TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE
USA
That we are moving into a time of unprecedented trouble becomes more apparent with the passing of each week. Many of you who are reading this issue of the The Pathfinder – are well aware of the significance of this time, which the Scriptures refer to as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”. We are now facing the challenges, that we’ve been indicating in previous issues of The Pathfinder, were coming.
The prophet Jeremiah spoke of this time of challenge and trouble for God’s servant people, Israel, the peoples which comprise the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian, and kindred peoples – the nations which comprise Christendom – as well as did the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels.
Before we read the words of the Lord Jesus regarding this time, let us look first at what the prophet Jeremiah writes in Jeremiah 30:7,8.
”Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s Trouble, but he shall be saved (delivered) out of it For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his (i.e . the oppressors … Amplified Bible) yoke (i.e. economic yoke) from off thy neck, and will burst (snap) thy bonds (chastisement), and strangers (foreigners) shall no more enslave them (be their masters).”
As we share these illuminating verses of Scripture, I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s timely words, as found in Romans 15:4, where he writes,
“For whatever things were written in earlier times were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope (might hold fast and cherish… Amplified Bible) .”
This is a very important and revealing “end time” or “latter day” prophecy that Jeremiah spoke over 2700 years ago. It has certainly come to pass, even as Jeremiah prophesied, as we are now seeing that oppressors have placed a yoke of economic bondage upon the neck of God’s servant people (i.e. Christendom) today. Unfortunately, this is a truth of which most people are completely ignorant. For example, how many people know to whom we owe our National Debt, which in America now amounts to several trillions of dollars? This is, indeed, a tremendous yoke upon our people! But, praise God Almighty for the wonderful promise in verse 7 of Jeremiah’s prophecy, wherein we are told that the Lord will burst the economic chains which bind us when He comes with great power and glory.
Before we read from Jeremiah 30, verses 9-10, it would be well to note that Moses, whom the Lord used to lead His servant people, Israel, out of bondage some 700 years before the birth of Jeremiah, warned his people (the 12 Tribes of Israel) about blessings or curses that would come upon them, depending on whether they obeyed or disobeyed the laws, commandments and judgments of the Lord their God. We read of this in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, and we realise that this warning is still in effect today.
The only commandments which were fulfilled, and therefore no longer needed, were the ceremonial, or religious laws which were performed by the Levitical Priests, as the Apostle Paul informs us in Col. 2:14-17, and Eph. 2:14-18. Otherwise, God’s commandments are still in effect today.
It is abundantly evident that the United States of America, Canada, England, Germany, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, and the other Christian nations of Europe, to a great extent in recent years, have forsaken God’s moral laws and commandments, and no longer honour them. Therefore, the curses, or judgments, of God Almighty, as found in Deuteronomy 28: 43-44, have come upon America and on all of Christendom. We read,
“The stranger (foreigner) who is within thee (living among thee) shall get up above thee very high (higher and higher above thee… Amplified Bible), and thou shalt come down very low (lower and lower… Amplified Bible) . He (i.e. the stranger) shall lend (our National debt) to thee (i.e. America, and to all of Christendom), and thou shalt not lend to him (we’re broke and couldn’t lend to him if we wanted to); he shall be the head (leaders and rulers), and thou shalt be the tail”
My friend, have you ever wondered why we as a nation and people seem helpless to stop this tremendous flow of drugs that are now destroying a great portion of our youth, or the continual immoral filthy movies that continue to pour out of Hollywood? And what about the debauched music that has taken over the minds of so many of our people, young and old? And on and on we could go! We cringe when we see what has happened to our once-decent nation. Friends, it’s because of our sins that we are being destroyed.
We need to remember that whatever the sinful activity that people are involved in, whether it’s drugs, pornography, adultery, or any number of others that we could name, most people do these things because they want to. For the most part, no one is forcing our people to commit these sins. It’s hard to believe that people would want to embrace this type of life, with all of the resultant tragic results, rather than living for, and serving, the One who created us and knows what is best for us. The Lord informed Moses,
“If thou shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God; to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day… all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shaft hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 28:1,2).
The Lord God of lsrael goes on, in the following twelve verses, to list the many blessings and to speak of the prosperity that would come upon the nation simply as a result of honouring His laws, commandments, and judgments which were given to regulate the life and morality of the House of Israel. God is holding us accountable, friends.
The Lord also proceeds to list the curses or judgments which would come upon the 12 Tribes of Israel should they not honour Him nor obey His words. These are listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-48. There would be lack of rain, different illnesses that would affect the people, and war would be waged against them, just to list a few. Our great country was not successful in war during the Korean conflict in the 1950’s, nor has it been since. We would suggest that you read through the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. This chapter impresses upon us just how serious God is about His people abiding by His laws, which are given for our good .
By the way, a very interesting and timely prophecy by Moses, some 3400 years ago, relates to our day. In Deuteronomy 31:28,29 we read:
“Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”
This long-range prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes today
Because of the evil and wickedness that now prevails among our people, many are fearful in our cities ‘to venture out in the evenings; they have numerous locks on their doors; they have to be concerned about what filth might come into their homes on the TV or over the internet; or if our women or children are going to be abducted or molested. And we need to be very concerned about the godless philosophies which so many of our people are embracing today. These are being promoted on every hand.
As we, as a people, refuse to hear, honour, and obey the Laws of God Almighty, these things will get worse and worse. Yes , we are paying a price for having forsaken the ways of the Lord our God.
Before we turn to the 24th chapter of Matthew, where we have recorded the second coming of the Lord Jesus, let us turn to the last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi, where we read the following:
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up like calves of the stall And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. “ (Malachi 4:1- 3).
The prophet Malachi is describing the coming day of the Lord, and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ who is going to see that God’s people tread down their enemies under their feet. However, this will only happen when the Lord takes charge of this whole mess and clears away the enemies of Christendom.
Now, let us turn to Matthew 24 where the Lord Jesus describes the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble “. Beginning with verse 21 we read:
“For then shall be great tribulation (trouble, afflictio n), such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved (delivered); but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.
“Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold; he is in the desert; go not forth: behold; he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so  shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
”And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.Watch, therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24: 21-23, 24-25, 30-31, 36, 42, 44).
In the above “end time” or “latter day” prophecy we find the Lord Jesus agreeing with the prophets Jeremiah and Malachi, (and others) that troublous times are predestined to come to pass when we, His servant people, Israel, forget and forsake the words of God as found in the Holy Bible.
We are now approaching this critical time in which the Lord enjoins us to
“Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:42).
