I want to attribute the first half of this article to the teaching of Pastor David Jeremiah, as found in the October issue of his ‘Turning Points’ magazine and devotional.  I believe the assorted bits of wisdom I have compiled here are of value in sharing with the Rapture Ready readership.  As always, Dr. David Jeremiah includes biblical scripture verses to support his thoughts and writing. I have inserted my own personal added opinions as well, primarily in the second half of the text.

Journalists believe they know what is going on in the world, and historians think they can explain what has happened in the past.  But a true understanding of the unfolding events in world history requires wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  It requires knowing that God has a plan for this planet and that everything in the past has been orchestrated under the governing eye of His Providence.

Everything occurring now is aligning with His long-term intentions as the Most High rules over the affairs of men (Daniel 4:17).  And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding (Daniel 2:21).

We would be wise to look over the course of our own individual lives to see how the guiding goodness of God has led our steps, our stops, and every stage along the way.  A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Without the Lord, our lives are scattered events leading to the grave, but not for the followers of Jesus Christ.  He plans our days, orders our steps, and arranges the seasons of our lives.  We discern His hand on the years gone by and trust His hand for what is yet to come.

Some Christians believe we should primarily focus on what lies ahead of us, based on what the apostle Paul said, “One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

And that is very true; our primary focus should be on the future going forward.  But when it comes to forgetting the past, I personally believe Paul was referring to forgetting all the bad things in our past, but not necessarily all the good things.  We cannot discern God’s hand on the years gone by without looking back to the past.

The Bible is full of genealogies, which provide us the knowledge of how many of the Bible’s main players fit together through the centuries right up to the direct lineage of Jesus’s human ancestry.  And beyond that, the Bible is jam-packed full of a variety of historical references.

King David, a man after God’s own heart (high praise in my opinion), is how God referred to him in 1 Samuel 13:14.  David once stated to God, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands” (Psalm 143:5).  King David enjoyed looking back at various times to discern God’s hand of blessing and protection on his life through the years.

We need to sometimes look back to thank God for all His blessings and guidance throughout our lives, and to ponder God’s goodness, grace, and mercies over the years through the shed blood and sacrifice, on our behalf, of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus willingly died on a cross to make us righteous with God the Father by forgiving all our sins, past, present, and future, through His death and resurrection, making it possible for all believers in Jesus Christ to live in heaven for all eternity after our earthly lives are over.

Jesus died and rose ‘once’ for us, so we can live twice, once here on Earth, according to His plan for us, and again in heaven with Him.  Jesus paid the price for our sins as the Lamb of God to redeem us in the sight of God the Father.

In closing, I would suggest a bit of wisdom about looking back in your life, per Dr. Jeremiah, that if you have ever been separated from friends or family, trust that God has a purpose in your pain (Romans 8:28).  Do everything you can to be reunited with those you love (Romans 12:18).

May God bless you now and always as we all travel down the road of life into the future, but with our eyes sometimes glancing into the rearview mirror of our world and personal history.

I find the timing of the potential confirmation of Noah’s Ark discovery here in 2026 to be of fascinating interest in relation to the pre-tribulation viewpoint held by most Christians about the timing of the future ‘Rapture of the Church’ from Earth by Jesus Christ himself.  The Bible tells us that no one but God the Father knows the exact timing of the ‘snatching away’ of Christians, both dead and living, from the earth to meet Jesus Christ in the air prior to the awful and horrific anti-Christ-dominated seven-year Great Tribulation period detailed in the Bible.

At this point, all signs point to this potential Noah’s Ark discovery matching up with the biblical description of Noah’s Ark.  From its location in the mountains of Ararat, to the detailed physical dimensions of the boat built with gopher wood, the ground-penetrating anomalies discovered by today’s technology, the higher carbon readings within the outline of the apparent manmade structure, artifacts found in the surrounding area, and early drilling tests ruling out a natural rock formation.

Now we wait for drilling samples to be taken to labs for further testing and confirmation of facts connecting this structure to Noah’s Ark.  We wait with anticipation for the ‘Gopher’ camera to penetrate the apparent interior spaces, giving us a look around into those areas resembling corridors and stalls on three levels, just as the Bible tells us that the Ark had three levels.  The rover’s name ‘Gopher’ is perfect for exploring this potential boat by Noah.

The confirmation, or not, of this particular boat-like formation as being Noah’s Ark will not shake the faith of Christians, who believe by faith that the Bible is God’s Word to us and infallible in its accuracy.  However, the confirmation of this being Noah’s Ark could certainly rattle the minds and convictions of non-believers’ thoughts about what the Bible has to say about world history, Jesus Christ, and everything else biblical in nature.  I want to point out that various accounts of a historical flood story have been found to exist in at least 200 worldwide cultures, adding credence to a worldwide flood having taken place at some point in time.

If the biblical ‘Flood’ story is proven to be true, then what the Bible has to say about Jesus Christ is true as well, and that will likely scare many non-believers to the core, to realize they have been living in sin all their lives.  It is true we are all sinners from birth due to the ‘curse of Adam’ handed down to all humanity through the ages.  It is just that Christians have realized their sinfulness at some point in their lives and have asked for forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus died for us on a cross as the ‘one time’ sacrifice to make us righteous with God the Father, allowing us to go to heaven to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, and all our Christian family members, friends, and Christian saints from down through history.

In conclusion, let me add a personal opinion about the potential confirmation of the discovery of Noah’s Ark at this particular point in time.  As I have said in a previous article, I am not a date setter as to future events.  I do not know exactly when the ‘Rapture’ will take place; it would be foolish of me to predict exactly when, when the Bible makes it clear no one knows the time for sure.

But let me share a thought with you which some of you may find interesting.  The Bible uses many round-figure numbers when it comes to major biblical events.  Most biblical and other scholars believe the year of Jesus’ ascension into heaven, 40 days after his resurrection, to be in May of 30 A.D.  Jesus was 33 years old at the time of His crucifixion.  He began a three-year ministry when he was 30 years old.  Jesus was most likely born in December of 5 B.C. or early in 4 B.C., before the death of Herod later in 4 B.C., and many scholars believe Jesus died in April of 30 A.D.  Keep in mind that 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. counts as just one year.  There was no zero year.

The increasing frequency and intensity of biblical ‘signs of the times’ seem to be pointing to a sooner rather than later rapture of Christians.  Keeping biblical round numbers in mind, what better time (in my human thinking) for Jesus to return for Christians than in 2030, exactly 2,000 years from the time of His ascension into Heaven in May of 30 A.D.  God the Father only knows!

If the identity of Noah’s Ark is confirmed later this year, could it be that God the Father is now unveiling the Ark to us in order to give unrepentant sinners a few more short years to repent and be saved before condemnation comes upon the earth during the Great Tribulation years.  Just like the Ark saved Noah and his immediate family from the condemnation that came upon the earth and all other human life at the time of the Great Flood, the Ark is a symbol of Jesus Christ and how he can save all who believe in Him from the next earthly condemnation.

The door of opportunity for salvation is still open—enter into salvation through the one and only door available to us—Jesus Christ!  Jesus saves all who will believe in Him with His shed blood.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, took our rightful place on the cross and replaced it with His grace!

God the Father is not willing for anyone to perish (Matthew 18:14).

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that (they) turn from (their) ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23).

“So, if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11).

“And this is the will of Him (God the Father) who sent Me (Jesus), that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day” (John 6:39).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).