Home Before Dark

 Home Before Dark - By Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). When you were young and visiting with friends, did your parents ever tell you to be home before dark? That’s because they love you. It’s easier for criminals and those withevil intent to work their acts of wickedness under the cover of darkness. “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19). Parents love their children (no matter how old the child happens to be) and want to be sure they don’t fall prey to the evil intent of satanic forces, whether demonic or human.As Christians, God is our Father and is the most loving parent you can imagine. He wants His children Home before dark. God’s concern isn’t darkness that comes from the sun setting but the pure evil darkness of Satan. To some extent, we are all under the influence of the wickedness of Satan just by living in this world, but Christians need to turn our hearts, thoughts, and purpose to God.We are in the world but should have no part in the world’s sinfulness. Many “Christians” read one verse from Scripture without reading the full context and try to justify their favorite sin. There are many subjects that, if not read through the full lightof Scripture, can be misunderstood. The misunderstanding comes from forgetting that God is far above human understanding, so it’s wise to believe God. Satan works hard to blind people to the Truth of Scripture. God very clearly explains why He had to send a flood upon the entire earth and destroy His creation. The sons ofGod (fallen angels) were corrupting all of God’s creation. They were mating with humans, and the genome of all humanity was corrupted, all except for Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives. Eight people out of all the population of the earth had chosento keep themselves pure and honor God. The same evil that was intent upon fully corrupting the human genome is once again out to get us. Our food is tampered with, and vaccines contain animal DNA as well as humanDNA. These things corrupt our own unique genome. Food allergies, as well as extreme misbehavior in children and adults, are common today. This is all leading up to a time that will be so dark and evil that we cannot imagine how bad it will be. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Mathew 24:22). We can be sure that God will take His children Home before the darkness is complete. Scripture is inerrant in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), but quite often, Bible teachers try to take the “edge” off of the sharp two-edged sword of God’s word sothat it doesn’t hurt our sin nature too much. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, andis a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Scripture is often twisted to fit man’s understanding while mocking God’s truth. We may not understand how something can happen, but then, God knows so much more than humans.For instance, God says fallen angels mated with human women, creating hybrid creatures of pure evil, but that’s what Scripture says happened. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they werefair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2). Every place in Scripture where the term “sons of God” (ben’ elohim) is used in the Old Testament, it always refers to angels. Yet, theologians, who apparently know more thanGod, have corrupted the meaning to say that the sons of God are really the sons of Seth who married the daughters of Cain. That makes God look like a tyrant because He would be destroying all of creation due to one bloodline marrying another bloodline. “Scholars” like to bring up Jesus’ words when He was asked about marriage in Heaven. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). He doesn’t say they can’t marry, but he does say they don’t marry. There’s a big difference. Also, He refers to the angels, “I of God in Heaven” who obey God. He doesn’t referto the fallen angels who are disobedient and rebellious. It is somewhat the same as saying a Christian chooses to obey God rather than sin. We are capable of sinning, but we are repentant and turn from sin. By diluting God’s truth found in Genesis 6, manypeople miss the fact that the same corruption is happening today. Genetic tampering is going on in “scientific” circles, and science fiction is quickly becoming science fact. Animal DNA is being injected into people, gene splicing makes it possible for youto choose your child’s eye color, and more. Babies can even be grown in artificial wombs. Artificial Intelligence is an evil from the pit of Hell and should be avoided. It’s twilight in the world now, and darkness is coming quickly as Satan influences the weak-mindedwho choose not to honor or obey God. Jesus said it would be like Noah’s time when He returns. “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:28). The human genome, and all of creation, is being corrupted today, just like in the dark days of Noah. Jesus also said it would be like the days of Lot. “But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:29). What was that all about? The account in Genesis tells us that there was contention between Abraham and Lot because their herds were mingling. To avoid strife, Abraham toldLot to choose the way he wanted to go. Abraham would go in another direction. The truth is we all make a choice as to the direction we go in life. We can follow God, or we can make a bad choice, like Lot, and go to Sodom. The sin of Sodom called to Lot, andhe chose to head to the most evil and corrupt place on earth. There, he found evil that was accepted by humans as normal but despised by God. That same evil is permeating life today. Homosexuality is not acceptable to God. I hear people say that if Jesus were here today, He would accept this disgrace. Scripture reveals that Jesus always loved the sinners but never left them content in theirsin. As we look around today, we see this same sin and corruption accepted in society. Why? Paul’s letter to the Romans reveals that when God is rejected as the Creator (evolution is taught), He turns humanity over to their lust for evil. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans1:21). There is a price to pay for rejecting God. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves” (Romans 1:24). It’s a sin to practice homosexuality, and in the darkness of today’s world, transexual people can read storybooks to young children, but the Bible is banned. Good is calledevil, while evil is called good. It’s also a sin to condone such evil. “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:32). You cannot call yourself a Christian and condone sin. This world is getting darker. Satan is very busy trying to extinguish the light of God, and it seems many Christians are enjoying life in darkness. Quite often, it’s verydifficult to distinguish a Christian from the worldly people. Instead of taking thoughts captive and dying to the lust of the flesh, they can be seen dabbling in horoscopes and participating in sexual sin of all kinds. Instead of honoring God Almighty, whomthey claim to love, they don’t crack their Bibles and have no idea what’s going on in prophecy. What are gene tampering and artificial intelligence leading to, and how do they relate to Genesis chapter 6 and also to the Book of Revelation? Why should we be concernedwith the genetic tampering of our food? We are swiftly coming closer to a one-world order, as the World Economic Forum pushes for a one-world currency, and many “respected” religious leaders are pushing for a one-worldreligion. The entire world is being set up to welcome the evil being commonly called the Anti-Christ. This manifestation of pure evil will force everyone on earth to take his mark.Without that mark, nobody can buy or sell anything. There will be seven years of Satanic darkness, and God’s judgment will be poured out upon the entire earth, but anyone who has taken the Mark of the Beast cannot find salvation.In prophecy, this seven-year period of time is sometimes called the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” It will be focused on Israel. The wrath of God will be poured out, but it will ultimately bring the nation of Israel to the full knowledge that Jesus Christ is theirMessiah. It will be a horrific time of judgment, but God wins. Never doubt God’s power and His love. The question is, what happens to Christians? Will we have to go through those final seven years of judgment? No. God will call all true Christians Home before dark. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians15:52). Christians will not go through the Great Tribulation. The joyous truth is all Christians will be called Home before darkness engulfs the God-rejecting world. This blessedhope is a gift from God. It’s the Rapture. Just like during Noah’s day, his great-grandfather, Enoch, was taken prior to God’s judgment, so Christians will be taken Home prior to God’s judgment. “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleasedGod” (Hebrews 11:5). This was an Old Testament picture of the Rapture. Enoch was taken Home before the darkness of God’s judgment of the flood. What about Lot? When God had to put an end to the perversion of life in Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities, He sent two angels to take Lot and his family safely outof the way of judgment. Lot was slow to react to being taken away from judgment, but the angel had to get Lot out prior to God’s judgment. “Haste thee, escape thither, for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar” (Genesis 19:22). Unfortunately, Lot’s wife wasn’t sure she wanted to go, and she looked back. She perished. Our choices are important. Jesus said to “Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32. The only way to get Home before dark is to truly accept Jesus Christ for your salvation and not look back. He loves you and gave His life so that you won’t have to spend eternityin darkness and eternal death. The Rapture will take all Christians to Heaven prior to God’s judgment being poured out upon the earth. Walk with God, and like Enoch, you will be Raptured because God will take you. Once you’ve truly accepted Christ, stop walking with one foot in the world and totally surrender your life to Christ. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10). Share the Good News with everybody you know, even with strangers. Time is getting very short, and it’s getting darker and darker in this world. It’s getting dark, and we will soon be called Home where we will be safe with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Come away from the darkness of the world, and step into thelight of God. Jesus said, “I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). Be sure you’re Home before dark. God bless you all, Nathele Graham