Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 feel like they are confirmed in the news every day.
Troubles, persecutions, tribulation, wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, epidemics and famines, all these things sum up a regular news cycle on any given week.
Jesus prophesied, David prophesied, Elijah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, all prophesied, so Pastor John Hagee starts a recent teaching on the signs of the times by answering an oft-asked question: Why should I study prophecy?
“First, approximately one-fourth of the Bible was prophetic when it was written. The God of heaven wanted you to know something about this subject. It certainly behooves every believer to study it, to know exactly what God has planned for our future,” Hagee says.
“It was written by the Holy Spirit, so obviously He knows more than we.
“Secondly, we should study prophecy because the Word of God declares that Bible prophecy is absolutely accurate.”
Knowing what God has planned and ordained to take place both during our time on Earth, and the times that are yet to come is a source of comfort for believers.
There are terrible things taking place and being done in the world today that cause fear, anxiety, anger and depression, but the Good News of Jesus Christ is more powerful than all the evil in the world.
Pastor Hagee says the time is now for Christians to take a stand and boldly declare the Word of the Lord without fear of reproach.
“Christians have been intimidated by the people who run the media because they don’t want to be offensive, they don’t want to be attacked, they don’t want to be questioned. They’d just rather quietly sneak off in the corner and worship Jesus,” Hagee says.
“It’s time for the church to roar like a lion. We are the church victorious in Jesus’ name!” Hagee exclaims.
Turning back toward the importance of prophecy in Scripture, Hagee teaches that it reveals who God is through His Word, and the power behind it.
“We should study Bible prophecy because it reveals the power and the wisdom of God to absolutely control the future,” Hagee says.
“Consider the birth of the nation of Israel. Every major prophet in the Old Testament prophesied that God was going to bring Israel back, but then there is a prophet that did even [more] than that.”
As time seems to quicken every day, with world-changing events occurring on a cyclical basis, Hagee describes Israel as the prophetic clock toward which the Lord’s Word ticks.
“Israel is God’s prophetic clock. When the Jewish people are in Israel, the clock is running. When the Jewish people are out of Israel, the clock is stopped,” Hagee explains.
“But the prophet Hosea gives a prophecy that has a specific dimension that you need to know.”
Reading from Hosea 6, Hagee explains that after the two days which represent a thousand years, Hosea prophesied God will revive His people, and that the Messiah will be there.
“I’m telling you, very biblically, factual, that we are going see Jesus, face to face, in the third day [of Hosea 6]. Jesus will return,” Hagee says.
Some ask why it even matters if they believe in the rapture or not, but Hagee says that the Word of God expressly states those who do not believe in the return of Jesus will not go with Him, quoting Hebrews 9:28.
“If you’re not looking for Him, you’re not going with Him,” Hagee says.
“The Bible adds watch and pray that you be counted worthy to escape those things that are coming on the earth. Escape what? This means the coming Antichrist, who’s going to kill everyone on the earth who refuses to take his mark on the right hand and forehead.
“If you have not committed your life to Christ, you’re going to be left behind, and your option will be to go through the living hell of the Great Tribulation, which lasts seven years with 21 global tragedies.
“Some of you listening to me right now, you know about Jesus but you’re not serving Jesus, and I’m going to look you right in the face and tell you, you will be in this church bawling your eyes out when the rapture happens and you’ve been left behind.”
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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