APPROACHING THE LAST DAYS FAMINE

“And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar” (Acts 11:28).

In the days when the earliest believers were taking the message of the Messiah to a largely secular world, the Spirit of God revealed that, in the midst of their efforts, and perhaps to underscore their message, a global famine was coming and that they should make preparations to endure it. Two thousand years later, that same Messianic message is going forth, perhaps as never before, and to an equally secular world. Furthermore, it can be accurately stated that the Spirit of God is once again forewarning his people of an approaching famine. This famine, however, will be far more grievous than the one spoken of in Acts 11. The book of Revelation describes it this way …

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6).

In short, scripture foretells of a time when a day’s wage will purchase no more than what one person can consume in a day. In other words, there is coming a famine so severe whereby most men will be unable to afford enough food to feed their family. Many believers – especially those in the United States and the West – are of the mindset that we will never see these conditions. Allow me to point out, however, that many believers around the world already live under these conditions. It can be accurately said that we will probably soon see such conditions and, for that reason, God may be providing us with a sign that this dreaded famine is just around the corner. It is at this beginning point that I would point out that scripture reveals a concept that what has happened in the past is destined to repeat itself in the future …

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

With that fact now firmly established in prophecy, let’s answer the question of what this sign is that is currently occurring that will bring on this horrendous famine. What is the sign? The humble honeybee!

WHERE HAVE ALL THE BEES GONE?

It has been said that the honeybee is nature’s workhorse. Most people tend to take that for granted. It has been gaining attention in the past 15 years or so that bee keepers are losing their bees. It’s as though they are disappearing. The question has been raised from concern over what might happen if U.S. beekeepers continued losing these vital contributors to the world’s food supply. That honeybees are such an important link in the food chain takes many by surprise. It is estimated that their are roughly 2.4 million bee colonies nationwide, responsible for pollinating everything from almonds to over 90 fruits and vegetables. In America, bees – through pollination – are responsible for up to 30% of the food that U.S. consumers eat. According to Zach Browning, Vice President of the American Beekeeping Federation, “every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent upon a honeybee to pollinate that food.” The economic worth of the honeybee in the U.S. alone is valued at more than $14.6 billion. In addition to food plants, they also pollinate many flowering plants vital to the eco-system. This in turn affects other species vital to the food chain. For instance, because of their diet, cattle depend upon bee pollination. If the bee industry is to thrive, bee populations must remain healthy and productive.

American food growers have long depended on honeybees to pollinate their crops and other vital plants. Though these bees are not native to North America – they were introduced to the continent by the early European settlers in the 17th century – the European bee has thrived here and have been a huge contributor to food production in the United States. Unfortunately, over the last 65 years or so, two parasites have been slowly wiping out domestic colonies in the U.S. Due largely to these parasites, beekeepers have been said to lose, on average, 17% of their colonies each year. Now, beekeepers are faced with another, and apparently greater, threat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported years ago in 2007 that 27 states were affected by what is being called “Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Reports have circulated warning of declining bee colonies and even extinctions of certain species worldwide. The first official report was made in mid November in the year 2006 by a Pennsylvania beekeeper wintering in Florida. Since then, higher than normal losses are being reported around the country. As already noted, a substantial number of these colonies are vanishing, seemingly overnight. For many experienced observes, this seems to be the most serious die-off of honeybee colonies ever recorded, far exceeding the annual 17% beekeepers have come to expect. On the West Coast, it has been estimated that 60% of the bee population has been lost, and on the East Coast, the losses are estimated at 70%. In February 2007, many of the beekeepers reported the heaviest losses in the larger commercial migratory beekeepers, some of whom lost as much as 90% of their colonies. Many of the surviving colonies are so weak that they are no longer viable pollinating or honey producing units.

The latest evidence of this trend’s progression comes from honey bees: Researchers from the University of Maryland reported in June of 2019 that about 40% of the US’ honey bee colonies died between October 2018 and April 2019 — the highest winter loss in 13 years. The University of Maryland researchers surveyed 4,700 beekeepers, who in total manage 320,000 of the 2.69 million honey bee hives in the country.

“These results are very concerning, as high winter losses hit an industry already suffering from a decade of high winter losses,” Dennis vanEngelsdorp, a University of Maryland scientist and president for the Bee Informed Partnership, said in a press release.

A recent study published in the journal Nature Communications found similar problems in the UK; one-third of 353 wild bee species there experienced declines between 1980 and 2013.

Though there have been substantial losses in the past, those losses have been typically characterized as being gradual declines in bee populations. The current die-off seems to be a rapid collapse and is characterized by unique symptoms not seen in normal die-offs. Currently, experts see no hard evidence to link these losses to the parasites that have been the primary cause of losses in the past.

In most of the “disappearances,” the queen and a small number of immature worker bees are present. The queen is still usually laying eggs, and there is an adequate food supply; however, there are no adult workers or foragers to sustain the life of the colony. Rarely, if ever, are there any dead bees found inside or outside of the colony. Oddly, the parasites, insects and other bees that normally raid and rob a weakened hive either refuse to go near these collapsed colonies or wait a significant amount of time before they do. In short, the conditions connected to these vanishing bee colonies have never been seen before, at least not on this level.

There are many theories as to why it is happening – cell towers, sun flares and even a “bee rapture.” Most experts suspect that a combination of habitat loss, pesticide use and over enrichment of water bodies, often from fertilizers and sewage are contributing to the disappearance of these colonies. Another issue that has been examined is the lack of genetic diversity and lineage of bees. Yet, at the end of the day, no one is really sure why the bees are disappearing and where they are going. However, the one detail that most agree on is that, if this die-off continues and is not corrected, it poses a threat to food supplies and, as a consequence, human health and quality of life.

A GLOBAL THREAT

As these colonies have collapsed, the cost of pollination has already increased as much as 50% and may rise even more. This will, of course, increase costs to both growers and consumers, and that means your vegetables are likely to start costing more. The national program leader for USDA’s bee and pollination program said, “This (CCD) is the biggest general threat to our food supply.” Agriculture secretary, Mike Johanns said, “This crisis threatens to wipe out production of crops dependent upon bees for pollination.”  One Princeton biologist theorizes that, unless something is done, some fruits and vegetables may disappear completely from the food supply.

In a statement given to the Congressional Committee of Agriculture (March 29, 2007), Professor Diana Cox-Foster, Department of Entomology, Penn State University said, “Originally, CCD collapses were reported primarily by migratory commercial bee- keepers. More recently, it is clear that non-migratory beekeepers are also experiencing CCD. Of particular note, several queen breeders have experienced severe CCD symptomsi in their operations. This causes particular alarm since many beekeepers depend upon these operations for new bee colonies … it is now clear that CCD is a problem facing all beekeepers; it will have a major impact … CCD is a serious threat to American agriculture.”

Though emphasis has been placed on what is occurring in the U.S., the reader needs to know that CCD is affecting other parts of the world as well. In Britain and the Netherlands, bee populations have declined as much as 80%. In fact, one of London’s biggest beekeepers reported that over half of his hives have been “abruptly abandoned.” Other parts of Western Europe as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and key Latin American nations have reported significant losses of bee colonies. Consider just how much these nations contribute collectively to the world’s food supply. Now consider what would happen if the phenomena known as CCD were to continue over the next several years. If it did, it seems to me that the potential would exist for global food shortages. Diminishing food supplies, coupled with an ever increasing human population and the horrific weather catastrophes we are seeing with the weather, such as early and brutal winters and floods that are wiping out farming areas and crops before harvest in the United States, would result in higher food prices – the law of supply and demand. Higher prices would mean that those with money and power would be the first in line for food stuffs, while the rest of the world would have to spend more of their daily wage on their daily bread.

Healthy, thriving bee colonies are crucial in order to sustain the world’s food supplies – of that fact there is no doubt. However, it should be understood that bees do not pollinate all plants. For the most part, grains are not pollinated by bees, but are self-pollinating or wind pollinated. So, even if bee populations were to continue to diminish to a critical point, grains would be largely unaffected while other fruits, vegetables and nuts would be greatly impacted. The subsequent demand on grains and other unaffected foods would obviously increase, driving up the price of those items. In the end, the situation could closely resemble what is described in Revelation 6:6 – “a quart of wheat for a denarius.”

There is something else in that particular passage that merits special attention – “and do not harm the oil and the wine.”  You see, like grains, olive trees and grape vines – the source of the oil and wine – are not dependent upon bees for pollination. Most vinedressers agree that grapevines are largely self-fertilizing or cross pollinated by the wind. Likewise, olive trees are considered self-fertile, while increased production is also stimulated by the wind. Consequently, if bee populations continue to diminish, olive and grape harvests will not be damaged but would, obviously, become much more valuable.

THE PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS

At some point in the approaching future, there will be a literal, physical famine that will sweep across the earth and devastate the economies of even the most powerful nations. Again, Revelation 6:5-6 foretells of just such a literal global famine in the last days Tribulation period. Other biblical scripture hint at this last days famine as well.

The story of Joseph  – a very prophetic picture of the end time – is a great example. It is during a seven-year famine that Joseph’s role in God’s plan is brought to light. It seems doubtful that Joseph’s brethren would have journeyed to Egypt, and consequently, been reunited with their lost brother had their not been a famine. In other words, God’s purposes were accomplished because of a global famine.

Another example is the story of Elijah. Scripture clearly reveals that the spirit of Elijah will be present before the start of the coming seven-year tribulation period, or what scripture also calls the “great and dreadful day of the Lord …

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord …” (Malachi 4:5).

This is to say, at the end of days. It should be very interesting to the observer that the prophet’s ministry occurred, primarily, during a terrible famine. Yet, it was through this famine and Elijah’s obedience that God’s purposes – to bring Israel to repentance – were once again accomplished. Oddly enough, the famine that occurred during the days of Elijah lasted three and a half years …

“But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land …” (Luke 4:25).

All of these examples serve to demonstrate that in the last days, a great and worldwide famine will occur. Why? It seems obvious that God will use privation to get people’s attention in an attempt to bring them to repentance. Biblical precedent seems to predict that the God’s purposes for this generation will come to fruition during days of severe famine. In short, the lack of physical food will demonstrate that humanity is in need of something far greater …

“Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46).

In the passage above, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, teaches that spiritual truths are revealed through natural things – and the natural things always come first. Could it be then, that God will use a literal famine to teach us of a spiritual famine? Could it be that natural occurrences like the ongoing bee collapse portend related spiritual events? It is important to note that, according to scripture, though he gives us our “daily bread” to meet our physical needs, it is so that he might accentuate our more serious need for spiritual bread …

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

There you have it. Temporal bread shows that we are in need of spiritual bread. So then, I submit that the prophecies of a physical famine teach us of an approaching spiritual famine. A powerful scriptural tie that binds the notion of the physical representing the greater spiritual reality together is seen in the narrative of Jesus’s own words in John chapter 6 …

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Here, we see Jesus equating himself with the true spiritual bread. Even more starkly, he is warning that without eating of him and partaking in the spiritual bread that he offers, one is condemned and will not be granted eternal life.

That leads to this question: if the vanishing bees are an indication of an approaching famine, what is their connection to the spiritual famine? The answer may lie in the actual Hebrew word for “bee” – דְּבוֹרָה d’vorah, or we would say “deborah.” The root of this word is דָּבָר d’var, the literal meaning of which is “word.” To put it another way, physical bees are a picture of God’s word. In that case, is their ongoing disappearance an indication that, soon, many people will be unable to find the word of God? Consider what the Lord said through the prophet Amos …

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again” (Amos 8:11-14).

In this passage of scripture, we see that during the approaching seven-year Tribulation period of judgment on Earth, the true word of God will not be found as Christians and Christianity are severely persecuted under the rule of the Antichrist. We know this to be speaking of the Tribulation period because of verses 13 and 14 that reveal the key words “in that day” (speaking of the Tribulation period) and the mention of “thy god O’ Dan,” referring to the tribe of Dan from which the Antichrist will spring forth. So if we see the bees (representing the true word of God) beginning to disappear now, this would tell us that this day of the Tribulation period is drawing close due to the sign of the disappearing bees, representing the word.

Notice that the prophecy says that the famine will be for “hearing” the word of God, not that the word of the Lord will disappear. It just seems that most people will not be able to find it. Allow me to suggest that, in some ways, this is already beginning to happen. If you closely observe what is being presented as the “word of God” at large in Christianity and compare it to the scriptures, you will find that the true word has been mingled with man’s opinion, cultural trends and, in some cases, wishful thinking. It seems that men have done just what we were warned not to do. We have added to and taken away from the word of God …

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

In many cases, this is done so that ministries might be more attractive to the masses and, consequently, be more financially productive. In my opinion, many people are already finding it hard to hear the true word of God. Many are hearing nothing more than the “traditions of men.” I would also suggest that the rabbit hole of adulterated gospel teaching is an intentional attack upon Christianity and the Christian message itself. We live in a time when the knowledge of the “deep state” that runs our world from behind the scenes is becoming public knowledge. However, few are aware at how deep the conspiracy runs. There is a concerted and very demonic influenced effort on the part of the “deep state” to bring in the worship of Lucifer and destroy Christianity and the true Christian message. Evidence suggests that not only have they taken over powerful and influential institutions of America and the world, they are infiltrating Christian churches, organizations and the general institution of Christianity. Further still, evidence is coming to light that those behind this Satanic New World Order effort are of a pharisaical bloodline that practice a Luciferic occultism rooted in Jewish Kabbalism.

For more on this, I highly recommend watching the video posted in the sidebar of this site titled “FALSE REMNANT: PHARISAIC BLOODLINE OF THE NEPHILIM” and “THE TRAIL OF THE NEPHILIM: SERPENT RACE” by Steven Ben-Nun.

Notice that the warning in Revelation 22 mentioned above includes the horrible result of a person adding to and taking from the words of the prophecy of the book. It results in the taking away of a person’s name from the book of life, which is indicative of an unsaved person. It is important to note that this is not referring to a saved believer, for all people whether saved or unsaved are written in the book of Life. Only those who are saved (those who have personally received Christ as savior), will NOT have their name erased from this book. The bottom line seems to be that there will be a famine of hearing the gospel message of salvation through Christ. In short, there is a demonically inspired and concerted effort to “take away” the true message of the gospel and “add to” the message that results in the souls of men remaining in darkness. Jesus himself said to the Pharisees …

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves” (Matthew 23:15).

Furthermore, it should be very concerning that we are seeing the phenomenon of watered down modern Bible versions distorting and downright “adding to” and “taking away” from the true words of God. This phenomenon should be looked at as very suspicious indeed considering the present effort under way by the Pharisaic Luciferian elite to destroy Christianity. I would again urge you to check out Steven Ben-Nun’s aforementioned videos posted in the sidebar on this site, as well as the well done video below exposing this conspiracy.

I should interject at this point that there are some reports suggesting that bee colonies which are developed “organically” – that is, growing in the wild and without the use of pesticides and other chemicals – are not experiencing these symptoms of CCD. It seems that the bee has a very delicate immune system that makes it highly sensitive to disease and the chemicals designed to ward off those diseases. In other words, domestic colonies which are manipulated by “adding” chemicals and “taking away” their natural habitat – all in order to increase production – seem to be the ones experiencing the greatest problems.

THE REMNANT

No one is certain why the bees are disappearing. Many people have ideas as to what it might be and are working to isolate and, hopefully, correct the problem. Perhaps soon, they will. As just mentioned, pesticides seem to be playing a major role in their disappearance by “adding to” and “taking away.” Nevertheless, it is also likely that these events are the result of the laws of a sovereign God, making it difficult, if not impossible, for mere men to correct. If that is the case, then what is a concern today might potentially be a crisis tomorrow. If the bees, so crucial to food supplies, continue to die off, then it is only a matter of time before food supplies begin to diminish. If food supplies decline, even as the demand increases, economics will determine price and thus, who eats and who does not. If left unresolved, CCD in conjunction with other equally important factors (manipulated climate, pollution, etc.) has the potential to create a situation where “a quart of wheat” will will cost a “day’s wage.” We’ll have to wait and see. But be assured, Revelation 6 will come to pass.

The most important aspect of this whole situation of a coming food shortage due to disappearing bees is the reality that there is coming a famine fare greater – a famine for hearing the true word of God. Personally, I am convinced that the vanishing bees hint of this fact. We know that the word of God is likened to a “seed” (Mark 4:14, Luke 8:11). That “good seed” is intended to produce fruit and, as we have learned, many types of seed are “spread” by bees via pollination. When a bee is drawn to a flowering plant, he feeds on it’s nectar.

Simultaneously, he fills sacs situated on his legs with pollen which is then carried to the next flower. Thus, the original seed is disseminated over a larger area. Likewise, when the “seed of the word” produces fruit, you and I are fed by it. Having been fed, we are also obligated to carry and disseminate the word to others (Isaiah 52:7, Matthew 10:8). In this way, the “seed” is spread over a larger area and many more reap the benefits. You see, the people of God are to act like the bees. What happens though when most of those “bees” have been mingled with synthetic additives and deprived of the natural setting by which they flourish? In time, the defective hives they have nurtured and worked for will begin to implode from within, leaving those who depend on them to be faced with the threat of famine.

Still, there is always a remnant. There are those who have not become entangled with the system that wishes only to “increase production.” They continue to build communities, make honey and pollinate the seed just as the creator intended. Though they are fewer in number, they will nevertheless thrive in the wild. Moreover, those who know where to look will always be able to find them. John the Baptist, a man who came in the spirit and power of Elijah, dined on “wild honey” – he knew where to find the bees. On that note, I should also point out that Elijah never went hungry either – he was fed throughout the famine. Likewise, Joseph never had a problem finding food – he knew just where to go to find grain to make his bread. As the scripture has said …

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

That leads me to this final observation. The prophecy in Revelation hints at the fact that certain things will not be directly affected by the famine – wheat, olives and grapes. As noted earlier, these are things that would not be adversely affected by a continued depletion of the bee population because they are largely self-fertilizing. This fact adds even more weight to the notion that the disappearing bee phenomenon is directly related, in a major way, to the prophecy of global famine of Revelation 6 striking the Earth during the Tribulation period. Thus, we learn that in the last days, it will prove extremely important to be considered “wheat” (Matthew 13:38), a branch of the “true vine” (John 15:1-5) and the “good olive tree” (Romans 11:24). With many other plants and fruits failing, these will become extremely vital and valuable. And while they will prove valuable to God’s plan, we also understand that, because these plants are cross-pollinated by the wind. Wind in Hebrew is רוּחַ ruach or “spirit” –  as in spirit of God. He is the one who ultimately will fulfill his purposes. As scripture declares …

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

THE BEE RAPTURE AND YOUR ESCAPE

As already noted, honeybees and how they operate in spreading their seed to pollinate plants and thus produce our food, it is rather interesting indeed to note that in Revelation 4:1, we have a dramatic prophetic clue and picture of the rapture event taking place as John is caught up into Heaven at the end of the church age described in the previous three chapters 1-3. It is only after the “disappearance of all born again believers – the bees – the seed spreaders from off the earth (the word spreaders) that a chain of events begins to occur causing a physical famine that gives rise and pronunciation to the fulfillment of the aforementioned “word-famine” prophecy in Amos chapter 8. When the church is gone and has disappeared like the bees are now beginning to disappear, there will be a physical global famine of food to highlight a famine of the word of God. As previously mentioned, there are pockets of hives/colonies here and there that are not being affected and are still pollinating and spreading their seed. Likewise, after the disappearance of the body of believers on Earth at the rapture event, there will be those on Earth who receive Christ during the Tribulation period and thus become the sparce pockets of bees (word spreaders) to lead others to Christ during this time.

The demonstratably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  In this approaching time of judgment, it is certain that there will be a horrendous famine that will sweep the earth as Revelation 6 starkly reveals.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare with the disappearing bees.  However, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises an escape from this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people …

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9).

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).

• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …

• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Questions or comments can be left further below (sometimes comments end up in my spam box – will approve them as soon as I check it every day).