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August 3, 2006 |
Dear World News and Prophecy Subscriber,
 The Middle East crisis continues to dominate each day's
news. And from the looks of my blog
postings, it has absorbed
a lot of my interest. I am sure you are just as absorbed
by what is happening between Israel and Lebanon in this current
clash. Where will it end? Will it escalate into a larger
regional war involving Syria, Jordan or Egypt?
Every time a crisis like this erupts in this region, the
interest in Bible prophecy increases. Preachers of prophecy
become very popular along with their books and media material.
I remember in 1991 when America and coalition forces pushed
Saddam Hussein's troops out of Kuwait in the first
Gulf War. At that time the works of various evangelical ministries
became best sellers.
 Our
own UCG Websites have seen an increase in traffic in recent
weeks as people have been coming on and reading, ordering
and downloading our booklets on prophecy. As you can imagine,
our booklet The
Middle East in Bible Prophecy has
been very popular.
The question often asked at a time like this is, "Where
are we in Bible prophecy?" While this is an intriguing
question to occasionally ponder, I would not advise you going
too far down the normal paths created by such a question.
Reading too much into one event, setting dates or obsessing
over biblical numbers that are deliberately obscure is not
a wise approach to prophecy. About His return Christ said, "But
of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of
heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew
24:36).
One point I take from this scripture is that when everyone
is looking at that part of the world, it is a sign the end
is not here. There are indications that the world will be
in a time of supposed "peace" accomplished through
the rise of a system called Babylon in Revelation. There
will also be a time of great deception by a powerful religious
figure (2
Thessalonians 2 and Revelation
13). For people
to be caught in a snare implies a lot of false assumptions
about the state of world affairs at that time.
I have found that turning this question back on us is a
far better approach to prophecy. Ask yourself, "Where
am I in preparation for the coming of the Lord?" In
Luke
21:34 Christ told us, "But take heed to yourselves,
lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly." These
same personal excesses are called "the cares of this
world and the deceitfulness of riches [that] choke the word" in
Matthew
13:22.
Far better that we spend our days living righteously and
striving against sin that we might be prepared for Christ's
return. "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these
things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without
spot and blameless" (2
Peter 3:14). Years ago I heard
a piece of wisdom that applies to this question. It goes
like this, "If I knew that Christ was coming back tomorrow,
I would plant a tree today."
The work of God's Church is not finished. There is
much to be done while it is still day.
August World News and Prophecy
By the time you receive this letter the August edition of World
News and Prophecy will have gone to press and should
be posted at wnponline.org. We have two articles about
the Middle East crisis in this issue. I begin a two-part
series on America's "pride
of power," and
we have an article on the recent
terror attacks in Mumbai, India. Rounding out the issue, as usual, is Robin Webber
with an few thoughts about a marriage
supper.
Keep watching,
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