Posted on 12/21/2004 11:49:02 PM PST by JohnHuang2
AMEN! AMEN!
I'm of the opinion that the time may be near, but things will get a LOT worse than what we have now. I have studied the first few centuries of Christianity, and there were cycles of persecution and relative calm. During the short periods of calm, the numbers of people converting to Christianity swelled. Then persecution set in, and there was significant apostacy, as people deserted the faith in order to save their business / family / necks (take your pick).
I believe that prior to Christ's second coming, believers will be put into a cruciable, and there will be a period of apostacy again - but the remnant will remain. Will this be ralized via a period of Muslim takeover, with worldwide Sharia law imposed? Seems like a possibility to me.
Hmmm. Spellcheck didn't catch that one...
"Matt 24:3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you."
In vs.3, the disciples ask Jesus TWO QUESTIONS. The first one was "when shall these things be?" - the things Jesus had talked about in vs.2 - and then ANOTHER QUESTION - "what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" - which Jesus had not talked about.
The two questions are NOT RELATED.
Jesus uses the rest of the chapter to describe what conditions will be "the sign of thy coming".
The majority of Bible scholars have designated the "fig tree" to represent Israel; and the "blooming of fig tree" as Israel becoming a state in 1948.
Thanks, John. Another good one as always! Merry Christmas!
The thousand years is this gospel age that we now live.
The first time Jesus came, a mistake was made, they thought he had come to set-up an earthly kingdom. We should not make that mistake again. His kingdom is not of this world. He will return as judge and take believers to heaven.
Be ready.
Doesn't the thousand year reign begin AFTER the second coming? Mxxx
Anti-Christ is anyone against Christ. It is not any one individualt that we are watching for. There have been many. There will be more.
I believe that when the time approaches, we will know. He always warned His people and I don't think He'll keep us unawares. We should be able to read the signs as they transpire.
I believe God does this purposely so that we will live the kind of life He wants us to, to be aware and ready and to tell others. Past folks weren't reading the signs correctly. Israel had to come to pass before the end times period began.
This actually sounds like 1864...
Man hasn't changed a bit... No one knows when he will come... I don't buy into all of the rapture and Lehave books...
Happy Christmas
Amen, CyberAnt. I agree.
I once heard a teaching where the six day war in ??? was the date of the beginning of the generation but I'm not sure if that's correct or not. It was an interesting theory.
"The whole world with their hands on the Middle East, the region of Jerusalem and Babylon."
I was musing along these lines recently. For the last 2000 years the world's attention has been centered on certain conflicts. In our times we have seen the world focus on Europe, WW1, expanded to include the pacific in WW2, and various wars attempting to contain communism (Korean war, Vietnam).
But it occurred to me that since 9/11 something VERY different is beginning to happen. The eye of the storm is not Europe or the Pacific, it is the middle east. And not just Israel, but the entire Islamic area of the world.
This is biblical. 9/11 is definitely moving us into the endtimes. Not just the normal age-long conflicts, but the eye of the storm is increasingly becoming Jerusalem.
Didn't God say he would gather all nations to Jerusalem to battle? (Zech. 14:2) Since 9/11 the US has been drawn into the middle east. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria - we are being sucked into it whether the liberals like it or not.
And this is just the beginning. Increasling so, thanks to the Islamic terrorists, wars with Islamic nations are in the our future. We have entered into a new era. The final one, in my opinion.
By the way, are you the same Buggman that used to post on prophecy forums? Real good posts too if I remember right. I am post-trib, and premillennial, by the way.
Uh, I think it's Bill Clinton or is it Hillary? (just a joke)
He is reigning now. He is King. When He returns, it will be as Judge. People experience tribulation (past, present, future) but it isn't a "special time of tribulation."
Why don't you ask Him. I'm sure He'll be glad to let you know.
(spit) sorry too many th's...
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