Greetings MOL Family!

Welcome back to our country living series! In today’s class, let’s understand more about how to become survivors…

Your Redemption Draweth Nigh

Turn to Luke the 21st chapter. This is another of the great survival chapters of the Bible. Jesus was seated with His disciples on the Mt. of Olives. Luke tells some of the things that Matthew didn’t write down. We’ll notice in this chapter some very interesting predictions of the Savior; and also some warnings, and watch for the Savior’s direction to those who wish to survive.

Before we read, I would just like to have you briefly survey the future; some of the things that you and I are going to have to pass through. We are already seeing more and more calamities by land and sea, these will increase: Earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, tidal waves, famines, diseases of various kinds, terrible epidemics [and pandemics] that will sweep away millions of people. Violence has increased at a terrible rate the last few years. It will increase still more. Mobs will riot…

You and I are to go through all these experiences; and we’re to go through the 7 last plagues. While there are some features of these that we will be spared from, nevertheless we will be surrounded with the devastation and death pictured in Revelation 16.

Despite all these calamities and diseases and violence that we will be surrounded with, the Remnant church will be the mark of the special wrath of satan, and the object of persecution. Oppressive laws will be passed in this nation, and in all parts of the world. A boycott will be enforced against those that keep the true Sabbath. Commandment keepers will eventually be put into prison. Some will flee for their lives. But whether in prison cells or in lonely mountain hideouts, the remnant will go through some terrible times.

Then finally, as earth’s last battle breaks, and the whole world is deluged with blood, the Remnant church will see the blessed Savior coming in the clouds of Heaven, to rescue His waiting people. It shall be said in that day, “Lo this is our God. We have waited for Him.” — And oh, what a waiting it will have been, my friends. What a patient endurance through these calamities, through the violence, through the plagues, through the persecution, through the anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble. Yes, survivors, through these experiences, will need to have the benefit of all the help that Heaven has provided.

Now, in Luke 21, you notice in the 7th verse, they ask Jesus about the sign of His coming, and in the 9th verse, He spoke of wars and commotions. The 10th verse: nation shall rise against nation. The 11th verse: Great earthquakes shall be in diverse places; and famine, and pestilences, and fearful sights, and great signs shall there be from the heavens. Then in the 25th verse:

… there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. – Luke 21:25-27

Matthew says that Jesus at that time pictured all the tribes of the earth mourning as they see Jesus coming. You remember from last our last study we read from Revelation 6 that they’re all going to cry for the rocks and mountain.

But now, in the midst of all these conditions, God is going to have a people who, instead of being terrified by what’s around them, will be inspired by what’s above them. Notice the 28th verse:

… when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. – Luke 21:28

We need not be terrified. We need not be filled with fear. You and I can be survivors. Let us read the special words of verse 34-36. These are the verses we want especially to study.

And take heed to yourselves, [you my disciples, you my church, you my people that live through these times of calamity, and world fear and anguish, and perplexity and distress, take heed to yourselves] lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. – Luke 21:34-35

That word translated ‘snare’ there has in it the thought of a trap that suddenly snaps down on the animal that has gotten involved in it. A terrible trap has been set by the devil for the people of this world. The only survivors will be the remnant who listen to the warning of Jesus.

The 36th verse:

Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. – Luke 21:36

These are the survivors, they escape when all the world goes down. They go through instead of going under. What is the program? There is a spiritual program here. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always.” Even to escape physically, we must have a spiritual experience.

If You Want To Become A Survivor

The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them. – Psalm 34:7

The 91st Psalm which is indeed the Psalm of survival is written for those who abide in the secret place of The Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty. I want to study that with you more especially in a future lesson…

But note, my dear friends, in the words that Jesus has given us here, that there is not only a warning concerning our spiritual experience, but concerning our physical experience. That’s what I want to study with you especially – physical survival. The program that God has given His people to get through the diseases, the plagues, the violence, the distress that is surrounding us now; and these things will increase more and more. God’s program for the whole man includes the whole man. Our whole body and soul and spirit are to be preserved blameless to His coming. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

So notice in this 34th verse, as Jesus puts His finger on a program that can make us survivors:

…take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares… – Luke 21:34

It’s coming as a snare, a trap on the whole world. They’re going to go down. But you don’t need to be taken by surprise. You can be ready instead of being caught off guard. You can survive instead of going down. But there are three things He says you’ll have to watch.

The first is surfeiting. That’s eating too much rich food. The carousing, gormandizing, gluttony of this last generation can have no place in the life of the one who intends to be a survivor. Presently, I’ll show you several reasons for that. Just now, note Jesus says be careful, watch that point. I other words have a simple diet, and don’t eat too much if you want to survive.

The second is drunkenness. What is drunkenness? Well, if people drink wine, whiskey, rum, gin, or any of these other alcoholic beverages they get drunk. Why? Because the alcohol in those beverages does something to the brain, it works especially on the forebrain, putting to sleep the centers that have to do with conscience, and reason, and judgment.

The great enemy has not confined himself to alcohol in order to make men drunk. May I tell you, friends? — Any drug poison which changes the thinking in the forebrain may be for you just as dangerous if you want to be a survivor. That thing may be just as dangerous for you as any drink of whiskey or a bottle of wine. And the amazing thing is that there are thousands of people who wouldn’t think of taking a drink of whiskey who everyday are putting into their stomachs, or getting it into their bloodstream in some other way, some drug poison which interferes with the thinking here in the forebrain.

Ah, but someone says, I don’t know what I’d do if it weren’t for this thing or that thing, or the other thing I take. That’s exactly what the whiskey slave says. He doesn’t know what he’d do if he didn’t have his bottle. He gets so worried, so anxious, so bothered, do defeated if he didn’t have his bottle to turn to for solace. He doesn’t know what he’d do. Well, more of that perhaps in another lesson. Just be thinking about it friends.

My point is, Jesus puts His finger on one of the greatest snares of the devil in this closing hour — drunkenness. In other words, affecting the forebrain, this front part of the brain by poison; be it alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or a thousand others that are flooding the bloodstreams of people today. They’re not all drunk out of a cup, they’re not all smoke in a pipe or in a cigarette. Some of them may be taken innocently or should I say ignorantly. Some of them may be taken with the ideal that, “Oh, here is some wonderful thing that will make me feel better”. A glass of whiskey makes a lot of people feel better. Jesus says take heed to yourselves lest at anytime your heart be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. Any poison that will change the thinking of these brain cells so the conscience sleeps, that is dangerous for the one who want to go through this time of snares and perils.

Do you know something friends, many of these drugs that I’m speaking of or at least referring to, the airplane companies won’t allow a man who is taking them to pilot an airplane. Did you know that? Why? He has an important job. His decision must be made by a brain that’s alert. Isn’t it strange that the airplane pilot needs more brains than you and I need? Personally, the decisions that I have to face every day are more important than the decisions that that pilot in the airplane has to make. My soul is at stake. I need every brain cell I have working, at the highest degree of efficiency, what about you?

Oh, that God would keep us from putting into our bodies, through any channel, that which weakens the ability to discern between right and wrong; to discern between that which we should do and that which we shouldn’t do.

Take heed to yourselves…

Until next week – Invite a friend, and we’ll see you then… 

-Continue on to the next study-

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If you want to become a survivor, you must learn how to become a survivor… In order to gain this knowledge, we must come to Jesus – “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Enter promo code COME, to receive 50% off our “How to Live” series (offer expires 4/7/2020) >> Order Now

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* This study has been adapted from classes taken by Elder W.D. Frazee.