A REVEALING OR A WARNING?

Isaiah 46: 9-10 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

By Van Yandell

If you wanted to convince someone of the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, would it be logical to “beat that person over the head with a Bible” until they confessed and repented?

Of course we all know the answer to that question. Coercing someone into believing may get a required verbal response but would that person really believe? 

I well remember an older cousin and hunting/fishing buddy. When I was a teenager in the 1960s he made a very astute observation. “If I paid you a million dollars to believe something, you may say you believe it, but would you really?”

What is true belief? Faith gives us a belief method that is required for eternal salvation (Ephesians 2: 8). Faith is believing in something we cannot prove. How much evidence would be required to establish proof? 

What can we actually prove? Can you prove you’ll be alive one minute from now? Can you prove your vehicle will start the next time you turn the key or push the button? So many of life’s concepts are based on faith and trust that we do not think about.

As we consider the world events of the last few weeks, we find the parallel of Bible prophesy and those events to be beyond coincidence. 

Matthew 24: 7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

Earthquakes in diverse places? Being from the (almost) center of the US, I would definitely classify the earthquake off the coast of Russia between Russia and Alaska as a diverse place. 

Luke 21: 25 “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” The resulting tsunami from the 8.7 magnitude earthquake under the sea would surely qualify for this verse from Luke.

The situation in Gaza at this time definitely fits the “famine” condition as stated by Jesus in Matthew 24: 7. Mass starvation is an accelerated state of existence for the Gazans and is now being classified as a human disaster. 

Gaza is at the forefront of news outlets and it is being used as a political punching bag. This in itself is a verification of the divisions in humanity as stated by Jesus (Mark 3: 25). Gaza is not the only place on earth where famine conditions exist.

Of course we do not know exactly what Jesus was referring to as “pestilences” but it could be anything from an insect infestation to the Covid 19 virus. 

The world is also experiencing a large number of active volcanos at this time. Geologists tell us that volcanos and earthquakes are directly connected. Several mountains in the northwestern United States are rumbling and some believe eruptions are a possibility in the near future.

The Yellowstone caldera is constantly in motion and scientists believe that an eruption could be devastating to many of the lower 48 states.

Currently there are 45 active erupting volcanos worldwide. In 2024 there were 74 confirmed eruptions and 32 of those were new eruptions. As we clearly see, movements in the earth’s crust are fulfilling Bible prophesy.

Predictions of God in both the Old and New Testament have already happened and history has recorded many of those events. Jesus told His disciples of the destruction of the second Jerusalem Temple.

Luke 21: 6 “As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” Jesus of course (John 1: 1) knew the future and the temple was destroyed by the Romans 37 years after Jesus spoke those words. 

Ezekiel 36: 24 predicted the re-establishment of the Nation of Israel. In 1948, 2700 years later, that happened. History tells us that Israel is the only nation on earth that has fallen from its original status as a nation and then re-emerged as an economic, political and military power. 

Several wars are active on earth at this time. Jesus said in Matthew 24: 6 these would be. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass.”

The U.S. is not at this time engaged in an international conflict but the wars on the home front are ongoing and in many ways, more devastating to the nation. 

We are engaged in a political civil war in America. The country has not seen a level of demonstrated hatred (Matthew 24: 9) since the American Civil War. 

America is engaged in a war on crime, a war on drugs and a war on diversity. How much can a nation stand before we turn to God for deliverance? Will these wars ever end? Only God knows and with a population turning to non-Godly beliefs, that’s not likely to be soon (1 Timothy 4: 1). 

These are only a few of the prophesies we are currently witnessing. Revelation 13 points out several conditions that perfectly parallel today’s economic and political conditions in the world. 

How many more will be manifested in our near future? It is time for America to wake up and realize that God is in control and He punishes those that do not obey Him. 

Genesis 3: 15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” God told Satan 6000 years ago there would come a Savior of the world and He would “bruise thy head.” 

And that is exactly what Jesus did when He walked out of the tomb, resurrected and alive. Satan was crushed forever for those that believe.

We must wake up America! The future appears to be now and it is not a pretty picture. We cannot deny that the Bible paints a picture of the world today.

Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary. His email is vmy3451@gmail.com