THE SKY IS FALLING! By Rayola Kelley

Since my salvation in 1976, the continual theme through the initial years of my Christian walk was preparation. When I first became a Christian, the main call was to be prepared because Jesus could come at any time. I was teethed on the rapture and Jesus’ second coming. I don’t know how many times we read in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. In fact, according to one author Jesus was supposed to come in 1988. Even though the Bible tells us we do not know the exact time Jesus is coming, I remember the excitement of many Christians as they were ramping up for the great occasion, only to be let down with a big thud when it didn’t happen.

Perhaps you remember the big Y2 scare as people were rushing to close out bank accounts in order to be ready for the great crash of the computers that run the different systems of the world. It was true, there were some bank closures, but the big computer “crash” never happened. I can’t tell you how many times through the years I’ve heard that the complete crash of our economic system was supposed to happen in some October but hasn’t yet materialized. Don’t get me wrong, our current financial system will crash if it has not already occurred by the time you read this article because our money is not backed by anything of value and is controlled by despots that are pulling the strings in the various markets of the world to rob the people of every bit of the livelihood, dignity, and future they might have in this present environment.

I realize I have witnessed the consistent theme of Chicken Little, “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” It has caused many to run like Chicken Little in every direction trying to figure out how to miss the fallout of the sky falling. Each incident proves that, for the most part, people are sheep that can blindly follow even a wolf to their destruction. Every time we hear the rumbles of the financial or political realm collapsing, it is always followed with a type of panic. We are told to be ready with a large food and water supply while those who are trying to avoid panicking are trying to be realistic about what is happening around them in order to properly discern and prepare.

I have no problem with people trying to prepare for the “sky to fall,” but the question is can we really be ready for such event? The answer to this question depends on the direction from which you approach the subject. For instance, can we be ready when it comes to surviving the “sky falling” in the physical arena when it is unknown, to what extent it will occur, and just what will ultimately confront us such as weather phenomena, outages, foreign occupation, vaccine hoaxes, crises etc.? For those in America many are not necessarily fighting to physically survive but to maintain their idea of a lifestyle which they refuse to give up. Let me just say, due to the Covid hoax, many have lost any hope of maintaining their former lifestyle or hope for a certain lifestyle.

I understand the world reacting like a Chicken Little, but what about Christians? Should the bad news of the world cause them to be Chicken Littles running around in fear and confusion because the world they know could come crashing down on them any time, leaving them with the vanity, emptiness, ashes, and legacy of it? Such fear is worship, and confusion is a fruit that is not of God (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18). Jesus clearly warned us in John 16:33 that there would be much tribulation in the world, but do not fear; rather, be of good cheer for He has overcome the world. In 1 John 5:4 we are told that those who overcome the world are born again and have faith that, I might add, stands and does not give in to fear. I have to admit there is nowhere in Scripture where we are told to panic and run around like Chicken Little because the sky is falling.

As I look at the days we live in and remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The treasures of this present world are doomed to be destroyed in some way. No matter how much we try to preserve them as a means to save ourselves, there is something that can always take them away, whether it be a thief or the elements of this world which corrupts and destroys them, they can easily fall through our fingers like water.

The reality of the things of this world which we strive to hold onto is that in the end they can prove to be vanity, leaving us hollow and hopeless. This is why Jesus warns us of putting any kind of reliance and trust in this world. He tells us what we must be seeking on a daily basis in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

We have to ask ourselves, is the declaration “the sky is falling” is actually man’s calculation or is it the sign of the times we live in that needs to be properly discerned? We can’t really prepare for something unless we properly discern what is going on. Consider the religious people of Jesus day.

They could discern the face of the sky but not the days they were living in (Matthew 16:1-4). It’s not that it wasn’t obvious as to the temperature of the religious and political environments that were present, it was because people had their own take on what they thought would occur when the Messiah came. Since He was their true King, they were looking for a political revolution and not a spiritual reformation and revival.

The truth of the matter is that there are different types of preparation and each preparation brings with it a different type of expectation. Let me clearly state there is no preparation without some type of expectation. For example, you are expecting visitors so you probably spend time preparing for them. Only those who never expect anything never see any need to prepare for it. When it comes to expectation of Jesus’ coming it comes down to faith. Faith chooses to believe what the Word says about Jesus’ coming and heeds the instructions as to what it means to prepare for Him. The main requirement is that one has enough oil (Holy Spirit) to last through the darkness that will be engulfing the world (Matthew 25:1-13).

However, what happens if you prepare for the same visitors at different times and they never show up? You not only see no need to prepare for them because you don’t believe they ever will come, but now each time you hear they may be coming you scoff at it and continue on as usual. Consider all the warnings and calls for preparation for Jesus’ coming due to the terrible times of testing, events, and tribulation that have gone on, and continue to go on, through each generation that had their share of crises such as wars. All of these pending doomsday alarms that have been sounding in my generation about the end days and Jesus’ coming have, at best, numbed some people and at worst created many skeptics concerning Jesus’ coming. This is prophetic since we are told in that last day there will be scoffers saying, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

It is clear that like Jesus’ first advent, many will not expect Him to come in His second advent. I used to hear a lot of pastors warning and contending with the sheep over the prospect of Jesus’ coming. When did you last hear a powerful sermon on this subject? When have you heard the exhortation that as the Bible instructs, we must be watching in expectation, ready for His coming at any time, and praying that we will be found worthy to escape when He does come? (Matthew 24:42-44; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 21:34-36).

The first ingredient in preparation is expectation, but the second is what event are you preparing for? The event will determine how you will prepare. In Jesus’ first advent people were preparing for Him to come and take His rightful place as their king. They never imagined that their Messiah would first of all come as Savior and die for them. This brings me to the next question.

The people were not prepared for Jesus’ coming because their expectation concerning His coming was wrong. My question is what are people preparing for when it comes to Jesus’ second advent? They should be preparing to meet Him. In some cases, I see Christians who are not preparing for anything including meeting Him, because Jesus is going to come and snatch them away from tasting the trying testing of tribulation by sparing them of certain events. If they are not going to face a great testing, why do they seriously and soberly prepare for anything, and yet Jesus was clear when He asked if He would find enduring faith when He does come (Luke 18:8).

These people may be waiting, but not spiritually watching to be prepared to stand in any darkness that might enfold the world before He does come in order to be ready for Him. They are hoping, but not preparing for their faith to be refined in fiery ovens. They are getting by instead of constructively occupying until He comes. They are not preparing for the main event, Jesus’ coming, because they don’t perceive any need to do so. There is no urgency to stand against the darkness and no real preparation to see and face Him as one who will be their Judge. We know as believers that judgment will begin in the house of God. Jesus will judge what we did with Him, how we handled His Word, whether we adhered to our high calling and walked out the godly life by faith that manifests itself in obedience (Luke 18:8; 19:13; Romans 1:18; 1 Corinthians 3:12-17; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 1:5-9; 4:17).

I don’t know what events I will see and how these end day prophecies mentioned in Daniel and Revelation will all play out. I have learned that my conclusions are far from God’s wisdom and my interpretations and understanding are limited for I see through a glass darkly (Isaiah 55:8-9; 1 Corinthians 13:11-12). All I can tell you for sure is that everything that is in God’s Word will come to fruition. I don’t presume my conclusions about how everything is going to manifest itself are correct, but I’m not judging the present according to the events; rather, I’m looking forward to the blessed event of His coming. I’m preparing for the bridegroom coming for His Church, a chaste bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).

This brings me down to the actual preparation. It is not unusual to try to prepare for earthly events, but as believers, we must be prepared for spiritual events. Clearly, you will not prepare for the earthly the same way as you would for the spiritual. However, it seems even Christians are preparing for earthly events while not giving any real consideration that these events are leading up to the ultimate event of all: JESUS COMING. Godly wisdom would have us know that the key is to be ready at all times, both earthly and spiritually, is to be prepared spiritually to meet Jesus. To be spiritually prepared points to being able to stand by faith regardless of worldly events, withstand with truth in spite of the darkness, and continue to stand in hope because of heavenly promises no matter how much the sky may be falling around us.

Paul tells us we must love His appearing to receive a crown in 2 Timothy 4:8 and we have Matthew 24:44 that instructs us to be ready for His coming. In 1 Corinthians 1:7 we are told we need to be waiting for His coming and 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us He will reveal all hidden things when He does come. We have 1 Thessalonians 5:23 telling us, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I can’t speak for all Christians, but some of the ones I encounter are more afraid and caught up with prophesied earthly events than they’re concerned about the need to be spiritually ready to face Jesus when He comes. They fret, plan, and try to secure earthly matters, but no matter how much they try to prepare for earthly events, the fear never really abates because they’re not in control of events; the fretting increases with each new sound of alarm because how can one know if their preventive measures of losing it all is enough, while hopelessness hangs over their heads like a wet blanket ready to enfold them in a nightmare.

It’s not unusual to hear Christians talk about Jesus coming, but they fail to point out why He’s coming and for who? He is coming to get His bride, the church. The wedding Supper of the Lamb has been prepared and the invitations have been going out for generations (Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:7-9). It’s getting closer to the time for all on this earth who have accepted the wedding invitation to be ushered into this celebration, but even in this event there are a few who will try to come dressed in their own merit, instead of clothed in the righteous linen of redemption, and who will be cast out into outer darkness.

Until Jesus comes and reigns from His throne, there will always be Chicken Littles running around like chickens with their heads cut off warning that the sky is falling. But as for me, I am not looking for the sky to fall; rather, I’m looking for the time when the clouds will part and I will see my Lord coming in His glory.