In the Last
Days?
PSALM 68:1-10, 32-35
1 May God arise, may his
enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 May you blow them away
like smoke - as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and
joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the
clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. 5 A father to the fatherless,
a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in
families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a
sun-scorched land. 7 When you, God, went out before your people, when you
marched through the wilderness, 8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down
rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave
abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 10 Your people
settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, 33
to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders
with mighty voice. 34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens. 35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the
God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
Psalm 68 (Rephrased)
God please reveal Yourself and show everyone that You are truly alive.
Your enemies will run away and scatter. You will blow them away and they will
die … they will have no defense.
Those who trust in You
will be glad and will rejoice. They will be happy and joyful, they will sing
and praise You, they will tell everyone about you because You care for the
homeless, the widows and the poor. You bring fellowship to the lonely and You
free those imprisoned by evil bringing them joy. Your abundant blessings are
always welcome.
Listen everyone! We must all sing and admire God. He lives in the
highest of heavens and His mighty voice is like thunder. He rides on the clouds
and when He walks on the earth, the ground shakes. Tell everyone about the
miraculous power of God, who rules this world. ‘Our God is an Awesome God’ ... He gives power and strength to His
children. We praise you Lord.
ACTS 2 (Peter quoting Joel 2:28)
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all
people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I
will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and
signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the
coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.”
Many Christians believe that we are now living in the last days of Earth’s
history.
"First, I
want to remind you that in the last days there will come scoffers who will do
every wrong they can think of, and laugh at the truth. (II Peter 3:3-4) … "And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the
end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
… "Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the
heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see
the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great
glory." (Matthew 24:29) … "But
Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal it up so that it will not be
understood until the end times, when travel and education shall be vastly
increased!" (Daniel 12:4)
In the Last
Days?