Perilous Times*

There has been a great increase across all of the forms of media of those who deny the existence of God. Our response is to teach truth to them. The times are perilous now, and will become more so, because, according to all of the signs, we are living in the last days before Christ's return. As we read last week in Second Timothy: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Tim. 3:1-5). These are people who may know God in a certain way, but do not allow Him to have any power or authority over them, or anything else. Paul also warned Timothy that persecution would come for those who live godly lives through Jesus Christ. Evil men and deceptions shall grow worse (v. 12-13). Timothy is told to continue in the things he has learned from Paul, and from the scriptures, for they are sure: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect (complete), thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (v. 16-17). There is no other book on earth which is produced by men that is like the scriptures, which is written by men, but those men wrote the scriptures under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God does not need man to prove its truth, because it proves itself. The scriptures do not lead men into a legalistic or religious relationship with God, but rather, a personal relationship with the Savior, Jesus our Salvation, as Saul/Paul discovered on the road to Damascus. He had been a persecutor of the believers in Christ, but after his supernatural encounter with Christ speaking to him from heaven, Paul dedicated the rest of his life to living as a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul told Timothy: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:2-4). We see now that society demands that sin be tolerated, accepted, and even celebrated. Even the Church is afraid to teach against sin, and its sure wages of death. However, the scriptures say that all have sinned, and are only saved by grace, the gift of God through Jesus, and not by good works nor good intentions. Again, Paul wrote of the perilous last days, and the deceptions that come with them. There was a deception being taught at the time of Paul that Christ had already returned. There were also letters going to the churches claiming to be from Paul, teaching false doctrines, but they had not been written by him. Paul wrote to correct this: "Let no man deceive you by any means: For that day (of Christ's return) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. 2:1-4). Paul is speaking of the acts of the antichrist who will come before Christ's return. However, this spiritual evil is already at work, seeking to sit in God's spiritual temple of men's hearts. Paul wrote that there is a restraining force to hold back the actual event that reveals the wicked one until the time is right, but "the mystery of iniquity doth already work" (v. 6-8). This wicked one will come with deception, and the works of Satan, "with all power, and signs and lying wonders". God will send a strong delusion to believe the lie upon those who are doomed because they do not accept the truth, and take pleasure in unrighteousness. The wicked one to be revealed will be consumed by the Lord "with the spirit of his mouth", and shall be destroyed "with the brightness of his coming." (v. 8-12). The perilous times, as we see, include a pandemic of lies and strong delusions, and the supernatural, lying works of Satan. Part of the perilous times were told by Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God and the coming harvest of those who were righteous in Christ, and the unrighteous. Both parables involve the sowing of seed, and then the harvest. In one parable, the Kingdom is like a man who plants seed in the ground, and then sleeps. The earth does its job, and the seed germinates, gradually bringing forth a shoot, then a plant, then finally the mature ear of corn. Then the man knows it is time to "putteth in the sickle" to harvest the crop that the seed and the earth has produced (Mark 4:26-29). In the second parable, again a man has sown good seed in his field. However, this time, while men slept, an enemy came and sowed tares among the man's wheat crop. The man's servants noticed that as the wheat matured and brought forth fruit, the tares showed themselves because of their lack of fruit. He realized that an enemy had done this to his crop. He instructed his servants: "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (Mt. 13:24-30). In perilous times, men teach false doctrines, sowing tares that do not bear the fruit of Christ. There are those who profess Christ, but in works, don't know Him. The prophet Joel prophesied about the harvest, and the judgment of the Day of the LORD, at a time when the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem has ended, and God's people have been brought back to the land (fulfilled in Israel, 1947): "Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come get you down; for the press is full, the fats (vats) overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision." (Joel 3:12-14). Joel described the Day of the LORD as a day when the sun, moon, and the stars are darkened. It's a terrible day when the heavens and earth shake and quake. We need to know the signs of that Day, and when the harvest grows ripe. The New Testament speaks of the same signs. As it becomes evident that the Day is drawing near, it is a fool who says in his heart that there is no God. Joel wrote of the purpose of God's people as this Day of the LORD approaches, and it is what sets the difference between "the wheat and the tares" of the ripening harvest: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand...Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of gret kindness, and repenteth him of the evil...Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproah among the heathen." (Joel 2:1, 12-13, 18-19, see also 1:13-15). Joel called the people of God to repentance, as we have often said the same in referring to 2 Chron. 7:14. The Book of Revelation also prophesies about the harvest to come. One who looked like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand, heard the loud command that came out of the temple in heaven: "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe." (Rev. 14:14-15). Then additional angels came with their sickles also, but this time, the grapes of the vine were ripe and ready for harvesting (v. 17-18). "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (v. 19). Much blood came out of that winepress of wrath (v. 20). As we saw in the parable of Jesus, there were two reapings here of the ripe harvest - one was reaped by Jesus for the Kingdom, and one was reaped by the angels for the wrath of God. We see the harvest ripening all over the world, and we see wickedness waxing worse and worse. Isaiah warned, "Woe" unto you who call evil good, and good evil...and justify the wicked for a reward. We must continue to sow seeds of righteousness, and keep our lamps lit, for darkness is here. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/4/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.

Trumpet Blasts and Wedding Garments: Are You Ready?

 

During the Feast of Trumpets, which is the first of the fall feasts of the LORD, there is a series of repeated blasts of the shofar (trumpet made from a ram's horn) that are specifically associated with this feast.
The first shofar blast of the repeated series is called "Tekiah". It is one long blast. Its sound represents both joy and warning. In our last post, we discussed the joy associated with this feast (Rev. 19:7-9, Ps. 81:1-3). The warning of the Tekiah blast, according to the rabbinical teachings, serves to call attention to something, to gather together to receive God's orders. Jesus issued this Tekiah-like warning:
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (dissipation, carousing), and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." 
                                                                                              Lk. 21:34-36
The Apostle Paul repeats a similar warning:
"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...Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober...For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."    1 Thess. 5:2-9 (excerpt)
Much of the Church is asleep, unaware, and unprepared. The Tekiah blast is to stir us up, and warn us to start paying attention. Tradition says that the Tekiah blast is shouting, "Awake you sleepers!".
The second series of blasts of the shofar is called "Shevarim". It is comprised of three short, broken notes. The word Shevarim means "breakings". Its sounding calls people to weep, repent, and seek God. The blasts are to lead God's people into examining themselves. They are reminded to turn away from the things that have been separating them from God, and to seek those things that are Godly:
"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil...But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear..."   1 Pet. 3:12, 15    and
"Quench not the Spirit...Prove all things;  hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."                                                               1 Thess. 5:19-23
We are expected to walk in a Godly manner, sanctified, having not even the appearance of evil in our lives. The Shevarim blasts warn us that we are to repent, and change our ways, when we fall short of these things. The pure, white, clean linen of the wedding garments worn by the Bride of Christ represent righteousness (Rev. 19:7-8), for she has prepared herself for her wedding to the Lamb of God. The cares and ways of this world, the things considered valuable and important to this world, are not part of the righteousness of the saints.
The third series of blasts of the shofar is called "Teruah". They are nine, short, staccato blasts of alarm. It is an urgent warning, meant to give advance notice of an immediately impending event. The word Teruah means "shout or cry". It is to bring the hearers into deep repentance, sorrow, and sobbing. To us, it should be our last warning, "The Bridegroom  cometh". At the sounding of these Teruah blasts, there is no time left to "prepare" if we have not already prepared ourselves for this event. The moment is about to come upon us. Jesus gave this serious warning to one of His churches:
"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."  Rev. 3:2-3
To this same church, Jesus gave this promise if they listened to Him, and repented:
"...few...which have not defiled their garments;  and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."   Rev. 3:2-5 (excerpt)
The last sounding of the shofar in this series is called "Teruah Gedolah", meaning "the last trump" or "the great trump". It is one long, continuing note to be held as long as the breath allows. It is the trumpet blast of the hope of redemption, and resurrection of the dead:
"For the Lord Himself, shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice (also includes the sound or tone of an instrument) of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.:   1 Thess. 4:16-17
The moment of resurrection is preceded with sounds. These sounds first speak to those who are "asleep", the dead in Christ, and then also to those living who belong to Him. 
Isaiah is just one prophet who prophesied this moment of resurrection:
"Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead body shall they arise. Awake (awaken abruptly, arise, watch. root- harvest) and sing (sing, shout, cry out, overcome), ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew (night mist. root- overshadow, covering) is as the dew of herbs (light, luminousness. root- "ore" light of Christ), and the earth shall cast out (lie prostrate, prostrate oneself, fall away from, be inferior to) the dead. Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."  Isa. 26:19-20
The dead and the living in Christ are, in an abrupt moment, gathered to Him in resurrection and transformation, to enter into the bridal chamber with Him.
As the trumpets of this feast sound, they are the foreshadowing of the last call and warning for the Bride to make herself ready.

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