On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with their first powered aircraft. The Wright brothers had made the world’s first successful airplane. On January 30, 1948, Orville Wright died in Dayton, Ohio at the age of seventy-six. (Wilbur Wright had died of typhoid fever at home in Dayton, Ohio on May 30, 1912). In the space of but forty-five years mankind had gone from the Wright Brothers first powered flight to the invention of jet aircraft and commercial aircraft flying all over the world! Human intellect, in just a few dozen years, not only produced phenomenal travel through the air but introduced many other inventions such as the radio, television, motion pictures in color with full sound, mass produced automobiles, etc. The world of 1948 was far different from the world of 1903.
As I type these words, the year is 2016. Can you even begin to imagine how different the world might well be forty-five years from today – in the year 2061? Many, perhaps most, who read these words will not even be a part of that world. Just as Wilbur Wright had long been dead when January of 1948 rolled around, so, too, many of us shall have been long dead when January of 2061 rolls around. There will be many changes in this world by then. In fact, there will be many changes in this world long before that moment.
ISIS and the movers and shakers of Islam have a time-table for the changes they desire to see on the world scene over the next few years and decades. They seem to forget that China, North Korea, and other nations also have plans for tomorrow – plans that do not include them or Islam, and their worlds are on a collision course. And you can well believe they most certainly will collide. The world we live in today is not a world that is steadily inching toward peace and harmony but a world that is marching ever more energetically toward its own destruction. ISIS knows its’ only hope of achieving success in seeing Islam embraced the world over is by use of the sword and violence. And they have adequately shown to all that they eagerly accept that challenge.
Many believers are certain they need not be concerned in such matters as they believe they will be “raptured” away long before matters get really heated up. (I wonder if Christians in Egypt, Libya and the Middle East had a similar mindset as Islamic terrorists slit their throats and cut off their heads? Had they never heard of the “rapture” doctrine? Did they believe it? What confusion must have filled their minds as they were dressed in orange jumpsuits, made to kneel down and then had their throats slit?)
Reader, you had better get to know your Bible and I mean know it real well. You had better start believing what you read in that sacred book. Don’t look to radio and television preachers for your doctrine. Look to God’s holy Word alone. Believe the apostles Paul and Peter knew what they were talking about when they spoke of the end times. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which IS to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you…..If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part (the Muslims will yet prove themselves far more anti-Christian than the citizens of the Roman Empire ever were) He is evil spoken of…But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf” (See I Peter 4:12,14 and 16). Peter had just written, “For the end of all things is at hand” (See verse 7). Peter was led to this conclusion by the horrific persecution of Christians by Nero. Peter well knew that a fiery persecution of Christians was to precede the Lord’s return. Peter knew nothing of any “rapture theory” – that believers would be spared such tribulation by being caught away to heaven. That is a recent teaching. But it has spread like wildfire and is accepted as God’s truth by millions. Various novels and movies have popularized this teaching! Christian authors and noted preachers prior to the 20th Century are completely silent as to this “rapture” doctrine.
The “present distress” Paul speaks of in I Corinthians 7 prompted Paul to write “the time is short.” (See I Corinthians 7:26-29). The distress Paul speaks of was the intense persecution of Christians by the Romans, but note well how Paul saw the persecution of believers as a sure sign of Christ’s soon arrival, agreeing with Peter in this matter. James is in total agreement with these two apostles for he speaks of the coming of the Lord drawing near while at the same time mentioning how believers were suffering affliction. (See James 5:8-10).
We had better get as close to our Lord as we can in our trust and our obedience. This is especially true of young believers – because what we observe happening to Christians on the other side of this planet will yet spread to this side of the globe. Oh, it might take several decades yet, but it will come as surely as tomorrow’s sunrise.
Many believers need to study very carefully Jesus Christ’s Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. John omits this prophecy from his gospel account. They need to compare 2 Thessalonians 2 and several chapters of Revelation with all of these texts. Knowledge of the closing chapters of Daniel must also be taken into account. Oh, one more thing, all sin must be abandoned for the Holy Spirit to grant spiritual enlightenment. May our blessed Lord give you understanding in all things.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley