Heaven Rules - What to expect towards the finishing line | Elder Ang Peng Hoe

You're listening to a message to go from acts Church. We hope this message

will light up your day. The title of my message Heaven Rules what to

expect. Towards the finishing line, I'm going to be talking a little bit

about about the Last Days. I know I mentioned on a few occasions that

maybe one day I'll teach a little bit on the last Days. But it's

a lot, it's a lot to take in, it's a lot to cover.

In fact, if you want to do a whole study on Revelations,

it can go on and on and on. And the thing is, not

many people want to do it, or not many people there do it because

you know in the Book of Revelations that there's actually a warning in there.

Don't add to it, don't subtract from it, don't go and don't go

and change and alter God's word because you can. It really has severe consequences.

So even as teachers and as we've got to really be prayerful and understand

and try to understand what is it that we are sharing, what is it

that we are teaching. Don't go and read too much into it. Revelations

is a very very interesting book. It's not entirely everything is just symbolic and

figure it. And you know, you have to interpret all these symbols.

It's not entirely symbolic. We need to know that because some people take the

entire book of Revelations, all twenty two chapters as entirely symbolic, means that

you can read into it as you wish. I don't believe that's how we

must read Revelations. There are some things definitely symbolic, definitely. I mean,

you read the language and how John writes the apostle. John is the

one that wrote Revelations, and of course he was caught up. He was

caught up and he was just writing. But there are some things that can

be read literally, and more importantly, things have to be read chronologically as

well. He didn't write up and down. He didn't move the paragraphs somethless,

we take the liberty of moving, you know, let's read chapters nineteen

later, or we'll read chapter nineteen after we read chapter twenty one. And

that's what we have been doing all these worst. So a lot of times

people cannot fully agree with what will happen towards the end, and that's the

reality of it. And That's why not many people want to talk about it,

only because it might it might lead to conversations and discussions that actually bring

about this unity. But I don't really believe in that. A lot of

things we will't know. No one can see it's going to happen like that

until it happens. List right now, okay, So I'm going to share

a little bit teach, give you all a bit of an overview. First

on the last days. Okay, the last days. That's why I say

it's heven rules. What to expect towards the finishing line? What should we

expectually when we talk about the finishing line? Because a lot of people like

finishing line. I'm not finished. I'm not done yet. I still live

this world and I want to live forever. No, so news Flasher.

None of us will live forever. Okay, it will all either come to

an end for us at some point, but as believers, there's always something

beyond that or if not the finishing line, that the lot has already set

for the whole world to experience. If we live to see that, then

great. If we don't live to see that, then we will be brought

and we will be caught up eventually. Okay. I know it's going to

get very very deep as we move there, but it's going to be okay,

okay, give your overview first. I'm going to be talking more and

teaching more from Matthew today, not so much going into revelations because you all

have that won't be gymnastics, that will be acrobatic. Everything bound will be

too much. But I want you all to know that the Bible has recorded

about seven hundred plus but seven hundred and thirty plus separate forecasts. Podcast means

is prophecies things, and remember is that the Bible was not written at an

instantaneous point of time. That is, at one point, one setting,

at one setting, everything was written. Now it was not. It's it's

actually a compendium of books. It's a library of sixty six books brought together.

And all these sixty six books, if you, if you read and

you study, you realize that it's actually in the span of about fifteen hundred

years, about thousand, two thousand, five hundred years. So there's a

lot of things in the Bible that has been forecasted, that it has been

predicted prophecies, which the Bible itself proves that all these forecasts and all these

prophecies have come to pass. So what does that tell you? Because about

out of the seven hundred over separate forecasts, about five hundred plus almost close

to six hundred have already taken place, which of course tells you that whoa,

the Bible is eighty percent accurate about that? About that, but you

have to realize that some of the forecasted events that have not taken place are

mainly those concerning the finishing line that means towards what's to come in the future,

which has not happened yet. So if you ask me reasonably, if

we think like that, how accurate is the Bible, then I will actually

tell you it's one hundred percent accurate. And because I can say that it's

one hundred percent accurate, I can also expect what it tells me about what's

to come to also take place and happen. Does that make sense so far?

Okay? So we are talking about Jesus' written and the Last Day is

like, okay, some people like the call it end of the world,

depends how you look at it, the armageddon, apocalyptic end of you know,

I don't know doomsday doomsday pictures unless they can go like that. But

you see, the end of the world is actually so frequently predicted. It's

actually more is predicted more than any other things in the Bible. No,

a lot of things are spoken, but it's not so much what is the

world coming to? Instead, it is who is coming to the world.

That's the question that we have to ask. Because way we talk about the

end of the world, we always think about what is the world coming to?

Is it going to? Know, everyone starts building their bunkers underneath,

you know, start storing food, are not preparing for the apocalypse. But

it's not so much that the question that we should be asking is who is

coming to the world, Because in theory, the Church gives Jesus return a

central place. All the different creeds, whether it's the apostle creed, the

nin seen tree. You think of all the different Christian trees that you can

remember, go and google it. Christian trees are basically what the Christians believe

in la we will always recite something that includes the return of christan that means

the Church has been anticipating the return of Christ. Are right from the area

start, so faith, hope, love, not all this very very very

important right. Faith is always focused on the past, historical truths. Why

do I say that your faith is built on what you read in God's word,

the things that have happened. You have seen how God has moved so

mightily for different ones in the Bible. And that's why when you read Hebrews

and you read the chapter of faith by faith, this person did that by

faith. This person did that by you know, it builds faith in earth

as well, because we have seen what God has done. What God has

done for Abraham. Father Abraham walked out of his comfort zone and walk across

and walk over into a complete unknown. You know, he was a rich,

pretty rich person because where he come from, Abraham is from. I

can't remember shacks anyway, the place where he came from. Okay, if

you do archaeological studies right now, I know that the houses that they used

to live in a happening or back then is like is like houses made of

breaks, got central heating system. He was very rich and very comfortable.

But the Lord called him out to go and stay in a ten and then

he walked out and said, sure, Lord, if you have asked me

to, I will do that. That's why he has been accredited as the

father of faith. So our faith is always built from the things that we

have seen happen in the past, and then it develops our faith. Love

emphasizes on your present actions. That's what love really is, That's what is

love in action. I mean, I can say I love you, I

love you, I love you, accounts for nothing unless you actually experience it

in the present. And of course, hope, hope, hope is always

on the future. And that's why faith, hope and love. I know

Corinthians tell Us tells us that love is the greatest of this all, But

I can tell you hope is the weakest of this all. But this hope,

man, you realize that must be the anchor for the soul of believers.

It must be firm, it must be secure. What are we hoping

for? Because the storms of all the world events will get worse rather than

better, until every part of the globe is going to be affected. And

I pray that we know the truth, and I pray that the truth will

anchor us down today. Hope must always anchor us to our faith, not

makers. Oh, I don't know what's gonna happen. I'm gonna I don't

know what's going to happen. The thing is, we know what's going to

happen, and so let's make sense of his written. You found, you

found? Where it came from? Er? Yes, Abraham or er you

are okay? Anyway, He's a earl of keld and or something. Okay

anyway, Ah, let's make sense of his written. So I'm looking time,

okay, can I can speak quite fast? So there are three hundred

references to Jesus returning again on Earth in the scriptures, So if you want

to put them all together, it's like playing jigsaw puzzle sometimes, okay.

And if we are able to make sense of Jesus's return by answering some questions,

which I will introduce some questions to you, now we may have a

better idea of what to expect and how to prepare ourselves. That is ultimately

what's most important. So let me remember my deep stuff. Okay. I

will answer a few questions today. Okay. We will start with who will

he come as the pre existent son of God? Or will he come as

the incarnate son of Men? I will explain what all this means. I

know these terms like oh too much, elder, too much? Where?

Where will he come to the whole world at once or just one place in

it? How will the second coming be like the first or totally different?

You remember, Jesus came for once? Ready, you know, if you

don't believe that Jesus came has come once. But you believe in Jesus,

technically you are you're a Jew because the Jews who practice Judaism are still waiting

for them Messiah when technically only God knows la. But will he come soon

and sudden or only after clear signs and signals? Why what can he only

achieve by coming back here? And how long will it take? So these

are sound of the questions that we need to ask. Okay, so let's

start off with who oh deep stuff. Okay, stay with mere who.

Firstly, it has to be emphasized that the divine Jesus and the human Jesus

it is one and the same person. Okay. Can we accept that even

Christians sometimes assumer that the Son of God was only made flash incarnated for thirty

three years. Incarnate means made flashlane. Okay, Jesus became human incarnated and

for thirty three years, that's it, and then now he has gone back

to his former state, whatever his former state is here, so we'll be

like, oh, okay, so what's his former state. But the truth

is that he became human and he keeps his resurrected body for the rest of

eternity. That means Jesus has retained his humanity in that sense. I need

you all to be clear on this, but it must be highlighted that there

has been one major change in his humanity even before he left the earth,

because God gave him a new body when he was raised out of the tomb.

You'll remember that. Of course the tomb. Before the tomb, they

really beat him up into a pulp, right, But when he was raised,

it was it was a perfect body. It had it had those cars

because he could show the disciples discars. So but it was a new,

resurrected body nonetheless, And we also need to remember that Jesus was not always

human being. In fact, he was not always Jesus. There was a

name he acquired when he was embodied. There was a name that he got

when the name was given to his earthly parents to name him. And remember

this also, Jesus is the only person who ever chose to be born.

None of you here can say that I chose to be born because none of

us even knew. But he knew because he was right with the Father right

from the very start in the beginning. If you read Genesis, it's another

gymnastics that happens there in Genesis itself. The you got to takeno of the

pronouns that are being used, and you've got to takno of the singular and

the plural that is being used. It's very interesting when you study Genesis.

God actually refers to himself as one, but he uses a plural. I

can't remember the English. Is it pronoun? Yeah, not a pronoun,

but yeah, you you understand, Okay, it's a. It's a.

It's a. It's a. It is to identify plural that's more than one.

Basically, he says I'm one, but he uses so if you read

it that you might think that the sentence structure is wrong grammatically. But God

is trying to make a point right from the very start that right at the

beginning, Father's son spirit are already in existence. So remember this, Jesus

was there right from the very start. Jesus is the only one, only

person, only human who could ever say that I chose to be born,

and he was also the eternal son of God, the Lord of Glory.

He's the word, the logos. That's why John chapter one, verse one

starts off by saying in the beginning and then explains and then refers to Jesus

as the logos the So he was the divine being before he was a human

being. We must accept that. We must know that. And it is

therefore significant that the angels user his human name when promising his return to planet

Earth. Take note of that because it says that it is the son of

men who will appear in the clouds. This is in Daniel chapter seven,

verse thirteen. Is in Mark chapter fourteen, verse sixty two. So we

must face this one implication of believing Thissner that embodied Jesus, that miss Jesus

in a body form can only be in one place on Earth at one time.

Does that make sense? Even and remember this, even with his glorious

resurrected body. Remember he was out of the tomb and then he appeared to

the different I think he appeared with two of the two floirs walking to Emous.

They saw him, but he could not be at multiple places at multiple

time, So he never appeared in two places at the same time, but

he could move quite quickly. Because we hear we really know him one minute,

he in one minute, he says, so I think we have super

speed next time. So if we understand that, then when he returns to

this earth, we the only logical conclusion is he can only come back to

one geographical location. Right where will that be? So that's our next question

where, Because if the return of Jesus is physical, it must also be

local. His spirit can be everywhere, but his body must be somewhere.

So before he has sented, Jesus could not be at two places at once.

We really know that because Jesus spend a lot of time with the disciples.

I think about fifty days after he was resurrected, he was with the

different disciples. He spent time with them, but no one could claim that

or we saw Jesus at the same that, no, no one. He

was with different ones at different times. And that is why he told his

disciples it was for their good that he was leaving them and sending another stand

by to take his place. That's in John chapter sixteen, verse seven.

Basically, he had promised to be with them always even to the end of

the age. Yet they will be scattered to the ends of the earth.

How will all those things happen? Well, the only way he could do

this was to remove his body and replace his physical presence with his ever presence

spirit, unlimited by time, unlimited by space. That's why when you read

John, that's what he was trying to say. He was telling the church,

Look, I have to go so that one will come, and this

one will be your paracletos that was the Greek term use. Basically, this

one will always be by your side, not just one person at one physical

location, but he will be by all your sights. That is why the

Spirit of God walks with all of us who believe in him. Believers will

not lose his spirit, but will enjoy his physical presence as well. We

all stand to be doubly blessed. You understand this. No, Jesus had

to go so that the Spirit can come, and the Spirit can come upon

not just one person at one time, but can come upon all persons at

all times. So while Jesus is there, spirit is with us, but

it's also the spirit of Jesus. Does that make sense? And so since

his body like ours, must always be at one point on the surface of

the earth. His return means that his disciples will have to be gathered together

from every part of the globe. That's the only way in which we can

actually all witness Jesus at the same time, right, Because it can be

he come and then everywhere sees Jesus and everyone located everywhere sees Jesus at the

same time. That doesn't make logical sense. And so that means that they

can only be gathered from every part of the globe. Only then could they

experience his bodily presence. Makes sense, And this is what the New Testament

tells us. So where will that be exactly? And it says this life,

it is from this city that he departed to return to his home in

heaven, and it is to this city that he will return from heaven.

And he called it the City of the Great King in Matthew five, verse

thirty five. Basically, this is Jerusalem. Why does Israel have such an

important event in world affairs today? I want you all to always have a

biblical lens and a biblical mindset, even in what is happening around the world

today, Even if you don't agree on how certain political things are unfolding.

Even if you don't agree with political Israel, Please always know that we have

a God who says that this land will always belong to them. That's the

providence that God has given. I'm not looking at politics. I'm looking at

God's providence. How God has provided, and he says where he lives is

also where he will come back to. Very important for us to take note

of this, and that's where the Lord will reign from eventually. Amen makes

sense so far, so again his spirit, his spirit is here with us.

But no matter what, Jesus will always be in the body form,

and he will come back even in that body form, and he will rule

and reign in the physical body. That's why as Christians, you must not

look down at the body. A lot of times we look down at the

physical. It's not something that is not the best way to think about it

because body, mind, spirits, so they're all important. They're all parts

of the being. Don't glorify one and then beat the other one. But

I know it's always the flesh that is the weakest. But one day the

Lord and the Spirit of God will help us all overcome that. Even in

these fleshly bodies. We will be able to be just like Jesus. He

is the ultimate epitome of what a human being should be like, sinless and

faultless. Amen. Okay, let's move on to how then how so far

making sense? Are so his second coming? We will be like his first

going, but it will be nothing like his first coming? Does that make

sense? It will be exactly how he ascended, but in the reverse last,

So he ascended. You know that there was ascension that the church today

don't really celebrate or talk much about the ascension unless you are from a more

traditional church, Methodist church, angliculture. Ascension is basically after Penteconst. Before

Pentecost, when Jesus he spent about fifty days and remember I told you about

forty days I think with the disciples before he was ascended into heaven. So

how he went the first time is also how he comes back by in the

reverse. La. That's what it means. And it will be visible,

it will be audible, it will be tangible, it will not be like

It will not be like the first time. The first time Jesus came,

nobody knew. Maybe a few wise men came born in a little major.

You're gonna be celebrating Christmas soon, right, there's nothing glorious about Christmas in

all honesty because no one knew he was completely Yeah, no one inconspicuous.

But this time, thousands of injuries were a company. He's written. It

will also be so noisy. You know, if you read Tessalonians first,

Tessilonians, there's a description of how you'll be like, So you'll be unlike

the first time, and there will be universal awareness and instant recognition. Basically,

everyone will know that he has come, and everyone will know who he

is. It will be public and it will be publicized. That means you

wouldn't no one will doubtl that is that him? Is that not him?

That's what scripture actually tells us. So one will only need comfort and support

if he or she is uncomfortable and going through a trying situation. What do

I mean, my dad, you see her? He is coming as he

really is. The world last saw him crucified. Now it will see him

crown at the at last. Every need about every time confessed that Jesus Christ

is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So basically, remember this,

Jesus at the second Coming will appear at the scene to be beside us,

to bring us comfort and to bring us support. That is what scripture

promises, and we will need the comfort and support if we are uncomfortable and

going through a trying time and a trying situation. If you study this with

revelations, you will know that there will be a period of time called the

tribulation. I will explain a little bit as I go through it. Uh.

But but don't that means that we are we will suffer or knows as

Christians if we are alive at that time, I believe we will. It

will be very trying, very now. Now, everything very nice, right,

still comfortable? No, come to churchy haha, we sing song it

fellowship? Okay? As I teach, I hope you all get a clearer

picture. So when will he come? And how much longer do we have

to wait? Ask the question that everyone's asking. So let's move on to

the next question first when well, technically no one knows that. Like I

said, only God himself knows. Not even Jesus knows his father's glendor.

That's in Matthew chapter twenty four, verse thirty six. Will his coming be

sudden and totally unexpected. The answer is yes and no. Well, Jesus

could come back at any moment, but there will be events preceding his return,

things that have to happen first, which are signs or even signals announcing

that he is at the door. That's why I remember we all did the

series in homes He's the door, I'm the door. Well remember that basically,

there will be signs, there will be sickness that he's at the door,

about to step through the stage of history again. So this is what

we need to look out for. That's why scripture consistently reminds us to watch

and pray, watch and pray, not so much listen and pray, because

that's the dangerous But as I share with you all a little bit more,

y'all will understand why scripture says watch with your eyes, because if we look

at scripture, we could see that there will be two groups of people at

the one coming. There will be those who do not believe, unbelievers who

will be very shocked, and then there will be the believers who should not

be shocked, who should not be surprised, like, okay, should not

it's the operative word. So what are the scienceifics coming. What are we

watching for? And there is so much data that is scattered all throughout the

New Testament, some in the Gospels, more in the episodes, and a

lot in revelations. So where should we start? And I say this morning,

just now that we are going to focus a little bit more on Matthew,

the Gospel of Methew, because that's where we actually find the clearest outline.

It's a four full framework of future events signaling when Jesus will written,

Okay, let's go to those four and I hope your minds can still take

it. N I'm only halfway, you know, halfway. So after adding

the four basic signs in the sequence, Jesus adds to each a warning about

its dangers and advice on what the disciples proper response should be. So for

each signer is a description, a danger, and a duty. There are

three things. A description of the sign, what the danger is, the

warning, and the duty what the response should be. Sign number one,

I'm going to read Scripture Matthew, chapter twenty four, verses four to eight

says this Jesus told them. Okay, let's read that Jesus told them.

Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name claiming I

am the Messiah. They will deceive many, and you will hear of wars

and threads of wars. But don't panic. Yes, these things must take

place, but the end one follow. Immediately. Nation will go to war

against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in

many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the

birth pains, with more to come. So there are basically three clear signs

that are mentioned here specific wars, earthquakes, femines. Okay, you'll know

what all that is, right, Okay, so true bitola. We have

seen actually an exponential increase in this kind of catastrophe. And what it usually

does is it spreads alarm and insecurity amongst people. And so therefore, when

these things happen, the natural response is people will be looking to a savior

to avert the tragedy. And this is where people will take the opportunity to

pretend to be Christ. That's why the warning in there is be careful of

the false Messiah. The Lord will come and say I and your savior and

disciples must protect themselves no from such deceptions. By not allowing panic to make

them vulnerable. A lot of times we panic, right if something like this

happens. And you know, the only way in which you can do this

is you must understand all these catastrophes, all these painful things that can happen.

But you must understand it in opposite to how the world reacts. Not

that it's not the end of all good things. No, because that's how

the world looks at it. When a catastrophe happens, when something bad happens,

when war takes place, is the end of all good things. Christians

are taught to look at it differently, look at it as the beginning of

much better things. It's a perspective that we need to take. You see,

the appropriate response is not alarm and anxiety, but a sense of anticipation.

That's why it talks about earth pangs. It's birth pains, you know,

that's the that is literally what it is. When you are going to

label and label and I think only Andrea and saying you can testify to this

and Antichi inside and the rest. No, but the truth is it hurts

like crazy, line right, and no, you can think that this is

the end of it, but no, one giving birth things that that's the

end of it. It's always the anticipation of the joy that will come after

the pain that I have to go through. So this is how we are

to prepare ourselves. You know, the science will be visible, and it's

really visible today because if you study the number of international conflicts since World War

Two, that's been a lot. If you study earth quakes, and I'm

telling you the numbers are doubling every ten years is doubling. Femine is so

widespread around the world. There's so many nations, not just nations, continents

which in today's day and age, are starving to death. Think about it.

How can this happen? Because I assure you there is enough food supply

for the whole world, because God already promised that I will not wipe them

out. There's the noise, that's the covenant that he made to no one.

There will always be enough food. How do you wipe out again?

The best way is not another flood. Actually it's food. But the whole

rainbow no is a sign of water and sun that will always be there.

Basically, what is water? End Son gives you. It gives you the

way to generate food, there is enough food, but there's still so many

femines happening in today's world. Why is there? How long this state of

affairs will continue, or how much worse can you get? No one will

be able to guess. But this is the first major sign, and we

are already seeing it with our eyes today. Amen, number two deserters in

the church. Okay, what do I mean? Me? Liesa. Then

he says, then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You

will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many

will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false

prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere,

and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endeals to

the end will be safe. And the good news about the Kingdom will be

preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it. And

then the end will come. So first there will be opposition in that the

followers of Jesus will be hated by all nations, which will bring a corresponding

increase of those who will die for their Christian faith. We don't see it

much but I can tell you that this is happening around the world as she

is. How then, have done studies know how many basically thousands of Christians

die every month for their faith and yearly you all into hundreds of thousands who

actually die for that. We haven't reached that stage yet here in Malaysia,

but I'm telling you it shouldn't come as a surprise, basically because it really

is set in scripture. There will be those opposing factors and all around the

world we are starting to see And so really, why is it that I

sometimes share messages like this because I want to prepare the church that we will

come under pressure for your faith. You will if you think that just believing

in Christian is the easiest thing to do, everything is going to be smooth

sailing and it's going to be comfortable. I'm preaching you a lie because from

there you will also see the number of believers reducing, because that's the reality

of it. Pressures will always reveal the difference between who is genuine and who

is nominal, who is really a believer in Christ and who are only paying

lip service and saying that hallelujah, hallelujah. Because there will be those who

will struggle to remain faithful, especially when the going gets tough. Now you

think it's all okay, but remember is those who remain faithful and stay fast

will also cause the church to expand, because those who are bold and renewed

will now be zealous to preach Jesus more confidently. No signs when we ask

everyone, what's the hardest thing to do in vaginalism or no confidence? Is

ver? How to share with people, cannot take rejection? These are all

real. But when the going gets tough, if your faith passes the tests

of persecution, you know that you go out and you want to tell more

people about Christ because you don't want to see anyone go to a christless eternity.

That's the reality of it. But for this to happen, and we

know for Jesus to come back, word evangelism has to take place, because

they say it's the only until the ends of the world knows that Jesus will

return. That's why I say the church will like it or not, those

who really believe will go out and will share. And we are ready seeing

it happen as well. And so at the same time, there will be

an increase of false profits. This second one and the first one says there'll

be there will be a lot of false messiahs. Now, he says there

will be a lot of false prophets. And what when they preach, they'll

preach you peace when there is no peace. They will also reassure you of

this false sense of comfort. It's almost like he don't ready, bad times

will never happen. But when you do that, when they do that,

we leave Christians not prepared for what's to come. Some teachings may also tell

you a sing no problem, when it's a small matter. You can do

whatever you want. Because if your God's chosen people, his forgiveness has nothing

to do with your personal choices. I don't there preach messages like that,

even though it sounds like, yes, it's all inclusive, everyone come,

come. But the thing is there will be many who will preach like that,

and many will turn away from the faith, and the love of most

will grow cold. That's what it means in scripture, So be careful what

you are hearing. Scripture doesn't ask us to hear and pray. It says

watch and pray because what you hear is going to be a lot of deception,

A lot of teachings, a lot of deception is going to come to

your head. Makes sense. The third sign is this, there will be

a dictator in the Middle East. I'm reading it chronologically because he says Matthew

twenty four now verses fifteen to twenty eight, and I'm going to read very

quickly. The day is coming when you will see that Daniel the prophet spoke

about the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place. Then those

in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of

a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out

in the field must not return even to get a code. How terrible it

will be for a pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And

pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the sabbath, for

there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world begins, and

it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of

calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive, but it will be

shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones. Then if anyone tells you,

look, here is the Messiah or there he is, don't believe it,

for false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders

so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. See I

have warned you about this ahead of time. So if someone tells you,

look, the Messiah is out in the desert, don't bother to go and

look, or look he's hiding here. Don't believe it. For as the

lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be

when the Son of Man comes, just as the gathering of vultures show there

is a carcass nearby. So these signs indicate that the end is near strong,

strong. The troubles that have always affected God's people basically will reach a

climax that means all the different challenges that you were already facing, someone was

having even started facing it, but a lot of other Christians have started facing.

But it will reach a crisis situation. And this is what is known

as the Great Tribulation in Revelations. Again, I'm not going to go too

deep into wed, but the tribulation is basically a period of time in which

Christians, if you are living that time, is going to be very trying.

There are some churches that believe that Christians will never go to the Great

tribulation. That means we will be raptured first. Okay, that's the rapture

teaching that sometimes you hear will be taken up and then only those left behind

have to go through the tribulation. I don't really believe in that. I'll

tell you upfront, ah, And I'd rather prepare the church for the Great

Tribulation instead of telling everyone that, look, you're gonna be raptured, you

won't feel anything, you won't go to the suffering. Because if I'm wrong

and you get raptured, goola good, good good, that always do have

to go to suffering. But if I'm right and you all are not ready,

and it's going to be trying, so I'd rather er on, let's

prepare, let's be prepared. Okay. Because Jesus said more about this sign

than any of the other three, but not very straightforward, but so much.

It's so long I read, you know, because he's actually the warning

is based on this phrase, the abomination that causes desolation. Strong words,

but you see that in Daniel, mainly in the Book of Daniel, and

in the Book of Daniel of course Old Testament book. Daniel was referring to

a human conqueror who in the very city where God has been honored, will

be there uttering Blasphemia's words and committing obscene deeds and provoking a great mental and

great physical distress among God's people. That means that there will be someone out

in the Middle East doing that. That's where God's very city is. And

Daniel realized that there would be such a terrible event at a time of the

end. So clearly Jesus is speaking, because now he's peaking in Matthew twenty

four, which is hundreds of years after Daniel, he's still also talking about

the future, but he's taking what Daniel has really said, and he's saying,

look, there will be that time, and he says that time will

be known as the Tribulation. Basically, if you read Revelations, the days

are numbered one, it's about one two hundred and sixty days, about three

and a half years of tribune in a way, thank God, is not

super long, right, But like I said, I'm not going to go

so deep into that because they will be teaching revelations, but it will be

at the same place. Basically, that's why Jesus advises all living in Judea

at that time to leave as quickly as possible, because don't even wait to

pack, just go. They must go. Are the passages in the New

Testaments speak about this last dictator, also known as the Antichrist. The Book

of Revelations also gives us the most information, calls him the Beast. Okay,

together this Antichrist and the false profit, they will set up this totalitarian

regime in which only those who submit to their authority by being branded with a

monk. That's where your sixty six to six comes. You'll be branded with

a mug. And basically that mark is to enable you to trade read Revelations

if you if you don't believe me Revelations chapter thirteen. Only those with the

mark will be able to buy and sell food. Mainly, that's why it's

going to be so trying during those times unless you say I don't want Jesus

give me that mark so that I can buy and trade. That's why Jesus

says, please leave those in Judea, those who are there itself in the

that region in the middle is leave and nothing like it will they won't.

It will be an experienced like nothing before, say Jesus, and that's why

he says, no, the greatest pressure his followers have known. It will

be so terrible, but it will be mercifully brief. That means again,

it's a numbered period of time one two hundred and sixty days, three and

a half years. So there will be many rumors no that Christ has returned,

and believers will be told where they can find him. They must not

listen to this rumors. They will see the sign that He has come eventually

wherever they are at. That is the promise. Basically, the advice is

only those in Judea travel out, not to encounter Christ, but basically to

escape the Antichrist. Christ is actually telling them run. The rest of us

not there in Judea, stay put keep our eyes because you will realized in

terms of chronology of events, while the first two signs can happen in a

long period of time, the third and fourth can happen is numbered and is

quick. And that's why it says again you must watch and pray and thank

Goodness know this crisis can be measured in days, and it will soon be

over. And then there's only one more sign left before Jesus returns, and

that is sign Num Before is basically the darkness in the sky, because it

says, immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened,

the moon you will give no light, the stars will fall from the

sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at

last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the

heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth.

And they will see the Son of Men coming on the clouds of heaven

with power and great glory, and he will send out his angels with the

mighty blasts of a trumpet, and they will gathered his chosen ones from all

over the world, from the furthest ends of the earth and heaven. This

will follow immediately after the distress of those days. There will be no more

delayed. This means are that those who leave to see the third sign,

you will have a very good idea when Jesus will come back. I don't

know whether we'll all live to see the third Sign, but we are leaving

to see at least two of the signs already, so this knowledge should encourage

them. Are basically, if you're living through the third sign and your bahan,

remain loyal in those terrible minds, because the final sign is unmistakable,

and all natural resources of light will go. Oh, it will be extinguished.

It will be complete darkness. Whatever time of the day is, sun,

moon, stars, everything, nothing, No longer will they be able

to shine. The nations will see then the lightning coming from the east and

flashing to the west, and they will see Jesus riding on the cloud.

It's either you all think this is going to be fairy tale, or you

believe it. I believe it with all my heart. If I'm living true,

that's what I'm going to be looking for. Because the believers who have

been waited so long for this day to arrive know that this was a call

to the Lord's people together together, and angels will escort believers from all corners

of the earth. That's why he says no, they will already have their

new bodies and will and all the date believers who preceded them basically will be

there at the meeting as well. Basically, this is what I understand as

the rapture when we will be taken up together to welcome Jesus, not taken

up to glory and everyone else suffer. I read the rapture as we will

all be taken up together to welcome Jesus back. That's my belief. Please

go back, read the Bible for yourself, and then you decide. I

know the one that I'm preaching. All I have to go through tribulation and

a retam, but don't read it. Just based on comforting yourself readly knowing

what's the truth, okay. And so believers are transported to Israel basically because

that's where he will return, right to Jerusalem. Unbelievers will be left behind.

And that's why Jesus said there will be two men working together in the

same field, one taken the other left. The same can happen to two

women working together in the same kitchen. And even families will be forever divided.

That's what it means in scripture. Strong. We don't like it,

but that's the reality. And so faithful followers of Jesus will be forever united,

both with each other and with their Lord wherever he is or will be.

He has come back so that they can be with him and see his

glory. Makes sense? Okay, why I'm three quarters me, But let's

see how I'm gonna end answer. Okay, why why is Jesus coming back?

Well, firstly to complete the saints, to complete us believers. You

see, he will appear a second time. Not to bear a sin,

no, because he really bore our sins the first time. But this time

he is to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. At last,

Christians will be fully safe, as we all know that salvation is a

continuing process, not just an instantaneous change at conversion, not just when you

raise your hand, I'm safe. No. No, their savior on the

first visit completed his work for them. So when Jesus first came, he

completed the work for all of us. He took the sins of the world

upon his body, count him for all of y'all. It's done, y'all

don't have to go through the penalty of sin anymore. It is finished.

That's what it meant. And now when he comes back the second time,

he's completing the work in us. Does that make sense? Ongoing? Ongoing?

We got to We've got to keep to our faith as long as we

are alive until the very end. That's why when he returns is to complete

the work that is in us, the work that is for us already completed

on the cross of Calvary. Does that make sense? So he will come

back to complete the believers. He will come back to convert the Jews.

And that's another whole teaching on his own. But can you just take it

as what I'm telling you, because remember is that Jesus was and he will

always be Jewish. He was born and died the king of the Jews.

Matthew chapter two, Matthild chapter twenty seven. You see that God's covenant with

Abraam and his descendants were ever lasting and therefore unconditional. Look at Genesis chapter

seventeen. I'm not making this up, but just realize this. Many Jews

are not safe, and they need to be safe. And that's why we

as Christians cannot say that to Bella. They give up there right to ready

because Jesus know this is their god man. Jesus was in a way,

they are God, so but he rejected them. He's they're the ones that

put him to the cross. And so sometimes the Church takes this. This

stands where the Jews are too bad, let them, let them die.

No, we know the truth. We still have to share with them because

it is there scriptures that we are reading as well. Remember that. So

Jesus will come back, he will convert the Jews. He'll come back to

conquer the devil. Amen. He will come back then to command the world.

That's why he says, no. The prayer our Lord's prayer is our

Father, who are in heaven, Hello, be thy name, that kingdom

come, that will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What

does that mean? He's coming back to this earth to reign over it,

to rule over the world. I believe for an extended period of time.

That's my understanding of the millennium. Some people don't believe that Jesus will come

and rule for a thousand years. Some people say that he's really ruling the

church is currently ruling that thousand years again, that this is all in revelations.

I believe that Jesus will come back. He will rule and reign a

thousand years, literally a thousand years to show us what it really means when

he asks us to pray, your kingdom, come your will be done on

earth as it is in heaven. How A lot of times we say it's

impossible. Of course, we think about it cannot even if Jesus come down

and rule, as it's going to be so much sin in this world is

he won't be able to make it on. He can't make it on.

I believe he will come back and he'll show us how is done. When

you have a perfect governing system, which I believe is called theocracy, God

is your number one leader. Not democracy ruled by popular opinion, not autocracy

ruled by a dictator, but theocracy ruled by God himself. Does that make

sense? Again, don't take my word for it. Go back and read

your scriptures. And then eventually he will condemn the ungodly. That is something

Okay. Basically this is eschatological teachings, teaching or Heaven and Hell. I

know you're like, let's not talk about Hell, but one day I'll talk

about Hell a little bit more because it's real. So what can we make

of all this? We just need to make sure we are ready. Why

are there so much being told about the Second Coming? There must be a

reason. The purpose for me is practical and in my honest opinion for us

to be ready for Christ written. You see, a revelation for the future

is given to affect the present, not to satisfy our mental curiosity. Sometimes

we all thinking that this whole book or Revelations is just a curious thing God,

whatever happen, So let's all debate, let's all talk about it,

let's all have different opinions. No, but I believe the Revelations was given

us is to stimulate our moral consistency. It's not for information. It's not

that I know better, I know more than you, I know when Jesus

coming back. No, it's so that we are prepared. That is the

incentive that God wants us to have as believers. He's really given us everything

in his words. But yet we should not be the very ones that are

surprised when it happens. So the future must influence the present, because only

God knows the future, and he has revealed it to earth his people.

And that is why hope for a Christian is always confidence, certainty rather than

wishful thinking. A lot of times when we use the hope hopefully, hopefully,

we are not really anchored in the truth. You know, are you

going there? Today hopefully it's like you're not convinced now when you use hope.

But in the Christian Bible, the word elp hope is a certainty.

And that's why we need we need that assurance because the only time we have

to get ready for the future is the present. To delay is to run

the risk of being late. And how can we be ready for his written

well, very quickly, actually it's a whole message on his own, but

very quickly. What do we need and how do we need to be ready?

Our individual faith? We need to have that individual faith our continuous service.

Maybe I'll explain more, but just understand. You know when in Methew

twenty four, which is where we read all the science, Mathew twenty five

basically is the teaching of three parables, and in all three parables you hear

and you read of this statement, well done, my good and faithful servant.

That makes we continue to serve. You know, the five foolish rights

and the five wise ones, those that were prepared were found to be faithful

all the way to the very end. The parable of the talent is the

same thing. What did you do with the talent that I have given to

you? Did you bury in the ground or did you you go and multiply

it? Faithfulness and that's what the Lord is looking for, both faithful and

fruitful personal holy Again. We are set apart for holiness right now. That

is what we need to look into. Communal fellowship. This is why we

do church. There is strength in numbers. I can tell you. Don't

isolate yourself at home this Christian flers or see our all doomsday preppers. Jesus

coming back, Jesus coming back. Come together, communal fellowship. We are

stronger together as the whole body of Christ. Amen, there will be global

evangelism. That's why as a church we continue to send people out. We

must do that. That is preparation ultimately social action. The greatest commandment is

love God. The second greatest is love one another. That's why we go

out and love those who are loveless. We are safe to serve and we

have to serve indiscriminately everyone who needs us. That is the call of a

Christian. But finally is this loyal endurance. You see, things will get

much worse before they get better, things will get better after they get worse.

Basically that I just sum up the whole book of revelations. That's the

reality of it. And some of us may face this great tribulation maybe,

But what will enable believers to survive such pleasures, even more so to overcome,

to be more than conquerors, is our hope and our certain hope that

Jesus is coming back. If not, it all does not make sense.

Amen. And so the real test of our faithfulness is not how we behave

if he is. If he's coming is sure and soon. A lot of

times, if we know he's coming shore and soon, we are like,

But the how we behave if he is long time coming. He's not looking

for panic action. No, he's not looking for us. And now someone

comes up and say, oh, any of the words coming to everyone panics,

Let's prepare, let's prepare, let's prepare, let's he's asking us to

prepare, not pretend prepare. He's looking for loyal service. It is not

what we are doing when he returns that matters so much as what we have

been doing all the time when he has been away. So he's not looking

at exactly what you're doing when he comes back. No, but what have

we been doing all this? Wow? And that is what these passages know

in Matthew twenty four in Revelations six to eighteen. The whole chapters there is

in our New Testment is to get us ready for the worst that can happen.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information on our

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a hit for you. God bless