Delay No Longer*

     At the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, there is a day called Simchat Torah, or "Rejoice in the Torah". Some might wonder how Israel can celebrate and rejoice in the Torah on the anniversary of a deadly terrorist attack against their nation. Since that day of attack, many people have been killed in warfare. However, despite circumstances, we can rejoice and take heed in the prophetic warnings, promises and fulfilments that we see in the Word of God.

  

     The prophet Zechariah wrote the word of the LORD concerning the nations that would surround Judah and Jerusalem seeking their destruction. However, the LORD promises that all of the nations that come against Judah and Jerusalem will be cut in pieces against that stone. (Zech 12:1-3). We are seeing the nations turn against Israel and Jerusalem now, including proclamations issued against Israel by the United Nations.

     As we see these prophecies coming to pass, and the world dissolving into warfare, what is the position of the Church? I have been saying for many years that the LORD is looking for a 2 Chron. 7:14 repentance by His people. The prophet Daniel prayed in repentance to the LORD as God's people suffered in captivity, in part saying, "...To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him...As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth...O LORD, according to all thy righteousness...let thine anger be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins...Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us...we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies..." (Dan. 9:1-19, excerpt).

     Daniel wrote that from the beginning of his prayer of repentance, above, the angel, Gabriel, had been sent by the LORD to give Daniel revelation of the prophetic timetable of the LORD into the last days, including the first appearing of the Messiah/Christ. This prophetic revelation was based upon the prophecy which Jeremiah wrote concerning the mystery of "seventy weeks". The angel told Daniel: "Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." (Dan. 9:20-24).

     While Daniel repented for himself and the sins of his people and called on the mercy and forgiveness of God, the LORD sent His Word to him regarding the end of all sin and transgression, and reconciliation instead of unrighteousness. At the 62nd week of the "70 weeks" timeline, the Messiah/Christ Prince would come, the angel told Daniel, and He would be "cut off", not for Himself, (Dan. 9:25-26). In the last "week", a prince (the antichrist) will come who will bring destruction and desolation. During that last week (7 years), he will make a peace treaty, but in the middle of that last week, or 3 1/2 years (Dan. 12:6-7), he will stop the sacrifices (in the temple) and create an abomination that desolates. (Dan. 9:27). However, at that time of great trouble, the angel said, "thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." (Dan. 12:1). There must be a third temple for sacrifices to be taking place, and for an abomination to be committed there instead. From that time of abomination, there will be another 3 1/2 years left of that last week of years.

     Daniel is then given the revelation of two types of resurrections to take place. One group will be resurrected to everlasting life and one group to shame and everlasting contempt. At this time, God's people are called to shine with wisdom, turning many to righteousness. (Dan. 12:1-3).

     Daniel was told to seal up the book of this prophecy until the time of the end when "many shall be running to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Dan. 12:4). Events are indeed going by very quickly, and knowledge is increasing, including knowledge and revelations from the Word of God.

     Paul described the time of Christ's return will not come until a falling away from the faith has occurred and "the man of sin", "the son of perdition", referring to the antichrist, is revealed in his time. Satan will give this wicked person all power to do signs and lying wonders that will deceive those who are perishing because they do not love the truth so they might be saved: "And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." This man of wickedness will be consumed by the Lord Jesus with "the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." (2 Thess. 2:1-12). Paul wrote that believers should "stand fast" to what they have been taught, because we have been chosen for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, and have been called to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (v. 13-16). We need to get back to the Word and Truth and walk in it, especially as we see the time of the return of Christ nearing.

     Jesus described the signs that would appear before His return, and we are seeing those signs now: unusual signs in the heavens whose powers will be shaken, great fear in the hearts of men as they see these terrible things, the restoration of the nation of Israel, represented by the fig tree in Jesus' teaching. (Lk. 21:25-30). When we see these signs, Jesus tells us to look up "for your redemption draweth nigh...know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand...This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." (v. 31-32). Jesus referred here to the generation that would begin to see these things come to pass, as our generation has seen. As we see these signs appear, Jesus warned: "...take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (v. 34-36). Who shall stand when He appears? We need a 2 Chron. 7:14 repentance and return to the Lord. We need to put on the whole armor of God and stand in the truth that we know.

     At the question of "Who shall stand before the Son of man", above, we read in Revelation 6: "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." (v. 15-16). Worldly riches and power will not save them from the wrath of the Lamb Jesus when He comes to punish the wicked and establish His righteousness. We are saved only by faith and the gift of grace from God, and belief in the name and Person of Jesus, our Redeemer from sin and death. 

     There will be a moment when a mighty angel shall come down from heaven and cry with a loud voice..."And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and all things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer....the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." (Rev. 10:1-7). Then John, the writer of Revelation, was given a little book to eat by the angel that tasted sweet but became bitter in his belly. The angel commanded John: "Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." (v. 8-11). 

     The moment will come when heaven will declare, "there should be time no longer", or "delay no longer." The Word of God is sweet as honey, but there is tribulation and suffering to come also. Many will come out of tribulation with clean white linen garments of the righteousness of Christ. Even so, John was told that his purpose was not finished, but that he was yet to bring the Word of the Lord to many others. This is our purpose also, as Daniel wrote, especially as we see the time growing near for Christ's return. We are living in the last days. It will not be works of the flesh that will make heaven come to earth, but the purpose of God. Church, pray to be accounted worthy.

     

          *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 10/27/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.