"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. Luke 21:20-21
Normally there are refugee camps just outside the war zone and for Judea the mountains may be the safest place to escape to. Those in Judea are told to flee to the mountains for refuge in a time when Jerusalem is surrounded by armed forces. There will be neither time to gather your clothing nor find a safe place to live after the home you have lived in all your life is invaded and destroyed by violent men. This war has placed your family in harm’s way and you must seek a safe haven to save the lives of your family.
Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak for you must leave in haste. In a war situation life loses its value and taking your possessions with you may cost you your life as the spoils of war belong to the victor. Therefore your possessions will be plundered by the ruthless and taking your possessions with you will impede your evacuation. Possessions and the anything of value put your life in jeopardy when you are searched or taken captive.
Even babes in the arms of mothers will suffer during an exodus to a safe haven. Regardless of the road during any war the passing troops will keep you in suspense whether you will be left alone searched or killed. The only thing you are sure of is that the war takes control of your life and you are looking for a place of safety from an enemy that has no respect for your life.
The bible says that in those days there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world. It means that this war will be unlike others and perhaps we have no previous experience to compare this war with. It’s the unknown that is more frightening than what normally happens in war.
Death is seen everywhere and more die from the pestilence that follows. Food and water is scarce as hen’s teeth. Life is bleak and some prefer to die than face the struggle of living. The bible says if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Many will find solace in Christ while others find comfort through those that claim they are Christ. The bible warns us not to follow them. Listen carefully some will be accredited with counterfeit signs and wonders to deceive the elect if that were possible.
False Christ’s and men of great power will rise up and the Christian may be taken to their synagogues where Christians will be put in prison. Then you will be taken before men of authority to determine your fate because you believe in Jesus and they in another god. Do not worry about defending yourself for God will give you a testimony they will not be able to contradict. This will be your opportunity to be a witness to them about the grace of God.
You will be hated and betrayed by friends and relatives those whom you once trusted and confided in. By standing firm you will not lose a single strand of hair but gain life through Jesus Christ.
The time we have been speaking of is called by several names. Godly leaders call this time the Great Tribulation but the bible calls it the time of punishment (Luke 21:22) a time of wrath (Daniel 11:36) and the time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). The implication is that God will punish the world for turning their backs on him. It is a time when the Gentiles will trample and plunder Jerusalem until the appointed time of Our Lord’s return. That day will not happen unless the man of sin is revealed.
See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water. Isaiah 3:1
Take the food and water supply away and the majority of the living will surrender to those who have it. People become desperate when their lives are at stake, more so when there is a shortage of food and water. Even more distressed when there appears to be no relief on the horizon. To pregnant women and nursing mothers this time will be extremely stressful because they may not be able to carry their baby to term or nourish their baby after they are born.
This is the appointed time reserved to punish the world for rejecting the truth. Their minds are bent on doing evil because they refuse to restrain their actions. In addition they have made no room for the saving grace of God and are unaware that God willing to forgive them. To them their destiny is forged by the goals they’ve set without ever taking time to understand that God has a purpose their life. For this reason they will perish and will serve God as an example to those who have reverence for God.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but foolsdespise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7
Bent of forging their destiny in this world anything justifies the means of achieving their goals. They curse both man and God, they lie to one another, and without morals they pursue adultery and kill when responding to their anger. Wisdom demands the discipline to avoid the sin that so easily corrupts any life of stability and integrity. They are aware that God will not accept this kind of behavior yet they justify their deeds by saying I am more moral than they are. The bible says,
The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Hosea 9:7
For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause. Isaiah 34:8
Those who have an ear should pay closer attention to the warnings given to man through the prophets. Just as men put up railings around Niagara Falls to prevent people from falling to the gorge below those railings won’t stop the fool from jumping to their death.
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? Hebrews 2:1-3
God has made mankind aware that he will judge all mankind according to what they have done in this life. Jesus was sent to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn (Isaiah 61:2). At the same time he gave us the way of salvation when he said,
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
Paul wrote this truth for man to heed.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
Because men and women make time for the things they think are important and they excuse themselves because they cannot find the time to seek God to understand there are consequences for their actions. It’s those who make time to seek ways to avoid the coming wrath of God has an advantage. God holds every man accountable for what they do. You are responsible to a God that does not except excuses. He has given every man the same amount of time to discover why God created them.
Danger looms from negligence even though God gave every man the information and instructions required to go to heaven. The failure to know God’s plan or negligence is because you did not seek to understand his needs. On the other hand you may have wrongly believed and accepted their beliefs without comparing that knowledge to the word of God. In other words God has presented you with a number of versions of his return but has allowed you the privilege to choose whether or not to meet his requirements.
Still there is another possibility what is known as misinformation designed to deceive the enemy. Satan will deceive you into believing that you are on track and going to heaven when his plan is to take you captive as the spoils of this war. However without the knowledge of the truth the danger of eternal torment looms in your future. It’s guaranteed that Satan will lose the war with God but you also lose because you chose to follow Satan. 3/1/2014
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