Rabbi Schneider - How to Recognize the End Days?
You know, the Bible says in the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, it begins in chapter 1 with Jesus revealing to us, Blessed is he that heeds the words and the prophecy of this Book. Jesus concludes the Book of Revelation by saying the same thing. Understanding the Book of Revelation is critical for every believer. And my goal in this series is to break it down for you and make is simple for everybody to understand. That's why I encourage you to start a Bible study around this. I know you'll be able to take a lot away from it.
Now on last week's broadcast, I began the part of the end times known as, listen, the Great Tribulation. And I showed you how the Hebrew prophets, I went to the Book of Jeremiah and Daniel, and showed you how the Hebrew prophets referred to the Great Tribulation that Jesus spoke of as, listen now, Jacob's distress or Jacob's trouble. And I showed you last week how the Great Tribulation will begin with Israel and then it will spread across the entire globe. It's gonna seem that, that all the other horrendous things that have happened in world history pale in comparison to what's gonna happen on planet Earth during the Great Tribulation. You know, I know that this sounds scary for some of you, but we have to face truth. Jesus was very clear about it.
Let me look with you now at Jesus's own words about this time. We're going to the Book of Matthew, 24. In Matthew, 24, Jesus is responding to the question that His disciples asked Him when Jesus began to speak about the end times and His return. Listen to what Jesus said in response. The grass withers and the flowers fade but the Word of the Lord abides forever. Hear the Word of God. He said: For then there will be a Great Tribulation, such has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days have been cut short, no life would have been saved: but for the sake of the elect, those days, Jesus said, have been cut short. So we need to face the facts.
A lot of people want to believe that things are just gonna get better. You know, they're looking at the world and the world's history with rose-colored glasses on. But, beloved, that's not what the Bible teaches. A lot of times I hear these so called prophets and they're always prophesying how things are gonna get better, how this is gonna get better, that's gonna get better, this is gonna get better. But I want you to know, beloved, what the Bible teaches is that difficult days are coming. And knowing this helps us get serious about God today 'cause it's gonna be too late to get serious about God when all these things hit. We're gonna need to be strong, beloved, to face them and to go through it. Jesus said when the tribulation hits, He said, many will fall away.
Now one of the things that we're doing in this series, Decrypting the Book of Revelation, is once again showing you, church, how the Old and New Testaments fit together like a hand in a glove about this. In other words, it's not just the Book of Revelation that talks about the end times, the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, also had a lot to say about the end times. And I'm showing you how it all fits together. So what do I mean by that? Let's take this further down the trail. When they asked Jesus about the end times, Jesus compared it, listen now, to two events in the Old Testament or the Tanakh. Jesus said, listen now, it's gonna be like the time of Noah, and Jesus said it's gonna be like it was during the time of Lot.
Once again, remember I was teaching on last week's broadcast how Israel's history is prophetic; that when we read about Israel's history in the Tanakh or Old Testament what we're reading about literally and actually happened in that time, but it was also prophetic because what Israel went through is gonna repeat itself on the earth in the last days. And so Jesus once again, when they asked Him about the end times and the tribulation, Jesus said it's gonna be as it was during the days of Noah. So in the Book of Matthew, chapter number 24, verse 37-39: For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
And so think about this, Jesus is answering their question about what it's gonna be like during the tribulation right before His coming. And Jesus said it's gonna be like it was during Noah's day. So we have to ask ourself obviously, well what was it like in Noah's day? So let's take a second now, we're gonna go back to the Book of Bereshit, the Book of Genesis, in the Torah, in the Old Testament, and we're gonna read about what was it like in Noah's day, because Jesus said it's gonna be like this on earth before I come again.
Let's go now, beloved ones, as we read together from the Book of Bereshit, the Book of Genesis, chapter number 6, verse 5-6 and then 11-13. Hear the Word of God. The grass withers and the flowers fade but the Word of God abides forever: Then the LORD, Yahweh, saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. First of all I just want to draw your attention to a few things that we just read so we don't miss them. I really, I really feel God's Spirit in this. I mean, we read about the horrible things that are gonna be happening on the earth, and we ask ourself why, and would a loving God really do this? I want you to hear, first of all, that when the Lord, we just got done reading, looked at the earth during the days of Noah, he saw that every intent of man's heart, He said, listen now, was evil continually.
Let me ask you this question. How many of you, if you think about it, when you go to work, all you hear around you is people's negative talk; talking bad about this, talking bad about this, talking bad about this person, complaining about this? Every intent of man's heart was evil, the Lord saw, when He looked upon the world during the time of Noah. And then I like what God said here. I mean, I mean I like it in the sense of it really helps me connect in my heart with this loving person. God's a person. And the Bible says it grieved God and He was sorry that He had made men. Listen again. I'm reading from the Book of Genesis. Listen again what we read here: The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Why? Because every word that was coming out of men's mouth and every intent of their heart was evil continually. And beloved, I don't think we're far away from this state today.
Let's continue reading here. Verse 11: Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God. I want to ask you, is the earth corrupt now? All we have to do is turn on the television, right. Look at what's, how people are selling things. Look at the way people are making money and the manipulation that's used. Look at lack of integrity people have in their words. I mean, we could go on and on. The earth was corrupt. Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before Me; the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. So what was going on? God was grieved. He looked at man that He had made in His own image.
Beloved one, God looked at humankind. He looked at mankind who He created in His own image to reflect His glory, to reflect His love, to reflect His righteousness, to reflect His beauty, to reflect His goodness. But instead when He looked at the earth He saw that man was corrupt and every intent of his heart was bent towards evil. And the earth was filled with violence, and it grieved God's heart, and He was sorry that He had made man. And so God said the end of mankind has come before Me. I am, I'm about to destroy the flesh of the earth. Why was He doing this? Because beloved, it had become so corrupt and so putrid to Him, He couldn't bear the stench of it any longer. But His purpose of it, listen beloved one, was redemptive because He cleansed the earth with the flood, listen now, in order to start over, right. There was a few on the earth, Noah and his descendants.
God's purpose in cleansing the earth, listen now, was to start over. And this is what God is gonna do, beloved, during the Great Tribulation and the releasing of the plagues that we're gonna read about later in this series in the Book of Revelation. It's not just that He's so angry, that He's so frustrated that He's out of His mind with rage, and He's just gonna wipe... No, He's got a purpose, listen, a new heaven and a new earth. He's gonna start over with His redeemed creation.
Now remember what I said, the Lord looked at the earth during the time of Noah. He saw that is was corrupt. We're gonna talk more about this. And He saw it was filled with violence. And I want to ask you today, just let's take a check. Let's just kind of get our thermometer out and become aware of what kind of culture are we living in. Let me ask you this question. The earth was filled with violence in Noah's day. Jesus said, that's what it's gonna be like before I return. Let me ask you today, what kind of movies are playing at the movie theater? What percentage of the movies at the movie theater, even the cartoons, carry with it the primary element of violence? What sells? Sex and violence. What was it like in Noah's day? The earth had become corrupt and it was filled with violence.
We think in other times of history, like for example, in the ancient Roman world where the great celebration or the great, the great time the people came together for social entertainment was at the glad..., when the gladiators were released into the Coliseum and the whole community came together, seated in the Coliseum watching what would happen when they released the gladiator into the Coliseum and pitted him against a wild beast. Who was gonna die and who was gonna live? And the crowd went crazy. What were they celebrating? What were they giving themselves over to? Violence, violence, violence, and it's no different today. We may not be going to the Coliseum to literally watch somebody being destroyed by an animal, but what we do instead is the same thing. We just cover it up in a more sophisticated way.
We get our DVD, our Blu-ray, put it in our player, sit down in front of the television set with our popcorn and watch murders, and watch rapes, and watch criminals, and we're entertaining ourself, beloved, with violence. I want you to know, it's putrid to God. It does not reflect what He made us to be. It does not reflect His glory from the earth, and God is not gonna put up with it forever. It's not long. Jesus said, Behold, I am coming quickly. And that's the message of the Book of Revelation. But you know what, beloved? Jesus didn't just stop with Noah. Jesus went on and He began to talk about it was gonna be similar to what it was like during the days of Lot.
So I'm reading now from the Book of Luke, chapter 17, verse 28-30. Again, we're looking at how the Book of Revelation and the Gospels connect with what the Old Testament writers said about the end times. Jesus is talking about the end times. And how is He helping us to understand it? By going back to the Torah and to the Old Testament. Here's what Jesus said in Luke, chapter 17: It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building, but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. So what I want to do now is I want to go to the Book of Bereshit once again, the Book of Genesis.
I want to read about what it was like on earth during the day of Lot. Jesus said it's gonna be like it was during Lot's day. We're asking ourselves the question, church, well what exactly was it like on Lot's day. I know that some of you know this information, but what we're doing is we're taking the time now to expressly focus on it so that the revelation can sink deeper into our being.
Hear the Word of God, Genesis, 19, beginning in verse 4: Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house... So this was the culture on earth when God rained down fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It says: ... the men of Sodom surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter, and they called to Lot... Remember, Jesus said it's gonna be like it was during the time of Lot. ...and they called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, get this now, that we might have relations with them. What kind of relations were they referring to? Most of us know they were referring to sexual relations. It was homosexual behavior exalted and intensified. But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and Lot said, Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, do to them whatever you like...
Now this was terrible that he would be willing to give his daughters, terrible, horrendous, horrendous. But the homosexuality part was really the main focus that showed how corrupt the entire society was. So, so listen what happens. ...let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof. But they said, Stand aside. Get this next part here. Furthermore, they said, This one, speaking of Lot, listen to this, Furthermore, they said, This one came in as an alien, because Lot wasn't from Sodom and Gomorrah, listen now, and already he is acting like a judge.
So what are the two things I'm trying to point out here? That the predominant culture was homosexual, and, when Lot came against it and tried to raise up a standard of righteousness against it, they said, who are you acting like our judge. Are you setting yourself up as a judge over us? And beloved, we've got the same exact cultural phenomenon taking place on earth today. Homosexuality is being exalted. It's even being taught in schools to children as a acceptable lifestyle. And those that are saying, no this is not God's will for humanity, are being accused of setting them self as being hateful judges. Beloved, Jesus is getting ready to come back. You don't have to take my word for it. Take His word for it.
You see, people are trying to, to, to put Christians in, in some type of pigeonhole box, but the, by trying to make us say well is homosexuality wrong; by trying to make us say Jesus is the only way to heaven and if we don't believe in Jesus we're not gonna go to heaven. Beloved, this is what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches Jesus is the only way to heaven. There is salvation in no other name. The Bible teaches that homosexuality is not God's will for His creation. God created them male and female, male and female He created He them in His own image. God loves everybody. If you're struggling with homosexuality, trapped in homosexuality, I want you to know, I understand that many of you are victims. I want you to know, God loves you. God loves you just like He loves me. But God loves us too much to leave us where we're at. He sent Jesus to bring us to Himself, to heal us, and to restore us, and that is the message of salvation. And if today we hear His voice, we better not harden our heart because He will not strive with man forever, just like He didn't during the days of Noah, and just like He didn't during the days of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah.
I want you to know, beloved, Jesus is heading down the highway fast. Jesus is coming back soon. Jesus's first words were, Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. We don't have to do it ourselves. Jesus said, I'm standing at the door of your heart and knocking. If any man will open up and ask Me to come in, I will come in and sup with them and he with Me. I want you to know to, you to know tonight, beloved whatever you're struggling with, whatever you're struggling with, Jesus is here for you right now. Just right now get on your knees, lift your hands to Him, call out to Him. He loves you and came to save you. I love you today, beloved. God bless you. And until next week, this is Rabbi Schneider saying, Shalom.