As to the other things, I believe the Temple will be rebuilt, and a treaty will be signed before the end times come. I also like Jack Hayford's take on the rapture. He's a pan-tribulationist. According to him, when God says, it's time, he's saying, "works for me." I can't imagine anyone saying, "Hey, put me back! It's not time yet!"
Many of the things we're seeing today ARE prophecies being fulfilled. The very existence of Israel is one. If you read 19th century biblical scholars, you'll find that few expected the actual country of Israel to exist again. Most of them thought the church had taken the place of Israel, and that references to Israel in Apocalyptic writing were references to the church. I see things happening that indicate a ratcheting towards the end. Where most people predicting the end time, IMHO, mess up is, they think every ratchet is the last one before the return of Christ.
As a last note, many people say "when will the tribulation start?" This, to me, is a rather parochial, westernized way of looking at things. In the United States, we do not endure tribulation, other than a possible risk of losing a job or something. In Somalia, China, all of Islam, the old Soviet Union, about 3/4 of the world, there is tribulation. Christians are murdered simply for being Christians. The capitulation to Islam in Europe goes beyond cowardice. There is a spiritual veil over their eyes. I do not know when the end will come, but I think it's safe to say that all we've seen so far are tiny fragments of what's to come.
Thanks for your input about Hal Lindsay and end-times. I for one truly believe.........
that Jesus may return sooner than some people might think.....the important thing we should be planning for the future, but living like He could come today.
As for ALGORE and his global warming, just maybe the Lord is allowing things to heat up, did anyone even give that a thot. He says in His Word that he won't destroy the world by flood again, but by fire....that's what the rainbow was all about ....NOT a flag to represent the gay community. It was a promise that he would not destroy the earth with another flood.
I agree with you that prophecies are being fulfilled daily and that so many people in other countries are being tortured and dying for their faith in Jesus Christ and somehow I don't believe that God is going to let America skate on that one. I've heard it said, If God destroyed Sodam and Gommorah for it's wickedness, what then will He do with America? If He lets America go free, then will he have to apologize to Sodam and Gommorah? IMHO, I think we will get a good glimpse of the 'beginning of sorrows' and God is going to allow us know what we are being spared from, before he takes us out of this wicked world. I don't for a minute believe He's just going to snatch us out, never having known what he's sparing us from. I think we'll be knowing alot more about grief, doing without and having to learn to depend on the Lord even for our very sustanance. Do we know anything yet of depending totally on God to supply, not our wants, but our needs? I feel it is something that we all need to think about. Right now, America is a very divided nation...according to the word of God....it cannot stand.....then what?
What's next? Think about it.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I also like Jack's thoughts on this issue.