Trumpets

I want to begin the sermon this afternoon with a what-if. What if the nations on the earth decided to call a special meeting of the United Nations in New York City? You know, there was a special meeting here recently. What if they decided that they had had their fill of war and bloodshed, and they declared peace with each other? There would be no more bloody fighting and wars anywhere on the earth. And furthermore, they would begin working immediately to disarm all military weapons and dismantle their armies, navies, and air forces. Furthermore, terrorist groups like Hamas and al-Qaeda decided that it doesn't really make sense to bomb and kill innocent people, and so there would be no more terrorism anywhere in the world.

That'd be wonderful, wouldn't it? Well, what if, furthermore, the nations decided to cooperate on the world's economic problems, to maybe proclaim a year of jubilee for the forgiveness of debts and give everybody a fresh start, to establish fair production and trade policies, and create ways to evenly spread the wealth of the world to everyone, so that everyone had plenty, to outlaw and to punish greed and corruption, and explore ways for new businesses to begin and to provide jobs for everyone? That would be wonderful, wouldn't it? What if the nations went further and they decided that the strength of every nation and society is the family unit?

And they decided to promote strong marriages and family life, and to outlaw premarital sex and adultery, and these would no longer be tolerated. There'd be tremendous changes on TV programs, movies and music, and even advertisements.

And what if God looked down from heaven and saw mankind making all of these changes and repenting, and he was pleased and began to bless mankind with pleasant weather, no more deadly hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and droughts? Wouldn't that be wonderful? We can dream, can't we? What if? Well, one day, all of these what-ifs are going to come to pass. They're going to become a reality on the earth. It won't happen in 2012. It could happen by 2022 or 2032. In the next 10 or 20 years, it could very well happen in the next couple of decades. It won't happen because man decides to get together to call a meeting, decides to repent and to change. But it will come because the great God is going to see to it. That's what this Feast of Trumpets is all about. This day is a turning point in human history where God is going to force what all these what-ifs upon mankind and more. I want us to begin by turning to the book of Acts 3. The great God has a plan to turn things around. And it begins with this day, the Feast of Trumpets. He is going to one day look over to Jesus Christ at His right hand. And He is going to say, it's time for you to go back to the earth and set up our kingdom, the kingdom of God on the earth. Let's read about that here in Acts 3, verse 19. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. When we repent, we really want to change and turn to God's ways. Our sins are blotted out by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

This world, this tired, weary world needs some refreshing right now. We're going through very difficult times in many, many ways on the earth. In verse 20, and that He, now who is this He referring to? It's the Father. That He, God the Father, may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before. The Father is going to know the times and the seasons, and He is going to send Jesus Christ at just the right time. Verse 21, This world needs times of refreshing. It needs times of restoration, and those times are coming. And God is going to bring peace, happiness, and joy and prosperity to this world. Brethren, what an amazing day this is. This day is a turning point in human history. I want to read from our Holy Day booklet, the chapter on the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets introduces the autumn festivals, representing the culmination of the present age of man and the beginning of an incredible time during which God will play a much more direct part in world events. The Feast of Trumpets heralds the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis. This Holy Day represents a dramatic turning point in human history. The Feast of Trumpets depicts nothing less than the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish the Kingdom of God. That's what this day is all about. This day pictures truly a turning point from the evils of this world to a wonderful new age that lies just ahead. Can your mind envision nations at war and mankind ready to destroy this beautiful planet and himself? This earth is beautiful. Let's face it. We many times travel. People will travel in the fall of the year to see the beautiful leaves in this part of the country. People travel to Niagara Falls to see the beautiful waterfalls. They travel to the West Coast to see the beautiful Rocky Mountains, the Northwest, all over this nation and around the world. There are many beautiful, beautiful areas that people travel to. This earth is beautiful. The sunrise, the sunset, the grass, the trees, the food we eat, human life, an amazing thing made in the image of God. And yet mankind would be ready to destroy all this beauty and to destroy himself. And God has a great plan and purpose for mankind. He's not going to let it happen. He simply is not going to let man destroy this earth and destroy himself. He's going to step in. But can you envision the time man would be ready to destroy himself? That time is coming. And unless God stepped in, the man would destroy himself and destroy this beautiful planet. But suddenly, and can you imagine this also, suddenly the visible appearance of Jesus Christ as if one from outer space, visibly appearing, and people are able to see him, to defeat the nations that are gathered around Jerusalem.

And it's also pictured by this day and something we want to dwell on a little bit as we go on through the sermon. Can you envision that when Jesus Christ comes to cut short these days and establish God's Kingdom, can you envision as he appears in the clouds of the air, rising up in the air to meet him?

Not as a human being, but as a glorified spirit being, your face shining like the sun, just a spiritual dynamo of energy and immortality, a son of God. Can you imagine that? I think that's a little bit difficult for us to really picture. But that is also a part of this day, because this day pictures that time that that will become a reality for those who seek God in his way of life, the saints of God of this age. Truly, this day is a turning point in human history. God will change his hands-off policy, basically a hands-off policy, to a hands-on, totally hands-on policy. And he will govern and regulate everything that happens on the earth. God has allowed mankind great latitude down through the ages. Man has been allowed to develop his own civilizations. We read about it in history. He's been allowed to develop his own culture. He's been allowed to develop his own religions. And so God has allowed great latitude for mankind. Of course, it's been under Satan's influence, and these 6,000 years have involved much evil, wickedness, and deception.

Even so, during these 6,000 years, it's amazing how much God has had his hand involved. For example, just in recent history, back in the 1600s, it was God who determined that the British Commonwealth of Nations would rise. It was saying that Spain should have been the one that was the great nation in the 1500s, and not those little isles off of the coast of Europe.

But in the 1600s, these little isles off of the coast of Europe began to colonize around the world, because it became a time for prophecies to be fulfilled. Concerning Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, concerning the sons, Joseph, and his two sons. And then, in the 17 and 1800s, for the rise of the United States as a great nation, and now the most powerful nation on earth, God had his hand involved in this.

God also reminded Nebuchadnezzar that he ruled in the kingdom of men. Three times in Daniel 4, he told Nebuchadnezzar the most high rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he chooses. So God is often more involved in even current world events than we even realize. But he still gives mankind a lot of latitude to go his own way, learn lessons, and he lets things go very much in that direction as well, as long as it fits within his overall plan and purpose. God will let mankind come to the very brink of destruction, and then he will step in to rescue and save humanity, as pictured by this day.

I'm not sure all the verses which have been read this morning, but I'm going to read a few verses, and some of them may be the same, and some of them may be different. But God is going to arise to shake mankind. It's kind of like a parent whose child is way out of line. And sometimes the parent may take the child, and he shouldn't shake him very hard in their way, but he might just grab him and bring that child under control and under his authority. And God is going to shake this earth. He has a controversy with mankind and the way the nations are going. He doesn't like it. Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 25. We're going to read a few verses here that God has a controversy with the way mankind is going. He doesn't like it one bit, and he's going to step in and do something about it. And this day pictures that time. Jeremiah 25 and verse 30, The Lord will roar from on high. Jesus Christ came the first time as a little babe, a human being, a puny little human. He made himself puny and human like we are. But he's going to come the second time with great power. He will roar from on high and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will roar mightily against his fold. He will give a shout as those who tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise will come to the ends of the earth. It's going to be a worldwide conflict. For the Lord has a controversy with the nations. He will plead his case with all flesh and give those that are wicked to the sword.

Verse 32, Behold, disaster shall go forth from nation to nation, and the great whirlwind shall be raised up from the farthest parts of the earth. And at that time the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. The great God has a controversy with the way the nations are going. He doesn't like it. What nation do you want to name? Name it. He doesn't like the way that nation is going. Not just the United States and the Israelite nations. God has a controversy with the Gentile nations and the way they are going. And every nation is going to have to make a lot of changes.

Let's go to Isaiah 2. Isaiah 2. Again, I apologize that some of these verses have been read earlier in the day, but this all fits into the meaning of this Feast of Trumpets. Isaiah 2.10 Answer into the rock and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. This is talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Notice verse 11. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled.

The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Some people have said, well, we looked out in space. We've sent spacecraft out there. We don't see any sign of God anywhere. There's a lot of pride and vanity in willfully ignoring the facts. And so mankind wants to deny the existence of his Creator. But the Creator God doesn't do anything about it yet. He lets them give them latitude to think that way. But he will step in and show his powerful hand. And the haughtiness of men will be brought down. Verse 11. Verse 12, rather. In the day of the Lord of hosts, the day of the Lord.

So many prophecies speak about, The day of the Lord shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up, and it shall be brought low. You know, rather than that, to teach us something very important, and that is that we don't want to have any pride. If there's any pride or haughtiness or being lifted up, then that has to be put out. That has to be overcome. If we have any of that in us, we should ask God to help us to take that away. Because God is looking for a heart and mind that is obedient to him. One that is teachable, one that is correctable. That like a little child. Let's go to also verse 20 in this chapter, Isaiah 2, verse 20.

In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they have made each for himself to worship to the moles and the bats, to go into the clefts of the rugs and into the crags of the rugged rugs from the terror of the Lord and the glory of his majesty when he arises to shake the earth mightily.

You know, God can shake something mightily if he chooses to, right? And he's going to shake the nations on this earth mightily. He's going to shake up mankind and bring mankind to his senses because man will be ready to destroy himself and the great God will step in. Let's also read from Isaiah, chapter 66. There are so many verses in the Old Testament about the Day of the Lord, about the Second Coming of Christ.

You know, while we're turning over it, let me just say that, you know, there are many Old Testament prophecies about the First Coming of Jesus Christ. Many Old Testament prophecies showing where Christ would be born, Bethlehem, what tribe we would come from, Judah, showing that he would be born of a virgin, showing even where his ministry would be in Galilee area. So many, many prophecies, and he would come writing into Jerusalem on a coat.

All those prophecies were fulfilled, the 30 paces of silver. Many prophecies about the First Coming of Christ. But you know what? There are more prophecies about the Second Coming of Christ in the Old Testament by far. Far more prophecies about what the Feast of Trumpets represents, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Day of the Lord, when God steps in to take an active hand in affairs on this earth. Let's read here in Isaiah 66, verse 15. For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

For by fire and by his sword, the Lord will judge all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. Now, you know, God is able to bring them up later. There is a second resurrection after the millennium for those who have been deceived, and these would have an opportunity to repent at a later day of salvation. In verse 17, I want to read this verse in this context. In the context of the Second Coming of Christ, we read about the eating of unclean meats in a very unfavorable light. Verse 17, Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination and the mouse shall be consumed together, says the Lord. So, here in this idolatrous worship, God also condemns the eating of the unclean meats all at the same time.

Let's come on forward to the Olivet prophecy. I just briefly want to touch upon a few of these prophecies that show the powerful coming of Jesus Christ as pictured by the Feast of Trumpets in Matthew 24. This is a chapter that I'm sure we are very familiar with, but Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming.

And the end of the age, He warned about religious deception. He warned about wars and rumors of wars. He warned about famines, pestilences, earthquakes. All these would be the beginning of sorrows. He warned that there would be also martyrdom. Verse 9, They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated of all nations for my name's sake. He said many would be offended and will betray one another and hate one another. And you know, God's Church then has certainly been tried and tested down through the ages.

We've been tried and tested as far as doctrinal understanding. We've been tried and tested in many, many ways, and no doubt God will continue to try and test His people. One verse says, His eyelids are trying us. He's looking down into our hearts and minds. He does want to know exactly what is at the deepest level of our hearts and minds, just like He did Abraham.

When Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, that was to have the promises, the birthright promises, to come on down. And Abraham was willing. And God said, Now I know that you fear Me. Now I know what's at the deepest level of your heart and mind. Rather than we may need each of us to be tried and tested further, that God will know exactly what is at the deepest level of our hearts and minds.

So we have to realize that God is trying us and testing us, and He lets us in the church go through many things to find out what is at the deepest level of our hearts and minds. So the church fits into end-time prophecy, and events happening in the church certainly reveal as well that some of these prophecies are being fulfilled in our time.

But He that endures to the end, it says, will be saved. But notice then it goes on to describe a time of trouble like we've never had before, verse 21. Then there will be great tribulations, such as has not been since the beginning of the world, until this time known or ever shall be. We're living closer to that time all the time. We're getting closer and closer to it. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. Of course, there are people that think the world is going to end in December of 2012. We have some articles in the current issue of the Good News magazine certainly showing that that is not the case based upon some ancient Mayan calendars.

Certainly we don't look to ancient Mayan calendars as the source of revelation as to what is going to happen. And so we cannot set a definite time when Jesus Christ is going to return, as He explains later in this chapter. But we know that we're getting closer. One reason we know is that man has the nuclear capability of destroying life on this planet.

We just think of this. In the 1950s, when nuclear weapons were new and fresh on the world scene, people were afraid. They built bomb shelters, some did, in case there was a nuclear attack. But since that time, everyone's become pretty relaxed. We've not had any nuclear exchanges. But yet the nuclear weapons are there. And you can study into this. Many scientists feel, in studies they have made, that in a full nuclear exchange, the atmosphere of the earth would be left shrouded with clouds and sunlight, would not be able to get down to the earth.

And mankind needs sunlight, and plants need sunlight. Furthermore, there would not be pure air and water for men to breathe and to drink. And so, studies have shown that a full nuclear exchange would affect this earth in such a way that human life would be terminated on this planet. And that's exactly what Jesus is talking about here. So we need to realize that those weapons of destruction are there. Of course, right now we are very concerned. Our nation is that these weapons not end up in the hands of terrorists, who would not be afraid to use them. So, in fact, delight in using them against us or anyone else they don't like.

So we're living in that time where mankind is able to destroy himself. But then, this day is going to rescue mankind from himself. Notice in verse 29, Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. God is going to now begin to actively intervene in world affairs. The heavenly signs introduce the day of the Lord. It is possible that the day of the Lord will last about a year.

We have felt that Bible prophecies indicate that. The things that happen in the day of the Lord is described in the book of Revelation. It takes some time. Time periods are described there. And so the heavenly signs will introduce that the great God is beginning to step in. And then it leads to the time in verse 30, Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. We believe in the visible second coming of Jesus Christ. The nations are going to look up Jesus Christ and make Himself appear as visible to human beings if He wants to.

And they will see the Son of man coming with great power and glory. Verse 31, He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet. It will be the last trump, as we'll read later. And they will gather together His elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. You know, the book of Matthew here, Chapter 24, is amplified in the book of Revelation.

I'd like to just comment a few minutes about the book of Revelation. The word revelation in the Greek language is apokalupsis. Apokalupsis. You'll find in the very beginning verses of Revelation, the book itself begins, the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The apokalupsis of Jesus Christ. Of course, in our anglicized version of that, we say the apocalypse. So the book of Revelation could just as easily be called apokalipsis as it is Revelation. The word in the Greek means to take off the cover. You know, think about that. At this time, the cover is on as far as the world knowing what Jesus Christ is doing and what Jesus and the Father are doing. But the revelation of Jesus Christ shows how the cover is going to be taken off, and everyone is going to come to understand God's plan and purpose, and they're going to be able to understand God's plan of salvation for all mankind.

The book of Revelation, when we studied the book and look at it as 22 chapters long, it is not until chapter 19 that Jesus Christ fights against the nations that are gathered at Jerusalem and defeats them. So that is deep into the book. That means that the first 18 chapters show events that are leading up to the time that Jesus will fight against the nations around Jerusalem. Most of the book then is devoted to events that are leading up to that time when suddenly Jesus Christ will, the Son of the Son of Man, will appear.

And the nations will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven. Now, you can study our booklet, the book of Revelation Unveiled, and much of the book of Revelation falls into some sevens, seven seals, beginning in chapter 6. You'll read about six of them.

And then the seventh seal begins in chapter 8. But the seventh seal breaks out into seven trumpets. Seven trumpets. And it is at the last trump that Jesus Christ will return.

And included in the seventh trump, if you read about the seventh trump and the events in the book of Revelation and follow the flow of the story through, there are seven last plagues. And then finally, you come to chapter 19, where Jesus Christ, and the armies that follow Him in white, Jesus Christ comes back to wage war. And as Zechariah 14 says, He will fight against the nations that are gathered at Jerusalem. Now, earlier in the seven last plagues, the sixth one, you will read that there is a drying up of the river Euphrates, and the armies of the east come across the Euphrates to a place called Armageddon. And many people believe, and that's in Revelation 16, that the armies are gathered at Armageddon. Many people believe that is where the final battle will be fought. No? Wrong. Armageddon is 50 or 60 miles or so north of Jerusalem. The armies will be gathered there, and then they will come down to Jerusalem. And as it says in Zechariah 14 and in Joel 2 and 3, that's where the final battle will be fought. The final battle between Christ and the nations will be at Jerusalem. And we read about that in the Old Testament verses that I mentioned, but we see details of that battle in Revelation 19. Let's turn to Revelation 19 and just read a few of those verses. Jesus Christ is going to come back then. He's going to roar. He's going to shout. He's going to come with power and great glory. And He is going to shake mankind. He's going to grab the controls of government. He's going to defeat the nations utterly that are gathered around Jerusalem. You know, they're going to fight against Christ sincerely thinking they can defeat Him. They'll suddenly see Christ up in the air, and they'll all start firing toward Him. And you know, Isaiah 40 says that the nations are like a drop in the bucket. Man just doesn't realize what he's up against. He's nothing. A drop in the bucket. What's a drop in the bucket? What's like dust on the scales. And if you ladies go buy something at the store and you have to get the dust off of something before you have it weighed, you don't worry about that. So man is like all nations. Man is like the dust on the scales or like a drop in a bucket. So here we, in Revelation chapter 19, read about this final battle in verse 11. I saw heaven opened a white horse, and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes, see, he does make war. He will fight against the nations at his return and defeat them. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and he has many crowns on his head, and this name that no one knows but himself. He's clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called the Word of God. The arm is in heaven, clothed in fine linen. White and clean followed him on white horses. Apparently talking about the saints of God. Verse 15, out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the wine present, the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. So Jesus Christ will come back angry because man is about ready to destroy this earth and ready to destroy himself. He has this name on his thigh, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

And here the final battle is described in verse 17. On down he saw this angel crying, Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings and mighty men and captains, the flesh of all people free and slave, small and great. Verse 19, I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who set on the horse and against his army. These are those armies that were gathered at Armageddon, then came on down to Jerusalem. And that's where the battle takes place. Then the beast was captured, one of the great military leaders is captured, and with him the false prophet, a great false religious leader, who worked all these signs and wonders. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, and the rest were killed with the sword, which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. After this battle is over, then mankind will suddenly realize that he has met a superior force. And with the slain of the Lord being all from one end of the earth to the other, mankind will at last be ready to listen to his Maker.

And Jesus Christ will begin to proceed, then working with mankind, and begin to rebuild all the destruction that has taken place upon the earth. The first thing he will do is to bind Satan the Devil. Chapter 20 gets right into that. The next holy day also pictures it. The binding of Satan. And the world may come to be at one with God through what is pictured by the Day of Atonement.

And then in verses 4-6 of the next chapter, the thousand-year reign of Christ. The wonderful millennium is described as pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles. And we notice that the rest of the dead are not left out. And the last great day pictures when they will be given their Day of Salvation. Brethren, these are wonderful prophecies that we read in the Bible, then, as to the meaning of this day.

Sure, we've heard a lot about it already. You know, the Feast of Trumpets pictures something that is personal for members of the Church of God. Let's read a few verses about that. Jude, verse 14. Jude, verse 14. And 15. We read here a prophecy that goes back a long time. This is a prophecy before the Flood.

Just several generations from the very beginning. Jude, verses 14 and 15. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints. Now here's a prophecy about the coming of Christ. Which is it? Which coming is it? Second coming, right? Jesus Christ is coming, Enoch said. Way before the Flood. Jesus Christ is coming with ten thousands of His saints.

And our calling is to be among those saints. And the saints will execute judgment on all and convict those who are ungodly of their ungodly deeds. Which they have committed in an ungodly way in the harsh things they've spoken. God is going to deal with mankind's rebellious spirit and attitude. Yes, the Feast of Trumpets pictures the coming of Christ. Ten thousands of His saints.

Let's turn to 1 Thessalonians 4. And it is our calling, then, to prepare to be there in that first resurrection. And to become a spirit being when Jesus Christ returns. In 1 Thessalonians 4, we're going to skip on down to verse 16. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

In all the dead, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David. All the righteous men of God, of old, the twelve apostles. You know what? Ones that we have known in our day and time, who are now asleep, will be resurrected at this time. All the dead in Christ will come up out of their graves, but they won't be human, as we'll read in just a moment. They will be immortal beings. And then it says in verse 17, We who are alive and remain. Some Christians are going to not die.

They're just going to be alive until Christ returns, and they'll be caught up together with the ones who are resurrected from the dead. In the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. And so this is a special day for God's people, when we will be changed to spirit beings. Let's read more about that in 1 Corinthians 15. No longer human.

What's that going to be like? You know, as we get older, we realize more and more just how weak and puny and temporary this life is. But the real life we look forward to even more. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50, that shows when it will happen.

Many times when there are people that think you're going to go to heaven at a funeral service, when I read this verse, I go kind of slow and let it really soak in and say, well, look at this. This is when a person is made immortal.

A Christian is made immortal in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, not when the person died. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead, who have really been dead, will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. That's what we all long for. We yearn for being made immortal, no longer human. So this day represents or pictures that time when this will take place.

As we come to the latter part of this sermon, what should we do to be getting ready? What should we be doing as far as the Feast of Trumpets is concerned, and as far as the days ahead? You know, I could maybe come up with seven points, I could come up with three points, but I've come up with just one, but I think it says it all. And let's turn to Genesis 6 to point out that one thing that we need to be doing in the days ahead. In Genesis 6, we read that before the flood, it was a wicked evil time.

And God, of course, was so angry at what was going on that He was going to destroy mankind. Even it says He was sorry that He had made man in verse 6. Think about that. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

And so He planned to destroy mankind. But it says in verse 8, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And notice, and why did Noah find grace? That word grace means favor. This is verse 9, this is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man. That means he was trying to do things according to God's will.

That means he was keeping the laws of God. He was trying to do what was pleasing and right in God's sight. He was a just man. Perfect in his generation, the margin has blameless, or having integrity. He was a man of integrity then, and striving to do what was right. And then it says in the last part of verse 9, Noah walked with God. That's the one point I'd like to emphasize to us this afternoon. As far as what we can do in the days ahead, in the evil time that we're living in. You know, Jesus said that the age before his second coming would be just like it was in the days of Noah. And before, in the days of Noah, before the flood, it was an evil, wicked time. But Noah walked with God, and he fell in favor with God. That's what we should be doing. We should walk with God. What does it mean to walk with God? It means that we're close to God. When my wife and I take a walk, we're close to each other. We're not out to fight, argue, and fuss with each other. We're out to walk. We talk. We enjoy walking. It's good exercise, and it's enjoyable time together. To walk with God means to have enjoyable time together with God. Are you having a lot of that? Even all the time. There's a constant communion between us and God. We constantly pray, God, help me. Strengthen me. Guide me. There's constant prayers and communication between us and God. We get down upon our knees also every day, and we have concentrated periods of time that we talk things over with God. We also have Bible study to learn more of God's will and what He wants us to do and wants us to know. What is our relationship like with God? To walk with God is a close relationship. A close relationship based upon love. So, to walk with God means to be close to Him. It means to seek to do His will. Jesus said that His meat was to eat or to do the will of His Father. That's what He ate up doing, was to do God's will in His life.

The walking with God means that we have the attitude of repentance. We don't think of ourselves as anything great. We strive to avoid the attitude that we're warned about. That one church will have the attitude of a smug and complacent spirit. We instead want to be humble like a little child. Lonely in heart, not high and mighty in our own sight.

We want to be gentle and meek and poor in spirit like Jesus said He was. We want to feel like the unprofitable servant. When we've done the things commanded of us and say we are unprofitable servants, we want to feel that we've come up a bit short. We don't want to ever feel, well, I must be pretty pleasing in God's sight. I think I'm doing it pretty well.

That's an attitude we strive to avoid. We do not want to feel that we're the best, the best Christian, or number one. Instead, we feel we come up short of what others are doing. We want to continue pressing forward. We want to trust God completely. The walking with God means to trust Him. We're living in evil times. We don't know how long our economy will hold up.

We don't know how long our food supply will hold up in the years ahead. We don't know what kind of problems might develop. We remember, though, Psalm 91, that there may be all kinds of pestilence, disease, there may be warfare all around, but God is there. He will uphold us. He will protect us, and we trust Him to provide and do that. To walk with God then means to trust Him completely, to be with us as we face evil times ahead.

And with God's help, we will go on walking with Him to the end. Jesus said, it's those who endure to the end. Those three words really popped out at me as I was thinking about this message. Those who endure to the end. It's not those who go 90% of the way. It's not those who go 99% of the way and then quit, but those who go 100% of the way, who endure to the end. And with God's help, that's what we will do. We will walk with Him and be close to Him right to the end. But brethren, our faith will be tested in the days ahead, and we need to be close to God.

And if we are walking with God, then He will give us the power, strength, and the help that we need. What I'd like to see us to do then is to keep on going forward, walking with God, and to see us walking with God more closely than ever in our lives. Is there any one of us that cannot walk more closely with God than we are?

I doubt it. I know that I can walk more closely with God, and that's what I would like to do. And I hope we all will do that. If we walk with God, as Noah did, He will give us favor in the days ahead, just as He gave Noah and his family favor. I want to read just a few verses in conclusion. My goal or my ambition for each and every one of us certainly are expressed very well, especially in this first passage, 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 19.

1 Thessalonians 2, verse 19. What is my hope as a minister of God? Well, my life has been devoted to this. God snatched me off of a farm in the eastern part of this state. I went all the way across the country to Ambassador College. Why? Why would a young 18-year-old do something like that? And then at times tempted to leave the program, you might say. And yet somehow be brought back on board and to go on, and still going on in the latter years of my life.

It's a calling that comes from God. What is my hope? It's expressed very well right here. It's my hope for you and it's my hope for myself. In verse 19. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 19. For what is our hope? Paul says. What's our joy? What really turns us on? What delights us? Or crown a rejoicing?

We just jump up and down with glee. What is it? Answer the last part of the verse. Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ when at His coming? Jesus Christ returns that you and I would be in His presence. And if we are to be in His presence at His coming, that means we have learned to walk with Him. We've learned to walk closely with Him, to do what is pleasing in His sight.

It means we have grown, we have overcome. So that is my goal for you and it's my goal for myself. It's you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming. Let's read another verse in 2 Timothy 4. And we have the same goal as Paul had. 2 Timothy 4, verses 6-8. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Already Paul saw the handwriting on the wall. He knew his days were numbered. He says, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Brethren, think about this. Here's a man that earlier had written, I fight my body lest I be a castaway. And now days or maybe weeks before he was about to be martyred, he said, I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. He knew that he had it made. It's like Mr. Armstrong said near the end of his life to the ministry at one point.

He said, men, after all these years he had been a minister of God decades and decades and decades. He said, it's a little bit late for me to turn around and go some other way. It was like Paul. His mind was set to go God's way. And our mind and character have to be set as well. So Paul knew that he had made it into the kingdom of God. And I think that time may come near the end of our lives that we might realize it's a little bit late to turn around and go any other way.

And that we too would say, I fought a good fight and I've kept the faith and I've finished my race. What would be the reward for us? It would be the same as with Paul in verse 8.

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day. And not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. So a crown of righteousness is being laid up for us. Let's not let anyone take that crown of righteousness away from us. Fight a good fight. Finish your race. Stay focused on your calling and on God's kingdom. I want to read one final scripture that is in Revelation 22. You know, it's interesting, and this just dawned upon me in preparing this sermon more than ever before, that the Bible ends on a Feast of Trumpets note. The second coming of Jesus Christ that we long for and yearn for and that the world needs and that we need. Revelation 22, verse 20, He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly. The New International Version says, Yes, I'm coming soon. And today, more than ever, that is certainly true. Jesus Christ is coming soon. Surely I am coming soon. John, the writer of this book, adds the note, Amen. Amen just says, Let it be. Let it be. And then it goes on to say, Even so come, Lord Jesus. And I think we all echo that in our hearts and minds, don't we? We need it. The second coming of Christ. This weary world needs it. All the suffering and pain and death that is going on. All the things that we go through ourselves. We need what this day pictures. The second coming of Jesus Christ. And I think we echo then very much with John, Even so come, Lord Jesus.