ISSUE 504

MAY 23RD 2012

Prophetic Brief
Insight and Analysis for the 21st Century Anatomy of a Nation in Decline #10 Reference Point #3: We are Living in the End Times

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I was standing at the check-in desk of the hotel when I realized it was May 21, 2011 just about one year ago. That was the date some guy had predicted the return of the Lord and the end of the world. I had forgotten all about the crazy prediction since I didnt believe it in the first place; I had dismissed it out of hand and simply wasnt keeping track. The guy in question had made prior obviously incorrect predictions based on some mathematical formula. I remembered a similar situation when an engineer turned theologian wrote a booklet entitled 88 Reasons Jesus is Coming in 1988. When that failed he wrote another one: 89 Reasonsno kidding. Thank God he stopped before he wrote 90 Reasons, I think because he had too many 89 books unsold. What I had a hard time understanding was why people were so quick to believe the date setters. We have clear Scripture that indicates no one knows the day or the hour of Christs return (Mt 24:36). It cant get much more plain than that yet some followers racked up debt they thought they would never have to pay, or took their kids out of school and travelled across the land to convert people before the declared date.

We are living in an unmatched time in the earth; a time when crisis is erupting through natural disasters, political destabilization, and economic meltdown. Politicians and religious leaders are all weighing in on these events, but they dont seem to have the answers to a world in intense distress, and are rightly wondering:

Two Extremes
It was as I was filling in the hotel form and wrote down the date that I remembered the prediction, laughing and saying we would all be here tomorrow. The hotel clerk laughed too. He was an unbeliever and said something about going out later to get drunk and waking up with a hangover just to spite the whole prediction business. As much as I disagreed with his philosophy of life, I could understand his disregard for those who made such foolish statements. His contempt, however, was not just for the prediction, he was disbelieving that the ultimate event would occur at all ever. Right before me stood the two extremes. On the one hand the crazy prediction man and all his devotees, consumed with false zeal and filled with a wrong emphasis about end time events. On the other was the front desk clerk who completely dismissed spiritual reality and was quite happy to deny the coming of the Lord at all. He lived in a world defined by human rationality. His response reminded me of Jon Stewart, a TV personality who hosts a program called the Daily Show on Comedy Central, a program that focuses on a comedic look at news and world events. Steward held a rally called The Rally to Restore Sanity in Washington, DC in October 2010 in order to promote reasoned discussion and to move away from the political extremes characterizing the nation. He was especially targeting the religious right and their views about the world. While I didnt watch the rally or
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What in the World is Going On?

In this series of Prophetic Briefs, Scott Webster addresses questions that are on peoples minds, and brings prophetic perspective to the events happening in the earth today, so that we can stand effectively in a day when so many things are falling apart. View the full six episodes in the series What in the World is Going On at scottwebsterministries.org.
2012 SCOTT WEBSTER MINISTRIES.

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MAY 23RD 2012

Matt 24:36-39
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
know anyone who participated, I saw a news clip in which Stewart said about the rally These are hard times, not the end times. The crazy prediction guy had billboards and followers who traveled around America trying to convert others, but the cult of rationality has far more disciples people who are committed to a carnal world view that completely dismisses Gods purpose. These rationalists would say we are childish because we have faith in that which we cannot see, and they would scoff when we speak about the return of the Lord. There is a battle for insight raging in the unseen realm, and the easiest targets in this war are those who swear there is no such conflict.

Exact Hour vs. Knowing the Season

Matt 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Lets be very clear about the fact that no one can make statements, predictions or implied timetables of the Lords return. In addition to the fact that we just dont know it could be 5 years, 50 or 500 it is also unproductive and unhealthy to place the weight of consideration on a date. That is why Jesus said No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Mt 24:36). No one knows is an all inclusive statement, and just in case there is room for doubt Jesus underscores it by saying not even the Son but only the Father knows the day and hour. Anyone who predicts a date or time should be flatly rejected because it is that clear. But then Jesus shifted and began to describe the conditions that would occur in the season leading up to His return because He wants us to
2012 SCOTT WEBSTER MINISTRIES.

But then Jesus shifted and began to describe the conditions that would occur in the season leading up to His return because He wants us to recognize the season in which He will return. A season is a general time frame, not an exact day or time, and one way we can recognize the season of the coming of the Lord is it will be like the days of Noah. There are two key aspects of Noah that are mentioned and apply to our understanding of the End Times.
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recognize the season in which He will return. A season is a general time frame, not an exact day or time, and one way we can recognize the season of the coming of the Lord is it will be like the days of Noah. There are two key aspects of Noah that are mentioned and apply to our understanding of the End Times. 1.There are two sets of people that exist in the End Times; those who know and are aware of the importance of the season, and those who are completely unaware. Noah was very conscious of the season of Gods moving in the earth. He had insight and knowledge into Gods purpose, just as we are meant to be aware of the season of time we are now living in. God does not want us ignorant and He expects us to know. The contrast of knowing the time and season vs. the actual day and hour is repeated by Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians. 1 Thess 5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (NKJV) Paul speaks of two sets of people just as Jesus did in Noahs day. The first set is taken completely by surprise at the coming of the Lord. They live in a place of spiritual ignorance and darkness, and the coming of the Lord overtakes them like a thief in the night. The allegory of a thief in the night indicates that the coming of the Lord will take people completely off guard and be a total shock. After all, a thief does not phone you up and declare I will be there to rob your house at 3 a.m., otherwise you would be prepared and vigilant. But then he makes a clear contrast that differentiates between those who are aware and those who are ignorant: But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief (1 Thess 5:4). It is plainly stated the coming of the Lord will not shock us or catch us unaware and unprepared because we know the time and seasons. We are sons of light and of the day, we have illumination even when the earth is in great darkness. 2.Knowing the time and season empowers us to engage in correct building activity. The second key aspect revealed through Noah is that knowledge of Gods purpose and discernment of the season empowered him to engage in powerful building initiatives. On the other hand people who didnt know were eating, drinking and marrying right up to the day Noah entered the ark and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away (Mt 24:37). Those who were unaware engaged in activity that was not relevant to the times.

As it Was in the Days of Noah

Noah represents a powerful prophetic and apostolic people living on the earth at the time of the End. He heard
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God with precision and clarity regarding the dimensions of the boat to be built. Noah operated in a powerful prophetic spirit that was not blessing oriented but building focused. He received one word from God which sustained him for 120 years he certainly didnt run from one prophetic seminar to another to get more words, nor was the content of the word frivolous and light. It was filled with sobriety and warning and it placed on Noah massive responsibility. When Noah heard God he moved with holy fear (Heb 11:7) to build the ark; the prophetic was filled with weight and it had the power to reconfigure Noah into a powerful builder of Gods purposes and a measuring rod of Gods timetable in the earth. The prophetic was tied to obedience; Noah didnt just rejoice and celebrate the fact that God talked, he put great emphasis on obeying and bringing to fulfillment what God spoke.

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Noah also represents the release of an apostolic building reality; he is a picture of an apostolic people who have received a command from God to build and they have diligently labored in the power of that command. Building accurately for God over a long period of time, and faithfully executing Gods instructions to a point of completeness, allows God to act. It was Noahs obedience to build that determined Gods time table for judging the earth, for God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built (1 Pet 3:20). He was aware that his efforts as a mortal man in obedience to a Divine command had ramifications for the entire earth. That wasnt arrogance or presumption; it was accepting the responsibility of walking in heightened levels of partnership with God.

Dont Sleep; Watch and Be Sober

Paul said that since we know the season of the Lords return that we should not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober (1 Thess 5:6). We are commanded to watch and be sober. The word watch is gregoreo, it means to keep awake and not be sluggish or dulled by the need to sleep. The word is used twice in the description Jesus gave for his Second Coming: Mark 13:35 "Therefore keep watch (gregoreo) because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"(gregoreo) Watching is contrasted with sleeping. Sleep here is not referring to physical rest but to spiritual dullness and lethargy; it is to be unconscious of the Lords times and seasons. What does sleep mean to us? To be asleep is to be living in 2012 with crisis breaking out on every side and, rather than recognize the sings of the times simply hoping that the economy gets fixed or that life returns to normal. To be asleep is an inability to discern the importance of building initiatives to Gods end time purposes, and to therefore engage in activity that is not relevant to the season in which we live. To be asleep is to become lax in keeping our responsibilities as stewards in the house because the Master has not yet returned Sleep is a lack of proper sobriety and seriousness regarding the End of the age. It is to let the passing of time and events serve as intoxicants that dull our discernment. In contrast being watchful is to be very aware of events that are occurring, and to understand the meaning of things in terms of Gods purpose. Being fully aware of the season of the Lords return is a Biblically approved last days attitude; it is filled with hope and expectancy, discernment and sobriety.
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Application to this Prophetic Word

This series of newsletters is about The Anatomy of a Nation in Decline, and this Reference Point indicates that it is impossible to separate what is happening in America from the events that are unfolding that are ordained of God to take us to the end of time. Life is devolving in the U.S. and the events that are taking place are not just national in scope. What is happening in this nation is in the context of the End of the Age massive movements have taken place to bring the earth to its present point and life in America is bound by those broad, macro movements. Just as it was in Noahs time, there is no reverse gear that will cause things to back up or revert to a previous order of life. The ark was being built and when it was completed rain would fall and the earth would be flooded by Gods decree. Gods mind had been made up, He found a man to partner with Him and He began to move things towards a place of finalization. Likewise, things are progressing relentlessly forward toward ultimate outcomes in our time. By that I mean: a) society is continuing to devolve and become more ungodly, more immoral and more worthy of impending judgment b) conditions in the nations are becoming more chaotic and rulers have fewer solutions and less wisdom to the perplexing problems of the earth c) the problems facing the United States will not go away or be fixed there is no political solution because the core of the problem is not political. To understand what is happening in this nation requires that we see how events in America are tied not only to global realities, but to Gods end time purposes. The focus for us as believers, then, must be targeted on being part of the Noah dimension that is acutely aware of Gods end time purpose and actively building so that we can be part of the tool God utilizes to bring to pass His ultimate purpose. We must be good stewards who are awake and keeping watch when the master returns to His house. We are in a state of readiness and we watch and pray!

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2012 SCOTT WEBSTER MINISTRIES.

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Reference Points
In order to correctly understand this prophetic analysis we first must deal with the context of our knowledge about key principles and platforms. I am calling these Reference Points, and to benefit from this prophetic word they must be understood, accepted and referred back to while reading. Though we are focusing on U.S. specifically, a series of crises has been released upon the earth and all nations will be impacted God is above the crises and they have not taken Him by surprise. He is superintending the events of the earth and even the crises have a part to play in Gods unfolding plan for the earth.

1. Crisis is Global

2. God is Sovereign

3. We are Living in the The dealings of God in the earth (and the U.S.) are part of end time movements and realities End Times
Therefore behind the natural decline that we can see there is a spiritual source. It manifests as political, economic and social but the source of it is unseen. What is pushing the earth is not natural and it cannot be perceived by earths intelligence Gods judgments are redemptive, and the heart of this isn't anger or an anti-American stance, it is Gods desire to move us towards correctness This is not a call to repentance so that God will change the course of a nation, it is a call for us to be spiritually aware so that we can prepare and move into heightened levels of partnership with Gods end time purposes.

4. Behind Nations is a Spiritual Reality

5. Gods Heart is Redemptive

6. This is a Call to Awareness

Releasing The New Prophetic Dimension Activating The Capacity To Build Obeying The Command To Finish

2012 SCOTT WEBSTER MINISTRIES.

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