Listen for the Trumpet!

Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

When I was less than half my current age I rushed my wife to the hospital for the birth of our first child. I was a confident twenty-six year old and believed I could face anything life dished out and stand strong. Then came the birth pains!

When we arrived at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee on August 19, 1972 it was very early in the morning. A nurse brought a wheel chair and took Linda to a room while I signed in. It only took a few minutes to complete the registration and then I was told where to find her. As I walked down the hall toward the room I heard a woman screaming. I immediately thought, “Poor woman, someone should help her.” Then I got to the door where they said Linda was waiting and I stopped as I realized that the screaming was coming out of the room where they had taken my wife! Labor had set in with the pain for which it is famous.

Over the past thirty seven years since that day I have not talked about my feelings about her pain very much because who was I to feel bad, my wife was the one in pain! But I did feel bad, very bad. I believe I would have done almost anything to stop her pain. I had been full of anticipation for a new baby, but the pain caused me to focus on the labor and how to stop the pain. I frankly, didn’t think much about the baby at that point.

Before the Lord returns there will be a time which He compared to labor pains. Jesus described that time in Matthew 24. The Bible says it will be a terrible time. No matter how confident you are as a believer when the “birth pains” set in it will be very hard on you and everyone else. You will be tempted to forget about the joy that is coming and focus on how to relieve the pain of the moment.

If I had known nothing about a baby being on the way then birth pains would certainly have convinced me that my wife was dying. For those who know nothing about the coming of Jesus Christ and the Glories that will follow His return the birth pains will seem like the END OF ALL THINGS!

Now, more than ever look at what His promises say. Now, more than ever think about the Glories that will follow His return.

When you hear the baby’s first cry the birth pains begin to fade into a distant memory. When you hear the trumpet sound the birth pains will fade into a distant memory.

As the pain increases listen for the trumpet!