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(Courtesy of Voice of Prophecy)
Took Them All Away
/in Pastors BlogTook Them All Away
38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:38-39
The Second Coming is going to be an amazing event. You have to realize however that it is simultaneously going to be the greatest and also the worst day ever in the universe. Millions if not billions of people will be saved from a life of sin. Those who struggled, suffered, and persevered against sin to stay close to Christ will finally be transformed. They will become perfect as their father in heaven is perfect. They will never have to be tempted by the Devil or sin ever again.
On the other hand, billions if not more will also be lost forever. There will be weeping and crying. There will be shouting, pain and suffering. God in one day will lose scores of his children which he loves with all his heart. He will also lose countless angels and Lucifer as well. God loves all who will be lost. No heart will be more conflicted than God’s.
When we look at the story of Noah, which is used as a comparison here, you’ll find that soon after leaving the ark, Noah grows grapes and gets drunk. Now we don’t know if it was done on purpose or if he just let his drinking get away from him but you have to realize that his heart and mind must have been in anguish. Stepping out of the ark and realizing that every other human being on earth was now dead must have been a shock. There must have been a pain in knowing that so many refused to follow God.
How will you feel when you experience the Second Coming? Have you ever taken time to think about this? How will you feel looking around you for family and friends? How will it be seeing some or even many but not all those you love? It will be an amazing day, no doubt, but will there also be some pain and sorrow?
Those who rejected Noah’s messages from God lived life as if nothing would change. They were similar to us before Covid struck and changed the world forever. This should be a wakeup for us that God’s Second Coming can be a lot closer than it appears. Things can change in a heartbeat. Let’s make sure we’re not part of that group who ‘did not know until the flood came and took them all away’. Let’s make the Second Coming as great as it can be. Let us make sure we are saved and let us also help those we love to make that choice as well.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Time Unknown
/in Pastors BlogTime Unknown
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:36-37
One of the hardest things for humans is not knowing. Not knowing if you passed that school project. Not knowing the results of a medical test. Not knowing if he or she will say yes. All of these fill us with anxiety and nerves. For many, the same is true about the Second Coming. Some worry that God is coming too soon and they haven’t had time to do all that they dreamed. I wanted to get married first. I wanted to have kids. I’m so close to finally getting that promotion or job I’ve always dreamed of. There are things in this planet that for some are temporarily more important to them than God’s return. So they stress that the world will end before they can realize their dreams.
Others worry that it’s taking too long. Some have been Adventists from an early age and are now old and wonder how God still hasn’t returned. Y2K happened and the world didn’t end. The Twin Towers were destroyed by terrorists and the end didn’t come. We’ve had assassinations of presidents, world wars, plagues and pandemics and we’re still here. Why is God taking so long? And like the first group, these too also stress over not knowing the hour, day or year of Jesus’ return.
Jesus says that it will be like the days of Noah. God had promised that he was going to flood the whole world and yet it had never even rained on the planet before. Everyone that lived in the land at that time must have found the idea quite ridiculous. There isn’t even enough water to flood the world! Noah’s building a boat on dry land- what a fool! How many insults and blasphemies must have been uttered by the people in those days?
But the rains and water did come. There was enough to cover the earth. That useless boat saved Noah, his family and countless animals while the mockers died a watery grave. Had Noah listened to the nay-sayers he too would have been lost but instead he stayed faithful to God’s promise. We must do the same. We don’t have all the answers and we hear mocking around us often, but God is faithful. Trust in Him.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
At The Door
/in Pastors BlogAt The Door
33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
Matthew 24:33-34
One of the most famous images of Jesus is a painting where he’s knocking on a window of the United Nations building. It’s found on earlier prints of the Steps to Christ books and has touched many people.
In this week’s verses we read that it is at the door when you see these prophecies around us. How close is Jesus to coming back to the Earth to save us? I don’t believe we are very far as most of the events listed in Matthew 24 are happening now.
What would we do if we knew Jesus was coming this year? What would we change in our lives? What would we plan and make sure we did?
In verse 34 it says that the generation that sees these things around them will not pass away before the end takes place. I know many people will argue that wars, famines and strife have always been around. That is true, but the magnitude, speed and rate of these events have never been seen like this before.
Also, the message of Christ and salvation has never been broadcast so widely around the world. Is it possible that we are the generation mentioned in verse 34?
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Matthew 24:35
Most of the world is busy trying to amass and save wealth here on earth. The problem with such a plan is that nothing will be left when Jesus comes back. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t save and plan for our futures. Both of those things are wise and follow the teaching of stewardship. The problem is when this becomes your all in all in life. If Money and possessions are your only focus, you will find out that you are the poorest of all. You will be left with nothing in the end.
May we keep our eyes open to the signs around us. May we organize and live a life worthy of Christ and his salvation. May we store treasures in heaven and not just here on Earth.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
My Word
/in Pastors BlogMy Word
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Matthew 24:32
There are a few verses in the Matthew 24 that you could argue isn’t connected to prophecy. This verse is one of them and yet it is has an extremely important message which indirectly is vital for prophecy. ‘My words will by no means pass away’ means that you can trust in Jesus words. What is use or power of prophecy to a person who doesn’t trust the person speaking? What use is hearing about the future if you’re not going to believe it?
By Jesus stating that we can trust his words means that we can trust in his prophecy. We can trust that everything spoken will happen just as he said it. When you look at other so called prophets like Nostradamus who get it right 50% of the time or less, can you really put any trust in that? Some people do but you might as well flip a coin in life and you’ll get the same results.
With Jesus it is 100% accurate. Heaven and Earth will pass away before Jesus tells a lie or gets something wrong. How amazing is it to know that? We can have complete trust in Jesus and his word. In a world where it’s hard to trust in anything, that can be a real relief and inspiration.
This is the same Jesus who says in John 14:6,
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
He is not only trustworthy but he is also the way, the truth and life. Jesus must be everything for us if we are to truly have peace in this troubling world. It is the only foundation that will not crumble under our feet.
May we all trust in Jesus.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
The Fig Tree
/in Pastors BlogThe Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
Matthew 24:32
I have a feeling Jesus really liked figs because he speaks about them a lot. Several times fig trees appear in his parables or actions. In my case it probably would have been a lot of parables about mango trees.
It’s amazing how Jesus can take such a common idea or truth and turn it into a great lesson. Anyone that knew about planting or crops would understand Jesus’ words here. When you see that the tree is ready to bear fruit, the fruit comes. Farmers aren’t surprised every year when their crops come in just as you’re not surprised when the lights turn on every time you flip the light switch. These should be obvious things to us. The Second Coming should be just as obvious.
We have spent several weeks now in Matthew 24. Ask yourself this question: is there anything that Matthew 24 mentions that hasn’t happened yet? Is there a long list of things that still need to come true? No. Most are all around us right now. Just as we shouldn’t be surprised by the light turning on, we shouldn’t be surprised that Jesus is just around the corner.
33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [e]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
Matthew 24:33-34
We can be this generation. We can see all that is happening around us and so we have to be prepared that truly we can be this generation.
Is Jesus knocking on the door? Is he holding his bags to move on in? Based on his own words that seems to be the case. Are you ready for it?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Angels in the Sky
/in Pastors BlogAngels in the Sky
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:31
Do you remember what you were doing on September 11? I do. I was still at CUC, Burman University now, and I walked into the cantina and saw the repeating images of one of the twin towers coming down. I’ll be honest. After so many years of watching films and TV, at first I didn’t believe it. I thought it was just special effects or a new film. When it finally hit me that it was the real building coming down, my heart sunk.
I get the same feeling when I read v.31. It’s hard for me as a human being to truly imagine seeing angels flying in the sky. I can’t help but think that I would first think that it was some sort of light show or hologram. After a whole lifetime without seeing supernatural things, how would we react? And then add the idea that Satan will be impersonating and making his own miracles, and you can understand why so many might be confused or skeptical.
But it will happen! One day, there will be true to life angels in the sky and right in the middle will be God himself. One day it won’t be a film, trick or lie but the real Second Coming.
This is why we are Christian. This is why we read our bibles, pray, sing hymns and go to church. Life is more than what is here on this earth. Life is more than what we can see, hear, smell, or touch. There is a whole spiritual world out there that we have, for now, been blind to.
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Let this image and idea fill your days. Know that all we go through is worth it in Christ. Things might be dark and dim now but there is a place where there is no night and it’s been promised to you.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Cosmic Signs
/in Pastors BlogCosmic Signs
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Matthew 24:29
Any Adventist who has gone through an end time series would know about the dates of May 04, 1780 when the sun became dark and the moon became red like blood. They’ll also know 1833 when there was a spectacular meteor shower which has been interpreted as the stars falling. In more recent times, as with all things, some wonder if those were the exact events as mentioned here in Matthew 24. The main reason of course is that the sun and moon event are now over 240 years in the past. In 1844, when the first movements of what would be the Adventist church began, those dates and events were all around the same time and you could imagine the excitement and faith they would create. Today, and every year that passes, it diminishes in excitement as something way back in history.
One of the main points against is that these events come ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days’. Although there were tribulations, this specific tribulation appears to be the one mentioned as being worse than anything in the past or future. Very few would say that the problems during that time could be categorized as that. Then of course the next verse is also used.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:30
This verse gives the impression that all these events: the tribulation, cosmic signs and second coming are all one after another. There is no hint of a 240 year pause full of other events between such as a two world wars, fall of communism, pandemics, worldwide terrorism to name a few.
Arguments can be made on both sides of the debate. I would instead like to focus on the general theme of verse 29. It is often called ‘cosmic signs’ by theologians as it focusses on the fact that the natural world seems to be warning humanity of Jesus’ soon coming. It makes sense that the verse would focus on the sun, moon and stars as they are the biggest cosmic forces. Perhaps though they are just some examples of all ‘cosmic forces’ that will be used as signs.
We know the Bible often speaks about floods, fires, earthquakes and other disasters. All of those and more have constantly been increasing in number and strength. Perhaps, instead of just looking into the past for events, we should look at what is currently happening all around us.
Could the world be telling us that Jesus is at the door?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto