Where Are We Now?
End Times
How often have we heard our elders and grandparents proclaim that God is coming soon? As far back as I can remember; at the start of the second millennium that I'd heard the good news that Christ is coming back again. I was, at a point starting to disregard (slight disbelieve) the message (Second Advent). It's been quite a while but I'm here to share with you folks, that His return is indeed soon!
In Paul's second epistle to Timothy, he warned him of all the things that would occur in the last days.
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV.
TURN AWAY!
Evil and sin have been present in this world from Adam and Eve's days, but not this magnitude of lawlessness so prevalent these days. Our generation exhibits all the characteristics of the end time that Paul warned Timothy of. Prophecy being fulfilled.
The Great Statue
I will now draw your attention to an all important prophecy that has been so accurate, it is unbelievable! That is the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. He was the King of Babylon. One night he had a dream; one different from any he had ever had. In his dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image made of different metals. Its head was fine gold, its chest and arms; silver, its belly and thighs; bronze, its legs of iron and its feet was a mixture of clay and iron. Suddenly, a great stone (cut out without hands) struck the image, breaking it into pieces. It then formed a great mountain and filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:31-35). Read Daniel 2 for more information.
See image here.
Four Kingdoms
There was to be a total of four kingdoms (represented by the different metals) that would rule the world. The head of gold represented Babylon; that is the kingdom Nebuchadnezzar reigned over. He thought that his kingdom would last forever, but that wasn't to be the case. Babylon ruled 605 -539 B.C. The chest and arm of silver was to defeat Babylon and rule over the world. The Medo-Persian army conquered them and ruled 539-331 B.C. And so it would continue till all four kingdoms reigned and would be eventually conquered. Greece (331 -168 B.C.), represented by the bronze thighs conquered Medo-Persia. Later, the Romans (legs of iron) would defeat the Persian army. They ruled 168 B.C. -A.D. 476. Oh so accurate was this prophecy. Four kingdoms came, ruled, and were eventually conquered.
Ok. So let's recap. Four kingdoms were to rule over the earth. With each successive kingdom, it is evident that the quality of the metals diminish; so would the kingdoms diminish in their power and authority.
Have you seen my toes? Right over here! The toes of this great statue were made of clay and iron. Toes protrude from the leg, so what could these ten toes represent. "Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay" (Daniel 2:41 NKJV).
Rome Divided
Ten toes. Ten division of Rome. Ten kingdoms. Alemani (Germans), Franks (French), Saxons (English), Visigoths (Spanish), Burgundians (Swiss), Lombards (Italians), Suevi (Portuguese) and the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths (now extinct). Numerous world leaders have tried to unite these nations, but to no avail. Prophecy however, has foretold that clay can never mix with iron. "As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay" (Daniel 2:43 NKJV).
So, my friends, we now see that there are no more kingdoms to rule over the earth.
The stone destroyed the statue. It then formed a mountain. In the end Daniel (interpreter of dreams) revealed, "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven wills set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall never be destroyed...it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44 NKJV).
Time is running out. The end is nearer than we think. But don't panic, you have this moment, yes this moment, today to make a decision.
If He were to return tomorrow, how many of us would truly be ready and not be found wanting?
How often have we heard our elders and grandparents proclaim that God is coming soon? As far back as I can remember; at the start of the second millennium that I'd heard the good news that Christ is coming back again. I was, at a point starting to disregard (slight disbelieve) the message (Second Advent). It's been quite a while but I'm here to share with you folks, that His return is indeed soon!
In Paul's second epistle to Timothy, he warned him of all the things that would occur in the last days.
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV.
TURN AWAY!
Evil and sin have been present in this world from Adam and Eve's days, but not this magnitude of lawlessness so prevalent these days. Our generation exhibits all the characteristics of the end time that Paul warned Timothy of. Prophecy being fulfilled.
The Great Statue
I will now draw your attention to an all important prophecy that has been so accurate, it is unbelievable! That is the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. He was the King of Babylon. One night he had a dream; one different from any he had ever had. In his dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image made of different metals. Its head was fine gold, its chest and arms; silver, its belly and thighs; bronze, its legs of iron and its feet was a mixture of clay and iron. Suddenly, a great stone (cut out without hands) struck the image, breaking it into pieces. It then formed a great mountain and filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:31-35). Read Daniel 2 for more information.
See image here.
Four Kingdoms
There was to be a total of four kingdoms (represented by the different metals) that would rule the world. The head of gold represented Babylon; that is the kingdom Nebuchadnezzar reigned over. He thought that his kingdom would last forever, but that wasn't to be the case. Babylon ruled 605 -539 B.C. The chest and arm of silver was to defeat Babylon and rule over the world. The Medo-Persian army conquered them and ruled 539-331 B.C. And so it would continue till all four kingdoms reigned and would be eventually conquered. Greece (331 -168 B.C.), represented by the bronze thighs conquered Medo-Persia. Later, the Romans (legs of iron) would defeat the Persian army. They ruled 168 B.C. -A.D. 476. Oh so accurate was this prophecy. Four kingdoms came, ruled, and were eventually conquered.
Ok. So let's recap. Four kingdoms were to rule over the earth. With each successive kingdom, it is evident that the quality of the metals diminish; so would the kingdoms diminish in their power and authority.
Have you seen my toes? Right over here! The toes of this great statue were made of clay and iron. Toes protrude from the leg, so what could these ten toes represent. "Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay" (Daniel 2:41 NKJV).
Rome Divided
Ten toes. Ten division of Rome. Ten kingdoms. Alemani (Germans), Franks (French), Saxons (English), Visigoths (Spanish), Burgundians (Swiss), Lombards (Italians), Suevi (Portuguese) and the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths (now extinct). Numerous world leaders have tried to unite these nations, but to no avail. Prophecy however, has foretold that clay can never mix with iron. "As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay" (Daniel 2:43 NKJV).
So, my friends, we now see that there are no more kingdoms to rule over the earth.
The stone destroyed the statue. It then formed a mountain. In the end Daniel (interpreter of dreams) revealed, "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven wills set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall never be destroyed...it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44 NKJV).
Time is running out. The end is nearer than we think. But don't panic, you have this moment, yes this moment, today to make a decision.
If He were to return tomorrow, how many of us would truly be ready and not be found wanting?
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