Preacher’s Point: World on the brink of prophecy

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There are many parallels between the United States today and Israel in the time of Jeremiah the prophet. Both nations were heavy into sin, and the sins are similar.

Israel turned to idolatry. Yes, indeed, you do not see many Americans bowing to golden idols, but we do have our gods. Anything that takes first place in a person’s life is a god. Entertainment, sports, material goods, wealth, the job, the family, self, drugs, alcohol, and more are all things Americans place on that pedestal of worship.

Many Americans are looking to the government as their provider and the solution to all their problems. The government is quickly becoming the god of America.

During Jeremiah’s day, sexual sins ran rampant. Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, group sex were the norm in Israel. Other sexual sins were not as common, but they were not rare: child molestation, rape, bestiality. The sexual situation in modern-day America is the same.

To summarize the message from God to Israel, throughout Jeremiah is simply this – repent; judgment is coming. I know this is redundant, but God repeats this message repeatedly.

For informational purposes, here are a few side notes on the book of Jeremiah.

First, God told Jeremiah that no one would listen to him. Jeremiah would be a preacher without converts.

Second, the message to Israel was not, “Repent or else!” the message was, “Repent, judgement is coming.”

Thirdly, God informs Jeremiah he is a prophet to the nations, not just Israel. The message here is that if God judges His people Israel, He will punish other countries as well.

Setting past and current events to the side, let us look to some of the things the Bible says are in the future.

Christ returns at the end of the seven-year tribulation period (Revelation 19:11-21). During the tribulation period, the Antichrist rises to power. He will eventually take control of the world’s economy. Revelation 13:16-17, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Every human being except the saved will worship the Antichrist. Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

The man will hold great authority and power over the nations. The world will believe he is the one to solve all the problems.

Now let us tie these things together.

God punished Israel for her sin. America is walking down the same path; therefore, judgment is coming. The days of Antichrist are also coming. The signs of Jesus’ return are occurring everywhere with increasing intensity. Anyone hear of a worldwide pestilence recently?

When the world follows the Antichrist, this includes the United States. Every dictator in history, including the coming Antichrist, needs to eliminate or at least silence free thinkers. He needs followers. Leaders and free thinkers are not allowed because the dictator is the leader and thinks for everyone. With that being the case, America, with its freedoms of speech, religion, the press, to own a weapon, the pursuit of happiness, and others, cannot coexist with the Antichrist.

The Bible is true, so we know the Antichrist is coming; however, we do not know when. The judgment of God is coming because, like Israel, sin is no longer sin to us. Jeremiah 6:15, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that all: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD” (this verse repeats itself in Jeremiah 8:12).

Christians everywhere need to repent and treat sin as sin. We should not look at sin as “mistakes” or “it’s not that bad” or “everyone else does it” or “God understands” or whatever excuse we use.

God knows when the time of Antichrist will come upon the earth; therefore, He already knows when America will lose her freedoms. It looks like we are here, on the brink of Biblical prophecy.

The church needs more Jeremiahs, proclaiming the need for repentance. May we pray that, unlike Jeremiah, someone will listen.

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By Timothy Johnson

Preacher’s Point

Johnson is pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.preacherjohnson.com. E-book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TUJTV2A If you email, inform me where you have seen Preacher’s Point. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author and not the newspaper.

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