Matthew 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day. 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
[The Great Controversy pp 30] Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ had given his disciples warning, and all who believed his words watched for the promised sign. After the Romans under Cestius had surrounded the city, they unexpectedly abandoned the siege when everything seemed favorable for an immediate attack. The besieged, despairing of successful resistance, were on the point of surrender, when the Roman general withdrew his forces, without the least apparent reason.
“But God's merciful providence was directing events for the good of his own people. The promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, and now an opportunity was afforded for all who would to obey the Savior's warning. Events were so overruled that neither Jews nor Romans should hinder the flight of the Christians.”…. The stated sign has not yet occurred in our day, but we are getting dangerously close.
Thus, rather than go into full blown panic mode, and make decisions, and take actions on impulse alone, God is calling His people to pray like never before, so that the habit of checking in with God would come to maturity. Be very careful of making decisions in the heat of the moment, and be wary of conspiracy theories that will arise from time to time to throw folks off kilt, lest the ghost of David Koresh haunt those who may not be rooted and grounded in Christ. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should help us to pray, instead of moving strictly by impulse, for now more than ever, people need The Lord, as the song says.
Psalms 32: 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with my eye. 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusts in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!