There are so many ominous signals of
stage-setting for fulfillment of Bible
prophecy in every direction we look that
even secular fascination with things to
come is piqued. One such example is the
History Channel’s “Nostradamus Effect”
series in which I was asked to
participate. One of the most immediately
troubling signals that threatens
apocalyptic disruption of world
stability is the very probable collapse
of the global economy, which we’ve been
examining. There is little doubt, using
even a modicum of rationale, that
monetary madness infects the entire
planet. We will now peer through God’s
prophetic lenses into the portentous
future nearest us.
The title I’ve chosen for this
exploration, “Scanning a Fearful
Future,” envelops all of Glenn Beck and
Hal Lindsey’s thoughts about the dire
immediate future for America and the
world. If their extremely similar
assessments of what this generation
faces is truly about to take place, my
answer to the recent question to the
worried email sender–representative of
many such trepidacious emailers--must be
given quickly. The emailer, after
prefacing his question by saying that
Lindsey stated persecution is coming for
Christians, asked: “…persecution for
Christians has to be very close. What is
your take on this?”
First, I must rephrase his question
to get to the heart of what he and so
many others are asking. The question
they mean to ask is: “…Persecution for
the church in America has to be very
close. What is your take on this?”
Believers in Jesus Christ–the born
again (John 3:3)—are being persecuted
around the globe at this very moment.
Many are suffering torture and
martyrdom. Members of the true church of
Jesus Christ have always suffered and
died, and will do so right up until
Christ’s call, “Come up hither!” (Rev.
4: 2). So, what American Christians are
concerned about in regard to this
question is whether Christians in the
United States will suffer the level of
persecution endured by believers like
those in, for example, the Sudan. For
that matter, the question implies asking
whether American believers will suffer
to a major extent in any way whatever.
Hal Lindsey expressed in several of his
TV programs that he believed Christians
in America will suffer persecutions,
and, I infer, he was speaking of
persecutions of the fearful sort–those
that might include loss of life in
martyrdom. This fearful future, again I
infer, will likely be part of a severe
societal/cultural breakdown brought
about by economic cataclysm. This, as
pointed out previously, is much like
Glenn Beck’s forecast for Americans in
general.
My answer to the emailer and others
who continue to ask similar questions is
that I don’t believe Christians in
America are prophetically scheduled for
severe persecution like that being
experienced by those in Sudan, China,
and other such places around the globe.
Now I can almost hear the clicking of
emails being typed. Some are already
conjuring the questioning flames of
retort. “Do you think American
Christians are too good to suffer
persecution?”; “Do you think America is
God’s pet nation? –That the U.S. doesn’t
deserve judgment?!” Please…save your
fingers the pain from the white-hot
irritation shooting from your keyboard.
I agree completely with you. American
Christians are NOT too good to be
persecuted. The U.S. does deserve
judgment. There is no argument there.
Now, please allow me to give my
scripturally based reasoning in
disagreeing with Dr. Lindsey on these
matters.
I begin by inserting this caveat
about my assertion that American
Christians won’t suffer persecution of
the most heinous sort. My belief in this
regard is predicated upon my prayerfully
studied understanding that the world as
we know it would have to first come
tumbling down, then rearrange to be
configured exactly as it is now in order
to accommodate American Christians going
into such persecution as feared by my
emailer.
That world crash, then turn-around,
just isn’t going to happen. Everything
is in place for Bible prophecy to
unfold. Based upon this reality, my case
follows in presenting why I’m so sure
that what I believe about things to come
in the very near future correctly
diverges from what Dr. Lindsey and Mr.
Beck say they believe is about to
happen.
Each is certain that the United
States is facing economic catastrophe
that will bring about food and other
shortages, thus will engender rioting
that will bring anarchy and collapse.
Lindsey’s fears are less adamantly
presented than Beck’s, but the
implication that such is in the very
near future is there in Hal’s TV program
narratives. While Beck doesn’t consider
anything regarding true Bible prophecy
at all, Hal Lindsey believes that severe
persecution for Christians is also in
that bleak future.
To briefly state my “take,” in answer
to my emailer, I believe that America
will not suffer catastrophic collapse
while Christians (true believers in
Jesus Christ) remain on planet earth.
You and I–whether believer or
nonbeliever--are, I’m firmly convinced,
members of the most privileged
generation in history. We are alive at
the very end of this fascinating moment
in human advancement. For believers,
however, the privilege is magnified
beyond imagination.
Believers in Jesus Christ are alive
during this end of the Church Age for a
divinely appointed purpose. We are
witnesses to and participants in the
very time the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
prophesied would see Him revealed in
spectacular fashion. The prospect for
those who name the name of Christ is
truly glorious.
While “Scanning a Fearful Future” is
an accurate title for purposes of this
examination of things to come, an
equally appropriate title for those who
are born again would have been “Scanning
a Fabulous Future." We will
continue
next week with specifically what I
believe the near future holds for
believers and nonbelievers alike.
