Coming Events
(Outreaches subject to change. Contact me at mail@sosmin.com or (510) 282-5629 a day before the outreach for details.)
Friday April 1, 22, 29 3:30-6:30 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Saturday April 2, 23, 30 11:30-4 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
THE NEGLECTED BOOK
Dear Christian friends,
When I was saved in 1970 as part of the “Jesus Movement,” we were constantly talking about and teaching on the book of Revelation. We believed Jesus could return at any moment and saw the teachings of this book pointing to His soon return.
Interestingly, Revelation is the only book of which it is said, “Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Rev. 1:5.
When was the last time your pastor preached a sermon on the book of Revelation? Most likely, it was many years ago, if at all. The problem is that there are at least three major ways of interpreting this book, and pastors do not want to divide their congregation by taking a position. First, there is the amillennial position. Basically, the amillennialist believes that there is no literal 1000 period during which Christ reigns. In their view, Christ is reigning on earth right now for an unknown period of time. We are now living in the millennial period. Everything written from Revelation 1-19 was fulfilled by 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem. Its meaning in highly symbolic, depending on whose symbolic views you adopt. Looking at this world, it is hard for me to think that Satan is now bound. He certainly seems to be quite active in our world. If the world is this evil with Satan bound, what would it be like were he to be loosed?
Second, there is the postmillennial position. According to this position, the world will become more Christianized to the point where Christians have established God’s kingdom on earth. At this point, Christ will return. Today, it certainly seems to me the world is becoming a lot less, not more, Christianized.
Finally, there is the premillennial position. According to this position, God has made covenants both with Israel and with the church. And both covenants will ultimately be fulfilled in the end times. After the first 3 chapters in which God comments on the conditions of the seven churches, there are prophetic chapters indicating what will happen before Christ returns to set up His millennial kingdom in Chapter 20. Clearly, conditions on the earth get increasingly evil, with many terrible judgments falling on humanity before Christ’s return.
In 1970, Hal Lindsay published “The Late, Great Planet Earth” which sold 28 million copies by 1990. The New York Times declared it the best-selling non-fiction book of the 1970’s. A primetime TV adaption had an audience of 17 million.
In 1995, Tim LaHaye began a 16-book fictional series called “Left Behind” which had an audience of 65 million. A four-part movie series as well as a children’s’ program and video game reached millions more.
No doubt, millions of people were saved through these books and movies. Both took a premillennial position of Revelation. However, there are three premillennial views regarding Revelation: those who believe the “rapture of the church” will take place before, in the middle, or at the end of a 7-year tribulation period. Both these books took the position that the rapture would take place before the tribulation period.
In 1987, Edgar Wisenant wrote the book “88 Reasons Why the Lord will Return in 1988.” About 5 million copies were sold or given away. For those who believed, there was great disillusionment when the prophecy turned out to be false.
In 2010, Harold Camping, who owned a network of Christian radio stations, shocked the Christian world when he set the date for the rapture on October 11, 2011. For many months, his followers were on street corners proclaiming the date of the rapture.
It is not surprising that after these disappointments, Christians wanted to avoid the book of Revelation and the question of when Jesus would return. However, the events of recent years, particularly the world-wide lockdown in response to the COVID pandemic, have brought a renewed interest in the topic.
Who could have imagined the leaders of every nation ordering their citizens to wear masks, stay six feet from one another, close their churches and businesses, prevent travel between nations, and force people to obtain vaccinations and boosters and carry proof of vaccination with them to enter public buildings or go to work? In some nations, unvaccinated people could not even leave their houses and were denied lifesaving medical care. Who could have imagined thousands of people voluntarily having a computer chip implanted inside them to prove their vaccination status?
As world leaders gathered together for the World Economic Forum to plan a “great reset” in response to this pandemic, possibly bringing about a new electronic currency without which nobody could buy or sell anything, Christians began wondering whether the stage was being set for the Antichrist.
After two years, documents were being uncovered that showed that the world’s leaders knew that the COVID virus was released, either deliberately or by accident, from the Wuhan Laboratory. They covered up this fact for two years because they would rather lie to the world than offend China. This virus was the result of “gain of function” research in which viruses increasingly dangerous to humans were being developed in laboratories across the world.
Since that time, there has been no worldwide outrage or demand that every such virus be destroyed. For that reason, we can expect that a far more deadly pandemic will soon be released upon our world. Given the general acceptance by the world of dictatorial measures by our leaders in response to a relatively mild virus that mainly kills people over 80 with 4 pre-existing conditions, how can we expect the world to respond to a far more deadly virus? Perhaps at that time the Antichrist will arrive, promising to provide a solution to this crisis.
On the Streets
On Sat. November 13, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Alex ministered to James, a backslidden Christian, at Pier 39. He urged him to confess his faults and seek prayer that he might be healed. He seemed sincere about wanting to get right with God, and Alex invited him to church. Tats witnessed to a woman who said that God is both male and female. She walked away before Tats could answer her.
On Fri. December 10, we witnessed at 4th and Market. Andy and Tats witnessed to Peter, an older man who had spent many years attending the SF Rescue Mission. He was mostly interested in asking God for financial blessings and material things. They warned him that he needs to be more concerned with eternal things, especially where he will spend eternity. Mike and Andy witnessed to a Buddhist man in his early 30’s. He said he was born again through Buddha. Andy told him that he need to be born again through Jesus Christ.
The next day, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Alex, Tats and Brian all spoke with Aaron, 28. He was angry at our preaching, and said we should only preach love and not preach about sin. He claimed to be a Christian but was wearing a very pornographic t-shirt and seemed to be intoxicated. After they spoke a while, he changed his mind, and said we were doing a good work. They warned him that as a Christian, he should not be wearing a pornographic t-shirt. He agreed with us.
On Fri. Dec. 17, we witnessed at 4th & Market. Alex spoke with a young man around 25 years old named Tyrese. who was attentively listening to the preaching. Alex shared his testimony with Tyrese, And Tyrese allowed Alex to pray for him. Tyrese has a Christian background but is not currently walking with the Lord. Alex gave him the name and address of his church in SF and invited him to attend on Sunday.
The next day we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. When Alex was preaching at Pier 39, a young man named William wanted to ask Alex questions on the microphone. Alex allowed him to do that. William started asking questions about suicide. “If someone commits suicide, is it possible to still enter the kingdom of God?” Alex said it was a good question. The Bible states in the Book of Revelation that no murderer will enter into the kingdom of heaven, and suicide could be considered self-murder. But Alex also stated that there is grace for someone who is a Christian and who has lost his way. William thanked Alex, and not wanting to discuss the issue further, went on his way. Alex is unsure whether he was thinking of himself or someone else when he asked that question, but we will continue to pray for him.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry.
Thank you especially for praying for my recovery from COVID and pneumonia. I have been resting a lot. I think I am improving day by day. My pneumonia is gone but recovery from lung damage is slow. I took a few weeks away from outreach while I was recovering, but have been participating in outreaches since Feb. 25.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
