The most recent event to captivate everyone’s attention here in the USA was the occurrence of the moon moving in front of the sun and blocking out light for a few minutes. But this is quickly fading away and attention is on the next event that will captivate people’s fleeting attention span—an “astronomical alignment” on September 23 is just around the corner (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).

As the total solar eclipse was occurring on August 21, I went outside where I work and noticed all the people around me who had also come out to watch. It made me think of the Scripture where Christ talks about the end of this age and what it will be like. Matthew 24 extensively portrays days in the near future that are going to happen. Verses 29-31 talk about heavenly signs, even more stunning and breathtaking than what just happened.  Not that this recent occurrence and the coming event in September had or will have any relevance for Christ’s Second Coming, but I can just imagine people standing around in awe and fear when the prophesied heavenly signs do start to take place on a global scale.

We can predict when scientific events such as an eclipse are going to occur, but we cannot understand how to bring about peace. There is no end to the amount of physical knowledge that this world is able to produce. We keep inventing greater and greater things, but we cannot stop the inevitable from happening. Genesis 11:6 points out that man is able to accomplish incredible feats, but he is unable to answer or solve any of life’s true questions.

This world hates God, whether it realizes it or not. The false prophet and the beast will soon arise and captivate the nations to accomplish their will.

We are warned NOT to be captivated by Satan’s trickery (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11); rather, we are encouraged to continue loving the Truth and maintaining a close relationship with God (1 John 3:7-10, 19-20). We have heard this time and again, but what are we doing about it? How sure are we that we will be able to keep God’s commandments, statutes and judgments when this tumultuous time comes? Will we be able to stand or will we let other things come between us and God? The answer depends on how we act today, when we have the opportunity and the time to do so (Deuteronomy 8:1-20).

As we continue to watch the world around us implode, we know from Scripture the prophecies of the events which are going to happen. We have to stay captivated with the Truth and have a deep love of it if we wish to finish what we have started (Revelation 1:3; 2:10, 25; 3:11; 16:15; 22:7,12).  Now is the time to consider our ways and become wise, not being distracted and misled by foolish things. Zephaniah’s warning in chapter 1:14 should be a somber realization of what is going to occur in the not-too-distant future: “The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.”

In 1776 the United States obtained independence from England. As was prophesied in the Bible, Manasseh became an incredible nation that has flourished by the grace of God. While America just celebrated its “Independence Day” on the 4th of July, there is something that we should remember and bring to mind.

The American Revolution, as it was called, was a revolt from a system of government, but was traded for another form of government. The term “revolution” is defined by dictionary.com as follows:

“An overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.”

This type of revolution that occurred many years ago was not the first time something like this had happened. In fact, the first “revolution” that ever occurred was when Satan decided to go his own way and attempt to fight with and throw God off His throne in heaven. Isaiah 14:12-17 vividly paints this picture. Not only did he decide to revolt, but he caused a third of the angels to follow in this revolution (Revelation 12:4). Satan has inspired and operated in this way by using man ever since (Ephesians 2:2).

An interesting episode of Satan’s handiwork in progress can be seen in 1 Samuel 8:4-22, where we find that Israel wished for a king to rule over them and lead them into battle, similar to the other nations around them. And even after Samuel’s great warning of what a king would do, they still desired to have a king. Interestingly, in verse 7, we find God’s answer to Samuel about the people’s desire: “..for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

The people no longer wanted God to rule over them. And is this not the same today? We find prophecies in the Bible that speak about the very days we find ourselves living in.

Let us review a few more Scriptures and ask ourselves, in looking at the world as a whole, if they do not describe what we see today. We are told that knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4), but this worldly knowledge cannot really help or save mankind. In Isaiah 59:7-9 we read a sad plight of these people who increase in knowledge but cannot and do not know the way to peace because their paths are darkened. 2 Timothy 4:3 describes people with itching ears, always looking for something new to help them. Isaiah 30:10 talks of those people who just want to hear smooth things and not the hard facts and the Truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns that acts of rebellion against God will lead to terrible times in the last days (those days that will occur before the return of Christ).

The day of a revolution is once again coming. The Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates continue to exhort and warn that the downfall of America; Great Britain and certain countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly known as the British Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia and others; and of the state of Israel is at hand. We see that God has removed His protection and His blessings from our nations because of the aforementioned Scriptures and the refusal to repent of sins. This has all been scripted out and prophesied about in the Bible because God knows man’s tendencies and He has designed His master plan in this way.

We will see the FINAL revolution with the return of Jesus Christ who will establish a government that is spiritual, righteous and pure. There will no longer be chaotic, maniacal human governments which are ruled by Satan, having caused serious pain, turmoil and agony for countless people. Instead, as we read in the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation, a time will be ushered in which will be unprecedented in man’s history. That will be the true Independence Day for all of mankind.

After the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and the doctrinal changes which were made, many people who once believed and held on to the truth simply walked away. They accepted false teachings such as eating unclean food, keeping worldly holidays, forsaking the weekly Sabbath and God’s annual Holy Days, as well as tithing, and, in essence, they lost everything they once held to be true.  But the craziest thing is how FAST they lost the knowledge of the truth when they turned away from it.

How does something like this happen?

How do people, who have devoted their entire lives to something, just give up and walk away?

The answer, simply put, is they never truly loved God’s Way of Life. They never inculcated it into their everyday doings. And so, when lawlessness came, their resolve, their LOVE for God was not truly there (Matthew 24:12).

1 Timothy 4:1-2 accurately describes the condition of those who left—and those who WILL leave in the not-too-distant future. We see that their conscience is seared. Once someone’s conscience is no longer willing to be led by the truth, because they refuse to overcome or ask for forgiveness, then God cannot work with that individual anymore and so the veil that had prevented godly understanding but that was lifted, once again covers that person (2 Corinthians 3:14-16; 4:3).  Ephesians 4:18-19 goes on to describe the life of Gentiles who live as we once did, who have become callous because they don’t understand, and so their repeated sins have no means of escape.

When the man of sin manifests himself (2 Thessalonians 2:1-9), he will come with the deceptive powers of Satan and he will cause those who are NOT strong in the faith—those who are not fully loving God—to fall away. Deception comes in many forms.

Now is the day and the hour for us to change our ways and seek a relationship with God—to set our minds and our hearts on full obedience. Matthew 24:13 says that while many will turn away, those who endure and press on in faith and confidence, will be saved. Those  who love God with everything that is in them will escape the terrible times to come and will stand before the returning Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:37). We have to be found loving God more than anything else in this world. Family, work, money, anything can take the place of God in our lives if we allow it to. But we must not permit this to happen. Verse 14 also shows that the gospel of the Kingdom of God will continue to be preached in all the world so that the end can come. If we don’t show God that we care now, then we too may fall away in the future.

The Work of God will not fail. It will be accomplished, just as all the other things that He has prophesied.  We can choose to either be a part of God’s plan, or we can choose to not be. No minister, no member, no other person can make that choice for each of us. It is a very individual decision. Let us make sure we have our hearts tuned correctly and our minds and souls ready for the return of Jesus Christ, so we can be told: “Well done, good and faithful servants.”