END OF TIME PROPHECIES 004

"Things which must shortly come to pass............."       Revelation 1v1.

When God will act in judgement, He always gives forewarning to His people, and He expects His people to warn the world around them.   Whether or not folks heed the warning is their responsibility, but the warning comes loud and clear.   This is always God's way.

• He warned Noah of the impending flood 120 years before it came. (Genesis chapter 6 & 7).
• He warned Abraham of the judgement upon Sodom & Gomorrah. (Genesis chapter 18).
• He warned Israel of impending exile in Babylon because of their sins. (The prophecies of Isaiah & Jeremiah).
• God warned the people of Nineveh through Jonah concerning the destruction of the city within 40 days. (The prophecy of Jonah).
• Jesus sounded the warning to His disciples of the total destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 70 AD (Matthew chapter 24).

God through His servant John and the churches has laid on record now for almost 2,000 years that He will bring this world of ours into terrible judgement (the book of the Revelation).

The book of the Revelation is therefore a PORTENT .   A Divine warning about  "things which must shortly come to pass."   We focus firstly on the word  "must;" there is no doubt that all these things will come to pass, we have all been warned prior to its event.   Unlike human beings God does not deal in possibilities, only in certainties.   Back in the garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3, the serpent challenged the warning of Divine judgement, saying it would not happen.;   It did happen, and the world was plunged into sin and all the consequences.   It is estimated that there are approximately 2,500 prophecies in the Bible, of which more than 2,000 have already been fulfilled, in accurate detail.   Nothing, and no one, will prevent the revelations of this book from taking place, they must come to pass.  

The word shortly is misleading and should more properly read swiftly; literally it means in haste.   It is now nearly 2,000 years since these revelations were given, so it cannot mean shortly in our terms.   What it means more is that when it happens, it will all happen swiftly.   Unlike the 2,000 years of grace, we are presently enjoying, by the longsuffering and patience of God, when these events begin it will all happen swiftly and decisively.   This should bring terror to the heart of the unbeliever, but comfort to the children of God, since the Divine prophecies are certain and will be enacted swiftly.  

The period of time to which the book of the Revelation refers is variously described in the Bible as follows:

• The day of vengeance of our God.   Isaiah 61v2
• The time of Jacob's trouble.     Jeremiah 30v7
• The great tribulation.   Matthew 24v21: Revelation 7v14
• The day of the Lord.     There are numerous verses for this expression which is an ominous portent from God.   It is called  "great and notable,"   "terrible,"  "dark,"  etc. etc.   The references are found as follows: Isaiah 2v12:13v6:13v9:13v13:22v5:24v21:34v8: Jeremiah 46v10: Joel 1v15:2v1:2v11:2v31:3v14: Amos 5v18: Zechariah 4v1: Malachi 4v5: Acts 2v20: 1st Thessalonians 5v2: 2nd Peter 3v10.   Readers should acquaint themselves with all these verses, they are very important and very solemn.

The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.   It will come, UNEXPECTEDLY so no one can predict it's coming; this is the subject matter of the book of the revelation.  It is the day when the Lord  begins to deal directly with the affairs of this world, with a view to claiming His eternal title deeds to this earth, and re-ordering society according to His will.