“Yet Another Sign?” – written after reading of the drying up the Euphrates River – Larry Hale – July 30, 2023
In 2022 I taught a series of sermons entitled "Signs of the End Times". In that study, the birth and life of the Messiah was the first prophecy we examined.
We discovered that if ONLY 8 of the more than 300 predictions about the arrival and life of Jesus came true; the likelihood of it occurring was 1 in 100 QUADRILLION.
Odds of only 8 of over 300
1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000
(1 in 100 Quadrillion)
And yet…. EVERY ONE of the PREDICTIONS about His birth and DEATH came true.
All the detailed predictions regarding His FIRST COMING and HIS TIME ON EARTH were completely and gloriously fulfilled.
I don’t have the knowledge to compute the odds of ALL the prophecies coming true.
But, I do know this…….
The test of prophecy
Is prophecy fulfilled.
We also paid attention to other predictions that have come true, including those that have come true within our lifetimes, as well as prophesies that still need to be realized.
Some of you were very interested in discovering what signs to look for, so that you can be prepared for Christ’s return.
If you recall, Jesus said that even He did not know when He would be sent back to Earth. In fact, He said “only the Father knows.”
Many individuals on Earth simply ignore this DATA.
They don't think there is a God, they don't think Jesus is God, and/or they don't think Jesus will return.
I heard that just a few days ago from someone who said. How can you claim that Jesus will return soon? Since the beginning of time, people have been waiting.
Although I don't KNOW if He will return in my lifetime, I DO KNOW that Jesus will return.
Because God’s Word is true
God provides us with warning flags in His Word. He wants us to be ready for Christ's second coming and the end of the world as we know it.
Please follow along with me.
Whether you believe in Jesus or in God, the fact remains that God created you, loves you, and wants the best for you.
He won't pressure you to accept Him or His Word. But it still stands that his word is accurate and intended to instruct you for your own good.
God wants us to study the events that have already occurred and those that will occur to carry out prophecy.
He wants us to be aware of the impending warning signals described in the Bible.. so that we will closely follow Him and adhere to what His Word commands.
By doing this, we will avoid the worst anguish and pain to ever occur on Earth.
And lastly, you will be saved from eternal punishment IF you put your faith and trust in Jesus.
That is why I look for the SIGNS described in the Bible.
Prophecy will be fulfilled, and Jesus will be coming back
We, who believe that the Bible is God’s Word understand that it is fully trustworthy and what it says will happen, will happen.
Today, I want to draw your attention to a natural event that could mean Jesus will return soon.
Would you agree that if Jesus is returning soon, we should put a high priority on preparing ourselves…… and we should share the Gospel with others so that they are ready to avoid the intense suffering of those who reject Jesus?
The GOSPEL is the GOOD NEWS that everyone on Earth can be healed of their sins and made fit for eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
It is incredibly important that we receive the gift of eternal life before Jesus comes back or before we take our last breath, otherwise we will be too late and will suffer the consequences of our sins.
And, here’s the thing….
We are closer to the return of Jesus today,
than at any time in history!
The Title of our Message today is “Yet Another Sign?” (NOTE THE ?)
There is something happening in the world today that could possibly be yet another sign of the end of times. We find a reference to this disaster, in the Revelation of John.
Please open your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter 9. (easy to find – last book)
In John’s Revelation we find that four FALLEN angels who are bound in the Euphrates River will be released, when the end is near (Rev 9:14).
Please stand – PRAY!!
Revelation 9:13-15 NIV
13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.
14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet,
"Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15 And the four angels who had been kept ready
for this very hour and day and month and year
were released to kill a third of mankind.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Rev 16:12 NIV
Chapter 11 verses 36 through 45 of the book of Daniel indicate that these are the closing days of the tribulation and will be a TIME OF WORLD WAR.
Jesus is revealing to John that world events are rapidly coming to their climax.
Let’s go back to Chapter 9 and look at verses 16 –
Revelation 9:16-17
16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand (200 million). I heard their number.
Have you ever heard or read about the BATTLE of ARMAGEDDON?
It is the FINAL WAR on Earth.
There will be 200 million attackers marching through the dry bed of the Euphrates River, presumably led by the 4 EVIL angels released from the Euphrates River.
When I consider the "kings of the east" with an army that size, I immediately envision China and other eastern countries rising up against the devotees of the ALL-MIGHTY God.
In verse 17 of Revelation 9 John wrote:
17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.
Pastor John Hagee wrote…. The THREE COLORS MENTIONED are RED, DARK BLUE and YELLOW… China’s flag is RED and YELLOW…. And their army wears DARK BLUE uniforms????
OH YEAH, and Lions and fire breathing dragons are some of China’s MANY symbols? Just saying
I just heard on a radio broadcast that China and other nations are NOW moving into positions that indicate they may be posturing for war.
.
China is currently intensifying its efforts to purge its nation of Christians.
As we read, it becomes clear that there is more going on than a political struggle for dominance in the world.
The four fallen angels of Rev. 9:15 are the ones who set this army in motion, so it consists of much more than just political parties or military alliances.
John sees the evil world directly influencing nations in his heavenly vision. (REPEAT)
Pastor Jonathan Cahn SUGGESTS in his book "The Return of the gods" that these wicked powers might be the same gods from ancient times who have returned for the LAST ROUND of combat.
In fact, Pastor Cahn questions whether those deities could be to blame for the RAPID DECLINE of morals in our country and around the globe.
Could such gods be to blame for the breakdown of the family, the rise of wokism and the occult, the spread of addictions, cancel culture, and the alteration of gender norms?
Fallen angels/demons/gods (small g) will be a MOVING FORCE at the Battle of Armageddon, according to what we have already read.
The scripture texts we studied today link the Battle of Armageddon and the DRYING UP of the Euphrates River.
You may say, Pastor Larry what does that mean to us today?
MOVIE – MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON IT.
https://youtu.be/zt3XJPSoTSo
These things will occur. The Bible has never been wrong. We’ve already established
that the prophecies contained in scripture are valid.
We have a choice. We can believe the Word of God, or we can REJECT the Word of God.
Ignoring His Word is to ignore Him. It is turning down the gift of eternal life, which He freely gives but for which He has paid such a tremendous price.
If we do not repent (turn from our worldly ways and evil in our lives) and receive forgiveness of our sins, then we have made our choice for eternity.
John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Men have always chosen their ultimate fate.
What is the Gospel?
“The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” —Romans 1:16
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” —1 Peter 2:24
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” —ROM 3:23-24
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.—2 Corinthians 5:17
Encourage them to take a screen shot and contemplate God’s offer to them.
