God's Warning

The following is a message which is not a test. It is an urgent warning, and we're going to play it out now. We interrupt this program for an Amber Alert, an emergency Amber Alert, and you know the sound that goes with it. And it is a live broadcast from the supreme universal ruler, God himself. And the message is, unless you, world citizens, immediately repent, there will be terrible impact in the whole world. It will be climatic, it will be droughts, it will be fires, it will be earthquakes and tsunamis. It will be wars, and it will have an enormous worldwide impact to the supply chain, to food, leading to great famines, plagues. So please, repent now. Beep! End of message. Well, that is the message that we as a church need to do, and we are doing, but we as God's people, we personally need to take it to heart in our own lives.

And the situation is going to come to a point that God is going to come to a day in which, when people pray, God will not hear it. Turn with me to Jeremiah 6. Jeremiah 6. And look at verse 10. Jeremiah 6, verse 10. To whom shall I speak and give warning? God is giving us a warning that they may hear. Indeed, the world's year, the world in general, their years is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them, and they have no delight in it. Therefore, this is God speaking, I am full of the fury of the Lord. I am wary of all the in, I'll pour it out on the children outside and on the assembly of young men together. For even a husband shall be taken with the wife, the aged with him, who is full of days, and their houses shall be turned over to others, fields and wives together. For I'll stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land, says the Lord. Because from the least of them, even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetedness. And as we heard in the sermon, the whole world is following pagan gods. You just have to go to maybe the Catholic Church, and you'll see people worshiping idols today. Today. And so, but everybody is doing it. The biggest idol that it is today is self. People idolize themselves. And so he goes on, everyone is given to covenants, and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. And then in verse 15, he reads, Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No. Are people ashamed today when they say things that are completely wrong? No. They were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush. Therefore, they shall fall among those who fall. At the time I punished them, they shall be cast down, says the Lord. Look at verse 17. Also, I set a watchman over you, saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet. And this is what we as a church are doing. But society says, We'll not listen. Therefore, hear your nations. You know, I will certainly, verse 19, I'll bring calamity, because they have not heeded my words. It is sad, brethren, that we live in a world where people have become calloused and really are not repenting.

And there will be catastrophic events. But God, in His loving kindness, He gives us time to repent. You read in Romans that God's goodness and grace is there for us to repent. God wants us to repent. And when we look at prophecies, like in Matthew 24, verse 3 through to 8, it shows all these catastrophes, and it says these are just the beginning of sorrows. And we're living through that time today, brethren. We're living through that time today. In Revelation 6, starting from verse 2, we can see the for horseman of the apocalypse, as it's called. So let's just turn to Revelation 6.

And in verse 2, it talks about a white horse, which is false religion, false ideologies, false leaders claiming they're going to bring peace to the nation. Vote for me, and I will sort the country's problems. And I'm not talking about the US, I'm talking about every country. They're all the same. They're all the same. They all then get these ideologies to get people behind them. And the outcome of that is then wars, wars develop, and that is the second seal, the red horse that we read in verse 4. And wars, as you well know, bring famine, bring situations in which people don't have food to eat. And that is the third seal in verse 5, which is a black horse. And then in verse 7 and 8, then we have the fourth seal, which is a pale horse, which is deaf and Hades, which means the outcome of these is people are dying, and they are open graves where they throw in people, and it's so sad. And it is so sad. And we see in verse 8 that it says, power was given to them, to these horsemen, in verse 8, the second half, over the fourth of the earth, to kill with anger, with death, with death, and by different plagues and diseases. Brethren, these four horsemen will bring 25% of the world's population to death. That's what it says here, and we haven't even started with the Great Tribulation. We are talking about serious situations that have to develop, and we might be nearer than what we think.

We see the situation in Ukraine causing major, possible major, changes in Europe. You probably are aware that 64 countries this year are going through elections, which means nearly half of the world's population is going to go through elections. Countries like Germany, the States, and many others in Europe are going through elections. We've just seen elections in Taiwan.

We could have very, very different leadership very soon this year. Things could change just like that. The situation with the Houthis near Yemen and pressure in the South China Sea. One day, you could wake up suddenly and see that Taiwan is being attacked. It's not a question of if, I think it's a question of when. You and I don't know when, but that is not going to be a pleasant time. You see, we, as the United States, are becoming weaker. We ourselves can't agree amongst ourselves.

We see the big bullies in a block. Remember the days you were at school? You have maybe one guy that is the big guy in the school that commands things, but then that guy maybe gets weaker or whatever it is. What do you have? You have other bullies coming up and starting to push for me or for him or for the other. That's what we're going to see in the world affairs. Basically, three big axes of power pushing. One of them being the East and the North. The other one being the Middle East, particularly possibly Sunni nations. And the other one being Europe. You're going to see things developing because even though things will happen quickly, things are shaping in those directions.

And quite often we wonder what is going to happen before there's going to be that abomination of desolation. Because we know abomination of desolation. You know, you read in Matthew 24 about abomination of desolation. But quite often we don't think what sort of stages we could go through before the abomination of desolation. Now, there is a possible hint of some stages that will go through before the abomination of desolation. And that is in the book of the law in Leviticus 26 in the section of blessings and cursings. I am not saying that is definite, but it is an interesting possibility. And in Leviticus 26 we see five waves of punishment for disobedience.

Five waves of punishment to disobedience. Granted, those waves were addressed with specific details for the earlier times. But the principles in general could be applicable to today's age. Please understand that I'm not saying it is for sure. I'm just saying it could be applicable to today's age. There are five waves of punishment. In Leviticus 26, the first section from verse 3 to verse 13 says, if you obey me, you'll be blessed. But then from verse 14 it says, if you do not obey me, then I'll do this to you as you read in verse 16.

And the first wave of punishment is terror. Now, you and I could speculate that maybe that ties to 9-11 in 2001. But terror existed before, but it came to an apex, a critical point at that time. And you and I know that after that, people had a very type of repentance, but it was very faint and did not last long.

And mankind kept sinning. And then we have a second wave in verse 18, which says, and if after this you do not obey me, I'll punish you seven times more for your sins, and I'll break the pride of your power. Now, the pride of our power is very possibly the American dollar. And the American dollar had a break in its pride in 2008 with the market crash, which was exactly seven years afterwards. And it brought a lot of changes in the world, and clearly was many times more, quote-unquote, worse than 9-11.

It affected a lot of people. But again, people do not repent. And then we get to a third punishment. And the third punishment on verse 21 says, then if you're all contrary to me, and not be willing to obey me, I'll bring on you seven times more plagues. Again, I'm speculating what if this is 2020 COVID. Because COVID impacted far more than the market crash. Far more. And it was worldwide.

The others had worldwide impact, all of them. And the interesting thing, that was exactly 12 years, more or less, around 12 years, after 2008. And it was exactly 19 years after 9-11, which is a time cycle. So, I'm not saying this is for sure, but it is an interesting way that could be a warning to us. Because if you look, there are two more punishments.

The one is the fourth one, which is from verse 23 to verse 25, which says, I'll punish you seven times more in verse 24, and I'll bring a sword against you. Which means war, in which our nation would be involved in a war. And it says that that would be seven times worse. Now, is it possible that we could have a civil war in a country? We hope not, of course.

But have we repented? Have we changed as a nation? Is God pleased with us?

Can we assume things will just go on and keep going on? I don't think so. Now, if verse sequence is applicable, that is very sad. But the next final fifth wave, which starts from verse 28 and verses that follow, it's nothing else than the Great Tribulation.

If this is applicable to today's nation, today's society, today's world, if this pattern is applicable, it means we have one more punishment before the Great Tribulation.

But God wants the world to repent. But it's going to come to a point where God's going to say, it's enough. It's enough. We're reading Jeremiah chapter 7. We're reading Jeremiah chapter 7. Jeremiah chapter 7 verse 16. Jeremiah chapter 7 verse 16.

It says, therefore, do not pray for these people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intersection to me, for I will not hear it. All many so-called Christians will be praying when these things happen, asking God for intervention. And what does God say? I'm not going to intervene.

That is frightful, brethren. That is frightful. And then, when we look at ourselves, there'll be a time of Great Tribulation. And look in Ezekiel chapter 5. Ezekiel chapter 5. We're going to start in verse 1, just to get the context.

Ezekiel chapter 5. Now, understand, Ezekiel was written to Israel, but was written to Israel after Israel had been dispersed and ceased to be a nation. Think about that. Ezekiel was written to Israel, but Israel had already gone to captivity and was then dispersed. So Ezekiel is written to modern-day Israel.

And it says, Yah, and you, my son, take a shop sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass it over your head and your beard. Take scales to weigh and divide the head, and it shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city. And then you take one-third and strike it around with the sword, and scatter, and then one other third scatter it in the wind. Brethren, this is not good news. This is not good news for the nation. God wants the nation to repent. And not just the nation. The nations, plural, are not specifically trying to go criticize the United States. All nations. God wants all nations to repent, because all people are ultimately, when they repent, to be God's children, regardless, Jew or Gentile. So God wants mankind to repent.

And so the question is, this is to the world. What about us in the church? Because we're trying to obey God. We're trying to do what's pleasing to God. And yes, we do love our children, our grandchildren. We want them to be protected. We're really, from the bottom of our hearts, we want protection for our children. And if we are like that, and God is more loving and merciful than you and I are, He is a dad. He's our heavenly dad. Doesn't He want to do that as well? Of course He does. And then we look at prophecy like Revelation 12. Revelation 12, the first section, talks about Israel and God's people in Old Testament. And then from Revelation 12, verse 7, talks about a time which is soon to happen, which is when there will be war that will break up in heaven. Now, they would have been, as you read Revelation 12, they would have been war before, and Satan fell down to earth but was not expelled. Because you and I know, as you read from Job, that he has access to heaven. And so, but now, in verse 7, which is future, there's this war in heaven, and Michael is given instruction by God. The father says, that is it. Because by reading other scriptures, we can see that he had been restrained, and God allowed time so that mankind would repent. But it's going to come to a time, and he says, now that's enough. And quote-unquote, get Satan to be cast out of heaven, that serpent that deceives all nations and everybody. We can read that in verse 9. And then he comes down to earth, and at the end of verse 12, Revelation 12, you see, for the devil has come down to you, to earth, to the inhabitants having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. I don't believe this has happened yet, but I think it's probably going to happen soon. Nobody knows the time, but it's probably going to happen soon. But you know what? Satan knows that it's going to happen soon. So his anger is building up, and he's attacking a lot of the brethren in the church today. You can see a lot of brethren going through trials and difficulties like never before. That's why we need to be praying for one another. But we can see a little bit further down, starting from verse 14, that says that the church, symbolizing other women, was given protection. God will protect a portion of the church. I said carefully a portion, and I'll come to that a little later. But God will protect a portion of the church. Let's look at Zephaniah chapter 2. Zephaniah chapter 2. In Zephaniah chapter 2, verse 1 through 3 says, Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather. I think it is clearly a call for us to really humble ourselves and be together and be united. O undesirable nation, brethren, we are the undesirable nation in this world. Before the decrees issued, or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you, seek the Lord. God wants us all to be continuously repentant. Seek the Lord all the omic of the earth. In other words, those of you that are humble and teachable, seek God. Who have upheld is justice. Yeah, we are those that are upholding God's justice.

We, God's church, God's people, are indeed those that are the meek, or at least we should be, of the earth. Seek righteousness, seek humility.

It may be that you will be hidden. It may be that you will be protected in the day of the Lord's anger.

You see, the time is going to come as we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3, because as it says, in fact, in verse 2, that that time will come like a thief in the night, which is clearly talking about the time approaching Christ's coming. But in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3, it says, For when they say peace and safety?

When the world says, well, we've kindly elected new leaders, and these leaders are going to bring us peace and safety. I'm not saying there is. It says they say, which is different.

Then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor upon pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. Brethren, we have to repent. That's why then in verse 6 says, Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, and let us watch and be sober. Doesn't that remind you of the parable of the ten virgins? Five were wise, and five were foolish. In fact, initially they were all sleeping. But let us not sleep. It says, yeah, let us watch. Let us be the five wise virgins. That implication that being virgins could be that they were in God's church. They virgins, they're trying to please God. They're not following idols. So it says, five of them will be, quote unquote, the door will be open to them. Could it mean they will be protected and the other's not? Whatever. But the point is, this is going to happen soon.

32 to 35 says this generation will not pass away. Sorry, I meant to say 32 through 35. Matthew 24, 32 through 35 says this generation will not pass away. What generation is there being where we have the power and the capability to completely destroy ourselves in so many ways. And it's just that not one nation, but the power to destroy ourselves is with a lot of people that to me, and I guess to you, don't have. They could just press the button at any time. This is this generation. And as we're like AI and things like that, the speed of things will be exponential. Exponential. There's no questions about that. You see, we don't know when Christ told us time and time again. No man knows the time. But there is going to be a time, I believe, when we will know the time. Because Daniel 12 talks about certain events, and then he's going to count down 13-35 days, 12-90 days, 12-60 days. So when it comes to that moment, it appears that we know the time. So if we don't know the time, it's before those events happen. And so things are going to blow up very quickly. In 2 Peter, chapter 3, we can see exactly what God is looking for. 2 Peter, chapter 3. And we're going to read, starting from verse 9. We're just only going to read a few verses here. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise. Some count slackness. But he is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God is giving us time because he wants us to repent as a nation, as people in the world, and particularly us in the church, to wake up, to be watching and be sober. Because he wants all to repent. Why? Because he loves every human being. Granted, our sins have separated human beings from God, but God still loves human beings. It's just like if you have a child that is rebellious and therefore there is a divide between you and that child, but your love for that child still remains.

God loves us, and he wants us to repent. If you have a child that is stubborn and giving trouble and causing the vision, your hope and prayer is that that child does repent. If you and I are like that, how much more God is? And if we are merciful, God is the father of mercies and all comfort, as we read in 2 Corinthians at the beginning.

So he wants us to repent. That's what we read in verse 9. But in verse 10 he says, these things are going to explode at different levels, and in verse 10 it's actually taken to the ultimate when everything will actually end up. But look at verse 11 of 2 Peter chapter 3. Therefore, since all this thing in the end is going to go, it's going to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

Brethren, this is the whole purpose of prophecy. The whole purpose of prophecy is that God wishes that that prophecy would not need to be fulfilled, that prophecy of punishment, because you read the story of Jonah, and the Ninevites repented, and God was pleased with that, so that punishment was removed. And now Jonah was looking at a different situation. He said, I'm a false prophet. Well, forget about being a false prophet. What? God wants these people to repent!

How wonderful would it be if the whole world would repent and our warnings would not be, would not happen. Because that's what God wants, but at least for us in God's church, it says what manner of persons you and I need to be in holy conduct and being like God and godliness. Brethren, that is the purpose of prophecy. Of course, there's a greater purpose of prophecy, which is that we will be sons and daughters of God. That's His ultimate purpose. But for us to be, to reach that end goal, we have to change from carnal nature to divine nature. And there is a whole process that we receive God's Holy Spirit, and with God's Holy Spirit, we go through what is called the sanctification of the Spirit for obedience, so that we become more and more that we reach the fullness of the stature of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so that we know what He's like and we grow in His grace.

And so it's not just knowledge, which God often, a lot of people with prophecy, get intellectual knowledge, and it becomes arrogant and, oh, I know this, I'm better than you. But they forget the first part of that sentence, grow in grace and knowledge. Yes, knowledge, we ought to grow in knowledge, in truth. Doctrine is important, but we have to grow in grace. That is how we apply that knowledge in loving kindness, graciousness, in love. That's why Ephesians chapter 4 says, apply it to truth in love. That's what it is. Truth, knowledge, doctrine, all that is important, but it's not intellectualism. It is applying it in a gentle, kind, loving way.

I have been in the church and my wife too, and we've observed for a number of years people that have left the church. Not always, but often it's some people that give the best sermons, some people that are so intelligent, so smart, they know that Bible from quote everything. What? Amazing that you kind of look at.

But knowledge puffs up. And regrettably, some of those ended up leaving because it was the truth, but it was not in love. It was knowledge, but not with grace. And so this verse 11 of 2nd Peter chapter 3, it's quite meaningful because this is the purpose of prophecy, that there is a change, there is a repentance, that we become more like God.

And we read that God will protect the church. When you go back to Revelation 12, Revelation 12, he says he will protect the church. And he says the woman fled and the earth helped the woman. That's in verse 16.

But in verse 17 says, but Satan, the dragon, was furious with the church. And he went to make war with the rest of the church. And so a portion of the church, as I said it earlier, will be protected. But a portion of the church will not. Is that the meaning? I'm speculating. It might be, I think it is, of five wise virgins and five foolish. Does it mean that 50% of us will be protected and 50% of us in the church of God will not? And the United Church of God, there are brethren in other fellowships. There are God's people. I don't agree with what some of the leadership did, but God knows those who are ease.

And what we gotta do, you, me, us all, we gotta be sober and vigilant. We gotta be sober and vigilant. You know, go back, we read, yeah, sorry, in verse 17. And the dragon was in the rage of the woman, and he went and made war of the rest of offspring. Who are the rest? Who are the rest that were not, quote unquote, protected? They will keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. And so, the others, they were protected, surely kept the commandments of God, and surely also had the testimony of Jesus. So, what is the differentiator?

I beg to speculate that it was the application of love. Was there graciousness? That kindness? I might be wrong, but God is love. God wants us to be His children, loving children. He says, you've got many gifts, faith, hope, and love, but the greatest is love.

I would imagine I might be wrong. But I am very inclined to believe it's people today in the Church that when we deal with one another, we are forgiving, we are kind, we are not judgmental, we are not critical. Because you could have people in the Church that are keeping the commandments of God, that have some of the greatest qualities, but they don't have some of the other gracious qualities, which we have to grow, not just in knowledge, but in the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. So, brethren, let's turn to Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55. And we're going to read verse 6. Isaiah 55 verse 6.

Isaiah 55 verse 6.

Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and unrighteous his thoughts. Let him return to God and he will have mercy on him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. God's warning is clearly in the Bible. We don't need an ember on the radio or on TV, because the ember alert is right here. And that's our job. But we need to seek him while he may be found. God wants us to repent.

I need to look at myself and be very careful what I say, how I say it, how I treat people, but so do you. So do we all have to, because that might be the differentiator. May God be with us.