Page 98 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

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“…FOR IT IS GOD
WHO COMMANDED LIGHT
TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS
WHO HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS

TO GIVE THE LIGHT
OF THE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE GLORY OF GOD
IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.”

2 Cor. 4:6

It is the illuminated believer that is called to pray for the paradigm shift in which the kingdom of Satan
will be replaced with the Kingdom of God; a Kingdom in which the Lord’s will is to be done on earth as
it is in heaven, a Kingdom in which His Name will be hallowed among all men. Since we are
commanded to pray for these things, it must be assumed that our prayers will be effective in bringing
them to pass. Here is a question worthy of pondering: “Can we hasten the day of the coming of the
Lord?” Peter thought so:

“BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT,
IN WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE,

AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH A FERVENT HEAT; BOTH THE EARTH AND THE
WORKS THAT ARE IN IT WILL BE BURNED UP. THEREFORE SINCE ALL THESE THINGS

WILL BE DISSOLVED, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YOU TO BE
IN HOLY CONDUCT AND GODLINESS, LOOKING FOR

AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD,

BECAUSE OF WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL BE DISSOLVED BEING ON FIRE,
AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT?
NEVERTHELESS WE, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE,

LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS.
THEREFORE, BELOVED, LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE THINGS,

BE DILIGENT TO BE FOUND BY HIM IN PEACE, WITHOUT SPOT AND BLAMELESS…”
2 Pet. 3:10-14

Incredibly, Peter implies that by means of “holy conduct and godliness” among God’s people, that the
coming of the day of God can be HASTENED! Does that also imply conversely that by
“unholy conduct and ungodliness” being practiced by God’s people, this day could be DELAYED?
I find it most interesting that in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins we find the prophetic event
of the coming of Jesus as the Bridegroom, “But while the Bridegroom was DELAYED…” (Matt. 25:5).
Likewise, in the parable of the Unfaithful Servant (Luke 12) we find that even this wicked servant of the
Master had determined, “…My Master is DELAYING His coming…” (Luke 12:45). In speaking of the
terrible tribulation to come Jesus said, “And unless those days were SHORTENED, no flesh would be
saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be SHORTENED” (Matt. 24:22). We all know the
Tribulation is prophesied to be seven years in length. However, there is also a prophecy that implies
that the length of a day will be SHORTENED by 12 hours (see Amos 8:9). Do you realize that the
actual time of the tribulation in hours could be cut in half and yet still fulfill the seven year prophecy?
Just make the days half in length of what they are now and it would fulfill Jesus’ promise of “…those
days will be SHORTENED”

Such concepts are unsettling to us who would rather put all the responsibility for those prophetic dates
squarely upon the shoulders of the sovereignty of our God. Let Him set the date and we will try to
figure it out. I have been guilty of that myself as a teacher of God’s prophetic Word. Does it bother you
that there is a preferred tendency to be more fixated with figuring out those pre-determined, sovereign
dates than trying to hasten the Lord’s coming through proper prayer and right living? Like you, I am
disturbed by the concepts stated above by Peter and Our Lord Jesus. However, in light of their
existence, perhaps we too should be praying in the midst of difficult times (as did Paul) for a hastening
of Christ’s coming:

“IF ANYONE DOES NOT LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
LET HIM BE ACCURSED.

O LORD, COME!”

1 Cor. 16:22