Food for thought...

 

Revelation 6:1-8

The Seals

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

(War)

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

(Famine

rich get richer, poor get poorer, who does inflation hurt the most again?)

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

(Death

of which increased disease is a part )

The seals judgements? Just like the trumpet judgements? Do not say which order they come in. In other words, the fourth seal could be the first one opened etc. Like the 3rd angel that blows his trumpet could have trumpet 6 etc.

But it ought to be pretty obvious that war, famine and increased pestilence are all on the horizon in a greater magnitude than what we are currently experiencing.

Think Ukraine, Taiwan, increased food insecurity and famine and more disease.

Viruses that were on hiatus during Covid are back — and behaving in unexpected ways

"Now, as the world rapidly dismantles the measures put in place to slow spread of Covid, the viral and bacterial nuisances that were on hiatus are returning — and behaving in unexpected ways."

"The past two winters were among the mildest influenza seasons on record, but flu hospitalizations have picked up in the last few weeks — in May! Adenovirus type 41, previously thought to cause fairly innocuous bouts of gastrointestinal illness, may be triggering severe hepatitis in healthy young children."

Acute, severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children

"Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a bug that normally causes disease in the winter, touched off large outbreaks of illness in kids last summer and in the early fall in the United States and Europe.

And now monkeypox, a virus generally only found in West and Central Africa, is causing an unprecedented outbreak in more than a dozen countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia, with the United Kingdom alone reporting more than 70 cases as of Tuesday."

It ought to be pretty obvious who the conqueror bent on conquest riding a white horse is. (Interesting that he has a bow but no mention of any arrows)

Revelation 19:11-16

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

"He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God." 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Revelation 16:8–9

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

Revelation 16:10–11

 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Were not even there yet but if you can't see all this coming by now? I mean how much more obvious can he make it that the book is true? Whats he gotta do to get people to accept that he is in charge not them and that people should turn their back on their wicked ways and walk straight away from them their previous selves?

Five Reasons to Value Studying the End Times

1)There Will Be Unique Dynamics

"Yes, the dynamics on the earth will be totally unique due to an unprecedented increase of good and evil—nobody has ever walked that path before. No other generation has had to navigate these two extremes. This will create a situation in which many will be afraid and confused, searching for answers."

(Everything will make more sense if you start looking at things through the lense of biblical end times prophecy, I remember somebody saying a few times...yup) 

2)There Are Biblical Reasons—Seen in 150 Chapters with an End-Time Focus

"In fact, the events occurring in the generation in which Jesus returns are the main focus in over 150 chapters in the Bible... To get a perspective on how important these 150+ chapters are, consider that there are 89 chapters in the four Gospels that focus on Jesus’ first coming to accomplish salvation.

God’s people easily receive the good news about a coming great revival. The challenge lies in interpreting the unprecedented pressures that will occur at that time without being afraid or offended by the many negative things happening. Therefore, God’s people must understand the biblical narrative related to the coming pressures, or they will be left, by default, to embrace a secular narrative." 

"As pressures increase, many will be greatly perplexed about where things are going if they are unaware of the biblical narrative of the end times. To them it will seem like the “train of history” is veering off the tracks, and it will feel as though no one really knows where things are going or why."

"Since Jesus has total control and deeply loves His people, we are in His good hands. We can stand in faith, filled with peace and thriving in love. Only those who interpret what is happening from God’s point of view will be equipped to respond with such faith and confidence."

3)There Are Prophetic Reasons—Seen in the Biblical Signs of the Times

"In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, Jesus identified 22 signs of that time. Now, for the first time in history, most of these signs are increasing and making global headline news."

4)Scripture Promises Increased Understanding in the End-Time Church

"Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would give His people “perfect,” or mature, understanding of His end-time judgments against the Antichrist’s empire. In other words, He will raise up people who will gain mature understanding of His end-time plans as set forth in the Scripture."

Jeremiah 23:20;

The anger of the Lord [His end-time judgments] will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. 

"Daniel prophesied a promise of the Lord to raise up “people of understanding” who will help many others to understand the biblical narrative related to the end times. This promise is available to all believers. He emphasized that “many” will be hungry for answers from God’s Word."

"And those of the people who understand [end-time messengers] shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall [be martyred] by sword and flame, by captivity, . . . to refine them, purify them . . . until the time of the end. (Daniel 11:33–35; emphasis added)"

"In other words, the Lord’s messengers will make the biblical narrative known in diverse ways to many in the Body of Christ and to the uninstructed millions of unbelievers who will be desperate to gain understanding."

This information is to be used evangelistically in a way that may surprise us. Unbelievers are interested in knowing what the Bible says about the end times. By growing in understanding, we can be a part of the solution instead of adding to the confusion of those who embrace the secular narrative and are overcome with fear, offense, lust, or deception. We don’t have to be confused. (AMEN!) By having a robust biblical picture of the unique dynamics of the end times, God’s people will be equipped to have the right expectations and interpretations of various negative events. By understanding the biblical narrative, God’s people will have the tools to process escalating pressures in a way that will help them thrive spiritually and grow in love.

5)There Are Four Pastoral Challenges That Will Escalate in the End-Time Church

The article goes on to mention them as follows:

FEAR

OFFENSE

LUST

DECEPTION

(Just sharing some excerpts, the entire article is great and very much worth reading.)

PS

It's a lil hard trying to convince the guy/couple living it that it's not happening:

"He will raise up people who will gain mature understanding of His end-time plans as set forth in the Scripture."

Jeremiah 23:20

and...

"In other words, the Lord’s messengers will make the biblical narrative known in diverse ways to many in the Body of Christ and to the uninstructed millions of unbelievers who will be desperate to gain understanding."

Daniel 11:33–35

The entire book is true, from beginning to end. It existed before the world was created and comes to us from "the great I am" who exist outside our time space continuum and was made into flesh in the form of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. Period.

You will have peace (now and eternal) and your world will make perfect sense to you if you could just look at the current events unfolding representing the various prophecies currently being fulfilled.

Confess with your mouth Jesus is lord and know in your heart God rose him from the dead and you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Let me ask you this:

How can Revelation 6:1-8, Revelation 16:8-11, Jeremiah 23:20 and Daniel 11:33–35 be so obviously true but Romans 10:9 not be?

Like I said at the beginning, food for thought, think about it and the choice is clear, choose Christ and have peace not with just the goings on in this realm, but for eternity.

Godspeed everybody, or "Journey well" as me and a friend of mine like to say.

I love you baby.

TTYS.