ARE WE IN A PERIOD OF JUDGMENT?

George Offerman

There are ominous signs everywhere and it is becoming so apparent that our society is coming apart at the seams.  People are rightfully worried and have concerns about the future and what it portends for us.  There are increases in every arena of life that is nothing short of demonic, and it seems there are fewer willing to stand up and vocalize warnings or even attempting to fight against this onslaught of evil.  It is very easy to understand anyone feeling overwhelmed by what is going on, and it is the way the enemy wants it.  For if we feel overwhelmed, we will ultimately end up doing nothing, and this is when evil really advances.

I have been asked this a lot lately, and I begin my answer with a qualification: I don’t want to be a stumbling block for any believer and I give my answer as I understand Scripture and the nature of God.  God definitely sends judgments, and without exception, sends at least one prophet to spell out what is going to happen and why it is going to happen.  Judgments are also sent directly from God and may or may not be related to the nature of the sin.  For example, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone, not by STD’s (which would be more of a consequence).

The four methods of judgments ‘reserved’ for God are: sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts, and are found happening throughout the Bible as proof.  In Revelation, as well as other instances, God also uses nature, such as floods, fires, earthquakes (and soon to be asteroids).  We even use words such as “act of God’ in describing situations in which we had little to no control over.   But we don’t want to confuse judgments with consequences, and ultimately pin certain events and happenings to God, when it is in fact, events occur that are not the will of God.

Our economic condition, at least as it seems now, is more of a product of consequences.  God has spelled out clearly what money is, and how it is to be used.  God also allows free will in His creation, and if man decides to use dishonest weights and measures in commerce, the consequence of this action then must take place.  God warns us of the consequences of becoming enslaved to the money changers, but since we go against these warnings, we also must suffer the consequences of our bad decisions.  Because we decided to turn out backs on God and do it ‘our way’, God allows us to deal with the consequences of our behavior without His intervention, thus remaining true to His granting us perfect free will.

We blatantly allowed for the wholesale slaughter of the most innocent for nearly 39 years now, we stayed quiet during the ‘debate’ on homosexual marriages, we have minimally stayed quiet (and in some cases, cheered on) the blatant attack of other sovereign nations in pro active war (which is against our church doctrine of just war).  We have piled sin after sin to the heights of heaven itself and in God’s economy, there needs to be atonement for these actions.  This will not, and cannot go unpunished indefinitely, and punishment will target the guilty in the most severe fashion.  But punishment is distinct from consequence, and unfortunately consequences affect all indiscriminately.

So, in considering our times and what seems to be happening currently, I would tell most folks that we are now dealing with consequences instead of judgments.  And this is another matter in which I am hoping I am way, way wrong on, because if the consequences of our actions are bringing about so much discord, I cannot even begin to imagine what the penalty phase, or judgment phase will bring.  Neither option is pleasant to think about, but the reality presenting itself is demonstrating that God’s laws are not only supreme, but continue on very much intact in our day and age, in which we believe we can defy all things considered old and out dated.  We are going to get a very painful lesson on History as written by God, and as the perfect teacher, God will make sure we get the lesson.