Question and Answer: On Terror
Q: What is Real Terror?
A: Real Terror is the comprehension that the Supernatural God is at war with YOU. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God" (Hebrews 10:31). It is impossible to give Real Terror to those who truly commit that which is good. "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same" (Romans 13:3). And, it is truly impossible to commit that which is good without the Spirit of Christ working in you, to "make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is Wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:21). The Spirit is only given to those who have obeyed the command to repent and believe the Gospel. "And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to them that obey Him" (Acts 5:32).
Q: Who is the Giver of Real Terror?
A: Real Terror comes from the Living God. "Knowing therefore the Terror of the LORD, we persuade men" (2Corinthians 5:11). Scripture teaches that we are not to fear man, but God. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather Fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell" (Matthew 10:28). Of course, this presupposes that the Almighty is able to keep His Saint "in Perfect Peace, whose mind is stayed on [Him]: because he trusteth in [Him]" (Isaiah 26:3). Only by hoping in the LORD, can He not be a Terror to us. "Be not a Terror unto me: Thou art my Hope in the day of evil" (Jeremiah 17:17).
Q: Why is Real Terror given?
A: Real Terror is given by God as the beginning of His Punishments upon those who profess to know Him, because of their unrelenting disobedience to His known Commandments, e.g., the Ten Commandments. "15 And if ye shall despise My Statutes, or if your soul abhor My Judgments, so that ye will not do all My Commandments, but that ye break My Covenant: 16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague [fever], that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it" (Leviticus 26:15-16).
Q: How can we be delivered from Real Terror?
A: Simply by placing our trust in Jesus Christ-- Who is the "True God, and Eternal Life" (1John 5:20)-- for Time and Eternity, to give refuge and defence from sin and evil, we can be delivered from Real Terror. "1 He that dwelleth in the Secret Place of the Most High shall abide under the Shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my Refuge and my Fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. 3 Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my Refuge, even the Most High, thy Habitation; 10 there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on High, because he hath known My Name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My Salvation" (Psalm 91:1-16).
Q: Will the Civilized Nations be delivered from terrorism?
A: Scripturally, Real Terror has been given by God to the Disobedient Professed Saints throughout history; but, the Scriptures prophesy the coming of a time of "Great Tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:21). This time-- the Tribulation Week-- will be marked by the Judgments of God upon the world. "24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness, and to seal up the Vision and Prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he [the Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the Seventieth Week]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate" (Daniel 9:24-27).
Significantly, since terror marks the beginning of God's Judgments (Leviticus 26:15-16), then it becomes more significant that Scripture promises, "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins" (Lev 26:18). These four references to "seven times" (Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28) seem to signify the upcoming Seven Years of the Tribulation Week (Daniel 9:27), the Seven Seal Judgments (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1), the Seven Trumpet Judgments (Rev 8:1-9:21; 11:15-19), and the Seven Vial Judgments (Rev 16:1-21). Only the Spirit of God can impress upon our hearts the closeness of the Tribulation Week; and, the inevitability of the Judgment that this recent wave of Global Terrorism, i.e., September 11th 2001, portends.
"Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Matthew 16:3). Global Terrorism must ultimately result in the Judgment of the Nations. "31 When the Son of Man shall come in His Glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the Throne of His Glory: 32 and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats" (Matthew 25:31-32). Global Terrorism unknowingly broadcasts to the world that the time of God's Judgment of the Earth has come. "Behold, the Day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it" (Isaiah 13:9).