It’s early in the morning here in the Ozarks and unusually warm for mid-January, but this has been an unusual winter so far. Still, I enjoy this kind of morning because along with the unseasonal temperature, there’s a fog hanging outside – it’s quite damp and raw – not unpleasantly so, and it’s inexplicably quiet. Maybe this is the calm before the proverbial storm, who knows? We’ve all been hearing the incessant beat of war drums for some time now, the president has even unleashed the war hounds, albeit half-heartedly (thank God), in Venezuela and keeps threatening to wreak havoc in Iran, but as of this writing no bombs nor missiles have been launched there. As for myself, I much prefer the eerie quiet of a foggy January morning in the Ozarks over what could otherwise be happening in some places.

Then there’s the ubiquitous threat of earthquakes and volcanoes – especially volcanoes – which have become a daily part of our lives. There’s a new one, Mount Mayon in the Philippines, that has awakened and it seems to be particularly ominous, at least according to the press it’s getting. There are others, and quite a few of them; Semeru in Indonesia, Mexico’s Popocatepetl, Taal in the Philippines, Aso (Japan), Hayli Gubbi (Ethiopia), Etna (Italy), and many, many more. There are a couple of big ones on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia that are firing off, and lest we forget, Vesuvius and the ominous Campi Flegrei, both within a few miles of each other in Italy are increasingly rumbling to life – either or both of these could adversely influence the whole world’s climate for an extended period if they were to have significant eruptions – especially Campi Flegrei the super volcano. In addition to the climate catastrophe threat, if Vesuvius and Flegrei both were to blow at the same time, there’s a chance that hundreds of thousands, maybe even several million people could be vaporized instantly!

As if the geological threat of volcanoes wasn’t enough, many places in the world are currently being deluged with severe flooding and others with unheard-of snowfalls. Some scientists are theorizing that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC) which, among other things, is responsible for the Gulf Stream which helps to moderate the climate of Eastern North America and Western Europe, might be significantly weakening. This would be nothing short of catastrophic for a European continent – especially without Nordstream gas lines from Russia. If I were Merz, Starmer, or Macron, I’d be speaking to Vladimir Putin on a whole ‘nuther level as far as their bellicose attitudes have been. Those pipelines could be restored, and with less hostility and more amicable overtures, Russia might be willing to forgive some of their lunacy and help Europe stay unglaciated during the absence of a Gulf Stream. Do not look to western energy conglomerates for help – those guys could not care less if the European continent freezes if keeping them alive threatens profits. That’s why the pipelines were blown up in the first place, and everyone knows it.

As far as warnings go, we have had prophecies in the Bible from hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago which all point to some horrific times to come upon the earth, especially as the age of the human being winds down. There are lots of people who try their best to decipher and interpret Bible prophecy, but I really don’t believe any one of them possesses the gift to accurately nail them all down. Nor do I believe anyone will – most of the prophecies will be fulfilled and only discerned to be so as they happen – for many reasons, but mostly because of media narratives and or popularly accepted notions that have dubious origins.

One example of what I’m talking about is – and it’s really a big one – that the “return” of “Israel” to the holy land signifies the beginnings of fulfilled prophecy. I remember when I was a kid someone came up with an erroneous interpretation of the fig tree starting to leaf out as being the restoration of Israel by the “Jews”. If one were to say, actually believe what Jesus Christ, the greatest Prophet of all time, said, those people who have moved into the holy land are not Jews, i.e., descendants of Jacob. The people who occupy the geographical nation of Israel are descendants of Eastern European peoples who have nothing to do with Abraham, except that they have arrogated to themselves the identity of the Jew. I’ve heard that DNA tests are not allowed in Israel for fear of revealing this. Since the modern-day inception of “Israel”, all Israeli leaders have changed their names from whatever European monikers they were born with to names that sound Hebraic. For example, the Polish Benjamin Netanyahu’s name was Benzion Mileikowski. The people who occupy Israel today are not Jewish! Therefore, any interpretation of Biblical prophecy that is based on “the children of Abraham” “returning” to the holy land, cannot be viable and that disposes of most “preachers'” interpretations. As stated, the truth (of the occupants of Israel not being Jews) comes from none other than Jesus Christ Himself!

From scripture, it is obvious the people who occupy the land that was once promised to “God’s people”, as Jesus made perfectly clear, are not Jews. [Revelation 3:9]: “⁹ Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie —indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you”. This mistaken belief also negates current interpretations of other prophecies such as the one that refers to the Gentiles trampling the outer court [Revelations 11:12]:”But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.” If one were to assume the folks over there who call themselves Jews are thus, this would seem to omit them from the Gentiles, but the fact is the people who call themselves Jews are not Jews at all, so this part about the Gentiles is referring to them treading the Holy City underfoot.

The above examples were used only to demonstrate how people, especially those who presume to be preachers, get interpretation of prophecy wrong from the “git go”, so just imagine how many others are wrong too. Then it becomes pretty easy to see just how difficult it really is to figure it all out. The truth is not too many of us have any idea of how things are going to play out, but there is one thing that will never be wrong, and it cannot be. If we place our trust in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, then no matter what happens – no matter how things develop from here on out – we have nothing to worry about for we have His mighty hand of protection over us.

This post is not saying things won’t get really bad and that we won’t come to a bad “end” in this life, but it is saying that once this stage of our existence is finished and we get through that narrow gate, our problems are over and at last we will be free to enjoy true happiness for all of eternity. Even if we have to go through some tough times before this life is over, He has promised that He will be with us and never forsake us through it all. I don’t know about anyone else, but I can’t think of a better companion to be with me, even if my end happens to be in a major volcanic eruption or if I have to get washed away in a flood, I know He’ll be there with me, and that’s all I need to understand.

The worries of this world grow more and more ominous as we near the end. There are certainly wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other dark threats to humankind. That is precisely the way the enemy wants us to feel. He wants us to lose hope, give in to fear of horrible things happening, and even though this post mentions a lot of them, the bottom line here is that, yes there may well be some tough times ahead, but with our hearts and minds set on Jesus Christ, we need not fear what might happen. He knew these things would come about – He warned us of them – but His message is that we have hope as long as we hold onto Him. We might see the dark things coming, but we as Christian believers have no reason to fear them – in fact if we do, we’re playing into the enemy’s plan. Conversely, if we refuse to fear the things that are coming, we can have victory over him.

It is my sincerest hope that the reader will take away a message of hope from this post. Jesus is not delaying His return for no good reason. He awaits the completion of His harvest and none of us knows when that will be. We have no idea of who that last person will be to accept the eternal life that Jesus so graciously offers, but when it happens, things will be finished here. Stop worrying so much about what else you might be able to accomplish here as far as worldly achievements go, for everything here will be burned up (in volcanic eruptions?) and the only thing that will remain will be our record of service to Him. Get on the right side of Jesus Christ while there is time, it’s growing short.

May the blessings of the Almighty Father find us and be upon us as our time here is ended.

MK