Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor, several of us fellows here would like to know your take on what scripture portrays best the coming of the Lord for his people.”
Jerome/ London, United Kingdom
Bible Answer:
Although there are more than one, the best picture we have of the last days of the Church of Jesus Christ are found in the writings of Daniel.
Daniel 1:1-7 NLT
1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives.
4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.”
5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.
6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah.
7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah found themselves as refugees in a foreign land. They looked different, their conduct was different, and they spoke differently than those around them. They longed for their homeland.
The Christian today, finds himself in a foreign land,
Hebrews 11:10,13-16 KJV (Abraham) Read the whole chapter.
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.
The land in which Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, found themselves was a land filled with idols, something they knew only too well, that angered the living God.
Exodus 20:3-6 KJV
(First Commandment)
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
(Second Commandment)
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
I John 2:15-17 KJV
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I John 2:15-17 NLT
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
One day....
Daniel 3:1-7 NLT (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.
3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command!
5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.
6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
One world government, one world leadership, and its leader demanded worship of his statue (image).
If one refused, one was to be thrown into a fiery furnace, and certain death. There was no place for dissenters in this kingdom!
Daniel 3:8-18 NLT
8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!
10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments.
11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,
14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?
15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace.
And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.
He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Where are the people of Christian faith, who in these last closing hours of time, will stand up to the evil king and to sin, and not be afraid?
Wherever they are, God,Himself will be with them!
Hebrews 13:5 KJV
"...for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Matthew 18:20 KJV
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 28:20 NLT
"... I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Eight times in the third chapter of Daniel, the "fiery furnace" is mentioned.
Can there be any doubt for the people of God?
The days of judgment are at hand, and they will be “fiery days”.
Days of actual fire, from border to border, only God can tell.
But to be sure there are other fires already burning, burning to their greatest.
Raging Fires of....
Lust for power and authority, no not just of corrupt politicians, but within the church itself.
Lust for wealth, with the cloak of hypocrisy.
Lust for Physical pleasures, of every variety.
Hatred of authority.
Hatred of race, class or religious beliefs.
Hatred of God.
Etc. etc.
These fires are raging and will rage.
And what is the voice of God?
Isaiah 52:11 KJV
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
II Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, informed the king, they would “not,” bow to his statue, even if it meant going into the fiery furnace. They fully believed that God could save them, yet if He didn't still, they would never bow down.
And what was the result?
Daniel 3:19-23 NLT
19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.
20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments.
22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.
23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.
I Peter 4:12-14 KJV
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, their wrists and legs bound by strong cords, were carried by the king's soldiers, to the fiery furnace. They would pay the price for irreligious rebellion.
Daniel 3:24,25 NLT
24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a God!”
When will our precious Lord of Glory, come for His people?
When the fires are at their greatest, but come He will!
Luke 21:36 KJV
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.
I Thessalonians 1:9,10 CEV
9 Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God.
10 They also tell how you are waiting for His Son Jesus to come from heaven. God raised Him from death, and on the day of judgment Jesus will save us from God’s anger.
I Thessalonians 5:9,10 KJV
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
II Thessalonian 2:7 NLT
For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one (God the Holy Spirit) who is holding it back steps out of the way.
John 14:16 NLT (Wherever the church of God, there too the Holy Spirit.)
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you (God the Holy Spirit).
II Timothy 4:18 KJV
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
II Peter 2:7-9 CEV (See Genesis 19:22 KJV)
7-8 Lot lived right and was greatly troubled by the terrible way those wicked people were living. He was a good man, and day after day he suffered because of the evil things he saw and heard.
So the Lord rescued him.
9 This shows that the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their sufferings and to punish evil people while they wait for the day of judgment.
Revelation 3:10 KJV (Christ's promise to the church at Philadelphia.)
Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 3:10 NLT
“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.
Our Bright and Morning Star, will appear, amidst the flames of fire and protect His people!
Daniel 3:26-30 NLT
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.
27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His Angel to rescue His servants who trusted in Him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
Rescued:
Romans 10:8-13 NLT
8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.”
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him.
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The Most High God, knows how to deliver His people.
Job 5:19 KJV
He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
Psalm 50:14,15 KJV
14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto The Most High:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.
Jeremiah 1:8,19 KJV
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Jeremiah 15:21 KJV
And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Jeremiah 39:17 KJV
But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.
Daniel 6:19-21 (King Darius)
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.
20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king!
22 My God sent His Angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in His sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
Let the fires rage, for soon the fourth Man, will appear, come to save His own.
I Corinthians 15:51-58 NLT
51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!
52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.
57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
Luke 12:40 KJV
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Salvation Prayer
