Man from Space, Part 3
Many years ago in ancient Babylon there was a very reckless king named Belshazzar. The whole world was at his feet. He was world famous. He had prestige and honor. He was a man of renown. One day he called in a thousand of his high government officials and said, “Let’s have a feast.” He felt so secure, he wanted to have a feast to boast, if you please, of his great achievements. And so they gathered together, and in defiance of God they drank from the golden vessels that they had stolen from God’s Temple in Jerusalem. Things were riding high. Everything was wonderful, so they thought. They were so optimistic. After all, it seemed that they were forever secure in that great city that had been made into a fortress. My friends, the walls of that great city were 200 feet high and 75 feet wide. Chariots could race along the top of the walls of Babylon. There was food— enough food stored up to last a million people 10 to 20 years. They had an unlimited water supply. They had a great army and they felt forever safe. Who could breach those tremendous walls! At the feast they were very relaxed. Who could ever touch them! But they had forgotten, as too many people today have forgotten, that there is a God in heaven who rules over all. Suddenly, right in the midst of their revelry, the bloodless hand of God came from nowhere apparently and began to write on the wall. Letters of fire were traced there and these were the words. “MENI, MENI TEKEL UPHARSIN.” Translated, it means, “Thou are weighed in the balances and found wanting.” Or, as we would say today, “You have failed; this is the end.” And that very night the glory of Babylon disappeared, crumbled away; an enemy came in and took over the kingdom. Now today, you and I are witnessing the latest attempt of man to journey into space entirely on his own, forgetting all about God, His interest, and His domain. Could it be that these flaming satellites in the sky, instead of honoring the men who invented them— could it be that they’re the handwriting of God in the sky; a solemn warning to men and women and to nations all over the world to wake up, that their cup of iniquity is almost full? Many scientists have thought this thing through very reverently, realizing that they’re tampering with something that belongs to a higher being. And many scientists reverently believe today that if the Christian would really tune his ears and heart, instead of hearing the beep, beep, beep of the satellite, he would hear an entirely different message, “MENI, MENI TEKEL UPHARSIN”—Thou are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Friend of mine, today on the authority of the Bible, our God is about to intervene. He is coming very soon. The signs of the Scriptures have almost all been fulfilled— about 97 or 98 per cent of the Bible has been completely fulfilled before our very eyes. I read something graphic here in Luke 21:25-28: “And 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. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” I want to repeat that, friends. On the authority of the Word of God, “When these things begin to come to pass, look up for your redemption draweth nigh.” Jesus is coming. That Man from outer space is about ready to appear; suddenly and soon heaven will break open. There seated on a cloud with millions and millions of an innumerable host of angels will be Jesus, the Son of God. That cloud will come nearer and nearer the earth until its glory and majesty will stretch from horizon to horizon. Nearer and nearer it will come until it hovers just above the earth and then it will stop. The wicked will cry out to the mountains and rocks, according to Revelation 6:16, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand.” The righteous will cry out too, according to Isaiah 25:9, but they’ll say something different. “Lo, this is our God we have waited for Him and He will save us.” And the Lord Himself will say, “Awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust. Awake and arise,” and the redeemed of God from all ages will come forth in the beauty of holiness, with bodies like that of Jesus, to be caught up into the clouds. The living saints will be changed and caught up into the cloud while the wicked are destroyed. Sin, death, sickness, tragedy, disappointment, heartache, all gone forever. We’ll have bodies like Jesus and a perfect future ahead for a perfect people. That great space ship will whisk out through space to the Kingdom of God and as the redeemed look down on this earth, it will get smaller and smaller as they move farther away. Try to picture in a very feeble way what a glorious journey it will be...
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