(There is a special message at the end of this article for those who do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.)
In the past few days, I had a question asked of me by a much-beloved sister-in-Christ.
“Why are we still here?”
This is a question I have pondered frequently myself, and I have no doubt that many followers of Christ are pondering this question as well.
Based on my reading of articles and emails, there is a considerable number of believers speculating that, based on the present circumstances, the time of the Rapture of the church must indeed be very close. I would be hard-pressed to deny that even if I wanted to.
To their credit, none have attempted any sort of date setting.
As we all know, Jesus Himself made date setting off-limits in God’s Word: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32).
I answered her by relating three thoughts (opinions more accurately) that I would share with her.
1: I believe that the Lord has certain parameters set by His authority in everything He does. This is implied, in part, in Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
In other words, God does not now and never has reacted to anything.
The below verse seems to indicate that God has set some sort of level (or quantity?) of iniquity and, when appropriate, obedience that He determines, again, by His own authority and for His own purposes: That is, I believe, what causes Him to initiate His active intervention or judgment.
“But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Genesis 15:16). Emphasis added by me.
This is confirmed elsewhere in scripture (as we have come to expect) as well: And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7).
I don’t believe we, in our limited understanding, are capable of reconciling what we view as the “level” of sin and depravity with what the Father has determined in His own Wisdom.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
2: I believe we are still here because the dispensation of Grace is not yet complete. It will be complete when the last person who is willing repents and asks for forgiveness in Jesus’ Name.
I believe that, in this Age of Grace or the “church age,” there is a “fullness of the church” that must first be reached. This is the time that began at Pentecost and will terminate prior to the resumption of the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24.
God set no time for this period, although it must be said that He certainly knows the exact moment that the last person will repent under Grace. There will no longer be any reason to continue to permit the current proliferation of evil, and, as I believe, the true Christ-worshiping and honoring church will be removed.
This Age of Grace began at Pentecost, which, in turn, began after the 69th week of the 70 prophesied weeks was completed (7 weeks and 62 weeks). This Age of Grace will be complete at the Rapture. It is at that point (or soon thereafter) that the 70th week will begin, culminating in the battle in the Valley of Decision: Armageddon. Thus, the 70 weeks prophecy will be completed as promised.
In a previous article I wrote titled “Even So, Come Lord Jesus…Now?” I went into some detail relative to this position and provided a link to what I considered to be a very good article on it as well. It can be easily accessed in the RR archives for those interested in reading it, so I won’t elaborate here.
In a similar vein, Jesus told the Jews – you will not see me until you say, [Baruch Hava Ba’Shem Adonai] “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt 23:39).
Repentance did not occur at His first advent, and He lamented that fact in Matthew 23:37-39.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'”
Immediately upon that repentant vocalization by His chosen people, He will return to rescue the remnant of Jews (and also Gentiles who have survived Daniel’s 70th week) at the second coming. While it is the Jews who must acknowledge and cry out to Jesus in order that He will return, both groups will have something in common;
- They will still be alive on earth.
They will have repented and received Jesus as Savior and Messiah. While we (the true church) might be inclined to say, ‘How fortunate for us Gentiles (and for Messianic Jews as well)’ – and indeed, we are fortunate – God knew what His stiff-necked people would do, and it was ever part of His plan for all who would receive his Son as Savior and Lord.
One of the most wonderful verses in all scripture is Romans 8:29-31: “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” Emphasis added by me.
I always emphasize the significance of these Godly verbs. They are all in the past tense.
What a wonder it is to behold that, though we are not yet glorified, in God’s view (the only one that matters), it is ALREADY DONE!
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
3: I believe that these things that He is allowing to happen grieve God even more than we can understand; yet, I think if we were able to comprehend things from His perspective, He knows that He will fully set all things right (“My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” – Isaiah 46:10.5) when the eternal kingdom begins.
I emphasize: The Eternal Kingdom! Jesus makes this clear in Revelation 21:5-6:
“And the One seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.’ And He told me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.'”
In all this heartache, heartbreak and discouragement, there is a purpose. We are not alone in our heartache either. The shortest verse in the entire Word of God gives us a glimpse into the heart of God: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).
Could any human ever, even in a million/billion years, have imagined this God we have? No, never.
And now I come to the crux of this article.
Why are we still here?
It’s OK, I think, to wonder. We were given an intellect and intelligence acknowledged by our Creator where He says, “Come now and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).
But I think we must acknowledge that we really cannot fathom God’s Glorious thoughts and intents. Instead, we can rejoice in them!
“O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has first given to God, that God should repay him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:33-36).
Instead, we must Trust Him. Trust, in my opinion, is held to be as important and necessary as love is, as it is a conscious decision that we make to follow our God no matter what we see or experience.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
And remember His declaration in Isaiah 46:9-10?
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.'”
And has He not proven it by all future prophecy that has already been literally fulfilled?
And is there any other that can do that?
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open” (Revelation 3:6-7). Emphasis by me.
Try and be patient and persevere, my brothers and sisters. The prophetic clock is running, and we, as Daniel promised (Ch12:4), have increased knowledge.
We can see the hands moving.
For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no hope or peace in your life:
You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. It requires that you come before God on His terms.
And, what are His terms according to His Word?
- Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him).
- Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God).
- That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
- To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt.
- Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross.
- To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.
God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.
- No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one.
- No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will.
- Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.
If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.
John 5:24: “Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life.”
There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics, or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.
The answers are in the Word of God—the Bible. If you ask God with all your heart, He will hear you.
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Pro Salvator Vigilans
To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com