THE LAST DAYS

Anita Clark

"Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord may come. Therefore be You ready; for in such as hour as you think not the Son of man cometh" Matthew 24:42,44.

CHANGING TIMES IN THE WORLD – Have you noticed how fast the world is changing? More and more we hear of traditional values being set aside. We are truly living in the last days. Wars are increasing, persecution of Christians is increasing, even in the USA more and more rights of Christians are being trampled upon. Violence is increasing.

CHANGES IN CHILDREN – A dedicated Christian school teacher expressed her dismay at the increase of all sorts of disorders in school age children. These are just a few of what are called disorders found in children today: Developmental Dyslexia, Visual Attention Disorder, Temperament and Disruptive Behavior Disorder, Eating Disorder, Sleep Disorder, and others. American Psychological Association has been studying these, trying to see if they can come up with a cause. They have found that there is a connection between violence on TV and video games which may lessen a child’s sensitivity to pain and suffering of others. They believe that a child tends to imitate what he sees. Also, I believe that not enough adult supervision and care is being provided. II Timothy 3:2 speaks of how that in the end time children will be "disobedient to parents unthankful and unholy, without natural affection." The trend of the times is that the care of the children including physical care and love, is being neglected as well as Spiritual neglect, not being taught to love God in the home. These problems are definitely signs of the end of this age.

PALESTINIAN CHARTER – The Midnight Call Magazine reports that the PLO charter expresses its violent opposition to Israel in Articles 1,6, 19 and 20. This is a quote as follows:

Article 1: Palestine is the homeland of the Arab Palestinian people: it is an indivisible part of the Arab homeland and the Palestinian people are an integral part of the Arab nation.

Article 6: The Jews who had normally resided in Palestine until the beginning of the Zionist invasion will be considered Palestinians.

Article 19: The partition of Palestine in 1947 and the establishment of the state of Israel are entirely illegal, regardless of the passage of time, because they were contrary to the will of the Palestinian people and their natural right in their homeland, and inconsistent with the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations particularly the right of self determination.

Article 20: The Balfour Declaration, the mandate for Palestine, and everything that has based upon them, are deemed null and void. Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history and the true conception of what constitutes statehood. Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states which they belong.

Regardless of what the Palestinian charter declares, God’s Word declares a different story. God chose Israel as His own special people. He promised Abraham the land in Genesis 15:18, when He made a covenant with Abram and his seed, declaring, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, Euphrates." The promises He made to Abraham, He renewed to Isaac and to Jacob, that He would bless their seed as "the stars of the heavens and as the sand of the sea, "and that the land belonged to them. Apostle Paul boldly states. "I say then, Hath God cast away [to push off or reject] His people? God forbid...." (Rom. 11:1). And though Israel was cut out of the tree, "God is able to graft them in again" (vs. 23).

Isaiah prophesied, " and it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob...shall stay [support ones-self, lean, rest, lie or rely] upon the LORD, the holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God." (Isa. 10:20). Jeremiah 23:3 says, "And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase... Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth...and this is the name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." "...Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall no more be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all" (Ezek. 37:21-22).

Israel has returned in part to their land, however many are satisfied to remain in other lands where they prosper. Of those who have returned many are not believers in their God or the Scripture. Instead they are ultra-modern, self satisfied and wealthy. God has definitely been divinely working in the process of those who have returned, and of their statehood and establishment of the nation once again. But, the tribulation of seven years is coming. Before that time Israel will make a covenant or treaty for peace, which they will think will bring them what they are seeking after. Right now it seems like the nations are trying to force them to accept the terms of compromise put forth by the Palestinians for peace. (Dan. 9:27). They will eventually accept the terms, but what a mistake it will be.

The "Peace Talks" have been on hold at present. Recently, Foreign Minister Titus Coriacea of Romania speaking with the Foreign Minister of Israel said, "Israel and the Palestinian Leaders must find a way to resume peace negotiations." He said that the European Union wants this also.

We are not sure if they sign a covenant with the nations for peace if this will be the one that Daniel 9:27 speaks about, but we feel it is likely. Isaiah calls this treaty a "covenant of death and with hell," in Isaiah 28:15&18, "Because you have said, we have made a covenant with death and with hell, are we at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves...And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down." About midway through the seven years of tribulation, the Antichrist will break the covenant with Israel and will begin to persecute and war against them until they two-thirds of them will be destroyed, leaving one-third (Zech. 13:8) who at the end of the tribulation will look up and see their Redeemer - Jesus Christ coming in power (Matt. 24: 27-31, Rev. 1:7; 19:11-20), and great glory to rescue them. He will call all of Israel who is left to come and be a part of His earthly kingdom. His Word is sure and will be fulfilled.

POPE FRANCIS HOLDS A PRAYER SUMMIT – On June 8, 2014, after visiting Israel, which was called "a historic milestone," the Pope invited Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to come to the Vatican for a prayer session for peace. They agreed and traveled to Rome to a private garden at the Vatican, although these governments are officially not talking to one another. Special music was played by an orchestra made up of 3 Christian musicians, three Jewish musicians, and three Muslim musicians during the 2 hour ceremony. Prayers were also said for peace by clerics of the three representative religions. The article said, "The words of the prayers were intended to thank God for His creation, to seek forgiveness for the failure to act as brothers and sisters and ask for peace in the Holy land." The world press said, "The Prayer Summit was a remarkable show of the new pope’s intention to mix spiritual matters and real world diplomacy."

The article quoted Shimon Peres who is ninety and nearing the end of his seven-year term as Israeli president as stating, " I was young and now I am old. I experienced war, I tasted peace. Never will I forget the bereaved families - parents and children - who paid the cost of war. And all my life I shall never stop to act for peace, for the generations to come. Let us all join hands and make it happen."

The first thing that I thought of was Revelation 13, where the Word tells of the False Prophet, who will be the helper of the Antichrist. He will be a religious man, who will aid the Antichrist and exalt him before the world, causing all the world to worship the beast. It seems significant that the pope after visiting Israel and talking peace would initiate this Prayer Summit at this time. God only knows at this time who the False Prophet is, but time is short, we are fast approaching the end of the age. Any peace gained at this present time is a false peace that will only last a short time and will be broken.

OTHER SIGNS OF JESUS’ SOON COMING – There are many other signs of the soon coming of Christ. If our eyes are open we see them all around. For example the weather, which is getting more and more violent and strange with more frequent tornadoes, more violent than ever before. Earthquakes increasing in number, especially around the "Ring of fire." Everyday we hear of more disasters happening.

Also, School shootings. Have you ever heard of such horrible happenings? People are more and more mixed up in their minds, acting out in such wicked ways. Satanic influence is increasing. We used to think that demon possession mainly happened in foreign countries, but now, we see more and more devilish activity right here in the this nation, especially among the younger population.

His coming is so near. Press on weary Pilgrim! We will soon see His lovely face. His promises are sure. "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry" (Heb. 10:35-38).