God alone knows when Jesus will come back and it may be longer than people think, but the idea that people have plenty of time and don’t have to be ready right now is dangerous. God is in control and His schedule is not subject to the many different opinions that people have about where things are on His prophetic calendar. He changes hearts and minds, times and seasons, and He raises up leaders and brings down leaders. It’s all right to have opinions about how much time we have, but it’s another one of those things we can’t be too sure about it.

Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go home, but the Ten Plagues changed his mind. Nebuchadnezzar refused to repent of his sins, but seven years of crawling around on his hands and knees like an animal in a field changed his mind. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, but three days and three nights in the belly of a whale changed his mind. God can change the minds of leaders to speed up or delay the prophetic fulfillment of events on earth.

It may sound far-fetched to some, but it seems to me that God can put hooks (natural disasters, economic collapse, persecution, etc.) into the jaws of the church and drag her to the altar, if He wants to. He can change the minds of church members who refuse to humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways just as easily as He changed the minds of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and Jonah. Get out your Bible and read 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. If He decides to do it, He can bring the church to repentance and delay the fulfillment of prophecy.

Anyway, students of prophecy are very interested in Egypt, Syria, Iran and Russia these days (and rightly so). Some, but not all, believe President Putin outsmarted President Obama in the negotiations over Syria’s chemical weapons. They believe Mr. Putin is full of arrogance, pride, self-confidence and bravado, and the destruction of Damascus and the Russian-Islamic invasion of Israel are near. I tend to believe that way, but that would mean that President Putin is Gog and I don’t know that.

But this is the point. The timing of these end-of-the-age events depends entirely upon the sovereign will of God and not President Obama’s missteps, President Assad’s plans, President Putin’s over-estimation of himself or anything like that. The truth is that Gog will attack Israel when God puts hooks in his jaws and drags him onto the mountains of Israel and not before. Gog will go reluctantly not willing.

It looks like we are getting close to that and I’ve thought that for a long time. But I know that it is not going to be when Mr. Putin or any other human being is ready. It will be when God is ready. And when He gets ready the normal progression of events won’t matter. He can advance events as fast or as slow as He wants anytime He wants.

FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available, (linked at raptureready.com to my publisher). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc. Please post a comment.

 

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

She is an outstanding Christian lady. She loves our Lord and has done a lot of mission work with her husband. She came to hear me update the church she attends on recent events relating to Bible Prophecy, especially the Middle East, and she brought a list of questions. I didn’t write them down, but one question went something like this: “It seems like the Rapture is so close, what should we do?” After stumbling through an answer, I decided to try to compile a list of Bible teachings.

Beware of false prophets because they will lead you astray. (Matthew 7:15)

Be sure you are wearing a wedding garment. (Know you are saved and clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.) (Matthew 22:11-12)

Know Bible prophecy so you can watch the signs. (Mark 14:37).

Study the Bible, pray and fellowship with true believers so you can strengthen your faith and grow stronger not weaker. (Luke 18:8)

Don’t be overcome by the cares of this world and be caught unawares. (Luke 21:34)

Watch and pray that you will be accounted worthy to escape all the things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)

Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Don’t live like the lost. Be ready to battle Satan.) (Romans 13:12)

Walk honestly not in rioting, drunkenness, chambering, wantonness, strife and envying. (Romans 13:13)

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. (Accept the authority of Jesus.) (Romans 13:14)

Edify one another. (Strengthen and be strengthened by other believers.) (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Pray without ceasing (stay in touch with God). (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Abstain from every appearance of evil. (Avoid anything that hints of sin.) (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

Be a Christian example for others (what you say, do, etc…) (1 Timothy 4:12)

Study the Bible and pay attention to sound preaching and doctrine (1 Timothy 4:13).

Meet with other believers and exhort each other. (Believers should meet to support and encourage each other.) (Hebrews 10:25)

Rejoice, though, if need be, ye be in manifold temptations. (Rejoice even if God thinks a little chastisement is necessary.) (1 Peter 1:6)

Be sober (level-headed), watch and pray. (1 Peter 4:7)

Above all things have fervent charity (love) among you. (I Peter 4:8).

Use hospitality one to another without grudging. (Help other believers and don’t grumble about it.) (1 Peter 4:9)

Glorify God through Jesus in all things (1 Peter 4:11).

Guard against Satan’s temptations to sin (1 Peter 5:8).

Serve the Lord and don’t draw back. (Persevere, don’t give up.) (Revelation 2:3)

Be an overcomer. (Believer in Jesus.) (1 John. 5:4; Revelation. 2:7, 11)

Hold on to the name of Jesus and do not deny the faith (Revelation 2:13).

Be faithful to the end (Revelation 2:26).

Strengthen the areas where you are weak. (Examine yourself and overcome

your  weaknesses.) (Revelation 3:2)

Live by the words of Jesus. (Every knee will bow.) (Revelation 3:10)

Most of us are rightly concerned about the salvation of others, but we really need to make a special effort to bring our own ways into compliance with the will of God before we die or the Rapture takes place—whichever comes first.

FYI: God Has Spoken (And We Know It) by Daymond Duck is available (linked at raptureready.com to my publisher). Books and a Kindle version are available at amazon.com. A Nook version is available at bn.com. Check out what it says about Syria, Russia, Iran, Egypt, natural disasters, the Two-State Solution, etc. Please post a comment.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck