tribulation – Resounding Shophar Ministries

Evacuation

About a month ago, the division I work for was involved in helping a neighboring County in the evacuation of its resident’s due to a wildfire. Our role in this evacuation was very limited, but it reminded me of another wildfire that occurred a few years earlier. In 2013, I was personally affected by the Rim Fire, the third largest wildfire in California’s recorded history. Because of that fire, we had family evacuated from the area, friends from church were ordered to evacuate and stayed a while with us, and we were put on alert that an evacuation order might be given to us as well at any moment. On a professional level, my division was directly involved in evacuating residents who were unable to get out of areas that were greatly threatened by the fire.

As I thought about these evacuations, I was reminded of a massive evacuation that is set to take place in the very near future. We’ve been told that there will be an evacuation coming, the reason for it, and that we are to be alert and prepared for when it happens. With the Rim Fire, there were some who chose to ignore or discount the need or urgency to evacuate, and people are choosing to do the same thing regarding this upcoming evacuation order.

What is the purpose of an evacuation? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to evacuate means: to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area; to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection. In other words, to evacuate means to escape a place of danger to go to a place of safety. In Luke 21:36, following what He shared regarding end-time events, Jesus tells us to, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to ESCAPE (caps added) all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” It could be said that Jesus is commanding us to take specific steps in preparation of a great evacuation that is yet to come. Some in church circles belittle those looking to the rapture as an escape from what is coming, arguing that Christians shouldn’t be looking to escape the coming Tribulation period, but in doing so they are discounting the very words of Jesus, leading others to disobey the commands of Jesus.

Others make light of, and in some cases even mock, Jesus’ command to watch and pray, something He mentions multiple times in the Gospels. Jesus isn’t telling us to spend our life sitting on a patio lounger, staring off into the eastern sky, watching for Him to return. What He is telling us is simple. We are to be watching the signs of His return, not sticking our heads in the sand because we don’t like or want to see what is happening around us, and to pray always that the life we’re living is one that He will count as worthy to be evacuated to safety in advance of the coming tribulation and judgments. Jesus tells us that when He returns for the Church, His bride, people will be living and enjoying life, oblivious to what is quickly coming upon them. There is also absolutely no indication, from Jesus or any of the Apostles, that His return for His bride will come in the middle of, or immediately following, a great revival as some would like to believe. Why would there be the danger of judgments from God when He’s in the middle of changing the hearts and minds of man back to Him? Yes, I do believe there is a great revival coming to the earth, but I strongly believe it will not take place until after the rapture of the Church, the evacuation of the bride of Christ to safety. In Isaiah 26:20-21, we see a passage that seems to point to the rapture of the Church, and the fact that God will call His people up to safety before He punishes the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.

Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you, hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.

For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain. – Isaiah 26:20-21 (NKJV)

There is a great evacuation set to take place in the very near future. This will be an evacuation for followers of Christ who are actively watching for His return, and who are always praying that their life will be counted worthy to escape that which is coming. Are you taking His return seriously, as well as His commands for us to follow in preparation for that time? The risk for neglecting His commands regarding His return for us is extreme, and something to not take lightly. If you haven’t been taking the words of Jesus seriously, now is the time to start. Don’t be like those who choose to ignore or discount the need to prepare for an evacuation due to wildfires or some other dangerous situations. Unlike evacuations ordered for wildfires and such, your response to the evacuation orders Jesus commanded us to prepare for will have eternal implications for you, good or bad.

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Rapture – Part 4

In my last blog we covered the seven feasts that God established for Himself, feasts that were to mark future points in time in God’s plan of redemption for mankind. While these feasts were God’s feasts, they were given to the Jews to keep and observe every year, and the Apostle Paul told us in Colossians 2:16-17 that they are a shadow of things to come. It hasn’t been until recent years that the Christian community has even stopped to consider the possibility that in these feasts Biblical end-time prophecy can be found, much less that it had anything to do with us. In these feasts we can not only see the rapture of the church, but also that the rapture is a pre-tribulation event.

Of the seven feasts that God established for Himself, one of them clearly represents the rapture of the Church, and that is the fifth feast known as the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. It is in learning more about this feast that the words of the Apostle Paul regarding the rapture of the Church begins to make more sense.

So, what do we know of the Feast of Trumpets? The Feast of Trumpets represents a day of the blowing of trumpets. On that day the shofar, a trumpet made from the horn of an animal, is sounded 100 times. There are four distinct sounds it makes, and three of those sounds are blown 33 times each, with the fourth sound only being blown one time after all others have sounded. Each of the four sounds represent something different. The first is called Tekiah, a long single blast, which represents “the sound of the Kings coronation”. The second one is called Shevarim, three short wail-like blasts, which represents “repentance”. The third sound is the Teruah, nine staccato blasts of alarm, which represents “to awaken the soul”. The fourth, and final, sound is the Tekiah Ha-Gadolah, a great long blast, which represents “for as long as you can blow”.

Here is a list of some of the things this feast represents.

– The day of the blowing of trumpets

– The day of the awakening blast

– The day of the resurrection

– The day of the coronation of the King

– The day the King takes His bride

– The day of the King’s wedding

– The day God divides mankind into three groups, the wholly righteous, the wholly wicked, and the intermediates (those in between)

Do you see the parallels between this feast and the rapture of the Church? The resurrection of the dead, Jesus receiving His bride, the Church, and the wedding between Christ and the Church? Or, what about God dividing mankind into three groups, taking the wholly righteous while leaving the wholly wicked and those Christians unprepared for His coming for them?

There are two phrases from both Jesus and the Apostle Paul that alludes to this Feast of Trumpets. The first one is by Jesus in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32, “but of that day and hour no one knows”, referring to the rapture of the Church. Of all the seven feasts, it was only this one that no one knew when it would take place. Oh, they knew it would be within a 48-hour span of time, but when exactly they did not know. There would be at least two witnesses set to observe the phases of the moon, and when the moon reached a certain phase they would report to the priests what they had seen. Once the priest got word from the witnesses that they had seen the specific moon phase, then the priest would declare when the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah would begin. Until that moment, they never knew when it would start as it was dependent upon the “new moon”, and as a result ancient Jews identified this feast as “the day and hour no one knows”.

The second phrase alluding to this feast was by the Apostle Paul, referring to the rapture of the Church in 1 Corinthians 15:52. It was the phrase “last trump”, or in some translations “last trumpet”. Some people argue that the trumpet Paul is alluding to is the last of the seven trumpets sounded in the book of Revelation, but this is not the case. To begin with, the book of Revelation was written about 35 years after Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, and there is no indication that people questioned what he was even talking about. However, ancient Jews in Paul’s day were well aware of the phrase “last trump”, and that was in direct connection to the Feast of Trumpets. Remember I mentioned there were four distinct sounds on Rosh Hashanah, and the first three were blown 33 times each, and that the fourth sound was only blown once and after all the others had been sounded? That fourth sound, the final blast of the shofar on that day, was known by all Jews as the “last trump”, or “last trumpet”. A definite connection to the Feast of Trumpets.

Another facet of this feast that corresponds to the rapture is what is called the Teshuvah season. The Teshuvah was a period of time that spanned 40 days, starting 30 days before the Feast of Trumpets. Teshuvah is translated “repent” or “repentance”, and it is believed to stem from the third time Moses ascended Mt. Sinai for 40 days and nights to get the second set of tablets. The theme of this season is repentance, and Isaiah 55:6 is considered thematic of the season.

The first 30 days of this season of repentance are set aside for soul searching, repentance, and forgiveness, and it ends on Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. This is a period of time when people are to repent of sin in their life, give and seek forgiveness of those we’ve wronged seeking to make things right with them, and finally to prepare for judgement. The primary motivation for them is to be found worthy to be resurrected and called up by the King so they won’t have to go through the remaining ten days of this season. We can see the scriptural parallel with this period of time in Luke 21:36 and Mark 13:32-33, where we are told to watch and pray to be counted worthy to escape that which is coming to the world, knowing that the day He returns will be the “day and hour no one knows”. Other scriptures that should be noted with this time are Matthew 24:36-38 and Luke 17:26-30.

The last ten days of the Teshuvah season are called “Days of Awe”, which ends on Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. These last ten days directly correspond with the tribulation period, and it’s a time of serious introspection and opportunity to change the books your name is written in. This is a period of time Jews know they do NOT want to go through because it will be that bad. Only the righteous who are resurrected and called up on the Feast of Trumpets will escape this period of time. Jesus mentions this in Revelation 3:10-11. Those who were not wholly righteous or are wholly wicked that are left behind are given an opportunity during this period of time to solidify their eternal destination in heaven or hell by their works during this time. Even those who were wholly wicked will have an opportunity during this time to get their names in the Book of Life by works starting with repentance, works that will probably include giving their very lives for the name of Jesus Christ.

In the middle of the judgments being poured out in the book of Revelation is a scripture that almost seems out of place, Revelation 16:15. It’s like Jesus is popping in for a quick news flash making sure people know that they are blessed who are watching for His return and keep their robes of righteousness, otherwise they will be found walking naked and people will see their shame. This is also why it is so important for us to consider what the writer of Hebrews tells us in, Hebrews 12:1-2, to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily trips us up. This is not the time to playing with eternity nonchalantly. If you haven’t been taking your walk with Jesus seriously, now is the time to start as His return is imminent as the signs of the times are so clearly screaming out to us. Even the Jews, and I’m not talking about Messianic Jews who accept Jesus as the Messiah, know that the period of time between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are not anything anybody in their right mind wants to go through. If they recognize that, how much more should we when we see God’s plan of redemption for mankind unfold before our very eyes?

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Rapture – Part 2

In my last blog I briefly touched on what is the rapture. We covered where the word “rapture” came from, and some of the reasons why some discount it as a Biblically sound doctrine. We also touched on the three primary views surrounding its timing; pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation. In the following blogs I will present why I believe that the pre-tribulation teaching is the strongest of the three, but what I want to cover in this blog is the distinction between the rapture and the second coming of Christ.

There is confusion among some who think that both of these events are really just one, and people who take this position generally embrace a post-tribulation rapture teaching. To say that these events are the same creates some problems Biblically, and we’ll see some of those problems as we continue.

Have you ever heard someone say they are “going with someone” only to see them going in two very different directions? With that thought as the backdrop, it’s probably the best way to show how that the rapture and the second coming are two separate events, to show the many ways in which they differ. Let’s take a look at some of their differences.

1. At the rapture believers meet Jesus in the air, but at the second coming the believers return to earth with Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 19:14)

2. At the rapture Jesus, Himself, removes the people from the earth, but at the second coming the angels go forth to remove the wicked from the earth for judgement. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 13:36-42, 47-50)

3. At the rapture Christians are removed to be with Jesus in Heaven, and at the second coming the wicked are removed for judgement. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 13:36-42, 47-50)

4. The rapture takes place prior to the tribulation period, and the second coming takes place after the tribulation period. (1 Thessalonians 1:10,5:9; Revelation 19:11-16)

5. There are no immediate signs indicating when the rapture is about to take place, giving a sense of imminence, but for the second coming there are plenty of signs in addition to the fact that it is seven years after the start of the tribulation period. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; Matthew 24:15-30)

6. With the rapture there is no mention of an immediate judgment, but at the second coming the judgment of the wicked takes place. (Revelation 20:4)

7. At the rapture there is a resurrection just prior to the catching up of those alive in Christ, and at the second coming a resurrection of the dead takes place after Jesus descends onto earth. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4)

8. At the rapture the bodies of the believers, dead and alive, are transformed into glorified bodies, but at the second coming there is no mention of a bodily transformation. (1 Corinthians 15:51-55)

9. The rapture will happen in secret and instantaneously, but the second coming will take place for all to see. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Revelation 1:7)

10. After the rapture wickedness will be the rule of the land for seven years, but the second coming will usher in the millennial (1000-year) reign of Christ on earth. (Revelation 3:10-11, Daniel 9:27; Revelation 20:4)

These are just some of the differences between the rapture and the second coming of Christ. Based on what we see from above, the idea of both the rapture and the second coming being the same event is incompatible with Scripture. Part of the confusion between the two events is that some people view what is called the rapture as one of the comings of Christ to earth, but that is incorrect. When Jesus came to earth as a babe over 2000 years ago, that was His “first coming”, and His “second coming” isn’t until He actually sets foot once again on earth. He is not coming to earth at the time of the rapture, but instead coming in the clouds to receive the church, His bride, to be with Him in heaven. One of the biggest differences is that Scripture tells us that the rapture could happen at any time and to be ready, while at the same time telling us that the second coming happens at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. The Scriptures point to and encourage an awareness that Jesus’ return for His bride is imminent, meaning it could happen at any moment, but if it is at the end of the tribulation period then where is the sense of imminence when we know it will be at least seven years from now, knowing that the tribulation period hasn’t even begun yet???

In the following blogs I hope to share some things that only strengthen the pre-tribulation position as the most Biblically sound doctrine of the three different views we’ve touched on. Again, the biggest thing to gain from all of this is the realization that no matter what, and no matter the timing, we need to be ready when that time does come. Are you ready? If not this is the time to get ready. How do you get ready? It starts with surrendering your life to Jesus, asking Him for forgiveness of your sins, and turn away from the sin. You need to then be reading the Bible, getting plugged into a solid Bible believing, Bible preaching church, and have a willingness to let God lead you no matter what. If you’ve said or done anything that would be considered sin or dishonors Him, then you will need to take that to Him in humility asking for His forgiveness and help to not involve yourself in it again.

Are you ready????????

John Johansson (Pastor John)

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Are You Ready

There has been a lot of talk lately about four blood moons and their connection to the Jewish feasts, also referred to as a “Tetrad”. The talk says history shows that each time there is a tetrad of four blood moons, all of which land on a Jewish feast day, something major happens with Israel. Well, we’re in the middle of another tetrad of blood moons landing on Jewish feast days, and so a lot of eyes are on Israel at this time to see what may or may not happen.

In light of all we are seeing in the news at this time, there is little doubt that something big could easily happen at any time with Israel. Israel has just entered into a ceasefire after several weeks of fighting with Hamas in Gaza. They are also closely monitoring their borders with Syria as ongoing fighting continues between both Syrian and rebel forces. Also, there is the ever increasing emergence of ISIS, now known as IS, a group of radical Islamist terrorists seeking to expand their territory and influence as far as possible with Israel and the west in their sights.

Something else that is unique at this point in time, especially during this tetrad, is the presence of a Shabbat year and the end of a 50 year Jubilee cycle. What is also unique during this period of time, based on the “Creation Calendar”, something that will only happen one time in the history of mankind is the beginning of the seventh millennium of mankind’s existence. There is a belief based on scripture that mankind as we know it will only last 7000 years, the last 1000 of which will be the 1000 year reign of Christ following the 7-year tribulation period. I realize that we are not in the tribulation period at this time, but with the way things are happening it is evident that the final steps leading up to it are currently taking place, but it’s hard to see the 1000 year reign of Christ beginning any sooner than seven years from now since it’s supposed to be preceded by the 7-year tribulation period. What this means for us as we enter into the 6001 year of creation, especially since it’s in the middle of the current tetrad, only time will tell but it is definitely something for us to keep in mind for the next several months.

During this tetrad of blood moons, as well as during other tetrad’s of blood moons, is the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah. For me personally, I have a big interest in this particular feast as there seems to be indications within scripture that the rapture of the church, the bride of Christ, will happen on this feast day. I realize that we are told that the rapture will be on a day or hour no man knows, but that is exactly what Jews in Jesus’ day called Rosh Hashanah. Also, the “last trump” the Apostle Paul mentioned regarding the rapture is a direct reference to the last trumpet blast on Rosh Hashanah, also known and identified by Jews of that day as the “last trump”. I don’t know about you, but that definitely peaks my interest in this feast. Even if there can be a good argument for the rapture taking place on Rosh Hashanah, which Rosh Hashanah it would take place on is something we do not know.

As I’ve alluded to we stand to see a lot of things happen within this tetrad of blood moons, a period of time which will last until September 2015. Whether or not the rapture of the church takes place sometime within the next several months or so only God knows, but there is more than sufficient reason for us to be prepared in case it does happen. There were times that Jesus spoke of His return, sometimes in parables, where He told us to watch for His return, the rapture of the bride. Those who were watching for His return for His church, they would not be caught off guard, but it was for those who were not watching that His return would be like a thief in the night and caught off guard. I hear many say it isn’t important for them to be watching as long as they are living and evangelizing as God would have them, but many times Jesus stressed with great emphasis for His followers to be watching. Why do so many take that command of Jesus so lightly? Do they think they are too secure to worry about it?

I recently spoke with a pastor that doesn’t believe in the rapture of the church or the tribulation period. His sales pitch to persuade me to see things as he does was accompanied with scripture that was either taken out of context or was interpreted far differently than the original text. It was also very evident that he wasn’t open to any view different than his own, whether or not there was supporting scripture. I’m concerned about Christians who choose to not believe in the rapture, especially when they discount or twist scripture that would point to one. A person that does so cannot claim that they believe the whole Bible and that it is from God. I’m glad I’m not the one who will determine who will and will not be caught up to meet Jesus in the air through the rapture, or go to heaven for that matter, but I get concerned about the potential danger that lies in wait for those who either deny this reality or discount the need to be watching for it.

For those who choose to believe there will be no rapture something comes to mind. For those who deny a soon coming rapture, if they are right they have everything to gain, but if they are wrong then they potentially have everything to lose. However, for those of us who do believe in a soon coming rapture, if we are right we have everything to gain, and if we are wrong we still have everything to gain. I like the odds for one who believes in the rapture, content that there is more than sufficient evidence in it.

At the end of the day the question to be asked is “are you ready?” Just because you may want to deny that there will be a rapture of the church, that doesn’t mean there won’t be. Are you ready for the soon return of Christ for His Church, His bride? If you are, are you watching for Him? This is the time to not only be sure we are ready for His return, but also to be watching for Him. We’re told and commanded by Jesus, as His followers, to be watching for His return, and that to me is very sobering. I definitely do not want to be caught off guard and/or unprepared for Him when He does return.

Are you ready? Are you watching? If you’re not ready, or you haven’t been watching, perhaps today is the day to get ready and to start watching? Jesus gave a stark warning to us in Revelation 16:15, stressing the need to be watching for Him.

The Moment After …

Imagine yourself sitting at a restaurant with some friends one Sunday afternoon when suddenly two of your friends disappear. As if that wasn’t bad enough, others in the same restaurant seem to have disappeared at the same moment. You suddenly hear all kinds of commotion outside and see multiple vehicles colliding with each other as an out of control pilotless air plane is coming towards the very restaurant you are in.

Just as many cell phones start to sound indicating people trying to call, they all suddenly go dead. You reach for your own cell phone as you try to find some safety in the place only to find no dial tone of any kind. People are screaming out to those who’ve disappeared, others are panicking as they yell out that they’ve “been left behind”, and still others are either fainting or dying from heart attacks. What is going on???

After a short period of time you slowly leave the place you’ve been hiding at to see what is happening. As you do you see the carnage in the place from the plane crashing into the restaurant and tables overturned from people looking for those who disappeared. You make your way out of the building toward your car that has been sandwiched in by multiple cars that have crashed into yours and others you were parked by. It is evident that you’re not going to get anywhere fast with all the destruction and the dead and injured lying all around. You still keep trying to use your cell phone to call out to someone, anyone, but to no avail. Your cell phone is not detecting any signal and the battery is draining fast as it continually searches for one.

You squeeze yourself into your car and start it up hoping to hear something on the radio, something that would shed some light as to what is going on. You quickly notice that the radio station you normally listen to is dead, and begin to scan for other stations. The stations you find are filled with panic and adrenaline as people are trying to report on what is happening in the midst of their own turmoil.

You break down and just sob. Your world has suddenly turned upside down, and not only yours but everyone else’s as well. Your mind is racing, worried about your loved ones, both friends and family. What’s happened to them? Have they disappeared as well? Are they okay or have they suffered injury or death as a result of what’s just happened? What has just happened? Is this just a local event, and if not how far does this extend to, the country, the continent, or the world? Some are yelling that it must have been some alien abduction, some are saying it must have been some secret weapon that terrorists or some other foreign enemy have used against us, and there are some that just can’t stop sobbing as they repeat over and over again, “I’ve been left behind.”

After what seems to be forever, you decide you need to get home no matter what. You put your car into gear and try to push yourself through the other cars that have you pinned in, only to remember that the parking break is still engaged. You release the parking break and begin to give your car more gas to push through the cars. After leaving some rubber on the ground with smoke billowing out from your tires, you finally break through and begin to navigate through the carnage making your way home. As you do, you find it hard to see your way and you’re not sure if it is because of the tears in your eyes or the rain that is pouring down. If you could just get home and hopefully find family there.

After a couple hours getting home, a trip that would normally have taken you 20 minutes, you find that your neighbor’s F-350 4X4 has found its way into your bedroom and the roof is sagging. You enter the house drenched from the rain, and a place that would normally be a sanctuary of peace and security is now a place of anxiety and vulnerability. The power is out and you just fall onto the couch sobbing.

You’re afraid, you’re confused, and you’re unsettled. How could this have happened to you? Normally brave and sure of yourself, you don’t know what to make of any of this especially since this doesn’t make any sense. As you lay there sobbing a memory comes to mind, a memory of when you were just 10 years old. You remember going to church with your grandparents and the many discussions you had with them, discussions regarding Jesus, giving your life to Him, and the rapture and tribulation period soon to come. You also remember how that one Sunday morning your grandpa walked you down the aisle to receive Jesus because you wanted to, and the feelings of love and acceptance you felt after having done so. Immediately your memory went to when you were 16, two years after your parents divorced, six months after your dog unexpectantly died, and a month after your mom died in a car accident. You remember yelling at God one night demanding that He tell you why all this was happening. How could God be so cruel? Where was this love He was supposed to have? You ask yourself why you should keep living for Him and can’t come up with one good reason for it. You remember thinking, “if this is what serving God is all about, then you don’t want anything to do with Him.” On that day, at that moment, you decided that you were not going to have anything more to do with God, or Jesus, or whatever name He went by. “Is this why I got left behind”, you ask yourself.

So, what are you going to do? You remember your grandparents telling you that there will be people that will get saved after the rapture and they would have to give their lives for Jesus, but what do you do? For starters, you can get angry at God and spit in His face and curse Him with everything within you. Or, you can repent for the life you chose without Him, asking for His forgiveness and recommitting your life to Him for the duration, even if it means your life. This first decision will determine what you do from that time on as things are just going to get worse with each passing day.

After deciding to either get angry or despise God all the more, or to repent and surrender your life to Jesus once and for all, what are you going to do? From what you can gather, you no longer have any family in the area. Do you stay where you’re at and see what you can do, or should you try to make the treacherous journey several states away to family you’re not even sure are still there? What are you going to do????

You know, you don’t even have to be in this position. You can, even now, surrender your life totally and completely over to Jesus so you can be among those who disappear to a better place and a better life. Time is short for the return of Jesus. You can see it in the nightly news and even in the news reports from other news agencies around the world. The stage is being set with the final pieces coming into place for the start of the tribulation period, and as many believe the Bible teaches the rapture of the Church will take place before the tribulation period starts, that means the rapture will happen any time. Are you ready? There is no time to spare. Make sure you are ready for when He returns and you won’t find yourself in the position laid out earlier in this blog. You don’t want to be left behind!!!

As in the days of Noah …

I often times will take a minute and just observe people and what they are doing. As I observe them I can’t help but wonder if they even have a clue about what is coming to this earth. I see them in their cars talking to others in the vehicle, some going in and out of various establishments, and others just walking down the street seemingly without a care in the world. Well, some of the people I observe are actually carrying a lot of the cares of the world on their shoulders, and it shows. I don’t know how many of these people are followers of Christ, or for that matter mere fans of Jesus, but I believe it is safe to say that the majority of them are not. For many of them, Jesus is the farthest thing from their minds, being more concerned about the party the night before, looking for that perfect dress, checking out the sights and feeling the excitment of a relationship they’re in.

In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus tells us that the time of His return will be as the days of Noah, a time when they were more caught up with enjoying life than they were in heeding the warnings of this man named Noah. After all, who could’ve imagined a flood of any type, much less a global one that would destroy all life as they knew it. It sounds just as absurd as the rapture, doesn’t it? Well, the flood Noah told them was going to come actually came, and only those who heeded the warnings of Noah was saved. People are so caught up now with living life that they are not heeding, or even listening to, the warnings of Jesus’ soon return. They are more concerned about living for the moment than they are in preparing their lives for eternity.

In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus tells us to be watching for His return, and I wonder how many people are heeding these words of Jesus. Sadly, the majority of people, both Christian and non-Christian, are not watching for Him. Obviously, those who are not Christians wouldn’t be looking for His return, but what about Christians? You would think that Christians would be watching, but many of them are just content with living life under the premise of ‘occupying till He comes’. Yes, we are to ‘occupy till He comes’, but Jesus made a point in telling us, no, commanding us to be watching for Him. So, why is that many Christians are just not watching?

I find myself listening, watching and reading the news only to see Biblical end-time prophesies jumping off the pages more and more. I can’t help but see that Jesus’ soon return is very soon. Who knows, perhaps He’ll come back tonight while we’re sleeping, but seeing how so few are even looking for His return I can only imagine how many will be caught off guard.

I encourage you to take another look at Luke 21:34-36, and see how clear Jesus is that we keep watching for Him. Don’t be careless with your eternity and not take His return seriously. In watching for Him, it would only make sense that we make sure we’re ready and prepared so that we won’t be left behind. I can’t help but wonder how much peoples lives would change if they were to take His return seriously and lived a life watching for Him.

Jesus is coming back, and if what is happening throughout the world is the fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophesies and the final steps in lining things up for the tribulation period, then we need to realize His return is very, very, very close.

Be watching!!!!

John Johansson