Foreshadowing Future Fearfulness

It has been said, and proven, that life often imitates art. Seems to me this might have been the case, at least to an extent, in the matter of the mysterious drone invasion, if that is the proper term for the sightings that have so held the attention in recent days–and particularly, the attention of so many during the nights…

I heard mention Lakehurst, New Jersey, in conjunction with some of the most prolific sightings of the drones that suddenly began appearing in the New Jersey-New York area a week or two ago.

A real-life horror story took place in that very place in 1937, when the German dirigible, the Hindenburg, was ignited when contacting its mooring tower and collapsed in a fiery crash, killing some and injuring many more. Then, a year later, much of the nation became panicked when H. G. Wells’ novel was adapted as a radio program and narrated by Orson Welles. Again it was New Jersey that Wells placed the fictional invasion of invading forces from Mars.

The October 30, 1938, Halloween radio play was broadcast on CBS as a series of realistic-sounding news bulletins that reported the fictional invasion. Only the public didn’t understand it as fiction. The public quickly became panicked, thinking Martians were about to take over.

Since that time, programming has been governed to prevent a repeat of such fearful confusion.

Reports about the strange drones didn’t quite reach the level of panic that War of the Worlds set off, but the fear in some cases was considerable and remains somewhat concerning.

[New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy] urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones.

Meanwhile, the FBI and New Jersey state police warned against pointing lasers at suspected drones because aircraft pilots are being hit in the eyes more often. Authorities also said they are concerned people might fire weapons at manned aircraft that they have mistaken for drones.

But do the drones pose a threat?

The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks.

“There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.”

The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said.

About 100 of the more than 5,000 drone sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were deemed credible enough to warrant more investigation, according to a joint statement by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Defense.

Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents or clandestine operations by the U.S. government.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said it’s unlikely the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. And he repeated Tuesday that the drones being reported are not being operated by the Department of Defense. (“Mystery drones in New Jersey and the US: What we do and don’t know about the sightings,” AP News)

I will only say in my own speculative way that something strange is going on–and I mean strange in the fact that such a sophisticated government as ours is acting like Ned in the Third Grade Reader in explaining or dealing with the situation.

They are treating us like members of Ned’s third-grade class, as a matter of fact.

Some believe the drones to have demonic dimension to their activity. I agree, but here’s how…

Most everything going on at this late prophetic hour, I’m convinced, has an element of demonic influence at its dark center. For example, it is possible that the minions, both human and demonic, within deep-state high places are likely trying different tactics to diffuse the incoming presidential administration’s intention to change things from the nefarious ways that cabal has been operating.

Also, the stage-setting for the coming Antichrist regime continues, as the Lord allows. Lucifer the fallen one, I’m convinced, knows the Rapture is very near. Like us, he doesn’t know when, but he, of all of God’s created beings, knows God cannot lie. Satan knows that DISAPPEARING event is about to occur.

Perhaps, just perhaps, all of the strangeness the New Jersey folks and others are seeing in the night skies is a foreshadowing–preparing for the fulfillment of the terrors that await those left behind in the wake of the Rapture of Christ’s Bride into Heaven.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).

You don’t want to be here when such terrors from the skies are assaulting left-behind humanity. Here, once again, is how to go to the safety of the Lord Jesus when He calls believers to Himself in the Rapture.

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

–Terry

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Hold On to Your Crown

It’s been a while since I have heard someone say, “Hold on to your hat!” It’s an old expression that signifies preparing for whatever might lie ahead. For me, it still points to a bumpy ride ahead, during which time I might lose my hat if I’m wearing one.

Jesus said something similar in His message to the church at Philadelphia:

“I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11).

A loose rendering of this verse might be, “Hold on to your crown.”

In the context, Jesus praises the church for its “patient endurance” (Revelation 3:10) and notes that He is “coming soon” or quickly. His message commends believers for holding fast to His word amid opposition as they waited expectantly for His appearing.

As 2024 ends, many of us wonder how much longer it will be until the Lord appears to take us home to glory. I know of many saints who suffer from various afflictions as they await meeting our Savior in the air. Many of us feel the effects of aging, which makes us long all the more for fulfillment of 1 Corinthians 15:47-55, our receipt of immortal bodies that will never grow old, get sick, or wear out.

It’s likely we don’t have a whole lot longer to wait. The events of 2024 have brought us to the brink of the start of the seven-year Tribulation and, thus, to the Rapture. Don’t let the start of yet another year diminish your expectation of our “blessed hope.”

If we are to keep our eyes on the prize that awaits us, we must not allow the following detours to derail our anticipation of Jesus’ soon arrival:

Stifling Silence from the Pulpits

Many pastors never mention our “blessed hope” because of either their adherence to false beliefs or out of concern that the word “Rapture” might offend attenders and impact the giving. Far too often, their top concern is that of filling the seats and money flow rather than that of ministering to the needs of the saints who long for a biblical perspective in a world that is growing darker by the day. Despite the myriad of signs pointing to the start of the Tribulation period, the world’s normality bias permeates their weekly sermons.

False Teaching

During the past several years, I have heard three pastors state their belief that all believers alive today will die before Jesus returns at the end of the age. Such statements clearly contradict Scripture, which tells us that some saints will remain alive until the time we all meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Lord told us to watch for his coming (Matthew 24:42-44; 25:13); how is it possible to obey this command if we assume He cannot appear to take us home during our lifetime?

Most pastors today adhere to the errant teaching that God has rejected Israel and replaced the nation with the church. The viewpoint, known as Replacement Theology, has many offshoots that all deny God’s many promises to restore a kingdom to Israel. None of those who hold to this doctrine teach believers to watch for Jesus’ return as He instructed His followers to do. They push it to the far distant end of the age.

Messages We Encounter on Social Media

Earlier this month, I read someone’s claim of a near-death experience, during which time the Lord told her to warn believers to prepare for future cataclysmic events similar to those in the book of Revelation. The clear implication of her encounter was that the church would endure the ravages of the coming seven-year Tribulation and thus needed to get ready for it.

I don’t know what we might experience between now and the Rapture, but we have the Lord’s solemn promise that we will not experience the wrath of the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). The New Testament pictures Jesus’ appearing as something that can happen at any moment (Philippians 3:20-21; James 5:7-9; 1 Corinthians 1:7). The Lord Himself promised that He would keep us out of “the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth.” He followed that by saying, “I am coming quickly” (Revelation 3:10-11a).

Don’t let stories on Social Media lead you astray; test everything you read or hear with the words of Scripture.

Don’t Give Up Hope

The longer we wait for the Rapture, the more I understand Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:11. He knew of all the temptations we would face to stop watching for His soon return. Perhaps that’s why He reminded the church at Philadelphia, and us, not to give up hope in these last days.

What is the crown that Jesus tells us to hold on to in Revelation 3:11? I believe it’s the one that Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 4:8:

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Keep looking up, and by all means, hold on to your hat, or in this case, your crown. The Lord will reward your continued faithfulness in eagerly watching for His appearing. Not only are we in the season of Jesus’ appearing, but we live during its end. If there ever was a time to watch for the Rapture, this is it!

Maranatha!!

-Jonathan