We are continuing our study on the literal translation of Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 concerning the end of this age. Jesus said immediately preceding His return, there would be a time of His parousia or “presence.” Other biblical prophecies indicate we are now in this time.
If we are alive in this time, we have a high purpose. In these times deep darkness will cover the earth, but the light and glory of the Lord will be revealed in God’s people which will prevail over darkness (see Isaiah 60:1-3). To prepare for this, we must grow in the gift of discernment while recognizing and refraining from the spirit of suspicion which often masquerades as discernment.
False discernment, rooted in suspicion and fear, seeks to turn us into “fault-finders” instead of messengers of redemption and hope. Just as the harvest is the maturing of all seeds that have been sown in mankind, the spirit that manifested in the Pharisees to oppose Jesus can control Christians who surrender to the suspicions of the Accuser. Philippians 1:9-11 is a key truth we must moor ourselves to in this time:
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
“Real knowledge and all discernment” are rooted in love. We cannot correctly discern people if we do not love them. Likewise, we cannot discern the true conditions of nations if we do not love them. Love seeks redemption and restoration, not condemnation. The spirit of suspicion is not rooted in love. It distorts what we see and causes us to oppose the redemptive works of the Lord and the Lord Himself, as did the Pharisees.
This does not mean we should compromise the truth, sound biblical teaching, or His righteousness and justice which is the foundation of His throne. If we love truth and love people for whom the Lord gave His life, we will not compromise the clear teachings of Scripture on sin and wickedness nor their consequences. But we will do this in a spirit that seeks to redeem, not condemn, which begins with acknowledgment, sorrow, and turning away from our sins. Truly love will boldly confront sin with a redemptive heart and not a condemning one.
We know from the Scriptures there will come a time when the patience of the Lord will run out and then condemnation will come. Then there will be a distinction between “sheep” and “goats.” Until then, we should not give up on people or nations no matter how wicked they now are. Let us resolve to overcome evil with good and do what we can to turn them to the Lord. As He taught us from Jonah, even when His word of conviction is shared with those with bad attitudes, it still has the power to save them.
As I write, Russia is being condemned like Nazi Germany for the atrocities its army has inflicted in Ukraine. It is impossible to see what has been done by Russian forces and not condemn them. However, mark this: the greatest revival of this age will come from Russia, and some of the most powerfully redemptive movements of this age will come from Germany. This was the first prophetic message I received as a new believer, and it has been so well corroborated since I have no doubt.
However, I can understand others doubting this prophetic scenario. These two nations have been sources of the worst evils ever perpetrated on mankind through Nazism and Marxism, and neither has behaved well of late. Still, we shall see in them the truth that those who are forgiven much love much (see Luke 7:47). As the Apostle Paul was the greatest persecutor of the church before his conversion, he was perhaps the greatest devoted servant of the Lord after. We will see the same in nations like Germany and Russia.
Just as most Germans were deceived by Nazi propaganda, and many Russians are deceived by their nation’s propaganda, so has virtually every nation been deceived. Many who have been most deceived will wake up, like the Apostle Paul. He was struck blind so he could see. Let us likewise be ready to help those who will soon be awakened and established in the Truth and follow Him with the devotion He deserves. Let us not see people and nations as they now are but as they are called to be, and let us be ready to help them get there.
