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TO CHEW ON: “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.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3
Since I’ve had kids this verse always amuses me a little. For on which pregnant woman do the pains of labor come by total surprise? In fact, when I was pregnant, from about 7+ months along, I became hyper-vigilant about every twinge I felt in my body (Is this labor?).
Of course the likelihood of labor starting on any particular day rises with the pregnancy’s progression. I became ever more conscious, as that baby grew within me, as I got heavier and more ungainly, as that baby moved and kicked and turned around, that a day of labor was coming, sooner rather than later.
Extending the pregnancy metaphor, we can identify some signs of earth’s progressing pregnancy, moving toward the day of Jesus’ return. Here are several:
- Nation rising against nation - Matthew 24:7.
- Many false prophets - Matthew 24:24.
- Moral rottenness - 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
- Famines - Matthew 24:7.
- Epidemics - Matthew 24:7.
- Earthquakes - Matthew 24:7.
- Fearful natural phenomena - Luke 21:25,26.
Is Earth feeling twinges of labor pains? I believe it is.
That last sentence of our focus verse: “And they shall not escape” also fits well with the picture of pregnancy. For once you get pregnant, you know that the day of labor and delivery is inevitable.
In the same way, a pregnant woman’s body works toward delivery, I believe Earth’s history is working toward Christ’s return. It is inevitable. Let’s not be found napping or caught by surprise!
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to live vigilant and aware of how natural phenomena and societal changes point toward Your inevitable and, I believe, soon return. Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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