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It Came Without Warning
~ Chapter XIV ~
A Call to Action
"O ye children of Benjamin,
gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem...
for evil appears out of the north, and great destruction."
Jeremiah 6:1
The Great God of Heaven has given those whom He has called a glimpse into the most magnificent kingdom in the universe – a kingdom governed by mercy, judgment and faith (Mt. 23:23). It is a kingdom that will produce great peace, great prosperity, great health, and great hope. God gave this vision in part because He wants His servants to proclaim the good news of that kingdom. It is why He raised up a work. It is why He inspired and preserved the scriptures. It is why He reveals His plan to His servants. Notice the promise God makes regarding the end time and His servants.
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)
Why would God reveal His plan if it were to be kept secret? The plain truth is: He wouldn’t. God is not playing games with mankind. The return of Jesus Christ and the events surrounding that return are not some magician’s illusion. His return is very real and so is His warning. That warning shall go forth because God said it would.
The great God who created the heavens and the earth has raised up an end-time work to accomplish His purpose. That purpose includes the preaching of the gospel as a witness. To this end He directed His servants to "Cry aloud and spare not..." (Isa. 58:1), and He expects them to do just that (Ezk. 33:1-9). If God’s servants don’t proclaim the priceless truth reflected in the gospel, then THEY ARE NOT WORTHY OF THAT TRUTH. If His servants don’t proclaim the great hope of God’s kingdom, then THEY ARE NOT WORTHY OF THAT KINGDOM..
When speaking about the fight against the former Soviet Union and communism, President Ronald Regan once said, "If not us, who? And If not now, when?" These words are just as applicable to God’s end-time church and the proclaiming of the gospel. If not us, who? And If not now, when?
Those who think God’s servants can somehow keep silent and not proclaim a warning should think again. God believes in warnings. His end-time work is proof of that fact. And those who say the commission to preach the gospel is finished should carefully consider the words of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. (Mt. 24:46)
It is Finished
Jesus Christ believed fervently in completing the work He was given during
His life on earth. At the end of that life He uttered the words, "It is
finished" (Jn. 19:20). With these words, Jesus was proclaiming that the
work He was given by the Father was accomplished. This is a fact He acknowledged
just hours before. It was after His last Passover. At that time Jesus and His
disciples went to the garden of Gethsemanae where Jesus poured out His heart in
prayer to His Father. At the beginning of that prayer Jesus said, "I have
finished the work which you gave me to do" (Jn. 17:4). He was able to say
this because he respected so much the work He was given.
Early in His ministry Jesus uttered a profound truth about God’s work and why it was so important. Notice His extraordinary words.
... for the works which the Father has given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. (Jn. 5:36)
It is no different with God’s end-time church. They have a work that bears witness of them. And they must be about their Father’s business.
A Final Thought
What can be learned from the tragic events that rocked the most powerful
nation on earth? In one moment, there was peace and in the next, destruction. At
the very least, America learned that despite its tremendous military strength it
is vulnerable. But is there another lesson? Is it possible that September 11 was
a wake-up call to God’s people - those whom He has instructed to watch and to warn?
God’s true church knows what lies ahead for the descendants of Joseph. They know the meaning of the words "Jacob’s trouble." They know that as powerful as the great nations on earth are, if they don’t repent, they will go into a horrible captivity and ultimately suffer God’s judgment. This is the warning Jesus commanded His servants to preach. It is a warning to a depraved world to turn from sin and submit to Him.
This gospel of the kingdom is proclaimed as a witness because God is a great and merciful Father who wants with all His heart to forgive and to heal. And whether the nations of the earth listen or not, that gospel must be proclaimed. The apostle Paul recognized this early in his ministry. At that time, he was in Antioch during his first missionary journey. It was there that he gave a powerful message and concluded it with words from the prophet Habakkuk. These words are as appropriate today as they were when they were first uttered.
Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you. (Acts 13:40-41 NIV)
God’s end-time church is that "someone," and if the world doesn’t believe, so be it. Even if some in God’s church don’t believe, so be it. One thing is absolutely certain: they will never, ever, be able to say...
IT CAME WITHOUT WARNING