Beyond Today Daily

Just One Month!

The coronavirus pandemic showed us how quickly conditions can change. How can you prepare?

Transcript

[Darris McNeely] You realize how sudden suddenly really is? I mean it's quick. What we have lived through in recent months with the pandemic and the economic crisis that has come on the world and especially the United States, and how quickly it came with the COVID-19 virus, sudden means suddenly. There's a scripture in Mark 13, where Christ was talking about watching and being alert to the times and it's part of his Olivet prophecy. And he says, "Watch, therefore. You don't know when the master of the house is coming in the evening, at midnight, the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning." He says, "Lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And I say to you and I say to all, watch." Suddenly means sudden. This is what Jesus says here.

You know, I was thinking about this verse when I saw the statistic of unemployment returns that had come in for the month of April of 2020 during this crisis. More than 20 million people in America filed for unemployment just in the month of April. That was added to about 13 million before, and then it's still trickling in, but 20.5 million people filed for unemployment. And just in a matter of weeks, we saw as America shutdown the economy come to almost a standstill and a severe drop, to a point of recession, and some, you know, even talked about the word depression, which we hope does not happen, but it just happened just like that. And it was a point that not only fits what Christ Himself said, but there's also a scripture back in Hosea 5 that students of prophecy have long understood to be an important indicator of just how quickly things can happen. It's talking about the prophet forecasting the fall of ancient Israel. And in verse 7 of Hosea 5, "in talking about the sins of the nation that have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children. And now, a new moon shall devour them in their heritage." A new moon shall devour them, the nation, and their people. A new moon. That is really a reference to a period of 30 days. One month. A new moon will devour.

What we saw in America in April 2020, in one month with the near-collapse of an economic system, the world's most powerful, 20.5 plus million people file for unemployment. Just that one figure alone was staggering to comprehend. Things can happen quickly is the point, very quickly. Prophecy helps us to understand that we have to be prepared and that as good as things might look at any given point in time, peace, safety, and things coming to a sudden change, it can happen just like that, overnight. The prophecies of Christ, the statements of the Apostle Paul in regard to the quickness of prophecy, prophetic events happening, they mean what they say, and we all should take a lesson and learn from that warning, and learn to watch and have that particular view of how quickly things can happen.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.

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Darris McNeely

Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.