Now as to the periods and times, brothers, and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” Then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness. So that the day would overtake you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness. 6 So then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing. I Thessalonians 5: (NASB)
Labor Pains Intensify With Time
It was six weeks before I was due and my third child, as I awakened with labor pains. I groaned deep within, mumbling and wondering. Could I tolerate the pain? After all it might last all day. My mother was suddenly in a position where she would be driving me 50 miles to a higher risk hospital in Southeast Missouri. (She had never driven on the interstate before this and had little experience.)
At the same time, my husband was still in El Paso, TX preparing to move our things. All planned, he would arrive before the baby. Or so we thought. As we headed toward the hospital, my labor pains worsened both in frequency and intensity. I breathed with 4 pants and one blowing exhale, as I had trained other mothers to do. Still the pain was intense and came every 3 minutes. The labor pains worsened, my world groans in fear, and I wonder if I can tolerate the wait. I also wondered if all would be ok? Would my baby be safe?
I sighed with worry, concern, and even a little fear. It was too soon, although Melissa had done fine seven weeks early and Berto four weeks before his due date. Meanwhile my mother is driving faster each time she hears me panting. I arrived barely in time, delivering my son within 1 hour of arrival to the hospital. Seeing him was worth every moment of pain I had endured.
And the Labor Pains of Life
I believe we one day we will say the same when we finally see Jesus. He told us He would return and that we would rejoice. There are days when I find I breathe with pants and deep sighs as I see the trials, pain, and sorrows around me. Furthermore, He taught us that the world would get worse. The trials would intensify and worsen until that day when He would return for us. After He returns for us, the true labor pains for this world will further intensify throughout the tribulation. For now we see the world preparing for this. Pains, groaning, fears, tremors and stress surround us in this world now. But this is the earth groaning in fear, needing the Savior. The earth itself groans beneath the weight of it all.
JESUS SPEAKS WITH PROPHETIC WORDS
Just shortly after Christ’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, His disciples come to Him while sitting on the Mount of Olives to ask Him when He will set up His Kingdom. They believe it is imminent. Despite His telling them that He must first die, they believed He would very swiftly set up His Kingdom. The Old Testament Prophets told them about The Messiah coming. Even though there were many prophecies that Jesus would take upon Himself all of God’s wrath against sin for us and that He would die—particularly in Isaiah and in Daniel, people only wanted to hear about His Kingdom coming. They knew that would be trials and desecration of the temple. So, it was with these thoughts and having lived with so many trials from the possession of Israel by other nations, they became very excited as they heard Jesus say.
Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24 (NASB)
LABOR PAINS BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. 6 And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24 (NASB).
You say, but this is already happening. Yes, it is. But no where nearly as bad as when the true labor pains begin after the rapture. All that is going on now is the world marching headlong toward that day. As you look around, it is obvious that everything is moving rapidly toward all the things we never before even could understand. We now have news capable of being broadcast throughout the world instantaneously. AI is moving forward. Evil is increasing, spreading, and growing; while humans believe themselves righteous. Spirituality overtakes true faith. Truth is called lies and lies are called truth.
The True Labor Pains Begin When the Restrainer is Removed
Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2.
Now we ask you, brothers, and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed.
The restraining force is the Holy Spirit which indwells every believer. When the Spirit is withdrawn, evil will flourish and abound to a level we cannot now even imagine. So, until we are removed, the Anti-Christ will not be revealed. The first three and one-half years will be severe birth pains; but nothing to compare to the last 3 and one-half years.
There will be many saved during that time; but they will have to endure to the end. Their faith will be their earthly destruction.
Matthew 24:
9 “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
In this Jesus is referring to those saved during the tribulation. Even though this is happening now and has since the beginning church, it will intensify during the tribulation and most will have to sacrifice their life to be a believer of Christ.
True Labor Pains begin when the Lawless one is Revealed.
8 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2 (NASB)
So, what are we to do now?
Stand Firm Despite the Labor Pains
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers, and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2 (NASB).
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Previous
DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com