Posted on 03/29/2010 4:05:06 AM PDT by Freedom'sWorthIt
(This is NEWS - Please Keep This in Breaking News, Admin Moderators. It is not about "religion". It is about Current Events!)
1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18:
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Yes = indeed - The Return of the Lord Jesus for His Beloved Church - is so very very near!
I said in the initial post - perhaps this year.
That insight came from the article posted in the beginning posts of this thread (regarding this being THIS YEAR). I just came to that insight right before posting this thread.
I have known based on many many things that His coming for the Church - in the Rapture - is near - but I did not know until reading that article - that it was THAT near!
And I still am not 100% certain it will be in 2010.
I am 100% certain that THIS YEAR is a YEAR of RESTORATION and that it is the YEAR OF GOD PUTTING EVERYTHING IN HIS GOOD ORDER. A YEAR OF DIVINE ORDER.
That was said to me - that last prophecy. And the Year of Restoration prophecy has been said to me by MANY!
Both prophetic sayings resonate with my spirit - which is Heaven’s Amen response when we are shown something by others that is true - the Holy Spirit residing within us “leaps up” to say - AMEN - within our Spirit and our minds and our emotions.
That is why we are seeing, and will be seeing even more during this year - all over the world - RESTORATIONS happening - Restorations in homes - of marriages, of parent-child, of sibling relationships / in individuals - of health, mentally and physically - and most imporatnatly of SOULS / of businesses / of cities, states, and natios / of the CHURCH - reaching into all those parts of the church which in some of its parts have gone apostate - Jesus is RESTORING all the historic denominations back to their original caliing. I think this Restoration is going to extend to all those colleges and universities which were founded by Christians - but which have gone haywire in the last 50 years - they are going to be RESTORED to their founders’ original purpose - in Christ!
This Restoration year is all a wonderful gift from the Lord Jesus Himself to the entire world as He prepares everything and will have everything in divine order prior to His return for His own.
Joel foretold this time - in Joel 2 - in which He saw the time when the Holy Spirit would be poured out ON ALL FLESH!
That - dear friends - is what we are seeing occur this year!
(It has been happening for some time - but this year is evidently the one in which the River of God’s Spirit is pouring out - the River of the love of God - the River of His Healing Shed Blood from that Cross - which is an eternal river - is pouring out and is washing people’s sins away and washing away our illnesses and washing away all those things that have held back the blessings that God longs for us to have.....well - that RIVER (a key word at this time) is flowing over all the earth onto all human beings.
It would take a few days or weeks to relate to you how I have seen this happening in person and in reading about events happening all over the world.
Maybe one day there will be a chance to do this.
For now, if any have access to watching TCT TV (Total Christian Television) - TCT.TV is the website - so you can watch their programs on their website....
I would strongly recommend having that Television channel on at all times at home or to be on their website all you can (yes, that means less time on our beloved Free Republic).
Of course reading His Word is recommended at this time.
I am finding that it does not matter WHAT passage of scripture I am reading - EVERY scripture speaks to me and in every one - we are given such great insight into what the Lord Jesus really is doing and who He is and what His plan is for each one of us - which is so totally wonderful - well - we just need to be binding ourselves to God’s Word however we can do that - through TV, the Internet, through the Bible.
But even if we don’t do that - nothing can stop the RIVER that is flowing out to the entire world - as Jesus prepares it and us for the wonderful event called the Rapture of the Church - which very likely could be this year!
Hallelujah!
Maranatha!
This is a fantastically clear chart - thank you so much!
The posts about the Feasts are so revealing and so helpful - and so awesome - thank you very very much!!!
In fact, I have read some commentators who said some were expecting Christ exactly WHEN he came, because of signs. Maybe not the day or the hour, but I think they could have a general idea of the time frame in years.
From a pre-trib point of view, I see all prophecy being fulfilled for the rapture.
From an overall view I'm waiting for construction to begin on the new temple. And a great war with Israel by a huge coalition of muslim nations, possibly led by Russia, lasting MAYBE DAYS, possibly HOURS. And a 7 YEAR peace treaty, agreed by, and overseen by a rapidly risen world leader or statesman.
Not necessarily in that order.
The magi did pretty well with what they had.
Both Jesus' first and second comings had signs predicted in the Bible. People WERE WATCHING for the messiah when Christ first came, because they saw the signs of the times. In fact Christ rebuked some for not believing because they did not recognize who he was by the signs of the times.
And in regards to Jesus' Second Coming, there will also be plenty of signs to look for to tell people exactly when He is coming. The Rapture, on the other hand, has no sign, no prophecy to be fulfilled, first, before it happens. With the Second Coming (to set up the Kingdom on earth for His one-world government) -- you can count exactly 1,260 days from the abominaion of desolation that Jesus pointed out that Daniel spoke about -- and know to the day, exactly when Jesus will be arriving. See this from Post #213 ...
The New Testament teaches about the Rapture of the church and yet also speaks of the Second Coming of Christ. These two events are different in a number of ways. Note the following contrasts between the translation at the Rapture and Christ's Second Coming to establish the kingdom.
Rapture/Translation 2nd Coming/Estabish Kingdom
1. Translation of all believers 1. No translation at all
2. Translated saints go to heaven 2. Translated saints return to earth
3. Earth not judged 3. Earth judged & righteousness established
4. Imminent, any-moment, signless 4. Follows definite predicted signs including tribulation
5. Not in the Old Testament 5. Predicted often in Old Testament
6. Believers only 6. Affects all men
7. Before the day of wrath 7. Concluding the day of wrath
8. No reference to Satan 8. Satan bound
9. Christ comes for His own 9. Christ comes with His own
10. He comes in the air 10. He comes to the earth
11. He claims His bride 11. He comes with His bride
12. Only His own see Him 12. Every eye shall see Him
13. Tribulation begins 13. Millennial Kingdom begins
Dr. John Walvoord concludes that these "contrasts should make it evident that the translation of the church is an event quite different in character and time from the return of the Lord to establish His kingdom, and confirms the conclusion that the translation takes place before the tribulation."5
AND... see the following from Post #270 ...
In contrast to the imminent gathering of His church, there are numerous passages that deal with precedent events which must transpire prior to the "Second Coming" to establish His kingdom on the earth. Some of the passages referring to the Rapture and the Second Coming are summarized at the the table below.
|
Rapture |
Second Coming |
|
John 14:1-3 |
Dan 2:44-45 |
|
Rom 8:19 |
Dan 7:9-14 |
|
1 Cor 1:7-8 |
Dan 12:1-3 |
|
1 Cor 15:1-53 |
Zech 14:1-15 |
|
1 Cor 16:22 |
Matt 13:41 |
|
Phil 3:20-21 |
Matt 24:15-31 |
|
Col 3:4 |
Matt 26:64 |
|
1 Thess 1:10 |
Mark 13:14-27 |
|
1 Thess 2:19 |
Mark 14:62 |
|
1 Thess 4:13-18 |
Luke 21:25-28 |
|
1 Thess 5:9 |
Acts 1:9-11 |
|
1 Thess 5:23 |
Acts 3:19-21 |
|
2 Thess 2:1 (3?) |
1 Thess 3:13 |
|
1 Tim 6:14 |
2 Thess 1:6-10 |
|
2 Tim 4:1 |
2 Thess 2:8 |
|
Titus 2:13 |
2 Peter 3:1-14 |
|
Heb 9:28 |
Jude 14-15 |
|
James 5:7-9 |
Rev 1:7 |
|
1 Peter 1:7, 13 |
Rev 19:11-20:6 |
|
1 John 2:28-3:2 |
Rev 22:7, 12, 20 |
|
Jude 21 |
|
|
Rev 2:25 |
|
|
Rev 3:10 |
|
Look it up.
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/
P.S. The Temple Mount will collapse and that is called ‘the abomination that causes desolation.
always there’s lots more!
Chag Sameach Pesach!
Worship ELoHIM!
Your right. Poor choice of words. His precious shed blood already presents us pure and without spot or wrinkle. CO
Regardless of when “soon” is we are to be ready, have our lamps full and be prepared. Although, nobody, even Jesus, knows when the Rapture will take place, we do know the season. My Spirit definitely witnesses to the fact that we are living in the end times and the “season” Christ referred to. CO
Regardless of when “soon” is we are to be ready, have our lamps full and be prepared.
It's "imminent" but it's not "soon" ... See Post #268, regarding the Doctrine of Imminence.
And it's not "soon" (as in the "timing") but "sudden" as in how fast it progresses when it happens. See Post #262, on the original language word, which some have used as "soon" -- but "soon" is misunderstood as a "timing function" when it's not a "timing function".
In Post #262, this is an argument against "Preterism" which uses the understanding of the word as a "timing function" -- when it's actually not. So, in proving that it's not that -- this also helps clear up the meaning of the original language word, as to what it means... in that it's not "soon" (as we understand it in English) but it's something that happens "suddenly" and progresses very "quickly" -- and it's not meant to indicate that it's happening in any particular "time frame" (like next week "soon", or next year "soon", or the next decade "soon"...).
That's why this was said to happen "suddenly" to those readers of 2,000 years ago -- and -- it will happen just as "suddenly" for us, 2,000 years later.
Otherwise, with the "wrong understanding" of that original language word, one might think that those readers of (almost) 2,000 years ago, thought it was going to happen "soon" (as in their lifetimes), when that's not what it said. It was saying that it would happen "suddenly" for them, and progress "quickly" for them -- in the exact same way it will for us.
And it's just as "imminent" for them, as it is "imminent" for us... per the Doctrine of Imminence.
Eggzaktlee
At the very latest, the rapture happens right before Christs triumphal return earth on the Mount Of Olives. At the earliest, it happens 7 years before the return.
The Bible tells us what the signs of the end of the age are. Peter tells us to watch for Christ's return.
The Bible also talks of the Rapture happening in the end days, before the return of Christ.
If you see the signs of the times around you, it makes sense that the Rapture is getting nearer.
The signs are just that, signs. Signs to get our house in order. Signs that the time for believers to plant, water or harvest seeds for new believers is running out.
I look in the world and see the world moving rapidly to form a New World Order. Unlike anything seen before. Talked about in the Bible. Well, with transportation and communication the way they are today, I can see that happening. Soon.
I also see the day approaching when a simple Mark, upon the hand or forhead will allow you, or eliminate you, from buying or selling. Never before has this been possible. Just go to the Council Of Foreign Relations website, and you will see that their goals are a one world government and a cashless society, with everyone chipped by 2017.
P.S. The Temple Mount will collapse and that is called ‘the abomination that causes desolation.
This is a section of a larger paper, dealing with Matthew chapters 24 and 25. It also has a part of this section addressing Preterism, which is a false theology, but since they talk about the "Abomination of Desolation" in that theology, this particular section is also addressing them (i.e., Preterism).
In the process of doing that, you have an examination of what the "Abomination of Desolation" is...
by Thomas Ice
“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),”
— Matthew 24:15
We have now reached the midpoint of the tribulation in the chronological progress of this passage. Christ mentions the key event upon which the entire passage turns when He speaks of the abomination of desolation. What is He speaking about?
THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
The key passages in Daniel that mention the term "abomination of desolation" are Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11. This is a technical term, which means that it has a precise and consistent meaning in all three passages. The phrase refers to an act of abomination that renders, in this case, the Temple, something unclean. Daniel 11:31 speaks of an act that was fulfilled in history before the first coming of Christ. Dr. John Walvoord explains:
In Daniel 11:31, a prophecy was written by Daniel in the sixth century B. C. about a future Syrian ruler by name of Antiochus Epiphanes who reigned over Syria 175-164 B. C., about 400 years after Daniel. History, of course, has recorded the reign of this man. In verse 31, Daniel prophesied about his activity: ". . . they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate." This would be very difficult to understand if it were not for the fact that it has already been fulfilled. Anyone can go back to the history of Antiochus Epiphanes and discover what he did as recorded in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees. He was a great persecutor of the children of Israel and did his best to stamp out the Jewish religion and wanted to place in its stead a worship of Greek pagan gods.
. . .
One of the things he did was to stop animal sacrifices in the temple. He offered a sow, an unclean animal, on the altar in a deliberate attempt to desecrate and render it unholy for Jewish worship (cf. 1 Macc. 1:48). First Maccabees 1:54 specifically records that the abomination of desolation was set up, fulfilling Daniel 11:31. In the holy of holies Antiochus set up a statue of a Greek god. . . . In keeping with the prophecy the daily sacrifices were stopped, the sanctuary was polluted, desolated and made an abomination.1
Dr. Randall Price agrees: "In my own study of the phrase in the context of Temple desecration I discovered the phrase served as a technical reference to the introduction of an idolatrous image or an act of pagan sacrilege within the Sanctuary that produces the highest level a of ceremonial impurity, Temple profanation."2
This passage sets the pattern and provides details about what the abomination of desolation consists of. The Daniel 9:27 passage says that this abomination is to take place in the middle of a seven year period. The passage says, "in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate." "In other words, the future prince will do at that time exactly what Antiochus did in the second century B.C."3 But Daniel goes on to say that the one who commits this act will be destroyed three and a half years later. Daniel 12:11 provides "the precise chronology."4 The text says, "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days."
In addition to the three passages in Daniel, the two references by our Lord in Matthew and Luke, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13:14-15 also have this event in view. Therefore, the abomination of desolation, which the reader is to understand, includes the following elements:
1. It occurs in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 11:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
2. It involves a person setting up a statue in place of the regular sacrifice in the holy of holies (Daniel 11:31; 12:11; Revelation 13:14-14).
3. This results in the cessation of the regular sacrifice (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
4. There will be a time of about three-and-a-half years between this event and another event and the end of the time period (Daniel 9:27; 12:11).
5. It involves an individual setting up a statue or image of himself so that he may be worshipped in place of God (Daniel 11:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15).
6. The image is made to come to life (Revelation 13:14).
7. A worship system of this false god is thus inaugurated (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:14-15).
8. At the end of this time period the individual who commits the act will himself be cut off (Daniel 9:27).
PRETERIST MISINTERPRETATION
Predictably, Dr. Kenneth Gentry believes that the famous "abomination of desolation" in Matthew 24:15 (cf. Mark 13:14) was fulfilled in the first century destruction of Jerusalem.5 Even though there are similarities between the past destruction of Jerusalem and a future siege, there are enough differences to distinguish the two events.
Despite this specific information about the abomination of desolation, Dr. Gentry identifies it as simply the Roman invasion and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70.6 Rather than going to Daniel for an understanding of what our Lord wanted the reader to understand, Gentry goes to Luke 21:20-22, with a little help from Josephus, to conclude that Christ is warning of Jerusalem's devastation by military assault, not just the temple's desecration by profane acts".7 Let's see if this interpretation measures up to the Biblical explanation concerning the abomination of desolation.
AN ANSWER TO PRETERISM
Luke 21:20-24 does refer to the A. D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem. Therefore, when verse 20 says, "when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand," it is describing in clear language the destruction of Jerusalem. This is vindicated by the language of the rest of the passage, especially verse 24: "and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot." In context, the desolation is the destruction of Jerusalem; it is not a technical term relating to the Temple, as Dr. Gentry suggests.
In contrast, the Matthew 24:15 passage has a context of its own which differs from the Luke account. Matthew says, "when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet (not Luke), standing in the holy place." Comparison of the description in Matthew and Daniel with the passage in Luke yields differences, which prove that they are two separate events.
In the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem there was . . .
Josephus tells us that Titus did not want the Temple burned. However, the Roman solders were so upset with the Jews that they disobeyed his orders and burned the temple anyway. All Titus was able to do was to go in and tour the holy place shortly before it burned.9 This does not comport with the biblical picture of the image to be set up on the altar in the middle of Daniel's seventieth week, resulting in cessation of the regular sacrifice and a rival worship system set up in its place for three-and-a-half years. Dr. Stanley Toussaint says,
Because Christ specifically related the prophecy of the abomination of desolation to Daniel's prophecy, it seems best to see some correspondence between the abomination of desolation committed by Antiochus Epiphanes and that predicted by Christ. If this is so it would entail not only defilement on the altar by sacrifices offered with impure hearts, but also an actual worship of another god using the Temple as a means for such a dastardly act. Those preterists who agree with this take it to be the worship of the Roman standards in the Temple precincts. However, if this interpretation is taken, Matthew 24:16-20 is difficult if not impossible to explain. By then it would be too late for the followers of the Lord Jesus to escape; the Romans had already taken the city by this time.
If the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 is foreshadowed by Antiochus Epiphanes (11:31), it would be best to say it is a desecration carried out by a person who sacrilegiously uses the Temple to promote the worship of a god other than Jehovah. This is what is anticipated in 2 Thessalonians 2.10
Another major dissimilarity between Gentry's preterism and Matthew 24 is that according to Matthew "neither the city nor the temple are destroyed, and thus the two situations stand in sharp contrast."11 The Luke 21:20-24 reference does record the "days of vengeance" which befell Jerusalem. Let us look at some other details related to the fact that the future fulfillment of Matthew 24 is one in which Christ delivers the Jews, rather than destroying them, as in A.D. 70.
First, as Luke shifts from the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem in 21:20-24, to the second coming of Christ in 21:25-28, he tells them in verse 28 to "straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." This is the language of deliverance from the threat of the nations, not destruction. This language of deliverance is reflected in Zechariah 12—14.12 These three chapters include three important factors: 1) Jerusalem surrounded by the nations who are seeking to destroy it (12:2-9; 14:2-7); 2) the Lord will fight for Israel and Jerusalem and defeat the nations who have come up to lay siege against the city (14:1-8); 3) at this same time the Lord will also save Israel from her sins and she will be converted to Messiah—Jesus (12:9-14).
(To Be Continued . . .)
ENDNOTES
1. John F. Walvoord, "Christ's Olivet Discourse on the Time of the End: Signs of the End of the Age." Bibliotheca Sacra (Vol. 128, Num. 512, Oct-Dec, 1971), pp. 318-19.
2. J. Randall Price, "Historical Problems with a First-Century Fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse," in Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice, editors, The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2003), p. 387.
3. Walvoord., "Olivet Discourse," p. 319.
4. Walvoord., "Olivet Discourse," p. 319.
5. Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., Perilous Times: A Study in Eschatological Evil (Texarkana, AR: Covenant Media Press, 1999), pp. 22–26.
6. Gentry in Thomas Ice and Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., The Great Tribulation: Past or Future? Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1999), pp. 47–48.
7. Gentry in Ice and Gentry, Great Tribulation, p. 47.
8. D. A. Carson, "Matthew", The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), p. 500.
9. See David Chilton, Paradise Restored: An Eschatology of Dominion (Tyler, TX: Reconstruction Press, 1985), pp. 274-6.
10. Stanley D. Toussaint, "A Critique Of The Preterist View Of The Olivet Discourse," an unpublished paper presented to the Pre-Trib Study Group, Dallas, Texas, 1996, n.p.
11. Walvoord, "Olivet Discourse," p. 317.
12. For more on Zechariah 12—14 and the fact that it will be fulfilled in the future see Arnold G Fruchtenbaum, "The Little Apocalypse," in LaHaye and Ice, editors, The End Times Controversy, pp. 251–
nowhere in scripture does it instruct anyone to worship Jesus, nowhere.
Jesus received the unique worship God deserves. He was often worshipped while He appeared on earth before His resurrection.
Note that such religious worship would have been blasphemy and should have been forbidden as it was in the case of Peter, the angel, etc., if Jesus had been just a man on earth. Created beings also worship Him after His resurrection.
Note that men were rebuked for worshipping men, angels, or created beings, but they were never rebuked for worshipping Jesus. Angels are even instructed by the Father to worship Jesus. The context of the above passages cannot fit the idea of obeisance to an earthly king or ruler. They refer to honoring Jesus as a religious authority - the very thing forbidden when offered to Peter, angels, etc.
Hence, Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. The Scriptures, including Jesus' own teachings, would absolutely forbid this unless He possesses true Deity.
THANKS THANKS.
IIRC WE ARE TO ALL CAST OUR CROWNS AT HIS FEET as well.
And The Father’s good pleasure was to put all things under Christ.
38"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
Try reading Revelation. There Christ is on the thrown and being praised.
Secondly Christ IS God and worthy to be praised.
Absolutely, and He is about to return and reign on earth as the King that He is for a millennium, and men will travel to Jerusalem to worship Him.
He is God and is worshiped as God.
INDEED.
THX.
And all Beleivers are to rule and reign with Him evidently eternally . . .
I’d LOVE to be on the Rapture Caucus Ping list...thank you very much!
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