(Stay tuned for more posts until study of Matthew 24 is completed.)
"...and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."
"But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs."
(Matthew 24:7-8b)
The famines and earthquakes predicted by Christ coincide with the third horseman of Revelation 6 (See most recent post), followed by the fourth:
When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."
I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8)
The sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts will kill a fourth of the earth's population. This is by providential permission. And notice that global warming, with which so many have been obsessed, is not involved. The widespread occupation with climate change is a political agenda not a genuine scientific agenda.
Biological warfare may be involved in the disaster which is personified by the fourth horseman. The word "ashen," the color of the horse in Revelation 6:8, is translated from the Greek word chloros, which is a pale yellowish-green color. This word was used by the ancient Greeks to describe people who were pale from sickness.
We tend to be more concerned about the threat of nuclear weapons, but biological attacks may well be means used by rogue nations to kill multitudes of human beings. In an article written March 5, 2007, Jerome Corsi noted that an American bio-defense analyst had come to a shocking conclusion: if the U.S. decided to invade Iran to curtail its development of nuclear weapons, Syria would be ready to respond with biological weapons of mass destruction. A variation of smallpox is likely the agent Syria will use.
This can all be quite terrifying and quite depressing if we dwell on it. But it is important for us, as believers in Christ, that we do not lose perspective. As I wrote recently in a local publication, I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, but I made one for this year (and plan on keeping it for the rest of my life here on earth): By God's grace, I resolve to focus more than ever, not on the disturbing things that are happening on earth, but on my heavenly citizenship, because, as the Apostle Paul recognized: “...our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 3:20). According to the Bible, the world will not improve, but will become even more evil as we wait for the return of the Lord. Only with His return and the establishment of His kingdom, and ultimately a new heaven and earth, will all things be made right.
Meanwhile, not only is every believer in Jesus Christ a citizen of heaven, but also an ambassador for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). During the time we remain in this evil world, we are responsible to represent Christ to a world which desperately needs to know His love.The Lord has committed to us the ministry (that is, service) of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In fulfilling this service, we offer every member of the human race the invitation to be reconciled with God through the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19): the good news that Christ died for our sins and that personal salvation and a relationship with God are available to anyone who believes in His Son Jesus Christ (John 20:31; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5).
We tend to be more concerned about the threat of nuclear weapons, but biological attacks may well be means used by rogue nations to kill multitudes of human beings. In an article written March 5, 2007, Jerome Corsi noted that an American bio-defense analyst had come to a shocking conclusion: if the U.S. decided to invade Iran to curtail its development of nuclear weapons, Syria would be ready to respond with biological weapons of mass destruction. A variation of smallpox is likely the agent Syria will use.
This can all be quite terrifying and quite depressing if we dwell on it. But it is important for us, as believers in Christ, that we do not lose perspective. As I wrote recently in a local publication, I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, but I made one for this year (and plan on keeping it for the rest of my life here on earth): By God's grace, I resolve to focus more than ever, not on the disturbing things that are happening on earth, but on my heavenly citizenship, because, as the Apostle Paul recognized: “...our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 3:20). According to the Bible, the world will not improve, but will become even more evil as we wait for the return of the Lord. Only with His return and the establishment of His kingdom, and ultimately a new heaven and earth, will all things be made right.
Meanwhile, not only is every believer in Jesus Christ a citizen of heaven, but also an ambassador for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). During the time we remain in this evil world, we are responsible to represent Christ to a world which desperately needs to know His love.The Lord has committed to us the ministry (that is, service) of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In fulfilling this service, we offer every member of the human race the invitation to be reconciled with God through the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19): the good news that Christ died for our sins and that personal salvation and a relationship with God are available to anyone who believes in His Son Jesus Christ (John 20:31; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5).
