Calm before the Storm

And there shall be wars and rumours of wars… for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Matthew 24:6

For some time now, the entire world has been witnessing daily the devastating scenes of destruction being visited on Ukraine. We see nightly on the news, entire cities, as well as towns and villages, being reduced to rubble and the terrified occupants being forced to flee to try to escape the horrors of war.

As we look at these heart-wrenching scenes of suffering, I am reminded of what the Bible says about a future time called “The Great Tribulation.” This will be a 7-year period of worldwide suffering and war which Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24v21: For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

In other words, the level and intensity of suffering visited on mankind during this time will have been unequalled by anything the world had witnessed up to then—including the two world wars. It will in fact make what’s happening in Ukraine now seem like a minor skirmish. The extent and unspeakable destruction of this time will be so bad that Jesus said in the next verse (v22): And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened.

In other words, Jesus was saying it will take DIVINE INTERVENTION to prevent the world from self-destruction. You might think at this point: “Why does all this concern me? I’ll be ok.” First of all, unlike what’s happening in Ukraine, this will be a time of worldwide violence and mayhem which will affect every person then alive.

It is highlighted in chapters 8 and 9 in the book of Revelation, where we read that one-third of all trees will be burnt up, one-third of mankind killed, all green grass destroyed, one-third of living creatures, and ships destroyed, etc., etc. You might then say: “This dreadful time is way in the future– I don’t have to worry about it.” Dear Reader: This time may be visited on Planet Earth sooner than you think! In the same discourse in Matthew 24v6,7, Jesus said: And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars… For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. The biblical description of this great tribulation that is to come upon the whole world, is firmly coming into place like never before.

As we consider the foregoing, the question any clear-thinking individual must ask is: “What can I do in light of this coming catastrophe?” To answer this question we must consider the root cause of the war in Ukraine (and all wars), which is man’s inhumanity to man. The Bible uses a small 3-letter word to describe this: SIN. Sin is mankind’s biggest problem. Turning to the book of Isaiah in chapter 59v2 we read: But your iniquities have separated you from your God. In Romans 3v23 we read: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. In John 3v3, Jesus said: Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. These verses (and many others) tell us that every man, woman, and child coming into this world is a lost sinner separated from God, and will not enter Heaven after this life unless he is “born again.” Simply put, being born again is the Bible’s expression for being converted or saved. A person is born again by receiving Jesus Christ as his/her saviour from sin. John 1v12 says: As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. When a person trusts in Jesus Christ, and Him alone as his Saviour, he becomes a true believer.

At this point, I would like to return to the question we asked: “What can I do in light of the coming catastrophe (the Great Tribulation)?” Again we must turn to the Bible (still the bestselling book in the world) to consider an AWESOME SUPERNATURAL EVENT which will take place before this 7-year tribulation period begins. It is mentioned in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4v16,17 where we read: For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. This event, called “the rapture”, describes Jesus Christ coming to the clouds in a moment of time to miraculously receive all true believers to Himself. This cohort of people, and they alone, will escape the horrors of the tribulation and will be assured of being in Heaven for all eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. To be among them, all one has to do is acknowledge that you are a lost sinner who can do absolutely nothing to save himself/herself, but rests totally on what Jesus Christ did for him/her when He died on Calvary’s cross over 2000 years ago. Acts 16v31 says: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

This wonderful, free salvation not only saves the one who believes from the horrors of the tribulation but also from eternal damnation in the lake of fire— of which the Tribulation is but a foretaste.

Final Thought
The war in Ukraine is merely the “calm before the storm.” If the signs outlined in Matthew 24 (which include wars such as that in Ukraine) are STARK REMINDERS of the looming Tribulation (which they ARE), HOW MUCH NEARER must the return of Christ be for His church (all true believers), seeing that this event must take place BEFORE THE TRIBULATION BEGINS. Matthew 1v21: You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. Ephesians 2v8,9: For by grace [undeserved favour] you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Jesus said in John 14v6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Don’t delay in coming to the Saviour, for the Bible says: “NOW is the day of Salvation.”

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