Friday, January 10, 2025

The Time is Near

“Now before they [the two angels] lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.’ So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, ‘Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!’” [1]

Imagine Lot trying to protect angels from mere mortals! He did not realize at this point that they were angels. The Bible says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” [2]

“’Stand back! This one [Lot] came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.’ So, they pressed hard against the man Lot and came near to break down the door. But the men [the angels] reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.” [3]

God has struck enemies of His Word with blindness on more than one occasion.

“When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, strike these men blind!’ The Lord answered his prayer and struck them blind.” “Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.” “’And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.’ Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.” [4]

The angels urged Lot to get his family out of the city. Lot’s sons-in-law did not heed his warning but his daughters and wife did.

Two angels was all it took to destroy this wicked city. [5]

“Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” [6]

Abraham had prayed to the Lord on behalf of his nephew Lot. God heard and answered his prayer. Thank God for relatives who pray for us.

The Lord had revealed to Abraham his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He has revealed to us His plan to judge the world in righteousness in the Book of Revelation. He will replace the kingdoms of this world with His kingdom. [7]

The Book of Revelation is for all God’s servants. “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” [8]

During the lasts days before the Lord returns, He will authorize His angels to strike the world with wars, ecological disasters, plagues and pestilences. [9]

The good news is that multitudes of people from every nation will be saved before the Lord returns. “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [10]

Knowing these things in advance of their occurrence, let us pray as Abraham prayed for his nephew Lot, and let us warn those who are about to perish as Lot did.

Jesus said, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” [11]

[1] Genesis 19:4-7
[2] Hebrews 13:2
[3] Genesis 19:9-11
[4] 2 Kings 6:18; Acts 9:8; Acts 13:11
[5] Genesis 19:12-25
[6] Genesis 19:27-29
[7] Revelation 11:15
[8] Revelation 1:1
[9] Revelation 8-9; 15-16
[10] Revelation 7:14-17
[11] Revelation 1:3





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