Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Good Times, Bad Times Or Misty Mountain Hop

I'm going through this time when, no matter what, I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep for awhile.
Making the most of my awakeness last night, I opened the Bible and read the story of king Josiah, who was known as one of the very few "good" kings. He destroyed the pagan idols and altars, repaired the Temple and, once it was found, had the lost Book of the Law read to the people. A good guy.
Reading the footnotes, I found that Jeremiah began his prophetic ministry during Josiah's reign, and I got to thinking that perhaps part of the reason that Jeremiah was so devastated by the fall of Jerusalem, by the captives being taken away was that, from his youth, he had only known good, peaceful times. The contrast was starker than it would have been if he had been born in a war torn, weary country.
Everything was good when he was growing up; things got much worse and his world of comfort was toppled when God brought Judgement on His people.
I feel the same way-I grew up in a moderately peaceful land, had a good childhood, good parents who made a secure home...but now everything seems to have changed for my country. It seems darker and colder, and I don't mean weatherwise. I feel that God is readying this world for Judgement. 
We Christians believe that we have been in the "End times" since Christ went back to Heaven. According to Scripture, things are going to get a lot worse right before Christ returns and, whether it is today or hundreds of years from now, those worst times will happen. I feel that we are in the beginning of those times now.
I believe in a pre-Millennial Rapture, that Christ will have His elect gathered up before the worst Judgements
happen.
The good news of the Gospel is that God is still, at this time, saving souls, bringing many into His Kingdom.
Seek the Lord while He may be found.

1 comment:

Doug said...

I know, sometimes I have too much fun with my posts.
Good Times, Bad Times would be the coming Judgement, Armageddon, what have you.
Misty Mountain Hop, of course, would be the Rapture of the Church.

I recently started with physical therapy again, and when I saw Tim, one of the therapists, I said, "I'm back!"
And Tim said, "You're nationwide."
It took me a few seconds, but I got it.