Posted on 12/21/2004 11:49:02 PM PST by JohnHuang2
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
By Joseph Farah
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness. From then on and forevermore ..."
– Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this week and prepare for 2005 next week, I can't help but think about how close we must be to the Second Coming – when the Lord will return for His church and personally rule over the Earth for 1,000 years.
Oh, I know, some of you don't believe in such things. You think it's just a bunch of silly superstition. Even some Christians don't believe in the Second Coming. Many prefer I stick to writing about news events of the physical world rather than arcane spiritual matters.
But, as a journalist, I can't ignore hard evidence – no matter where it may lead me. And the more I study the prophetic scriptures of the Holy Bible and look at the condition of our world today, the more convinced I become that we are nearing that time. In fact, I think we are very close.
For just as Jesus' virgin birth in Bethlehem was foretold by the Hebrew prophets hundreds of years earlier, so, too, was His return to Earth predicted. The only question is when.
The most dramatic evidence for His imminent return our generation has witnessed was the rebirth of the nation of Israel more than 50 years ago. The Jews, God's chosen people, were, as prophesied, scattered over the whole earth for nearly two millennia beginning shortly after Jesus' death on the cross. Yet, in my opinion, the scriptures leave no doubt that the Jewish state would exist once again before He returned.
Interestingly, Orthodox Jews have long taught that the world would last for 6,000 years before the Messiah would come and usher in a 1,000-year period of restful human history. Since God created the world in six days, according to Genesis 1:31, and rested on the seventh day, according to Genesis 2:1, they reasoned the world's history would climax the same way. They cite Psalms 90:4, which says: "For a thousand years in Thy sight are like yesterday when it passes by."
Likewise, Christians have looked to II Peter 3:8: "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
The early church understood this "six-day theory" of world history. It was widely accepted teaching for the first three centuries of the church. From the time of Adam, we've got genealogical records to show that 4,000 years passed until the time of Christ. From Jesus' time until the present age represents another 2,000 years for a total of 6,000 years or six days.
There's also a three-day theory: Jesus rose on the third day. Would the beginning of the third millennium – or thousand-year period – not be the likely time for His return to Earth? There is even strong scriptural evidence for such a theory provided in Hosea 6:2: "After two days will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight." Note that this prophecy is not about the Resurrection of Jesus – it's either about the resurrection of Israel after 2,000 years of dispersal or the physical return of the Lord.
In 1772, Edward Gibbons published "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," in which he cites early documents suggesting the Christian disciples of the first century were taught that Jesus would return after 2,000 years. We'll soon find out if they were right.
For many reasons, I believe Jesus is returning soon. But I'm especially drawn to II Timothy 3:1-5, which describes the state of the world in the "last days." Tell me if this doesn't sound like our world:
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
To me, that sounds like our world today.
Christmas represents a time of great hope for Christians. Of course, we're grateful that Jesus came about 2,000 years ago and died for our sins. Now we should be hopeful and expectant of His imminent return.
Merry Christmas. And happy birthday, Jesus.
"Orthodox Jews have long taught that the world would last for 6,000 years before the Messiah would come and usher in a 1,000-year period of restful human history."
It's still 5765, so we have a couple of centuries to go.
It would be lovely to experience it in my lifetime, but I'm not counting on it. When it happens, remember:
The Revolution will not be televised!
Point to the scripture... the one I remember basically states... that no one knows the time or day....etc...
AMEN!
I've never thought that 'agin it' made for a very good religion.
Been a long time since I've read the related Scriptures.
As best as I can recall, I thought Joseph was given two tribes. Seems to me there would still be 12 tribes.
In any case, I'm confident from other Scriptures that God WILL HAVE HIS ORDAINED 12 TRIBES for blood Israel. I don't care how He workes it out.
I don't think mention of New Jerusalem's foundations etc. is all/only symbolism.
I agree!
I found this thread linked above to be a great resource of related Scriptures:
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a38cfcc522efd.htm
AMEN!
The orthodox Jews of Jesus' dusty pathed days missed a lot of key things. I don't expect all their current perspectives to be precisely right, either.
We are exhorted to BE READY WITH OUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND EXTRA OIL AVAILABLE.
AND to be busy about the Master's business.
No one will know the day nor the hour. Given the 24 hours of the planet, that's a pretty wise statement.
However, that leaves month, season, year that we might plausibly be warned of by Holy Spirit.
I certainly am against date setting, however.
"Who's the anti-Christ?"
Those who hate Christ and Christians, of course.
"Sorry .. but the Holy Spirit is not resident in the believer in the Old Testament .. only the New Testament (because of Jesus)."
So true.
Moreover, God later broke the covenant with the jews.
Later read.
I don't think it is God's perspective at all that He wholesale broke the Covenant with the Jews.
I don't think of any conclusive reason that Dan would be wholesale excluded forever. But it's been a while since I read those Scriptures.
However, your construction on God and the Blood Israel Scriptures seems most UNBiblical, to me.
I don't find your scafolding analogy very useful at all, either.
"and the 'saints' - who are they?"
The believers in Jesus are called saints - because it was Jesus' blood which sanctified them and cleansed them from all their sins. Thus they became "saints".
While some religions try to impose an unrealistic "worthy" or "extra holy" tag to being eligible to be a saint - a saint is really just a believer who has received Jesus in his heart.
Are you done yet ..??
Hmmmm? For such a response, I must have challenged your theology. Frankly, I don't give a rip if I did. I don't see anybody twisting your arm forcing you to believe what I said. You are perfectly free to believe whatever you want.
And .. YOU ARE WRONG - there are 3 groups. The Jews are God's chosen - and He deals with them separately. The other 2 groups are the believers and the non-believers .. or the church and the nations.
And .. as far as Isaiah goes .. HE WAS PROPHESYING - after all, he was called a prophet.
By the way .. discussing what you believe is not a contest. It's an opportunity to share what you believe. If I don't believe the way you do - that's fine with me and it should be fine with you. But .. if you REQUIRE me to believe the way you do .. I guess our conversation will end.
I am waiting for the Lords return. Merry Christmas to you JohnHuang2 and ALL my freeper friends.
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