Soap Box

One subject that has probably forced more heads into the sand than any other over the past couple of thousand years is the end times, or the last days or whatever semantic you couch it in.

When the subject is brought up a lot of people will claim that it's all hogwash or that it's so far into the future there's no need in being concerned, but anyone who will take an unbiased look at the available evidence, or signs if you prefer, it would have to create a modicum of curiosity in even the most cynical of minds.

There has been more written, more inaccurate information disseminated, theories put forth and disproved, revised and rewritten than practically any other subject you can name.

Let me preface the rest of this piece by saying that I am a Christian of the born again variety and have very deep and profound convictions about the end times and these opinions are derived from my personal reading of the Bible and the commentaries of people who's work I have the utmost respect for and confidence in it's relatively.

However I most emphatically state that I hold no degrees in divinity, or anything else for that matter, and the opinions I put forth for your examination are mine alone and do not represent any religious affiliation I happen to have or Christian organizations I associate myself with.

All my life I have heard that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ was imminent, practically at the door, theories which didn't take into account that certain historical things have to happen before The Lord returns.

The very first thing that absolutely had to happen is that Israel after 1,878 years in exile had to become a nation again, which happened on May 14, 1948, so you could say that the Last Days prophetic time clock started ticking on that day.

The second coming of Jesus Christ is commonly known in the Christian world as the Rapture, rough translation "snatching away" of believers in the twinkling of an eye, and plays a prominent part in most last day theories.

And there are three schools of thoughts on the time of time of the Rapture, pre tribulation, mid tribulation and post tribulation, tribulation referring to the seven year reign of the antichrist or man of perdition the Bible tells us will rise to the pinnacle of power, form a one world government and eventually declare himself god, bringing about a period of travail that will be as close to hell on earth as it will ever get, with a war to end all wars, commonly known as the Battle of Armageddon.

That is when the powers of the earth come together and form the biggest army the world has ever known and gather it in the Jezreel Valley to completely destroy Israel. At which time God will fight for Israel and the roughly 85% of this awesome army will die in the field of battle the Bible says that blood will run as deep a horses bridle in the Jezreel Valley.

The details of this monolithic battle can be found in the Old Testament in the book of Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39.

I honestly don't have any concrete opinion as to whether Jesus will return before, during or after the period of tribulation, but the main point to me is that all this is going to happen and the signs signaling it's approach are appearing all around us every day at an exponential rate.

The Bible speaks of a day when Jerusalem would be surrounded by armies and only Jordan has to fall to complete the prophecy and I feel we will see that happen in the near future.

It says that Israel will stand alone. The only friend they've ever really had is America and with the election of Barack Obama who's Islamic upbringing and pro Muslim stance on so many issues makes his true commitment to Israel suspicious to say the least, thereby making America's commitment questionable, and would leave Israel completely alone surrounded by enemies who want nothing more than their complete destruction.

Most of Europe and much of the rest of the world became secularists decades ago and America has strayed from the path of Judeo-Christian morality the forefathers tried to instill into our national policy in the federal papers and things that are an abomination to Almighty God are being accepted as a normal part of American life and the new generations are being indoctrinated with acceptance.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying it's power.

Am I describing society of today?

These words were written two thousand years ago and are a description of society in the last days written by the Apostle Paul. They are in the book of Second Timothy in the New Testament, but it is a very fitting description of life in America, and for that matter the world today.

It can be verified by reading any newspaper or watching any newscast.

Some nations who play prominent roles in the end times are mentioned by name, others are identified by the biblical figures who settled the areas, such as the sons of Noah, or ancient names such as Rosh, Cush and Put.

But I cannot find the United States of America anywhere in the end times scriptures. Of course America didn't exist at the time of the old or New Testament writings, but one thing is for certain.
America will be involved in the events leading up to the last days, whether positive or negative I cannot say.

When God called Abraham to be the father of the Jewish nation, He told him that those who blessed him God would bless and those who cursed him God would curse.

Judgment is coming whether you believe it or not, every day the circle grows smaller and the world becomes a colder, more confusing place as the hearts of man turn farther and farther away from the Creator.

How long? I don't know but from what I have been able to discern, the final events could begin to happen any day.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels