Friday, June 24, 2016
Since March 13, 2013 when socialist Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis, he has won the hearts of world leaders, Roman Catholics, Jews, Palestinians, Islamic leaders and even many evangelicals with his deceptive inter-faith unity. No one has ever united such diverse people, which, in light of biblical prophecy, likely fulfills the first horseman of the apocalypse when, “a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:2).
Breaking Israel News, 6/16/16 headline said, “The Pope Who Gained The World, But Lost His Own Soul”. Many evangelicals are completely deceived to the end-time truth and role of Pope Francis. On 6/22/16 Charisma News had this headline, “Pope Francis ‘Prayer’ Video Smacks of ‘One World Religion’”. The church needs to wake up to who Pope Francis really is!
Breaking Israel News, 6/20/16 quoted Jewish Rabbi Winston, “And now we’re approaching the Final Redemption. Without question Moshiach [Messiah] is around the corner… Without question he’s here already. I don’t know how old he is, where he’s sitting, what he’s doing, what he’s learning. But he’s here. He’s not going to be born tomorrow. We’re just too close to the end. Way too close to the end. He has to be here right now!” But the imminent appearance of messiah national Israel is expecting will prove to be the Antichrist of 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
To the dismay of elite globalist leaders, yesterday the people of Great Britain unanimously voted to “Leave” the European Union, sending financial shockwaves across the world. Open-borders immigration into the UK from countries spawning terror was a significant reason for the Brexit. David Cameron announced his resignation as Prime Minister. Britain leaving the EU enrages the elite as it threatens Pope Francis’ and the globalist’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The rise of radical Islam, its killing venues by ISIS and other Islamic terror groups; an EMP threat from China, North Korea and Russia; a mounting conflict between the U.S., Russia and NATO; and nations on the brink of fiscal implosion all point to the second seal of the apocalypse in its beginning stages, when it was granted to that rider, “to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword” (Rev. 6:4).
And though transhumanism and transgender days of Noah and Lot, respectively, are part of our world, most people in the church still hold fast to the pre-trib rapture hope. Most disbelieve, “the testimony of Jesus Christ”, that He gathers His elect saints, “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–32) as applying to them, but that unbelief has grave consequences.
Jesus addressed such unbelief, saying, “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matt. 7:26–27). Asteroids, fires, wars, winds, earthquakes and raging seas will soon grip the world in tribulation forces and the consequential “falling away” (2 Thess. 2:3) will be great.
After His Olivet Discourse Jesus delivered the parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins, (Matt. 25:1–13). The 5 foolish built their house on sand, ignoring Jesus’ Words to prepare to endure to the end, and were subsequently lost. The 5 wise, however, built their house on the solid rock of Jesus’ Words and prepared to endure to the harsh end and thus went into the wedding banquet!
Why does the church travel land and sea to make converts but then teaches them opposite of what Jesus taught for the end-times? How shall they escape being greatly offended? In fact, by its tradition the church teaches converts to disbelieve Jesus. But why? Because many churchmen don’t really trust Jesus, but have rather placed their trust in the ear-tickling traditions of men!
In context to the Christ-promised post-tribulation rapture, I heard a prominent theologian of a large Christian university say, “I cannot conceive of a God who would drag His bride through the mud of the tribulation to then turn around and marry her.” That preface to the inerrant and authoritative teachings of Jesus creates a god according to the will of man and not the Bible.
I’ve often said that many have created a god of their own imagination, and among other things Darby’s 19th century dispensational pre-trib rapture doctrine is Exhibit A. And in the Roman Catholic tradition the god of their imagination is evidenced by fruitless prayers of the rosary, Hail Mary’s, a pilgrimage, buying an indulgence, or salvation by Catholic membership, etc.
Though having the Bible, the thought that begins with, “I cannot conceive of a God…” reflects squarely upon men who surreptitiously handle God’s Word in order to accommodate traditions of men, resulting in, “making the word of God of no effect through your traditions which you have handed down. And many such things you do” (Mark 7:13).
The coming great tribulation, meaning the last 3 1/2 years of the heptad, will result in many Christians being hunted and beheaded by agents of Antichrist for rejecting the mark of the beast by which one could otherwise have bought and sold. This is undoubtedly a fear that seizes upon the hearts of many who embrace Darby’s shifting-sands dispensational end-time theology.
Christians should keep in mind that God’s people have suffered antichrist tribulation forces for millennia, “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11). But when men like myself defend faith in Jesus’ end-time Words, influential pastors like John Hagee call us “meathead”, to the laughter and applause of tens of thousands of his followers. We are mocked and scorned.
But let’s be reminded how saints of God have suffered. “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth” (Heb. 11:35–38).
The above text affirms Jesus’ Words that, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Note that it’s not just a possibility but a certainty, “they will also persecute you”. And because Jesus’ promise is truth, many preach a watered-down, feel-good gospel to spare themselves persecution. But that apostate process diminishes Christ and exalts man.
I’ve said before, and I will say again: anyone who truly loves the living God in Christ Jesus will defend the teachings of Christ, regardless of church doctrines and traditions! Period! And in that teaching he will identify, defend and prepare the church to endure the tribulation to the end, “teaching them to observe all things that I [Jesus] have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20).
Yet, though having Jesus’ Matthew 24 and Mark 13 Words right before them, many pastors act as though Jesus never even addressed the end-times by refusing to even allow Jesus’ Words into the conversation. That’s pure contempt for the Son of God! Jesus addressed the end of all things just as surely as He addressed the beginning of all things, and to diminish either is apostate.
But most pastors refusing to defend Christ, want us to believe that we are spared from the tribulation Jesus taught, and that it somehow does not apply to us. But those are the teachings of, “a foolish man who built his house upon the sand” (Matt. 7:26), men who suppress the truth by their silence, or by their preaching / teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture lie!
So what’s the answer? What must we “meatheads” do to prepare to endure to the end as Jesus taught? Since the church refuses to teach or even allow the truth from being taught, we must believe Christ and not the traditions of man. Has your end-time house been built on the pre-tribulation rapture sand or the rock-solid truths of Jesus equipping you to endure to the end?
In order for the gospel of Christ to produce enduring faith in these end-times, one’s conception of God must begin with actually believing His Word, and not just select portions that suit your hearing, nor the traditions of men which makes, “the word of God of no effect” (Mark 7:13). I believe that you, the reader, desire God in such a way that you really want to know the truth of the end-times and the safe navigation of these highly deceptive days of Noah and Lot.
I believe you want to know how to identify the tribulation. I believe you want to know about God’s safety and provision for the last 3 1/2 years of great tribulation and how to access it. The organized “happy” church with traditions and money to protect will not tell you, but I will.
God’s people who love and obey Him have never suffered His wrath, nor ever will, for God does not change – not even in the tribulation. A huge problem is, however, the church does not readily teach the difference between God’s wrath and Satan’s. If we believe and obey Christ we have absolutely nothing to fear. Ancient Israel bears powerful witness to that reality.
If you believe Jesus, you have nothing to fear. If you don’t believe Jesus you have much to fear, which could be why Jesus taught, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come…evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:1, 13). The pre-tribulation rapture lie, is just one of the results of “deceiving and being deceived” that accompanies “the last days”. By departing from Jesus’ end-time teachings, it changes the God of the Bible and creates a god of one’s own imagination, which will create the Matthew 24:10 high offense that Jesus promised.
Marlin J. Yoder
