Mountains!

Today, my wife and I were in the Pyrenees - that mountain range between France and the Iberian Peninsula. We went, specifically, to visit some ruins about which my wife had been reading -  the Château de Montségur. When we arrived at the car-park, we were already more than 1,000 metres (heading towards 3,500 feet!) above sea-level – and we had to climb a vertical height of more than 200 metres (the length of the necessarily zig-zag path was closer to 600 metres! See the additional pictures, below.) to the ruins themselves. Climbing Tinto is an afternoon stroll, by comparison!

I have to admit that, especially after the physical effort involved (neither of us comes into the “young” category!) the ruins were a bit of a disappointment. However, the view of the surrounding valleys was awesome. The journey to the car-park was also magnificent, as we drove through that mountainous region, with its snow-capped mountains and vast forests. It was when we had reached about 700 metres above sea-level, and with the thought of a number of recent tsunami warnings in my head, that I found myself thinking: “At least, up here, and so far inland, one wouldn’t have to worry about tsunamis!”

Certainly, although the power of the sea, in a tsunami, is frightening, those mighty mountains will not be moved by any body of water, however large, and at whatever velocity! Then my mind started to wander, and I realised that a day is coming – and many believe that it will be very soon – when even the mountains, the symbol of strength and solidity, will perish!

In that fascinating – but so open to misinterpretation – book, The Revelation of Jesus, the Christ, given to the agèd apostle John, we read these words:

 "The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as had never been since men were on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered great Babylon, to make her drain the cup of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; and great hailstones, heavy as a hundred-weight, dropped on men from heaven, till men cursed God for the plague of the hail, so fearful was that plague." (Rev 16:17-21; emphasis added).

The Greek word translated "It is done" is the word "Gegonen". This not the same as the single word uttered by the Lord Jesus, on the cross: "Tetelestai" (my apology to purists, but Blogger doesn't support Greek script!), usually translated into the English language as "It is finished" (John 19:30). That particular word "Finished", was Jesus' mighty cry of triumph. He was proclaiming that the work that the Father had given to Him had been completed. Full atonement was now possible through His shed blood - the blood of the perfect Lamb of God that, alone, cleanses us from all sin.

"Gegonen" is somewhat different. It means that the series of judgments, already referred to, is about to be completed, and that the dominion of the beast is about to come to an end forever. The meaning here is, that that destruction was so certain, that it might be spoken of as now actually accomplished.

The two stages of the end of all that currently is, are the Rapture of the true Saints of God (nothing to do with any formal declaration by any specific organisation), and the Second Advent/Coming of the Lord Jesus, the Christ. The first will happen without any warning; the second will be prefaced by certain signs. Many see these signs being fulfilled in these days.

Of course, there are those who scoff. This is only to be expected. Peter wrote: "First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming ? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.' They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water, through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." (II Peter 3:3-10).

The question is - "If He were to call His own this very night, would you be ready?" I recall someone saying, many years ago, that we should live as if He is returning today; and work as if He will not return for another hundred years! I am considering, over the coming weeks, and as the Lord permits, a series of posts on this very important subject. I shall not be providing a 'time line', but will seek to show, from the written Word of God, what current events may be saying to us. I hope that you will follow the series - and learn from it.