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50 Reasons Why We Are Living In The End Times: Part 1
Lamb and Lion Ministries Blog ^ | 13 JULY 2009 | Dr. David R. Reagan

Posted on 07/25/2009 2:40:04 AM PDT by Quix

The Bible says we cannot know the time of the Lord's return (Matthew 25:13). But the Scriptures make it equally clear that we can know the season of the Lord's return (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6):

"You yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night... But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night or darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober."

This passage asserts that Jesus is coming like "a thief in the night." But then it proceeds to make it clear that this will be true only for the pagan world and not for believers. His return should be no surprise to those who know Him and His Word, for they have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to give them understanding of the nature of the times.

Furthermore, the Scriptures give us signs to watch for — signs that will signal that Jesus is ready to return. The writer of the Hebrew letter referred to these signs when he proclaimed that believers should encourage one another when they see the day of judgment drawing near (Hebrews 10:25-27). Jesus also referred to the end time signs in His Olivet Discourse, given during the last week of His life (Matthew 24 and Luke 21). Speaking of a whole series of signs which He had given to His disciples, He said, "When you see all these things, recognize that He [the Son of Man — that is, Jesus] is near, right at the door" (Matthew 24:33).


A Personal Experience

Every time I think of "Signs of the Times," I am reminded of a great man of God named Elbert Peak. I had the privilege of participating with him in a Bible prophecy conference held in Orlando, Florida in the early 1990's. Mr. Peak was about 80 years old at the time.

He had been assigned the topic, "The Signs of the Times." He began his presentation by observing, "Sixty years ago when I first started preaching, you had to scratch around like a chicken to find one sign of the Lord's soon return."

He paused for a moment, and then added, "But today there are so many signs I'm no longer looking for them. Instead, I'm listening for a sound — the sound of a trumpet!"


The First Sign

One hundred years ago in 1907 there was not one single, tangible, measurable sign that indicated we were living in the season of the Lord's return. The first to appear was the Balfour Declaration which was issued by the British government on November 2, 1917.

This Declaration was prompted by the fact that during World War I the Turks sided with the Germans. Thus, when Germany lost the war, so did the Turks, and the victorious Allies decided to divide up both the German and Turkish empires.

The Turkish territories, called the Ottoman Empire, contained the ancient homeland of the Jewish people — an area the Romans had named Palestine after the last Jewish revolt in 132-135 AD.

In 1917 Palestine included all of modern day Israel and Jordan. In the scheme the Allies concocted for dividing up the German and Turkish territories, Britain was allotted Palestine, and this is what prompted the Balfour Declaration. In that document, Lord Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, declared that it was the intention of the British government to establish in Palestine "a national home for the Jewish people."

The leading Evangelical in England at the time was F. B. Meyer. He immediately recognized the prophetic significance of the Declaration, for he was well aware that the Scriptures prophesy that the Jewish people will be regathered to their homeland in unbelief right before the return of the Messiah (Isaiah 11:11-12).

Meyer sent out a letter to the Evangelical leaders of England asking them to gather in London in December to discuss the prophetic implications of the Balfour Declaration. In that letter, he stated, "The signs of the times point toward the close of the time of the Gentiles... and the return of Jesus can be expected any moment."

Before Meyer's meeting could be convened, another momentous event occurred. On December 11, 1917 General Edmund Allenby liberated the city of Jerusalem from 400 years of Turkish rule.

There is no doubt that these events in 1917 marked the beginning of the end times because they led to the worldwide regathering of the Jewish people to their homeland and the reestablishment of their state.


Since 1917

Since the time of the Balfour Declaration, we have witnessed throughout the 20th Century the appearance of sign after sign pointing to the Lord's soon return. There are so many of these signs today, in fact, that one would have to be either biblically illiterate or spiritually blind not to realize that we are living on borrowed time.

I have personally been searching the Bible for years in an effort to identify all the signs, and it has not been an easy task to get a hold on them. That's because there are so many of them, both in the Old and New Testaments.

I have found that the best way to deal with them is to put them in categories, and in doing that, I have come up with six categories of end time signs. We will explore these catetories beginning in Part 2 of this series.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Charismatic Christian; Current Events; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: dispensation; endtimes; era; hallindsey; prophecy
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To: Quix; raynearhood; Lee N. Field; Alex Murphy; Frumanchu; Dr. Eckleburg
"The popularity of dispensationalism owes much to the biblical illiteracy of the folks in the pew. "

Today’s REPLACEMENTARIAN balderdash

QED.

121 posted on 07/26/2009 3:23:25 PM PDT by topcat54 (Don't believe in a pre-anything rapture? Join "Naysayers for Jesus")
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To: topcat54; raynearhood; Lee N. Field; Frumanchu; Dr. Eckleburg
The 1981 rapture [forty "fig tree generation" years minus seven "pre-trib rapture" years] hullabaloo is perfectly consistent with the idea that the 1948 constitution of secular Israel had prophetic significance, and that passages like Matthew 24 involving the parable of the fig tree and idea that the “great tribulation” would come upon the generation that witnessed the budding of the fig tree (aka the establishment of secular Israel)....

....A whole host of popular dispensationalists, including Lindsey, Chuck Smith, and Edgar Whisenant, advanced this teaching. It was widely accepted within the dispensational community at the time. In fact, I am not aware of any noted dispensationalists who disagreed with the teaching to oppose it publicly.


122 posted on 07/26/2009 3:24:37 PM PDT by Alex Murphy ("I always longed for repose and quiet" - John Calvin)
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To: Alex Murphy; Blogger; Marysecretary; Joya

Another cute non-sequitur photo brought to us by the REPLACEMENTARIANS of FR.

Appears to play on the trite, tired old pretend guilt by pretend association ploy.

But we should probably be compassionate toward them. When their UNBiblical arguments are so foundationally weak, what else can they do!


123 posted on 07/26/2009 3:29:02 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Alex Murphy; Quix

"This time for sure Rocky"

"But that trick never works."

124 posted on 07/26/2009 3:45:10 PM PDT by Lee N. Field (Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.)
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To: Quix
Another cute non-sequitur photo brought to us by the REPLACEMENTARIANS of FR.

Maybe you missed the point. Let me explain. This is visible evidence of yet another in a long series of missed, "this time for sure Rocky", end of the world predictions. Date setting (or date suggesting, if you prefer) is something your party does a lot.

Lost down the memory hole at the dispensational Ministry of Truth.

125 posted on 07/26/2009 3:46:34 PM PDT by Lee N. Field (Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.)
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To: Lee N. Field; airborne; AngieGal; auggy; bearsgirl90; bethtopaz; BigBadWolf; Blogger; ...

I gather the fitting use of the term—of noting that their pics and posts are vivid examples of “non-sequiturs”

escapes the REPLACEMENTARIANS.

NO big surprise there! LOL.

When one believes RUBBER BIBLES AND RUBBER HISTORIES

over the Word of God . . .

lots of things just do not compute properly.


126 posted on 07/26/2009 3:54:06 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Quix
lots of things just do not compute properly.

There's no true interaction with the input of others taking place, only a poor imitation. You're an Eliza type program, aren't you?

Busted!

127 posted on 07/26/2009 4:17:18 PM PDT by Lee N. Field (Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.)
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To: Lee N. Field

It’s been a frequent observation of mine . . .

that when

folks refuse to believe basic Scripture,

dialogue with them is problematic to impossible.

So, I don’t hold out a lot of hope that any meaningful discussion can be had with RELPLACEMENTARIANS, A-MILS, PRETERISTS, POST MILS, RUN-OF-THE-MIL pseudo-theology pretenders.


128 posted on 07/26/2009 4:30:36 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Quix

Failed prophecies:
About 30 CE: The Christian Scriptures (New Testament), when interpreted literally, appear to record many predictions by Jeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ) that God’s Kingdom would arrive within a very short period, or was actually in the process of arriving. For example, Jesus is recorded as saying in Matthew 16:28: “...there shall be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” In Matthew 24:34, Yeshua is recorded as saying: “...This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Since the life expectancy in those days was little over 30 years, Jesus appears to have predicted his second coming sometime during the 1st century CE. It didn’t happen. More details.
About 60 CE: Interpreting the Epistles of Paul of Tarsus literally, his writings seem to imply that Jesus would return and usher in a rapture during the lifetime of persons who were living in the middle of the 1st century. More details.
About 90 CE: Saint Clement 1 predicted that the world end would occur at any moment.
2nd Century CE: Prophets and Prophetesses of the Montanist movement predicted that Jesus would return sometime during their lifetime and establish the New Jerusalem in the city of Pepuza in Asia Minor.
365 CE: A man by the name of Hilary of Poitiers, announced that the end would happen that year. It didn’t.
375 to 400 CE: Saint Martin of Tours, a student of Hilary, was convinced that the end would happen sometime before 400 CE.
500 CE: This was the first year-with-a-nice-round-number-panic. The antipope Hippolytus and an earlier Christian academic Sextus Julius Africanus had predicted Armageddon at about this year.
968 CE: An eclipse was interpreted as a prelude to the end of the world by the army of the German emperor Otto III.
992: Good Friday coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation; this had long been believed to be the event that would bring forth the Antichrist, and thus the end-times events foretold in the book of Revelation. Records from Germany report that a new sun rose in the north and that as many as 3 suns and 3 moons were fighting. There does not appear to be independent verification of this remarkable event.
1000-JAN-1: Many Christians in Europe had predicted the end of the world on this date. As the date approached, Christian armies waged war against some of the Pagan countries in Northern Europe. The motivation was to convert them all to Christianity, by force if necessary, before Christ returned in the year 1000. Meanwhile, some Christians had given their possessions to the Church in anticipation of the end. Fortunately, the level of education was so low that many citizens were unaware of the year. They did not know enough to be afraid. Otherwise, the panic might have been far worse than it was. Unfortunately, when Jesus did not appear, the church did not return the gifts. Serious criticism of the Church followed. The Church reacted by exterminating some heretics. Agitation settled down quickly.
1000-MAY: The body of Charlemagne was disinterred on Pentecost. A legend had arisen that an emperor would rise from his sleep to fight the Antichrist.
1005-1006: A terrible famine throughout Europe was seen as a sign of the nearness of the end.
1033: Some believed this to be the 1000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus. His second coming was anticipated. Jesus’ actual date of execution is unknown, but is believed to be in the range of 27 to 33 CE.
1147: Gerard of Poehlde decided that the millennium had actually started in 306 CE during Constantine’s reign. Thus, the world end was expected in 1306 CE.
1179: John of Toledo predicted the end of the world during 1186. This estimate was based on the alignment of many planets.
1205: Joachim of Fiore predicted in 1190 that the Antichrist was already in the world, and that King Richard of England would defeat him. The Millennium would then begin, sometime before 1205.
1284: Pope Innocent III computed this date by adding 666 years onto the date the Islam was founded.
1346 and later: The black plague spread across Europe, killing one third of the population. This was seen as the prelude to an immediate end of the world. Unfortunately, the Christians had previously killed a many of the cats, fearing that they might be familiars of Witches. The fewer the cats, the more the rats. It was the rat fleas that spread the black plague.
1496: This was approximately 1500 years after the birth of Jesus. Some mystics in the 15th century predicted that the millennium would begin during this year.
1524: Many astrologers predicted the imminent end of the world due to a world wide flood. They obviously had not read the Genesis story of the rainbow.
1533: Melchior Hoffman predicted that Jesus’ return would happen a millennium and a half after the nominal date of his execution, in 1533. The New Jerusalem was expected to be established in Strasbourg, Germany. He was arrested and died in a Strasbourg jail.
1669: The Old Believers in Russia believed that the end of the world would occur in this year. 20 thousand burned themselves to death between 1669 and 1690 to protect themselves from the Antichrist.
1689: Benjamin Keach, a 17th century Baptist, predicted the end of the world for this year.
1736: British theologian and mathematician William Whitson predicted a great flood similar to Noah’s for OCT-13 of this year.
1792: This was the date of the end of the world calculated by some believers in the Shaker movement.
1794: Charles Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism, thought Doomsday would be in this year.
1830: Margaret McDonald, a Christian prophetess, predicted that Robert Owen would be the Antichrist. Owen helped found New Harmony, IN.
1832?: Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was the founder of the Church of Christ, which became the Restorationist movement after many schisms. It now includes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a.k.a. the Mormons, and about a hundred other denominations and sects. He heard a voice while praying. He wrote, in Doctrines and Covenants section 130:

14: “I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following:”

15: “Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.”

16: “I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face.”

17: “I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.” 14
The year in which this event occurred is not recorded. However, one commentator suggested 1832 or earlier. 16 Smith is later recorded as having said:
“I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written—the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old.” 17

Smith would have reached the age of 85 during 1890. Unfortunately, by that year, Smith had been dead for almost a half century, having been assassinated by a mob. Note that his prophecy is ambiguous. It can be interpreted that:

Jesus would return during 1890 (which did not materialize) or that
1890 would pass without Jesus’ return (which did come to pass).

Some anti-Mormon sources quote only verses 14 and 15, and draw the former conclusion — that Smith’s prophecy failed.


129 posted on 07/26/2009 4:34:49 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Nemo me impune lacessit)
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To: topcat54

Amen. “All one in Christ Jesus.”


130 posted on 07/26/2009 4:42:17 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: mad_as_he$$; XeniaSt; Blogger; Cvengr; jeremiah; marbren; prophetic; Rushmore Rocks; wolfcreek

Some folks have always believed in flakey sources; flakey interpretations of Scripture etc. etc. etc. yada, yada, yada.

Thankfully, Believing in and

trusting

clear basic Scripture is not near so problematic . . .

but only, evidently,

for those with eyes to see and ears to hear . . .

which . . . evidently . . .

excludes virtually all REPLACEMENTARIANS, A-MILS, PRETERISTS, POST MILS And no few run-of-the-mils.


131 posted on 07/26/2009 4:58:33 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Quix

Hmmmm!


132 posted on 07/26/2009 5:03:04 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (The beginning of the O'Bummer administration looks a lot like the end of the Nixon administration)
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To: Quix
So, I don’t hold out a lot of hope that any meaningful discussion can be had with RELPLACEMENTARIANS, A-MILS, PRETERISTS, POST MILS, RUN-OF-THE-MIL pseudo-theology pretenders.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. Blah, blah, blah. Same old meaningless spew. "You" have a lot of macros defined, don't "you".

ELIZA

133 posted on 07/26/2009 5:11:48 PM PDT by Lee N. Field (Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.)
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To: Lee N. Field

It doesn’t require much complex thought

at all

to recognize the usual

RUBBER BIBLED; RUBBER HISTORIED

groundless mindlessness of the

REPLACEMENTARIAN, a-mil, post mil, preterist perspectives.


134 posted on 07/26/2009 5:19:14 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Quix
Virtual Prophecy Pundit
135 posted on 07/26/2009 5:57:45 PM PDT by Lee N. Field (Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.)
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To: Lee N. Field

Awwwwwwwwwwwww . . . . sooooooooo cute.

When substance is lacking . . . I guess there’s cute.


136 posted on 07/26/2009 6:18:30 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: guitarplayer1953

bttt


137 posted on 07/26/2009 6:20:15 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: Lee N. Field

However . . .

anything that keeps REPLACEMENTARIANS off the streets

is probably to the good.


138 posted on 07/26/2009 6:20:47 PM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Lee N. Field; Alex Murphy; Quix

139 posted on 07/26/2009 7:12:47 PM PDT by topcat54 (Don't believe in a pre-anything rapture? Join "Naysayers for Jesus")
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To: mad_as_he$$; Quix; raynearhood; Lee N. Field; Alex Murphy; Frumanchu; Dr. Eckleburg
Smith wrote in 1980 that from his “understanding of biblical prophecies, he was “convinced that the Lord [would come] for His Church before the end of 1981.” He did add that he “could be wrong” but went on to say in the same sentence that “it’s a deep conviction in my heart, and all my plans are predicated upon that belief.” Notice the last statement. He may have voiced some doubts, but actions speak louder than words. He made plans based on his beliefs that were founded on his “understanding of biblical prophecies.” Remember, LaHaye wrote that Smith’s teaching is “true to the Scripture” which is a hallmark “of all of Pastor Chuck’s teaching.” On these and other prophetic claims, the test of time has proved Smith to be wrong.

Chuck Smith’s Prophetic Pronouncements Under the Microscope


140 posted on 07/26/2009 7:22:32 PM PDT by topcat54 (Don't believe in a pre-anything rapture? Join "Naysayers for Jesus")
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