Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

…until that the fullness of the Gentiles might come in… [1]

WHAT THE WORLD AWAITS

These days it seems that everybody—believers, non-believers, even cynics—sense that some big thing is on the horizon. And not a good thing, whatever it might be. It seems we can smell the smoke of an imminent conflagration of some sort, though we can’t yet see the fire.

Conspiracy theories—and facts—reveal a plethora of possibilities.

One view suggests there are an elite few who’ve been crafting a cash crash in order to finish their planetary takeover by taxing and looting (if that’s not redundant).

Another points to AIs nearing the quantum leap to intelligence greater than man’s which will enable them to conquer by computation, as it were (as long as an EMP doesn’t fry the motherboard).

Still another view reveals plain old-fashioned man-made mayhem ginned up by whatever hyphen war will suffice: race-war, geopolitical-war, class-war, religious-war, gender-war, border-war, trade-war (or any combo thereof) in a seeming never-ending race to some kind of meltdown where mankind will be clamoring for a savior of its own making. And, guess what? Voila!–enter the Antichrist, One World Religion, and One World Government (or is it the New World Order and a Global Leader sponsoring a one-size-fits-all religion mandating his headship or your head?).

As we wait to see who and what will trigger the race to the bottom, Christians anticipate a very different kind of triggering event that will reveal what’s coming, conspiracy or not. Only this event, as noted in the scrap of Scripture atop and its context, will hardly garner the attention of anyone let alone conspiracy theorists, our “brilliant world elite,” or even the person who triggers it, if you will.

Simply put, prophecy points to that “last one to come aboard”.

WHAT GOD AWAITS?

Whatever interpretation one applies to the concept of the “fullness of the Gentiles” and when this is to occur, i.e., by what “mystery” Paul speaks of that most believe is the so-called Rapture of the Christians (pre-, mid-, or post-Trib—I favor pre) there is that one whose entrance into the Body of Christ will signal “now” and the (war) games on earth will begin. (For a biblical synopsis of so-called “end times prophecies” see [2]).

Perhaps it will be she, who, having lately come to “the age of reason,” will ask her mom, dad, or Sunday School teacher, “Who is Jesus?” and upon hearing the answer will say “yes, I want Him to come into my heart, too!”

Or maybe it will be some life-long church-go-er who, this very Sunday, for the first time ever comprehends the Spirit behind the sermon and prays that saving prayer of faith by grace.

Or perhaps even that one flying by on the cot in the back of the ambulance for whom you whisper quick intercession, or that student who will occupy the seat you are now praying over in that yet-to-be-filled classroom at the start of the term, or those on a distant spiritual “front line” you are supporting through your financial contributions.

Or maybe, reader, the last one to become part of the Body of Christ in this so-called Church Age will be the one you have been ministering to by prayer, word, and/or deed these many years (or few hours) in your home, neighborhood, or place of work…

Who knows?

Only God, at this point. As Jesus put it, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8, NASB).

(And, once again, the wisdom of God that appears as “foolishness” to man [and vice-versa] will rule the day, even the days to come, by some quiet yet trumpet-blast-loud, insignificant yet heralded-from-the-rooftops event.)

WHAT WE NEED NOT AWAIT!

However, in the meantime, brothers and sisters in Christ, besides the excitement (even amid the bad news) of “looking up” as His return draws nigh, we can also look around, knowing that the man, woman, or child who might be THE one to trigger the next chapter in the spiritual and temporal history of mankind could be, even now, looking up for his/her first time and, bolstered by the ministering of the Body of Christ, pondering THE choice…

Thinkest thou? I do!

And so, as never before, let me encourage us to be about our Father’s business today!

***

[1] …until that the fullness (pleroma: that which has or has been filled such as a ship with sailors, rowers, and soldiers) of the Gentiles (here referencing the Church) might come in… (Romans 11:25)…which will be the time God completes His promises to Israel .

For commentaries on the context of this verse, here are two places to start: http://biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/11-25.htm , and https://bible.org/article/israels-present-hardening-and-future-salvation-exegesis-romans-1125-32 .

There is some difference of opinion as to when the “fullness of the Gentiles” should occur, whether before the Tribulation or during it, but all agree that before God completes His promise to restore Israel and complete His promises to her, the so-called “Church Age,” or, age of the Gentile believers, will have come to completion, that is to say, its “number” will be full.

[2] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Signs-Of-The-End-Times/

http://www.crossroad.to/charts/end-times.htm

http://www.100prophecies.org/page9.htm

(There are, of course, numerous sites on this topic.)