Preparing for the End
by Lynnford Beachy
Financial instability, economic collapse, an astounding number of natural disasters, wars, diseases, and religious turmoil all point to an impending crisis on the horizon. Everyone seems to be expecting a catastrophic event that will change the world as we know it. Are you ready for such a change? What can be done to prepare for this crisis?
We could hide our heads in the sand and pretend nothing is going on. But the Bible informs us: “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). The simple approach, to ignore the problem, can have some drastic consequences. It is much better to foresee what is coming, and hide ourselves.
There is a biblical precedent to prepare for hard times. God revealed to Pharaoh that there would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine, and God used Joseph to prepare for the seven years of famine.
Physical Preparations
There are a few practical things we can do to avoid difficulties during the upcoming crisis. One important measure to take in light of the instability of the banking system is, do not go into debt. If you are in debt do not go into anymore debt, and seek to free yourself of your existing debt. This may take drastic measures, such as selling some of your belongings to pay your debt, or mortgaging in such a way that at least your home is clear of debt.
The Bible says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). In years gone by, borrowers were put into prison, or even taken as servants until the debt is paid. Do not think that bankruptcy will bail you out. Bankruptcy laws are changing, and you could still be held accountable for your debts. Not only that, but you have a moral obligation to do what is right. “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth” (Psalms 37:21).
If your bank collapses with your money in it, it may be difficult or impossible to recover your money, so you may wish to keep your money elsewhere. Many large banks are in serious trouble. You may wish to switch to a local credit union instead of a bank.
You may also wish to get rid of some of your belongings that are not necessary, and trade them for things more necessary, both for yourself and for others. Determine the difference between your wants and your needs. “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt” (Ecclesiastes 5:13).
Another important measure to be taken is to leave the cities. There are only a few days worth of food in a city, and if food supplies are limited, the cities will be the first to feel the crunch. Also, it takes a large amount of water to sustain an entire city. If you are dependent upon someone else to supply your food and water you will be more easily controlled. Cities can, and most likely will, be closed to incoming and outgoing traffic in a crisis.
Jesus warned His disciples to leave the city of Jerusalem before it was destroyed. Those who stayed in the city were trapped, with limited access to food and water, and they became victims of some of the most horrific violence and hardship. Those outside the city were relatively free from these hardships. Country living allows greater access to food and water. You can grow your own food, or find edible wild plants, and naturally occurring water is much more plentiful than in the city.
It would also be helpful to learn what you can eat in the wild. Some people starve in the wilderness while there is a plentiful supply of food all around, but they didn’t know what they could eat. It is easier to acquire immobile edible plants than to try to hunt animals that try to escape.
The Essential Preparation
You could live in a country home with your own garden, solar electricity, spring water, an ample supply of wood for heating, and plenty of food, yet you could become a victim of hardship. “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death” (Proverbs 11:4).
Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21).
If you are not rich toward God, if you do not have a strong connection to Him, it does not matter how much physical preparation you have made, you could lose it all in a moment. “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch” (Proverbs 11:28).
Hiding in the Time of Trouble
“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). We are counseled to foresee the evil and hide ourselves.
God instructs us, “Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger” (Zephaniah 2:3). To be hidden in the time of trouble, we are counseled to seek the Lord, to seek righteousness. This agrees with what Jesus said about acquiring our earthly needs. He said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
To be hidden in the time of trouble we could hide ourselves in a cave, or on a mountain top, but is that the hiding it is referring to?
God said, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast” (Isaiah 26:20). There is a hiding place we are instructed to utilize, but where is that place?
There is some excellent comfort and strength to be found in Psalm 91. It says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalms 91:1-16).
To truly be hidden in the time of trouble, we must set our love upon God and make Him our refuge and habitation, then we have nothing to fear. God will give His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. God sent ravens to feed Elijah in a famine. He made water come out of a rock in the desert for the Israelites. He caused containers of flour and oil not to go empty during a famine in Elijah’s day. God has a thousand ways to provide for us that we have never even thought about. But He will not do these miracles for us if we turn our backs on Him and His instructions. It doesn’t matter how many earthly provisions we have stored up, if we have not made the most important preparations of establishing a close relationship with God all your provisions are in vain.
God is able to get you out of any situation. I read an amazing story of some Christians in Russia who were instructed by God to flee the country before the really hard times hit. They traveled over 1,000 miles to China to escape persecution, and they did this by heeding God’s instruction at every turn. God told them to turn down an alley, and they would go, only to find out that an army was marching down the road they had just left. This type of thing happened over and over. God told them when to go, how to go, and where to go, and they made it safely into China. God is powerful, and can see you through any circumstances, but He must have your heart as His throne. You must be willing to follow His instructions even if they do not make sense to you. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8).
Final Considerations
Jesus admonished, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it” (Luke 17:33). Check your motives for what you are doing. Are you seeking to preserve your earthly life, or are you seeking to preserve your eternal life? Are you working to help others with their physical and spiritual needs, or are you only looking out for yourself?
If your life is not hidden with Christ in God, then any efforts you make on your own to hide yourself from the time of trouble will end with you crying for the rocks to hide you from the presence of the Lord when He comes in the clouds of glory (Revelation 6:15, 16). “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
Friends, I pray that you will take the time to prepare for the upcoming crisis by hiding yourself under the shadow of the Almighty. This is the only protection that will be worth anything in the time of trouble. God says to you, “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalms 50:15).
by Lynnford Beachy
Financial instability, economic collapse, an astounding number of natural disasters, wars, diseases, and religious turmoil all point to an impending crisis on the horizon. Everyone seems to be expecting a catastrophic event that will change the world as we know it. Are you ready for such a change? What can be done to prepare for this crisis?
We could hide our heads in the sand and pretend nothing is going on. But the Bible informs us: “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). The simple approach, to ignore the problem, can have some drastic consequences. It is much better to foresee what is coming, and hide ourselves.
There is a biblical precedent to prepare for hard times. God revealed to Pharaoh that there would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine, and God used Joseph to prepare for the seven years of famine.
Physical Preparations
There are a few practical things we can do to avoid difficulties during the upcoming crisis. One important measure to take in light of the instability of the banking system is, do not go into debt. If you are in debt do not go into anymore debt, and seek to free yourself of your existing debt. This may take drastic measures, such as selling some of your belongings to pay your debt, or mortgaging in such a way that at least your home is clear of debt.
The Bible says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). In years gone by, borrowers were put into prison, or even taken as servants until the debt is paid. Do not think that bankruptcy will bail you out. Bankruptcy laws are changing, and you could still be held accountable for your debts. Not only that, but you have a moral obligation to do what is right. “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth” (Psalms 37:21).
If your bank collapses with your money in it, it may be difficult or impossible to recover your money, so you may wish to keep your money elsewhere. Many large banks are in serious trouble. You may wish to switch to a local credit union instead of a bank.
You may also wish to get rid of some of your belongings that are not necessary, and trade them for things more necessary, both for yourself and for others. Determine the difference between your wants and your needs. “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt” (Ecclesiastes 5:13).
Another important measure to be taken is to leave the cities. There are only a few days worth of food in a city, and if food supplies are limited, the cities will be the first to feel the crunch. Also, it takes a large amount of water to sustain an entire city. If you are dependent upon someone else to supply your food and water you will be more easily controlled. Cities can, and most likely will, be closed to incoming and outgoing traffic in a crisis.
Jesus warned His disciples to leave the city of Jerusalem before it was destroyed. Those who stayed in the city were trapped, with limited access to food and water, and they became victims of some of the most horrific violence and hardship. Those outside the city were relatively free from these hardships. Country living allows greater access to food and water. You can grow your own food, or find edible wild plants, and naturally occurring water is much more plentiful than in the city.
It would also be helpful to learn what you can eat in the wild. Some people starve in the wilderness while there is a plentiful supply of food all around, but they didn’t know what they could eat. It is easier to acquire immobile edible plants than to try to hunt animals that try to escape.
The Essential Preparation
You could live in a country home with your own garden, solar electricity, spring water, an ample supply of wood for heating, and plenty of food, yet you could become a victim of hardship. “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death” (Proverbs 11:4).
Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21).
If you are not rich toward God, if you do not have a strong connection to Him, it does not matter how much physical preparation you have made, you could lose it all in a moment. “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch” (Proverbs 11:28).
Hiding in the Time of Trouble
“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). We are counseled to foresee the evil and hide ourselves.
God instructs us, “Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger” (Zephaniah 2:3). To be hidden in the time of trouble, we are counseled to seek the Lord, to seek righteousness. This agrees with what Jesus said about acquiring our earthly needs. He said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
To be hidden in the time of trouble we could hide ourselves in a cave, or on a mountain top, but is that the hiding it is referring to?
God said, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast” (Isaiah 26:20). There is a hiding place we are instructed to utilize, but where is that place?
There is some excellent comfort and strength to be found in Psalm 91. It says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalms 91:1-16).
To truly be hidden in the time of trouble, we must set our love upon God and make Him our refuge and habitation, then we have nothing to fear. God will give His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. God sent ravens to feed Elijah in a famine. He made water come out of a rock in the desert for the Israelites. He caused containers of flour and oil not to go empty during a famine in Elijah’s day. God has a thousand ways to provide for us that we have never even thought about. But He will not do these miracles for us if we turn our backs on Him and His instructions. It doesn’t matter how many earthly provisions we have stored up, if we have not made the most important preparations of establishing a close relationship with God all your provisions are in vain.
God is able to get you out of any situation. I read an amazing story of some Christians in Russia who were instructed by God to flee the country before the really hard times hit. They traveled over 1,000 miles to China to escape persecution, and they did this by heeding God’s instruction at every turn. God told them to turn down an alley, and they would go, only to find out that an army was marching down the road they had just left. This type of thing happened over and over. God told them when to go, how to go, and where to go, and they made it safely into China. God is powerful, and can see you through any circumstances, but He must have your heart as His throne. You must be willing to follow His instructions even if they do not make sense to you. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8).
Final Considerations
Jesus admonished, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it” (Luke 17:33). Check your motives for what you are doing. Are you seeking to preserve your earthly life, or are you seeking to preserve your eternal life? Are you working to help others with their physical and spiritual needs, or are you only looking out for yourself?
If your life is not hidden with Christ in God, then any efforts you make on your own to hide yourself from the time of trouble will end with you crying for the rocks to hide you from the presence of the Lord when He comes in the clouds of glory (Revelation 6:15, 16). “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
Friends, I pray that you will take the time to prepare for the upcoming crisis by hiding yourself under the shadow of the Almighty. This is the only protection that will be worth anything in the time of trouble. God says to you, “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalms 50:15).
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