The spirit of God is the spirit of prophecy. After giving a talk on the end times the other day, I was challenged by a man who said the message was doom and gloom, too depressing. He wanted something to cheer him up – a positive message. Perhaps he had come from one of the churches which teach that a church triumphant will somehow Christianise the world and present it gift wrapped, so our Lord can come back and rule.

The Bible teaches the exact opposite- there will be apostasy, deceit and a great falling away and men’s hearts will grow cold in the end times which we are in. This man had not been correctly taught, or he would not have asked why my message could not seem more cheerful. God is in control, with his hand on the helm of history – and He has a wonderful future worked out for those who love Him. The King- and the Kingdom-are coming.

The Book of Revelation is actually incredibly positive- but only if you are a Christian. It tells us how the present world will end – when the One who created it returns in triumph to rule and reign, bringing us- his saints- with Him. Christians through the ages have looked forward to this time- the time of the return of our Blessed Hope. Oddly enough, as we actually move into the End Times that are prophesied, fewer churches bother to teach on the amazing events that are drawing near.

We are entering exciting times and momentous things are already happening. So what, someone said to me. Because you believe in the pre-trib rapture you won’t do anything to improve the present world. I think that the pending rapture gives us a sense of urgency, which is why we are hurrying to get the book out, before censorship prevents such publications. Knowing the signs of the times we must get right with God – and encourage others to do so.

In Revelation, the only book which the Bible tells us brings a special blessing if we study it, chapter 22, verse seven, says: “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.” More than a quarter of the Bible was prophetic when written. Around 90 per cent of the prophecies have already come true and we now look to the final, climactic time when the last ten per cent are revealed as true predictions.

The 66 books of the Bible lead up to Revelation , the only prophetic book in the New Testament – there are 17 in the Old Testament. From Genesis- the book of beginnings- to Revelation- the book of consummation. · In Genesis the earth was created. In Revelation it passes away. ·

In Genesis was Satan’s first rebellion; in Revelation we hear of his last rebellion. · In Genesis darkness was called night; In Revelation there “is no night there” – Rev 21:25, 22; 5.) · In Genesis the waters were called seas; in Revelation there is no more sea. · In Genesis was the entrance of sin; in Revelation is the exodus of sin. ·

In Genesis the curse was pronounced; in Revelation the curse is lifted · In Genesis was the beginning of sorrow and suffering; in Revelation there will be no more sorrow or tears. · In Genesis was the marriage of the first Adam; in Revelation is the marriage of the last Adam. ·

In Genesis we saw man’s first city, Babylon, being built; in Revelation we see it destroyed and God’s city, the New Jerusalem, is seen. · In Genesis Satan’s doom was pronounced; in Revelation his doom is executed. It wraps up everything that has been set out previously.

John, the writer of Revelation, reaches further back into eternity past than any other writer in Scripture, in his Gospel which starts: “In the beginning was the Word.” When he comes to Revelation he peers further on into eternity, looking to the eternal kingdom of our Lord. Of 404 verses in Revelation, 278 contain Old Testament references. It does, of course, carry on from books like Daniel and Isaiah in particular, fleshing out their prophecies.

Like a book with many threads, the Bible is woven into a final chapter. If we look around we can only be dismayed at the state of the world- a world falling apart morally and spiritual and yet also coming together, with gigantic corporations, banks and mega churches, virtually all teaching rubbish as you can see by watching many of them on the God Channel. The world is in a desperate state. North Korea is tossing missiles about.

China has declared that it will take back Taiwan by force if necessary – and America is pledged to defend Taiwan. There are many wars being fought round the world right now- wars and rumors of wars, with fanatic Islam a global threat. At the eye of the storm is Israel. Little Israel. Israel, with under one per cent of the land mass of the Middle East. Israel, the land the world loves to hate. Israel, which the world’s armies will gather against as Satan makes his final bid to wipe out the Jews.

Yet countries like Syria, which harbour terrorists directing violence against the Holy Land, are on borrowed time. Isaiah 17, I , says: “Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city And it will become a fallen ruin…” And verse 14 adds: “At evening time, behold, there is terror… Before morning they are no more. Such will be the portion of those who plunder us, And the lot of those who pillage us.”

We can expect this prophecy to be fulfilled with the same accuracy as Isaiah’s prediction, chapter 66, verse 8, that the nation of Israel would be reborn in one day. Zechariah 9 also tells of the terrible fate of enemies of Israel, saying with up to the minute accuracy: “Gaza too will writhe in great pain.”

Zechariah -12, vs 6-as well as Jeremiah, 30:18) also forecast that Jerusalem would be rebuilt on its own ruins, which has now happened. He also predicted, of course, that it would be “a burdensome stone” to all nations, perhaps one of the unlikeliest of prophecies, especially in the near 2000 years when Jerusalem was mostly derelict and of no importance.

I am sure many sceptics laughed at that prophecy through the centuries. Jerusalem is a small city of no great population or trade, yet the world has it like a piece of grit in the eye. It will see more fighting and, especially, the last war of the age.

Matthew 24, 6-7 says: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:33-34 "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Even So, Come Lord Jesus!

At the end there will be Signs in the Earth and the Sky! "...great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." Luke 21:11 (KJV) (See Also; Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8)

You can watch endless television shows without guessing that the world as we know it is fast coming to its conclusion, in an explosion of violence, immorality and collapsing currencies. Showbiz folk dominate the talk shows- yet they have nothing to talk about. Who will guide us out of this moral morass – politicians? Looking the world's leadersI DON’T THINK SO. The Archbishop of Canterbury and his appointment of a man married toa man aas an important aide? Er, No. Anyone who is not deeply concerned about where the world is headed is not paying attention.

No wonder the value of gold will soon be rising as people fear for the future of paper money- doomed to extinction shortly. Winston Churchill looked at the world’s future and declared: “Time May Be Short.”

American historian Dr Charles Beard said: “All over the world, thinkers and searchers who scan the horizon of the future are attempting to assess the values of civilization and speculating about its destiny.” Fabian Socialist H. G. Wells, one of the promoters of a New World Order and one world government, declared before he died: This world is at the end of its tether.

The end of everything we call life is close at hand.” Dr Raymond Fosdick, then president of the Rockefeller Foundation, another proponent of a one world solution to our ills, said: “To many ears comes the sound of the trump of doom. Time is short.” This seems doom ridden. Where’s that good news?

Well, after chapter three of the book of Revelation, the church- you and I - goes to heaven and is seen no more on earth. Then the final restraint on evil is removed and all hell breaks out on earth with horror and terror right up to Armageddon.

In chapters four and five the church is in Heaven. We see it next as the bride, coming to earth with Christ to establish his 1000 year kingdom. Jesus returns at just the right moment- had He delayed any longer there would have been no life left on earth, as Matthew 24 vs 22 makes clear. Jesus is the subject of Revelation and His Second Advent is its climax.

Chapter one verse one calls it: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants.” In Revelation you see our Lord in glory – he is unveiled, in full command of all that takes place, riding on a white horse to restore order out of chaos- chaos which almost certainly includes nuclear and chemical wars. He is now highly exalted and to Him every knee must bow and every tongue confess. That’s good news- the best news.

Revelation will see the end of apostate Christianity, the great whore church centred on Rome, the City on Seven Hills, the church with the spirit of Babylon at its heart, with its mother and child worship and endless persecution of God’s people. This is good news! Let’s read it: Chapter 17 of Revelation:

To briefly digress: It has been said that the problem of reaching the Jews for Christ is that Christians have treated them so badly. It is not Christians who have persecuted the Jews throughout history – it is the Catholic church, which is 100 per cent non Christian. The Crusades were a Roman Catholic war – nothing whatsoever to do with Biblical Christianity.

As long ago as 1212, by Papal edict, Jews were made to wear a distinctive badge and were forbidden to hold public office, a practice continued throughout history and brought to a climax by the Nazis who were both Catholic and New Age. Hitler, Mussolini and General Franco were all strong Catholics who had concordats with the Vatican – legal documents detailing mutual support. Hitler was never excommunicated by the church for his crimes against the Jews.

On the day Hitler died, this is what a Catholic newspaper in Spain said about him: “Adolf Hitler, son of the Catholic church, died while defending Christianity.” Afterwards the Catholic church was instrumental in helping leading Nazis escape to Catholic South America.

Revelation shows what God is going to do with his universe and with His creations. In Chapter 20 we see that Satan is bound and imprisoned for a 1000 years, while the Antichrist and false prophet are destroyed by being thrown alive into the lake of fire – in other words, the depths of hell will claim them. With the unholy trio out of the way, it will be like emerging into sunlight from a terrible storm.

No violence or aggression will be allowed and the meek will truly inherit the earth. This meekness will extend to the animals and even plants. No more stinging nettles- no more carnivores! Isaiah 11, 6 onwards describes the wonderful scene: (Read it) Maranatha- come , Lord Jesus Below are some odds which I didn’t use in my sermon Hitler stated; “As for the Jews, I am just carrying on with the same policy which the Catholic church has adopted for 1,500 years…when it regarded the Jews as dangerous and pushed them into ghettoes, etc, because it knew what the Jews were like.”

Germany signed its concordat with the Vatican in 1933 and the Council of Trent gave Hitler the authority to carry on with the Inquisition, which had already left most of Europe a protestant-free zone. It was the papal nuncio- or ambassador-to Germany from the Vatican who helped bring Hitler to power.

The concordat was signed by, among others, a Vatican prelate called Montini who was to become Pope Paul Sixth. The point of this today is that the whore church has not changed, it controls a billion Catholics and many billions of pounds and it widely reported by a Catholic dominated press as the world’s leading “Christian” organisation – when in fact it is anti-Christian in spirit and deed through and through.

People like Billy Graham have pushed this idea of Catholics being Christians, in the same way that Mormons are now trying to be accepted as Christians, despite their idiotic set of beliefs.

The Catholic church has left bodies and bloodshed in its wake throughout history, Jews and Christians alike, and we should be in no doubt that they are not Christian. The Inquisition carries on, by the way: it was recently headed by the man who is now Pope – it is called The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Satan always uses religion to stop people following Jesus. If we look at the epistles, we find, for example, that the Galatians were turning their backs on Christ and going in for law-keeping. Very little – if any- organised religion today is Christian in any sense. What we have is an apostate Laodicean church – the lukewarm church