7. A Light Unto My Path

Why not monitor the end of the age by the condition of the Church, rather than by looking at the weather?  I’ve already given reasons why I don’t believe the signs Christians point to today are the signs Jesus was talking about, but here are some other factors we ought to consider if we are bent on predicting the end of the age. 

When we look at the Church at the end of the Age what do we see?  We should see a bright light at the end of the road.  Revelation 19 unveils a beautiful portrait of the Church then.

Rev 19:1-8 After these things [the Tribulation]…I heard something…saying…the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” NASU

Consider the phrase “has made herself ready.” How has His Bride made herself ready? When has she made herself ready?  Was this something she did in heaven?  Can you get ready in a place of perfection and purity?  Does one go to heaven to get ready or does one get ready to go to heaven? 

Also notice the verb “has made” is in the past tense; this getting ready happens sometime prior to the end of the age.  More details about what this means are given in the revelation.

Rev 19:8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. NASU

This is referring to the good works of the Church.  The adjectives “bright and clean” would indicate the quality of those works.  They were clearly visible, highly apparent, and very fitting.  Bright and clean works would be fitting for such a wedding that involved Jesus.  You would expect to see some compatibility between bride and bridegroom.

How this happens is by God’s grace.  “It was given;” refers to God’s gracious hand and the outpouring of His grace.  The effect of this giving can be seen in the same use of this verb elsewhere in John’s writing.

Rev 11:3-6 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth… And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies…These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. NKJV

I can’t imagine the two witnesses doing all that on their own.  Likewise, before God’s gracious gift of fine linen bright and clean the Church is not ready, but afterwards, she is! 

By the time of the wedding feast there will be a certain compatibility between the Bride and the Bridegroom that you would expect.  In fact, this is what I believe, what was said of Christ will be said of His Bride the Church.  So when I read this about Jesus…

Luke 2:52 …Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. NASU

…I think this about His bride…the Church will keep increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.  And when I read this…< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

Acts 10:38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  NASU

…I think this…You know of the Church, how God anointed Her with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how She went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Her. 

Do you get the picture?  I do.  It is enough to make me want to crawl out from underneath this bushel basket and begin to fulfill my bright and glorious destiny.  The birds of the air have been flying around for a very long time; I know they are looking for a place to rest their wings. (Matt 13:31-32) Maybe if we join together and work to “strengthening the things that remain” the Father will see a Bride getting ready and make Jesus’ return all the more imminent.

Matt 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. NASU

It is easy for us to believe that God’s outpouring of grace can produce the results we see of the two witnesses or that His grace can resurrect a nation (see the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel 37), but when His grace involves us do we baulk in disbelief?  We shouldn’t; Paul and Jesus believed it.  I will review this next time.

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2 thoughts on “7. A Light Unto My Path”

  1. Your argument is based on a flawed assumption, which is this. You think you know the condition of the church, but you don’t.

    You can no more know the condition of the church than you can look into the heart of every born again Christian and see with God’s perspective the whole condition of that soul.

    The Bride of Christ has made herself ready by being washed in the Blood of the Groom. All of the good works that the Bride is adorned with, are validated by the Blood that was shed for her and that has washed away the stain and condemnation of the sins that were leading her to her eternal death. She is ready, individually and corporately, when she accepted by faith the gift of eternal life bought for her by Jesus.

    As for the signs of the Times, Israel is populated by the Jews. These Jews own the land that was given to them, they not occupiers they are the owners. Those non-Jews who live on their land are the occupiers.

    I am afraid for you Rob, because I believe you have brought down a curse upon yourself, not only because you oppose the Jews living in Israel, but because you oppose the Church of God who were bought with a price.

    As to when the Day of the Lord will come, when the rapture will occur, when the tribulation will start, I have not idea. I do believe, however, it is close. I have no need nor desire to quote scripture in this regard, as it should be obvious to you, who claim to be a believer.

  2. Umm, I don’t know about all that Chris. I merely pay attention to what the Lord said about these matters. He taught me to be discerning.

    Please note, unbelievers did not make themselves ready as you are saying, but the Bride made herself ready. Contemplate the difference if you can.

    Matt 7:20 …you will recognize them by their fruits. ESV
    Matt 13:3-9 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
    Matt 13:18-23 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” ESV

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