When Men Cry Peace and Safety

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When Men Cry Peace and Safety
By David Wilkerson


December 4, 2006


"When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with
child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not
in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief"
(1 Thessalonians 5:3-4).

Right now, the world is in such turmoil that people are
asking, "Are we seeing the winding up of history? Could we
be headed toward a nuclear holocaust? Is the world spinning
out of control?"

Even some world leaders now speak in a tone of fear. Some
are saying, "We have witnessed the death of diplomacy."
Negotiations with rogue countries have failed, and mad
dictators ignore the warnings of the United Nations.

We could now be facing the
awful truth that tensions
between nations can no
longer be solved.

Indications seem to be that there may be no more diplomatic
solutions. Even as America makes bold proclamations and
sends warnings, it all seems to fall on deaf ears. For
example, the U.S. has pledged to defend Japan if North
Korea attacks that nation. Our leaders have threatened to
use "all the might and power of the United States to
retaliate." This could mean the nuclear annihilation of
North Korea.

We now understand what Jesus meant when he gave this
warning: "There shall be...upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after
those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers
of heaven shall be shaken" (Luke 21:25-26).

When Jesus gave this warning, he added this statement:
"Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory. And when these things begin to come
to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh" (21:27-28).

I'm convinced that all the fearful things we see coming
upon the earth right now - hurricanes, tsunamis,
earthquakes, drastic weather changes, terrorism, nuclear
threats, wars and rumors of wars - all have to do with the
coming of Christ. Beyond all the war clouds gathering,
beyond the gross darkness covering the earth, a cloud is
being formed in heaven. And one day soon Christ is going to
enter that cloud and reveal himself to the whole world.
"When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the
kingdom of God is nigh at hand" (21:31).

The early church asked the
apostle Paul to write more
about the times.

As Christians in Paul's day sensed the destruction of
Jerusalem drawing near, they wanted to know more about
prophetic events. They were fearful over rumors about the
ruthlessness of invading armies, who took multitudes
captive into slavery. It caused these believers to sense
that perilous times were close at hand. So they asked Paul
to tell them more about what was to come: "Write to us
about how to read the times."

It is all signaling the coming of the Lord Jesus, to take
away his people.

Paul responded with these words of assurance: "Of the times
and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write
unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians
5:1-2, my italics).

Paul described to them what would take place when Christ
returned: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one
another with these words" (4:16-18).

Paul's exhortation to them was meant to be encouragement.
He was saying, in essence, "There's no need for you to fret
about those things coming upon the earth. You don't have to
be overly concerned about all the fearful signs and
calamities. You well know what this is about. It is all
signaling the coming of the Lord Jesus, to take away his
people."

The truth is that history
is going somewhere.

 

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We can be sure that the swift current of events unfolding
today is carrying us toward God's eternal purpose. This
world is not adrift; the Lord hasn't abandoned the earth,
no matter how wicked and faithless humankind has become.
Rather, God has simply picked up the pace. And what we're
seeing now is a swift movement of events toward the "one
divine event" ahead: the re-creation of a new heaven and
earth, where Christ will reign supreme for all eternity.

The ancient stoics believed the world went through fixed
periods of time. In their minds, at the end of each period
the world was destroyed by a great conflagration. Then the
earth was restored precisely as it had been, so that things
began all over again and resumed just as they had before.

In other words, history repeated itself over and over. The
same stars followed in the same orbits, and the same lives
were lived again, with the same friends, the same concerns,
the same experiences. Everything was restored each time,
not just once but for perpetuity. Human beings were bound
to an eternal treadmill from which there was no escape.

The apostle Peter's words cut directly against this
thinking. Peter tells us that, according to God's promise,
Christians are to "look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13). Moreover,
he says, if we believe God's Word, we can know that history
is racing toward the day of the Lord's coming, when "the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat" (3:12).

"The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in
the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation
and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of
the day of God" (3:10-12).

At that point, Peter says, we can expect to see a new
heaven and a new earth. And we are to look with expectancy
for these things.

When Jesus said, "In that
day, look up" (Luke 21:28),
he's talking about where
our focus should be.

As followers of Christ, our focus is not to be on daily
news reports. We are not to dwell on wars and rumors of
wars, nor on the possibility of a nuclear accident, nor on
the other things that are coming upon the earth.

This means that God's people are not to fear Islam, or any
other ism. Right now Islamic jihadists are claiming they've
received word that their great Imam wants to appear. But,
according to them, he has said he will not come until the
world is in total chaos.

This explains why so many ayatollahs and mullahs are behind
the terrorist acts being planned and carried out. It is all
designed to create utter chaos. And it's meant to destroy
Israel as the most provocative act of terror possible, to
bring the whole world into the chaos.

Yet, even as we consider these facts, we are to turn to
Jesus' words, and to Paul's and Peter's. All Islamic boasts
about taking dominion over the world - all their terrible
acts of murder and bigotry - are only a blip on God's
eternal screen. His Word says these men are but grains of
sand he will blow away: "He shall blow upon them, and they
shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as
stubble" (Isaiah 40:24).

Islamic jihadists may hope to bring about chaos, but with a
single breath God is able to strip away all their power.
The truth is, they are only hastening the day of the coming
of the one true Messiah, the creator of this world and all
that is in it.

Paul told the saints in
Thessalonica he wanted them
to know one fact concerning
the coming destruction.

We already know that Paul assured the Thessalonians, "Of
the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I
write unto you" (1 Thessalonians 5:1). Yet, Paul added
this: "I do want you to know one proven fact on this
subject." He then told them, "When they shall say, Peace
and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape"
(5:3).

Paul is giving the church in every age a clue here. He's
describing the one thing that happens to every society just
prior to sudden destruction and judgment. And this one
proven fact is, humankind gives itself over to security and
prosperity.

Here is the evidence of coming destruction that never
misses. And Paul declared it by evidence of the past.
Simply put, there is no instance in Scripture when God ever
brought destruction upon a society except when they had
given themselves over to an obsession with security and
prosperity. Paul is saying, "Here is the rule, proven by
history, concerning all of God's destructive actions. It
happens in times when men are given over to the pursuit of
prosperity and safety, while turning away from the Lord."

Politicians recently announced
that they plan to introduce a
bill in Congress to establish
a Department of Peace and
Safety.

We are to beware any talk of peace and prosperity when a
fearful storm is coming into view. It is then - when peace
and prosperity become the main pursuit, even as watchmen
thunder, and everyone knows only a miracle can save
humankind - that we can expect sudden destruction.

Jesus drew an analogy between the days of Noah and Lot, and
the day of his own coming. He said that in both instances
people are eating, drinking, marrying, buying and selling.
In other words, everyday activities go on as always, with
involvement in things that are not inherently wicked.

Yet, in Noah's and Lot's generations, the pursuit of these
things obsessed an entire society. Everyday activities
became the main focus, powerful diversions that held people
in such a grip the warnings of the Holy Spirit were drowned
out.

According to Jesus, the same thing will happen in the last
hour, just prior to sudden destruction. The whole world
will be given over to seeking security and prosperity, a
preoccupation that will grip many even in the church.
People's entire focus will be on the things of this world,
and they will forsake their steadfastness in faith.

We're already seeing many in the grip of such a mentality.
Multitudes are convinced prosperity is the only way they
can have peace. And so people are in a mad race for
prosperity, with speculators crushed by debt, others madly
accumulating wealth, and riches being made on the backs of
the poor. Beloved, that is precisely when sudden
destruction comes.

When that moment of sudden
judgment arrives, in what
condition will the Lord find
his church?

 

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What kind of condition will Jesus' people be in? Will they
have a vibrant faith? Will they be looking for him and
yearning for his coming? Or will they be preoccupied with
the things of this world?

When Christ comes, will he find his church in the grip of
false prophets who preach a false peace, success, riches,
good times? The prophet Jeremiah describes such a time in
Israel's history: "From the least of them even unto the
greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and
from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth
falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of
my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no
peace" (Jeremiah 6:13-14).

Let me make this clear: prosperity is not inherently evil.
Scripture makes it clear that God loves to bless his
children. And there is nothing evil about acquiring a
lovely house, a nice car, good clothes, or eating in nice
restaurants. We are encouraged to provide for our families,
including building houses, buying, selling, sowing or
reaping.

It is when these things begin to consume us - taking up our
time, our thoughts, our energies and activities, to the
neglect of seeking God - that our hearts begin to harden.
You see, when being comfortable is not enough - when
buying, selling and making money preoccupy our mind and
soul - lukewarmness sets in. And those who have given
themselves over to seeking security and prosperity end up
despising God's warnings:

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts...to whom shall I speak, and
give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is
uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of
the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in
it.... Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the
sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken"
(Jeremiah 6:9-10, 17).

When Noah prophesied that a
great destruction was coming,
he was mocked by his
generation.

Throughout biblical history, watchmen walked the streets
warning of coming judgments, prophesying to God's people.
But often the church shut its ears and gave itself over to
pleasures, to food and wine, to buying, selling and
building.

Frankly, I'm shocked at the hardness I see in so many
Christians today, people who were once so on fire. These
same believers loved to pray and be in God's house. They
loved godly reproof and were stirred deeply by the
prophetic words they heard. But now they're too busy to
seek God. And their love for Jesus is growing colder by the
day.

Such people won't stand for any sort of preaching that
convicts them. They prefer to hear a half-hour sermon once
a week that builds up their self-esteem or helps them
become successful. Make no mistake, there are multitudes
like this who have fallen sound asleep.

God instructed Jeremiah to give his people this warning:
"Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but
they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto
them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say
unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of
the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is
perished, and is cut off from their mouth" (Jeremiah
7:27-28).

Likewise in the New Testament, Paul writes, "According as
it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber,
eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should
not hear; unto this day" (Romans 11:8).

Why is there such despising
of prophetic warnings?

Why do so many once zealous Christians now turn away from
godly reproof? Why is there such judicial blindness? And
why does the self-centered, money-focused, wealth gospel
entrap so many churches and believers?

One reason is that a growing number of ministers today have
drifted from the preaching of the Cross. The message of the
poor, homeless, suffering, bleeding Christ has become an
offense. The call to sacrifice - to take up a cross, to
embrace rejection for Jesus' sake, to become a living
sacrifice, to die to self, to repent, to become humble, to
crucify the flesh - all of these topics are avoided by
preachers of the gospel of happiness and wealth. And all
apostolic warnings to be ready for Christ's coming - to
trim our lamps, to prepare to meet the Bridegroom, to wake
up and redeem the time because the hour is late and because
he's coming only for those who look for and love his
appearance - all of this is now silenced.

Where does it end?