One of the reasons I write for Canada Free Press is that my editor does not mind a bit when I incorporate my faith in my work. Most places get queasy about that. Religious stuff has a tendency to chase people off. I don't like writing for religious venues, though, because I don't want to waste my time talking to the choir. As many of my regular readers know, I myself was once a hardened atheist. And I didn't want to waste my time reading church magazines.
Today we are barraged with unending commentary about the minutia of all the innumerable and unprecedentedly threatening and weird problems that are popping up and spreading like cancer around the globe. And a thousand different voices are offering their viewpoints and solutions. And the best of them achieve little more than clarifying the truth that so much of the dishonest press is trying to obscure.
Predictably, in the early morning hours after this Las Vegas shooting madness, social media was fast blowing up with supercharged political finger-pointing. Nevertheless the problem-cause underlying all of today's insanity remains perplexingly evasive and bottomless to a desperate world that wants nothing to do with God.
Tonight, just a few hours after the shooting in Vegas, I could not get to sleep until I wrote a bit from the perspective of God's point of view - based upon the thoughts He's generously given us in the Bible we already have. The horror of a man on a hotel balcony spraying down automatic gunfire on the completely unexpecting and vulnerable crowd below has got to be seen as a sort of monstrous crescendo, an intolerable tipping point, for some of my readers who are scratching their heads wondering what this world is coming to. And that event presents another gaping opportunity, begging an explanation, that I must not miss responding to.
Because when you look at all the MADNESS that is happening, worldwide, under the glass of biblical prophecy (something I find myself doing a lot), it's like putting the right key into a lock - and everything begins to open up in clarity. The master combination, if you will, of the rightfully divided word of God brings ugly mysteries into plain sight with little difficulty. And the most horrific enigmas that are now building and threatening to destroy us are suddenly exposed and we are able to face them sensibly - and with some peace and confidence.
In finding that key, the first question I must ask is, 'what are the odds that all this sensless trouble is happening right now and so simultaneously - AND PRECISELY AS GOD HAD TOLD US?
In both the Old and New Testament, God talks about His eventually, in the last days of this earth's existence, reestablishing an all but formerly disappeared nation of Israel. And He talks about the trouble, for everyone, subsequent to that happening. It's just a tiny little strip of land next to the Mediterranean, surrounded by huge nations full of people who want to see it destroyed. Yet after centuries, millennia, of dormancy in obscurity, Israel indeed came to life - again. And Jesus, two thousand years ago, strongly seemed to imply that not a generation would pass away, after Israel's re-emergence, before He would return.
When I was in college, I watched Native Americans trying to reclaim the tiny Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, and they got nowhere with that struggle. And there have been similar efforts, all in vain, to reclaim various real estate by different peoples throughout history.
But, starting in 1948 - just as Scripture predicted and God had promised, Jews from all points of the earth began repopulating that little piece of land God had originally given them thousands of years earlier. And, just as He had also predicted, most of those returning didn't even believe in Him. They were wanting to put down roots in a homeland they had always heard about through tradition, the Torah and yearly at the Feast of Passover. In Scripture Jesus talks much about the 'last days' of this planet right prior to His return. He had much to say about Israel and the problems for the world surrounding her simply being there.
And just one of those problems today - affecting all of us - is a cultic, masked religious group that has essentially issued the ultimatum to the world that we either join them in hating Israel - or die along with her and her people that they fully intend to destroy. And, as a result, a lot of the intimidated world, just like a bunch of frightened sheep (Jesus justifiedly called people sheep), are hating Israel, and doing everything they can to support and placate her enemies. And why? Because Israel is 'horribly guilty' of the 'crime' of - defending herself and asking to be left alone to live in peace. But what has Israel's reestablishment to do with the Las Vegas shooting?
Along with all the time-specific prophecy about Israel, Jesus said things about the character of men and events happening, beginning at the same time Israel would start re-sprouting. He said that people living in this era would lose their 'natural affection' for one another. Some people say that refers to homosexuality. I think, more than that, He was talking about our losing the genuine, heartborn care, the pathos, that mankind has always minimally shown for one another. Oh sure, there have always been really bad people. But senseless, mass, random homicide like what happened last night in Las Vegas, that ugly phenomenom was really first ushered into the American experience by Richard Speck and the eight nurses he raped and killed in 1966.
That murder (an early sign of these times), its investigation, Speck's prosecution and incarceration stayed in the headlines for more than a year. Today, people are getting so used to such horrendous, vicious killings that a San Bernardino or an Orlando or a Charlotte, etc. mass shooting stays 'front page and above the fold' for maybe just a week at the most. Tonight's slaughter will of course overshadow those - for a while - but only for a while. You may mark my words that last night’s event will be overshadowed by something even more viciously brutal and larger in its scope. And that trend will only increase.
Regarding this advancing and perplexingly phenomenal violence, Jesus spoke of it all happening at the time directly coinciding with the reestablishment of His homeland, Israel. His prophetic statements I call more unavoidable 'proof texts' given to rouse a sleeping world to the truth of God! And the frightening truth in this case is that a soul-stealing, murdering devil knows that his time is short and that he must act quickly. And we can now plainly see the results of his anxious evil influence manipulating the hearts and minds of lost people who will do his bidding.
Dear reader, there is a indeed a battle going on for the souls of mankind! When we finally recognize that the very real adversary of God is warring against the very One who made us all, everything going down right now makes complete sense (very much including satan ingeniously convincing so many of us that the idea of God is 'unscientific' and that therefore the notion that there is a devil, his adversary, is also laughable). But, again, when we allow ourselves to surrender to the truth of the proof texts God has left for us in his Word - things that are beyond coincidence or random chance - we find the key to understanding clearly why we are in the mess where we currently find ourselves.
Jesus' disciples asked Him, "Tell us ... what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Listen carefully to our Lord's reply ...
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."
And He continues ...
"(My followers) will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold ... For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again ... If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened" (Excerpts taken from Matthew, chapter 24, NIV)
Do Jesus words not appear to describe where we now find ourselves?
And the apostle Paul, by the inspiration of God's Spirit, also has something to say about the people in this time.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
Doesn't all that sound real familiar? It's all right here, right now.
Those inspired words above are just a smattering of the Bible's entire testimony regarding the conditions that will precede the end of this world - the total existence of which has only taken less than a blip of time out of all eternity. The weight of the truth of God's warnings can no longer be ignored. The completely wicked madness that is happening all around us is, realistically and logically, otherwise inexplicable, especially in the face of the Bible's strong prophetic testimony. But for the confident skeptics who are reading this, your Creator knew you were coming as well …
An inspired Apostle, Peter, had this to add regarding the skeptics ...
"Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4)
So much more could be said about the current, universally sad shape of this world. But, for the sake of time, I challenge each of you to simply ask yourself, "How much more of this sort of wholesale violence and butchery, from individuals as well as nations, can we survive?" And as you are thinking about that, recall Jesus' words I just quoted above:
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold ... For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again ... If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened"
In other words its going to get worse - a whole lot worse. And the problems that stem from the sick hearts of the presently emerging breed of 21st Century reprobate people will not be contained or controlled by any government or coup of the people. Apart from God's intervention, we haven't a hope.
Making things even worse, satan, the supernaturally powerful deceiver, is seducing an unwary world into believing pseudoscientific nonsense alleging the 'accidental' origins of man. But the idea that the thinking, feeling, walking, talking, perfectly engineered and LIVING chemistry labs that we are - happened by random chance - should insult anyone's intelligence. But the brilliant enemy of our souls knows that selling such a fairytale is absolutely necessary in founding the deadly lie of atheism. Suffice it to say, good readers, there is a conspiracy afoot to get free-willed people to ignore the gentle voice of their senses and consciences and to, in a selfish, know-it-all, hubris, choose eternal death and seperation from God over eternal life.
Jesus called satan the father of lies, a thief and a murderer. And that deceitful murderer will use any opportunity given him to destroy God's precious human lives he hates so much. Whispering into the hardened hearts and minds of people who have given themselves over to evil, he instructs his followers that a false god or political philosophy demands that all its enemies be destroyed. And this collusion on the part of fallen mankind entirely explains events like what has happened in countless recent slaughters around the world, including Las Vegas last night, and what will again manifest itself in more terror and oppression. There is no other reason for the epidemic hatred and wholesale carnage that is happening now every day. And, in your heart of hearts, you know that to be true.
The disgusting bloody genocide that occurred in Las Vegas was another symptom of the godlessness of our dying world. And the loving God who made us all is allowing our rebellious independence to flower and show us, firsthand, what life is truly like apart from his loving sovereignty. While the restless and chaotic masses fumble and debate in trying to find a reason and solution for our coming apart at the seams, the proof texts and convictions of the Spirit of the God who made us are quite apparent and easily understandable - if we will choose to listen to Him.
God's love precludes Him from tampering with the free volition of people who are entirely at liberty to choose Him or the lies of His enemy. True love or any friendship is always a choice. God will make no one obey Him or force anyone to love and obey the truth, nor will he interfere with the determined rebellion of those who hate Him.
As I said in opening this commentary, this latest shooting has got to be a tipping point - a time for pause and decision - for those who are trying to make sense out of this madness. And I repeat ... that having an awareness of the things God has already, generously warned us would happen in this time are the key to easily making sense out of all of it. In order to pick up that key and use it - and rest in the understanding that it gives - all you need is a prayer of sincerity with an open mind as you examine God's word. It's all there and waiting to light the way back to the One who made and LOVES you.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." As C,S. Lewis pointed out, His making that statement allows for only one of three conclusions to be true: He was either a lunatic, a liar, or God's Son and indeed our Lord and only hope for Salvation. There are no other alternatives possible in answering His claims.
Today, if you hear his voice, don't harden your heart.
Dave Merrick, Davemerrick.us is an internationally known and published artist whose works reach into the greatest diversity of audiences. Known primarily for his astoundingly lifelike portraiture, Merrick’s drawings and paintings grace the walls of an impressive array of well-known corporate and private clientele. Many of his published wildlife pieces have become some of America’s most popular animal imagery.
He has more original work in the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame than any other artist. His wildlife and Southwestern-theme work is distributed internationally through Joan Cawley Galleries of Scottsdale AZ.
One of the reasons I write for Canada Free Press is that my editor does not mind a bit when I incorporate my faith in my work. Most places get queasy about that. Religious stuff has a tendency to chase people off. I don't like writing for religious venues, though, because I don't want to waste my time talking to the choir. As many of my regular readers know, I myself was once a hardened atheist. And I didn't want to waste my time reading church magazines.
Today we are barraged with unending commentary about the minutia of all the innumerable and unprecedentedly threatening and weird problems that are popping up and spreading like cancer around the globe. And a thousand different voices are offering their viewpoints and solutions. And the best of them achieve little more than clarifying the truth that so much of the dishonest press is trying to obscure.
