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The Stage Is
Nearly Set
By Grant Phillips
I marvel at the
workings of our God.
He said in the book
of Isaiah, “So
shall my word be
that goeth forth out
of my mouth: it
shall not return
unto me void, but it
shall accomplish
that which I please,
and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto
I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:11)
Everything He said
that would occur in
the last days prior
to His return, is
happening exactly as
He said it would,
and His chosen
people
Israel,
is the hub of it
all. That He has
preserved Israel,
scattered her, kept
her national
identity, and now
brought her back as
a nation, and
prospered her, is a
jaw dropper in and
of itself.
Just as amazing, is
how He has
meticulously set the
stage for everything
to come together in
these last days.
This can be easily
seen when we realize
just what transpired
in the year 1948 and
other years in close
proximity. The State
of Israel was
founded May 14,
1948, and as
previously
mentioned, Israel is
the key element.
Notice below just
how many beginnings
there were in the
mid to late forties
alone. (By the way,
I’m sure many of you
can come up with
several others that
I have not listed.)
Some of these “may”
seem
inconsequential, but
I do not believe
that is the case.
1920 American Civil
Liberties Union
(ACLU) founded
1945 The United
Nations (U.N.)
replaced of The
League of Nations
1945
The atomic
age began with the
bombing of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
1946
The Atomic
Energy Commission
was created.
1946
Xerographic
photocopying process
was invented.
1947
The Truman
Doctrine (aid to
countries whose
governments are
threatened with
overthrow)
1947
India and
Pakistan proclaimed
independent nations
1947
First
airplane to break
the speed of sound
1947
The
transistor invented
at Bell Laboratories
1947
Americans
United for
Separation of Church
and State (AU)
founded
1947
Holography
invented
1947
Doomsday
Clock invented by
scientists
1948
The Marshall
Plan (giving aid to
16 European
countries)
1948
Foundation of
the State of Israel
1948
Communists
take over
Czechoslovakia
1948
Organization
of American States
founded (human
rights)
1948
First flight
of first commercial
jet airliner
1948
World Council
of Churches formed
1948
U.N. adopts
Universal
Declaration of Human
Rights
1948
World Health
Organization (WHO)
founded
1949
Communists
forces gain power in
China (nationalists
flee to Taiwan)
1949
North
Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO)
established
1949
Soviet Union
detonates its first
atomic bomb
1949
Israel
admitted to the U.N.
1949
Lucky Lady
(U.S. Air Force)
completes first
non-stop
around-the-world
flight
1949
Electron
microscopy developed
1949
Council of
Europe formed
1950
National
Council of Churches
formed
1958
European Coal
and Steel Community
(ECSC) and European
Economic Community
(EEC) formed by six
European countries
(the beginnings of
the European Union,
as known today)
The ACLU was founded
28 years prior to
Israel being founded
as a State, but I
think that was
probably necessary
to have plenty of
time to infect
several generations
with their poisonous
venom of lies, and
bring us to the
state we are in
today. All the
others are within
two to three years!
This can be no
accident. Nor is it
a coincidence. Our
Lord Jesus is
clearly gathering
the world to the
final scene, as the
symphony conductor
leads each piece of
the orchestra to the
grand finale of the
musical composition.
Maybe we need to
consider Isaiah
55:11 once more, “So
will My word be
which goes forth
from My mouth; It
will not return to
Me empty, without
accomplishing what I
desire, And without
succeeding in
the matter for
which I sent it.”
(NASB)
The naysayers can
ridicule and laugh
all they like, but
God’s Word will not
come back unto Him
void. The world can
swim in its
indignation of the
Truth if it so
chooses, but God’s
Word will be
fulfilled to the
letter. Only a fool
could look at these
dates and not see
the hand of God
moving among them.
Allow me to go
further. It is
interesting that
Jerusalem came under
Israeli
control for the
first time in 2,500
years on June 6,
1967, and the
following occurred
in that same time
period (not an
exhaustive listing
of course):
1963
American
Atheist founded by
Madalyn Murray
O’Hair (pushed
separation of church
and state)
1963
Murray vs.
Curlett resulting in
Supreme Court
decision (8-1) that
year which made it
unconstitutional for
school sponsored
Bible reading in
public schools
1967 Israel defeats
Arabs in Six Day War
1967 First Super
Bowl
1967 First heart
transplant (by Dr.
Christian Bernard)
1967 First
celebration of Earth
Day
1967 First broadcast
of Sesame Street
1967
Jerusalem
became Israel’s
capital
Again, some “may”
seem
inconsequential, but
I think each plays
its own part in what
we have become
today, and where we
are in this period
of time.
Many others have
noticed this
phenomenon also. So,
I am certainly not
the first, nor will
I be the last to
notice God’s hands
all over history.
Any student of
prophecy has
probably noticed
this trend in their
beginning studies of
prophecy.
Every time in
history that God has
brought down
judgment on a nation
or even an
individual, He has
provided plenty of
warnings. In just
the observance of
these dates alone,
He has taken out the
crayons, and colored
in the pictures.
Even those who may
be weak in their
understanding of
prophecy must ask
themselves, “How can
this be?”
Why are these two
crucial dates,
Israel’s statehood
(1948) and Israel’s
control of Jerusalem
(1967), surrounded
by so many other
very important dates
that have formed the
modern world we live
in today? These
other dates have
formed our economy,
our world view, our
spiritual apostasy,
our playtime, our
interests, our
families, our
government, our
acceptance of lies
and rejection of
Truth, our view of
Israel, our
acceptance of false
gods and false
religions, our view
of sin, our emphasis
in all that is
worldly, our
criminal behavior,
our technology, our
travel, our
knowledge, and we
could go on and on.
In other words, they
all have their part
in advancing the
world to its climax,
the return of Jesus
Christ.
Who would have ever
thought, just a few
years ago, that this
world we now live in
would be so
drastically changed,
and not for the
better I might add?
Who would have
dreamed that our
nation would ever
turn its back on the
“apple of God’s
eye”, Israel? Not
only have we turned
our back on her, we
are openly opposed
to Israel and now
support her enemies.
May God help us! To
me, this is the most
frightening thing of
all. As I have
already stated,
Israel is the hub of
the wheel of
prophesy. Her
enemies are ready to
pounce, and we now
number among them. I
am not frightened
for myself, because
I rest in our Lord’s
protection. However,
I am frightened for
those who
“skip-to-my-lou”
through life,
totally oblivious to
an imminent judgment
upon this world, a
hell on earth that
is surely soon about
to happen.
I occasionally
receive emails from
those who “chastise”
me for believing in
the Rapture (or
snatching away) of
the Church prior to
the Tribulation. It
seems that when I
mention the “R”
word, here they come
to set me on the
“right” path. After
all the folderol of
the likes of Harold
Camping, et al, it’s
no wonder the
Rapture has such a
“bad name” among so
many people. I
believe
wholeheartedly
however, that the
rapture of the
church prior to the
Tribulation will
happen, but when
God is ready. He
said He is coming
back for His bride
(the Church), and
then the “time of
Jacob’s trouble”
(the Tribulation)
will begin.
Some think that too
much is said about
end times prophecy
and not enough about
evangelism. I
believe both are
important. I am also
convinced that those
who look deeper into
last days
prophecies, are much
more keen about
evangelizing than
those who do not,
because they see the
urgency of the times
we are in. Speaking
for myself, I speak
of the Rapture and
what follows because
I would like to see
people come to Jesus
now, instead of
facing the horrors
of the Tribulation
period. I feel
confident that all
of us who speak of
the Rapture and the
Tribulation period
on “Rapture Ready”
feel the same way.
None of us want to
see anyone go
through the
Tribulation, but to
the contrary, enjoy
the reunion with our
Savior when He comes
for us at the
Rapture.
Nevertheless, let us
return to the dates.
They are there
before us … cold
hard facts. Why has
most everything else
had its beginning
around the same
times that Israel
was founded as a
State (1948) and
took control of
Jerusalem (1967)?
Think about it.
There can be only
one conclusion. God
has been on stage,
behind the curtain,
setting the props
for the curtain to
open. The orchestra
is warming up. The
actors are ready.
The audience is
seated. The last
scene of history is
about to begin.
When? Again, I do
not know, but it
could be much sooner
than we think.
Very few will take
heed. Most will
laugh off everything
that has been said.
Some may listen just
long enough to say,
“I’ll think about
that later”. Well,
think about this.
There are no signs
for the Rapture of
the Church. All the
signs we are seeing
are in preparation
for the Tribulation
which follows the
Rapture. If we are
seeing so many
preparation signs
for the Tribulation,
and the Rapture
precedes it, how
close could it be
for our Savior’s
return for His
bride? How close
could it be for His
judgment to be
poured out upon the
world? Don’t be one
of those who waited
too long.
I have been working
on this article, off
and on, since prior
to leaving for
vacation. My wife
and I just returned,
and now I would like
to conclude with
this observation.
While on vacation we
noticed something
that reminded me of
Jesus’ outstretched
arms beckoning us to
come to Him. A
child, about eight
or nine years old,
had strayed from her
parents and become
lost. A couple
brought the child to
the life guard at
our station. Within
a few moments, a
police vehicle
arrived with her
father. As the life
guard was leading
the child toward the
police vehicle, she
recognized her
father and ran to
him. It was a “magic
moment” reunion for
both parent and
child. Both were so
very happy to be
reunited.
Jesus said, “Come
unto me, all ye that
labour and are heavy
laden, and I will
give you rest.”
(Matthew 11:28)
Sometimes, we lose
our way among all
the hubbub of the
world around us. For
those who are His
sheep He says, “My
sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and
they follow me:”
(John 10:27) To
both, those who are
not His sheep and
those who are His
sheep, He says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins
be as scarlet, they
shall be as white as
snow; though they be
red like crimson,
they shall be as
wool.” (Isaiah
1:18)
We read concerning
the “prodigal son”
the following; “And
he arose, and came
to his father. But
when he was yet a
great way off, his
father saw him, and
had compassion, and
ran, and fell on his
neck, and kissed
him.” (Luke
15:20)
And Jesus says, “Take
my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto
your souls. For my
yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:29-30)
The Lord God
Almighty is
showering this world
with signs of His
soon return. We
Christians need to
be ready, working
while it is day, but
all the while
looking up for His
soon return. Far too
many others need to
come to Him for
forgiveness of sins,
through His
sacrificial death
and empty grave. He
holds out His arms
as the father that
found his child.
If you are His
child, and you have
allowed the world’s
distractions to keep
you from your
Father’s business,
go to Him now. He is
waiting with
outstretched arms. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us
from all
unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9)
If you are not His
child, you can be,
but you must come to
Him through His Son,
the Lord Jesus
Christ. His arms are
also outstretched
for you. “For
God so loved the
world, that he gave
his only begotten
Son, that whosoever
believeth in him
should not perish,
but have everlasting
life.” (John
3:16)
Sometimes God speaks
in a still, small
voice, and sometimes
He speaks like a
trumpet. I can’t
imagine all the
signs from God we
see around us today
being classified as
a still small voice.
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture
Commentary
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
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