The Hour Is Coming.

I’m not one to listen to my old messages but I felt compelled this week to listen to the sermon I did the Sunday morning following the terrible destruction of the world trade centers and the pentagon.

You see this preacher believes that something happened that day in the heavens that set in motion a major thrust towards both the return of the Lord and the final destruction of this present heaven and earth, as promised in 2 Peter 3

6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

We live in somewhat of a paradoxical time.

We have a godly President. So much so that it troubles the media to hear him talk of God.

Many Godly cabinet members, Condolesa Rice, John Ashcroft, Tommy Thompson

Certainly several Godly senators and congressmen.

Yet presently we find ourselves almost alone in our stand against IRAQ.

I find that amazing considering the Track Record of Saddam Hussein.

More so, considering the Nations that are against us. Nations we have saved from destruction and rebuilt many of.

But harking back to what I said before, in listening to that old sermon. I shared with the church that morning, that if the nation were to get righted, it would need a wholesale turn back to God.

And in the height of the most Patriotic out pouring in any of our lives. I declared that it was more likely than not that we would not but rather we would fall back into the same old mode. And the truth is we have.

In our streets people demonstrating against the President of the United States in favor of a madman.

Most all the nations of the world siding against us.

The UN being a place of great inner strife, torn between to spheres.

Which brings me to our morning text.

Turn with me to : Joel 3

This passage speaks of the days leading up to the end of this age as we know it.

1 "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, ( Jerusalem’s restoration is assured.) 2 I will gather all nations

(Notice it says God will gather the nations.)

and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them

concerning my inheritance, my people Israel,

the Prophet now says, that God would be the judge of the whole world, and that it was in his purpose and power to call together all the Gentiles, as though he said, "Let not the number and variety of enemies frighten you: the Assyrians alone, I know, are not your enemies, but also all your neighbors; but when I undertake the defense of your cause, I shall be alone sufficient to protect you; and however much all people may oppose, they shall not prevail. ( LOOK AT THE CHARGE AGAINST MANKIND ) for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. 3 They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that they might drink.

4 "Now what have you against me, O Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia?

Tyre and Sidon

An ancient Phoenician cities on the eastern Mediterranean Sea in present-day southern Lebanon.

The same area where much of the Islamic Jihad attacks on Israel come from.

Philistia

Palestine and Syria "the land of the Philistines" Do I need to say anymore on Palestine and the Palestinian uprisings. Infintada…..

Friends the world openly attacks Israel without any since of fear of God, but be assured today all that is happening there is under control…. GODS CONTROL.

The scripture goes on to say

Are you repaying me for something I have done?

Friends the incessant attacks on Israel have gone on all the way back to Ishmael and Isaac.

But if war breaks out in that region of the world. The possibility of attacks on Israel looms very real. Not only from Iraq, but places like Syria, the Palestinians, Egypt.

But understand when it happens they will not prevail.

If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. 5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.

7 "See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. ( BACK WHEN USSR WAS STILL A NATION GOD BEGAN TO ROUSE THE JEWS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO RETURN TO ISRAEL