Thinking or writing about prophecy has always been a challenge for anyone. It's one of those topics which causes a lot of debate, no matter what the subject is. Yet, the number of disasters which have happened this year 2011 is considerably high in comparison to the previous years. How many times this year did we not read quotes like "The worst disaster known in history", "It never happened before", 'it's the first time I see that in my life"? Even scientists are stunned by the number, size and intensity of those disasters. And logically so, seeing all of the catastrophic events happening these days, we often ask ourselves when this will come to an end, and what to expect for the future? We know that all of these disasters have been prophesied…. But do we have any biblical clue about the “intensity “of these events, or if anything has been said about it in the Scriptures?
Lately, my wife and I bought a book entitled "What To Expect... when you are expecting" (Simon & Schuster Ed.). Not only is it interesting to read for a future mom, but even for a man, and a future dad. A lot of information is shared there which are of real value. However, it's when I arrived to the section speaking about "Labour and Delivery" (p.378-396) that my brain made a 'U' turn back to one specific Bible verse, that I will mention shortly. Suddenly I had a glimpse of what is ahead of us in terms of the intensity of the catastrophic that has happened and will happen before Yahshua's Return. Yes, it was just a glimpse, but enough to know that things will even get worse, and not for the better, no matter what some scientists or leaders would say.
Lately, my wife and I bought a book entitled "What To Expect... when you are expecting" (Simon & Schuster Ed.). Not only is it interesting to read for a future mom, but even for a man, and a future dad. A lot of information is shared there which are of real value. However, it's when I arrived to the section speaking about "Labour and Delivery" (p.378-396) that my brain made a 'U' turn back to one specific Bible verse, that I will mention shortly. Suddenly I had a glimpse of what is ahead of us in terms of the intensity of the catastrophic that has happened and will happen before Yahshua's Return. Yes, it was just a glimpse, but enough to know that things will even get worse, and not for the better, no matter what some scientists or leaders would say.
During His time on this planet, Yahshua gave us a precise warning concerning the intensity of these events . In Matthew 24, we know that Yahshua was giving an overall idea of the world at the end of the ages. But one phrase we often overlook can give us a good idea of the intensity of end times events, and we can find it in verse 8.
“And all these are the beginning of birth pains." (Matthew 24:8)
Is it not a coincidence that Yahshua gave that analogy when we know that later, the Apostle Paul, under Yahweh's inspiration, said in Romans the following? :
"For we know that all the creation groans together, and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now." (Romans 8:22)
Have you ever thought about correlating those two verses together with the physical suffering of a woman in labor? I have not until I read the book about pregnancy mentioned above. Having observed some pregnant women around me, I even had the opportunity to the pain which a woman goes through BEFORE giving birth. Discussing this with my wife in relation to Yahshua's words, it only made sense that if Yahshua used some clear representation to underline the prophecies, then we should take heed of it. So I did and read the part of the book concerning the labor and delivery part of pregnancy. And I quote:
"Childbirth progresses in three stages : Labour, Delivery of the baby, delivery of the placenta. Unless labour is cut short (or eliminated) by a caesarean, all women go through the labour stage, which inlcudes early labour, active labour, and transitional labour. The timing and intensity of the contractions can help pinpoint which phase of labour you're in at any particular time..."
We then have something like this :
Stage One : Labour
Phase 1 : Early (Latent) - contractions are 30 to 45 seconds long, 20 minutes apart
Phase 2 : Active - contractions are 40 to 60 seconds long, 3 to 4 minutes apart
Phase 3 : Transitional - contractions are 60 to 90 seconds long, 2 to 3 minutes apart
Stage Two : Delivery of the baby
Stage Three : Delivery of the placenta
What can we learn from it? Outside the three overall stages of labour and delivery, what is very interesting here is the first stage in relation to Yahshua's and Paul's analogies : the birth pains (Stage One). What we learn is that there are three phase of labour before the delivery of the baby. Each one is more intense than the previous one, yet with more shorter intervals. To be more precise, the contractions - the painful part - are more intense and longer in duration, but the intervals between them are shorter in time.
With that knowledge ---- and the absolute certainty that Yahshua in His analogy was clearly pointing to where we should look at for some information about the events He talked about --- then we can, without a shadow of a doubt, say that the catastrophic events which are happening around the planet will not go downward in number, duration and intensity, but upward and upward until the end comes. Even that the period of "tranquility and peace" between the events will get shorter and shorter, until it reaches the breaking point for the Creation - Yahshua's Return.
"For the intense longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim" (Romans 8:19)
A CONCRETE EXAMPLE : EARTHQUAKES
To take an example out of this year list of disasters, let's us think about the Japanese Earthquake of March 2011 - the Tohoku Earthquake. That earthquake was pointed at 9.0 Magnitude, the strongest in Japanese known history. For a country prone to earthquake that simple fact should already ring a bell in our mind. It was so strong that the island of Honshu, the main island of Japan, moved more than 2 meters (around 8ft) to the east, and the Earth itself shifted on its axis by an estimated average of 15 cm.
However, as big as it was, seven years ago already, there was an even more biggest earthquake - with 9.1 Magnitude - in the Indian Ocean which trigger a tsunami claiming at least 230,000 lives. That earthquake was one of the third most powerful ever recorded, the two other being 9.5M in Chile in 1960, and 9.2M in Alaska in 1964. All in all there had been five earthquakes in the 9-Magnitude range, and at least five in the 8 Magnitude range in the 20th-21th century.
So, then in our recent history we already know that there had been one earthquake of 9.5M (the biggest recorded), then four others in the 9M range. Keeping that in mind, Let us read what it is written in Revelation 16:18-20 - This passage refers to the last of the last plagues, the seventh bowl.
"And there came to be noises and thunders and lightnings. And there came to be a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not came to be since men were on the earth. And the great city became divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Bab’el was remembered before Elohim, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. "
A little exercise : Let's take into account the earthquakes we have listed above. Add to that what Yahshua said about the increasing number and intensity of those things (Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21), finally adding to the picture this verse of Revelation, and we can imagine that if that earthquake will be the biggest ever known to the point of moving mountains and islands, breaking cities, what kind of earthquakes will we still witness in the future if the biggest already known is 9,5M ? To give you an idea, if we had to experience a 10 magnitude earthquake, it would be 10 times bigger than the Japanese earthquake of March 2011. An 11 magnitude would be 100 times bigger, a 12 magnitude earthquake 1000 times bigger, and so on.
Now things become a little bit more scary don't you think? And that's just speaking about earthquakes.
Think about Epidemies, Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Tornadoes, War, Landslides, Dust Storm, Scarcities of food, etc : All of these increasing in intensity and number, also don't forget, with less time intervals between them. Now you can begin to have a picture of the future before Yahshua's Return. You can even, by yourself, make the same exercise for each one in this short list : Think of the worse that can happen to each one, and then think what Yahshua has said about it : that things would happen by increasing the number, increasing the intensity, decreasing the interval of time between each event, and you will have a glimpse of the picture He had in mind when He said His prophecy.
No, for sure, the world before Yahshua's Return will not be a pleasant place, nor a peaceful place to be in. Yet there is HOPE in Yahshua. Even in the darkest tunnel you go through, there is always light at the end of it.
SO WHAT NOW?
Be certain that if Yahshua used the birth pains of a pregnant woman as an analogy of the End Times, He clearly meant what He said. So don't be surprised for the next disasters that will come to pass with all intensity . It must happen. It will serve as signs of the times, indicating how near He is of His Return.
“And learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that the summer is near. So you also, when you see all these, know that He is near, at the doors. Truly, I say to you, this generation shall by no means pass away until all this takes place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall by no means pass away." (Matthew 24:32-35)
Is this gloom and doom? In the short term yes! But in the long run things will be better. We all perfectly know that this world has arrived to such a point of corruption that no men nor women could change anything to it … that war and unrest is now nearly in every corner … that the biggest economies are in a turmoil as we have never seen before …that some countries are experiencing scarcity of food due to changing climate in their region or due to excessive exploitation … and on and on. The list of the problems is endless.
Will it become better? According to Yahshua it will only become worse, and it's really time for all of us to stop thinking one second that everything goes well, that the economy is good, that those catastrophies just happen here and there as they already did in the past, that it’s for others to experience and not for us, etc, etc. WE DON'T LIVE IN A GOOD WORLD, this is not the world of Yahweh. If we think, for instance, that this world is better than it was in Antiquity or the Middle Ages we should think twice, it's not about Antiquity or the Middle Ages that Yahshua was speaking when He said : "And as the days of Noaḥ, so also shall the coming of the Son of Ad’am be" (Matthew 24:37). It is OUR WORLD He was speaking of. It is our world He was equating to Noah’s days, and look what happened to them.
So, let's stop right away of fooling ourselves, thinking that the life we have now will stay like that. We should enjoy the peace we still know now where we live, but do not think it will last - It won't !
Now is the time to unite and work as fast as possible for Yahweh and Yahshua. Now they still give us the time to do something big or small. The doors are still open, and the windows of opportunities to witness Yahweh’s Word are still there. But for how long no one knows for sure. Yet, the surroundings and the daily news should give us a clue of where we are in time.
Friends, are you scared of the near future? Personally I am. No human in his right mind will dare to show a vain pride in front of those prophesied events, thinking that those things are not scary. Yet, scary or not, we have to see beyond that. We are Yahweh's Children, He made promises to protect us. If we praise, sing and claim that He is ALMIGHTY, then HE IS, and if He is, we have to trust Him because He is.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, Who abides under the shadow of the Almighty,
He is saying of יהוה, “My refuge and my stronghold, My Elohim, in whom I trust!”
For He delivers you from the snare of a trapper, From the destructive pestilence.
He covers you with His feathers, And under His wings you take refuge; His truth is a shield and armour.
You are not afraid of the dread by night, Of the arrow that flies by day,
Of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Of destruction that ravages at midday.
A thousand fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it does not come near you.
(Psalm 91:1-7)
I think it's a soldier who once said that courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it's the ability to master it because there is no true soldier is without fear. In this world and time, as children of Yahweh, we have to be courageous. A true soldier is scared, but not paralyzed by it. Admitting we are scared is the first step so we can move and act. But thinking that we will be able to cope with frightening event, on our own, is pure pride. Without Yahweh we are unable to do anything - period.
Ok then, practically speaking, what can we do from now on?
First - Do not panic nor be alarmed, all of these is normal - it must happen because of human refusing to repent.
Second - continue to watch for those events, and especially pray, not only for us, but for all those people going through the catastrophic events. We will witness more and more of these in the coming weeks, months and years, as well as for the leaders of our countries who will have to deal with those things on their level.
Third - prepare ourselves for Yahshua's Return by not only reading the Scriptures, but also by studying the Law of Yahweh, because we will have to teach it in the Kingdom, and also to be able to apply the fourth point which is,
Four - Observe and apply the Law of Yahweh in our life, which is the best witness of all we can do.
Whatever happen now, my friend, time has come for the believers to raise their head. Yahshua is near, at the door! But when exactly will Yahshua be there? Who cares! Be ready and raise your head !
“And when these matters begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
-----------
For more blogs of Joël Peeters, please visit : http://witnessesofyahweh.blogspot.com/
“And all these are the beginning of birth pains." (Matthew 24:8)
Is it not a coincidence that Yahshua gave that analogy when we know that later, the Apostle Paul, under Yahweh's inspiration, said in Romans the following? :
"For we know that all the creation groans together, and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now." (Romans 8:22)
Have you ever thought about correlating those two verses together with the physical suffering of a woman in labor? I have not until I read the book about pregnancy mentioned above. Having observed some pregnant women around me, I even had the opportunity to the pain which a woman goes through BEFORE giving birth. Discussing this with my wife in relation to Yahshua's words, it only made sense that if Yahshua used some clear representation to underline the prophecies, then we should take heed of it. So I did and read the part of the book concerning the labor and delivery part of pregnancy. And I quote:
"Childbirth progresses in three stages : Labour, Delivery of the baby, delivery of the placenta. Unless labour is cut short (or eliminated) by a caesarean, all women go through the labour stage, which inlcudes early labour, active labour, and transitional labour. The timing and intensity of the contractions can help pinpoint which phase of labour you're in at any particular time..."
We then have something like this :
Stage One : Labour
Phase 1 : Early (Latent) - contractions are 30 to 45 seconds long, 20 minutes apart
Phase 2 : Active - contractions are 40 to 60 seconds long, 3 to 4 minutes apart
Phase 3 : Transitional - contractions are 60 to 90 seconds long, 2 to 3 minutes apart
Stage Two : Delivery of the baby
Stage Three : Delivery of the placenta
What can we learn from it? Outside the three overall stages of labour and delivery, what is very interesting here is the first stage in relation to Yahshua's and Paul's analogies : the birth pains (Stage One). What we learn is that there are three phase of labour before the delivery of the baby. Each one is more intense than the previous one, yet with more shorter intervals. To be more precise, the contractions - the painful part - are more intense and longer in duration, but the intervals between them are shorter in time.
With that knowledge ---- and the absolute certainty that Yahshua in His analogy was clearly pointing to where we should look at for some information about the events He talked about --- then we can, without a shadow of a doubt, say that the catastrophic events which are happening around the planet will not go downward in number, duration and intensity, but upward and upward until the end comes. Even that the period of "tranquility and peace" between the events will get shorter and shorter, until it reaches the breaking point for the Creation - Yahshua's Return.
"For the intense longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim" (Romans 8:19)
A CONCRETE EXAMPLE : EARTHQUAKES
To take an example out of this year list of disasters, let's us think about the Japanese Earthquake of March 2011 - the Tohoku Earthquake. That earthquake was pointed at 9.0 Magnitude, the strongest in Japanese known history. For a country prone to earthquake that simple fact should already ring a bell in our mind. It was so strong that the island of Honshu, the main island of Japan, moved more than 2 meters (around 8ft) to the east, and the Earth itself shifted on its axis by an estimated average of 15 cm.
However, as big as it was, seven years ago already, there was an even more biggest earthquake - with 9.1 Magnitude - in the Indian Ocean which trigger a tsunami claiming at least 230,000 lives. That earthquake was one of the third most powerful ever recorded, the two other being 9.5M in Chile in 1960, and 9.2M in Alaska in 1964. All in all there had been five earthquakes in the 9-Magnitude range, and at least five in the 8 Magnitude range in the 20th-21th century.
So, then in our recent history we already know that there had been one earthquake of 9.5M (the biggest recorded), then four others in the 9M range. Keeping that in mind, Let us read what it is written in Revelation 16:18-20 - This passage refers to the last of the last plagues, the seventh bowl.
"And there came to be noises and thunders and lightnings. And there came to be a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not came to be since men were on the earth. And the great city became divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Bab’el was remembered before Elohim, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. "
A little exercise : Let's take into account the earthquakes we have listed above. Add to that what Yahshua said about the increasing number and intensity of those things (Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21), finally adding to the picture this verse of Revelation, and we can imagine that if that earthquake will be the biggest ever known to the point of moving mountains and islands, breaking cities, what kind of earthquakes will we still witness in the future if the biggest already known is 9,5M ? To give you an idea, if we had to experience a 10 magnitude earthquake, it would be 10 times bigger than the Japanese earthquake of March 2011. An 11 magnitude would be 100 times bigger, a 12 magnitude earthquake 1000 times bigger, and so on.
Now things become a little bit more scary don't you think? And that's just speaking about earthquakes.
Think about Epidemies, Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Tornadoes, War, Landslides, Dust Storm, Scarcities of food, etc : All of these increasing in intensity and number, also don't forget, with less time intervals between them. Now you can begin to have a picture of the future before Yahshua's Return. You can even, by yourself, make the same exercise for each one in this short list : Think of the worse that can happen to each one, and then think what Yahshua has said about it : that things would happen by increasing the number, increasing the intensity, decreasing the interval of time between each event, and you will have a glimpse of the picture He had in mind when He said His prophecy.
No, for sure, the world before Yahshua's Return will not be a pleasant place, nor a peaceful place to be in. Yet there is HOPE in Yahshua. Even in the darkest tunnel you go through, there is always light at the end of it.
SO WHAT NOW?
Be certain that if Yahshua used the birth pains of a pregnant woman as an analogy of the End Times, He clearly meant what He said. So don't be surprised for the next disasters that will come to pass with all intensity . It must happen. It will serve as signs of the times, indicating how near He is of His Return.
“And learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that the summer is near. So you also, when you see all these, know that He is near, at the doors. Truly, I say to you, this generation shall by no means pass away until all this takes place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall by no means pass away." (Matthew 24:32-35)
Is this gloom and doom? In the short term yes! But in the long run things will be better. We all perfectly know that this world has arrived to such a point of corruption that no men nor women could change anything to it … that war and unrest is now nearly in every corner … that the biggest economies are in a turmoil as we have never seen before …that some countries are experiencing scarcity of food due to changing climate in their region or due to excessive exploitation … and on and on. The list of the problems is endless.
Will it become better? According to Yahshua it will only become worse, and it's really time for all of us to stop thinking one second that everything goes well, that the economy is good, that those catastrophies just happen here and there as they already did in the past, that it’s for others to experience and not for us, etc, etc. WE DON'T LIVE IN A GOOD WORLD, this is not the world of Yahweh. If we think, for instance, that this world is better than it was in Antiquity or the Middle Ages we should think twice, it's not about Antiquity or the Middle Ages that Yahshua was speaking when He said : "And as the days of Noaḥ, so also shall the coming of the Son of Ad’am be" (Matthew 24:37). It is OUR WORLD He was speaking of. It is our world He was equating to Noah’s days, and look what happened to them.
So, let's stop right away of fooling ourselves, thinking that the life we have now will stay like that. We should enjoy the peace we still know now where we live, but do not think it will last - It won't !
Now is the time to unite and work as fast as possible for Yahweh and Yahshua. Now they still give us the time to do something big or small. The doors are still open, and the windows of opportunities to witness Yahweh’s Word are still there. But for how long no one knows for sure. Yet, the surroundings and the daily news should give us a clue of where we are in time.
Friends, are you scared of the near future? Personally I am. No human in his right mind will dare to show a vain pride in front of those prophesied events, thinking that those things are not scary. Yet, scary or not, we have to see beyond that. We are Yahweh's Children, He made promises to protect us. If we praise, sing and claim that He is ALMIGHTY, then HE IS, and if He is, we have to trust Him because He is.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, Who abides under the shadow of the Almighty,
He is saying of יהוה, “My refuge and my stronghold, My Elohim, in whom I trust!”
For He delivers you from the snare of a trapper, From the destructive pestilence.
He covers you with His feathers, And under His wings you take refuge; His truth is a shield and armour.
You are not afraid of the dread by night, Of the arrow that flies by day,
Of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Of destruction that ravages at midday.
A thousand fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it does not come near you.
(Psalm 91:1-7)
I think it's a soldier who once said that courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it's the ability to master it because there is no true soldier is without fear. In this world and time, as children of Yahweh, we have to be courageous. A true soldier is scared, but not paralyzed by it. Admitting we are scared is the first step so we can move and act. But thinking that we will be able to cope with frightening event, on our own, is pure pride. Without Yahweh we are unable to do anything - period.
Ok then, practically speaking, what can we do from now on?
First - Do not panic nor be alarmed, all of these is normal - it must happen because of human refusing to repent.
Second - continue to watch for those events, and especially pray, not only for us, but for all those people going through the catastrophic events. We will witness more and more of these in the coming weeks, months and years, as well as for the leaders of our countries who will have to deal with those things on their level.
Third - prepare ourselves for Yahshua's Return by not only reading the Scriptures, but also by studying the Law of Yahweh, because we will have to teach it in the Kingdom, and also to be able to apply the fourth point which is,
Four - Observe and apply the Law of Yahweh in our life, which is the best witness of all we can do.
Whatever happen now, my friend, time has come for the believers to raise their head. Yahshua is near, at the door! But when exactly will Yahshua be there? Who cares! Be ready and raise your head !
“And when these matters begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
-----------
For more blogs of Joël Peeters, please visit : http://witnessesofyahweh.blogspot.com/
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