Will Many Not Expect The End?

In the latest edition of Servants’ News was the following letter and with a response:

LETTER:

How is it that the world will have gone through uprisings (Mat 24:7), martyrdoms (Mat 24:9), famines (Rev 6:6), plagues (Rev 6:8), massive earthquake, darkening of the sun, meteor shower (Rev 6: 12-13), a third of trees being burned (Rev 8:7), comet strike (Rev 8:8), and not be expecting the Second Coming? If you read (Mat 24:38-39), there will be some place on this earth where people seem completely oblivious to what has gone on. The Second Coming will be totally unexpected to these people (Mat 24:43). There will still be governments functioning (Rev 17:12-13) and even capable of fighting a war (Dan 11:40). I don’t understand the paradox.

RESPONSE: This is a great question that I think deserves an answer.

First, governments do not tell the truth about what is happening, and unfortunately, most people believe the false stories because they seem popular. For example, some Jews in the 1930s did their research, realized that Hitler wanted to eliminate their race, confirmed the rumors that he was doing just that, and left their country—often leaving their wealth behind. Other Jews believed the oft-repeated official lies that they were just being relocated. When they found themselves unloaded from a train at a concentration camp it was too late. As hindsight has shown, the governments of many other nations knew of these atrocities, but did not report them or attempt to help.

Today, many people believe that other nation’s governments lie, but not their own. I would love to write an article covering some of the major areas where the government of the USA is lying to its citizens, but most people would dismiss me as a “nut-case” without iron-clad, irrefutable proof…

Secondly, I do not think most Bible readers understand prophecy, so they may be looking for the wrong things. To some degree, I include myself in this. (Norman Edwards).

Comments by COGwriter:

While governments have lied and will continue to do so, I do not believe that that is the biggest factor.

I believe that most people do not even attempt to understand how news events fit into the plan of God, nor, as Norman Edwards properly stated, do they properly understand biblical prophecy. They seem to act like news items are like the wind–something they notice, but that seems arbitrary.

Euro the Wind in Athens

The photo above is of an ancient carving of Euro who is supposed to be the southeast wind. I (COGwriter) took this picture in Athens (Greece). (A picture of the tower is available at https://www.cogwriter.com/299.htm)

Notice what the Apostle Peter wrote:

…scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 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 creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (2 Peter 3:3-10).

Just this week there were four significant earthquakes on the West coast of the United States, at least 18 died from Hurricane Felix, and the US Federal Reserve pumped more money into the money supply to stop the economy from crashing (this started a couple of weeks ago). This morning, scientists announced that 1/2 of some area in Alaska will be melted by 2050 and that there was a 3.1 magnitude earthquake in Arkansas. World changing events are going on right now that people ignore. Like Peter warned, they act like everything is the same.

As far as misunderstanding prophecy, that is and will be a HUGE problem.

The Roman Catholics, for example, actually expect a “Great Monarch” to arise in Europe who will be supported by a miracle performing Pontiff who will make the world nominally Catholic. This is a mirror-image (they have it backwards) of prophecy as this is what the Bible warns against.

Many Protestants erroneously expect that they will be raptured away, thus will be totally caught off guard.

Most other Protestants (as well as the Eastern Orthodox) will become so ecumenical that they will actually accept Roman Catholic misunderstandings of prophecy.

The Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) actually believe that the United States is the two-horned beast of Revelation, hence will not understand when the European Beast power arises (especially since much of the SDA leadership is into ecumenicalism).

The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) position on the United States is not too far from the SDAs (though they are not ecumenical). Furthermore, since the JWs believe that more of Daniel 11 has been fulfilled, than truly has, they will be deceived as well.

The Church of God, Seventh Day de-emphasizes prophecy so much that they will not know what happens until too late.

The Bible shows that the Laodiceans in the Church of God think they understand, but since they do not, they will not be protected at the end.

The plain truth is that God only promises to keep the Philadelphians from that hour of trial, hence those that do not accept the idea of Church eras, as well as all others that are not Philadelphian will not be so protected. Those that Zephaniah 2 indicates will be “gathered together” before it is too late.

Several articles of related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Who is the king of the North?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? Who is right about prophecy? This documented article answers those questions.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach?
SDA/COG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The COG is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Churches of God Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
7. The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.