Famous reverend and evangelist Franklin Graham sounded off on socialism, spoke on the suffering in the Ukraine, and characterized the world as in a moment of crisis in a very powerful New Years’ night message posted to Facebook.
In the message, which was meant to advise Graham’s fellow Christians on how to move forward in these dark times, Graham said:
As we begin 2023, the world we live in seems to be imploding. A brutal war is bringing suffering and death in Ukraine with every day that passes. Senseless violence is rampant across the United States. Anti-God agendas that once hid in the darkness are now proudly out in the open, demanding acceptance. Developed nations are being overtaken by socialism, removing God from anything and everything in the public square. And if you think things are bad, just wait—they’ll get worse. As followers of Jesus Christ, what do we do? We tell a dying world that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life—no one comes to the Father except through Him (see John 14:6). We urge lost souls to repent of their sins and believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, before it’s too late.
Reverend Graham then followed that powerful post up with another, similarly touching one a few hours later. It, however, was less directly about world events and instead a general call for Christians to remember what Jesus said about the Second Coming and live in a way that glorifies Him in the interim. In that message, Reverend Graham said:
Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:35-44)
It was unclear whether that post was meant to be a follow up to his “what do we do?” question in the New Years’ post or if it was instead meant to be a non-political, purely religious message about living well and remaining focused on God.