Knowing prophetic wars are around the corner, how can Christians have hope for the future?
In this “The Truth Will Set You Free” TWave Radio episode, Pastor Vic Batista of Miami’s Calvary Chapel Aventura and I will discuss the end times war found in Psalm 83.
Hope for the Future
Nathan Jones: One of the best parts about studying Bible prophecy, besides getting to know God better and His plan, is to alleviate fear and to give us hope. When you know what is coming down the road, and you know there are some wonderful events coming down that God has promised, we learn that God always keeps His promises. Knowing that gives us hope for the future.
Without hope people worry all the time. The say, “Oh, man, the future looks terrible! There is going to be so much disaster and destruction.” Certainly, some of that is in play, but we know the big picture when we study Bible prophecy. The big picture is that Jesus wins! Therefore, those who believe in Jesus Christ win as well. One day we will live in peace and righteousness and justice in Christ’s Kingdom for 1,000 years and then on into the eternal state. Evil is defeated and destroyed and out of here. That’s all something to be excited about!
Vic Batista: I just want to jump and cheer! People often wonder how I can teach Bible prophecy with a smile. They believe prophecy is all gloom and doom. No, it is not all gloom and doom. I smile because I know what the Bible says and so are not fearful of the future. As a matter of fact, we look forward to the wonderful promises that God has in store for us.
Nathan Jones: Amen, that is so true! Yes, there is gloom and doom in prophetic events. There is destruction. But, that is the process that has to happen in order to destroy evil and defeat Satan. The end result will be a remnant of people all throughout human history who have put their faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ. Those are who God wants to live with forever in His home in Heaven, also called the New Jerusalem. The reason why we were created s to have fellowship with God forever. Yes, we need to get through these birth pains as Jesus called them before we get to the actual birth.
Vic Batista: Absolutely. Definitely in the future you and I need talk about the New Jerusalem so that people can learn about what awaits us.
Nathan Jones: Exactly, because there’s a lot of hope with Bible prophecy. Yes, there are tremendous events described in the Bible about the terrible days ahead, but God has a purpose for all those trials. God has given us that information, the foreknowledge, because He wants us to know what horrors are ahead so that we put our faith and trust in Him. We need to accept Jesus as Savior and so know that we will participate in the rapture of the Church. We will be out of here and protected by God before God releases His wrath upon the world, because our Heavenly Father always protects those He loves.
Vic Batista: People also need to understand that the judgments that are coming are often times against those who are against God, those who disobey God. That is why it says in Revelation 9:20, “But the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. They did not repent of their murders and their sorceries or their sexual immorality, or their thefts.” We find that this wrath and judgment is not against those who trust in Christ, but on those who are rejecting God.
Nathan Jones: Exactly. God’s wrath is for those who are disobedient. In other words, those who continue to rebel against God. Those who call evil good and good evil. They are the ones who’ll face the wrath of God. God’s wrath is not for those who have accepted Jesus as Savior. We are promised in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 the Rapture of the Church — the taking up of the believers in Christ off this planet before God’s wrath comes down upon it. That is what wrath truly is. It is what Hell is — the final judgment. These judgments are for those who want God to leave them alone. They don’t want anything to do with their Creator and they want to live their life on their own. God acquiesces. He steps back. But, they still live under His wrath, as John 3:36 says. God’s wrath is a sentence to Hell for their rebellion. Hell is punishment for rebellion against God.
Vic Batista: Hell is only right because if God is a just God He will have to punish sin.
Nathan Jones: You wouldn’t want the child molester, the rapist, the crook that robbed your house, to not see justice? We are like them; all of us! We are sinners, too.
People tend to have so much trouble dealing with the reality that we are all enemies of God. We have all sinned against Him. We all hate Him. We have all rebelled against Him. We have broken His law continually. But, God doesn’t want to lose all of humanity, so He sent His own Son, His perfect Son Jesus Christ, to die in our place and take God’s wrath upon Him. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, the wrath of God moves off of us and it moved onto His Son while He was on the cross. Once that happens, when God looks at us, He sees us as sinless and holy because of Jesus Christ. We are forgiven, and we don’t have the punishment of Hell anymore. We can grab hold of that promise of the Rapture of the Church.
Vic Batista: What a wonderful way of encouraging people! There is hope. God loves you. Our Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life.
Today is the day of salvation! We never know just how much time we have left. So, therefore, this is the day that God has given us to repent and turn from our sins and turn to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s why the Bible says in John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. And that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Place your trust in Jesus Christ. He is coming very, very soon.
Nathan Jones: Take to heart what we have been talking about. You can see in the news every day the hatred against Israel, for the nations surrounding Israel want to destroy her. Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes! That means Jesus is coming soon. So ask yourself, “Are you ready?”
In the seventh segment of our survey of the Psalm 83 War, Vic and I will look more at Israel’s enemies’ insidious plan.
I love Psalm 83. The Words are uplifting. O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. "Come, " they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel's name is remembered no more." Clearly this is about Israel overcoming their enemies. What Does God have in store for Persia? Remember Deuteronomy 6:4. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is One. Also 1 Chronicals 29:18. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. I am moved by the power in these phrases. The Jews are Still God's chosen people, and although they have went through strife, and battles, and holocausts, there is still a remnant of God's people saved to carry on.