Posted on 10/17/2009 9:12:18 AM PDT by kindred
1. The Jewish people would be scattered worldwide; yet Israel would become a nation again after a long time and at a time the Bible calls the "latter days"-ref Isa 66:8; Mic 5:3; Ezek 38:8. Against what appeared to be impossible odds, this prophecy has been fulfilled. It happened as predicted on May 14, 1948 after about 2500 years. That’s 1 out of 1. Note: Israel was destroyed in approximately 721 B.C. and Judah about 135 years later. Since that time, approximately fourteen different peoples have possessed the land of Israel. Yet as the Bible said, the nation of Israel would be reborn. The rebirth of Israel was a key sign, indicating we had entered a time period called the "latter days." It was the beginning of a countdown leading to the Tribulation and culminating with the Battle of Armageddon and the return of Jesus. Along with the fulfillment of this crucial event are over 360 prophecies that would all come together, so we might recognize that the Tribulation is very close at hand. Some of these are listed here. Yet the Bible foretells that most people would not believe these things, despite the overwhelming evidence of the signs from God’s Word being fulfilled exactly as predicted. As people refused to believe the flood was coming in Noah’s time, so people today willingly choose to disregard the signs of the times.
2. Israel shall be brought forth in one day, at once-ref Isa 66:8. Prophecy fulfilled-May 14, 1948. That’s 2 out of 2. Note: On Nov. 29, 1947, the General Assembly of the U.N. approved a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. On the morning of May 14, 1948 (the last day of the British mandate), a meeting of the People’s Council took place in Israel to decide on the name of the state and to finalize the declaration. At precisely 4 pm, the proclamation ceremony began at the Tel Aviv museum. The 979 Hebrew words of the Scroll of Independence were read. All stood, and the scroll was adopted. The notorious White Paper, issued by the British in 1930 restricting Jewish immigration, was declared null and void. Members of the People’s Council signed the proclamation. David Ben-Gurion rapped his gavel, declaring, "The State of Israel is established. This meeting is ended." Israel was brought forth as a nation in one day, at once, exactly as predicted. At midnight, the British soldiers and high commissioner would leave. President Truman was swift in announcing U.S. recognition of Israel. The following morning, on May 15, Israel was under attack by the Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Jordanian, and Iraqi forces.
3. Israel would be brought forth (or reborn) "out of the nations"-Ezek 38:8. Prophecy fulfilled-May 14, 1948. That’s 3 out of 3. Note: As previously stated, on Nov. 29, 1947, the General Assembly of the "United Nations" approved a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. This prophecy was perfectly fulfilled. Consider, for centuries the land of Israel had been occupied by many nations. Israel was "brought forth out of the nations"—the children of Israel from many nations have been returning to their ancient homeland.
4. Israel must regain the city of Jerusalem-Joel 2:32; Isa 28:14; Ezek 22:19. This happened just as predicted in 1967. That’s 4 out of 4. Note: The Bible gives us two methods so we would know the time we are in. One is by Israel’s rebirth. The other, by a precise line of events that would all come together at one time. Israel was reborn on May 14th, 1948. The Bible indicates that from Israel’s rebirth a generation would not pass till all be fulfilled. We are not setting any date; however, it seems clear from Israel’s rebirth and the signs of the times— that we are living in the generation in which the Rapture and Tribulation will come and catch most people by surprise. Are you ready?
5. The Christian church at the time of the end would be lukewarm, neither cold nor hot for Jesus. Prophecy fulfilled. That’s 5 out of 5. Note: God will spew them out. Many ministers and people that call themselves a Christian will not be going to heaven. The Bible tells us—you have acquired wealth, but your true condition is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, and you don’t know it-Rev 3:14-22. This is today’s church. Most preachers use little Scripture, but lots of worldly stories. Many sing a great deal, but put little emphasis on repentance, obeying, serving, and fearing God, on the fruits of the Spirit, Bible prophecy, water baptism by immersion, and studying your Bible faithfully every day. Many are only entertainment centers that teach what their members want to hear. Many (so-called Christians) are so lukewarm or dead, they don’t even bring their Bibles with them to the house of God. Some famous ministers and Bible schools think this is the best church age ever, yet the Bible clearly shows it is the worst and most deceived.
6. The Bible gives us over 50 descriptions about the people at the time of the end. These fit the people of today perfectly, but did not fit the people of fifty years ago. Here are some:
A. Some would depart from the faith and go into devil worship-1 Tim 4:1. This is perfect. B. People would mock about the last days and not believe-2 Pe 3:3; Jude 18. C. People would become lovers of themselves-2 Tim 3:1,2. Remember the TV commercials—"I do it for me"? D. People would be disobeying their parents-2 Tim 3:1,2. E. People would be grateful for nothing-2 Tim 3:1,2. F. Homosexuality would increase-Lk 17:28,30; ref Gen 19:5; Ro 1:24,26,27. G. People would be without self-control in sex-2 Tim 3:1,2,6; Rev 9:21, Lk 17:28,30; Jude 7. Is this not the great sex generation? H. People would love pleasures more than God-2 Tim 3:1,2,4. This is true. Shall we go on a picnic, watch football, or sleep. Church?—we can go another time. Our American motto "In God we trust" has become a joke. Remember, these were all predicted centuries ago as part of the signs that we are at the time of the end. I. People would be taking drugs-Rev 9:21. The Greek word for sorceries, in Rev 9:21, means pharmaceuticals or drugs. God’s Word is 100% right on every one. That’s 6 out of 6. How could you have any doubts at this point? Note: Fifty years ago, many people seldom locked their doors at night. There was little or no profanity on television, radio, or in the movies. One of the biggest problems in public school was gum chewing. Those days are long gone. 7. There would be weapons that could destroy the world-Mk 13:20; Rev 6:8; Rev 9:18; Zech 14:8,12. Incredibly, this prophecy was written in the days of spears and arrows, yet today it is true. That’s 7 out of 7. Note: It is estimated that the combined nuclear arsenals of the USA and Russia (as of the year 2007) could kill every living thing on earth 6 times over.
8. The Gospel must be published in all the world-Mk 13:10. This seemingly impossible prophecy was written when there was no printing press, but today it is true. That's 8 out of 8. Note: In this last generation, to our knowledge, the Gospel is being published (or is about to be published) in the primary language of every nation of the world or "among all nations." In addition, the Gospel is available by short-wave radio nearly everywhere in the world.
9. In the "latter days," when Israel was once again a nation, there would be a great military power to the extreme north of Israel in the land of Magog (which is modern-day Russia)-Ezek 38:2-4,8,15,16. Incredible. That’s 9 out of 9. Note: How could the Bible have foretold the location of this nation, facts about its military, and even the time period it would come to pass? As was already said, in Lk 24:25-O FOOLS, AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS HAVE SPOKEN.
10. There would be a nation to the far east of Israel, to the end of the earth. This nation would have an army of 200 million. This is astounding. How could the Bible have told the location of a nation and given such a huge figure regarding the size of its army nearly 2000 years ago? China has boasted that they could field an army of this exact figure. That’s 10 out of 10.
11. There would be an economic alliance of the nations of the Old Roman Empire. It would have a military capability. This is an exact description of the European Union today (the EU), which has already adopted the one-currency system for many of their member nations. It is written, IN THE DAYS OF THESE KINGS (these nations, which is now) SHALL THE GOD OF HEAVEN SET UP A KINGDOM-Dan 2:44. That’s 11 out of 11. We have just reached the point that seemed impossible—11 perfect predictions made thousands of years ago—with God nothing is impossible. Certainly, at this point, even the biggest skeptic should see the Bible is true, there is a God, and we are nearing the time of the end.
“Paul makes it very clear that the Anti-Christ will be restrained until the Holy Spirit and the Church are removed.”
Can you post any specific scriptures that say this?
But you are missing the point, God sealed away Noah, Lot, the Levites, and others from his wrath and judgment. They kept Gods word and earned favor with the Lord. If there is no rapture then we can be assured we will be protected.
Angels are not the Church and are not saints and are not whom God refers to when He says that Christ will return with His Church at His physical return to earth.
There will be angels in attendance at that event, of course, but they are not the Church.
Holy cow, what concordance are you looking at?
My Bible is a NKJV, Life Application Study Bible. Look up in your own concordance and see how it defines Saints. My clearly says Saints are any beings sanctified, set apart as Holy, including Angels. If I look up Angels, Angels are just Angels, there is no other definition.
So in the scriptures that say that Christ will return with His saints, it could very well mean Angels.
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him...
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction...
who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
John 16: 7-11; 13-14
But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;
and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
"He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
It is, and always has been, the Church who is the "salt of the earth", to quote God, and it is, and always has been, the Church which, through the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scripture above, was the source of convicting the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment. When the Church is removed, that convicting will go with it, and the Antichrist will be free to arrive on the scene and deceive, and perform miracles, and be worshiped by those who rejected Jesus Christ.
I don’t see in any of these scriptures that the Holy Spirit will leave us before or during the tribulation. You’ve posted chapters to read and I’d love to read specific verses if possible.
No, I do not think Zec 12:3 is pointing to a pretrib rapture, or am i otherwise convinced of that. One section of Scripture that stands opposed to that is 2 Thess. 2:1-4:
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, [one event] {2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [referred to v. 1] {3} Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [v.1] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; {4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
So the anti[alter]Christ must first be revealed.
Good men (such as the prophet Jeremiah) sometimes go thru the time of judgment upon the non-elect, but not their utter destruction, as in the Flood and Sodom.
Zec 12:3 may refer to the time when chastisement comes upon Israel, working to turn it to Christ, which future enlightenment and salvation is clearly foretold in Rm. 11. See http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/israel-chosenorforgotten.html
In any case, we as the church are far from being ready to meet the Lord to be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (2 Pet 3:14)
Jesus told His disciples before He was crucified that after He was gone, the Holy Spirit, the "Helper" would come to them. Each and every person who has received Christ as Savior has the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them. When the Holy Spirit is taken away at the beginning of the Tribulation, those in whom the Holy Spirit resides will be taken away as well; otherwise the Scripture which states that the Holy Spirit will be removed would not be true.
See post 86 for specific verses.
Nah...just biblical.
INDEED.
INDEED.
Which word does not belong in that group?
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
Thanks for the ping!
” . . . and he went all Quix on me . . . “
CONGRATS
I think that’s the first instance of such a usage in the history of FR.
I may be forgetting one or two but I think it’s the first.
Hey, gang, isn’t it the first such instance of such usage?
Now, if we could just pin down an UNRUBBERIZED DEFINITION!
????
Would that be posting in large blue letters? Is that going Quix on someone? What does going Quix on some one mean to Quix?
Angels are not the Church and are not saints and are not whom God refers to when He says that Christ will return with His Church at His physical return to earth.
There will be angels in attendance at that event, of course, but they are not the Church."
Mat 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Please provide other supporting Scripture which indicates that human beings cease to be human beings and magically turn into angels. I appreciate it.
Again, angels and humans are two different creations. Angels, in their heavenly spiritual state, do not marry and do not procreate. God tells us that at the resurrection into Heaven, those who know Him as Savior and make up His Church will cease to marry and will no longer have children.
That does not negate the fact that angels are not eligible for salvation and therefore cannot be part of Christ's Church. It does not mean that those who are part of the Church will become angels.
They remain separate, and the comparison there refers to the fact that angels do not marry and neither will the resurrected Church.
Well I’ll be darned, there’s one greater than Jesus here.
If you dispute the plainness of the scripture I have nothing to argue or add.
But, We were angels. We are angels. Now we dwell in the flesh under the cloud of temporal life and sleep.
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