HEELCATCHER

I guess from the world’s perspective I am pretty crazy.

I believe that Jesus Christ is coming back in the clouds to snatch away His bride, the church.

I believe that a time of intense tribulation is coming on the earth in which a false world leader, speaking words of peace and love, will deceive the world and eventually demand total allegiance and worship of himself.

I believe that Jesus Christ will end this time of tribulation by coming back to the earth to destroy this false leader and his followers, to rid the world of evil, to rescue His people, and to usher in the true kingdom of peace, righteousness, and love.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

But it also seems real. Something inside of us longs for peace on this earth…for meaning in this life…for justice to prevail…for hope beyond the grave.

Deep down what we are all longing for is the kingdom of God, an earthly paradise, the echo of the Garden of Eden that is still in our hearts.

The big question is, “Do we believe the governments of the world will bring about this utopia or do we believe that only God can do so?”

Is it the kingdom of man or the kingdom of God?

Is it brought about through the most powerful military or the All-Powerful Messiah?

We are part of a grand story moving toward a climax and that climax is the rule of Jesus Christ on the earth.

Of course, the order of end-time events that I mentioned above is open to debate. There are Bible-believing Christians who have a different understanding of eschatology (i.e., the study of last things in the Bible). But orthodox Christian belief has always understood that Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the earth and resurrect the dead, some to eternal life and some to eternal condemnation.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered and was buried.
The third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end. (The Nicene Creed, AD 325)

So how do we live in the light of this truth?

That seems to be one of the challenges in the church today.

Those who hold to a dispensational, premillennial eschatology (like I do) can easily drift into constant end-times speculation, “prophetic” pronouncements, date-setting, and “newspaper exegesis” (always looking for signs of the end in every major headline).

I often say, somewhat jokingly, that “all the nutcakes seem to be in our camp.”

But let’s face it, we are all interested in the future. We want to know what is going to happen down the road. That’s why we run after weather forecasts, sports predictions, political projections, economic prognostications, and, for some people, even horoscopes and fortune tellers.

Thus, the market for “prophets”–of both the secular and religious types–is always a potentially lucrative occupation.

This is where wisdom, discernment, and good ol’ common sense need to prevail.

The Bible gives us enough hints of the future to give us confidence as we face tomorrow but it does not reveal the full picture. This partial portrait of prophecy keeps us humble, prevents us from thinking we have it all figured out, and reminds us to live for Christ in the present, walking by faith each day.

Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Thus, when the Bible talks about the end times, it almost always mentions the word “sober-minded.”

• Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
• Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:12b-13)
• Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
• The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (1 Peter 4:7)
• In view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge…keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1b, 5)

I like that last translation: “Keep your head in all situations.”

In other words, don’t get crazy. Don’t go off the deep end. Don’t panic and start running after wild speculations and prophetic pronouncements that some well-dressed dude on YouTube starts spouting.

Keep your head.

Stay smart.

Be wise.

Evaluate.

Discern.

Check the fruit.

Know the Word.

If they claim to be prophets for God, then the standard is 100% accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:22).

If they claim to be prophets for God, then their lives should exhibit the humility of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

If they claim to be prophets for God, then their message must align with the revealed Word of God and put the focus on Jesus Christ (Jude 3-21).

The Bible warns that the last days will be filled with false prophets and increasing deception (Matthew 24:11; 2 Timothy 3:1-17).

We are seeing that happening.

Never has deception been so rampant.

Never has the world been so set up for a one-world government, for a false peace, for a globalistic agenda, for a worldwide war and nuclear holocaust that could bring about some of the cataclysmic scenes in Revelation.

As someone has said, “This may not be the end of the world but it sure does seem like the world of the end.”

The time seems to be at hand.

But we still do not know.

Thus, we live like Peter instructed us to live in the end times. It is the kind of life that we are called to live regardless of whether Christ comes back today or in the next 100 years.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:7-10)

Be alert.

Be wise.

Pray.

Love.

Open up your hands, your home, and your life.

And serve others with the gifts that God has given you.

Or to put it in the opposite terms…

Don’t be deceived.

Don’t go crazy.

Don’t fear.

Don’t attack.

Don’t hoard your stuff.

And don’t isolate your life from others.

Keep your eyes on the skies.

But keep your head at all times.

If the world thinks that you are crazy, let it be because your hope is in Christ alone.

Have you noticed the newfangled Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers in restaurants? They allow you to mix your own concoction of soft drinks with the click of a button. I have stood behind kids whisking through the screens combining a host of different drinks to create something weird and new.

I usually just stick with Dr. Pepper.

But thinking about these dispensers made me realize what is happening in modern American Christianity.

Many people are mixing their own theological concoction of the Christian faith to suit their own liking.

Jumping from YouTube video to YouTube video, website to website, cable show to cable show, preacher to preacher, commentator to commentator, talking head to talking head. Soon you have your own unique combination of dispensational, postmillennial, Pentecostal, political, prophetic, apocalyptic, gnostic Christianity and you don’t even realize it.

But you take a big ol’ gulp of your new Kool-Aid.

And it gives you a serious case of theological heartburn. In some cases, it can kill your faith.

Let me give you an example.

Recently someone sent me a YouTube video of a Christian preacher that they wanted me to watch. They loved his message. It was bold, in-your-face, and politically-charged. When I am sent a video like this, I often wonder if the goal is to say something like, “Hey, pastor, maybe you ought to preach more like this.”

But as I watched the video, I noticed that something was a little off. I did a little research about him and his church and realized that they held a postmillennial reconstructionist theology.

What does that mean? 

Basically they believe that the church will change the government and society and eventually bring in the kingdom age. Christ will come back at the end of this millennium of peace ushered in by the church.

Postmillennialism expects the proclaiming of the Spirit-blessed gospel of Jesus Christ to win the vast majority of human beings to salvation in the present age. Increasing gospel success will gradually produce a time in history prior to Christ’s return in which faith, righteousness, peace, and prosperity will prevail in the affairs of people and of nations. (Kenneth Gentry)

The postmillennial conception of victory is of a progressive cultural victory and expansive influence of Christianity in history. (Gary North)

The reconstructionist part of the theology is that the church should be actively involved in politics so as ultimately to bring the nation under the law of Moses.

It’s a unique view that has been around for awhile. Many early believers in America were postmillennials who felt like America would play a role in bringing in the kingdom on earth. Many people like postmillennialism, and there are some theologians who argue for it, because it is a positive view of the victory of the church in this present age.

But what was ironic in this case is that the person who sent me the video would fit in the dispensational, premillennial category believing that the world will get worse and worse, Christ will rapture His church, the world will go through an intense time of tribulation, and then Christ will come back to set up His kingdom on earth.

So why did she like this postmillennial preacher who would be antithetically opposed to her view of eschatology? Presumably because she liked his bold attack on present-day politics which, in his mind (unbeknownst to her), is necessary for the church to take over the government and usher in the kingdom.

Here’s another recent example.

Someone in my family was telling me about a cable TV show that they were watching on the end times. I decided to watch an episode to see what it was all about.

It had cool graphics and a set designed to look like a newscast. The man sitting behind the news desk (while continually holding his new book towards the camera) proceeded to talk about Great Britain, America, Germany, the European Union, the Berlin Wall, the beast of Revelation, and all kind of other apocalyptic details. He was so sure of his interpretation of Revelation 13 that he didn’t even pause to defend it. He spoke with certainty as if he had discovered the secret that no one else had ever seen in this prophetic book. And he threw out a random assortment of news headlines to prove his point.

At the end of the TV show, he gave you a gracious opportunity to buy more of his books and DVD’s to find out exactly how all the events happening in America today are fulfilling biblical prophecy.

I decided to look up this guy and find out what he believes.

He is a Oneness Pentecostal who denies the Trinity and believes that to be saved a person has to believe in Jesus, be baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus only, and show evidence of the Spirit by speaking in tongues. (You can buy his four-part DVD set to learn how to get saved.)

He has also made a boatload of money by selling his unique view of prophecy at prophecy conferences and on his cable TV show. He doesn’t pastor a church, have any theological training, or have any accountability to a governing board. But he is a supposed expert on the book of Revelation. And he has an eager audience ready to drink in his unique, absolutely certain, American-centered prophetic pronouncements.

Again, what is ironic is that my family member is a Trinity-believing, gospel-centered Baptist who would not even be saved according to this guy on the cable prophecy channel.

Now let’s throw in bunch of other ingredients to our concoction.

The polarizing politicization of everything in our culture, separating people into firm categories labeled the “good guys” and the “bad guys.”

Modern-day “prophets” proclaiming political prophecies primarily centered around Donald Trump. These are not just prophecies about him winning an election but they often go much further, even into scary heresy.

As I was praying today I saw a vision of DJT seated on a throne holding a golden scepter. He also had a golden crown on his head. This, I was shown, is his PRESENT status from heaven’s perspective. Heaven does not recognize JB having any scepter nor wearing any crown. …DJT was called and anointed by God to lead our nation and the world into a new era. (Johnny Enlow)

QAnon conspiracy theories that claim to have the “secret knowledge” (like the Gnostics of old) of what is really going on in our government and in our world.

End times predictions that see almost every news headline as having some kind of prophetic meaning that can be found in some obscure verse in Scripture.

None of this is really “new.”

Scripture warns about conspiracy theories.

Do not call everything a conspiracy
that these people say is a conspiracy.
Do not fear what they fear;
do not be terrified.
You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy.
Only He should be feared;
only He should be held in awe. (Isaiah 8:12-13)

Scripture warns about false prophets.

The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way. (Jeremiah 5:31a)

Scripture even tells us that no one knows when Christ will come back.

But as for that day and hour no one knows it—not even the angels in heaven—except the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36)

When the disciples peppered Jesus about the timing of His coming kingdom, He replied:

“It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)

Yet history is filled with false prophecies and false predictions of the end times. Here are just some of the dates predicted to be the end: AD 70, 375, 400, 482, 500, 793, 800, 847, 1000, 1033, 1260, 1335, 1504, 1524, 1528, 1555, 1648, 1658, 1688, 1697, 1736, 1794, 1836, 1843, 1847, 1914, 1918, 1936, 1941, 1967, etc.

Just in my own lifetime, I have seen 88 Reasons Why Christ Will Come Back in 1988; Mikhail Gorbachev identified as the Anti-Christ (and Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama too); Saddam Hussein, the rebuilding of the city of Babylon, and the start of the Iraqi War as the sign of the end; Y2K; the Mayan Prophecy; the Four Blood Moons; and a whole host of other “end times events.”

Yes, I believe that Christ is coming back…and probably soon…but Scripture has not given me permission to try to nail down the date or spend all my time trying to figure out how every news event fits into the prophetic calendar.

This can be big business and attract large audiences but it is not to be my focus.

But why does any of this matter? What’s the big deal?

The Bible makes it clear that behavior flows out of belief. How you think shapes your life. An incoherent belief system leads to an incoherent lifestyle.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

In practically all of Paul’s epistles, he teaches us doctrine before he tells us what to do. We are sanctified by the truth (John 17:17). It is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32).

It is sound doctrine…healthy doctrine…that leads to a healthy life (Titus 2:1-15).

If you spend all your time drinking the world’s Coca-Cola concoctions, then it may give you a temporary sugar high but it will eventually rot out your teeth and seriously impact your health.

You need something better to drink.

Start with the pure milk of God’s Word.

In a world where evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, I am to anchor myself firmly in the truth of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:13-17)

This means that I need to study Scripture, understand it in its context, stay humble, stay accountable to other believers in a local church, be discerning, be wise, be sober-minded, live faithfully, and fix my eyes on Jesus alone. His return may be today. His return may be 100 years from now after I am gone.

What makes our present-day so dangerous is that we have never been exposed to so many various viewpoints by various people on various websites and various TV stations without any direct contact with who they are or any accountability for what they teach.

Jesus said that we are to judge false prophets by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20)

But it is hard to evaluate their fruits when we only see them on a computer or TV screen and know nothing else about their theology or their lives.

That’s why more than at any other time in history, we need to stay grounded in the truth. And we have to know our theology. We cannot indiscriminately combine dispensational, postmillennial, Pentecostal, political, prophetic, apocalyptic, Gnostic beliefs just because they seem to tickle our ears with whatever personal opinion, prophetic pronouncement, or political perspective that we want to hear.

So skip the world’s freestyle make-your-own sugary soda dispenser.

Order the water instead.

The living water that only Jesus can give.

Russia invaded the nation of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

It has certainly shocked and shaken the world.

Shocked…because of the sheer audacity of Russia to snub its nose at the entire free world and launch a full-scale military attack into another sovereign nation.

Shaken…because Russia’s aggression and Putin’s hubris could potentially escalate into another world war…a war which many feel could signal the end of the world as we know it since the technological advance in weaponry could unleash unparalleled destruction.

In the midst of the fear and uncertainty, it is natural to wonder what the future will bring. It is also natural for people to wonder if the Bible says anything about it.

Let’s face it…prophecy is a big attraction.

Pat Robertson came out of retirement to announce that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the beginning of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.

Other prophetic teachers have followed suit.

And their prophetic speculations will gain a boatload of listeners, garner lots of headlines, and goad on more prophecies from others looking for similar attention.

That is not to say that prophecy is not real.

The Bible is filled with prophecy. God is sovereign and He abides in the Eternal Now so He not only sees the future but He controls the future and ordains the future as well.

In Jesus’ first coming, He fulfilled over a hundred prophecies of the Old Testament.

And there are many more prophecies to be fulfilled in Jesus’ second coming.

History is moving toward a climax and Jesus Christ will reign on this earth.

So my concern is not with biblical prophecy but with the quick reaction to every news headline and the readiness to fit it into a Bible passage with almost 100% confidence.

I have seen this far too many times in my short lifetime.

88 Reasons Why Jesus Is Coming Back in 1988. Mikhail Gorbachav. Ronald Reagan. The rebuilding of Babylon. Saddam Hussein. The Gulf War. Y2K. The four blood moons. Barack Obama. Donald Trump. COVID-19. And now Vladimir Putin.

I’m sure if I was alive in 1939, I would have definitely thought that Adolf Hitler was the Anti-Christ and that the end of the world was around the corner. How could you not? But eighty years later, we can look back and see that World War 2 may have been a foreshadowing of the end times but it wasn’t the real thing.

One of my favorite issues of Christian History magazine is its history of the End. In it, they cover all the dates and events that have been pegged as the end of the world. Hundreds and hundreds of them. Of course, all of them were wrong.

When the disciples wondered when Jesus was going to bring His kingdom to earth, Jesus responded to them very clearly:

It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (Acts 1:7)

It is not for us to know. We have a more important thing to focus on.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

So what do we make of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

I don’t know.

I do not think it is the beginning of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.

Ezekiel 38 is a favorite passage of prophetic teachers. And rightfully so. It does point to a future war against the nation of Israel (probably at the mid-point of the Tribulation). But the mystery surrounding the names and the places in Ezekiel’s prophecy makes it a perfect place for people to insert their own opinions and speculations about its meaning. Of course, they won’t call it their opinion and their speculation but they will instead proclaim their viewpoint as the obviously correct one.

Gog and Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, along with the coalition of Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Togarmah, may refer to modern-day Russia and the nations around it including Iran, Turkey, and Ukraine, but that is an exegetical interpretation that is open to debate. Associating the names from the English translation to modern Russian towns (Moscow and Tobolsk) is a stretch. What we know from the text of Ezekiel 38 is that the nations mentioned are coming from the “far north” of Israel (38:15), attacking Israel during a time when Israel feels safe and is without need of defense (38:8, 11, 14), and that God will supernaturally intervene to protect Israel and to destroy these invading armies (38:18-23).

In this present crisis of Russia-Ukraine, Israel is certainly not dwelling safely in the land with all of their defenses down. They are on high alert and ready to defend themselves if need be.

So I don’t believe Ezekiel 38 is being fulfilled at this time. At best, this present invasion could signal the rising power of Russia in the far north. But, on the other hand, this invasion could end up diminishing Putin’s power, unifying Europe as never before thus leading to a revival of the Roman Empire, and enabling another more potent power to arise in the world.

Or it could be another war that just reminds us that the human heart is desperately wicked, that nations rise up against nations, that hatred, cruelty, tragedy, and death exist in this world, and that Jesus Christ could come back at any moment to rapture His church.

Yes, I do believe in the rapture of the church before the Tribulation. It is not a belief that I am going to wall on but it makes the most sense to me in God’s grand redemptive story. And by holding this view, I also believe that the Bible teaches that Christ’s return is imminent, that there are no particular signs immediately preceding it, and that it will happen like a “thief in the night” when people are proclaiming “peace and safety” in the world and not expecting it.

Thus, I also believe that the signs that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24 will follow the rapture of the church not precede it.

Does that mean that there are no signs of Jesus’ imminent return?

No, not necessarily. I think there are general signs that we are nearing the end of the story. Israel is miraculously back in the land as a nation again. The world is more connected than ever with the very real potential of a one world government. Deception has never been more difficult to discern since technology has made even reality hard to discern. Nuclear and military arsenals can literally destroy the whole world. And people are desperately looking for “political messiahs” to save the day.

That sounds a lot like the world is being primed for a deceptive leader to step onto the political scene, resolve the conflict in the Middle East, unify the world politically and economically, promise peace and safety to all, and then reveal his true intentions.

And the nation of Israel will be at the center of it all.

So how do we respond to this current crisis in Russia-Ukraine?

You do exactly what Scripture says you do in light of the imminent return of Christ.

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. (1 Peter 4:7-10)

You keep your head on straight. You don’t panic or overreact. You think soberly and wisely. You pray fervently. You love one another. You show grace and give forgiveness. You open up your heart and your home. You bless others. You take the resources that you have and you use them to help others in need. You serve the Lord as you have opportunity. And you speak the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world.

In other words, whether Christ comes back today or one hundred years from now, you fix your eyes on Him, you love your neighbor, and you live faithfully each day.

In this particular case, pray for the leaders and the people of Ukraine, pray for peace, pray for God to protect life, to avert the plans of the Russian army, and to point people to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the church in Ukraine. Give to ministries which are on the ground helping refugees. Find ways that you can help your local church minister to people locally and around the world.

Stay informed but also stay on your knees.

Watch and pray.

Love and give.

Be sober-minded and zealous for good works.

And fix your hope on Jesus Christ.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)