I must preface what follows by saying
that I use Hal Lindsey in this look at
the future because I and so many others
hold him in high regard as the most
widely recognized apologist for the
pretribulation Rapture view of Bible
prophecy. His book, “The Late, Great
Planet Earth,” is of course the work
that vaulted him into prominence. His
continuing efforts over the decades to
forewarn of things to come–with his
current TV program serving as an
excellent Bible prophecy platform--puts
him at the top level of those who watch
for Christ’s return, in my view.
Lindsey has indicated on his
television program, The Hal Lindsey
Report, that he believes America and all
other nations of the world are headed
into the darkest of socioeconomic times.
American Christians, he believes, face
persecution unlike any that believers in
the United States have experienced. He
recommends, as does Glenn Beck, that
people store food and make other
preparations against possible
hyper-inflated times to come.
While Lindsey advocates–as does
Beck—that we strive to be good citizens
and fight the staunch, patriotic fight
through the ballot box in order to
return the nation to one centered in
morality and freedom, he says in
practically the same breath that this
world system is doomed. There is no
hope, apart from the hope that is in
Jesus Christ. His seeming dichotomy of
thought evokes concerns that must be
addressed.
We began looking into prospects for
the near future by considering an email
I received from one such concerned
Christian. Again, he wrote the
following, in part:
I watched the Hal Lindsey Report
yesterday in which he said that he
believes before the Rapture that
Christians were going to be persecuted.
After reading your "Nearing Midnight"
article today, I can see that Christians
becoming more and more isolated for
their support of Israel is just another
sign that he is right. If Hal is right,
with the Rapture being as close as it
is, then persecution for Christians has
to be very close. What is your take on
this?
This writer's perspectives carry much
weight. It is Dr. Lindsey’s view of
things that impressed the emailer to
write. Since I am asked for my “take” on
Hal’s position regarding severe
persecution for believers being
imminent, I must be true to my study of
prophecy and risk going somewhat counter
to his stated belief that Christians in
America are necessarily going to suffer
such intensive, satanically engendered
travail.
I mean no disrespect for this man,
certainly a special servant chosen for
the Lord’s prophetic ministry for these
closing hours of the age. However, my
assessment differs from his forecast to
an extent that I sense it needs to be
presented here.
We have spent time thus far looking
into the eerie, troubling changes taking
place across the socioeconomic landscape
of America and the world. Mostly, we
have tried to get our brains around the
apparent insanity of our leaders and why
they have created crises then printed
trillions of dollars to throw at those
crises--all of this sleight-of-hand
chicanery done to stave off supposed
national and world cataclysm those
leaders warned would otherwise destroy
civilization as it has been known. Their
supposed attempts to preempt economic
Armageddon now threaten to bring about
the collapse of every economy on the
planet.
The foundation had to be laid thusly
in order to begin answering the question
so many people want to know. Our emailer
framed well the fears of many who worry
what the near future might hold. Since
world conditions are in configuration
that includes issues and events much
like those for the Tribulation given in
Bible prophecy, will Christians in
America face severe persecution before
Christ returns to this desperately
wicked planet? That is among the most
expressed concerns in email
correspondence I receive these days.
Hal Lindsey, like Glenn Beck, states
that he believes there will be a
cultural and societal breakdown due to
an economic collapse that is surely
about to take place in the United
States. I infer from his strongly stated
position that he believes Christians in
America will face severe persecution as
a part of the sociol and economic
upheaval about to erupt in this nation.
In the final analysis, however,
whether I accurately understand and
expound upon Dr. Lindsey’s thoughts in
these matters is of minor consequence to
the treatment at hand. The fact is that
many Christians who do observe these
times from a prophetic perspective need
answers to questions like the one posed
by the emailer. Trying to look at what
lurks just ahead in the foreboding mist
and haze of the coming days is the
proposed objective of what follows.
Next time we will attempt to
accomplish this, staying within the
confines of what God’s Word actually has
to say about the very end of the age.
