davidbowerkingwood

The World Situation Degenerates as the Church Age Draws to a Close

The Bible paints a very grim picture of the last days of the Church Age. We are given several descriptions of those days; verses in Romans 1:18-32; and Matthew 24:4-14 tell of moral and social deterioration. The moral and social conditions in some parts of the United States are already horrific beyond description!

Erica Sandberg, Brian C. Anderson Bay Watch

San Francisco Street Scene

The Bible does not reveal when the New Creation will be removed; there is a fearful similarity to be found in world conditions today and those described in the Bible as characterizing the last days of the Church Age.

The United States is one of those nations that still has a large number of Christians; the loss of that large a percentage of the national population will wreck havoc on this nation. I believe the removal of the church may well be the trigger for the Battle of Psalm 83; I have written more on that in a three-part series that starts with, “What’s Going to Happen Next, 2021? Part 1”

Laodicea

I believe we are living in the seventh and last church era, Laodicea which is described in Revelation 3:14-22

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵ “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

God’s Forth Intervention

The Bible makes one thing clear, God never mixes the Age of Israel with the Church Age. Israel was set aside on March 30th AD 33 while the church did not come into existence until May 25, AD 33; fifty seven days later. The Church Age will end when the church is suddenly removed by God; the Age of Israel will not recommence until Israel signs a covenant agreement with the Antichrist.

Considering the unfulfilled prophecies mentioned in the Bible, there could possibly by an interval of several years.

Caught Up in the Clouds!

The removal of the church is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 where it is written:

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

This forth intervention will introduce changes that will impact the entire world; it is impossible to even imagine the impact of millions of people, all over the world, suddenly vanishing into thin air. The extent of the impact will directly depend on the number of Christians living in a nation; the United States and some other Christian nations will experience the greatest change.

The Restraining Ministry of the Holy Spirit is Removed

A profoundly serious aspect of this event is the removal of the restraining ministry of God, the Holy Spirit. If you think things are bad now, after the restraining ministry of God, the Holy Spirit is withdrawn, the world situation will deteriorate even quicker and things will get much worse. In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 it is written:

“2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, ² not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. ³ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

During the Church Age, God, the Holy Spirit has made individual Christians his temple. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it is written:

“¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

A Precipitous Decline

When the individual temples are taken to heaven, the Holy Spirit will go with them and remove the restraints he had placed on sin! “⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

I’m convinced this fourth intervention by God will be the catalyst for eliminating the United States as a world power!

The timing on this event is known only to God but the signs of the times suggest it may be soon.

Next time, God’s Fifth Intervention, the Second Advent.