END TIME DRAMA
(What I Believe Will Happen Before Jesus Returns)
By
Jerry Falwell
A. INTRODUCTION
I’ve been talking to you about the clash between Israel and the Palestinians which is a clash between President Sharon and Yassar Arafat. But deeper than that it is a clash between two cultures: the Jewish culture and Islamic culture. At times this seems to be a clash between God’s plan and Satan’s plan. I deeply believe that God has a plan for the Jews and for the land of Palestine. The violence is Satan’s opposition. The escalating violence in the Middle East and the coming war in the Middle East is an indication of the developing fulfillment to prophecy which I call END TIME DRAMA.
I believe seven things will happen before Jesus comes. All of these are developing at the present and will escalate more in the future. And each one of these seven things sheds light on the controversy in Israel.
1. THE PROFESSING CHRISTIAN CHURCH WILL BECOME MORE APOSTATE.
The Bible teaches that before Jesus returns, the Church will become more apostate which means it not only will deny the fundamentals of the faith; but will believe the opposite of Christianity. Notice what Paul told Timothy,
“That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats” (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
I see three things about the Church in that verse:
1. The Church will deny the faith more and more in the last days. The phrase “the faith” does not refer to their personal belief in Jesus Christ, but rather to doctrinal faith, i.e., “the doctrinal statement of faith.” This means the fundamentals of doctrinal faith will be denied.
2. The end-time Church will listen to seducing spirits. It seems today people in the Church are listening to every spirit, except the Word of God. The Church is listening to the cry from the feminist, the plea of the abortionist, and trying to protect homosexuality. The voice to compromise characterizes today’s Church.
3. The doctrine of devils. This means many in the Church are believing doctrine contrary to the fundamentals. Satan is the Father of lies and many in the Church are believing the doctrinal lies that Satan would have them believe.
There is another verse where Paul told Timothy what the end times would be like. “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, trucebreakers, 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 Timothy 3:1-5).
Let me point out three things that verse tells you that will happen during the last times. First of all, during the last times, men will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. When you think of our sports-driven society, and our media-driven society, and our leisure-driven society, then you understand we are living in the last days.
Second, people will have “a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” That is a picture of the Church today. With our mouth we claim holiness, righteousness and spirituality. But with our lives we are selfish and sinful. The Church does not understand the command of Jesus, “Take up your cross daily and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). That, reduced to one word, means “sacrifice.”
The third thing is that in the last times “men shall be lovers of their own selves.” Is that not true today, do not most people live for their own agenda and their own entertainment? This tells me we are in the last times.
The Church should be speaking out about Israel. Church leaders all over America should be crying out for our nation to protect Israel, and Church leaders should recognize what God is doing in Israel; but the silent Church says nothing. Why? Because the Church is becoming a professing apostate Church that is no longer committed to the fundamentals of Christianity.
2. THE JEWS RETURN TO PALESTINE IN UNBELIEF.
God gave Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones. Then God explained to Ezekiel, “These bones are the whole house of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:11). Then Ezekiel heard a great noise of the rattling of the bones as “the bones came together, bone to his bone” (Ezekiel 37:7). God then said, “I will bring you into the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:12). This is a picture of Israel coming back into the land. Later in that passage the Lord said, “I will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land” (Ezekiel 37:21).
The fact that the bones are dry, reflects Israel’s unbelief. There is no life in them. After World War II and Hitler’s holocaust throughout Europe, a great passion grew in the hearts of Jews to return to their own land.
Now think about this, for over nineteen hundred years the Jews didn’t have this passion to return home, and even when they could have returned home, they didn’t do it. But after World War II, Jews immigrated to Israel from all over the world.
Since God said He would bring His people back to the land at the end of the world, and they are already there; that ought to scare all unsaved persons. Jesus is coming soon and they’re not ready. That ought to encourage every believer that Jesus is coming soon; so lift up your eyes and look. He’s coming soon.
3. THE NATION OF ISRAEL IS ESTABLISHED.
Another indication that Jesus is coming soon is the establishment of Israel as a nation. Many people see the coming together of the bones as the people returning to Israel. Then the Bible says, “And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them” (Ezekiel 37:8). Many see this phenomena as the Jews organizing themselves into a nation. This happened on May 14, 1948. Originally, only two nations recognized Israel’s existence: the United States and the Union of South Africa. Eventually, the United Nations recognized Israel. During the Six-Day War of 1967, Jerusalem and other parts of the Jewish homeland were conquered. When Israel declared Jerusalem her capital in the summer of 1980, yet another step was taken toward the ultimate fulfillment of those prophecies and the restoration of the Jews to Israel.
4. INCREASE OF TRAVEL BOTH IN SPEED AND DESTINATION.
There is a prediction in God’s Word about travel, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro” (Daniel 12:4).
I feel that the explosion of transportation after World War II has transformed this world, and transformed the way we live and has transformed our values. It is such an important life-changing phenomenon that I believe that it is one of the indications that Christ will soon return. When Eisenhower signed into law the interstate system, it allowed Americans to travel farther and quicker in their cars than ever before. With the growth of the airline industry, now people can spend the weekend skiing in Colorado; I can fly out to California for the afternoon, appear on Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect” television show that night, fly the “red-eye special” all night, and be back in my office the next morning. In a former day of sailing ships, wagons, or horseback, a trip to California was impossible for all but a very few. It took weeks or months to get there. Transportation has made all of us potentially global citizens.
And this explosion of transportation has made it possible for Jews from all over the world to migrate to Israel. God is bringing all these things together, because His Son is coming soon.
5. THE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
I call this a communication explosion. Let me read to you from Daniel that predicts this phenomenon. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end . . . knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4).
I see four things from this verse that describe the present world:
• An increase in the amount of knowledge.
• An increase in the types of media to disseminate knowledge.
• An increase in the access that people have to receive knowledge.
• An increase in education to receive more knowledge.
No one listening to my voice can doubt there’s not been an explosion in communication. With this microphone I can reach more people in one Sunday, than Paul reached in his lifetime. Look what we use here at Thomas Road/Liberty University to get out the Gospel, i.e., radio, television, printed page, videotapes, audiotapes, books, e-mail, fax machines. The list would get larger if I described the “spin offs” of these forms of media. When Daniel predicted “knowledge shall be increased,” he was saying the amount of knowledge, the dissemination of knowledge, the reception of knowledge and the ability to understand and access knowledge.
The explosion of communication is a wonderful gift of God because we can reach more people for Jesus Christ than we’ve ever done before. But also, Satan uses media for his purposes. I’m told pornography makes more money off the Internet than any other type of legitimate business. Also, media entertains people away from God, and news outlets/media influence people away from God.
In the struggle between Sharon and Yassar Arafat, the one who controls the airwaves is the one who seems to win the ultimate victory. Just as communication is a gift of God, it is also a battlefield. And what does this explosion of communication tell me, that Jesus is coming soon. Get ready!
6. A GROWING INDICATION OF LAST DAYS SIGNS.
As we get closer to the coming of Jesus, we will see conditions on the earth that are described in the Bible that happen both before Jesus comes and after Jesus comes. As these events appear, we know that Jesus is coming soon. Just driving into town you begin to see signs announcing restaurants, motels, and business establishments in Lynchburg, so there are signs that inform us that Jesus is coming soon. The more signs you see, the closer you are getting. Here are some of the signs that will happen before and after the return of Jesus:
1. Nation rising up against nation - Matthew 24:7.
2. Earthquakes, famines and pestilence - Matthew 24:7.
3. Wars and rumors of wars - Matthew 24:6
4. False Christs - Matthew 24:5.
5. Christians not enduring sound doctrine - 2 Timothy 4:2-4.
6. Scoffers who deny Jesus is coming - 2 Peter 3:3-14.
7. People saying peace and safety - 1 Thess. 5:1-3.
8. Men walking after their own lusts - Jude 1:16-18.
9. Heaping treasures for the last days - James 5:3-6.
10. False preachers - Matthew 24:11.
11. Disobedience to parents - 2 Timothy 3:2.
7. THE EMERGENCE OF A ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT/CHURCH/BUSINESS AND LANGUAGE.
The Bible predicts that in the end times, both before Jesus comes and after; the world will be controlled by a world leader who is called Antichrist. The conditions before the coming of Christ must be prepared so that when it happens, Antichrist will be able to carry out his predicted rule. Since the Antichrist will not be revealed before Jesus comes, I believe conditions are falling in place, i.e., one-world government, so he can rule the world after Jesus comes. The Bible predicts “power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations” (Revelation 13:7).
Daniel predicted the coming of four world empires that would rule the known civilized world. The first was Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar; the second was Medo-Persia under Cyrus; the third was Greece, under Alexander the Great; and the fourth was Rome, under the Caesars. These kingdoms have all come and collapsed. No nation has ruled the world since these four.
But Daniel in that same prediction about the past, said there was a future-coming nation that would be “part of iron, and part of clay” which means this future one-world empire will not be solid nor unified.
Why do I believe we are moving toward a one-world government? Because first of all, we are moving toward a one-world language. I can type in English into my computer and half way around the world, my message comes out in another language. Second of all, we are moving toward a one-world currency. I can go almost anywhere in the world and use my American Express card and I think I am spending U.S. dollars; but in Thailand or Korea, the computer translates it into their monetary system and they get paid in their currency.
But we’re moving toward a one-world government through the United Nations, through the world court and a growing world opinion. The problem is that the one-world opinion is taking the side of the Palestinians, not the side of Israel.
8. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION.
Let me wrap up this sermon by telling you what I am not saying.
First, I am not predicting when Jesus is coming back. Because He said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Second, I am not telling you to quit what you’re doing and just wait for Jesus to come. The principle is for us to work as hard as we can as though He’s not coming for 20 years, but to live as though He might come today. I would say to Christians, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42).
If you’re not ready, repent and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. As Tim LaHaye might say, “Don’t be left behind.” The Bible says that He will come “as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
For more information on the TRBC Pastor’s Bible Class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
