This is a word of preparation given at a recent Chronos Ministry weekly meeting. Several times when Jesus taught His disciples about His second coming He told them  to “watch therefore.” We know that no word or phrase in Scripture is by chance. So there has to be something to see in this warning. Was there something they had to do to make sure they received the promises of eternal life in Him, other than accepting Him by faith as the Anointed Son of God and Savior? Could they blow it somehow, messing up their relationship with Christ, and lose this promise?
        No, because that would mean returning to the Old Covenant based on our works. That idea violates God’s Word as given in Rom. 23:23-25 (emphasis added). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
            We certainly recognize that no believer is perfect on this side of Heaven. Thankfully, our blessed hope includes being perfected and fully conformed to Christ’s image when we are gathered to Him at the rapture, at the dawn of the last Day. Rom. 8:29 affirms that this perfection is our destiny because we are in Christ. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Yet we also know that we are to grow in our knowledge and application of God’s truths in our daily lives  so we can be true lights in this darkened world (2 Pet. 1; 2 Pet. 3:18).
           This is why Paul wrote in Rom. 12:1-2 to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” This observable change in our lifestyle from darkness to light comes about as we walk in God’s ways, testifying to His power and the leading of the Holy Spirit within us.
           This walk of faith and transformation is why God rewards a seeker (Heb. 11:6). Sadly, many of our churches in these last Days have become seeker-friendly in the wrong way, focusing on what will draw in converts rather than equipping them with the essential truths needed by a disciple of Christ.         Given the grace that abounds to us as believers, why would God put what seem like stipulations concerning the last Day, such as watch and be eagerly awaiting our Lord’s return?
          For one thing, to encourage us to know for sure that we are saved. For another thing, we don’t want to run and hide like Adam and Eve did when God scrolls back the heavenly realm and the whole world sees Jesus return to gather us at the rapture. We can rest assured that Jesus knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19), such that we can rejoice with joy unspeakable rather than mourn that moment of glory.
            Another reason is given in 1 Jn. 4:17. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” When we understand our Lord’s loving sacrifice of dying for us even while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8), we can rest assured in the hope of our calling (Eph. 1:18). That is, to be seated as the heavenly court with Him as joint-heirs. Our heart need not condemn us for the Holy Spirit is within us to guide us into all truths (1 Jn. 3:20-21).
           In a sense, this message is why God raised up Chronos Ministries with a message of comfort, hope, and victory, such that the people’s consciousness should come alive, especially now concerning the baptism of the Spirit with tongues.
            “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 Jn. 2:27-29).           
           Notice it doesn’t say we act righteous in every moment, which is impossible. Instead, we practice the righteousness we have in Christ in the same way we are being transformed by His Word and renewing our minds to the reality of being “in Christ.”

     This is a word of preparation given at a recent Chronos Ministry weekly gathering. The last book in our Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, was specifically given by God to show us the things that must take place in the last Days. The first seven chapters give us an overview of this age and Jesus’ second coming at the rapture from a unique perspective. We are shown several scenes of God’s throne room wherein we are told who is present at that time in the overview. This is significant because it enables us to identify the timing of each scene in the unfolding revelation of the last Days in God’s prophetic great week of the plan of redemption. 
      John sees God the Father sitting on the throne with a scroll in His right hand. An angel cries out, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” (v.3). John is moved to tears because no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. One of the Old Testament elders consoles him. “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (v. 5).
       Sure enough, John looks and sees a Lamb as though it had been slain standing before the throne. The Lamb of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then takes the scroll out of the right hand of God. What we are seeing is the resurrected Lord at His ascension, presenting Himself to the Father as the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind. In effect, He is presenting His blood on the altar in the heavenly Holy of Holies. No wonder the four living creatures (angels) and Old Testament elders fall down in worship and sing a new song!
      Why the new song? Because Jesus has overcome death to receive the scroll of inheritance over the whole earth that is summarized in Psalm 2. For He was slain in order to redeem us to God by His blood. The redeemed would come from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. All those who accept this sacrifice on their behalf by faith during these last Days are called His Church, His Bride, and His Body.
      Remarkably, Rom. 8:17 tells us that every person who has accepted Jesus as their Savior are joint-heirs with Him. At the appointed time, the Last Day in God’s prophetic great week, we shall be likewise resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father with our Lord as the heavenly court ruling over the earth for the last 1,000-year Day. This, too, is shown to us in the Revelation overview in chapter 7.
    Hebrews 12:22-24 describes the glorious result of our faith confession in Christ. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
      In case you’re wondering, as His Body, we are the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in Heaven. Notice, too, that Jesus’ blood sacrifice under the New Covenant speaks better things than that of Abel (the Old Covenant). The blood speaks better things because it brought us salvation, forgiveness of our sins, justification, reconciliation with God, redemption from the curse of this fallen world, and right-standing with God through grace, having Jesus’ righteousness accounted to us!
            End-Time Lesson: Admittedly, it’s not always easy dealing with the lawlessness, rampant deceptions, and frustrations of this world that are part of this age allotted to man. This is why we need to remember that the Blood of Jesus speaks better things! Our salvation includes the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, bringing us revelation knowledge and wisdom for any situation we face. This is why being baptized with the Spirit and speaking in tongues is so important. Our salvation also includes healing, deliverance, and angelic protection so beautifully described in Psalm 91.
            Here’s the key. The blood speaks, but are we speaking the same thing over ourselves? In His model prayer recorded in Mt. 6, Jesus taught us to pray God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. How does that happen? As God’s delegated authorities on earth, we speak it on the earth as it is written in God’s Word. By faith, we believe and receive all of God’s precious promises. What are you speaking?

        The trumpet angel turns to John with a clear message: “These words are faithful and true,” and affirms that they are meant to tell us what must take place shortly [in our time], particularly concerning Christ’s second coming (Rev. 22:6-7). No wonder John is overcome with praise and worship. He is seeing all these things at the start of the last Days. The time “is at hand” (v. 10), unlike in Daniel’s time when the prophet saw the last Day in a vision as well, but was told to seal up the vision for it “refers to many days in the future” (Dan. 8:26).
      End-Time Lesson: Jesus likewise affirms to John that He is coming quickly. In this last time the people need to decide one way or another, for shortly it will be too late. Once again, it is the choice of the tree of life or the knowledge of evil.
         Jesus reminds John that He is “the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (v. 16). The first title refers to the Lord’s Jewish ancestry. The second title refers to the high priest’s prophecy concerning Jesus’ birth as the incarnate God, the Son of Man, the Dayspring (Luke 1:78; 2 Pet. 1:19). He brought salvation to all mankind. Ironically, in Him all earthly titles lose their significance, for He alone is the Anointed Savior of all (Gal. 3:28).
            As His Bride, our avid response to this revelation shouldn’t be confusion or even fear. No, our call to our Beloved should be: “Come! Amen [so be it!]. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen!” This is the timely message we need to be sharing with others. They need to see the comfort, hope, and victory that is ours in Christ Jesus.
            To have this strong sense of comfort, hope, and victory, the Church needs to remember the one thing that Peter told us we need to know about the end-times: how God counts prophetic time. We need to understand God’s appointed times and corresponding seasons in God’s prophetic great Week. Without this timely revelation, we see darkly. We’re left with an ambiguous “soon” that has been going on now for some time.
            Which brings us to the warning included in this last chapter. It is not the warning that is so prominently preached, that we cannot know the time or the hour. No, the true warning is to not add or subtract from this God-given revelation. Doing so has serious ramifications.
            The warning is meant for nonbelievers and the forces of evil, those who say it is all a myth, a grand farce of mankind’s religions. For believers, however, our salvation in Christ is sure. It is not dependent upon our works, but upon God’s grace and Christ’s finished work on the cross.
            The incomplete and obstacle-strewn views of God’s end-time highway that we inherited came because we saw through a mirror darkly. The image wasn’t clear yet because the time to see was not fully at hand. God, in His mercy, understands our unfortunate errors. He knows they were not deliberate, nor meant to bring confusion, even though that was the result.
            Yet now the time is truly at hand. We are the generation that shall see our Lord’s coming at the rapture. Therefore, we need to lay aside our man-made interpretations, the traditions of men, being humble enough to let them go. We need to search the scriptures once again with an open-mind without our own agenda, and see clearly what shall truly take place shortly—as Jesus revealed in this final book.
            “But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the Book until the time of the end. [Then] many shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great” (Dan. 12:4, Amplified Version).
            Recognizing this true end-time highway will encourage us to speak the truth boldly. When we add our voice on earth as in Heaven, we can expect a timely move of God, one that brings a revival like no other. I will bring in a miraculous catch of fish into the boat—the Ark of salvation that is Jesus Christ.

         The prophetic puzzle piece John reveals in Rev. 22:4-5 affirms that what happens at the end of the ages is Eternity Future. Proverbs 4:18 calls it the Perfect Day. You may have heard it called the unknown day and hour, based on Jesus’ teaching of the signs of this age and of His coming in Mt. 24:34-36. Sadly, it is one of the most misinterpreted and widely circulated stumbling blocks in God’s end-time highway. The misinterpretation arose because of the addition of chapter and verse numbers, as well as the chapter headers and subheads by the modern translators.
       The context of Jesus’ crucial teaching is recognizing the appointed times and corresponding seasons in God’s prophetic plan of redemption. Jesus specifically tells His disciples then—and now—that  we should look for these signs at the appointed time. That’s the lesson of the fig tree.
            The word translated as generation in verse 34 can have several meanings, including referring to a wide time period and an appointed time, such as the 2,000 years of the Church Age of the New Covenant. In short, Jesus is affirming that what He is telling His inner circle of disciples applies to the last Days (Heb. 1:1-4). God’s plan will surely come to pass and nothing will stop it!
            Jesus then accentuates this point by explaining that “heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (v. 35). We’ve already seen in the Revelation that heaven and earth pass away at the end of the 7th Day, after the final harvest that separates the goats from the sheep (the wheat and the tares) at the final great white throne judgment. This is when God makes all things new again.
          Unfortunately, the translators decided to insert a new paragraph, complete with a new subhead. Yet the very next verse begins with a “But,” which is a conjunction. Conjunctions are connecting words. It signals that what follows is meant to go along with the previous passage describing the passing away of heaven and earth. Removing this portion of Jesus’ “text” from the context has left us with a major “con.”
            In fact, verses 35-37 (emphasis added) are meant to be read together in order to get the full truth. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” The so-called unknown day and hour is what follows the last Day—that is, eternity future. The Bible refers to it as perpetuity.
            The whole context of Jesus’ teaching is to make sure His disciples understand the appointed time of the end, just as in the days of Noah. Noah knew the timing of the Flood. First he had the general time, and then as the appointed time grew near, God told him it would come in 7 days. Or to put it another way—in one week. Coincidence? I think not.
            End-Time Lesson: What follows the end of the ages is a time like no other, which is why we cannot possibly know what it will be like. Only God the Creator knows what He has in mind. For example, John records that there is no night there (Rev. 22:5). That phrasing connects us to other similar prophetic puzzle pieces. “It shall come to pass in that day that there will be no light; the lights will diminish. It shall be one day which is known to the Lord—neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light” (Zech. 14:6-7). The lights diminish because John tells us that the Lord God is the light.           
            “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended” (Is. 60:19-20, emphasis added).
            In the Greek, Zechariah’s wording literally says, it shall become one continuous Day. This Perfect Day is what Paul was referring to in 1 Cor. 13:8-10, “when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” The gifts of the Spirit will pass away as well because we will no longer see in part. We shall see Him face to face!
            Needless to say, this unique Day is known only to the Father because only the omniscient, all-knowing Creator knows what He has in store. This is why 2 Pet. 3:12 calls it the Day of God Almighty. No human brain can possibly fathom that concept, let alone the magnificence and glory of that time!