Thursday, November 3, 2016

THE LAST DAYS:
A TIMELY WARNING!
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
     Jesus promised in the 22nd. Chapter of the Book of Revelation that He would return for His Church! He said: “Behold I come quickly …” The word ‘quickly’ refers to a lively coming. Many Bibles use the word ‘SOON’. Two translations render the word, “without delay” and “at once”!
     Why has not our Lord Jesus Christ returned yet? There are two reasons: First, God does not reckon time like we do. And secondly, He is gracious and compassionate, waiting for more precious souls to repent and come to Him!
     The Bible says: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 8, 9)
     According to the reckoning of the Lord, HE HAS BEEN GONE FOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS, and that is not very long! That He will return is ‘a given’. It is definite and sure. His promise cannot fail! Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” (Matt.24: 35)
JESUS PROMISED HE WOULD RETURN!
     He said: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, ye may be also.” (John 14: 3).
     We have the eye witness report of 500 people who saw Jesus ascend into Heaven from the Mount of Olives. And the message brought by two angelic beings that appeared to them:
     “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go up.” (Acts 1: 10, 11)
     St. Paul declared: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (have died), that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (die) in Jesus will God bring with Him.
     “For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep, for the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
    “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Th.4: 13-18)
HIS WORD IS INFALLIBLE!
     You may ask: “How reliable are the Words of Jesus?” His Word is infallible, inerrant, perfect, absolute and concrete. It cannot fail, because He is the Word of God (John 1: 1-14) and He watches over His Word to perform it! (Jer.1: 12)
     The Eternal God declares: “So shall My Word be that goeth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Is. 55: 11)
     Here is a classic example of the inerrancy of God’s Holy Word. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus reveals His omniscience (total knowledge), while speaking of His Return (parousia, gr.).
    Where did you think the word ‘science’ comes from? From the OMNISCIENT ONE, Who is all-wise and all-knowing! It’s important that all scientists, philosophers and theologians understand that!
    “IN THAT DAY, he which shall be upon the housetop…I tell you, IN THAT NIGHT there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Luke 17: 31, 34-36).
     Here, Jesus is sharing a little of His total knowledge with a ‘little-knowing people’. He ties it in with another truth so that as we humans discover more and more about His great creation, our little minds could at last grasp it! What is He revealing that is so great?
    He is telling ‘earthlings’ exactly what the Holy Spirit had revealed through the prophet Isaiah more than 700 years earlier (1491–1451 B.C.) that God had created an earth that is spherical. That the earth is round!
3,000 YEARS LATER THAN ISAIAH!
    In A.D. 1520, scientists discovered that the earth is round. Three thousand years earlier Isaiah the prophet of God declared: “Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? … It is He (God) that sitteth upon the CIRCLE OF THE EARTH, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain…” (Isaiah 40: 21-22)
    The word translated ‘circle’ is the Hebrew word ‘khug’ a more exact connotation of which is “sphericity” or “roundness”. It is also used in Proverbs 8: 27 where is says: “He set a compass upon the face of the deep”; literally – “He drew a circle upon the deep.”
     The same word here is translated ‘compass’ referring to the surface of the ocean taking on a spherical shape – so-called “sea-level” when God created it!
JESUS confirmed what the Prophet had declared about the earth He had created. (Heb.1: 2). Long before the ‘flat earth scientists’ discovered that the earth was spherical (round) the Creator was teaching that the earth is round!
    Yet, some ignorant University professors - who are mostly ‘Christ haters and God rejecters - continually misinform their students that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat! Unfortunately those dummy professors’ have learned that from other dummy professors’ who learned it from still other ‘dummy professors’, who never read the Bible!
     Jesus said: “In that day (His return) he which shall be upon the housetop … I tell you, in that night, there shall be two men in one bed (during the night)…Two women shall be grinding together (during the day) Two men shall be in the field (during the day … (Luke 17: 31-36)
    When the rapture occurs, the Holy Spirit will gather His people from a ROUND EARTH. Some will be working while on the other side of the earth others will be sleeping! When it is Midnight in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, it is 8:00 A.M. in Oslo, Norway.
     Can we trust God’s Word? A thousand times, “YES!” Our Lord warned: “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.” (Matt.24: 44)
     There are people who say that the teaching about our Lord’s imminent return is not valid. They teach, that it was invented by a Baptist preacher about an hundred years ago!   Those preachers, however, do not know the Scriptures nor do they know history.
     The writings of Ephraem the Syrian in AD 373 refute such nonsense. He stated: “For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins.”
MIRACLE OF THE HEBREW LANGUAGE!
     For about 2,000 years, the Jewish people were hunted, hated and subjected to the most horrible abuse in many countries of the world. Then Adolf Hitler and his NAZI Regime committed the most horrific genocide that killed six million Jews. Finally the nations of the world rose up against his infamy and the Jews were given back their land!
     At 4:00 P.M. on May 14, 1948 in the Arts Museum in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister David Ben Gurien lifted the Israeli Flag, proclaiming Israel a Free, Independant and Sovereign State. God's Word had been fulfilled and the Prophetic Clock began counting down to the drama of the End Times!
     Zephaniah prophesied that when the Jews returned to their land, the Lord would restore to them the ancient Hebrew language! The Hebrew language was nearly dead, used only in religious and other ritual ceremonies because of 2,000 years of non-use.
     The Holy Bible states: “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9)
      In the late 1800s, God raised up Eliezas Ben Yehuda, a Europeon Jew, who for many years laboured incessantly, teaching, writing and training helpers in his mission of making Hebrew the language of Israel and all Jews. He succeeded and today Hebrew is the language of Israel, as God had promised through His prophet.
     Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would bring His people back to their ancient land: “For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people ISRAEL and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I GAVE to their fathers, and they shall possess it.” (Jer. 30: 3); 
    “For lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that l will bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 31: 23)
   Israel's hate-filled Middle Eastern Neighbours have been highjacked by demon possessed, perverted Radical Islamist Terrorists whose goal is to take over the world for the coming Antichrist called the Grand Mahdi.
    When Jesus Christ the crucified and resurrected Son of God comes in His glory, the Grand Mahdi and the false prophet will be reduced to blithering zombies begging for mercy but NONE will be given to the hate-filled leaders of rapists, perverts and killers! And Satan, their Supreme Leader, will be cast into the Lake of Fire!
                         BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT!
    “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever.” (Heb.13: 20,21)
    This is an amazing Scripture text which is often overlooked! Almighty God is our Creator, Heavenly Father and Covenant Keeping God! He has never broken a Covenant and is totally Changeless, Perfect, Righteous and Trustworthy!
     He has always dealt with His creation man, through covenants. In the beginning of the human family, He put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and He made a Covenant with Adam and his posterity:
     “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:16,17)
    The original Hebrew states, “In dying thou shalt die.” Death would begin in their physical bodies and they would eventually expire. Ever since the 'Fall' every single baby born has death operating in its tiny physical body and eventually dies!
     Adam was commanded to leave untouched something our Heavenly Father had
reserved for Himself. He was warned, in no uncertain terms, what would happen to him if he disobeyed. He would die if he sinned. He chose to disobey and the death penalty was exacted! They died spiritually and immediately death entered their bodies and eventually they passed away.
    Their warm Father/Son relationship immediately came to an abrupt end! Adam and Eve had committed grand treason, disobeying their Heavenly Father and Creator. They
had colluded with Satan, the enemy of God. Adam had broken his Covenant with the Almighty and whole human family were implicated because Adam represented us all!
     The ADAMIC COVENANT was one of works. They broke the covenant and we have all been paying for it. When they fell, sin made its entrance into their pure hearts and has been dominating the human race since that fateful day.
     MOSES the mighty lawgiver was refused entry into the Promised Land, because he disobeyed God by striking the Rock twice instead of once, due to his frustration with the Children of Israel. (Numbers 20: 7-12)
    Although the water gushed out of the Rock and satisfied the thirsty multitude, Almighty God was offended because the Rock was a type of Christ, Who was stricken once through His crucifixion. He must not be stricken again as the R.C. Mass does and crucifies our Saviour every time they Sacrifice the mass!
     The NOAHIC, ABRAHAMIC and DAVIDIC COVENANTS could also be classified as under the Covenant of Works. People were given the law which was to be kept to the letter and if they broke the law they were penalized. There was very little grace!
     The COVENANT OF ZION which was convened in Heaven before the foundations of the world were laid, is the covenant of God's Grace toward His creation, man. It is called the EVERLASTING COVENANT and is based on the agreement of the Eternal Godhead consisting of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit!
     The Holy Scriptures say: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal.4: 4-6);
                                   IN THE COUNCIL OF HEAVEN!
      “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.
     “Who by Him do belive in God, that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1 Peter 1: 18-21); “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (Antichrist) whose names are NOT written in the Lamb's Book of Life of the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the word.” (Rev. 13: 8)
      Before time began, in the Council of Heaven it was decided that Almighty God would redeem fallen man and would begin a new family on earth that would last forever. Man would have to be changed so that his sinful, evil, unrighteous nature would become pure and holy, so that he could dwell in the presence of God without guilt!
     God the Father and God the Holy Spirit made the Covenant of Grace with God the Son. God the Father's love was so great for lost humanity that He would give His Son to die for the sins of the world past, present an future!
    God the Son would REPRESENT man who had fallen in the Garden of Eden. He would “empty Himself” and come down from Heaven, be incarnated, filled with the Holy Spirit, live a perfect life, preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, be falsely accused, tried as a common criminal, beaten, scourged, crucified and die on the cross, be buried and on the third day arise from the dead, ascend to Heaven and pour out the Blessed Holy Spirit upon His Church.
     The HOLY SPIRIT would enter believers and anoint them to preach Christ's Gospel. He would empower believers to heal the sick and liberate the captives of the Enemy. He would give Christ's Ministers power to cast out evil spirits and even raise the dead. The Holy Spirit would lead and guide the Church by nurtouring all the members of Christ's Body. He would convict sinners who heard the Word.
                             HE NEVER TURNED AWAY ANYONE!
     God's Word states: "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out. I promise you that He has NEVER TURNED AWAY anyone and He will take you in! Jesus invites all sinners: “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest! (Matt. 11: 28)
    His invitation includes misinformed high school teachers and university professors, ignorant left-wing Hollywood actors, hate-filled Muslim terrorists, pervert priests, cowardly politicians, compromising preachers, slimy pornographers, covetous gamblers, drug addicts, half-day-man alcoholics, demon-possessed pedophiles, midnight riders, old backsliders, wife beaters and lying cheaters, to bend their knees before His Majesty the Lord Jesus Christ in REPENTANCE and FAITH!
     I guarantee that if you are sincere, Jesus Christ will come into your life and drive out the devil. You will become a new creation. Then, as you seek His face, read His Holy Word and pray diligently, He will baptize you with the Blessed Holy Spirit and you will be empowered to win precious souls for His Kingdom and pray for others to be freed from Satan and all his works and ways!
      Dear Friend, receive Him into your heart and life and you will be SAVED! Write me today and we will join with you in prayer for all the needs in your life and in your family. He is nearer than think. He alone is able to save you! Religious quacks, pagan gods and Eastern gurus cannot save you! Call upon the Living Lord Jesus Christ today. Even so let it be Lord! Amen.