Summer Is Nigh: Are the Watchmen Awake?

I have come across many Christians, though strong in their faith and their obedience to the LORD, are not keen on reading or watching the daily news with regards to events happening in the world today.

It’s important to be joyful and fill one’s heart with the fullness of the LORD and fellowship and prayer and even to go out to the streets to evangelize, but do you know also that we are the Watchmen? And without knowledge of what is happening in the world, especially in the Middle East, we cannot be effective watchmen!

Do you know what Iran is doing? Can you put down in point form what Condoleeza Rice is proposing in the Middle East with regards to our beloved Israel and the “Palestinians”? On which day did Israel become a nation again?

Why do you need to know what’s happening in the world today? Because we are living in the most exciting phase of human history! And as Watchmen, we need to warn the world of what is to come.

The fig tree has put forth leaves and our Lord Jesus Christ has said that when we see that happening, then shall we know that summer is nigh.

From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Matthew 24:32-34

What fig tree, you ask?

Israel is that fig tree! And the fig tree has put forth leaves on May 14, 1948, my brothers and sisters! Therefore discern that summer is nigh!

Now I don’t believe in the pre-Tribulation rapture nor in any rapture for the Bible does not tell us of such an event, and this theory of a pre-Tribulation rapture only came about about 100 years or so ago.

So therefore it is my belief that the days when there shall come a great tribulation and persecution shall come unto us who are alive in time to come. And here’s the other thing, my brothers and sisters — our Lord Jesus Christ has indicated that the generation that sees the fig tree sprouting leaves shall not pass away till all things are fulfilled.

Biblical scholars put a generation as defined by God’s Word as between 40 - 100 years, with most putting it at about 70 years. Remember that Israel became a nation again in a single day on May 14, 1948.

Make no mistake, for summer is nigh, and the coming of our Lord is at hand. And you know what is most exciting for me personally? The fact that I am blessed to be able to see all that God promised come to pass, God willing.

Count it blessings that we have been given the discernment and wisdom to know and recognize what shall soon come to pass. The world looks upon and reads about a miracle each day and yet does not believe that God is the one who has made true His promise to gather His people and bring them home to Israel.

It’s time to stop playing church and fool ourselves. The call to action is there — work on your salvation with trembling and fear, set your heart right with God, gird yourself with the armor of God and pray earnestly that you shall stand firm in your faith when the trials and tribulations come.

I leave you with this warning from our Lord Jesus Christ to watch and be diligent.

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24:42-51

Shalom Aleichem.

Picture of Fig Tree by florriebassingbourn.