Recently I dismissed myself from an ongoing conversation about End Time Prophecy in the Holy Bible. It was a conversation that I had allowed myself to be pulled into on Messenger, and I was trying to be helpful by the use of scripture applied to the conversation. Yet, I began to get convicted about the use of my time, and the effect my participation was having on my husband. As well, I have committed my words and conversations to the Lord - daily, even. The conviction grew within me that the conversation was not pleasing to the Lord.
One of the issues I was having with the conversation was the practice of divination. The definition of divination is 'the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means'. Yet, not all efforts of divination are 'supernatural'. Some are intellectual - which is not so different, because this intellectual pursuit most often is accompanied with pride and the veneration of intellectualism. It is a temptation to want to lord our intellect over that of another, or to want to believe we've been given 'special knowledge' from God - as if we are divinely preferred. This is a type of idolatry.
There are many 'experts' of Biblical Prophecy. There are date setters. There are those who make one proclamation of understanding - and, those who make another of an opposing view. Often we condemn people to hell who do not entertain our own understanding. Yet, let's look at what the Holy Bible says - with the understanding that one either believes the words of the Holy Bible, or one does not.
Let me begin by saying that God delivered me from the darkness of witchcraft. As with most all who are involed with the occult, a large part of my involvement with the occult was the practice of divination. The Holy Bible tells us that those who practice withcraft and divination will not enter the Kingsdom of Heaven. In fact, the Holy Bible is clear that those who practice such things are destined for hell. False prophecies are a practice of divination. We are repeatedly warned against False Prophets in the Bible. It is surprising to me how much the Church has become involed in occult practices, and doesn't even know it. They do not recognize these practices as occult and demonic, and can't even seem to 'hear' and heed the warnings againt them when offered by those who know, and recognize, witchcraft. This would support the claim of 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 when it says, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Also, 2 Timothy 4:2-5 says, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
I have come to recognize this circumstance among the Christian community today as a consequence of rebellion against God, and His Words. Certainly that is what ultimately led me into witchcraft! Just as the Holy Bible says in 1 Samuel 15:23, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."
Yesterday I began the Book of Acts in my daily reading of the Bible. In the very first chapter of Acts I read a scripture which spoke to what I had been gleaning from the Holy Spirit about involvement in such pursuits and conversations as I outlined in the first paragraph of this Blog. This scripture says, "Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be a witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
I saw here, in this scripture, that Jesus told His Disciples that times and seasons were not their business, but God the Father's business only. Jesus then directed their consideration to the time they would be filled with the Holy Spirit and, as a result, be a witness to Jesus first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and ultimately to 'the end of the earth'. Our concern is NOT times and seasons! Our concern is to be a witness to Jesus. Revelation 12:11 says, "And they overcame him (the evil one) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." We are to be a witness and a testimony - NOT experts in Prophetic interpretation. Anything we need to know about the times and seasons has been given us in the scriptures. Understanding will be given us by the Holy Spirit of God, according to His wisdom and purpose. Until then we are to live by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
As far as End Time events, what Jesus does tell us to do is 'watch' - not divinate. As we 'watch' it is important to remember the account of Peter, and Jesus walking on the water, in Matthew 14:29-32, "So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased."
In this account we see that although we are 'watching', our focus is to remain on Jesus. If we set our attentions to the storms of this world we will surely sink. Praise Jesus, when we then call out to Him He is faithful to save us! Fixating on End Time prophecies is a way of distracting us from keeping our eyes upon Jesus.
Jesus gave His Disciples a detailed account of the End of Days in Matthew 24. Verses 36-39 reiterate the truth that only Father God knows the day and the hour of Jesus' soon return: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."
None of us knows the day, or time, we will be called out from this world and come to stand before Jesus, in judgement. What the Holy Bible tells us is to "shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." (Ephesians 6:15). This is a preparation - not a one time event. We are always preparing to meet with Jesus, for none of us knows the hour or the day! These shoes are shoes of action! These shoes are shoes of preparation - of living, and sharing, the Gospel of Peace between man and God, found only through Jesus Christ the Savior.
Another example is that of the five wise Virgins, and the five foolish Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Watch! Do not divine! Prepare, by attending to your relationship with Jesus Christ!
Here is some of what the Bible says about divination, and those who attempt to divine the times:
Jeremiah 29:8-9 "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord."
Ezekiel 12:24 "For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 13:6-7 "They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.”
You see? Those who set dates, and attempt to divine prophecy by their own expertise, flatter their selves. They are hoping their word will be confirmed, yet it will not.
Here is wisdom, in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."
Above all, seek God and His KIngdom, for, "...without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Seek first God, and His Kingdom! Dates, times, and seasons, are only God's business - under His authority, alone. Our business is to be a witness and a testimony for Jesus Christ to the world.
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