(Matthew 24: 6-8) “You will be hearing of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
In February earlier this year in a reputable online publication a headline appeared. “Russia and China Unveil a Pact Against America and the West.” The Sub-header read “In a sweeping long-term agreement, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the two most powerful autocrats, challenge the current political and military order.” In the article it stated…
“In their matching mauve ties, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping last week declared a “new era” in the global order and, at least in the short term, endorsed their respective territorial ambitions in Ukraine and Taiwan. The world’s two most powerful autocrats unveiled a sweeping long-term agreement that also challenges the United States as a global power, NATO as a cornerstone of international security, and liberal democracy as a model for the world. “Friendship between the two States has no limits,” they vowed in the communiqué, released after the two leaders met on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics. “There are no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation.”
Right now America is in crisis as Russia, China, North Korea and the whole Muslim world realise that America is no longer a global power to be reckoned with. Whatever you may think of Donald Trump if he had been re-elected and the election not rigged, as it seems it was, then the invasion of Ukraine would never have occurred or China’s militant attempt to make a move towards the invasion of Taiwan for that matter. Added to this China would not have started to approach at least ten island nations in the South pacific seeking to establish infrastructure on these islands with a long term view to also build naval and military bases under the auspices of regional ‘security.’ It was Biden’s orders that brought about the infamous and disastrous American withdrawal from Afghanistan clearly showing the Anti-American nations that America it seems no longer has the clout to stay a formidable military power.
Now if Russia and China have indeed a pact or agreement, what sort of agreement do these two superpowers have? They have a common obstacle and that is America which they know and the world knows is no longer the global police force it once was. For starters America is riddled with government sanctioned abortion, widespread spiritual deception in the Church, alternate unbiblical sexual lifestyles, violence, hedonistic living, gross materialism and an entertainment and virtual reality industry hijacking the minds of millions of young Americans with images that promote wickedness and godlessness. The only reason that the Lord has not judged America is because the American Church generously supports missions globally. However, time is rapidly running out for America. Judgement is hanging over that nation like a cauldron with boiling liquid ready at any moment with its boiling contents to be poured out on that nation because of its lawlessness (Torahlessness).
I would like to suggest that possibly China and Russia have a pact to actually destroy American cities with missiles. By the end of this year Russia is gearing up to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with the newly-tested Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which can mount atomic strikes anywhere across the globe. Putin seems to be unstoppable in his tyrannical totalitarian mindset to make Russia a global power to be reckoned with. Both Putin and Xi Jinping are now ‘thumbing their noses up’ at Biden. If the pact between Russia and China in reality is to hit American military and naval infrastructure as well as American cities with missiles then it would immobilise America and leave the western democracies open to the third growing global power of Islam which already is entrenched in every western nation within every level of society including top government positions.
Now the real possibility is that China and Russia are waiting to engineer a two-pronged attack on American cities. If this does happen then Taiwan would also be invaded which would put Australia, Japan and India vulnerable to an attack by China because these nations along with America have agreed to go to Taiwan’s defence if it is attacked by China. Already we know in the South China Sea that China has been constructing artificial islands in order to establish military, naval and air force infrastructure in the region. Once America goes everything goes and democracy will go in the western nations. Clearly the world is headed for WW3 which we have described in the Book of Revelation which will be a judgement of God upon a Messiah hating, Messiah rejecting world (Revelation Chapter 9:13-20).
Now the idea that there will be a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church before the Antichrist is revealed is not Biblical and was never believed or taught by the apostles or in the Christian Church prior to the late 19th Century. Israel, and by extension and inclusion the faithful Church, are to pass through the night of the time of Great Tribulation but be rescued out of it at the end (Jeremiah 30:7). Martyrdom of faithful believers within Israel and within the wider Body of the Messiah, the faithful Church (assembly) will be common place during this time lasting three and a half years (Daniel 7:21, 23-25) (Revelation 13:6-7). However, the power and grace of God will be resting very powerfully on His persecuted and beleaguered elect saints during this period (1 Peter 4:12-19).
In the final analysis when the Lord Jesus returns He will completely destroy the Antichrist and his armies and all earthly kingdoms and their rulers that have gathered themselves against Him (Daniel 2:32-35, 44-45) (Psalm 2). The “birth pains” it would seem are upon us but the end is not yet, but it is coming when the Messiah our Lord Jesus will return in great power and celestial glory for all to see (Matthew 24:27) (Revelation 1:7). Let’s continue to focus on the birth of the baby (the Messianic Kingdom on earth) as painful as “the contractions” may be. Once “the baby” is here in the joy of that baby the birth pains are quickly forgotten!
On the day of His Second Coming immediately after the tribulation of those days when the heavenly constellations are being affected, our Lord Jesus the Messiah will send His angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather His elect saints from the four corners of the earth and from the four winds of the heavens at the same time! (Matthew 24:29-31) (Mark 13:26-27) (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) (Revelation 11:15). It will be a global rapture and resurrection, the one and the same event! When that last trumpet sounds we will be out of here to meet the Lord Jesus in the air at His Second Coming. This is our hope as New Covenant believers. In this present life we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22) (John 16:33).
At the end of this time of Great Tribulation lasting three and a half years in duration we will all be changed and be clothed with our resurrected immortal and indestructible bodies the same as the Lord Jesus now has Himself! (1 Corinthians 15:53-55) (Philippians 3:21) (1 John 3:2). Even though a pre-tribulation ‘escape’ or rapture is not going to happen, the rapture and resurrection will happen immediately after the tribulation and we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and changed forever!
Whatever God has destined for us, be it physical life or physical death, His grace will be there for us in abundance and that beyond what we could ever ask of think! If or when the time comes to get on the train to martyrdom, if that is our destiny, the Lord Jesus will give us the ticket of His glorious resurrected indestructible life and power that will carry us safely through that last and final journey to our eternal destination and so shall we be with the Lord forever. As King David said to the Lord; “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand (Psalm 16:11).”
