Response to a devotional by David Jeremiah
This message by David Jeremiah surely should not be taken to mean that he is oblivious to Scriptures concerning end-time events. But given the limited comments that he has made, if taken as a whole, he does strike me as one who is not understanding the events before him.
One of Jesus’ favorite words is the word “beginning.” He spoke about the beginning of creation (Mtt 19:4; Mk 10:6), the beginning of the Exodus with man’s heart being hardened (Mtt 19:8), and the beginning of Satan’s murderous rebellion (Jn 8:44). The Apostles also spoke about a time-line of beginnings when they spoke of the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry (A 1:22) and the beginning of the Church (A 11:15).
David Jeremiah states in his devotional that there is nothing new under the sun – a comment written by the back-slidden, polygamous Solomon giving the perspective of the world from Man’s viewpoint and not God’s viewpoint. Solomon wrote in Ecc 12:11 about “goads” that are worldly reflections that are designed to arouse us from lethargy and about “nails” that are spiritual revelations designed to give us stability and direction. The Book of Ecclesiastes is outlined by these clear lines of distinction.
David Jeremiah goes on to state that we have always had recessions and depressions indicating that today’s events are nothing new or unprecedented.
But this is not in line with what Jesus said! Jesus said that there is coming a time that is unprecedented since the “beginning of the world.” In Mtt 24:21, Jesus said that there is coming a great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world or ever shall be. This would be an unprecedented event! Leading up to and preceding that event is the “beginning of sorrows”! He spoke about events in such a way that Man would be able to recognize the end times: global wars, massive famines, unheard of pestilences, abnormal number of earthquakes, unbridled iniquity, the rise of world renowned false prophets, and world evangelism. These are the “beginning of sorrows” prior to the end (Mtt 24:4-14) and should be recognizable events to prepare us for what is coming.
These days are unlike previous generations! A study of scripture would lead one to understand that we are living in an unprecedented day!
- The Church has progressed through the Church Ages to the fulfillment of the Laodicean Church – the end-time Church!
- The alignment of the nations of the world as prophesied throughout scripture (regathering of Israel; recovery of the Arab Confederacy, renewal of the nation from the East, resurgence of the nation from the North, return of the Roman Empire, rise of the Apostate Church, relapse into the Occult/paganism and revival of the Remnant). Geographically, the world today aligns precisely with what the prophecies state the world would look like at the end. Each of these events is unprecedented!
- The Feasts of Israel and their fulfillment in Jesus indicates that we are now ready for the Return of Jesus at the Rapture!
- The prophecies of Jacob concerning his sons and their tribal descendents in Gen 49 indicate that Israel is exactly where it is supposed to be in the end-times!
- And other prophetic “signs of the end” from Paul, Peter and Jude. Taken together they paint unprecedented times that are right before our eyes!
Without question there are those preachers that are preaching that there is nothing new under the sun, but I am declaring loud and clear that there are unprecedented events taking place before us! Comments like those of David Jeremiah only dull one to the prophecies and events in the end times.
These are not normal days of recessions and depressions! The sooner we realize this the better off we will be in enduring coming events. These are not days of “Leave It To Beaver” and “Andy Griffeth.” Those days are gone! They will not be coming back! There are those who would like to bury their heads in the sands of time and continue to live in an unrealistic world of television. They unfortunately are being lulled to sleep by the pipers who preach, “there is nothing new under the sun.”
Peter stated, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.’ For this they willing are ignorant…” (2 Pet 3:3-5). Things are not continuing as they have always been! We are in the End-Times – unprecedented End-Times!
Now, since these are unprecedented end-times, the questions before us are these: do you truly believe we are in the end-times? If we are, what should you be doing now to prepare yourself and your family for the coming events? Are you living (mentally, morally, spiritually, financially, etc.) as though these are the end-times. Jesus admonished us to “settle it therefore in our hearts” (Lk 21:14). He was strongly advising us to get settled on what He and other prophets said about the last days. As David Wilkerson used to say, “Make your final move now.”
