| by Nathaniel Burson (Big Sandy, Texas) |
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| Can you unlock the secrets that tell you when the end of the world is coming? Does God have a set date in mind? Will he reveal it to man before the end comes? The Bible tells you, YES! Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. His father KNEW, nearly 2000 years ago, the DAY and even the HOUR of Christ’s second coming! Not even Christ knew this, when he was on earth. But later, after his resurrection, he said “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18) If ALL POWER was given to him, would the tiny power of knowing when he was returning be held back? Absolutely not! Further proof of this can be found in the first chapter of Revelation. In verse 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God GAVE unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; When Christ was on earth, even He did not know the day and the hour of his return. This is why His father had to GIVE him this revelation, and there is no question that He did this at some point before the close of the first century, at the writing of the book of Revelation. Daniel 11:35 …even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. It is for a TIME APPOINTED. God has set the time – He appointed it at least 2500 years ago. So, God knows… and He won’t change his timetable – He can’t! Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? So then, can we understand it? Will God reveal unto his servants the day and the hour? The Bible tells us that he will! Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Christ compared the coming of the end of the age, the coming of HIS DAY, to the Great Flood. Did the flood come upon God’s servants as a surprise? No! God warned His servant Noah many years in advance – just enough years in advance to prepare for the Flood! God will not bring destruction upon this world, in the time that will be the worst EVER to happen on the earth, the worst that ever WILL happen on this earth, without warning His servants! Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. He will always reveal his secrets to His servants! He will not bring death and UTTER destruction upon the world without warning those who DO his will and KEEP his commandments! This is the very DEFINITION of a servant of God (Romans 6:16). Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. But these end-time prophecies were SHUT UP and could not be understood until the end – But God PROMISES that as the time of the end is neared, that knowledge will be increased, and the book WILL be UNSEALED! But many will say, everyone knows that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night – there is no way for us to know when it is coming. Well, your bible says otherwise! 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 For yourselves KNOW perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when THEY shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY shall not escape. But ye, brethren, ARE NOT in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. That day will not overtake YOU as a thief in the night if you are his servant! YOU WILL be warned IF you keep his commandments and serve him truly and faithfully! Except those days be shortened…Is this saying that God will alter His timetable in order to save mankind? Surprisingly perhaps, the answer is NO! Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. God has a set time. Just 14 verses later Christ said that God knew the DAY and the HOUR of His return. God is not saying that he will CHANGE his timetable to save the elect – He’s saying that he will INTERVENE before the COMPLETE destruction that mankind would bring upon himself. Left alone, it is only a matter of time until mankind TOTALLY blows our earth into rubble. He already has enough weapons to destroy ALL LIFE ON EARTH so many times over, and in SO MANY WAYS, that it is nearly incalculable. Unless Christ steps in and takes control of the earth and RULES with a rod of iron, mankind will TOTALLY and COMPLETELY destroy himself, along with ALL life – EVERY animal, EVERY creature that moves would be wiped out. Therefore, for the sake of the elect, Christ will step in BEFORE THAT TIME, just before mankind is totally destroyed! |
| Iron Sharpening Iron In regard to: Can You Know WHEN? Article by Nathaniel Burson Comments by Steven M. Collins (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) |
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| It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from you. Mr. Burson’s piece indicates he has a day in mind for the return of Christ, but he didn’t offer it to the readers. I attended UCG from 1995-2005, but voluntarily left at that point. |
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