Ewald Frank

preached on 26. 10. 1990, 19:30, Geislingen,

Topic: "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Fulfilment of Bible Prophecy!" No. 1

broadcast on 30. 5. 2026

It is actually about current events in the light of Bible prophecy. Two things which form a coherent theme can be summarized here: namely, the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our day.

This is very important, especially for all those who believe that the Holy Scriptures are truly the Word of God.

The enemy of God and of mankind has tried to sow doubts about God’s Word in people’s minds.

People put forward arguments and say the Bible has been translated so many times and so on. And even if it had been translated a thousand times, I speak several languages, one can always express the same thing in another language.

And we do indeed hold a Book of God in our hands, the Holy Scriptures, God’s infallible, everlasting Word. And of this Word our Lord himself said that “heaven and earth will pass away, but his Word will not.” [Mat 24:35]

And so, amidst all the words of men, we have something we can rely on, something that is true, that is right, behind which God stands. And we are convinced that all those who believe his Word to be true and reject all doubt will stand their ground before God.

We have already heard the thought of following the Lord. I would like to read a verse from the Gospel of John chapter 8. I prefer to read from Dr. Hermann Menge’s translation, as it is a little closer to the modern German. Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 12. Here our Lord speaks:

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” [Joh 8:12]

From the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, I shall read verses 10 and 11, and then verses 16 and 17.

[10] And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

[11] He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Verse 16:

[16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

[17] For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

In Revelation chapter 2 and 3 we find the seven church age messages to the seven churches. At the end of each message it says, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Spiritual things must be judged spiritually and can only be understood through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

People have turned the Word of God into a sophisticated theology, with philosophy joining in. But the revelation that the prophets and apostles received from God through the Spirit has largely been lost.

Yet Paul writes to the Corinthians, “The Spirit searches all things, yea, even the deep things of God.” [1Co 2:10]

And dear friends, your attendance to this lecture must be worthwhile. Something must happen here tonight from heaven. You must be gripped inwardly and realize that it was not merely someone giving a talk, but that God spoke to me, to us, through his Word and has transfigured his Word and made it alive through the Holy Spirit.

I mentioned both concepts earlier: the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

We must therefore know that God has a timetable. One cannot simply say that everything will remain as it is. It will not remain as it is.

We have the promises in the Holy Scripture, I shall read some of them to you.

John chapter 14, verses 2 and 3. Here our Lord says:

[2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

We have a great many promises from the Lord’s own mouth that he will return to take his own from this earth before the catastrophic judgments come upon this humanity which has indeed turned its back on God and is for the most part found in a pious religion but without a direct connection to God.

Before God’s judgments can strike this earth, the Lord will return and take his own to himself.

Even if someone were to say now, “it has been almost 2000 years since the Lord said this,” look, I’ve just written a short tract entitled “Vision 7000”. With God indeed, one day is like our thousand years and thousand years are like one day. [2Pe 3:8]

So it is written in the Old and New Testament.

And God created the world in six days. He rested on the seventh day from all his works and he blessed and sanctified the seventh day. [Gen 2:2-3]

So we are now indeed close to the 6000 years from Adam to the present. And the seventh millennium, as you can read in Revelation chapter 20, will be the thousand year reign of Christ on earth.

There is no getting around this; God has said so in his Word, and so it shall be. I repeat, even if people do not want to accept it or cannot believe it, it will happen nonetheless.

And we are indeed now living at the end of the time of grace. It is the end times in which we live.

We do not have the opportunity this evening to delve specifically into the last book of the Bible, the Revelation.

But everything is already written there, just as it is now taking shape and happening before our very eyes.

Even when we read the Gospels, we can see the way in which the Lord Jesus described the end times and then elaborated saying, “When you see all these things coming to pass, lift up your heads for your redemption is drawing near.” [Luk 21:28]

There will be an end to the time of grace and there will be a new beginning, a glorious new beginning with God.

There will be peace on earth, not the peace that people now present in political and religious terms, but peace with God. And when the Lord reigns and rules as the Prince of Peace, then Satan will be bound and no evil will happen on earth anymore.

On the subject of the Lord’s return, please allow me to quickly read two or three scriptures so that you all know that this is indeed what the Bible says. Acts chapter 1, verses 9 to 11.

[9] And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

[10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

[11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, his coming is portrayed and described as that of a bridegroom. And we are also told that the door will be shut. Here it says in verse 6:

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” [Mat 25:6]

Anyone who has a Bible and wishes to read this for themselves is welcome to do so.

Here we are told, “the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage supper.” [Mat 25:10]

It will therefore happen at the end of the time of grace, at the end of the day of salvation which we are now approaching, that the Lord will return as the bridegroom to take his bride into heavenly glory.

In Revelation 19 it is written: “and his bride has made herself ready and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white.” [Rev 19:7-8]

There are several comings of the Lord. I have also written a brief pamphlet on this subject. There is the coming of the Lord as the bridegroom to bring the bride home. Then there is a coming when he will deal with all the enemies and when he will then establish the kingdom.

What interests us most is the return of the Lord and our preparation for this great and glorious day.

For it is written, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power.” [Rev 20:6]

When I was just under 18 and began preaching, I told the Lord that I wished to preach in such a way that those who hear the Word of God from my mouth might have the opportunity to be with God in glory.

I’m not here to just tell people what they want to hear, nor am I here to hurt anyone, but I’m here in the name of the Lord to point out the clear, narrow path that leads to life [Mat 7:14] and also to state plainly that the broad way on which we are all by nature leads to destruction and many are those who walk upon it. [Mat 7:13]

Man must make his decision for Christ and thereby for himself and for eternal life.

For it is only in Christ that God has personally revealed himself to mankind. And it is only in Christ that we can have a personal encounter with God.

So it is written in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 19:

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

And the message that must be proclaimed first is: “be ye reconciled to God.” [2Co 5:20]

I want to tell you the truth about this. Brother Pezal mentioned that there are people who pull the wool over others’ eyes but do not want others to do the same to them. They want to know the truth.

It is simply necessary, it must be said, that every person born into this world is separated from God.

There is no deed on earth that could unite man with God, only through faith in Jesus Christ, in the finished work of redemption on the cross of Calvary, namely in what God has done for our salvation. This is what we must believe in order to be saved.

And that is why Holy Scripture also says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…” [Act 16:31]

Not a church, not an institution, not a system, but truly as the object of our faith, we must keep the Lord Jesus before our eyes. Only in this way can we be saved.

There is no way to teach people into the kingdom of God, that is not possible. We must be born into it.

Jesus therefore says in the Gospel of John, chapter 3: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [Joh 3:3]

And he went on to say, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” [Joh 3:6]

And “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” [1Co 15:50]

So we must be born of the Spirit.

Only in this way can we enter the kingdom of God and then also have spiritual understanding of what the kingdom of God is all about.

Let us return to our topic: the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Now you may ask: How is it that we are now claiming that the time could be at hand and not earlier? I have tried to hint at it.

God has a specific time for everything. There have been specific days in history and in the plan of salvation. There were special events at specific times when God intervened in history.

We have already mentioned God’s divisions of time because there were almost 2000 years from Adam to Abraham, then another 2000 years from Abraham to Christ, and now we have another period of nearly 2000 years, which will soon bring the total to 6000 years.

And something is about to happen. I shall read you some scriptures today from which you too will clearly see that we are now living in the end times, that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes and that the return of the Lord is imminent and the day of salvation is drawing to a close.

And then the day of the Lord, which as it says, “will burn like an oven”, will break upon godless humanity which has not accepted salvation in Christ. [Mal 4:1]

I would like to read from Luke, or perhaps first from Matthew 24 and then from Luke 21 for the sake of order.

Matthew 24, here from verses 4 to 8, the Lord speaks of wars and rumors of wars, of famines, of times of distress that would come towards the end. In verse 7 it says:

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

And then the Lord says in verse 8: “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Not the end, the beginning.

Please do not be angry with me for saying this, but when a woman is about to become a mother, labor pains set in. They become more intense, and one knows now the time has come.

Here the Lord says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” [Mat 24:8]

But when the labor pains begin, one knows that something is about to be born.

So, earthquakes, famines, costly times, all manner of disasters are coming upon humanity. In one part of the world there is famine, in another war, in a third an earthquake. Everything is nicely spread across the whole earth. Everywhere one can see what the Lord said is being fulfilled before our very eyes.

What is important here is that we understand this does not refer to the immediate end, but to the prelude to the end.

For he did say, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” [Mat 24:8]

And then, when the time comes, everything will settle down and listen to the precision with which the apostle Paul almost 2000 years ago described events so fitting for our time.

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, from verse 1:

[1] But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

[2] For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

Now comes the key to recognizing the time.

[3] For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

The Lord speaks of wars and rumors of wars, of disasters of every kind, of utter chaos. Paul looks to the end of the last days and he no longer speaks of wars and rumors of wars but of “peace and safety.” [1Th 5:3]

I need not boast here, but by the grace of God it has been granted to me to understand the Word through the revelation of the Spirit.

And I am grateful to God for this. And also for being able to compare current developments with the Holy Scriptures.

And I’m no politician, I would have liked to have become one. And if I hadn’t been preaching, I certainly would have become one.

But the point here is this. We are told “at a time when people are living in peace and safety, destruction will come upon them suddenly, like travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” [1Th 5:3]

Ladies and gentlemen, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we have… well, you are still young, but my generation, we have actually experienced what war means. I myself saw the dead, not just people, but horses and cows, I saw so much death at the end of the Second World War marching all the way back on foot from just outside Königsberg to Magdeburg.

I’ve seen a great deal, witnessed a great deal. And the statistics say that around 55 million perished in the Second World War. It was truly terrible.

But now we are told that all these wars and so on are not yet the end.

“Peace and safety” [1Th 5:3] were to reign at the very end.

And everyone who have heard me preach, they know that when Mr. Gorbachev came to power in 1985, I believe, I said immediately, “This is the man of the hour.” God used him so that today the whole of Eastern Europe is free. Without him, nothing would have happened, not even in our country. It was him whom God used to set the course, to end the Cold War, to propose one disarmament conference after another, and against Star Wars, and all that was going on.

He stood his ground and saw it through. He went so far that one had to shake one’s head, and lo and behold, it paid off.

I actually write this very clearly in the second edition of this tract. After the Second World War the British Empire collapsed. There were 49 states in the entire federation under the English crown.

And now the Russian Empire is collapsing. And what is emerging? The ancient Roman Empire is now emerging before our very eyes.

And I could take you to Bible prophecy of the prophet Daniel and the book of Revelation and show you that the final power here in Central Europe under Roman rule will be the last world power.

It will become not merely a European power, but a world power, the world’s number one power.

But I didn’t want to delve into the political aspect at all; one need only touch upon it in passing.

But please, who has arranged all this? Historical enemies have become friends; East and West no longer apply, the borders have fallen, the wall has been cleared away, and so on.

We who have consciously witnessed this will certainly not forget the 9th of November last year when the Brandenburg Gate was opened.

Why are all these things happening? That is the first question. Why not 30 years ago? Why now? Because the time has come when this fulfillment of Scripture must take place.

“Peace and safety” [1Th 5:3] at any cost.

One cannot continue the Cold War and then see the fulfillment of Scripture that peace and safety are now to prevail.

So everything had to happen this way so that the Holy Scripture might be fulfilled before our very eyes.

Paul wrote here, after all, that “we do not need to know the day or the hour,” [1Th 5:1] that is not necessary at all.

But what the Lord has told us, I would now like to read from Luke 21. When we see all these things coming to pass,” then we know that “the time is near.

It’s in Luke 21 verse 29 to 32.

[29] And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

[30] When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

[31] So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

[32] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

[33] Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

As all Bible readers know, the parable of the fig tree refers to the people of Israel. Already in the Old Testament, in the prophet Hosea chapter 9, verse 10, the people of Israel are described as a fig tree.

It is not only the people of Israel who have blossomed and became independent; the whole of Asia, the whole of Africa have freed themselves from colonial rule and have all gained their independence.

I know Africa from one end to the other, from Senegal to Dar es Salaam. I know the countries as they were when they were still under colonial rule and I know them after their independence.

See, it had to happen this way that all of them blossom to regain their independence, their sovereignty.

And especially the people of Israel who since the days of Nebuchadnezzar had wandered everywhere and were finally scattered throughout the world in 70 AD.

And now after such a long period of time they have returned from over 100 countries to the promised land.

I do not wish this to be taken as political interference either, but it does indeed pain me when people speak of occupied territories in this context.

Anyone who reads in the books of Moses and Joshua about the borders as God set them for the people of Israel will realize that Israel still has a large portion to receive on the eastern side of the Jordan where the two and a half tribes were settled.

It is a political issue and a bad one at that, that people speak of the occupied territories there. No one says that East Prussia is occupied, or West Prussia, Pomerania, Silesia, no one speaks of such things and other parts everywhere.

But there in Israel, and this too can be stated clearly enough, everything has already been set in motion for the great conflict that will take place north of Jerusalem.

I hope it will take a little longer, at least until we have carried the proclamation of the Gospel out into the whole world, whether that takes months or years.

But I have said from the very first day when Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait that it’s not about Kuwait at all; it’s only about Israel, against Israel, so that they can then say that they too must leave the occupied territories.

“They must clear out just as I have to clear out, so must they.”

And the whole world will be stirred up against Israel to such an extent that it will be impossible to stop.

We had read a few newspaper articles, I’d even brought one back with me which reported on Saddam Hussein, or rather that he had a dream in which Mohammed had appeared to him and he had told him that the missiles were aimed the wrong way, that they weren’t targeting the right one.

And we all know who the right one is in their eyes. As long as they’re aimed at Saudi Arabia, that is not the right target. If they were aimed at Israel, then it would be the right target.

But see, nothing can happen before its time. The right time must come for everything and only then will it happen.

And it will indeed happen, as it is written here in the Word of God. Zechariah chapter 14. It says here in verse 12:

[12] And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

That is what it says in the Bible. And what does this say?

If he releases his poison gas there, God will send the wind and will cause the enemies to fall into the pit they have dug for others.

What the enemies of Israel, God’s chosen people, intend to do to them will be done to them.

And you have heard it yourselves, perhaps even read some of it, how precisely it is described. “While they are still standing on their feet, their tongues will rot, and their eyes will pop out of their sockets.” [Zec 14:12]

So what is now being prepared to finish them off will indeed happen to them.

Now I read Zechariah 12 verse 3:

[3] And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

That’s just the way it is. God has foretold it in His Word.

They are the chosen people. Of course, they were disobedient, we were too, and they had to suffer greatly.

That pains us deeply and we are sorry for them. But God turns everything to good.

In the fifth seal in Revelation chapter 6, we read that those whose blood had been shed on earth cried out for vengeance and they were given white robes and told to be patient until the rest should also suffer death as they had. [Rev 6:9-11]

It is indeed the case that the history of God’s people on this earth is a history of suffering.

And the Holy Scripture says “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who was murdered at the altar of burnt offering,” [Mat 23:35, Luk 11:51] all that blood was already shed during the period of the Old Testament.

Satan takes his revenge on the people of God here on this earth.

Then John was beheaded, Christ was crucified, and many of the apostles and others subsequently suffered martyrdom.

And when one looks back at church history, there were the Crusades, there were the wars of religion, there was the Spanish Inquisition, there were the persecutions, and the blood of the believers was shed.

And please do not be angry with me, but most of that blood was shed through organized religion in the Roman Empire, and the Roman church held sole authority.

Whoever was not with it was against it and anything that was against it simply could not be tolerated.

Millions of people have in fact been sent from this life into the hereafter by this worldly institution.

By what right? May God Himself answer that on the day when He judges righteously.

But it may also happen to us as Bible believers that we will have to endure a time of persecution shortly before the Lord’s return.

For this too is made very clear from the descriptions in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation.

But the Lord did say, “Do not fear those who can kill the body, but rather those who can kill the soul.” [Mat 10:28]

Just a few brief thoughts regarding the end times. In Luke chapter 17 the Lord spoke of the last days and compared them to the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, to the time of Noah and so on to let us know what will actually happen at the end.

People no longer allow themselves to be corrected by the Spirit of God, they go their own ways, yet outwardly maintain the forms of religion, so that it still looks like as though it is Christian.

Talk to people today who are still outwardly Christian about Christ and you’ll be laughed at.

Pick up the Bible and speak to your neighbors who claim to be Christian about God’s Word.

At that moment it’s all over.

The outward form is still maintained, people still attend church services, it is considered proper, it has become tradition.

But where is the heart? Where is God in all this?

Whether people have found a connection with God is the big question.

Here we are shown in all seriousness that when the Lord comes it will be just as it was in the days of Sodom and in the days of Noah and so on.

You can read it in Luke 17 verse 26.

[26] And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

[27] They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

[28] Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

[29] But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Now listen to what is written in verse 30:

[30] Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

[30] Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

And it goes on and on.

And in verse 34 we read:

[34] I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

[35] Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

[37] And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.” [Luk 17:37]

It is simply the case that we must now reckon with this. It is not good to have to say this.

One would most certainly prefer to give people a hope on this earth that is glorious and joyful.

There is a future, a glorious future for each of us, but not without God, not without God.

The future, the glorious future for all time and eternity exists, but only in union with God, only when we accept the grace, salvation, forgiveness, and all that God has prepared for us in Christ and are born again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [1Pe 1:3] so that human beings become children of God, people who have a personal connection and fellowship with God, who can speak of a day and an hour when they experienced a true conversion, a turning to God, a conscious experience with God.

And we are thus born into the kingdom of God.

For look, here the Holy Scriptures say:

[34] … two will be in one bed…

[35] … two at the mill…

[36] … two in the field…

Always “one will be taken, the other left behind”. What does this tell us?

The one is a child of God, a soul who waited for the Lord’s return, who allowed themselves to be prepared, who perhaps even prayed, “Oh, come, Lord Jesus.” [Rev 22:20] And the other is someone who has bypassed grace and salvation.

God will after all take only his own to himself. He certainly doesn’t want a riot in heaven.

Whoever does not wish to be there need not be there. Everyone will be where they wish to be.

Whether you can believe that or not, ladies and gentlemen, but I have heard people say: “I’d rather shovel coal in hell; I don’t want to go up there at all.” People have actually said that to me.

I used to preach a great deal in open spaces all across Germany, from one end to the other, including in Stuttgart and so on. And there were always such people who mocked and who wanted to know nothing of God’s grace or of salvation in Christ.

And then it really hurts when you know they will fare like the rich man [Luk 16:19-31]. The rich man only opened his eyes when it was too late.

Then opening one’s eyes is of no use anymore, nor is a: “Oh Lord, send someone and let my brothers be warned” [Luk 16:27-28]. By then it is too late.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. [Heb 3:15]

I wish the whole world would realize what an offer of grace God has made to humanity. Anyone can be saved; no one needs to be lost.

But even the greatest gift must be accepted. “Faith comes by hearing” [Rom 10:17], and through this faith in what God’s Word says, we are saved.

Not just through any faith, but through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, as our personal Savior, who suffered death on the cross of Calvary specifically for you and for me and bore the punishment that had fallen upon us. [Isa 53:4-5]

According to Isaiah 53, “the punishment was laid on him so that we might have peace and by his stripes we are healed.” [Isa 53:5]

Now just very briefly, a few scriptures that you absolutely must know, otherwise without them it wouldn’t be complete. And then we’ll come to a close, namely concerning the day of salvation and the day of grace, and then the day of the Lord, which will then dawn.

I would like to read from 2 Corinthians 6, verse 2 and 3 and then from 2 Peter 3.

2 Corinthians 6:2 and 3:

[2] For he says: I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Then let us turn straight to 2 Peter chapter 3.

Here the apostle explains in verse 10:

[10] But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

This is God’s Holy Word, and so it shall come to pass.

That is the day of the Lord, the day of vengeance, the day of reckoning, the day of judgment upon godless humanity, which had turned its back on the Lord.

So at the very moment when the day of salvation, this time of grace, comes to an end, God’s judgment will fall upon mankind.

And the day of the Lord… Let me read it to you from the Old Testament, namely from the prophet Malachi.

In the prophet Malachi chapter 4, verse 1 says:

[1] For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up.

And then in verse 5:

[5] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Beloved friends, it simply must be said, and it should cut us to the quick. We are living at the end of the end times. The day of grace, the day of salvation is drawing to a close.

We read together in Matthew 25: “At midnight there was a cry made.” [Mat 25:6]

The day takes its course: morning breaks, it is midday, evening, then night falls.

Now we have the opportunity to see the light that shines at evening, and at midnight—speaking globally now as regards the entire day of salvation—so that we might be enlightened and know the path that God walks with his church, with his own, and the promises that God has given us, that we may know them and receive spiritual guidance.

I did say it earlier, and this isn’t meant to be emphasized, but I really did have a unique privilege to proclaim the Word of the Lord across almost the entire world. And I know a little about the religious sphere.

We now have over 300 Christian denominations united in the World Council of Churches.

They all interpret the Bible as they believe is right. But there is only one Bible, only one way, only one truth, only one eternal life, only one God, only one salvation.

God is not responsible for all these different movements.

Jesus said in Matthew 16: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” [Mat 16:18]

Today the issue is not whether we belong to a church or a denomination. Today the question is whether we are a member of the body of Jesus Christ, whether we have truly been incorporated into the church of the living God, born of the Holy Spirit, and likewise joined together into this divine unity.

Christ is after all the head of the church, and we all form the members of his body.

Once again, it is not enough to be a member of a church or a denomination. One must have become aware of being the possession of Jesus Christ.

One must have set out to follow the Lord.

Jesus said: “Take up your cross and follow me.” [Mat 16:24]

And he said: “Whoever follows me will not remain in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [Joh 8:12]

We must follow the good Shepherd [Joh 10:11].

I do not judge anyone if they believe everything is well. The Catholics mean well, the Protestants, the Greek Orthodox, the Russian Orthodox, the Coptic Church—whoever they are.

As I said, there are over 300.

They are all sincere, they are all honest, they all wish to be saved.

And I did indeed preach one Sunday morning in Witbank, South Africa, in a Roman Catholic Church; that is true.

And I want you to know clearly, even though I’m so much against the system because it leaves people in the dark, and that is why I am against any organized religion where Jesus Christ is not given his due and where the proclamation of the Gospel is not placed upon the lampstand completely freely and openly.

But I would like to emphasize once again, no matter where someone may belong, that is not enough, that is not enough.

We must have become the Lord’s possession. We must have a day in our lives when we experienced our personal conversion to Jesus Christ and thus set out on the narrow way and entered through the strait gate [Mat 7:13-14], so that we may then also enter into glory.

It is simply necessary.

Please imagine if I were to tell you something else this evening and were to face the gravest accusation at the last judgment that I had not shown you the way to the Lord this evening.

So this is part of it.

Let us now summarize.

There are two main themes: the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy in our day.

How many scriptures could be read that speak of the end times: in the prophet Daniel, in the prophet Ezekiel, indeed in the prophets of the Old Testament, and then of course also in the accounts of the apostles in the New Testament.

And as I said earlier, particularly in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation.

And there are mysteries that simply cannot be fathomed by the mind.

How many of you—perhaps that is too personal a question and yet I would have liked to know—how many of you have already read the Bible?

Who has already read the Bible?

Of course. Brilliant, thank you very much.

In the book of Revelation, images are described.

A beast is shown there with seven heads, ten horns [Rev 13:1], and all manner of images.

If you have no idea what the symbols mean, based on Old Testament prophecy, good heavens, then you simply cannot make head nor tail of these images.

And that is why many have not wanted to finish reading Revelation at all because they simply could not come to terms with the subject matter and the symbols described and found within it.

Not because of who we are, but because the time for this has now come and these things are taking shape.

That is why, at this time of the fulfillment of all these things, it has been granted to us by God through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, based on the Old and New Testament, to penetrate this divine plan of salvation and to have a direct, certain guidance bestowed by God.

And this we need in this time, but it is not to be found in any seminaries where commentaries are read out and further commented on by people who wrote in the past.

Today there is a need for men of God who have truly been called, who do not merely regard this ministry as a profession, as one might take up the profession of a lawyer, teacher, or other vocation and then become a priest or pastor as a profession.

That is not enough.

For the proclamation of God’s Word, a divine calling is required, and with this divine calling, with this divine commission, responsibility is connected.

But then divine enlightenment comes with it; insight and understanding come by grace.

And I feel I must say this for the glory of the Lord.

It is not flesh and blood that reveals God’s counsel [Mat 16:17], but the Holy Spirit who inspired the Word.

And the same revelation that the prophets and apostles had through the same Holy Spirit, we have the same revelation today through the same Word.

For with God everything remains the same.

As I have just said, human beings cannot teach about these things.

It is written: “not one brother will teach another, but they will all be taught by God” [Jer 31:34, Joh 6:45] through the same Word, the same Holy Spirit at the feet of Jesus our Lord, and the Spirit of God guides into all truth [Joh 16:13].

Returning very briefly to what our Lord said about all the end-time events: earthquakes, famines, costly times, wars and rumors of wars, and so on. [Mat 24:6-7]

And then right at the end, these two terms that have been making headlines for several years: peace and safety. [1Th 5:3]

Disarmament at any cost; swords are beaten into plowshares. [Isa 2:4, Mic 4:3]

Borders are being abolished, military blocks are no longer relevant, everyone can go back to where they came from.

But from all this arises the great United Europe, as Charles de Gaulle had already clearly stated in 1957 upon signing the Treaties of Rome: a Europe stretching from the Atlantic to the Urals.

Everyone else has used the same vocabulary in recent weeks during the last two or three years.

And it has been said: “a United Europe with many homes in which there is room for everyone.”

But what these gentlemen as politicians do not know, and what we as those informed by God do know—and please do not hold it against me or judge me too harshly, I’m not saying this on my own initiative, I would not have known it either—but as people who believe in the Bible, we are better informed than all the politicians in the world because we are indeed following the developments that are currently unfolding with the prophetic Word.

Step by step, we see how everything is taking shape and it is becoming just as it was foretold in Bible prophecy.

And that is why I feel I must emphasize that this prophetic aspect in particular is so important right now.

I could tell you of great things.

I preached on Radio Luxembourg for ten years, every Sunday morning, from 1968 to 1978, and had the great privilege of speaking to many thousands on television.

I could tell you a great deal: even when I was in the Soviet Union two years ago, I was invited to speak on television, and likewise in Beijing and across half the world.

And then you would say: “Oh, that man has certainly experienced a great deal.”

And what would I have achieved by that? Absolutely nothing.

Perhaps you would have been impressed; that is of no use to us.

The aim here is not to make an impression.

The aim here is to state quite clearly before the face of God to whom we must give account, what this is all about.

And it must be stated clearly. The return of the Lord is imminent.

He has gone to prepare a place for us, and he will return to take us to himself. [Joh 14:2-3]

Before the disasters befall this earth, before the day of the Lord comes which will burn like an oven [Mal 4:1], before that, the Lord will come.

For he said: “as it was in the days of Sodom” [Luk 17:28], before Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by fire, Lot was brought out. [Gen 19:15-16]

Before the flood came, Noah entered the ark with his family. [Gen 7:7]

So it will be at the Lord’s return: the bride, the true believers, those who truly followed Jesus, who were sealed with the Holy Spirit, who became obedient children of God, wholeheartedly trusting in the Lord, they will be taken home by him into glory.

And then things will begin to get very uncomfortable on this earth.

I would not have arranged it this way, but I will be careful not to criticize God in any way.

He has foretold it in his Word, and so it shall come to pass.

Our Lord said: “When you see all these things coming to pass, then lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.” [Luk 21:28]

My wish this evening is that everyone truly takes God’s Word to heart.

And I may add one more request, that this Word may not return void, but fulfill the purpose for which it was sent. [Isa 55:11]

God loves us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Joh 3:16]

May this personal, saving faith in Jesus Christ be granted to us this evening by grace.

Also the revelation and the understanding that we are now living in the end times.

Israel is gathered as God has promised.

Read Jeremiah 31 and the various scriptures in the Old and New Testament.

He who scattered Israel will gather them again and bring them back at the end of days. [Jer 31:10]

And so the Lord’s church is also being led back to the promises of the Word for this time.

We have spiritual guidance based on the Word of God.

Let no one say: “An evangelist said that,” or “Brother Frank,” or “a missionary”, but this is what God speaks to us through his Word, and his Word will never pass away. [Mat 24:35]

Blessed is the one who allows himself to be prepared. I am not here to cause fear, but I tell you the truth. I do not wish to be lost. Nor do I wish any of you to be lost.

It is impossible to describe in words or even to conceive of what it will mean for those who have failed to dedicate their lives to God and to follow the Lord.

It will be dark, hopelessness, despair, accusations of every kind. And it will, as I said, be a terrible thing to be separated from God.

I conclude with the words of the Apostle Paul from 2 Corinthians 5: “Be ye reconciled to God.” [2Co 5:20]

With the words of the Lord from Luke 21. Perhaps I should read these words out exactly so that we have them word for word and do not merely quote from memory. Luke chapter 21. Here we have it forcefully from the mouth of our Lord. He says here:

[34] And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares.

[35] For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

[36] Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may receive strength to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

These are the words of our Lord. He too spoke of the day that is to come and it will come. It will soon dawn.

We are the generation that can expect to be the last and to witness the return of the Lord.

No one knows the day or the hour, nor is it necessary, but we recognize from the signs of the times that it is very near.

The return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy before our very eyes.

At that time the Lord said in Luke 4: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” [Luk 4:21]

We can pick up this Bible time and again, read from it and say: “Now this scripture has been fulfilled before our very eyes.”

Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word remains forever.

Do not fear that this will make you a laughing stock to others. Let the others laugh now and you be sad as believers. The day is coming when you will be glad and the others will be seized by weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Today those who believe in the Bible are regarded as somewhat inferior in the eyes of others. They are not quite considered suitable for society.

I’ve experienced this enough myself, but the tide will turn. Those who are mocked today will then be celebrated. And those who are celebrated today will then have to go through hardship.

How I wish, and surely the Lord does too, that each of us today would take this matter seriously, turn to the Lord, believe God’s Word and thus set out on the narrow path that leads to life, in the certainty when the Lord comes that we are ready to meet him and enter into glory with him.

May his holy name be praised and glorified. Amen.

I ask that we stand for a moment. I would like to pray.

Heavenly Father, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your precious and holy word. Truly it has become a lamp unto our feet and a light on our path.

Lord, you are our light, our life.

You are the way, the truth and the life. [Joh 14:6]

We thank you, our Savior, that you came to us, suffered, died, were buried and rose again on the third day for our justification and then after 40 days ascended into heaven and will return to bring your own home.

Beloved Lord, I pray for all who have raised their hands. And also for those who have not yet dared to do so.

You know, O Lord.

May no one be lost.

Savior, together we ask this of you: have mercy on us, continue to speak to us through your Word and through your Holy Spirit.

Lord, let no one be lost.

Save our souls, deliver our spirits from all that binds and heal our bodies.

Yes, confirm your Word as truth to us.

O God in heaven, I also thank you for this, that we have your Word as a guideline, as a direction, as a signpost, for instruction.

Lord, I thank you for the Bible, the glorious Word of God.

You have preserved this Word for us through all the storms.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but your Word remains forever.

Beloved Savior, may the Word proclaimed today remain in all hearts.

May it bear fruit unto eternal life.

Receive all, O Lord, who now come to you in faith.

Hear them, forgive all guilt, blot out every sin, deliver completely and wholly, O Lord, from all bondage, from every vice.

Take the spirit of this world out of us and give us the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit.

O Lord, to you the Almighty God, I give thanks from the bottom of my heart that this evening too bears fruit for eternity in all the hearts that have believed your Word.

I commit them to you and to your grace and I long to see them again no later than the day of your return.

O Lord, there is a future, a glorious future for your people for all eternity.

Grant us eternal life and be with us all by your grace.

Lift up your countenance upon us and give us your peace and your blessing.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.