Revelation 18:9-10 – “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘ Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ NASU

Okay, this will be a little different, and I am not trying to prove something about interpreting prophecy or defining end-time events, so stay with me, and you will see my purpose.

Recently, I heard someone using the Book of Revelation and calculating time, based on the formula that one day is one thousand years and determined that 1 hour would equal 41.67 years.  That same individual calculated the three ½ years or the 42 months that the Anti-Christ would have an unbroken treaty or pact with Israel as literal. 

My difficulty with that method is, that if an hour is calculated according to 1 day being one thousand years, then each month would have to be calculated the same way.  In my view, this illustrates the problem of trying to be too clever in interpreting God’s Word. 

Who determines which is figurative and which is literal?  I realize that God says some allegorical things using types and shadows, and some things are amazingly literal, and it is often challenging to determine which is which.  That is another reason for me to let the Scripture interpret Scripture and not insert Roy into the equation too much. 

What is my focus and purpose in saying this?  Simply that, we talk about TIME. 

How much TIME do you have left on this earth?  I do not know, you do not know, no one knows, but in 2 Corinthians 6:2, we read:  “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.”  Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” NKJV Jesus impressed upon us the importance of the immediate in John 4:35 – “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” NASB

James 4:13-17 – “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” NASB

Jesus addressed the issue of not knowing how much time we have in His parable about the rich man who looked at his possessions and planned to build bigger and better barns to house his goods and planned on a life of ease and luxury.  Jesus said: “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’” (Luke 12:20-21)

My point is simple – – Your life is a vapor, and at any moment, it could be over, so the only sure course is to address the needs of your spirit man every day and at all times.  Do not worry about things you cannot control; focus on what you have before you RIGHT NOW! 

God has a plan for your life, and if you see some of the dire things in the Book of Revelation, you can face them with assurance in your heart that God is Omnipotent!  You can go home rejoicing if you are taken home before those events.  Either way, our ultimate end is to BE WITH THE LORD!  

God bless you as you go through your day!