Europe, Russia, and China in Prophecy

Well, I'm sure that all of us have been keeping up with the news this week, and so much of the news is focused on Russia invading Ukraine. And we've had this war brought right into our living rooms as we watch it on TV. Over a million refugees now have fled from Ukraine. The Russians are bombing, bombing, bombing, destroying. It's amazing. The cities are just being demolished, dwelling places, civilians, where they live, schools. It's a big humanitarian crisis that is developing. So sad to see mothers and children, even babies, little babies, that have been born in Ukraine in the midst of this chaos that is going on. The world has imposed heavy sanctions on Russia, except their oil, where they get most of their money. But sanctions are not likely to stop Mr. Putin. Of course, the impact here in our own country, higher gas prices, higher food prices, we're going to see that more and more. So right now, our minds are focused a lot on what is going on in Ukraine with the Russian invasion. What lies ahead in this war? It does appear likely that Russia might go on and be able to conquer Ukraine. They're putting up quite a resistance, apparently quite unexpected. We'll have to see how that goes.

But certainly Russia would like to take over Ukraine. There's no doubt about that.

Will Russia then attack other European countries in the future, if they go on to take over in Ukraine? Will Russia attack the United States? There's been even mention of what could lead to nuclear war and World War III. Well, Bible prophecy reveals what we can expect in the days ahead in Europe and in Russia. And China has been another big player on the world scene.

Of course, the Middle East and the United States would be key players as well. But today, I'd like for us to just focus on three of the key players on the world scene right now.

And that would be Europe, Russia, and China. So, I'd like to give a title to the sermon of Europe, Russia, and China in Prophecy. What does the Bible reveal?

The Bible does give us information on these key areas and what is developing even right now. So, where in the Bible do we go for Europe? We want to, first of all, address Europe. Where do we go in the Bible? Anybody want to volunteer the...there's a chapter where we should start.

Daniel 7. Let's go back a few chapters before that. Daniel 2. Okay, let's turn in our Bibles. We don't have time to go extensively into this prophecy, but it is the starting point for prophecies concerning Europe at the end of this age. And we'll see that as we look at this chapter. We have this image. Remember the image of the head of gold that Nebuchadnezzar saw? The chest and arms were silver. The belly and thighs were bronze. The legs of iron. Well, Bible scholars realized that this is talking...the head of gold is talking about Babylon. The head...the chest and arms of silver is talking about Persia. The belly and thighs of bronze is talking about Greece. And the legs of iron and the feet, partly iron, feet of iron and part clay, is talking about Rome. And that these four empires did rise. So this image takes us, if you look at it from a chronological standpoint, from the head of gold at the very top of this image, we go back 2,600 years ago to ancient Babylon. So we're looking...and we come right on through Persia and Greece and Rome and the revivals of the Roman Empire. We come all the way down to the feet and to the toes of the image. The toes of the image would be 2,600 years later. So this image chronologically represents the last 2,600 years of Gentile empires. Two of those empires were in Asia, Babylon and Persia.

And then the last two of those empires in Europe, Greece and Rome. And this last one is the one that is most important as far as understanding what is going on in Europe right now and what is going to happen in the near future. The last one, Rome, comes all the way down. And let's just read that here in chapter 2. Or in verse 41...or verse 40 rather, the fourth kingdom, that would be Rome, shall be as strong as iron. The Roman Empire certainly was strong as iron. And in verse 41, you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron. The kingdom shall be divided. Verse 42, the toes were partly of iron and partly of clay. You can see this whole image, then, is not standing on a very solid foundation when you got feet and toes of iron and clay. So the whole image, and this time-wise, it comes down to our time and what is just ahead. This is talking about Europe, something that is going to be happening in Europe at the end of this age.

So if you want to go back to understanding Europe and prophecy, come back to Daniel chapter 2 and understand. Verse 42 again, as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. You saw iron mixed with ceramic clay. They shall not adhere to one another. How do we know this is for what lies just ahead? Well, look at verse 44. In the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. So this image, or time-wise, chronologically, this comes all the way from Nebuchadnezzar in ancient Babylon, 2,600 years forward to our time and just ahead to when Jesus Christ is going to return and set up God's kingdom.

So understand this image chronologically. Also understand that there was only one image. It did have the gold, silver, bronze, and iron, but just one image. In one way, it's one system, and that is the way it developed. When Babylon fell to Persia, Persia took on some of the Babylonian customs and beliefs. When Persia fell to the Greeks, the Greeks took on some of the Persian religion and customs, and when Greece fell to Rome, Rome took on some of the Greek customs and beliefs and customs.

In one way, it's a one Gentile system with four different parts to it. So in verse 45, it brings that out that, "...inasmuch as you saw the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold." Then this system, which is really one Gentile system, and one way of looking at it is completely shattered by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Well, Daniel 7, that was mentioned. Let's go to that chapter next. Daniel 7 explains it a little bit differently and in a bit more detail, and guess what? Daniel 7 gives a lot more information on that fourth beast or that fourth empire, and that's the one that pertains to our time. Babylon is not around anymore. Persia is not around Greece as far as an empire, but there is going to be one final revival of the European nations that lies just ahead of us right now.

In chapter 7, we have these, verse 3, we have these four beasts that come out of the scene. Verse 4, the first was like a lion. Well, this represents Babylon. And in verse 5, the second was like a bear. This represents Persia. And verse 6, another like a leopard, and this one had four heads. Remember that? This one had four heads. The others had just one head. You add the heads up and you'll get seven heads total in these four beasts.

And then verse 7, the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible. It doesn't even say what exactly what it looked like as far as an animal, but it was dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge teeth. It was devouring, breaking in pieces and trampling. It was different than all the other beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. So remember these four beasts. When you add the heads together, you will get seven heads, and it also had ten horns.

I was considering the horns. Another little one came up. This one, when we steady into it more fully, is actually a religious horn. And we'll find in the Roman Empire a great religious system that even coordinated some of the emperors that came along down through its long history, which goes back about 20, well over 2,000 years ago. Now, notice that in Daniel 7, it also comes down. The four beasts here come down to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

So this fourth beast is going to be around at the Second Coming of Christ. Verse 9, I watched till thrones were put in place, and the ancient of days was seated. And in verse 13, I was watching in the night visions, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven.

He came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given, this is actually Jesus Christ then, at his return, to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. So this would equate to that stone in chapter 2. Chapter 2, the stone smites this image at its feet where those ten toes are important in chapter 2.

And so here we have Jesus Christ coming and defeating this last revival of this system which would be in Europe. And you can have a lot more detail here. Daniel was grieved. It says in verse 15, he wanted to understand.

He was given a bit of explanation. Verse 17, these great beasts are four kings or four kingdoms that rise on the earth. Verse 19, I wish to know the truth about the fourth beast which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze which devoured and broke in pieces and about the ten horns on its head. Well, you know, Daniel's given a little bit of understanding here and how the kingdom is going to be turned over to the saints of the Most High. But we're given just enough in Daniel to lead us to the next area in the Bible to understand what lies ahead for us today. Let's go over to the book of Revelation. Revelation picks up the story. Remember that the Bible really has one that inspired it all. That's the great God in heaven. He is the author of the one that inspired the Scriptures. And we find in Revelation 13, Revelation 17, Revelation 18, we find this system that is described in Daniel 2 and in Daniel 7. Let's begin in chapter 13 in verse 1. I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads, remember the seven heads in Daniel 7, seven heads and ten horns also in Daniel chapter 7. On its horn ten crowns and on its head heads a blasphemous name. Notice in verse 2, the beast I saw was, it's like the animals we read about in Daniel 7, the beast I saw was like a leopard, but his feet was like a bear, and his mouth was like the mouth of a lion, those three animals that are identified in Daniel 7. So this system there in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 comes on the head to Revelation, and this is mainly here for our time today, something that is going to happen over in Europe, just ahead of us now. And actually what Russia is doing in the Ukraine is going to put a lot, is already putting a lot of fear in the European nations, and those ten toes actually represents ten nations which are going to unite together and form a United States of Europe. But I'm getting just a little bit ahead of the story. Let's read on here in verse 3. One of the heads had been mortally wounded. We know the Roman Empire did suffer a deadly wound, but it was healed, and there were revivals of the Roman Empire down. It was even, it came to be called the Holy Roman Empire because they had the Catholic religion, and the Pope even coordinated many of the emperors along the way. You can study more about that as a matter of history. So here we have this beast that is going to rise up, and there is another beast that is associated with it, a religious. That small horn that we read about in Daniel 7 is the religious aspect of this system. In verse 11, I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast. Well, the first beast was more of a political system, and yet this one we'll see is a religious system. It causes the earth and all those who dwell in it to worship the first beast. So these two beasts actually work together, the political and religious aspects of this system. In verse 13, he performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down. In verse 14, he deceives those who dwell on the earth, and you can read on down later on that he causes a mark of the beast to be on people so that they can buy or sell.

And so this system, obviously, then going back to Daniel 7 and Daniel 2, is going to rise up again in our time. Let's turn to chapter 17. We get more information on this system that it's going to rise up in Europe. Here is Europe in prophecy in Daniel 2 and 7 and Revelation 13, 17 and 18.

Verse 1, then one of the seven angels said, Come, and I'll show you the judgment of the great harlot. This is that religious system. In verse 3, I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of names of blasphemy, having, notice, seven heads and ten horns. We get that reappearing.

And so this is that great false religious system that has dominated in Europe over the revivals of this system down through the last 1500 years or so. Verse 7, the angel said to me, Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has seven heads and ten horns. So you can read on down, but these ten horns represent ten nations that are going to unite in Europe in our time just ahead. Are we at that time yet?

See, that is going to be when World War III breaks out. We don't believe that Russia is invading Ukraine. It's going to lead to World War III right now. We're not quite there yet. There are some other factors outside of Europe, Russia, and China, which we'll get to in just a few minutes.

There are other key players. What is happening in the United States, and what about the Middle East? The King of the South. We'll read about that in just a few minutes as well. The King of the South has not arisen yet. We're not at the point yet for World War III, but it's leading in that direction.

Very important we understand these prophecies then. Europe, how fast will Europe unite?

Right now, they are going to want to develop a strong military, I believe. European nations are going to want to do that for their own defense. They see Russia to the east there, right on their border, and they're going to want to be able to defend themselves.

So Europe will begin to wake up. How fast could the ten nations unite? They could unite rather quickly, or it may be just a little bit of time. We will keep watching that. So in verse 12, the ten horns, and this would equate to the ten toes in Daniel 2 that were part iron and part clay, the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet.

All right, right now they're on the scene, but they haven't received a kingdom yet. They've not united, but they receive authority for one hour. That one hour would be just a short time, maybe a few years, as kings with the beast. There's going to be a strong political, military personality called the beast, and this person is going to be powerful. He's going to bring Europe together with the help of the great false church, false prophet. Verse 13, these are of one mind. They're going to unite then, but the iron and the clay don't cleave together very well, but they'll still be partly strong and partly weak. They will give their power and authority to the beast, these ten nations. They will just yield over. They will be a united states of Europe.

And notice in verse 14, these will make war with the Lamb. It comes all the way down to the second coming of Christ, that stone that was cut out without hands. And the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.

And so this system in Europe, the ten toes of that image in Daniel 2, will form rather quickly and with the beast and the false prophet working together, the false prophet doing miracles and working together with the political leader, it will be a pretty powerful system. It is prophesied to come down into the Middle East. We'll get into that in just a moment. And also, prophecies show that this system will become hostile toward the United States and Britain, and the God will use this system of ten nations to actually punish modern-day Israel. God's not happy with the way our country is going and the way of Britain and the other Israelite tribes. He's going to punish us, and He's going to use this system to do it. We won't have time right now, but we know that a Syria represents modern-day Germany, and Germany gets its oil from Russia. We know that Germany is a strong key player in Europe. We'll no doubt be the leading nation of these ten. And in Isaiah chapter 10, it brings out that Israel is going to be taking captivity into Assyria. So we can be seeing how Europe eventually will turn hostile toward Britain and the United States.

As far as Europe and prophecy, let's carry it forward just a little bit further then.

We have here in Revelation 17 and verse 14, these will make war with the Lamb. We come right down to the Second Coming of Christ. In chapter 18, do you understand chapter 18? My Bible has the title, The Fall of Babylon the Great. Why is it called Babylon the Great? Again, remember the system in Daniel 2. That's where we began with modern European or European prophecy. This system was one image that the king saw. But the head was of gold, and the chest and arms of silver, and the thigh area, belly and thigh of bronze, and then the legs and the feet were iron, feet part iron and part clay. It was one system, and as I mentioned earlier, they all brought forward from the previous empire. When the empire has changed to another one, they brought forward some of those customs and religious beliefs and things like that. The Greeks were especially strong. In Roman times, the Greek was and Greek customs were very, very prevalent, very noticeable. So these things came forward one empire to the next. And in one way then it is one great system beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon, all the way through to the end. So it can truly be called Babylon the Great.

Chapter 18 talks about the fall of this whole system. Verse 2, he cried mightily with a loud voice saying, Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of demons and the prison of every foul spirit. And all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Much more than we know of these empires and this system, Babylon the Great has done this to the world. So God tells His people, verse 4, come out of her, my people. Well, you can read about this then how Babylon is going to, Babylon the Great is going to fall.

And the final destruction of this system will be when the political leader and the religious leader are destroyed. Let's go to chapter 19 for that. Verse 19. Revelation 19 and verse 19, I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together.

Zechariah 14 brings out that God will gather all nations around Jerusalem. So here they are, the beast, the political leader of Europe, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse, and thus Jesus Christ, and against His army.

And then the beast, the political leader of Europe that will bring about and lead the United States of Europe for a brief time. I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. The beast was captured with Him, the false prophet who worked signs in His presence by which He deceived those who received the mark of the beast. So the beast and the false prophet both are cast into a lake of fire.

So that's the end of this system that we go all the way back to Daniel 2, all the way back to Nebuchadnezzar and forward to our time just ahead now. Well, we've got a few minutes here. What about Russia and China? The sermon is about Europe, Russia, and China in prophecy. What about Russia and China? They are key players on the world scene right now. Very key players indeed. Well, let's begin by going back to Daniel 11, Daniel 11, and beginning in verse 40.

There is reference here to Russia and China, we believe, as we read this prophecy. The most important part of Daniel 11, beginning in verse 40, at the time of the end, that's for our time just ahead. The king of the south shall attack him. Attack the king of the north, that is. And the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind with chariots, horsemen. And so here we have, we identify the king of the north as being the same as the beast of revelation, the leader of the nations up in Europe, those ten nations that are going to unite. But what about the king of the south? We don't believe the king of the south has risen yet either. We see no one down in the Arab world, but in the Middle East. So this is down in the Middle East, and a leader is going to develop in the Middle East that will be fulfilled this prophecy and be the king of the south, and is going to make a push against the European nations in some way. And then it says the European nations are going to come storming down into the Middle East. Now this will be around the same time as this system in Europe turns hostile toward Britain and America. And so this system is by that time will be strong enough to do what is prophesied for them to do, and that is to actually take the modern Israelite tribes into captivity. But I want you to notice, he will set his tabernacle in verse 15. He shall plant the tents and the palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain, yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. Well, we saw that. He comes to his end in Revelation 19. But look at verse 44. That's where we believe China and Russia come into the picture. News from the east and the north shall trouble this king of the north.

Well, north of Jerusalem would be Russia. East would, of course, be China, maybe India, maybe Iran, some of the nations to the east of the Euphrates River. So news will come to this system, and he will go forth with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. So there may be some type of truce between the European nations and Russia. But then the beast who is now has planted his tabernacle, his place down in Jerusalem in that area, he will then be troubled by this news that will come from Russia and China. Those nations will betray one another, and so he will go forth to fight against Russia and China. Let's go over to Revelation. Revelation fills in just a bit of information, too, about Russia and China. It seems that Russia and China, then, they kind of hold back.

Maybe Russia will take Ukraine. Maybe they'll take another nation or two there in Europe. It doesn't appear that they're going to certainly be able to go on further west and take over the nations in Europe. The European nations instead are going to arm themselves and be ready to defend themselves and able to. In chapter 9 of Revelation, let's begin reading in verse 13. This is the sixth trumpet. There are seven of the trumpets, as we know, and this is the sixth one that sounded here.

And verse 14, released the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates. The Euphrates River kind of separated the east from the west. That was the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire, the Euphrates River. So there's an army here, verse 16, that certainly the Chinese would be able to field an army of this size. The number of the army of the horsemen was 200 million, 200 million. There could be Chinese. There could be Iranians. There could be maybe people from India. I think India is one of those nations that has not sanctioned Russia at this time. So, you know, India is kind of dragging its feet as far as going along with the nations that have. It goes on to bring out that there's fire and smoke and brimstone. Obviously nuclear war. The last part of verse 17. Verse 18, by these three plagues a third of mankind was killed.

So this is deep into that time of the great tribulation period. And here we have an army of 200 million. Obviously this would be east of the Euphrates River. Obviously the Chinese would play a key role there. Let's go to Revelation 16 to come on closer to the time of the very time of the end and the Second Coming of Christ. The sixth of the seven last plagues beginning in verse 12.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. All right. So that the way of the kings from the east. Well east of the Euphrates again would be like Iran and especially like China.

I saw three unclean spirits. They were spirits of demons. Verse 14, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. This is the gathering to Armageddon. The battle itself would be down at Jerusalem.

So here we have kings of the east and also other nations that are being gathered together for that final battle. And all nations will be gathered together, as we read earlier, in Revelation 19.

So Russia and China are going to play key roles at the time of the end.

It will be even during the great tribulation period and the day of the Lord, even, that they will come down and eventually they will be among those nations that invade the Middle East and that will be around Jerusalem at the very time of the coming of Christ and fight against Christ.

So we might also say about Russia and China. I don't know that we have the time to go there, but Ezekiel 38 and 39 also bring out that Russia, China, Iran, and even Ethiopia, some of the nations in Africa, are going to band together after the Israelites have been punished and have been gathered back to the land of Palestine and they are prospering and being blessed. Then these nations from the north and from the east there are going to come against Israel. As we read recently in looking at that chapter, Israel will not have any defense. They will be a nation of unwalled villages, it says. And so Russia, China, these nations will band together and they will be utterly defeated. God will be the defense for Israel. Israel will not have to fight in that battle, but God will take care of those nations. And so then at last Russia and China submit to the rule of Jesus Christ. It will be into the thousand years, well a few years after the return of Christ before they are corrected, as in Ezekiel 38 and 39. And then at last they will submit.

And they will be obedient to Christ and be keeping God's laws. You know, God, we should bring out very quickly that God is ultimately going to be seeking to repentance on the part of everyone. He wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth. He wants Mr. Putin, you know, and we should want Mr. Putin and all the Chinese and Russians and all people to ultimately be given that opportunity to repent. God's not willing for any to perish.

And right now a lot can be explained that Satan is truly working overtime to deceive the nations right now. Mr. Putin is very much under the sway of the evil one. So, but his day of visitation will come. Let's keep that in mind. One day we'll see a converted man there, we hope and pray. So, let me begin to wrap this up a little bit. What shall we watch for? It is likely very possible that Russia will take Ukraine. We'll have to wait and see about that. The Ukrainians are putting up quite a fight. Anyway, this is going to force the European nations to want a strong military for their defense. They already, no doubt, are thinking in that direction. Eventually ten nations will form in Europe, led by one that is called the Beast, a strong political military leader, and a false prophet, a charismatic religious leader. Watch for these nations ultimately to invade the Middle East, come storming down into the Middle East, after a king of the South has made some kind of push at them. Come charging down into the Middle East. Around the same time, watch for these nations to become hostile to Britain and the United States, and to attack and take into captivity the modern-day Israelites. Okay, I want to just just two or three other things. I want to recommend some booklets you can study. By the way, what has been brought out here is what I learned at Ambassador College, beginning well way back in the 1950s. I began to understand some of this, but it's in our booklet, You Can Understand Bible Prophecy. There's a chapter near the end that deals and explains this in quite a bit of detail. So if you're weak in this at all, go back and study here. Also, the book of Revelation has information about Europe and Russia and China in prophecy. And of course, the Middle East in prophecy would be a good one as well. It brings out about the King of the North. So it gets into the European arena, as well as the King of the South and what is to develop in that area.

You know, the good news is that ultimately God will have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is not willing for any to perish. Let's read here. I'm already there. Revelation 15.

Revelation 15. And beginning in verse 3, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the Saints. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. For, notice, all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested. That's going to happen. The European nations, Russia, China, and all Iran, all other nations are going to come and worship before the Great God. They will beat their swords in the plowshares, and they will learn war no more. And they will begin to keep the Sabbath in the holy days, and they will grow and overcome and be brethren with us in God's kingdom. By the way, the last chapter in our booklet, You Can Understand Bible Prophecy, gets into the millennium when all nations will serve and obey the true God. So that's what we really pray for and what we look forward to.

But it is important for us to understand what lies just ahead, and I encourage everyone to read and study and understand God has revealed a lot to His Church. By the way, these things were not revealed until recently, until more our time. Mr. Armstrong began to understand back in the late 1920s and 30s. He began to understand, and Daniel was told that these things he wrote down, things we now understand, they were shut up and sealed till the time of the end. Implication, they would be revealed at the time of the end. They have been revealed. We can understand them. So we can know what to look for. It is important for us to watch and pray, and I would encourage parents to teach their children, make sure they understand these prophecies. It would be good Bible studies to go right over verse by verse, Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 13, 17, and 18. So it'd be good to read and study. Let the children read and study. Read these prophecies from the Scripture. Also, supplement the Bible study with our church literature. So let's prepare our children for what is coming. And as we do, let us encourage our children and say we are not to be afraid. If we serve and obey the great God in heaven, we don't have to be afraid. These are horrible things that are happening right now in Ukraine. These horrible things are going to spread in the years ahead, but we don't need to be afraid. Not if we stay close to God in our prayers and in our study. Let's conclude by reading Scriptures from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. So we'll conclude with this very encouraging verses here as to what we need to do. In 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 1, concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night, very suddenly, very unexpectedly. When they say peace and safety, watch out. Sudden destruction comes upon them. But you, brethren, verse 4, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. You are not of the night or of the darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. Good advice that we can follow here. And verse 11 has a good thought. Therefore, comfort each other. Let's do that in these days in which we are living. They're not encouraging times that we're living in right now.

Let's comfort each other and edify, that is, build up one another just as you are doing.

Yes, let us comfort and encourage one another.