My message that was written & delivered on Sunday, 11 July 1999 bears witness

to the present day economic crisis with most scenario cases falling into places.

This is indeed shocking & absolutely unbelievable!

I had stood in front of the pulpit that Sunday morning with about a hundred congregation in attendance. I began the delivery with an introduction of a legendary story about the fact that “No one will get out of this world alive!”

This wonderful legend centres on the servant of a wealthy merchant in Baghdad who claimed to have seen DEATH in the market place raising its hand to strike him. Frightened as he was, he escaped & rushed home begging his master to lend him his fastest horse so that he could get away.

“but where will you go?” asked the merchant.

“I will go to Samarra,”explained the servant. “DEATH will not find me there.”

So the merchant gave his servant the fastest horse in his stables, and the servant rode swiftly off to the city of Samarra where he hoped to hide.

The merchant later went to the market himself to get his own supplies. While there he too saw DEATH. So he inquired of DEATH, “Why did you raise your hand to strike my servant a while ago?”

DEATH replied, “Actually I meant him no harm at that moment. Raising my arm was a gesture of surprise. You see, I didn’t expect to find him here, for I have an appointment with him tonight at Samarra!”

The servant of Baghdad would discover that no matter how fast the horse not how far the journey, he could not escape his appointment with DEATH.

The first human doom was spelt out right after Adam & Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden when they disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, “ . . . for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2 : 16 -17) . Human beings have been suffering & dying . . . paying the penalty of sin ever since the dawn of mankind.

Gross individualism & self-centeredness under the guise of human rights & individual freedom have contributed much to our present day problems. The realm of greed & covetousness further accentuates & breeds the abominable trend of modern day living of Sodom & Gomorrah – condoned particularly by the Western capitalistic world. When people deviate from the fundamental through the process of rationalization & justification, Satan under the guise of individualism & self-centeredness springs forth in all its ugliness.

God’s Commandments are very precise. There are no grey areas as people made out to be. Human ingenuity & supposedly superior intellect can only lead along the broad & straight road to condemnation and the gates of hell. Moral degradation is evident everywhere & nobody seem to care. With God you do not compromise to suit your own convenience & purpose. Our God is a God of order. His Commandments are expected to be obeyed.

It’s inevitable we’re heading towards the days of Sodom & Gomorrah . . . even worse. Biblically, those days were rather confined & restricted in terms of territories. Present day situation is happening globally! In Matthew 10:15, it is said: “I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom & Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for . . . “.

Are the final days upon us? Is mankind so blind as to be wiped out by the twin perils of Armageddon and a doomsday comet? Signs are everywhere of Jesus’ Second Coming & God will establish Heaven on Earth, creating a virtual paradise for the true & faithful believers. The righteous will inherit life eternal in all its glories. Unless the unrighteous repent eternal condemnation is a certainty. Just like the days of old, as with the people of Sodom & Gomorrah. Unconcerned & believing not, the present generation of people will face judgement in a much more drastic way!

Standing on the threshold of the 21^st Century & the advent of Y2K, world leaders through the United Nations are charting a new course for mankind. The plan calls for the yielding of the sovereignty of all nations to the United nations. It also plan to unite all religions. Foremost in the play of the “Big Brother Syndrome” is the US. The course of history is going to be changed drastically. The following features would become real:

• A borderless world economy has already occurred in Europe

• Collapse of world economy & globalisation (Rev. 18)

• Introduction of Smartcard with “666” as identification (Rev 13)

• Earthquake & natural calamities

• Economic crisis in US, Europe & Japan

• Loss of confidence in US currency

• The rise & fall of Euro Dollars

• Peace Treaty (Daniel 9:27)

• Building of the Third Temple (II Thessalonians 2:4)

• Desolation of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20 – 24)

• Revelation of Anti-Christ & tribulation ( II Thessalonians 2: 1 -12)

This is indeed food for thought. Our days on earth are naturally numbered as they are. What more with such swift & cataclysmic changes. In the present era of instant communication & super highways, adverse happenings are verified truism that can be watched realistically on our small screen almost immediately as they happen.

NO MORE HEARSAY . . . MORE LIKE NEARSAY!

There is however hope & love for true believers. Our Lord Jesus lives. He is the same today as yesterday. He is alive and coming back to fulfil all the promises of God. All the other prophets in all religions have died and they are not coming back again, for they are all dead!

To be prepared rather than to be despaired!

Repent & be prepare for the Judgement Day is upon us. We would not be caught with “drink & be merry for tomorrow we die” attitude or be famished with “wine women & song” as though there’s no tomorrow.

God is offering you the gift of salvation & all you need do is to repent for your sins and accept Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord of your life. God is gracious & forever faithful to His promises. His arms are wide open to receive you. There is a room waiting for you in Heaven . . . hopefully & prayerfully our final destination.

Paul Chong