Sermon Title: Victorious Living in the Last Days leading to the Great Tribulation Pt 2
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Tribulation happens on earth the moment our Lord Jesus Christ returns “in the air to receive to Himself His own, both the living who shall be transformed, and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truth 5.8.2)
During the Tribulation, the wrath of God is poured out in a tumultuous “time of judgement on the whole earth”; during which “the Antichrist (Note: Also known as “the man of lawlessness” – Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:3) will emerge to offer false hope to the nations” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truth 5.8.3).
Every disciple of Jesus Christ must be absolutely clear:
1. In the last days leading up to the Tribulation, the situation in the world will be immensely more chaotic and hostile towards the true believers of Christ.
However, if we were to stand firm in Christ and be utterly faithful to His Commands (Ref: Matthew 22:36-40, John 13:34-35) and Commission (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) over our lives, we will ultimately be found victorious with Him (Ref: Romans 8:37, 1 Corinthians 15:57) – having received the gift of eternal life through Him. (Ref: John 3:16, John 3:36, Romans 6:23)
2. Regarding the actual event of the Tribulation, we will not be around for that.
Remember.
If we utterly believe in Christ and obey Him, we are already given the gift of eternal life; and the wrath of God no longer remains on us. (Ref: John 3:36)
We have been justified by faith; made righteous and holy by the blood of Christ.
His wrath that results in death has “pass-over” us.
And because we believe that Christ has already atoned for our sins – having taken our place on the Cross, suffered and died for us – we have been forgiven by God.
Now, instead of being judged for our sins, every true disciple of Christ will be judged for our faithfulness in Christian Service – which really means that we will be judged based on how much we allow our lives to be vessels of His Glory, His Salvation and His Miracles – especially in the last days leading up to the Tribulation!
Christian Basis to understanding the Tribulation
Even though we will have no part of the world under God’s judgement, the bible does reveal pertinent components of the Tribulation.
Before we begin, we must establish a biblically-sound basis to understanding the Tribulation; along with all other divine revelations found in the Bible.
A mystery which must, as mentioned earlier, inform and guide our present lives for the sole purpose of quickening our spirits to be more urgent, and more willing, to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously, and provide the world with the substance and evidence to receive the Gospel of the Kingdom as preached with our words and deeds.
What is the Tribulation – according to Christ?
“3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately.
“Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" (Matthew 24:3-15)
In this passage - which is a parallel text to what we covered last week in Luke 21:5-28 -the disciple were very direct in asking our Lord for His insight into the last days leading to the Tribulation.
In no uncertain terms, our Lord Jesus warns us not to be deceived by false messiahs and false prophets who will preach false gospels.
In particular, the most vehement defiance against God in last days of the world will be centered around the truth of the gospel of God’s Kingdom.
There must be an absolute readiness in our hearts, and absolutely no doubt in our minds: that we will be faced with immense hatred, persecutions and executions - because of our faith in Jesus and our resolute embrace of His Gospel. (Ref: Matthew 24:9)
Many so-called ‘christians’ will renounce their faith and turn away from Jesus; betraying and hating one another – because of their weak-willed contention with the Gospel birthed out of a shallow to non-existent relationship with the Lord. These disingenuous people who have been ‘christian’ only in name would go on to blatantly defy our Lord’s command to love one another as He loves us. (Ref: John 13:34-35)
Be prepared for the reality of the last days.
Through divine intimacy with the Lord and His Holy Word, we must immediately recognize false prophets and false messiahs when they appear; and categorically reject their false gospels – which, at its roots lie demonic schemes attractive to the fallen ear and dooms the perishing hearer to eternal damnation with the devil.
The Lord further prepares us for the increase in wickedness - where love will cease to exist; and declares, “but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13), speaks to those who are filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit in their lives – those who truly bear the fruit of the Spirit (Ref: Galatians 5:22-23) – who will be the only people left with the ability, impulse, and impetus to love.
And herein lies our key point today.
Those who are born-again and truly saved, are those who are fully filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Brethren, understand this like your life depends on it; because it does.
In the face and midst of the world, we are the only agents of the true Gospel.
As such, only if we live unreservedly as witnesses of Jesus Christ - in preaching His true Gospel by the Power of the Holy Spirit - are we, then and only then, assured that we are true disciples of Jesus Christ.
This is the very definition and identity of a Christian; as those who are actively saved by the message of the Gospel as well as those who actively share the message of the Gospel.
To be a Christian is to be an active witness of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in the world today; as vessels of the Holy Spirit in preaching the Gospel truth - in direct confrontation against the false gospel that is preached by false prophets in the world today and in the days to come.
The world will soon be inundated with deceptions and false gospels.
Now is our time to actively preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom to our family, to our children, and to our friends – and even if they are already believers, to continue preaching to them; in order that the Gospel will overflow our collective lives and be “preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations – and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)
We are really close to the end of the world today, aren’t we?
With present-day technology, it is not difficult to imagine that the gospel will soon be preached to the whole world.
And when that happens, our Lord Jesus will come again, rapture will happen; and the Great Tribulation – where God’s wrath is poured out onto a defiant and stubborn world – will follow.
God promises us that He will get His truth out into the whole world – and then when that season is over, the deceptions and lies will begin to take over; marking the advent of the Great Tribulation.
And how do we know that it is happening on earth when God’s wrath is poured out?
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" (Matthew 24:15)
This afternote provides substance for the premise that every true believer – who is immensely more than a simple reader – will not be around to “see standing in the holy place (Note: Allusion to the temple of Jerusalem) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel”
Tribulation is the time that God’s wrath is poured out in the world - for the godless to get what they wanted, intentionally or not; which is, to truly know and experience the effect and result of godlessness.
Who is this “abomination” (definition: one that is clearly not of God, one who is completely irrational in defying God, and one who causes immense hatred and disgust); “that causes desolation” (definition: bringing about a state of complete emptiness, misery and destruction)?
Who is this ‘abomination’, this ‘antichrist’, who will directly rule over the inhabitants of the world without Christians – during the Tribulation?
The Apostle Paul reveals in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12:
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works.
He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
One of the key traits of the “abomination that causes desolation” or the ‘antichrist’ – also known in this passage as, the “man of lawlessness” – is that he will unify all religions.
By opposing and exalting “himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), this person will somehow bring every major religion in the world into doctrinal alignment and control the world from the temple of Jerusalem.
Yet, we must be mindful that this “man of lawlessness” is not the central character in the time of Tribulation, nor the last days leading up to the Tribulation; and he is certainly not the central character in human history.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is!
For this “man of lawlessness” is also “the man doomed to destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
So keep your focus on the main character of HiStory – keep your eyes on Jesus!
Be always and absolutely assured that God is infinitely victorious in the face of all enemies!
He is God. Nothing can stand against Him. Period.
For even right at this time, it is God’s Supremacy and Sovereign Will that is “holding him (the ‘antichrist’) back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6).
In God’s Holy Purpose, the Presence of the Holy Spirit amongst true believers is the sacred and sole impediment to the revelation of the “antichrist”- who will herald the Tribulation: the final season of fallen humanity - in a society saturated in blatant deception, depravity, lawlessness and wickedness; a season in which the false gospel is preached through false miracles.
This ‘lawless one’ will further deceive those who are already perishing; those who have refused to believe in God’s Salvation through Christ.
Why do they perish?
Because they refuse.
They refuse the simple truth, and reality of their sinful state; and their utter need for the Salvation of God through Christ.
They reject the simple Gospel.
The truth has already been made clear and plain to them.
For Christ has already come and taken back to Himself those who belong to Him… and yet, they still stubbornly and defiantly refuse to acknowledge the truth.
For this matter, “God sends them a powerful delusion”. God did not cause them to be deluded that resulted in their defiance; it was their vehement defiance that resulted in God’s judgement of delusion upon them. Never get this order wrong.
And because they chose to ignore and defy God, rather than let them go on blaspheming His truth, God allows them to live in their choice.
Paul's teaching in this passage raises an interesting question here.
During the Tribulation, will there be any more opportunity to evangelise the true Gospel?
Does the truth still reach the lost in the time of the Tribulation? How would that happen?
Now, remember.
The Tribulation is a world ruled by the ‘antichrist’; a world devoid of true believers of Jesus.
Christians will not be present to preach the Gospel; as they will be with Christ - having been raptured and taken from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).
That must be crystal clear to every Christian.
However.
According to Scriptures, God will raise up other witnesses to preach the truth in the Great Tribulation.
Revelation 7 speaks to the 144,000 Israelites from the 12 tribes of Israel who will believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and evangelize the lost through giving their lives to the Gospel.
Further in Revelation 11, two faithful witnesses of Christ will be given “authority to prophesy for 1,260 days”(Revelation 11:3), indisputably proving the Sovereignty of God by miraculously withholding rain from the earth and striking the earth with plagues during their time of ministry (Ref: Revelation 11:6). Though they will be killed by the beast upon the completion of God’s prophetic work through them, and their deaths celebrated globally; they will be resurrected by God after “three and a half days” and taken to heaven “in a cloud while their enemies stared at them” in tremendous fear. (Revelation 11:9-12).
Still, the world in Tribulation will still stubbornly refuse to believe in the Salvation and Love of God.
Such is how hard the human heart is.
That even in the revelation of such unquestionable testimony, still, those living in the Great Tribulation will refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; preferring to remain under the yoke of demonic slavery, and be destined for the eternal lake of fire.
In Revelation 13:11-18, we learn of the murderous and wretched exploits of the second beast – which is, yet another name of “the abomination that causes desolation”; also known as “the man of lawlessness” - the antichrist.
“11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people 14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth.
He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
15 The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom.
Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.
That number is 666.
In spite of such depraved, inhumane and wicked circumstances, people living in the time of the Great Tribulation would still choose not to believe and worship the living God.
Two sets of questions are always asked here.
1. What is this mark of the beast?
Are the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Technology) chips present right now in our personal effects, credit and identity cards, and perhaps one day in the near future implanted on our body… … is that the mark of the beast?
Or perhaps more fetchingly - is the COVID-19 vaccine the mark of the beast?
Well.
Here’s a pertinent point to note.
The most obvious being that: this irreverent mark is forced on all people during the time of the Great Tribulation.
If we truly believe and are saved through Christ Jesus our Lord, and empowered wholly and daily by the Holy Spirit - you and I are not supposed to be around; much less receive any mark of the beast.
In our lifetimes, we may come across maybe a foreshadow, or a precursor to the physical and technological reality of this mark; but rest be assured - we will not be around to be forced into receiving the mark.
So of course.
The COVID-19 vaccine is not the mark of the beast.
There may be a case to argue for the progressive habituation of society to readily subscribe to future mass directives by governing authorities; but we are certainly not living in the season of the Great Tribulation – Christ has not yet returned.
In everything, be disciplined and resolute only in progressive habituation to trust and obey our Lord Jesus Christ.
Know Him.
Know His Heart.
Know His Word.
Know, and live, in the Power of the Holy Spirit; and you will be vaccinated against enmeshment with the world and the forces of darkness – and prepared for eternal life in God’s Kingdom.
The other common set of questions regarding Christian Eschatology – the theological study of the last days of the world - is this:
2. Can we identify the beast? Do we know what or who the beast is?
I would be lying if I told you that I never tried to decipher the name of the beast.
I tried it when I was 11 years old.
But clearly I was no child genius.
So, nope; I do not know how or what the beast is.
But I am not too worried about it; just as I am also not too worried about the extensive and rapid development of technologies that resembles this so-called “mark of the beast”.
Why?
Why shouldn’t you and I be concerned about knowing what or who the beast is… or what to do during the Tribulation?
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR IT.
Unless, you are unsure of God’s Salvation through Christ; then, you would certainly have cause for concern about being around during the Tribulation.
Be sure today.
You have heard it said:
“If you do not make time to be healthy, you will be compelled to make time for sickness.”
Clearly, this is more serious than that.
But if you do not make time to be sure of your relationship with Christ and your salvation through Him; you will be forced to either become a living soul – when you die - fully aware that you are condemned in your sin; or you will be forced to live in the wretched season of the Great Tribulation.
And why would you want that; having tasted and seen that the Lord is good?
Today, our key takeaway must be our unshakable assurance of God’s Salvation in our lives; and we must be sure that we are baptized in the Holy Spirit… not so much that we hope to avoid being left behind to face the darkest days of the Great Tribulation; but more so to be found righteous in the sight of God, and thus, be found in His Holy Presence for all eternity.
Are you certain of God’s Salvation in your life?
Are you certain that you are baptized daily in the Holy Spirit?
Simply pray every morning, and every waking moment :
“Holy Spirit, I ask that You would fill me with Your Power!”
Remember our key point today?
Those who are truly saved are those who are fully filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Those who are left behind are victims of the false gospel as preached to them by agents of the evil one.
In the world today, we – as disciples of Jesus Christ - are the only agents of the true Gospel and as such, we must live as witnesses of Jesus Christ - in preaching the true Gospel of the Kingdom of God; then and only then, are we assured that we are truly saved, and true disciples of Jesus Christ.
In the Great Tribulation, the world will ineradicably regress into an inescapable and sweeping season of darkness and deception; but today, only the Church of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to preach God’s Kingdom Gospel - is what provides the substance and trajectory of truth in the already-prevalent gravity of worldliness, self-idolatry and false gospels.
The very definition and identity of a Christian; as those who are actively saved by the message of the Gospel; as well as those who actively share, and preach, the message of the Gospel.
To be a Christian is to be an active witness of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in the world today; to become vessels of the Holy Spirit in preaching the truth; in direct confrontation against the false gospel that is preached by false prophets in the world today and in the days to come.
Are we the true Church of Jesus Christ?
Are we truly Christians?
Are you certain of your salvation through Christ and your rapture when Christ returns to gather His own?
We must each be Spirit-filled preachers of God’s Gospel Kingdom because of our present and sacred call to directly confront the lies, deception and the widespread falsehood that God has forewarned will culminate in the Great Tribulation.
Yes.
It is going to get far worse; but even today - we are assured of victory in Christ!
The Apostle Paul reveals in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8:
“7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.”
With the rapture that leaves the world devoid of true believers, the Holy Spirit will also cease to be present in the world; “taken out of the way” during the season of the Great Tribulation (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:7) – another irrefutable evidence that God does not intend for any believer to be forced to receive the mark of the beast – for He is always with us to give us courage, strength, wisdom and resolve by the Spirit’s Power to resist the devil. (Ref: James 4:7, Revelation 12:11)
However, when the Lord returns to the world at the end of the Great Tribulation, there would be no fight to be had.
The supremacy of Jesus Christ over the devil remains unquestioned.
Satan and his forces of darkness will be overthrown on Christ’s command; and destroyed by the splendor of His glory when He comes back to the world to rule for a thousand years. (Ref: Revelation 20:2-6 – Note: we will speaking more to that in the weeks after our celebration of Pentecost in next week.)
Thus, today… the Apostle Paul urges us to never “receive God’s grace in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1); to press in deeper in God’s Salvation, and further in preaching God’s Kingdom Gospel by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
“2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6 :2)
The Great Tribulation is far from being an agenda item in the life of the Christian, but rather a mere footnote.
For to true believers, "now is the time of God’s favor”; and now is the day of God’s Salvation over us through Christ.
To live victoriously today – and in the last days - is to be assured of your salvation in Christ.
And to be truly assured of your salvation in Christ is to take the litmus test for the assurance of salvation by asking yourself:
“How excited am I about sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom?”
“How keen, how excited, how willing am I to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit for the sole purpose of living as witnesses for Jesus Christ today?”
God’s thoughts on this matter is clear.
True Christians are profoundly grateful recipients of God’s love; resolute disciples of Christ AND fiery agents of the Holy Spirit!
If today is the day of your salvation; today must also be the day you commit your life to following Christ and becoming preachers of His Gospel.
Yes… deeds are important; but words are equally important.
Today, receive your gift of eternal life in God’s Kingdom; recommit to receive God’s Salvation through Christ; and at the same time, understand that in this commitment to be saved, is the commitment to join Christ in His work of Salvation – by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
To be worthy of the Kingdom is to be witness for the King – both of which requires the Power of the Holy Spirit to fall upon you.
Be found worthy of God’s Kingdom today; be witness for the King - by the Power of the Holy Spirit!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Baptize me, Lord Jesus, in the Power of Your Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, I ask that You would fill me with Your Power!
That I may be daily saved by the message of the Gospel; and daily share the message of the Gospel to all around me!
Grant me the divine opportunities; and the supernatural faith to anticipate Your miraculous signs and wonders that will follow my preaching of Your Gospel in word and deeds.
May I daily live profoundly grateful of Your love for me, O God; as I live resolutely as Christ’s disciple and as a passionate, fiery agent of the Holy Spirit.
I declare that now is the time of God’s favour; and now is the day of Your Salvation for me!
Today, I receive your gift of eternal life in God’s Kingdom; and recommit to receiving Your Salvation; and at the same time, commit to joining You, Lord Jesus, in Your Gospel work– by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Grant me courage, strength, wisdom and resolve to daily resist the devil in the certainty that he will flee from me and to boldly preach Your Kingdom Gospel in the face of all false gospels in the world today and in the age to come.
Even as I live in the last days leading to the Great Tribulation, set my mind on Your Return, O Lord.
Help me live victoriously in You each day; as I obey Your command “to make up my mind not to worry beforehand how I will defend myself – for You will give me words and wisdom that none of my adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” (Ref: Luke 21:14-15)
In You, I will stand firm and win life!
Lord, I acknowledge and believe that I am from You; and have overcome the evil one – for the Holy Spirit who is in me “is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
By your Power, Holy Spirit, may I be found worthy of God’s Kingdom; and be witness to my King Jesus!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Tribulation happens on earth the moment our Lord Jesus Christ returns “in the air to receive to Himself His own, both the living who shall be transformed, and the dead in Christ who shall be resurrected.” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truth 5.8.2)
During the Tribulation, the wrath of God is poured out in a tumultuous “time of judgement on the whole earth”; during which “the Antichrist (Note: Also known as “the man of lawlessness” – Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:3) will emerge to offer false hope to the nations” (PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truth 5.8.3).
Every disciple of Jesus Christ must be absolutely clear:
1. In the last days leading up to the Tribulation, the situation in the world will be immensely more chaotic and hostile towards the true believers of Christ.
However, if we were to stand firm in Christ and be utterly faithful to His Commands (Ref: Matthew 22:36-40, John 13:34-35) and Commission (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20) over our lives, we will ultimately be found victorious with Him (Ref: Romans 8:37, 1 Corinthians 15:57) – having received the gift of eternal life through Him. (Ref: John 3:16, John 3:36, Romans 6:23)
2. Regarding the actual event of the Tribulation, we will not be around for that.
Remember.
If we utterly believe in Christ and obey Him, we are already given the gift of eternal life; and the wrath of God no longer remains on us. (Ref: John 3:36)
We have been justified by faith; made righteous and holy by the blood of Christ.
His wrath that results in death has “pass-over” us.
And because we believe that Christ has already atoned for our sins – having taken our place on the Cross, suffered and died for us – we have been forgiven by God.
Now, instead of being judged for our sins, every true disciple of Christ will be judged for our faithfulness in Christian Service – which really means that we will be judged based on how much we allow our lives to be vessels of His Glory, His Salvation and His Miracles – especially in the last days leading up to the Tribulation!
Christian Basis to understanding the Tribulation
Even though we will have no part of the world under God’s judgement, the bible does reveal pertinent components of the Tribulation.
Before we begin, we must establish a biblically-sound basis to understanding the Tribulation; along with all other divine revelations found in the Bible.
- Understand that every divine revelation, we are on a need-to-know basis. If we need to know, God will reveal it to us. And when we know about it, the divine revelation must inform and guide our lives as we live towards God’s Coming Kingdom.
- Because we are not expected to be around during the Tribulation, the facts surrounding the season of God’s wrath poured out onto a wicked and defiant world is shrouded in divine mystery.
A mystery which must, as mentioned earlier, inform and guide our present lives for the sole purpose of quickening our spirits to be more urgent, and more willing, to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously, and provide the world with the substance and evidence to receive the Gospel of the Kingdom as preached with our words and deeds.
What is the Tribulation – according to Christ?
“3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately.
“Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" (Matthew 24:3-15)
In this passage - which is a parallel text to what we covered last week in Luke 21:5-28 -the disciple were very direct in asking our Lord for His insight into the last days leading to the Tribulation.
In no uncertain terms, our Lord Jesus warns us not to be deceived by false messiahs and false prophets who will preach false gospels.
In particular, the most vehement defiance against God in last days of the world will be centered around the truth of the gospel of God’s Kingdom.
There must be an absolute readiness in our hearts, and absolutely no doubt in our minds: that we will be faced with immense hatred, persecutions and executions - because of our faith in Jesus and our resolute embrace of His Gospel. (Ref: Matthew 24:9)
Many so-called ‘christians’ will renounce their faith and turn away from Jesus; betraying and hating one another – because of their weak-willed contention with the Gospel birthed out of a shallow to non-existent relationship with the Lord. These disingenuous people who have been ‘christian’ only in name would go on to blatantly defy our Lord’s command to love one another as He loves us. (Ref: John 13:34-35)
Be prepared for the reality of the last days.
Through divine intimacy with the Lord and His Holy Word, we must immediately recognize false prophets and false messiahs when they appear; and categorically reject their false gospels – which, at its roots lie demonic schemes attractive to the fallen ear and dooms the perishing hearer to eternal damnation with the devil.
The Lord further prepares us for the increase in wickedness - where love will cease to exist; and declares, “but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13), speaks to those who are filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit in their lives – those who truly bear the fruit of the Spirit (Ref: Galatians 5:22-23) – who will be the only people left with the ability, impulse, and impetus to love.
And herein lies our key point today.
Those who are born-again and truly saved, are those who are fully filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Brethren, understand this like your life depends on it; because it does.
In the face and midst of the world, we are the only agents of the true Gospel.
As such, only if we live unreservedly as witnesses of Jesus Christ - in preaching His true Gospel by the Power of the Holy Spirit - are we, then and only then, assured that we are true disciples of Jesus Christ.
This is the very definition and identity of a Christian; as those who are actively saved by the message of the Gospel as well as those who actively share the message of the Gospel.
To be a Christian is to be an active witness of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in the world today; as vessels of the Holy Spirit in preaching the Gospel truth - in direct confrontation against the false gospel that is preached by false prophets in the world today and in the days to come.
The world will soon be inundated with deceptions and false gospels.
Now is our time to actively preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom to our family, to our children, and to our friends – and even if they are already believers, to continue preaching to them; in order that the Gospel will overflow our collective lives and be “preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations – and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)
We are really close to the end of the world today, aren’t we?
With present-day technology, it is not difficult to imagine that the gospel will soon be preached to the whole world.
And when that happens, our Lord Jesus will come again, rapture will happen; and the Great Tribulation – where God’s wrath is poured out onto a defiant and stubborn world – will follow.
God promises us that He will get His truth out into the whole world – and then when that season is over, the deceptions and lies will begin to take over; marking the advent of the Great Tribulation.
And how do we know that it is happening on earth when God’s wrath is poured out?
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" (Matthew 24:15)
This afternote provides substance for the premise that every true believer – who is immensely more than a simple reader – will not be around to “see standing in the holy place (Note: Allusion to the temple of Jerusalem) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’” spoken of through the prophet Daniel”
Tribulation is the time that God’s wrath is poured out in the world - for the godless to get what they wanted, intentionally or not; which is, to truly know and experience the effect and result of godlessness.
Who is this “abomination” (definition: one that is clearly not of God, one who is completely irrational in defying God, and one who causes immense hatred and disgust); “that causes desolation” (definition: bringing about a state of complete emptiness, misery and destruction)?
Who is this ‘abomination’, this ‘antichrist’, who will directly rule over the inhabitants of the world without Christians – during the Tribulation?
The Apostle Paul reveals in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12:
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works.
He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
One of the key traits of the “abomination that causes desolation” or the ‘antichrist’ – also known in this passage as, the “man of lawlessness” – is that he will unify all religions.
By opposing and exalting “himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), this person will somehow bring every major religion in the world into doctrinal alignment and control the world from the temple of Jerusalem.
Yet, we must be mindful that this “man of lawlessness” is not the central character in the time of Tribulation, nor the last days leading up to the Tribulation; and he is certainly not the central character in human history.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is!
For this “man of lawlessness” is also “the man doomed to destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
So keep your focus on the main character of HiStory – keep your eyes on Jesus!
Be always and absolutely assured that God is infinitely victorious in the face of all enemies!
He is God. Nothing can stand against Him. Period.
For even right at this time, it is God’s Supremacy and Sovereign Will that is “holding him (the ‘antichrist’) back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6).
In God’s Holy Purpose, the Presence of the Holy Spirit amongst true believers is the sacred and sole impediment to the revelation of the “antichrist”- who will herald the Tribulation: the final season of fallen humanity - in a society saturated in blatant deception, depravity, lawlessness and wickedness; a season in which the false gospel is preached through false miracles.
This ‘lawless one’ will further deceive those who are already perishing; those who have refused to believe in God’s Salvation through Christ.
Why do they perish?
Because they refuse.
They refuse the simple truth, and reality of their sinful state; and their utter need for the Salvation of God through Christ.
They reject the simple Gospel.
The truth has already been made clear and plain to them.
For Christ has already come and taken back to Himself those who belong to Him… and yet, they still stubbornly and defiantly refuse to acknowledge the truth.
For this matter, “God sends them a powerful delusion”. God did not cause them to be deluded that resulted in their defiance; it was their vehement defiance that resulted in God’s judgement of delusion upon them. Never get this order wrong.
And because they chose to ignore and defy God, rather than let them go on blaspheming His truth, God allows them to live in their choice.
Paul's teaching in this passage raises an interesting question here.
During the Tribulation, will there be any more opportunity to evangelise the true Gospel?
Does the truth still reach the lost in the time of the Tribulation? How would that happen?
Now, remember.
The Tribulation is a world ruled by the ‘antichrist’; a world devoid of true believers of Jesus.
Christians will not be present to preach the Gospel; as they will be with Christ - having been raptured and taken from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).
That must be crystal clear to every Christian.
However.
According to Scriptures, God will raise up other witnesses to preach the truth in the Great Tribulation.
Revelation 7 speaks to the 144,000 Israelites from the 12 tribes of Israel who will believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and evangelize the lost through giving their lives to the Gospel.
Further in Revelation 11, two faithful witnesses of Christ will be given “authority to prophesy for 1,260 days”(Revelation 11:3), indisputably proving the Sovereignty of God by miraculously withholding rain from the earth and striking the earth with plagues during their time of ministry (Ref: Revelation 11:6). Though they will be killed by the beast upon the completion of God’s prophetic work through them, and their deaths celebrated globally; they will be resurrected by God after “three and a half days” and taken to heaven “in a cloud while their enemies stared at them” in tremendous fear. (Revelation 11:9-12).
Still, the world in Tribulation will still stubbornly refuse to believe in the Salvation and Love of God.
Such is how hard the human heart is.
That even in the revelation of such unquestionable testimony, still, those living in the Great Tribulation will refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; preferring to remain under the yoke of demonic slavery, and be destined for the eternal lake of fire.
In Revelation 13:11-18, we learn of the murderous and wretched exploits of the second beast – which is, yet another name of “the abomination that causes desolation”; also known as “the man of lawlessness” - the antichrist.
“11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people 14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth.
He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
15 The second beast was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom.
Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.
That number is 666.
In spite of such depraved, inhumane and wicked circumstances, people living in the time of the Great Tribulation would still choose not to believe and worship the living God.
Two sets of questions are always asked here.
1. What is this mark of the beast?
Are the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Technology) chips present right now in our personal effects, credit and identity cards, and perhaps one day in the near future implanted on our body… … is that the mark of the beast?
Or perhaps more fetchingly - is the COVID-19 vaccine the mark of the beast?
Well.
Here’s a pertinent point to note.
The most obvious being that: this irreverent mark is forced on all people during the time of the Great Tribulation.
If we truly believe and are saved through Christ Jesus our Lord, and empowered wholly and daily by the Holy Spirit - you and I are not supposed to be around; much less receive any mark of the beast.
In our lifetimes, we may come across maybe a foreshadow, or a precursor to the physical and technological reality of this mark; but rest be assured - we will not be around to be forced into receiving the mark.
So of course.
The COVID-19 vaccine is not the mark of the beast.
There may be a case to argue for the progressive habituation of society to readily subscribe to future mass directives by governing authorities; but we are certainly not living in the season of the Great Tribulation – Christ has not yet returned.
In everything, be disciplined and resolute only in progressive habituation to trust and obey our Lord Jesus Christ.
Know Him.
Know His Heart.
Know His Word.
Know, and live, in the Power of the Holy Spirit; and you will be vaccinated against enmeshment with the world and the forces of darkness – and prepared for eternal life in God’s Kingdom.
The other common set of questions regarding Christian Eschatology – the theological study of the last days of the world - is this:
2. Can we identify the beast? Do we know what or who the beast is?
I would be lying if I told you that I never tried to decipher the name of the beast.
I tried it when I was 11 years old.
But clearly I was no child genius.
So, nope; I do not know how or what the beast is.
But I am not too worried about it; just as I am also not too worried about the extensive and rapid development of technologies that resembles this so-called “mark of the beast”.
Why?
Why shouldn’t you and I be concerned about knowing what or who the beast is… or what to do during the Tribulation?
BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR IT.
Unless, you are unsure of God’s Salvation through Christ; then, you would certainly have cause for concern about being around during the Tribulation.
Be sure today.
You have heard it said:
“If you do not make time to be healthy, you will be compelled to make time for sickness.”
Clearly, this is more serious than that.
But if you do not make time to be sure of your relationship with Christ and your salvation through Him; you will be forced to either become a living soul – when you die - fully aware that you are condemned in your sin; or you will be forced to live in the wretched season of the Great Tribulation.
And why would you want that; having tasted and seen that the Lord is good?
Today, our key takeaway must be our unshakable assurance of God’s Salvation in our lives; and we must be sure that we are baptized in the Holy Spirit… not so much that we hope to avoid being left behind to face the darkest days of the Great Tribulation; but more so to be found righteous in the sight of God, and thus, be found in His Holy Presence for all eternity.
Are you certain of God’s Salvation in your life?
Are you certain that you are baptized daily in the Holy Spirit?
Simply pray every morning, and every waking moment :
“Holy Spirit, I ask that You would fill me with Your Power!”
Remember our key point today?
Those who are truly saved are those who are fully filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Those who are left behind are victims of the false gospel as preached to them by agents of the evil one.
In the world today, we – as disciples of Jesus Christ - are the only agents of the true Gospel and as such, we must live as witnesses of Jesus Christ - in preaching the true Gospel of the Kingdom of God; then and only then, are we assured that we are truly saved, and true disciples of Jesus Christ.
In the Great Tribulation, the world will ineradicably regress into an inescapable and sweeping season of darkness and deception; but today, only the Church of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to preach God’s Kingdom Gospel - is what provides the substance and trajectory of truth in the already-prevalent gravity of worldliness, self-idolatry and false gospels.
The very definition and identity of a Christian; as those who are actively saved by the message of the Gospel; as well as those who actively share, and preach, the message of the Gospel.
To be a Christian is to be an active witness of Jesus Christ – filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in the world today; to become vessels of the Holy Spirit in preaching the truth; in direct confrontation against the false gospel that is preached by false prophets in the world today and in the days to come.
Are we the true Church of Jesus Christ?
Are we truly Christians?
Are you certain of your salvation through Christ and your rapture when Christ returns to gather His own?
We must each be Spirit-filled preachers of God’s Gospel Kingdom because of our present and sacred call to directly confront the lies, deception and the widespread falsehood that God has forewarned will culminate in the Great Tribulation.
Yes.
It is going to get far worse; but even today - we are assured of victory in Christ!
The Apostle Paul reveals in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8:
“7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.”
With the rapture that leaves the world devoid of true believers, the Holy Spirit will also cease to be present in the world; “taken out of the way” during the season of the Great Tribulation (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 2:7) – another irrefutable evidence that God does not intend for any believer to be forced to receive the mark of the beast – for He is always with us to give us courage, strength, wisdom and resolve by the Spirit’s Power to resist the devil. (Ref: James 4:7, Revelation 12:11)
However, when the Lord returns to the world at the end of the Great Tribulation, there would be no fight to be had.
The supremacy of Jesus Christ over the devil remains unquestioned.
Satan and his forces of darkness will be overthrown on Christ’s command; and destroyed by the splendor of His glory when He comes back to the world to rule for a thousand years. (Ref: Revelation 20:2-6 – Note: we will speaking more to that in the weeks after our celebration of Pentecost in next week.)
Thus, today… the Apostle Paul urges us to never “receive God’s grace in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1); to press in deeper in God’s Salvation, and further in preaching God’s Kingdom Gospel by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
“2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6 :2)
The Great Tribulation is far from being an agenda item in the life of the Christian, but rather a mere footnote.
For to true believers, "now is the time of God’s favor”; and now is the day of God’s Salvation over us through Christ.
To live victoriously today – and in the last days - is to be assured of your salvation in Christ.
And to be truly assured of your salvation in Christ is to take the litmus test for the assurance of salvation by asking yourself:
“How excited am I about sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom?”
“How keen, how excited, how willing am I to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit for the sole purpose of living as witnesses for Jesus Christ today?”
God’s thoughts on this matter is clear.
True Christians are profoundly grateful recipients of God’s love; resolute disciples of Christ AND fiery agents of the Holy Spirit!
If today is the day of your salvation; today must also be the day you commit your life to following Christ and becoming preachers of His Gospel.
Yes… deeds are important; but words are equally important.
Today, receive your gift of eternal life in God’s Kingdom; recommit to receive God’s Salvation through Christ; and at the same time, understand that in this commitment to be saved, is the commitment to join Christ in His work of Salvation – by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
To be worthy of the Kingdom is to be witness for the King – both of which requires the Power of the Holy Spirit to fall upon you.
Be found worthy of God’s Kingdom today; be witness for the King - by the Power of the Holy Spirit!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Baptize me, Lord Jesus, in the Power of Your Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, I ask that You would fill me with Your Power!
That I may be daily saved by the message of the Gospel; and daily share the message of the Gospel to all around me!
Grant me the divine opportunities; and the supernatural faith to anticipate Your miraculous signs and wonders that will follow my preaching of Your Gospel in word and deeds.
May I daily live profoundly grateful of Your love for me, O God; as I live resolutely as Christ’s disciple and as a passionate, fiery agent of the Holy Spirit.
I declare that now is the time of God’s favour; and now is the day of Your Salvation for me!
Today, I receive your gift of eternal life in God’s Kingdom; and recommit to receiving Your Salvation; and at the same time, commit to joining You, Lord Jesus, in Your Gospel work– by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Grant me courage, strength, wisdom and resolve to daily resist the devil in the certainty that he will flee from me and to boldly preach Your Kingdom Gospel in the face of all false gospels in the world today and in the age to come.
Even as I live in the last days leading to the Great Tribulation, set my mind on Your Return, O Lord.
Help me live victoriously in You each day; as I obey Your command “to make up my mind not to worry beforehand how I will defend myself – for You will give me words and wisdom that none of my adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” (Ref: Luke 21:14-15)
In You, I will stand firm and win life!
Lord, I acknowledge and believe that I am from You; and have overcome the evil one – for the Holy Spirit who is in me “is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
By your Power, Holy Spirit, may I be found worthy of God’s Kingdom; and be witness to my King Jesus!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.