ARTICLES FROM THE PERSUADER
VOLUME 1 (1987-1993)

 

CONSIDER THE LATTER END

 

"For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.  O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"  Deuteronomy 32:28-29 

       The Lord stated in these verses a desire of His heart, that Israel would consider the latter end.  "Consider" means to separate mentally, to discern, or to understand.  Isaiah 1:3 makes a sad statement, "My people doth not consider".  Jeremiah 30:24 states that in the latter days they would consider but then it would be too late.  The time to consider is now before it is too late.  But as we look at the Bible we see many who failed to consider the latter end.

       In Genesis 25, Esau failed to consider the value of his birthright when he came home from a hunting trip famished.  He considered only his stomach as he smelled Jacob's cooking and sold his birthright for one morsel of meat. (Heb. 12:16)

       Samson failed to consider the latter end as he fulfilled his fleshly desires on harlots.  When he laid his head in Delilah's lap and revealed the secret of his strength, he didn't think about his eyes being put out and having to grind in the prison house while the Philistines made sport of him.  He didn't foresee the kind of death he would die when he pushed down the pillars of the temple of the idol god, Dagon.

       King Ahab didn't consider that he would die the death he died when he allowed his wife Jezebel to have Naboth killed so he could possess his vineyard.

       Hezekiah did not consider the latter end when he showed the son of the king of Babylon all that was in his house, in his treasures, his armor, and all in his dominion without asking God's will in the matter.  Then when he was told what would happen to his descendants, look at the attitude he took in Isaiah 39:6-8.  "Behold the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.  And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.  Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken.  He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days."  He did not care about his descendants but just wanted "peace and truth in my days".

       Many in the Bible did not consider but not all.  Abraham left the good conditions of Ur of the Chaldees to live in a goat hair tent.  "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Heb. 11:10)  Moses left the palace of Pharaoh, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." (Heb. 11:25-26)  Paul counted his pedigree in the Jewish heritage "as dung that he might be saved". (Phil. 3:4-8)  These men considered the latter end.

       What was the difference between those who considered and those who did not?  Those who did not consider were blind to spiritual things.  What blinds a person?  Satan and sin.  "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (II Cor. 4:3-4)  The god of this world is Satan.

       Sin comes in many forms.  Hezekiah was lifted up with pride after the Lord added fifteen years to his life and as a result he became more concerned about himself than his children or God.  He was blinded by pride!

       Samson's sin was "pleasure seeking".  Luke 8:14 states, "the pleasures of this life choke out the word so that it brings no fruit to perfection."

       Another sin which blinds is failure to grow in the faith.  "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." (II Peter 1:5-9)  Blinded to the extent one can not take the long look and consider the latter end.

       This truth not only applies to Israel and men in the OT times but it applies to America and men today.  Man says, "Money answereth all things." (Eccl. 10:19)  But God says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (I Tim. 6:10)  Yet money is what dictates what we do.  Think about it.  Mothers go to work and leave their children with someone else to baby sit so they can make money to have more luxuries in life.  They fail to consider the latter end and as a result, their children grow up with many emotional problems due to their missing out on their mother's closeness and love.  Also, their children do not learn how to love their offspring and the situation gets worse with each generation, all because mother did not consider the later end.

       Parents send their children off to a government school which teaches evolution and premarital sex.  Our government school (not public schools because the public doesn't have much to say about what they do or teach) system is corrupt and a result of a conspiracy to control the minds of a generation so communism can take over America.  Communism is not dead!  I'm talking about the system of government schools being corrupt.  This does not mean that all the teachers involved are corrupt.  Thank God for good teachers but the system is corrupt and cannot teach children how to live and see life from God's point of view.  Oh, they may teach them how to make a living but not how to live.  You may ask, "What is the difference?"  If one learns how to live, they will have character, know about the things of God, have a home secured in heaven where they will live forever, and they will be able to make a living as they pass through this world.  It is sad to say, but most parents do not consider the latter end.  They spend more time training their children how to brush their teeth than they do teaching them the things of God.  When their teeth have decayed and fallen out, they will still have a soul that will spend an eternity in heaven or hell.

       When a job offer comes for transfer, most people consider the money and do not consider whether they have a church to attend or what their children will have to encounter in the new location.  Money!  Money!  Money!  The devil has really got us blinded.

       We just had an election for the President of the United States.  Did you notice what was the main issue discussed?  Economy.  Money!  What about the issue of abortion, which is murder and against God's Word?  What about homosexuality which is not a lifestyle but sin?  What about family values?  What about prayer in schools?  What about God?  None of these things were an issue to the majority of Americans.  They just wanted our economy to be better so they can have it easier.  Money!  They did not consider the latter end.  They did not consider what chance their children would have to live a God honoring life or whether they would be able to raise their children in a free America?  No, they did not consider the latter end.  Instead they cast their vote for a man that immediately said he would lift the ban on homosexuals, give more freedom to women to choose to have an abortion, and appoint liberal judges to the Supreme Court.  This is just a list of a few things mentioned.  These things leave God out of the picture.  Yet many will get mad when they read this because they do not consider the latter end.  Sounds like Hezekiah in Isa. 39:8, "There shall be peace and truth in my days," not considering what will happen to their children.

       The children of Israel did not consider the latter end at Kadesh-Barnea when they did not obey God and enter Canaan.  As a result all that were twenty years old and up, died.  They lost what they could have had but got what they ask.  But Joshua and Caleb, a remnant, got to go in later but suffered for 38 years as a result of the nation's choice.

       Thank God there is a remnant (I want to be a part of it) that will consider the latter end and be willing to pay a price that our children may have a chance to serve God in freedom.  But that remnant will suffer because of the choice the majority has made.  America can not go on killing babies and putting their approval on homosexual lifestyle without the judgment of God upon her.

       I believe God is looking at America like He did at Israel in Deut. 32:29, "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"  Will you consider the latter end today as you make choices and decisions or will you consider after it is too late?

       "O that America would consider their latter end!"

 

THE PERSUADER - Dec. 1992-Jan. 1993