The BIG Shutdown
Any time that a factory, or refinery, or mass transportation facility, or banking system, or even a major retail store shuts down, the lives of a certain number of people will be affected. When the government of a powerful nation is shut down, it may not only affect the lives of the citizens of that nation, it may even affect the whole world’s economic system. But nothing can compare with the shutdown that is surely yet to come. The course has been set. The shutdown is imminent, and there is no way to prevent its happening. And its effect will be felt by all humanity. For centuries, men have been warned of the event and only a limited number have taken heed and made preparation.
It is not a matter of merely shutting down a business or even a national government but shutting down the whole world. It all transpires when Christ comes again in the clouds (Revelation 1:7), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52), in an hour when He is not expected (Matthew 24:44), with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Every eye will see Him (Revelation. 1:7). All the dead will rise (John 5:28-29). The faithful who are raised from the dead and the righteous living will all be given incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52-54). Together they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and be dissolved, being on fire (2 Peter 3:10-12). The elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
All material things down here will pass from existence, but we will not. Man was created in the image of God and has an eternal future existence from the time that he enters into life. After our separation from this world, we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10), and each one will be rewarded according to his works (Matthew 16:27). The righteous will enter life eternal; the unsaved will enter eternal hell (Matthew 25:41, 46; John 5:28-29; Romans 2:5-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).
The coming of the Lord is actually an event that true Christians can look forward to with joy. For the saints it will mean the end of all temptations, all trials, all sorrows and sufferings, and all the unpleasantness of the world here below. But for all who have scoffed at the things of the Lord or through unbelief or negligence have failed to obey the gospel, it will be a day of unspeakable horror and doom.
Realize that God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But God loved us so much that He sent Christ to die for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3) and redeem us from condemnation and save our souls from hell. But we must believe in Him (John 3:16, 36; 8:24), repent of our sins (Luke 13:3, 5), confess our faith in Him (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:37), and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38) , and then be faithful (Revelation 2:10). The great shutdown of this world is coming. Be ready.