Racing toward the return of Christ (Pt.5)

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 

Racing toward the return of Christ (Pt.4)

Part 4

“It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.”-Revelation 13:12

Perhaps the greatest threats to a one world government and currency are the numerous and diverse religious communities that exist around the world; each religion armed with its own doctrine, beliefs and objections. It is hard to fathom, but in the last days, there will be a false prophet that will appear that will lead the entire world to worship the Anti-christ. 

How is it possible that such a variety of religions that seem so opposed to one another would ever come together in a solitary religion? It will begin by bringing all the world religions together under the guise unity. However, the ultimate goal will be singular worship of the Anti-christ. The Ecumenical movement we see today promotes unity among churches and denominations, but also a variety of religions. It stresses religious inclusiveness and denies the possibility that there is only one way to heaven, as is confessed by Christianity. It believes that all religions are equal and can coexist, however, those who refute this concept are marginalized and excluded. 

So, is there a push for this type of united religious organization? On June 26, 1995, an Ecumenical service was held in San Francisco to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. After this ecumenical meeting, exactly five years later, the United Religions Initiative (URI) was founded. Their stated goal is to bridge differences between people of all beliefs, to create community, and to solve local and global challenges. Is there much support globally for such a movement? According to the URI website there are 1078 cooperation circles working in over 111 countries. I am no way saying that the URI is the emerging one world religion, but the framework is firmly in place. 

In 2019, another development signaled a continued pursuit towards these ends, when plans were unveiled for a new massive interfaith complex in Abu Dhabi which would include a mosque, a church and a synagogue.The facility, to be known as the Abrahamic Family House, will be located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This happening at the same time as the Abraham Accords and normalization agreements (peace deals) between Israel and UAE were being established. It is easy to see that the framework for a one world religion has already been set in place. 

However, these are not the only events signally the return of Christ. Ezekiel 38 records a prophesy regarding a future war that Israel will be thrust into:

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you. 7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”-Ezekiel 38:1-9

As you read the biblical account several countries are said to come from the north in opposition to Israel. Bible scholars have proposed that some of those nations mentioned include: Rosh-Russia, Beth-Togarmah-Turkey, and  Persia-Iran. As we speak, just north of Israel is a country that is in complete upheaval- Syria. Since 2015 Russian, Iranian, and Turkish troops have occupied various parts of that nation.  Russia established a military presence in 2015. Turkey in northern Syria inserted a military force in 2016 and Iran in 2015. Does this mean that the Ezekiel 38 war is imminent? Perhaps, but at the very least the framework for such a war is in place. 

Next week we will conclude our study looking at just a couple additional things that are unfolding before us that are signaling the soon return of Christ. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Racing toward the return of Christ (Pt.3)

Part 3

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.”—Revelation 13:1 

When discussing the last days, you hear a lot of talk about a New World Order: a global realignment of governments, economics and religion. The hallmarks of a New World Order include three things: a one-world government, one-world religion, and one-world currency. Although we are not there yet, we have watched the framework for these things being slowly developed for many years. 

Both Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 use very similar imagery to describe for us a configuration of nations and governments that will exist when Jesus Christ returns. It will consist of 10 nations or a regional conglomeration of nations. It is out of this union of nations that the Antichrist will emerge. According to Daniel 7, he will pluck up or usurp three nations and the remaining nations will hand their power and authority over to him (Rev. 17:12–13): 

“And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.”

Although we have not yet seen the complete fruition of this global realignment of nations, we have certainly seen the framework coming together as early as 1920. Immediately following World War I, the League of Nations was established. Its primary mission was to maintain world peace following the Great War. At the conclusion of World War II (1945), a new intergovernmental organization was established that we know today as the United Nations. Its primary mission, like the League of Nations, is to maintain international peace and security. This was followed by the introduction of the European Union (EU) in 1993. The EU is a political and economic union of many nations. This obvious trend toward nations uniting together to govern has now laid the groundwork for the introduction of the one-world government we see in Revelation 13. 

This one-world government will then look to establish a global form of currency. 

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”—Revelation 13:16–17 

There was a time that this may have seemed out of reach. The possibility of a global digital currency was pure science fiction. The invention of the microchip in 1986, however, opened the door to what we see today. Access to your personal information, financial resources and medical data is capable of being housed on a small chip that can be inserted onto a credit card, in a cellphone or even under the skin. 

Some organizations have started giving employees the option to be chipped, including Three Square Market, a Wisconsin-based technology company, that made national headlines after microchipping nearly 100 employees in 2017, and Epicenter, a Swedish start-up that has microchipped an estimated 150 employees since 2015. The technology is here. 

A common question that I have been frequently asked recently is: Are the COVID-19 vaccines the mark of the beast? My answer to that is a simple no. It is clear from scripture that everyone who receives the mark of the beast will understand why they are taking the mark. It is more than just to buy and sell, but it is a sign of worship. We will not be fooled or duped into taking it. Those who receive it will do so willingly. 

However, what the current pandemic has shown us is how quickly and under what conditions a governmental authority can cause a nation of people to quickly abandon their freedoms for the convenience of commodities. We saw for the first time churches shut down, entire states on lockdowns, and commodities shortages that were not war related. We have seen the polarization of our nation as everything has been politicized and personal opinion has trumped the desire for truth. Talk of vaccine passports without which you can’t travel, go to school, or enter federal buildings are moving from the realm of innuendo to stark realities in many regions. The framework for such a global currency and the imposition of economic restrictions is firmly within grasp. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Racing toward the return of Christ! (Pt.2)

Part 2

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”—Matthew 24:32–35

Several years ago, I ran a grueling half marathon in Indianapolis. Along the 13.1 mile course, you would encounter pockets of people cheering you on. Among them were some very well-meaning people who would try to encourage you by telling you that “You were almost there!” or shout to you “It’s just a little farther!” Then you would pass mile marker six and know they lied. LOL! It was obvious that although you were getting closer, you were not almost there. 

I think that is what has happened in the church when it comes to the return of Christ. We have given off the impression for 2,000 years that He is coming soon, and yet soon doesn’t seem to happen. A marathon run is grinding. Mile after mile, you press on knowing that you will eventually reach the end, but it never seems to come fast enough. After what seems like an eternity through endurance, tears and pain, you come around the corner to a massive crowd of people; they are cheering, a sign hangs above that reads Miracle Mile, and you can see in the distance the gabled finish line. All of a sudden, it is as if the finish is racing toward you. 

However, what if I had rejected the evidences before me? The crowds confirming the end was near. The signs declaring it was the last mile. What if I had rejected those things and given up? What if I kept believing that I was only on mile 4 when in reality I was closer to the finish than ever before? 

When it comes to Christ’s return, that is precisely what many of us have done. We have turned the corner and the return of Christ is racing toward us, but we are ignoring the signs. Have we turned the corner? Although Jesus Himself said that no man knows the day or hour of His return, I believe we can place a date on the moment that we turned the corner toward the finish line: May 14, 1948. That is the day that Israel became a nation. 

Prior to this, Israel had not been a sovereign nation since 586 B.C. Yet, all the prophecies regarding the last days show Israel to be a nation at the return of Christ and Jerusalem the center of end time events. The miracle of Israel becoming a nation happens on the heals of WWII. Many biblical scholars and theologians believe that several biblical passages foreshadow that moment in history. Passages like Ezekiel 37:1–6: 

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

Many believe that this passage points the restoration of Israel after the Holocaust in which some 6 millions Jews were killed and out of the ashes God raised up a nation in a day. Isaiah the prophet wrote: 

“Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, her children will be born.”—Isaiah 66:8

Jesus, Himself, eluded to it in Luke 21:29–33 (NLT): “29 Then he gave them this illustration: ‘Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30 When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.’”

On May 14, 1948, we turned the corner, and we have been racing toward the return of Christ ever since. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Racing towards the return of Christ! (Pt.1)

Part 1

“7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:7-28 (ESV)

For nearly 2,000 years we have been proclaiming the return of Jesus Christ. From the moment in Acts 1:11 when the angels proclaimed: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” up to this very day, we have publicly and boldly proclaimed that Jesus will return. 

However, as the years have passed since His ascension into Heaven, the Body of Christ has become lackadaisical regarding His return. Each successive generation losing more and more of the urgency of His soon return as is witnessed by each generation’s lack of commitment to evangelizing the lost. 

It has become in the minds of many a spiritual fairytale or conspiracy theory. I was recently watching a History Channel program about Doomsday Scenarios. On this particular program they discussed multiple scenarios: asteroids, plague, solar flare, and nuclear destruction; curiously, however, the return of Christ was not among their possibilities of how things might play out at the end of the age. I worry that is the case, as well, with many people who claim to believe the Word of God.

As a body of believers we have become disengaged regarding His coming and while we are limping towards towards Christ’s return, it is racing towards us. 

Perhaps you have thought, if we just knew when He was coming then we would know when to start living for Him. If we just knew when He was coming we could get serious about evangelism. His disciples, too, wanted to know when it was all going to take place. They wanted to know what specific sign to look for that would point to His soon return. Yet, rather than give a date and time or point to a specific sign, Jesus describe the conditions to be watching for that would accompany His coming. He told them in Luke 21:28: 

“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

This would be the turning point. When those things we see here in Luke 21 begin to take place we will be racing towards the return of Christ. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church