"The Beginning of Birth Pains"

Two days ago, on July 17, 2014, two major news stories occurred. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine killing all 298 people on board. Details are still emerging.

On the same day, Israeli ground forces entered Gaza to stop Palestinian rocket fire that has been pounding Israel for days.

Two huge headlines. On the same day. Both related to ongoing battles... skirmishes... wars... Whatever is the correct term will no doubt be determined when the dust settles and it's written as history. But both headlines fit right in with what we've been talking about here, don't they? Especial the prophecy of "wars and rumors of wars."

My thoughts and ongoing prayers are with all those impacted by these headlines.

And now, here is the post previously scheduled for today:

Since the July 3 post we've been talking about all Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, and Luke 21:11 and 25.

See Related Articles at the end of this post for more links.

In the next sentence, Jesus tells us that all these happenings are just the beginning, calling them "birth pains." (Tweet that!)

Here is the entire passage:

⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:6-8, NIV) 

As I was watching the political landscape in the United States a few weeks ago, a news story came out about some small victory conservative Christian patriot America-loving citizens had just won. Honestly, I can't remember which one. It caused me to think about how short-lived that victory would be. And isn't that the way it goes?

We see wave after wave of our nation and our world turning away from God. We see decisions made by leaders that are not rooted in godly wisdom. (Tweet that!)  We see people who do not know God, or who do not follow Him making inroads that impact us all, leading us into ever deepening ravines of immorality and depravity. (Tweet that!) And all the while these same forces are hushing and silencing any godly voices for good. (Tweet that!)

We are now -- and it's been going on for a while -- told that what is good is evil and what is evil is good. (Tweet that!) The prophet Isaiah, who lived around 700 years before Jesus, also saw this trend in his society and times (around 750 – 716 B.C.). He warned of the coming invasion of the enemy that would carry Israel into exile. He wrote:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,  

who put darkness for light and light for darkness,  

who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (Isaiah 5:20, NIV)

When we see a victory in public policy or politicians representing godly people and godly ways, we cheer and think maybe things will continue in that direction and get better.

But then another wave comes that takes us in the wrong direction, farther away from God and His ways. And then there's another wave. And another.

Then godly people experience one small victory.

Then another wave comes washing us in the wrong direction.

It's a back and forth. A surge away from God, a tiny step back towards Him. The advance of the godly is one step toward Him followed by two or three or four steps farther away. We're losing ground. (Tweet that!)

It's like birth pains, is it not? (Tweet that!)

In the whirlwind of our nation's and the world's decline, we finally experience a break. Even a little victory. Which brings a little hope. And things calm down for a little while. And there's a lull. And then we're hit again with the next wave…

It's birth pains. Coming hard then calming.

The waves are increasing in frequency. And each wave comes with more intensity.

In the end there is only one outcome. There's no stopping it. What is coming will be birthed. (Tweet that!)

This is only the beginning. "All these are the beginning of birth pains."

Related Articles:

• July 3, 2014 "Wars and Rumors of Wars"
• July 5, 2014 "There will be Famines…" 
• July 8, 2014 "There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 1 - USGS Statistics
• July 10, 2014 "There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 2 - Fracking and Man-Made Earthquakes 
• July 12, 2014 "There will be… Earthquakes in Various Places" - Part 3 - Recent Earthquakes and Resources
• July 15, 2014 "Roaring and Tossing of the Sea" - Hurricanes and Tsunamis?
• July 17, 2014 "Pestilences in Various Places…"