When searching on-line, it's readily apparent that many, including well respected pastors, believe we are at the threshold of the End Times. 

[Message: This posting got corrupted when posting and took a lot of time--hours actually--to finalize it. So, it may not flow as well as I had intended, nor did I want to delete it and start over.] 

Our Sunday morning study of Revelation in Heritage Lounge involves a great deal of research, which prompted this blog topic. Since it's in the Bible, wouldn't God want us to be aware of the End Times and of signs that seem readily apparent? As we are told in Ephesians 6:12, we are engaged in a spiritual battle with satanic forces and powers of this dark world, that intensify in the End Times.

How do we respond? We are told in Eph. 6:13 to put on the full armor of God, including studying His Word, yes, even the Book of Revelation, which provides a window into how Satan intends to rule the world. For a short time (7 years) he will rule through the Antichrist, who he gives satanic powers, and with the dark forces of this world, all of which lead to his rise to power.  

Everything I studied, including reading and listening to the different views, has convinced me that God will rescue His people before the Tribulation, via the rapture. Jesus tells us in Matt 24:40-42 — 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

The chart gives an overview of the End Times. It shows the outpouring of God’s wrath--called the Tribulation--on a sinful, unrepentant and evil world. If you haven’t given a lot of thought to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, now is a good time to do so. Since all born-again Christians are raptured; the consequences are very real for those left behind. Just being a church member can’t save us. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Take comfort in those words. There are other views of the End Times beside this one, but I believe this one aligns best with what I concluded while studying the various views. 

From the 1st until the 20th century, the Church grew worldwide. As shown in subsequent slides, church attendance has been in steady decline for several decades in America, with church attendance hitting historic lows. Throughout the United States' history and very founding, American had turned to God. Will today's America turn back to God?

These words are familiar to most Americans. They constitute the very fabric of America's Christian heritage. It has also upheld us through two world wars, and even civil unrest in our cities. But efforts are mounting to destroy that very fabric that holds us together as one Nation and one people. Pray for America and pray for the people in Florida as they recover from Ian’s devastation. God is our hope in every situation.

The very foundation of these United States rested on prayer, with the resolve of its founders and its people, at a great price. Those benefits were passed on to us, which we should not take for granted or we can lose them—it constituted the very basis of our freedom for over 240 years. 

The Constitution created three branches of government to preserve our Republic and protect the American people from an overpowering and repressive central government. The Supreme Court was empowered to ensure that all federal laws were within the limits set by the Constitution. But they didn’t always get it right.  

One such Supreme Court ruling fundamentally changed the United States, the consequences of which are still with us. In 1963, the Supreme Court declared “unconstitutional” religious practices in the public schools such as readings from the Bible and recitation of the “Lord’s Prayer.” The Court’s decision was by an 8 to 1 vote, with only Justice Stewart dissenting. We are still seeing the negative effects of that decision. 

Which brings us here…. When you eliminate God, the Bible and Ten Commandments from the schools, anything goes as noted on the slide, except God. 

The Bible tells us God created man and women; nothing in between or in transition. When you neglect the Bible, you neglect the truth. And sadly, this is happening in our schools and with our Nation’s children. One lesson for every city and school district, pay attention to whom you elect, even for the School Board. It can make all the difference. 

All of which brings us here. What is the role of the Church in today’s America?

It wasn’t just Paul and the other apostles that brought Christ to the Roman world; it was also individual Christians sharing their faith. In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity. Ten years later, Emperor Theodosius made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. 

Mainline denominations are diminishing in attendance and influence. Nondenominational churches have sprung up—but as such, how biblical are their teachings? 

Crime statistics provide evidence of the decline in church attendance and its influence on the culture. An example is that the national murder rate is up 4% since last year; and major cities have seen a significant rise in crime. Covid-19 shut the churches for a while. Church attendance is gradually picking up. Maybe it’s time for everyone to return to church and fellowship. Pray about it. 

This chart covers a 50-year period from 1994 to 2014 showing the decline in church attendance. The next chart is more current and divided into age groups. 

Chart shows church attendance by individual generations, with a declining attendance in every age group. Clearly, the culture is winning versus evangelism. What is our role as Christians? 

Each day, I ask myself: What am I doing? What should I be doing? Which brings us to the next slide….

Statistics were downloaded from the on-line New York Post. 

Do the trends indicate that we are on the cusp of the End Times? Since the end of WWII, a strong America served as a deterrent against yet another world war. Are today’s events taking us closer to the End Times? Is it time to ponder such things? If God didn’t want us to be aware of and even ponder the End Times, why would it be in the Bible? All of which raises the question, “Are you ready?” Search the web and you'll see an abundance of information and sermons on the End Times by respected pastors (Adrian Rogers, John MacArthur, David Jeremiah, and many others). Just how close are we? Is it something we should even be concerned about? There are different views of Revelation. Some believe it’s what the 1st century church went through, with Nero as the Antichrist. Others that it is future prophecy with the Antichrist yet to come. The events in chapters 6 and 8 of Revelation are so catastrophic that the history books would have recorded them if they had already occurred. They are of such magnitude that they are definitely future prophecies. Just how far into the future, only God knows. The question for us is, are the signs starting to come together?  

The first four seals on the scroll in Revelation chapter 6 brings the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. All of whom represent the consequences of war and introduces the Antichrist riding on the white horse. War is very much a part of the End Times, with man against man. Some thought WWII was the End Times, but of course it wasn’t. But we can’t overlook the fact that WWII shaped the world we live in today and set the stage for the following events, just as WWI set the stage for WWII.

Some of the signs noted in Revelation. 

A clue that Revelation is a future prophecy, and not focused on 1st century Rome. Just one of the reasons I believe in a future Tribulation and do not see it as Rome’s persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero, which did happen. We can readily understand why 1st century Christians would see it in regard to themselves, but the numbers just don’t add up. The entire population of the Roman Empire at its height was about 65 million. 

Chairman Mao, boasted that China is capable of a 200 Million Man Army. (Rev. 9:16). When that day comes, and according to Revelation it will, but Jesus Christ will rescue His church before it happens. 

President Biden, speaking of Vladimir Putin by name at the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in N.Y.C., stated that the Russian president has made "overt nuclear threats against Europe and a reckless disregard for the responsibilities of the nonproliferation regime." He went on to say, "Now, Russia is calling more soldiers to join the fight and the Kremlin is organizing a sham referendum to try to annex parts of Ukraine—an extremely significant violation of the U.N. charter.” Urging the world to "see these outrageous acts for what they are". Some disagree, but truthfully, I give Biden credit for his speech as an accurate assessment of the situation. 

Nevertheless, some officials are very concerned in regard to the President’s statements regarding Russia, as stated here on the slide. They see it as provoking Putin instead of calming tensions. Of course, opinions will and do differ. 

As noted on the slide, Russian bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons have been observed lining up within striking distance of the Ukraine, seen as a potential threat to adjacent NATO countries. American military strength, combined with its political and diplomatic resolve had previously served as a deterrent to such aggression, which has eroded over the last two years. With political discord in Congress and high crime rates in major cities, is the U.S. still being taken seriously on the global stage? Perhaps November 2022 and 2024 will decide. 

Retired General David Petraeus, who served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, predicts the US would destroy Russia's military in Ukraine and sink its naval fleet if it used nuclear weapons. The question it raises is, who would make that decision in today’s White House? Would it trigger WWIII? If yes, what would be the consequences? 

I’ll let the slide speak for itself. Nevertheless, God is in control. Nothing can happen without His permission. And whatever does happen, He will ultimately achieve good vs. evil. 

 

Vladimir Putin’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, sent a clear message to the Russian people that their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West. 

Not to overwhelm you, we will pick up on this theme in our next posting. Pray for America and pray for the Church. 

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Just two years ago, I had little interest in the End Times. My interest has since been piqued by recent events. This week’s posting hinges on what some believe are signs of the End Times in Revelation. Can we conclude that God is warning us of what’s to come? If yes, where do we start? Why not right here at home. Just look at the radical changes in the United States in less than two years and the uncertainty it has led to around the world. It’s apparent that something is seriously wrong. More than a few pastors believe we are on the threshold of the End Times. If we are we can’t wait until it happens, because it would be too late for too many (which we will look at later). Certain current events seem to be a shadow of the prophecies in the End Times Great Tribulation. 

Rev 6:4 NIV

 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. 

The first four seals on the scroll in Revelation chapter 6 brings the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. All of whom represent the consequence of war and introduces the Antichrist represented by a rider on a white horse. War is very much a part of the End Times. Some thought WWII was the End Times, because of the destruction and death it caused, but of course it wasn’t. But we can’t overlook the fact that WWII shaped the world we live in today and set the stage for many of today’s events as we'll see.

The Soviet Union gained power outside of its own borders during WWII. Very much setting the stage for Russia as a world power. A power that expected a quick win in its invasion of the Ukraine, but because of U.S. and NATO support of the Ukraine, its advancement has bogged down, and even retreated on certain fronts. Russian losses have been particularly heavy, to everyone’s surprise.

Those loses led to Russia calling-up 300,00 constricts. In response, many Russians who do not support the war, are fleeing the draft as the Reality of War hits Home. With the price of airline tickets skyrocketing and a limited number of flights to only a few destinations, still open to Russians, being fully booked, many are trying to flee across land borders into the neighboring countries of Georgia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, and even Finland. 

Russia is a very large country. Ezekiel prophesied that a mighty nation from the North would come against Israel and that God would utterly defeat them, to show His power and to show Israel's enemies that He was their God and would protect them (Ezekiel 39:1-7). This is thought by many, to be during the time when Israel has made a pact with the Antichrist, during the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation (Ezekiel 38:8-9, 14-15; Daniel 9:27a). I can only wonder, is the stage being set, especially with the current American leadership. 

Shown are some of the thousands of military-age men leaving Russia since President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial” mobilization. A question raised by certain experts, if Russia can’t replenish its depleting armed forces, will it resort to tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine? If so, what will be NATO and the U.S.’s response? An equally important question: “Can Putin admit or even face defeat, both personally and politically?” 

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned those with dual citizenship to leave the country as soon as possible, and any Americans in Russia to avoid participating in any protest groups or activities, because they cannot be protected by the U.S. Embassy. 

My goal in this blog posting is to look at potential signs that could lead to the events in the End Times. Nevertheless, individual signs can and do form a pattern, which leads me to the question: “Is a pattern beginning to emerge?” 

Only tomorrow can tell us if today’s events are signs of the End Times or not. They will diminish or intensify. But, for future postings, I’m willing to go along as best I can, as long as I see what I perceive as signs. You’re welcome to join me. 

When looking for signs, do we wait until an event happens, or look for indications that could lead up to the event? I prefer the later approach. It’s too late to look for signs when an event is happening. Rev 9:15 tells of the four angels who had been kept ready for that very hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The Tribulation is no minor event that the world can recover from. We are the Church, if we don't care who will? 

As stated in Revelation 9:13-21, an army of 200-million are set loose on the world. Only China, with a population of over 1.4 billion, could raise such an army. China is striving to replace the USA, both economically and as a global military power. A sign? Perhaps. But certainly, a step in that direction. One news report claimed that China announced that it is sending soldiers to help Russia in regard to the Ukraine. The move has been condemned by the United States and other countries. True?  TBD. They do have a military alliance with Russia. If they do, how quickly can things escalate out of control? 

The two flags shown are China and Russia, signifying their alliance. A Chinese military attaché to Moscow stated: “Russia, China should stand together to protect the world against American aggression.”  Are the pieces starting to come together? No guarantee that it won’t be in our lifetime, but definitely a step in that direction. Only China can muster 200-million troops (Rev. 9:13-16). Neither China or Russia have signed up for the Climate Change Accord ideology or taken steps to comply as had the U.S. and Western Europe. It was also stated that China is backing the use of nuclear weapons by Russia as a defense against America and NATO aggression. Oh my!

China population statistics. A piece of the puzzle? I think so. The signs in Revelation do constitute a pattern collectively. 

Another sign? Perhaps. The Nord Stream gas pipelines provides fuel from Russia to Germany and then distributed to other European countries. Without it, Europe doesn’t have sufficient fuel to heat homes in winter or cool homes in summer. It makes Europe totally dependent on Russia for energy supplies.  A sign? Perhaps? 

Picture shows the Nord Stream pipeline extending from Russia to Germany. President Trump denied its approval with the U.S. offering to provide Europe’s energy needs at a time when America was energy independent and had sufficient reserves to meet Europe’s energy needs. Europe, going “Green”, has shut down its energy production, making Russia’s supply essential. President Biden authorized its approval along with his efforts to make America “Green”, by shutting down domestic energy production. Oh my…

Once Russian fuel reaches Germany, it’s distributed to other European nations. But there’s a catch, as we see on the next slide. Europe has gone “Green” big time and depends on importing natural gas from Russia. Leaving it without sufficient fuel for heating homes in the approaching winter, or cooling homes in the summer. What will be the consequences if the supply was interrupted, exposing the old and very young to freezing winter temperatures? 

Leaks have just occurred in the Nord Stream pipeline. This is what the leaks look like on the surface. When they were discovered, explosions were also heard indicating sabotage. Some believe it could have been sabotaged by the U.S. to cut off fuel revenue to Russia. Some believe Russia did it to punish NATO nations for their support of Ukraine. Was it the USA? If so, what then? Only time will tell. 

The U.S. was energy independent and even an exporter of oil and natural gas under the Trump Administration. Modern life depends on energy, much of which is a by-product of oil and natural gas. The military also depends on oil to fuel its ships and planes. Without it everything shuts down. 

One of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve sites. 

What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)? The slide is posted in THE past tense. President Biden has been selling off the strategic reserves, even to China. Our national defense is being compromised as we see on the following slides and lessons from history. 

Does America defend on its oil reserves? Not according to those driving us to be totally dependent on Green-energy. What’s the truth? The slide explains, as reported by some news outlets. 

Chart shows the decline in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves. 

The U.S. Navy needs a continual supply of fuel to continue operations. The SPR is available to provide that fuel in an emergency if supplies are not readily available. Potential conflict as U.S. and China fleets occupies the South China Sea? A lot is going on in the world that the mainstream media does not cover or show. 

What can we learn from history in regard to availability of a constant supply of fuel for ships and aircraft, especially when facing the Chinese Navy in the South China Sea? Is this a lesson learned or a lesson ignored? The next few slides tells us…

What does history tell us? We will look back on the rise and fall of Nazi Germany as a lesson to be learned. A lesson that can be costly for our Nation, if ignored. 

Nazi Germany ran out of sufficient oil reserves to meet the needs of their military. They even created synthetic fuel and rubber products, but it was insufficient for their war effort. Oil was imported from conquered nations. Toward the end of the war, when they could no longer obtain oil, being exposed to a harsh winter, and the onslaught of masses Soviet forces, they ran out of fuel and were forced to abandon their tanks and heavy equipment. Consequently, they surrendered or died. Their lifeblood to continue fighting was oil, and they suffered the consequences without it.

The consequences of running out of fuel--they abandoned their tanks, heavy equipment, and aircraft that never left the ground were destroy by allied aircraft. Photo of an abandoned German tank. They did not lose every battle, but lacking fuel they were forced to abandoned their equipment and surrender or retreat. 

What next? There is a lot more to consider. So far, we looked at events that could be signs of the End Times in Revelation. Next, we will look at certain aspects of the End Times in the Book of Revelation. 

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