READY OR NOT, IT IS COMING. Sooner or later, the final events of Earth’s history are going to come. Exactly when and exactly how we do not know. But we have been given enough information to understand the big picture. Are you ready?
We are concluding our study of the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14; in this context, our focus is on God’s glory and how He, through His people, Revealed His character to a sin-darken world.
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Let Us Invite God’s Presence:
Holy Father, in this sin-darken world, shower us with your grace and allow us to see you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The Book of Revelation has provided us with enough information to let us know that something bigger than we have ever seen before is about to happen. God has provided this information so that we can be prepared for what is about to come upon us. We do not know everything that will happen, but we do know that a law will be passed designed to force people to worship the Beast and receive his mark. Economic sanctions will be placed on those who refuse to worship the beast or receive His mark. They will not be able to buy or sell.
Remember, a beast is symbolic of kingdoms, nations, or ruling power.
At that time, there will only be two groups of people; there will be no middle ground. There will be, according to Revelation. 14:7 those who worship the One “ ‘who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’ ” (Revelation. 14:7), and there will be, according to Revelation 13:8, those “whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). (Split)
These worship the beast; they receive his mark. This sea beast is a united religious, and political power. Those who choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and obey His commandments, including the fourth commandment, which has God his seal attached, names remain written in the Book of Life. Thus, they will obtain eternal life.
At a time of great darkness, Revelation 18:1 tells us that God will have his people preach His final message of mercy to everyone on this earth.
“After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory” (Revelation 18:1, NKJV).
If you know that you are not prepared for the final events in Earth’s history, now is the time to prepare. We must turn to the truth of the Bible as it is in Jesus and have our lives transformed and made new by the “everlasting gospel” of Revelation 14:6, whereby our lives are made new by the Good News about Jesus. That Good News is a message about Jesus’ He died for us, and His forgiveness and His mercy save us from our sins. Now is the time to accept him as your savior and commit your life to him.
The messages of Revelation are designed to help us prepare for this final crisis. How do we get ready for the Final Battle?
Continue Watching Part 2: Preparing for the Final Crisis
The warning of the Final Crisis is not limited to the Book of Revelations; Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:1–6 admonishes us to prepare.
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1–6)
Paul wrote to church members in Thessalonica (an ancient city in Greece) about the Second Coming. Paul told the people there to “watch and be sober” to keep their minds awake to what was happening around them. This warning that Paul gave was to Christians in his day. But if he were alive today, he would most likely give the same warning.
Paul also told church members in Thessalonica that they were “children of light.” As members of the Body of Christ, they were not living in darkness. And so, the day of Christ’s Coming would not surprise them like a thief that comes at night. Jesus also used the word “watch” when He talked about prayer in Matthew 24:42; and Matthew 26:40, 41.
Matthew 24:42
42 Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42)
Matthew 26:40-41
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
To watch is to be spiritually alert. It means we have a clear understanding of Bible truth, because we read it, study it, and put it into practice in our lives. It means that we have our minds open and alert. It means we are serious about the times that we are living in, and our focus is on the things that really matter.
Here is what it says in Testimonies for the Church, volume 8: “We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 28.
In other words, what will happen will surprise most people, but it will not surprise the people of God. No, we don’t know when the final test will come or how it will happen. But we can see enough to know that the test is coming. When should we get ready? Today, now, is the best time to get ready and then stay ready.
From reading Daniel 2 about the worldwide kingdoms, you will find that each of these kingdoms came and went. Everything happened just as God said it would. This should let us know that we can trust what God says about what is going to happen in the future.
Jesus gave us messages about the end times so that we can get ready for His coming. The special messages about time in Daniel, Revelation, and the prophetic Word of God show what will happen in the future.
Paul warns us not to “sleep” as other people do. If we are sleeping, how do we wake up, and if we are awake, how do we keep from falling asleep? View Part 3: Knowing the Truth
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