BBP: 21 Are You Ready for the Endtimes?

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Chapter 21

Are You Ready for the Endtimes?

A) Where are we at in recognizing the beginning of the Endtimes?

B) What can we do now to prepare for the Endtimes?

C) How should we feel about possibly living in the Endtimes? Grief, joy, and confidence, but not fear

Primary Points

We should be watching carefully to see if Volodymyr Zelenskyy will fulfill three more biblical prophecies about the Antichrist.
God said: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” You may need to proactively pursue a better understanding of the doctrine of the Endtimes. The Endtimes Essentials series was produced to help you do that.
Develop and pursue the completion of a “Regret list.”
You do not want to enter the Endtimes with a damaged relationship with God because you refuse to obey Christ’s teaching in Matthew 5:23-24.
Spiritual strength will be especially necessary to live in the Endtimes in a God-glorifying way so Train yourself to be godly (1 Tim 4:7).
If The Beginning of Birth Pains begin in your lifetime, obeying Proverbs 27:12 will be wise and loving, not foolish.
How should we feel about the possibility of experiencing the Endtimes? Like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.
We should never lower the standard of what a Christian is expected to do because God’s Spirit lives in them and can live through them.
Be assured that God does not want you to worry or be afraid about anything you or your loved ones may experience in the Endtimes.
What was Jesus’ response to His deep grief and the prospect of so much spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering? He asked the Father three times to allow Him to escape the pain and suffering of His crucifixion. NOT EVEN GOD LIKES SUFFERING!
No matter what happens to you and your loved ones in the Endtimes, God planned the Cross so you would never doubt His love for you and them!
In the end we must all say with Jesus, “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matt 26:39).
We do not choose the times we live in. The Father alone has the authority to decide whether or not you are chosen to glorify Him in the Endtimes.
God understands if we deeply ponder the consequences of the Endtimes and spend some time grieving what we will lose. But if He chooses for us to live and lose in the Endtimes, we must love Him enough to embrace it and determine to glorify God no matter what.
Even when you are sad or disappointed, God’s Spirit wants to make room for JOY in your heart. God always expects you to experience JOY because of all your heavenly blessings, even in the midst of sadness and suffering.
During The Greatest Persecution, virtually every Christian husband, wife, and their children will be hunted and imprisoned or executed.
No matter what happens to us and our loved ones, we also have a joy awaiting us.
Christian, be assured that you will glorify God in the Endtimes. This is because God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear, even in the Endtimes (1 Cor 10:13).

A) Where are we at in recognizing the beginning of the Endtimes?

Let us review some of the conclusions of this book, The Beginning of Birth Pains. In July 2024, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is scheduled to be 10 nations that uniquely match 7 biblical attributes of the prophesied 10-nation Endtime Coalition (cf. chs. 4-6). Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the leader of a minor nation in ancient Magog who is also famous and admired all over the world. He is the first person in human history to fulfill these three biblical prophecies about the Rising Antichrist (cf. ch. 8). Based on these two extraordinary events we have two witnesses (Matt 18:16) that it is reasonable to suggest there is a 60% probability that the Endtimes have already begun.

Therefore, we should be watching carefully to see if Zelenskyy will fulfill three more biblical prophecies about the Antichrist: 1) Be supernaturally successful by defeating the #2 military in the world; 2) Cause the downfall of three leaders in the SCO (e.g. Putin, Lukashenko, and Khamenei); 3) Begin leading the world to peace (cf. ch. 9). If these three events occur in a relatively short period of time, then it is reasonable to suggest that there is an 80% probability the Endtimes have already begun.

It is admitted that we cannot be 100% certain of these things until the Antichrist is undeniably killed and miraculously raised from the dead (chs. 10-12). These conclusions are summarized in the following tables from chapter 9:

Table: Increasing Confidence in Identifying the Antichrist

#	Biblical Prophecy	Potential Fulfillment	Reasonable Probability that Zelenskyy is the Antichrist
Biblical prophecies already potentially fulfilled
❶	Will be the leader (little horn) of a minor country (Dan 7:8; 8:9)	Zelensky became the President of Ukraine (in Magog] in an extraordinary way in 2019.	60% Based on being the first person in human history to match these biblical prophecies.
❷	From the land of Magog (Ezek 38:2)	Zelenskyy was born in Magog (Kryvyy Rih, Ukraine) 1978.
❸	Will be recognized and admired worldwide so that he is worshipped after his Resurrection (Rev 13:3, 7-8, 12)	Zelenskyy is Time magazine’s “Most Influential Person in the World” in 2022.
Biblical prophecies to watch for
❹	He will succeed in everything he does (Dan 8:24)	If Zelenskyy completely defeats the #2 military in the world, even retaking Crimea, in a relatively short period of time.	80% Especially based on the supernatural nature of #4, the specific nature of #5, & the 10-nation SCO.
❺	He will uproot 3 leaders in the 10-nation Endtime Coalition (Dan 7:8, 24)	If Zelenskyy’s victories are the catalyst for the downfall of 3 members of the SCO, particularly Putin, Lukashenko, and Khamenei.
❻	Leading the world to peace (Rev 6:2)	If Zelenskyy is successfully leading summits and organizations pursuing world peace.
❼	The Antichrist’s Resurrection (Rev 6:1-2; 13:3, 14)	If Zelenskyy is undeniably killed and raises from the dead.	100% Then we will know with certainty he is the Antichrist & the Endtimes have begun.

Table: Levels of Readiness & Action for Endtime Events

“DEFCON”	“Weather”	Current Signs of the Endtimes	Christian Response
5 Minimal threat of nuclear war	Partly Cloudy	None. The SCO becomes more than 10 members or Zelenskyy’s success and popularity end, or he is killed without a resurrection.	None
4 Watching for nuclear war	Tornado Watch	SCO remains 10 members and Zelenskyy is rising.	This provides 2 “witnesses” that the beginning of the Endtimes is near. Therefore, continue to carefully monitor Zelenskyy & the SCO.
3 Preparing for nuclear war	Tornado Warning	Zelenskyy continues to “succeed in everything he does” including replacing 3 leaders in the SCO & producing world peace.	This would provide a third “witness” that the beginning of the Endtimes is near. Therefore, prepare for Endtime events to occur
2 Ready for nuclear war	You see a tornado coming toward your house	Zelenskyy is Resurrected from the dead	This would provide absolute certainty the Endtimes have begun. Therefore, implement plans for subsequent Endtime events to occur
1 Experiencing nuclear war	The tornado has destroyed your house	We are in the Last Generation Church	Survive The Beginning of Birth Pains & glorify God in The Greatest Persecution

B) What can we do now to prepare for the Endtimes?

It is understandable that some will want to wait until Antichrist’s Resurrection before they do anything to prepare for the Endtimes. But you are encouraged to consider the following steps at the suggested stages of probability and readiness. These stages are based on the tables above. There is wisdom in completing the suggested tasks at their suggested time because they will become even more important to accomplish if later stages occur when you will also have additional suggested tasks to complete.

B.1) “Tornado Watch” Stage

This is the stage of suggested probability and readiness that we are currently in based on the biblical prophecies that seem to have already been fulfilled in the SCO and Zelenskyy. Therefore, it would seem wise to pursue the following tasks.

1) Study the Bible on the Endtimes

God said: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6 NIV). He said this in the context of the priests not teaching the people correctly. Unfortunately, this is the situation in the Church today. The confusion, ignorance, and controversy over what the Bible teaches on the Endtimes is evidence of this. Therefore, you may need to proactively pursue a better understanding of these things. The Endtimes Essentials series was produced to help you do that.

Therefore, you are encouraged to study the first three books of the Endtimes Essentials series. These include #1: Christ’s Endtimes Teaching; #2: The Beginning of Birth Pains; #3: Endtime Babylon. These are available in print or free Kindle versions at Amazon.com. Also PDF, HTML, audio, and video versions are also available free of charge at www.trainingtimothys.com.

Book #3, Endtime Babylon will provide some very important things for you to consider if you live in America.

2) Monitor current events

Throughout Christ’s sermon on the Endtimes He said: “Be on guard! Be alert!” … “keep watch” … “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (Mark 13:33, 34, 37 NIV). Watch! for what? Current events in our world that would signal the beginning of the Endtimes, and that Christ’s Return is near.

It would seem prudent to monitor news about the SCO, the war in Ukraine, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Particularly, watch to see if Zelenskyy 1) Defeats Russia in an extraordinary way; 2) Causes the downfall of Putin in Russia, Lukashenko in Belarus, and Khamenei in Iran; 3) Begins to lead the world to peace.

The BBC is an especially good source for news in Eurasia. Google News has a feature that will collect news stories on the above topics.

3) Pursue your “Regret List”

Jesus told His disciples: “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4 NIV). Indeed, if the Endtimes begin sometime soon, even in our lifetime, then we may run out of time to do some things that we would regret.

Therefore, develop a “Regret List.” What are things that you would regret not doing if you were to die? Doing something like this is probably a good idea even if the Endtimes do not begin in your lifetime.

For example, do you have any broken relationships that God would want you to pursue healing in? Jesus said:

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (Matt 5:23-24 NIV)

Do you understand what Christ was saying? If you are aware that another Christian has been offended by you, and you have not done everything you can to rectify that, then God does not want you to worship Him! Carson explains regarding “the person who comes to perform his religious duty but who has offended his brother”:

It is more important to be cleared of offense before all men than to show up for Sunday morning worship. Forget the worship service and be reconciled to your brother; and only then worship God. ^[1]

MacArthur adds:

The phrase “your brother has something against you” could also refer to anger or hatred on the brother’s part. That is, even if we hold nothing against him, if he is angry with or hates us, we should do everything in our power to be reconciled to him.

Obviously, we cannot change another person’s heart or attitude, but our desire and effort should be to close the breach as much as is possible from our side and to hold no anger ourselves even if the other person does. Regardless of who is responsible for the break in relationship—and often there is guilt on both sides—we should determine to make a reconciliation before we come before God to worship.

True worship is not enhanced by better music, better prayers, better architecture, or even better preaching. True worship is enhanced by better relationships between those who come to worship. Worship may be improved by our staying away from church until we have made things right with those with whom we know our relationship is strained or broken. ^[2]

If you have done something to offend one of God’s children than it has offended their and your Father too. Therefore, God wants you to do all you can to be reconciled with that person. So much so that God wants you to do whatever you can to mend that relationship before you worship Him. This reflects what the Bible says elsewhere:

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. (1 John 4:20-21 NLT)

If you have not already done so, do your best to reconcile relationships, particularly with other Christians. Or as the Apostle put it: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Rom 12:18 NIV). You do not want to enter the Endtimes with a damaged relationship with God because you refuse to obey Christ’s teaching in Matthew 5:23-24.

There are other things to consider for your “Regret List.” Is there a promise you made that you need to keep? David wrote that a righteous person is someone who keeps an oath [promise NLT] even when it hurts (Ps 15:2-4 NIV). Have you made a promise to your spouse, son or daughter, or a friend that you can fulfill at this time? There is probably no good reason not to do it now.

Is there someone you want to share the Gospel with? Is there a ministry task you want to do? Is there a financial gift that you can invest in the Kingdom of God. Again, Jesus warned, Night may be coming, when no one can … do the works of God.

What would you regret not doing if you no longer had the opportunity? Develop and pursue your “Regret List” with courage and love, knowing that God wants you to do these things too.

4) Improve your relationship with God and your spiritual health

The Bible says, Train yourself to be godly (1 Tim 4:7). Obviously, this should be a priority at any time in our lives. But spiritual health and strength will be especially necessary to live in the Endtimes in a God-glorifying way if they begin sometime soon. How can you Train yourself to be godly?

First, start specifically praying for this and asking God to help you grow in faith, love, and hope. Another suggestion is to complete the Christian Essentials and Renew Ministry series of discipleship materials. These are also available free of charge at www.trainingtimothys.com. These teachings have been used in several hundred churches to help Christians grow. The Renew Ministry material is especially designed to help you permanently remove sinful strongholds in your life and experience the love, joy, and peace of God’s Spirit living through you more consistently.

B.2) The “Tornado Warning” Stage

Proverbs says: A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences (Prov 27:12 NLT). It is suggested we will be at a more serious stage of probability and readiness if Volodymyr Zelenskyy fulfills the three biblical prophecies noted above. At this point, it is suggested there is an 80% probability that the Endtimes have already begun with the establishment of the 10-nation Endtime Coalition in the SCO. By analogy, this would be the Tornado Warning stage and DEFCON Level 3 which is “preparing for the probability of nuclear war.”

Therefore, it would seem to be time to do what you can to prepare for the wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes of The Beginning of Birth Pains and the subsequent Greatest Persecution. There are several things to consider here.

First, the steps suggested above in the “Tornado Watch” stage will be important. Especially improving your relationship with God and your spiritual health. Trusting and glorifying God is always the most important thing for a Christian. And the power of the Holy Spirit controlling you will be the only way you can do this.

Second, you are encouraged to do more study. If you have not yet read Endtimes Essentials book #3, Endtime Babylon, or completed its audio or video versions, you are urged to do so, especially if you live in America. But the fulfillment of the prophecies in Revelation 17-18 will affect you wherever you live in the world. It is vital that you understand them.

Third, what could you do to wisely prepare for The Beginning of Birth Pains? Jesus said there will be wars … famines and earthquakes and plagues … in various places (Matt 24:6-7; Luke 21:11). It is understandable if you have thought the “end of the world survivalists” types are a little odd and you never wanted to be one of them. But if The Beginning of Birth Pains begin in your lifetime, God will want you to do your best to survive them and help others do the same. Obeying Proverbs 27:12 quoted above will be wise and loving, not foolish.

Giving advice on such things is not within the expertise of this author. Fortunately, you probably know a Christian who has studied these things and can suggest resources.

It is true that A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences (Prov 27:12 NLT). But this biblical wisdom needs to be balanced with other Scripture. In all of your planning and preparation for “the beginning of birth pains” (Matt 24:8), remember something else Jesus said:

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt 6:31-33 NIV)

C) How should we feel about possibly living in the Endtimes? Grief, joy, and confidence, but no fear

Throughout the Endtimes Essentials series I try to be honest about the pain that the Last Generation Church will experience in the Endtimes. Therefore, in this section, I want to take a step back from all the doctrine and biblical facts about the Endtimes and address our hearts. My Endtimes Essentials series focuses on what we are supposed to understand about this doctrine. But I also want to offer an answer to this question: How should we feel about possibly living in the Endtimes?

People will respond differently to the prospect of living in the Endtimes. Of course, it is important they have a biblical understanding of the fact that the Last Generation Church will experience The Beginning of Birth Pains and The Greatest Persecution. Again, this biblical sequence of Endtime events was demonstrated in the previous book, Christ’s Endtimes Teaching and some description of the painful challenges of The Greatest Persecution were provided (cf. ch. 16).

Even so, we should view the Endtimes as an unprecedented and extraordinary opportunity to glorify God, deepen real Christian fellowship, have an eternal and focused perspective on life, and perhaps experience miracles of God protecting and providing for us. I believe all of these things will occur in the Endtimes for the Last Generation Church. They will be a great encouragement to those having the privilege of living in that time.

But allow me to share some of my own personal struggles about living in the Endtimes. I have been studying these things for over 30 years. As I have learned more, the prospect of experiencing the Endtimes has become increasingly real to me. This book has expressed my reasons for believing that the Endtimes may begin relatively soon. As I have faced that potential reality, with an understanding of the biblical Pre-Wrath Rescue position, I have had to wrestle with it!

I have had to spend some time with the Lord grieving all of the ministry and people I might lose. It’s not so much about what might happen to me, but what would the Endtimes be like for the people I love? I do not want them to suffer the wars, famines, and plagues of The Beginning of Birth Pains, or the pain of The Greatest Persecution. No wonder the painless but unbiblical views of the Endtimes are so popular!

I do not wish to be overly dramatic, but Christ’s experience in the Garden of Gethsemane has spoken to me. When Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane we read He became anguished [lypeisthai] and distressed [adēmonein] and said, “My soul is crushed with grief [perilypos] to the point of death” (Matt 26:36-38 NLT). In Luke He is described as being in agony [agōnia] (22:44 NASB).

There are things here that can encourage us as we face the possibility of entering the Endtimes. But first, we must note something in Christ’s experience that we should not and cannot imitate: Jesus was afraid. Both the English and Greek words used above to describe His emotions include the ideas of anxiety and fear. ^[3]

How do we reconcile this with the fact that the most repeated command in Scripture is Do not be afraid (Luke 1:13)? ^{^[4]} Likewise, Jesus commanded His followers do not worry about your life, even if basic necessities like food and drink and clothes are threatened (Matt 6:25 NIV). The Apostle Paul commanded Christians Do not be anxious about anything (Phil 4:6 NIV). The Bible clearly teaches that fear and worry are normally a sign of idolatry and sin against God. So how could Jesus be afraid in the Garden of Gethsemane and not sin?

Because Jesus was afraid of about the only thing you can be afraid of and not sin. Elsewhere He explained:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt 10:28 NLT)

Anyone who is going to be punished by God for their sin should be afraid. Accordingly, Jesus was afraid of God’s wrath that He would experience to pay the penalty for our sin. God’s punishment that brought us peace with God was on him (Isa 53:5 NIV). What made Jesus afraid was the cup of suffering that He was asking His Father to have taken away from Him if possible (Matt 26:39 NLT). Throughout Scripture, such a cup referred to God’s cup of wrath (Rev 14:10 NLT). ^[5] Therefore, Jesus had a biblical reason to be afraid.

But no Christian does. We will never be punished by God for our sins or experience His wrath. Therefore, we have no biblical reason to be afraid. Did you notice above that Jesus even commanded us, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body”? If we are not to be afraid of even someone killing us, then it will be sin against God to worry about anything else!

Christians assume the command Do not be anxious about anything (Phil 4:6; cf. Matt 6:25) is so impossible to obey, that God must not really mean what He said. But is the difficulty of obeying a biblical command our criteria for understanding it? Of course not. For example, Jesus clearly commanded: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV). Do you really think obeying the command to never be afraid is harder to obey than always loving those who hate you? How about the Bible’s command: Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do (Eph 5:1 NLT)? We should never lower the standard of what a Christian is expected to do because God’s Spirit lives in them and can live through them. Be assured that God does not want you to worry or be afraid about anything you or your loved ones may experience in the Endtimes.

But we can certainly be sad about it. And this is the feeling that we can identify with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. If we are sad about what we might face in the Endtimes, Jesus is our example. The Greek words used to describe Christ’s internal state reflect deep grief and emotional pain. Lypeisthai (anguished) means “be sad, grieve.” ^{^[6]} Perilypos (crushed with grief) means “very sad.” ^{^[7]} Accordingly, when Jesus said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matt 26:38) He was describing the intensity of His sadness. ^{^[8]} As Carson puts it, “It suggests a sorrow so deep it almost kills.” ^[9]

The depth of His sorrow is also illustrated when we read, his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44 NIV). It is probably not true that Jesus actually sweat … blood. Rather Luke writes that His sweating was like drops of blood falling to the ground. In other words, His anguish was producing so much sweat that big drops of it were falling to the ground. ^{^[10]}

All of this fulfilled the prophecy that Jesus would be, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief (Isa 53:3 NLT). Friends, if we encounter the unique suffering of the Endtimes, we too will be chosen by God to be people of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. And we must be reminded that God chose Christ to experience the same on this Earth. Even God the Father Almighty has experienced deep sorrow. In my Renew Ministry materials, I remind us:

Sadness can be godly. The Bible says that when God saw humanity’s wickedness, The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain (Gen 6:6 NIV). One translation says, It broke his heart (NLT). God Almighty, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, experiences deep sadness and emotional pain.

So there is nothing necessarily sinful about SADNESS. In fact, the Bible commands, Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15). There is A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance (Eccl 3:4). SADNESS is godly when the circumstance calls for it. This was certainly true of the deep sadness Jesus experienced during the night of His crucifixion. ^{^[11]}

Why was Jesus so sad? Because of what He was going to lose. On the cross He lost His holiness and purity. God made him who had no sin to be sin (2 Cor 5:21 NIV; cf. Gal 3:13). Perhaps even worse, He lost His fellowship with His Father. It seems He was experiencing the most pain, when Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matt 27:46 ^{^[12]}).

Unlike Christ on the cross, we will never lose our holiness before God, nor will we ever lose our relationship with the Father. Because Christ was abandoned by the Father, nothing can ever separate us from God’s love (Rom 8:38 NLT), not now, or in the Endtimes. But we may lose a great deal. Last Generation Christians will lose their jobs, houses, possessions, respect, freedom, friends, parents, spouses, children, grandchildren, and even their own life. And it is appropriate, and even wise, to grieve the possibility of such great loss. Jesus was certainly sad about what He was going to lose, even if it was only going to be temporary.

And we should not overlook Jesus’ sadness about how much He was going to physically suffer. He knew the biblical prophecies about the Suffering Servant He would fulfill. Isaiah said of Christ’s experience on the day He was whipped and crucified:

His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. … he was pierced … crushed … He was beaten … He was whipped… He was oppressed and treated harshly (Isa 52:14; 53:5-7 NLT)

That was a lot of pain! Certainly, anticipating that also made Him deeply grieved.

What was Jesus’ response to His deep grief and the prospect of so much spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering? He asked the Father three times to allow Him to escape the pain and suffering of His crucifixion. Do not miss this. Being in agony He was praying very fervently … “My Father! … let this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Luke 22:44 NASB; Matt 26:39 NLT). He prayed that three times, saying the same things again (Matt 26:44 NLT). The Bible says: While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death (Heb 5:7 NLT). JESUS DID NOT WANT TO SUFFER. Why did Jesus not want to suffer? BECAUSE NOT EVEN GOD LIKES SUFFERING!

God hates suffering so much that one day He is going to recreate a world where There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain (Rev 21:4 NLT). A painless world is what God ultimately desires. But for now, suffering accomplishes purposes that are even more important to Him than a painless Universe. Both the Son and His Father suffered deeply when Christ was rejected, betrayed, beaten, and crucified. Why? Why would even God allow Himself to suffer like that? Because God wanted to demonstrate his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, suffering on the cross (Rom 5:8 NIV). God the Father wanted to reveal and prove His love to us in such a convincing way, that He planned our salvation to require the excruciatingly painful death of His Son. Convincing us of His love for us was more important than saving His Son from suffering. No matter what happens to you and your loved ones in the Endtimes, God planned the Cross so you would never doubt His love for you and them!

But do not miss the point that even God does not like suffering. Some Christians have an idea that it is somehow noble to like suffering. But this is neither godly nor biblical. We should dislike suffering as much as Jesus did in the Garden. HE DID NOT WANT TO SUFFER. And I do not want to suffer in the Endtimes, nor see my loved ones experience the same.

Some might suggest such a reluctance for the Lord’s Return is unbiblical. Didn’t Paul say we are to eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed (1 Cor 1:7 NIV) and be among those who have longed for his appearing (2 Tim 4:7 NIV)? Didn’t John plead at the end of Revelation, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20 NLT)? Yes, but both men already thought they were experiencing the persecutions of the Endtimes (cf. Rom 13:11-12; 1 Cor 7:29-31; 10:11; 2 Thess 1:4-7; 1 Pet 4:7; Jam 5:8; 1 John 2:18). Paul wrote the statement above in 2 Timothy from prison awaiting execution. John wrote the Revelation from exile on the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9). If I were in their situations, I would heartily proclaim the same things. But I’m not. We still have freedom to do the Lord’s work in this world. And I do not apologize for not wanting to see the people I love, suffer.

But in the end we must all say with Jesus, “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matt 26:39 NLT). If we experience the Endtimes we will also experience an unimaginable amount of loss, pain, and sorrow. This is especially so as we ponder how our loved ones will suffer. Yes, we must all wrestle with what our Father may be asking us to suffer and lose if we enter the Endtimes. And we must all finally say what Jesus said, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matt 26:39 NLT). But do not miss, that the prospect of suffering, caused Jesus to struggle greatly, and this will be a great struggle for us as well.

We do not choose the times we live in. Speaking of all humanity, Scripture says God, marked out their appointed times in history (Acts 17:26 NIV). God the Father also chooses if the Endtimes will begin in your appointed time in history. When the disciples asked the risen Lord, “Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times” (Acts 1:6 NIV, v. 7 NLT). And the Father alone has the authority to decide whether or not you will be chosen to glorify Him in the Endtimes.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite exchanges between Frodo and Gandalf in The Fellowship of the Rings. Frodo is feeling burdened because of the difficult times he is living in and the heavy burden it has placed upon his life. He tells Gandalf: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” Gandalf responds:

So do I. And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.

The point is that God understands if we deeply ponder the consequences of the Endtimes and spend some time grieving what we will lose. But if He chooses us to live and lose in the Endtimes, we must love Him enough to embrace this and determine to glorify God no matter what.

Accordingly, in the Garden Jesus experienced more than the deepest grief and being in agony (Isa 53:3; Luke 22:44). An angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him (Luke 22:43 NLT). His Father comforted His Son in His pain. And if you will seek your Father’s comfort in prayer and His Word, He will strengthen and comfort you as well. Not only now, but also throughout the Endtimes. Be assured Christian, we will be able to say with the Apostle:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort… For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. (2 Cor 1:3, 5 NLT)

And being reminded of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane will be a source of God’s comfort.

Let us also be reminded that at no time in the Garden did Jesus cease to be controlled by the love, joy, and peace of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). The Renew Ministry materials explain:

Even Jesus wept (John 11:35) when His friend Lazarus died. But did He lose all hope and joy? No. So even if a Christian friend dies, you need not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13 NIV), because your hope gives you JOY…

The Bible’s teaching about Christian JOY reveals something remarkable. The JOY of God’s Spirit has the amazing ability to exist with SADNESS and grief. The Christian can always feel JOY, but it will not always be a pure JOY. It may be mixed with SADNESS. Therefore, the Apostle Paul wrote, Our hearts ache, but we always have joy (2 Cor 6:10 NLT). God expects our hearts to ache about sad things. But even when you are sad or disappointed, God’s Spirit wants to make room for JOY in your heart.

God always expects you to experience JOY because of all your heavenly blessings, even in the midst of sadness and suffering. This is why Paul wrote from prison, Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—feel happy! (Phil 4:4 ^{^[13]}).

Accordingly, Hebrews tells us, Because of the joy awaiting him Jesus endured the cross (12:2 NLT). Jesus knew His great suffering would only be temporary, and the time would come when He would live in the Kingdom of God on a perfect and painless New Earth. Because He never stopped believing that, He never lost His hope or joy, even as He felt the deepest grief and was being in agony (Isa 53:3; Luke 22:44). If you keep praising God for all the things that nothing in the Endtimes can ever take from you, you will never lose your joy either. In fact, the joy of the Lord will be your strength! (Neh 8:10).

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus felt a mixture of deep grief and abiding joy. What are some other ways this relates to the question asked above: How should we feel about possibly living in the Endtimes?

First, we should feel a deep sadness about the possibility of entering the Endtimes. It has been said from the very beginning of the Endtimes Essentials series that the very hardest thing about the biblical doctrine of the Endtimes is its emotional challenge (cf. CET, ch. 1). There is a reason the holy and courageous Prophet Daniel was deeply troubled … fainted and was sick for many days when he saw the astounding devastation the Antichrist will cause during The Beginning of Birth Pains and how he will oppress the saints in The Greatest Persecution (Dan 7:25, 28; 8:24, 27). If God has chosen us to be in the Last Generation Church, then He has also chosen for us to suffer in some extraordinary ways, much like the First Generation Church.

Jesus said, “there will be the greatest persecution of God’s elect people. It will be greater than any persecution since the world began, and it will never be equaled again” (Matt 24:21). By the greatest persecution Christ did not mean Endtime Christians will be tortured in greater ways than any persecuted Christians in history. If you know what some Christians have suffered, you know that is hardly possible. It will be the greatest persecution because every single Christian living on the planet will be persecuted. Therefore, it will be the greatest persecution because of its worldwide scope.

Still, the Endtimes will bring an unprecedented and painful amount of chaos and crisis to the Last Generation Christians. And that will occur in just the catastrophic wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes in The Beginning of Birth Pains. Then in The Greatest Persecution, Jesus warned us: “You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers” (Matt 24:9 NLT). It would seem virtually every Christian husband, wife, and their children will be hunted and imprisoned or executed. That’s why Jesus said if He did not stop The Greatest Persecution with His Return, “no one would survive” (Matt 24:22).

There is a reason Jesus said, “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!” (Matt 24:19 NASB). Woe is a rare word in modern English. Webster’s defines it as “a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief.” The Greek word (ouai) was used many times in the ancient Greek translation of the OT (LXX) to translate several Hebrew words (hôy, hôwâh) that meant “to howl,” like the “nighttime cry of a jackal” or “like the scream of an infant.” It referred to deep grief, sorrowful wailing, and intense pain. ^{^[14]} Jesus specifically warned us that the Last Generation Church will experience such Woe in the Endtimes. Which is why the good possibility that the Endtimes will occur in our lifetime, or even rather soon, puts us all in the Garden of Gethsemane like Jesus.

However, it was also pointed out above that Jesus felt joy in that Garden before His crucifixion. Because of the joy awaiting him Jesus endured the cross (Heb 12:2 NLT). Likewise, no matter what happens to us and our loved ones, we also have a joy awaiting us. For example, you might temporarily lose your Christian husband, wife, children, grandchildren, or friend in the Endtimes. There will be a multitude of ways for them to die. But be assured you will see them again relatively very soon.

This is true of even our babies and young children who may not yet have professed a faith in Christ. A person’s eternal salvation ultimately depends on the sovereign and gracious election of God (cf. Eph 1:4-6, 11; Acts 13:48; Rom 9:10-24; 11:5). History and experience have demonstrated that God usually places His predestined souls in Christian families. Of course, there are painful exceptions, but the vast majority of children who grow up in a Christian family, become Christians. This is because God prefers that His predestined people are raised in Christian families.

Remember as well that God does not need a profession of faith from an infant or child to save them. They simply need to be chosen by Him and paid for by Christ’s blood, which all predestined souls are. Your chosen child is among the ones whose names [were] written in the Lamb’s Book of Life even before the world was created, the Lamb who was slaughtered for them (Rev 13:8 ^{^[15]}).

All of this is why David confidently proclaimed when his infant son died: “I will go to him one day” (2 Sam 12:23 NLT). David knew God had chosen his family to be favored by Him. If you are a Christian family, you can be confident of the same thing. And whenever your loved ones die, including the Endtimes, you can say like David, “I will go to them one day.” And again, that day will not be far off. For example, The Greatest Persecution will only last 3 and a half years (cf. Dan 7:25; 9:27; 12:6-7; Rev 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). Then Christ will Return and the First Resurrection will occur at the Church’s Rescue. Accordingly, the Apostle Paul said even the worst of our troubles are momentary and temporary (2 Cor 4:17-18 NIV), especially in the Endtimes.

This is not the place to explain all the biblical reasons to experience joy even in our suffering in the Endtimes. I hope to discuss that in another book. ^{^[16]} But you can be sure God has given you many great reasons to experience unconditional joy. We can share one that will certainly apply to the Endtimes. Jesus said in His very first recorded sermon:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt 5:11-12 NIV)

God is promising that His eternal reward will make your suffering for Him worthwhile. But again, such a promise deserves more explanation than what will be given here. Still, even though we may lose so many people and things in the Endtimes, we can continue to experience joy because of what we cannot lose, including our eternal life and eternal rewards.

Let us also be reminded again that God does not want us to worry or be afraid of anything in the Endtimes. Even of those who want to kill your body, and certainly not about our food, drink, and basic physical needs (Matt 10:28; 6:25). Speaking specifically of The Beginning of Birth Pains, Jesus said:

“You will hear reports of devasting wars and riots, but guard yourself against fear and make sure you are not alarmed. These horrific conflicts must happen, but My coming and the end of the age will not follow the wars immediately.” (Matt 24:6)

As explained previously in this book (ch. 18, sec. B) this is a good translation of the Greek used here. Notice Jesus’ command even in the context of the Endtimes. Guard yourself against fear and make sure you are not alarmed. Even when you see or even experience devasting wars and horrific conflicts. Jesus said these things must happen. All the suffering of the Endtimes is going to happen no matter what anyone does or wants. The only question is this? Will you glorify God? The Bible says, Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31 NIV), including suffering in the Endtimes.

Christian, be assured that you will glorify God in the Endtimes. This is because God is faithful; he will not let you be tested [peirasmos ^[17]] beyond what you can bear (1 Cor 10:13). That is a promise you must take into the Endtimes with you. No matter how biblical prophecy describes the horrors of the Endtimes, this promise will remain true for God’s people.

It was explained previously (ch. 3, sec. C) that God will be completely sovereign over all Endtime events. That includes your experience of them. God and His Angels will be watching over you and your loved ones the whole time. God will sovereignly guard, filter, and control what you suffer in the Endtimes. He has chosen that for you. We read in Revelation regarding The Greatest Persecution:

Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God’s [Last Generation] saints must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful [in the Endtimes]. (Rev 13:10 NLT ^{^[18]})

There are some things predestined by God about your life. One is whether or not you will be living when the Endtimes begin. And if He has chosen you for that, then there is another thing God will decide for you. That is what you will be tested with in the Endtimes. This is because God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear (1 Cor 10:13).

Why is that? Why is God so committed to making sure you are never tested beyond what you can bear? Because God wants you to glorify Him. If you were constantly tested with things that were too hard for your faith or that you could not overcome, then you would automatically fail those tests and not glorify God. But God’s greatest purpose for your life on Earth is to glorify Him. Therefore, your Father never sets up His sons and daughters to fail their tests. God controls the tests. He customizes them to ensure you will not be tested beyond what you can bear.

And that leads us to something else God wants you to feel about the Endtimes: CONFIDENCE. Confidence that because of God’s sovereignty and God’s Spirit, you will fulfill your God-given purpose if you experience the Endtimes. You will glorify God. You will love, trust, obey, and experience God in ways you never imagined. And another thing. You are really going to tick off and disappoint the Devil. Amen?

Carson, The Sermon on the Mount (Baker, 1978), 42. ↑
MacArthur, MNTC, Matt, loc. 7339. ↑
Adēmonein (distressed NLT, NASB; troubled NIV) in Matt 26:36 (Mark 14:33) means: “be in anxiety, distressed, troubled” (BDAG). Accordingly, “distressed” in English can mean: “to cause to worry or be troubled” and “troubled” means to be “concerned, worried” (Webster’s). Likewise, agōnia in Luke 22:44 means: “apprehensiveness of mind, especially when faced with impending ills, distress, anguish (anxiety varying in degree of intensity). Therefore, the Gospels clearly describe Jesus as experiencing fear on the night before His crucifixion. Bock writes that agōnia “probably describes the momentary anxiety or fear” (1761). ↑
NT scholar N. T. Wright confirms: “The most frequent command in the Bible is ‘Don’t be afraid’” (Following Jesus [Eerdmans, 2014], 65). Although I do not recommend much of Wright’s doctrine. ↑
For numerous biblical references to a cup referring to God’s wrath, see Carson, Matt, 609. ↑
BDAG. ↑
Ibid. ↑
Nolland remarks:

Deeply grieved to the point of death is not far from Jonah 4:9 LXX where the language seems to mean (cf. v. 8), ‘I have been grieved so much that I want to die.’ But that does not fit the Gospel context very well, where Jesus’ distress leads rather to the request to be spared the death that faces him. A better guide comes from Judg. 16:16 which says Samson’s ‘soul was grieved to death,’ where ‘death’ is not literal but a marker of intensity. (Matt, 1098) ↑
Carson, Matt, 609. ↑
Some have provided medical evidence that it is possible for humans to “sweat blood” (cf. Raymond Brown, The Death of the Messiah, from Gethsemane to the Grave, Anchor, 1994, p. 185). However, even if this is a medical possibility this is not what Luke described. Regarding the comment that Jesus’ sweat was like drops of blood, Bock writes:

It is important to note that this is metaphorical, not a description that says Jesus [actually] sweat blood. The remark depicts Jesus’ emotional state as so intense that he perspired profusely as a result. The sweat beads multiplied on his body like flowing clumps of blood and dropped to the earth. (1761-2) ↑
FRUIT study, ch. 12; available online at www.trainingtimothys.com. ↑
The suggested translation of Matt 27:46 is a combination of the NIV and NLT. ↑
The suggested translation of Phil 4:4 follows the NLT but replaces rejoice with feel happy. This is the meaning of both the Greek and the English. The Greek word is chairete which means: “to be in a state of happiness and well-being, rejoice, be glad” (BDAG). Unfortunately, many translations have rejoice, but many English speakers interpret this as something like “to praise.” But even Webster’s defines “rejoice” as “to feel joy or great delight.” For more on how modern English translations hide the repeated references to feeling happy in the Bible, see FRUIT, ch. 12; available online at www.trainingtimothys.com. ↑
NIDNTT, vol. III, 1051. ↑
The suggested translation of Rev 13:8 is: the ones whose names were not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life even before the world was created, the Lamb who was slaughtered.

This translation generally follows the word order of the NASB (ESV) and the language of the NLT. There is some debate as to whether the reference to before the world was created refers to Christ’s death (NLT, NIV), or the recording of names in the Book of Life (NASB, ESV, NET). Scholars admit that the Greek word order could have either meaning.

Osborn claims “The word order favors” the death of Christ as being what is referred to. To support his view he quotes 1 Pet 1:20 that states regarding Christ, God chose him as your ransom long before the world began (NLT) (Rev, 503).

However, Scripture itself makes things rather clear. Later, Rev 17:8 refers to unbelievers as The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from [before NLT] the creation of the world. This makes it clear that the recording of names in the Book of Life is what has occurred before time. Contrary to Osborne (and Mounce), comparing and reconciling Scripture with Scripture is a much more decisive factor in both translating and interpreting a biblical text than the Greek word order.

In addition, 1 Pet 1:20 has little to do with Rev 13:8. Peter wrote God chose him [Christ] as your ransom long before the world began (NLT). But what Osborne wants Rev 13:8 to say is what the NIV and NLT say: the Lamb … was slaughtered before the world was made (NLT). We recognize that in one sense, God’s activities are timeless. But it is doubtful God expects us to believe the NLT translation of Rev 13:8, and it is not what Peter wrote. Therefore, the NASB (and ESV) seem correct to say:

All who dwell on the earth will worship him [Antichrist], everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. (Rev 13:8 NASB)

As usual, Thomas is right when he explains:

The connection of the phrase π αταβoλς σμoυ (apo katabolēs kosmou) with what precedes it is in question. Is it connected directly with γέγραπται (gegraptai), “the book of life written from the foundation of the world,” or with σϕαγμνoυ (esphagmenou), “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”?

The chief support for connecting it with esphagmenou [“slain”] is the verse’s word order. The phrase follows immediately after the participle. This compares with a twelve-word separation between the phrase and gegraptai (Mounce).

On the other side, the chief argument for connecting the phrase with gegraptai [what was written] is a parallel in [Rev] 17:8 where that is the only connection possible. The same finite verb and the same phrase in that verse must have a direct connection because the verse has no word about the Lamb or His being slain (Swete, Lenski).

Of course, in 13:8 John may be supplementing the thought of 17:8 with something different (Alford, Caird, Johnson), but 17:8 offers a rejoinder to the principal objection to the gegraptai connection. It has a seven-word separation between the phrase and gegraptai, thus showing that a contextual separation is no serious obstacle to its connection with gegraptai.

Consistency of usage by the same author is the stronger consideration, so the sense “the book of life written from the foundation of the world” is the best solution. This sense fits into the immediate context better too. It advances the argument that continues through 13:10 by implying that the elect are predestined to refrain from beast-worship and therefore suffer persecution. This reassures them in the midst of their powerlessness against the beast, they are still in the keeping providence of God, having been there since the foundation of the world (Ladd). (1128-29) ↑
For a biblical study on this topic see the hopefully upcoming book, Suffering: Why Do Bad Things Happen to God’s People? that will be available online at www.trainingtimothys.com. ↑
The Greek here can be translated as tested or tempted (cf. BDAG). ↑
The translation of Rev 13:8 is the NLT except that saints replaces God’s holy people as in the 1984 NIV. ↑

Chapter 21

Are You Ready for the Endtimes?

Contents

Primary Points