War Club Tells the Good Story 13
13
SIGNS OF THE END OF THE AGE
1As they were walking away from the sacred lodge, one of his followers said to him, “Look, Wisdomkeeper, these buildings are made from such handsomely carved logs and great stones!”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) stopped walking, and as he looked around at all the buildings of the sacred ceremonial lodge, a look of sadness came over his face.
2“Do you see all these great buildings?” he replied. “They will all fall to the ground! Not one log or stone will be left standing against another.”
3 Later that day Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was sitting on Olive Mountain across from the sacred lodge.
From there he could look across the valley and see Village of Peace (Jerusalem) and the sacred lodge.
While he was there, four of his followers—Stands on the Rock (Peter), He Takes Over (James), He Shows Goodwill (John), and Stands with Courage (Andrew)—came to him in private.
4“Tell us when these things will happen,” they said with worried looks on their faces. “What sign should we be looking for?”
STAY ON THE LOOKOUT!
5“Stay alert or you may be led down a false path!” he told them. 6“Many will come representing me. ‘I am the Chosen One,’ they will claim, and many will listen to their lies.
THE SIGN OF WARFARE
7“When you hear of wars and stories of war breaking out, do not fear, for all of this must happen before the end will come. 8There will be tribal wars, and nations will make war against other nations. Food will be scarce, and the earth will shake in many places—but this is only the beginning of the time of sorrow, like a woman feeling the pains of birth.
THE SIGN OF TRIBAL BETRAYAL
9“You must stay ready and alert! Your own people will turn you over to the local tribal councils and beat you in their gathering houses. Because you are representing me, you will be brought before the governors and rulers of the People of Iron (Romans). You will then tell them about Creator’s good road, 10for before the end comes, the good story must first be told to all nations. 11So when they put you on trial, do not worry ahead of time about what you will say. Speak what is given you at the time, for the Holy Spirit himself will give you the words to speak.
THE SIGN OF FAMILY BETRAYAL
12“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against their parents and have them killed. 13And because you represent me, all will look down on you and hate you, but the ones who stand strong to the end will be set free and made whole.
THE SIGN OF THE COMING DESTRUCTION
14“When you see the ‘horrible thing that brings destruction’ making its stand where it does not belong—the reader will know what this means#13:14 Matthew 24:15; Luke 21:20—the ones who live in the Land of Promise (Judea) should escape to the mountains. 15The ones who are on their rooftop should not even go back into the house to take anything. 16The ones working in the field should not go back to get their outer garments. 17It will be a time of pain and sorrow for the women who are with child and the ones nursing their babies, 18so pray that it will not happen in the winter. 19A worse time of suffering and sorrow has not been seen since the Great Spirit created the world—and never will be seen again. 20If those days were permitted to reach the end of the trail, then no one would survive, but, because of Creator’s Chosen Ones, those days will be cut short.
FALSE CHOSEN ONES AND PROPHETS
21“So, if in those days anyone would say to you, ‘Look, the Chosen One is over here,’ or ‘Look, he is over there,’ pay no attention. 22For false Chosen Ones will rise up, and false prophets will appear. They will provide great signs and omens to mislead, if possible, even Creator’s Chosen Ones.
23“I have told you all of this ahead of time, so stay on the lookout and be ready!
SIGNS IN THE WORLD ABOVE
24“Then, right after that time of trouble and sorrow, ‘the sun will no longer shine, the moon will go dark, 25the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the spirit-world above will tremble.’#13:25 Isaiah 13:10
SIGN OF THE TRUE HUMAN BEING
26“This is when they will see the True Human Being, coming with power, riding the clouds, and shining like the sun! 27He will then send out his messengers to gather his Chosen Ones from the winds of the four directions—from the spirit-world above to the earth below.
A WISE STORY ABOUT THE FIG TREE
28“Listen to this wise story and learn the lesson of the fig tree: when its branches get soft and leaves appear, you know that summer will soon be here. 29In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is near—almost upon you. 30I speak from my heart! All of this will happen in this generation. 31You can be sure of what I am saying—for the earth and sky will fade away, but my words will not!
32“But no one knows the day or hour when these things will take place—not the spirit-messengers from the spirit-world above, not even Creator’s own Son—only the Father knows.
ALWAYS BE READY
33“So keep both eyes open and be ready at all times, for no one knows when this time will come. 34Be ready, like a chief who goes away on a long journey. He appoints the young men to watch over the village while he is gone, giving each of them responsibilities. Then he sets his warriors to guard the village gate. 35They must stay awake and be ready, doing what he says, for they do not know when the chief will return. It may be when the sun is setting, or late into the night, or when the rooster crows early in the morning. 36When the chief comes, he better not find them sleeping!
37“I am telling all of you the same thing. So be ready and stay alert!”
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