Prophetic Pulpit: Birth pains

                                                      A baby is coming!

Matthew 24:6-8 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. 

Sometimes eschatologists get so excited about the birth pains, they forget birth pains are just the evidence that a baby is coming. In other words, sometimes we can get so excited about current events such as globalism, digital currency, events taking place in the Middle East, we forget these are just signs pointing to the soon and coming restoration of all things. At the end of the Great Tribulation, when Jesus comes to overthrow the Antichrist and his armies at the battle of Armageddon, it is not the end of planet earth; it is the end of a very sinful, evil, chaotic and broken world. Jesus is going to usher in the restoration of all things in the Millennial Kingdom. He is going to set up His throne in the city of Jerusalem and rule the world in righteousness, peace and joy for a thousand years. It is literally going to be heaven on earth. 

In the natural, the closer the woman gets to giving birth, the more frequent and intense the birth pains. So it is with end time bible prophesy. War, pestilence, famine and earthquakes have always been a part of this fallen world, but the closer we are to the coming of the Lord, these events are increasing in intensity and frequency just as labor pains come upon a woman in labor. 

Seeing bible prophesy fulfilled excites me. We are living in a day where bible prophesy is being fulfilled at such an alarming rate, it is almost impossible to keep up with. However, I cannot forget this is not the endgame. These are just signs that something beautiful is about to be birthed into the earth. Psalm 72 tells us that in the Millennial Kingdom all nations will be blessed through Christ and the earth will be filled with His glory. Zechariah 2:10-11 says, "Shout and be glad, O daughters of Zion. For I am coming, and will live among you, declares the Lord. Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people." 

Romans 8:22 We know the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 

Though we sorrow over the suffering that it brings, I believe the Lord's people cannot help but be expectant when we see last day bible prophesy playing out in current events. Pestilence, famines and earthquakes is just the earth screaming, Push! Push! The Millennial Kingdom is at hand!