The time is short

By Elizabeth Prata

I think it’s safe to say that most Americans were started by the eruption of violence in our nation, from coast to coast, over this past summer. I’ts unsettling to see those scenes on television or streaming in our phones day after day, night after night.

Any peace we have been experiencing on earth is a privilege granted to us. And as we know, privileges can be taken away at any time.

Everyone who studies the Bible understands explicitly that the Tribulation (Time of Jacob’s Trouble) will be a time of upheaval and war. Everyone who has heard about Revelation but isn’t a believer or hasn’t studied understands implicitly that it will be a time of upheaval and war. Revelation 6:4 says–

“And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.”

But even more than war, look at the last part of the verse again. “take peace from the earth.” A privilege we have been granted (peace) will be taken (purposely removed) from the earth (the ENTIRE earth).

This means that during the time of the Great Tribulation (A period the Bible also calls The Time of Jacob’s Trouble), there will be nowhere that will experience peace- of any kind- not just war. Armed conflicts of any and all kinds will be the order of the day. Tribal conflicts, armed robberies, protecting one’ self and family by means of violence… The word peace in this context, in the Greek is eirene, meaning a peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, prosperity — one, peace, quietness, rest, welfare. What will be happening is not just the opposite of peace (war), but conflicts of ALL kinds.

We’ve see that not only in the riots of Portland, DC, Seattle, etc, but in violence of all kinds. I read yesterday that Moms are fleeing the Upper West Side of New York City because of random violence. People are sucker punched walking down the street, stabbed, and so on. Various city officials across America suddenly have a notion to ‘defund the police’, an institution the Lord set up to capture and punish evildoers and whose name actually means keeper of the peace. If just talking about such a process sparks the violence we have seen already, imagine no police departments and the violence that will erupt. That will be the circumstance of the Tribulation.

If your welfare and personal safety is at risk, you do not have peace. Like those NY Moms who are leaving the city in droves. Many Americans say “not here, not us. It won’t happen to us.” But the Bible is clear: peace will be taken from the earth. We can see the precursors to this coming judgment setting up now.

Even of this time period doesn’t happen for another 10 or 100 years, what is happening now to the globe and especially in one-safe and once-insulated America, is causing many Christians to renew or redouble their efforts to reach people with the Gospel. To remind people that the Age of Grace will end and the time of trouble (judgment) will come.

The time is short. It has always been short. (1 Corinthians 7:29, Revelation 12:12, Romans 13:12, 1 Corinthians 7:31)

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).