Tribulation Preview?

The Father was dealing with me to study the book of Lamentations. Could the situation in the world right now be a preview of the Great Tribulation.? As I read Lamentations, the Father was dealing with me about the fact that the contents of the book besides talking about the ruins of Jerusalem and the captivity of His people, contains another key meaning: this book also shows what people would be saying during the Great Tribulation as they missed the Rapture of His Remnant and are now left in a "hell on earth."

Let’s explore the book of Lamentations: In Chapter 1 v. 2 the word says that there were none to comfort them and their friends had become their enemies. Imagine how horrifying a scene like this would be? In v. 3 the word says that they will be living with the "heathen." These are people who love Yahshua (Jesus), but were lukewarm and missed the Rapture. In v. 4 the pastors who will be left behind with their congregations will have to deal with the wrath of the people that they were supposed to preach the truth to. In v. 5 the enemies of the Father's people prosper against them! This can only happen if the Father is angry! They were not ready for His return like the five foolish virgins in Matt. Chapter 25. This truth is evident again in v. 14 where God had delivered His people into the hands of the enemy, even their children were affected (v.6). In Chapter 2 v. 2 the word says that the Lord had swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob. These are His people! In v. 3 the word says that He drew back his hand from holding back the enemy! In v. 4, 5 He becomes like an enemy or an adversary to His people! The prophets that are left get no visions from the LORD (v. 9). The lack of food is evident in v. 12 and v. 19. One of the reasons they are left behind is in v. 13; there is a breach between them and there LORD! Is there a breach between you and the LORD today? Do you lift up ministers above Christ? Do you just sit under a preacher or do you trace what he/she says back to Jesus and His word. Do you just call on Jesus when it is convenient or when you need Him? How do you expect to go in the Rapture, marry Him and enjoy the wedding feast when you don’t love on Him by praising Him? You just call on Him when your back is up against the wall! You treat Him like a waiter in a restaurant i.e. you only call on Him when you want Him to serve you. The only time some people praise God is when He does something for them, a praise of Thanksgiving. Even people in the world can thank God when He does something for them! How about worshipping Him just because of what He has done for you already and because of who He is. In Joshua 6 the people of Israel shouted and praised God at the end of the seventh day after going around Jericho thirteen times. They praised God before God ever moved the walls!

Back in Lamentations- in Chapter 2 v. 14 the LORD said that He is upset at their prophets who have not told people what they are doing wrong against His word. This is like so many typical prophets who just want to prophesize "good things" so they can get invited back again next year! They just preach to "itching ears" i.e. just what the people want to hear! If you want to escape the Tribulation and go in the Rapture maybe you need to listen to prophets like Micaiah who was the only one to prophesize the truth to King Ahab. (2 Chron. 18 v. 16.) You may not like to hear what they say but it is good medicine to fix the breach between you and you God. People forget that their main purpose is to allow God to conform them into the image of Jesus (Rom. 8 v. 29). We need to read the epistles of Paul and speak scriptures into our lives that minister to our shortcomings in the flesh. We need to allow the Spirit of God to mortify the deeds of our flesh (Rom. 8 v. 13). In Chapter 3 v. 1-3 the word again shows that God’s people are suffering from the rod of His wrath and that He is now against them! In Chapter 4 v. 13 the LORD explains that part of the reason He is so angry at the ones who are left in the Tribulation is because of the sins of the prophets and the other ministers. So many are in the ministry that have not been called by God. They are just hurting His people and never preaching repentance. The Pastor just commits sins against His word and others in the congregation follow suit. If the head is sick it will flow to the rest of the body. You have to be so careful who you sit under and examine ministers by the word and especially the fruit of the Spirit or the lack thereof. Don’t play around with your salvation! Read Revelation Chapters 1-3 and meditate on God’s messages to the seven churches and see if you are included in His warnings: Have you left your first love? Are you watchful and in an attitude of repentance? Etc.

When God convicts you of something do you rise up in pride and defend your self or do you surrender to the One that knows you inside and out? After all He is trying to get you "Rapture Ready." Don’t fight Him, eternity is forever, someplace. He loves you so much and that’s why He had me write this sobering message. He wants you and your family to escape the Great Tribulation, be married to Him, enjoy the Wedding Feast of the Lamb and be with Him forever. This is what He wants for you and this is my prayer for you.