Part 5
“Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.” Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops.”-Revelation 9:13-16.
As we race towards the return of Christ, we want to take a look at just a few more events signaling that the framework for Christ’s return is firmly in place. Revelation 9 describes an army comprised of 200 million mounted troops that cause the destruction 1/3 of the earth’s population. As overwhelming as that may seem, is it possible that any nation or conglomeration of nations could boast such an army.
Many have conjectured that China could comprise such an army. However, conservative numbers show that, even though they wield the world’s largest military, it numbers only about 2.8 million. No, single nation has a force of 200 million, but on April 24th, 2017 a security alliance of Asian nations, known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held its 15th annual defense ministers’ meeting in Beijing. It is believed that the cooperation of the member nations of the SCO, which include Russian and China, could boast such an army. Is this the army mentioned in Revelation? No one knows. Nevertheless, the real takeaway is that the framework for an army that size is possible today.
Technology today is also creating the possibility for passages of scripture like Revelation 11:7-9 to be understood and deemed possible when in times past it seemed like science fiction. In Revelation 11, the two witnesses that emerge during the last days are killed by the Anti-Christ. What happens upon their death is the interesting development that has become possible, which once would have been hard to fathom:
“When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. 8 And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. 9 And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them.”- Revelation 11:7-9
How is it possible that “all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations” could stare at their dead bodies? Yet, with the invention of the television in 1927 and growth of the internet and social media since 1983 this has become a present reality. The framework for this passage to take place is now firmly established and possible in the 21st century.
One final thing that is signaling that the return of Christ is racing towards us is found in Daniel 12:4:
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
The angel, Michael, instructs Daniel to seal up the book of prophecy that he was given, until the time of the end. Michael goes on to describe the end times in a unique way. He says that in those last days many shall run to and from, and knowledge shall increase. The exponential increase of knowledge in the last few decades has never been seen before.
In 1982, Buckminster Fuller coined what is known the: Knowledge Doubling Curve. He noticed that until 1900 human knowledge doubled approximately every century. By the end of World War II knowledge was doubling every 25 years. Today things are not as simple as different types of knowledge have different rates of growth. For example, nanotechnology knowledge is doubling every two years and clinical knowledge every 18 months. But on average human knowledge is doubling every 13 months.
I say all this and have not even talked about the military upheavals, earthquakes, famines, and pestilences happening around the planet. Jesus said:
“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”.”-Luke 21:34-36
Jesus didn’t tell us these things to scare us, but rather to prepare us. How much more do you need to see happen before you start looking for your redemption? The early church lived as though Jesus Christ was coming back at any moment, even though the conditions in which Jesus spake, surrounding His return, had not yet come to fruition. How much more should the church today be living in anticipation of His coming now seeing all these things aligning, speeding up and heating up right before our eyes.
Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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