Editor’s Note: Below is a transcript of a message, posted to You Tube on May 29, from president of the Adventist Church, Ted N.C. Wilson. Elder Wilson will release a new video each week, during the Coronavirus pandemic, which you can view here.
What a privilege to connect with you again. You know, this morning you and I woke up again for another day of life. God's great blessing. Be encouraged, during this COVID-19 pandemic, that God is going to bless you in a marvelous way as we reintegrate into society.
As this coronavirus subsides, God will use you to witness for him in Total Member Involvement. Focus on Christ and heaven and eternal truths and values, eternal values. "Don't let the world around you," as Romans chapter 12:2 says in Phillips Translation, "don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold.” Look to Jesus! Jesus is coming soon!
Last week we talked about Jesus coming and the first part of Matthew 24, and I'd like to look at a second section of Matthew 24, verses 15 to 31. We'll cover a few of those verses. It says sin verse 15-24, great chapter on Christ's second-coming, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet standing in the Holy Place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains."
Now, Jesus was speaking specifically about the attack of the Roman army on Jerusalem in 70 a D. But as the chapter continues, it moves into a second phase, an application of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Many of the things that the Christians were to be aware of during this attack on Jerusalem in 70AD, are also things that we can look forward to in terms of God protecting us. It says there, "let him who was on the house stop, not go down to take anything out of his house, don't go back from the field to get your clothes."
Those kinds of things tell us of the urgency, the watchfulness, that we must have in looking for the great event of Jesus coming. And of course, this was also applying to those in Jerusalem because they were not to let anything distract them, and that is the main point. Be focused on eternal values.
And then it says, “pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” Pray that God will guide us in all things, he'll protect us regardless of what may happen. Then it says, “don’t believe if people say,” verse 23, “here is the Christ or there, don't believe it for false Christs and false prophets,” verse 24, “will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect.”
God wants to protect us from the deception of the devil and all those who are going to try to deceive us in a very terrible way. Even the elect, even those who are connected with the Lord. So stay close to the Bible and understand what God has in store for you as you read His word.
Then it says, “Look in the desert. No, don't go out to see them. Don't believe it. For as the lightening,” this is verse 27, “for as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man or will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
This is what is going to happen. It's going to be a visible thing. You're going to be able to see Jesus. Everyone will see him at the same time. And then in verse 29 it says, “immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and we know that those signs have already taken place. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,” this is verse 30, “and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together, His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
I want to be there that day. God will help us as we prepare through his grace in sharing with others about Christ’s soon coming. Listen to the Great Controversy, page 640 and going on to 641, “Soon there appears in the East of small black cloud about half the size of a man's hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Savior in which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be the sign of the Son of Man. In solemn silence, they gaze upon it as it draws near the earth becoming lighter and more glorious until it is a great white cloud. It's base a glory like consuming fire and above it the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror.” What a day that will be, and it's coming soon.
Let me pray with you, "Father in heaven guide us now as we look forward to that great day when Jesus will return and until that time, help us to be involved with others and helping them to know Jesus is wonderful. Righteousness is beautiful Bible truths and his second coming. A wonderful event that will take place. Lord, protect each of us. Help us to be part of total member involvement, sharing with others that Jesus is coming soon. In Christ's name, we ask it. Amen."
