WHAT TO THINK ABOUT DOOMSDAY PREDICTIONS
— By Mary A. LaClair
1,800 words:
In these times we may expect Doomsday prophets to increase– but what purpose do these messages serve?
To induce fear and hopelessness?- That is how some react. But could they serve to issue dire warnings?
Many think the first. Some can tend to slip close to despair or cynicism.
If, however, warnings are the intention, what courses of action would be advised?
Let’s see if the Holy Scriptures address the issue:
Summary of 2 Kings 20:1-6 reveal that the Lord told King Hezekiah was at the point of death and would not recover. Yet when the King had a discourse with the Lord, the Lord relented and gave the King fifteen more years. Did the King simply accept the word that he would not recover, and wait to die? No, rather he entered into reasoning with the Lord.
May we in America do the same, by starting a conversation with the Lord and not give in to fear and hopelessness. Yes. Study Scriptures to see what it took then, and what it may take today….
Genesis 18:17
17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? NIV
Here we see God acknowledging that He reveals His plans to His ‘friend’, Abraham
Gen 18:20-28
20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
Here we see the Lord listening to the outcry of His people. Are we crying out to the Lord about the wrongs which we see, calling God’s attention to these things?
22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord . 23 Then Abraham approached Him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing — to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Here we see Abraham, not simply accepting revealed plans. Abraham discusses things with the Lord. Are we discussing things with God, or simply accepting with fear and hopelessness what others say is from the Lord…and well it may be from the Lord.
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?”
“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” NIV
Not to bore you, but they continue this discourse until it gets down to ten. Apparently there were not ten righteous in Sodom. Here we can see that God is patient with those who talk things over with Him. God relented six times as Abraham went through groups of five and ten with the Lord, until he reached the number ten.
Conclusion:
If doomsday prophecies come before us, will we simply accept these things and wait in fear and hopelessness? Abraham did not. Hezekiah did not.
But, if doomsday prophecies come before us will we instead accept them as warnings and begin saying: “Forbid it, Lord, protect your righteous people, let your Glory be seen.”
Yet, sometimes the all-seeing, all-knowing Lord will actually reveal the plans of the enemy in order to give us a chance to ask God to intercede and foil the plans of the enemy. This would be interpreted as giving warning of the plans of the enemy. This would not be at all unlike the Book of Esther – enemy plans revealed, action taken to counter it.
Sometimes the Lord will also reveal His plans of wrath, which in the example of Sodom with Abraham, acts as an invitation to engage in conversation (discourse) with God.
Is God a mighty dictator in the sky…or is He loving and good, desirous of a friendship relationship with His creation? Let’s see further examples of that in the Holy Scriptures:
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord . NIV
The Lord relents:
Ex 32:12, Job 6:29, Ps 7:12, Ps 90:13, Isa 57:6, Jer 4:28, Jer 18:8, Jer 26:3. Jer 26:13, Jer 26:19, Ezek 24:14, Jonah 3:9
Exodus 32:11-14
11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “O Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. NIV
Here we see Moses quoting God’s word back to Him. It would do us well to be familiar with Scripture. It would do us well to remind God of His Word – just as Moses.
Psalms 7:12
“If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. “NIV
Psalms 90:13
“ Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. ” NIV
Jeremiah 18:7-10
— 7 “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.” NIV
Jeremiah 26:3
“Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from his evil way. Then I will relent and not bring on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.'” NIV
Jeremiah 26:13
12 ” Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard. 13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” NIV
Jeremiah 26:19
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!” NIV
Jonah 3:9
“Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” NIV
2 Chron 7:13-15
14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” NIV
Is God obligated if we pray but do not give up our wicked way
2 Kings 20:1-6
” In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, O Lord , how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘This is what the Lord , the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord . 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.'” NIV
Selah….
Did Hezekiah quietly accept the word of doom, and wait to die, just because it was spoken?
Prophetic words of doom may come. How will we respond? Will we wait in fear and hopelessness for them to come true?
Or, as Hezekiah, and as Abraham, will we enter into conversation with the Lord — “Come and let us reason together, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 18:8
— end —
Addendum:
You may wish to check a different kind of dream from nationally recognized religious leaders. This is not to discredit doomsday dreams, rather more to offer a counter-balance. Key word: balance. Both are of equal importance.
This is not to say one is more important than another:
One may reveal, or warn of, the desires of the devil; while one may reveal the desires of God.
“Let the world see Your Glory, Lord.”
Different kinds of dreams have been sent to HANK KUNNEMAN and DUTCH SHEETS, and you might find them both through links at the end of this article.
Ps 24:8
Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. KJV
God told Elijah, after three years of drought, it would rain. In receiving that word, Elijah prayed with his face to the ground, that it would rain. (1 Kings 18:41-45)
Conclusion:
What we do in prayer can determine the outcome. We are being shown how to pray and what to pray about. This writer feels God wants His people to talk with Him about each of these seemingly contradictory messages. What to ask be thwarted; what to ask be manifested. The messages are balanced. Which way will we tip the scales by adding the weight of our tears, tears of both sorrow and joy? Sorrow for the one, joy for the other. Balanced.
“Come and let us reason together, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 18:8
–End—
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kQUVRHhbcM – Dutch Sheets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAL4GURVYeg – Hank Kunneman
Look, Listen & Think 