Have We Reached the Point of No Return?
Jonathan Brentner.
October 22, 2024
Where do we go for refuge amid the onslaught of troubling news that wars against our souls and at times threatens to undo us?
For me, it’s most often the Psalms. The richness of its prophetic value never ceases to amaze me; a great many of its verses speak to the judgments that lie ahead for this world as well as to the wonders of the time when Jesus will rule over all the nations of the earth. It’s then, and only then, that wars will cease across the planet (see Psalm 46:4-11).
I also love the Psalms because they voice our heartfelt cry as we wait for the Lord’s appearing, such as we see as the words of Psalm 75:2.
O Lord, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?
If there’s one word that tells me that we don’t have much longer to wait for His intervention in the world, it’s “unsustainable.” The perilous conditions of our day cannot continue indefinitely before things get far worse. The current state of our world, already on the edge, is most certainly unsustainable.
American’s Economy Lies on the Brink of Utter Disaster.
The U.S. national debt stands at 35.8 trillion dollars, which is astounding because it reached the thirty-five trillion mark just a few weeks ago. According to some reports, the U.S. debt level is increasing by one trillion dollars every one hundred days (and it appears now to be increasing faster at a far more rapid pace).
The interest that’s needed to cover this debt now exceeds one trillion dollars every year. We are rapidly approaching the point when all the income tax that’s collected from individuals will go to just pay the interest on our debt. How is this sustainable by any stretch of the imagination?
According to a chart I recently saw on social media, the unrealized losses on securities held by banks and financial institutions is seven times greater than it was leading up to the crisis in 2008 that rocked the financial world and threatened to bring down the U.S. economy. I haven’t been able to vet the numbers on this graph, but even if partially true, they point to a ticking time bomb that could obliterate the U.S. economy at any moment and lead to depression conditions across the planet.
What we witness today is beyond the point of return to a sense of normality for the entire world. Is it not the restraining hand of the Lord that’s holding back the economic perils that will exist after we are gone, such as we read about in Revelation 6:5-6?
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
For me, it’s amazing that we live at a time when conditions described above are not prophesied for the future, but now wholly unavoidable because of the irreversible downward spiral of the world’s economy.
The Violence Against Our Children Will Surely Bring God’s Wrath.
The violence against children in America is beyond horrific and will surely bring God’s wrath upon our land; it’s only a matter of time. The murder of the unborn continues despite the overturning of Roe versus Wade. Worldwide, the total number of abortions now exceeds one billion.
The sex-trafficking of children has become a multi-billion-dollar industry in America because of its protection by those in power as well as the participation of a vast number of people in our land.
So many in our nation openly promotes the mutilation of children via sex change operations. How can this not bring God’s response to whatever nation sanctions this wicked behavior?
It's not possible for these atrocities to continue apart from the Lord saying “enough,” and then bringing the full force of His wrath upon our country. It’s far closer than most can imagine, but for now we wait with the assurance that it will happen in the time God sovereignly determined long ago, as noted above in Psalm 75:2.
The Start Of World War III Is Rapidly Approaching.
With each day, the world moves closer to a nuclear war among its superpowers, which will result an unfathomable number of deaths. Each of the hot spots listed below become more volatile by the day, and each has the potential to lead a disastrous world war.
NATO continues to zoom past the red lines that the Russian president sets for a nuclear response. How much longer will Vladimir Putin warn of a nuclear attack against NATO members before doing so?
China appears to be on the verge of invading Taiwan; it’s president recently told the military to prepare for a war. The U.S. has already promised to intervene should China make good on their repeated threats to invade the island nation.
The war in the Middle East could also rapidly expand to include a conflict between the U.S. and Russia. We don’t know when, but it appears almost certain that Israel will soon launch a devastating attack on Iran, which is now a close ally of Russia.
North Korea is threatening both South Korea and the U.S. Its president, Kim Jong Un, is warning of war in the near future. It’s a war that would include America, especially with our armed forces so close.
It’s not possible for such saber-rattling to continue apart from the onset of the devastating wars such as we read about in Revelation, which will happen after the Rapture. If it were just one threat, perhaps we could see a cessation of hostilities. But with four, the path to WWIII is irreversible.
A Catastrophe Waiting to Happen.
During the past four years, the number of people following through America’s lower border has soared to record numbers. Is this not a catastrophe waiting to happen?
The FBI repeatedly warns us of terrorist attacks, similar to that of 9/11. I sometimes wonder how it’s possible that this has not already happened.
The billions spent to support those entered our land in a less than legal way is one of the reasons for the crippling inflation that’s making it nearly impossible for most families to put food on the table. The thousands of dollars that they receive each month increases the demand for the same amount of goods at our stores, which will keep prices at the grocery store rising indefinitely unless there’s a drastic change in policy.
The Deep Political and Ethnic Divides in America.
The upcoming decision day has far reaching ramifications for the U.S. as well as for the rest of the world.
The danger is not just for our country, but for what might happen should chaos erupt across America afterward. This might provide the perfect opportunity for China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia to make good on their threats to start a global conflict. I’m not saying this will happen, but a weakened U.S. might just provide an opportunity that our enemies cannot pass up.
Because we don’t know how much longer the Lord will wait before intervening in our world via the Rapture and the start of the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10), it’s absolutely essential that we as believers we make decisions regarding the future of wherever we lived based on a solid biblical world view. Please don’t stay home early next month when you have the opportunity to express that in a meaningful way.
Please know that my hope for the future lies solely in Jesus and in His imminent appearing to take us home to Heaven.
It’s too late to turn the tide of threats that lie on our horizon. Apart from the Lord’s restraint, our world would already be enduring the wrath of the Day of Lord and we would already be with the Lord in Heaven.
Why do I believe the Rapture is so close?
I remember driving a car late at night and recognizing the nearness of a city by the glow of its light against the dark sky. That was often the first sign that I was approaching my destination. Likewise, we understand the nearness of the Tribulation period because we recognize the many signs that tell us it lies just ahead.
How much longer can it be before the Lord dramatically intervenes in the world? I do not know the answer to that question, but I’m certain Jesus might appear at any moment.
We most definitely live in the season of Jesus’ return to take us home. He is coming soon to take us up to to the glorious place that He’s preparing for us.
