Blog note: For 100 hundred years, while NOAH was building the ark, he continuously spoke of the coming time of destruction by flood. He was ignored, ridiculed or mocked. Then it was too late for those who ignored, ridiculed or mocked him. He and his family were spared. The others were not. If you believe the Bible, then this is NOT a fable. For the most part, the world is completely oblivious to what is going on in the world today. Yes, the natural disasters experienced worldwide over the past couple of years have occurred in the past. But, not in the intensity, frequency, size, duration or extent that they have now (Luke 21:11). In addition to all these natural disasters, combine them with ALL the other signs in society at-large (violence, shootings, lawlessness, abortion, et.al), ALL the prophetic events associated with Israel (70^th birthday as a nation, Jerusalem named as its capital, Jerusalem becoming a ‘burdensome stone’ or ‘trembling cup’ to the world). The forthcoming ‘deal of the century’ or false covenant of peace and security for Israel and the ‘many’ nations in the region of the Middle East and Africa. The rise of both the False Prophet (Pope Francis) and the Beast (Mohammed bin Salman). The rise of both Babylon (NEOM in Saudi Arabia on the seven mountains including Mt.Sinai) and Mystery Religion Babylon (brotherhood of the world’s evil religions under the banner of coexistence and inter-religious political dialogue). The technology that underpins the power behind means of evil control; genetics (CRISPR), biometric marking and scanning, 5G network communications, digital avatars, artificial intelligence, et.al. These things are very recent developments. These technologies are NOT intrinsically evil. It is how they are used, by whom they are used, and for what purpose they are used. The gun is not evil, it is the hand the pulls the trigger. Take everything together, apply it to God’s word and you will see (those of you who study) how everything is falling into place and not ‘out of place’. The prophetic puzzle is being assembled. Yet, billions of people are unaware because of ignorance, lack of care, deception, distraction, mockery, ridicule or spiritual falling away (the great spiritual apostasy) or from the excessive busyness and grind of working for a living. The evil one is doing everything he can to keep the world in darkness, exhausted and distracted by the world’s activities, in slumber, in their spiritual comfort blanket of sin so as to not see the destruction coming our way. All of these signs coming together is known as the ‘Great Convergence’ of signs. End of note.

Ignoring The Signs Of The Times or the ‘Great Convergence’ of Signs.

1/1/2019. PNW. Michael Brown.

The images are disturbing, unnerving. But they are real. All too real. A rock band is performing in Indonesia to the delight of the audience when suddenly, without warning, a massive wave sweeps them off the stage to their deaths. There are screams of terror, then there is blackness. This is what sudden destruction looks like. Yet the Bible says it will come one day to the whole earth.

The band was named “Seventeen,” with a large Instagram following, and the band’s sole surviving member, Riefian Fajarsyah, lost his wife in the tsunami. To date, the death toll nationwide has reached 430, with another 1,500 injured and almost 22,000 displaced.

Of course, as tragic as these figures are, they pale in comparison to the 2004 tsunami which struck multiple countries at the same time and resulted in a death toll of 227,000. But, in the aftermath of the 2004 tragedy, “countries including the UK, Germany and Malaysia donated detection buoys and other equipment to Indonesia to help warn of future tsunamis,” although upgrading has been needed for the equipment.

Still, the recent tsunami came without warning.

As related by survivor Bapu Suwarna, “The sound grew and I even heard crashing sounds. Seconds later I saw people running from the tsunami wave shouting ‘Tsunami! Waves! Waves!'”

He added: “It took only seconds not minutes after hearing the thunderous sounds and then the waves hit us. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely request that the government set up an early warning system so people can anticipate an incoming tsunami. I didn’t have much time, after the loud sounds were heard.”

It was literally a matter of seconds. Moments later, there was devastation.

Yet, to repeat, the Bible says that this will happen again in much greater fashion and on a much grander scale.

As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thes. 5:2-3).

Jesus issued similar warnings as well, telling His followers that, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot–they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all–so will it be ion the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).

The point Jesus and Paul are making is simple. People will ignore the signs of the times. They will be lulled into a sense of false security. They will be caught up with the spirit of the world, enjoying their lives, focusing on themselves, oblivious to God and His demands.

They will be sure that “all is well” and that judgment will never come. And then, suddenly, it will be at the door. And then, suddenly, it will be too late.

But that’s not the end of the story.

Jesus and Paul gave these warnings for a reason. It was so that we who believe, we who love the Lord, would not be caught unawares. It was so that we would be serving and alert rather than partying and slumbering.

To quote Paul again, from this same passage just cited to the Thessalonians, “But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes. 5:3-9).

This, then, is how we should live. This, then, is how should we conduct ourselves in this world.

As Peter wrote to his readers, “Since all these things [speaking of the present heavens and earth] are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth gin which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (2 Pet. 3:11-14).

We who walk in the light, we who are children of the day, we who live lives honoring to the Lord, have nothing to fear. Let us not fall asleep in the light.