The purpose of this study is not just to know and understand the biblical prophecies concerning these times, but to be prepared for the times. This week we will briefly look at how the message of the last two weeks is crucial for this. You can know what is going to happen and still not be spiritually prepared for it. You can be ignorant of what is going to happen, but be well prepared. However, it is better to both know and be prepared.

Immediately after Joshua’s encounter with the Captain of the hosts, he had to face the seemingly impossible, impregnable stronghold of Jericho. Of course, the Lord could have flicked Jericho with His little finger and it would have ceased to exist, but He did not want it to be that easy. Though the defeat of Jericho was going to require His intervention, the Lord was requiring His people to be vitally engaged in the fight for their promises. This is because of an important basic principle–anything that comes too fast or too easily is usually insignificant.  

Last week we discussed how the primary way we will escape from the mark of the beast is to take the mark of God by becoming a true bond-servant of Christ. One of the principles of the last days that we have not yet discussed is how the judgment of God will come forth. A fundamental aspect of His judgment is to simply let us reap what we sow. In Galatians 6:7-8, we are warned about this:

If you take the first three chapters of the Bible and the last three, you have a complete story. Everything in-between these six chapters is about one essential theme—restoration. Restoring the creation from the consequences of the fall begins with redeeming it, which of course was done by Jesus on the cross. There was a long process leading up to and preparing for the cross, and now there has been one leading from the cross to prepare for its application.

         A map will not help us unless we know where we are on the map and where we want to go. Before we can get to where we’re going in fulfilling our purpose, we must first know where we are and where we are going. Then we can easily see the next step.

        There is a common grace that God gives to all, even those who do not recognize Him. These are our natural talents which, whether we acknowledge Him or not, come from God. This common grace is both individual and corporate. There are kingdom principles that heathen nations can implement which will bring blessings to them even if they do not recognize where the blessings come from. You can trace all advancement of a civilization to the way that civilization embraced kingdom principles.

There are events in history that are defining moments by which we can judge the true nature of many people, organizations, and governments. The terrorists attacks last Tuesday were one of those events in which the true nature of many will be revealed.

         True discipleship will lead to being like Christ and doing the works that He did. It will also lead to persecution just as He was persecuted. Even so, to do the works of Christ is the greatest experience we can have. To love as He loved us and to demonstrate this love with our lives is our highest calling. This is the goal of our discipleship—for the Master to continue living His life through His followers, doing the same works.

For the past few months we have been addressing the subject of our time, especially as we prepare the way for the kingdom by taking up the call to preach the gospel of the kingdom. As we see this present world collapsing into increasing discord and disorder, the kingdom will be marked by increasing peace and order. We must therefore order our own lives according to kingdom principles and be a demonstration of the kingdom. We will see an increasing contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God, and between the lives of those that have been built on each.