Billy Graham Passes Away At The Age Of 99

William Franklin Graham Jr., the Southern Baptist minister who preached the gospel to more people than any other person in history, passed away today at the age of 99.  It has long been thought by many students of Bible prophecy that his passing might signal the nearness of the rapture because of his pivotal role as the world's most well-known preacher in the last days.  Graham died, or, more accurately, fell asleep (1 Thess. 4:13–18), exactly 153 days after Feast of Trumpets 2017 and 88 days before Pentecost 2018.  Abraham was 99 years old when God established an everlasting covenant with him, changed his name from Abram, commanded him to be circumcised, and promised him a son—the son of promise—not only Isaac, but also Christ and the Church (Gen. 17:1–27).

His passing marks the end of the earthly life of a man whose preaching won over literally millions of people to the simple truth of the gospel, including one Louie Zamperini, the subject of the movie Unbroken.  Graham has his detractors, even here at Unsealed, but I'm not one of them.  He was not a perfect person, but neither am I.  He preached the gospel as best as he knew how and devoted his life to reaching the masses with the good news of free pardon through faith in Jesus Christ—a message not heard in many other Christian denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church.

And as if perfectly, dare I say, divinely, planned, news broke just yesterday that the United States is finalizing its long-awaited Middle East peace plan and just briefed the United Nations Security Council on some if its key details.  We're here folks, so get ready and stay alert.  The Revelation 12 Sign and all of the incredible subsequent signs were a red alert—perhaps the final major alarm for the Church.

I'm reminded that Methuselah died the very year the Flood came and that if Graham is a type of Methuselah, perhaps his death might indicate the proximity of the next (and final) global cataclysm.  After all, it is the completion of the gospel being preached to all nations that signals the Day of the LORD.  Consider what Graham's daughter, Anne Lotz, said about her father just a few short years ago as reported in The Christian Post:

Lotz, who has previously said that she believes the Rapture will occur during her lifetime, reasoned that the fact that her father is still alive might have something to do with the return of Christ.

'I thought it had to do with the Return of Jesus and I won't go there right now, but I wonder also if [my father] is here ... to be an encouragement to you — that there is a man that is still faithful, still has a heart for the Gospel, heart for God, heart for the lost and still prays,' she continued. 'In fact, he prays in his preaching voice. He is still kicking. Maybe that will encourage you to be faithful through persevering in the ministry to which God has called you.'

In an interview with The Christian Post following her speech, Lotz clarified what she meant when she said her father's aliveness could possibly have something to do with the coming of Christ.

'My father's life is very unique. His life in ministry will never be equalled. The fact that he is still on this planet at 97 years of age, that is not an accident,' she explained. 'God is not whimsical and he does everything intentionally. The fact that my father is still here, God is holding him for a reason.'

'One of the things that I thought possibly — only God would know — when my father goes to Heaven, one more time, the Gospel will be preached to the whole world,' Lotz continued.

She cited Matthew 24:14, which states: 'And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.'

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