation deepens, Germany stalls Italy just fell back into recession for the third time since 2008 Australian Jobless Rate Tops U.S. First Time Since 2007: Economy 18 Signs That The Global Economic Crisis Is Accelerating As We Enter The Last Half Of 2014. Global Debt Exceeds $100 Trillion as Governments Binge, BIS Says. Some countries have a very high unemployment rate. If a person cannot provide for him/her self and their family it can be a painful situation. EXTREME RECORD BREAKING WEATHER During the 1900s over 70,000 people died from volcanic eruptions, and about 1.5 million people died from flooding. Extreme record breaking weather seems to have gotten worse, and become more widespread in the 21st century. Egypt had snow for the first time in 100 years. Typhoon Haiyon (Yolanda) may have been the most powerful tropical cyclone to ever make landfall. At least 3,600 people were killed and about 10 million people were affected in the Philippines. Extreme weather is occurring all over the globe. In 2012 Hurricane Sandy was blamed for more than 130 deaths and cost about $65 billion in claims. All totaled, extreme weather caused about $110 billion in damages in the US in 2012. During the first 8 months of 2011 in the United States, there were 9 weather disasters that each caused an economic loss more than $1 billion, for a total of $33 billion. It is also noted that the number of natural disasters in the US has tripled over the past 20 years. The record was broken in 2010 with about 250 natural disasters. About 295,000 people died in 2010 due to natural disasters worldwide. PRELUDE TO SIGNS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 70TH WEEK OF YEARS Tribulation and Persecution In a recent article, Justin D. Long emphasized the startling fact that more people have died for their faith in the Twentieth Century than in all of the previous centuries combined. “During this century, we have documented cases in excess of 26 million martyrs. From AD 33 to 1900, we have documented 14 million martyrs.” It is also reported that Today around the world over 200 million are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. Clearly, the persecution that Jesus referred to has already begun, and will most likely intensify as we move into the 70th week of years. Today, there are many organizations that monitor the persecution of followers of Jesus Christ worldwide. Among them are Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors. Here are some recent examples of Christians being persecuted: Donohue: ISIS’ Persecution of Christians ‘Far Worse Than China, North Korea’ End of Christianity Very Near in Iraq, Anglican Bishop Warns China Ramping Up Persecution of Christians Report: Christianity in Middle East Shadow of Its Former Self Why Does Christian Persecution Get Worse In Every Country The U.S. “Liberates”? Christians persecuted at alarming rate in Iran, Arab world, US report says David Cameron Says Britain Must Stand Up Against Global Christian Persecution, Urges Increased Evangelism Turkeys New Jihad on Christian Armenians 150 Christians MASSACRED by Jihadi Muslims last night while they slept Rep. Wolf: Obama Administration Abandoning Mideast Christians Back to Page Content MANY SHALL RUN TO AND FRO AND KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4) The Hebrew word translated “shall run to and fro” is shuwt and can also be translated to rove about, or go eagerly or quickly to and fro. The advent of cars and planes around 1900 has certainly made this possible on a massive scale. The Hebrew word translated knowledge is daath and can be translated perception, skill, discernment, understanding, learning, insight, or wisdom. In some verses it refers to a craftsman or human learning. It also carries the idea of knowing by relationship or experience, especially of God in a subjective sense. This is a broad term that can have at least two applications in the 21st century. First, is the obvious one of science, technology, and human learning that has exploded exponentially over the last 100 years. The second has to do with relationship and experience with God. At the midpoint of the 70th week of years, Satan and his demons will be cast down to earth. Satan will empower Antichrist and deceive multitudes of people into worshiping him. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8) Even before this happens, the Apostle Paul warns: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1) At least one of the ways that seducing spirits communicate is through channeling. The point is that many people will believe they are relating and experiencing God when in reality, they are relating, experiencing, and communicating with the devil! This is happening especially within the New Age movement, where “hidden knowledge” is constantly being revealed. In that sense, knowledge is increasing as Daniel said, but this is not the true knowledge of God! AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH AND LOT But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:37-44) And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. (Luke 17:26-37) In these passages, Jesus likens the “coming of the Son of man” or the “days of the Son of man” to two other periods of time – the “days of Noah” or the “days that were before the flood”, and the “days of Lot”. In the days of Noah they were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage”. In the days of Lot “they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded”. In either case, the basic meaning is that life went on as normal with most people totally unaware of the catastrophes that were about to happen. This is why Jesus tells us to watch and pray, and not be overcome with the cares of this life so that we do not fall into the same trap. 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-9 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 01:23:10 +0000