In the Last Days, I Will Pour Out My Spirit
We are continuing to look at the various signs that Jesus gave to warn us of His Second Coming. After warnings about deception, false religious figures, wars, and revolutions, Luke then tells us the following: “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11). Matthew recalls an extra few words more than Luke. He said those things would be the beginning of birth contractions: 7“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains”(Matthew 24:7-8). Let's think about what Jesus could have been referring to by using the analogy of a woman in birth pains
When a pregnant woman begins the birthing process, the pain is not severe, and the birth contractions are several minutes apart. The closer she gets to the birth of the child, however, the more frequent the contractions are, with the level of the pain getting much higher. In using this analogy, Jesus was saying that the closer the world gets to the end of the age, the more frequent will be the wars, revolutions, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. As the contractions of a woman get more painful, so will the amount of pain, anguish, sickness, and death get greater on planet Earth. The wars and revolutions will be very severe with much loss of life. Matthew tells us:
If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:22).
It will be cut short by the appearance of our Lord Jesus. He will come for those who are His. Who are those that are God's elect? It is my belief He is talking about all those who come to Him for salvation, Jews and Gentiles. There is a time factor here, for the Lord will not appear until He has called to Himself a remnant of Jewish people. Before He was crucified, He said:
37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:37-39).
We are living in a time when that prophecy is being fulfilled. During my inspirational tours of Israel, I have become aware that there are now 200 congregations of Messianic believers in the land of Israel that are praying that same prayer of asking Him to come. Jesus said He would not come again until the Jewish people would welcome him. How exciting to live in a time when many in Israel are reaching out to their Messiah! I am convinced that a worldwide revival will take place, that will reach into the nation of Israel. He promised the Jewish people, as well as Gentiles, a great outpouring of the Spirit in the last days:
In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy (Acts 2:17-18).
What does all this mean for you and me? It is time to make sure that we belong to Christ so that, when He comes, we will not be ashamed at His coming. We are living in awesome days, but we need not be afraid. We should look forward to the time when He returns. Great confidence and peace come to all who understand that God holds all world events in His hands. Keith Thomas
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