Posted on 05/13/2011 7:18:37 AM PDT by Bed_Zeppelin
The ending of the world has long been a matter of speculation. Many thought it was coming with the new millenium not so many years ago. It didn’t. In the early days of the world people thought a solar eclipse meant the end of the world. It didn’t. Between then and now the world’s end has been predicted over and over. We’re still here.
Time and time again the signs have been “read” and a prediction made. Time and time again the seers have been wrong. Jesus repeatedly refused to allow himself to be caught up in speculation, stating that even he did not know when the time would be. So how can any of us be so presumptive?
One of the latest, relevant predictions comes from a Mayan tablet, which was found during an excavation bearing the date December 21, 2012.1 It seemed to indicate something was to occur on that date, but it doesn’t say what that event will be.
Whether the Mayan calendar shows the world will end on a given date can be answered by the Mayans themselves. They are surprised; they know of no such theory related to 12/21/12. In an article by author Mark Stevenson, he states, “A significant time period for the Mayas does end on the date. . . But most archaeologists, astronomers and Maya say the only thing likely to hit Earth is a meteor shower of New Age philosophy, pop astronomy, internet doomsday rumors and TV specials. . .”
Further on in the article it states that “Archaeologist Guillermo Bernal of Mexico’s National Autonomous University ... notes there are other inscriptions at Mayan sites for dates far beyond 2012—including one that roughly translates into the year 4772.”2
So why would the Mayans be concerned with anything beyond December 2012 if the world is to end then? Clearly it’s another bid for sensational publicity.
Christians need have no part in all of this conjecture.
Jesus speaks about the coming of the Kingdom of God. As Christians we see the future Kingdom as fulfillment of the promise of a new order. It’s a good thing. It will be the end of all things as we now know them and is indeed the end of the world.
For those who do not follow the teachings of Christ only an ending is known to them, an ending that comes out of major destruction. A new order is not part of their understanding. So they look for signs, such as certain dates, in order to know when the end will come, presumably to make some preparation. Even from the time of the book of Daniel Jewish apoloclypic writers were concerned with signs of the last days.
In Mark 13:32 Jesus says,
But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.
Furthermore, there will be no prior indication that momentous things are about to happen, just as in the days of Noah, when the doubters weren’t prepared for the flood and continued eating, drinking, marrying (Luke 17:26-27), and Lot, when Sodom was obliteraterated by fire and brimstone without warning to any except Abraham and Lot (Luke 17:29). Once the kingdom is upon us, there will be no time for anything. Those who sought to make their lives secure by following their own paths to success will find that all they have done was to lose the life that was more important in the long run. Those who were obedient to Jesus, who did not regard their mortal lives as of primary importance, will find that they have gained eternal life.
It is a good thing not to know the hour, not to be caught up in the mode of fear and panic, wasting our days in idle speculation. If we were to know when the end was to be we would be lured to give in to the temptations of this world, unfitting behavior for Christians. We would be tempted to believe that when the signs come we will then have time to repent and be ready to go with him to Heaven.
What kind of discipleship is that? What kind of love and loyalty does that prove? We could be tempted to allow ourselves to be caught up in the cares of living in this world, worrying about things that have no significance for the coming kingdom. Having our minds thus occupied we could find ourselves unprepared.
It is a good thing to live every day of our lives as though it were the last, whether because death will take us or because time as we know it will end. In I Corinthians 7:17, Paul says, “...let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you.” Meaning we are to use God’s gifts to bring others into the kingdom in whatever time there is.
If we do this we will always be ready. There will be no reason for last minute, panic repentance, which can hardly be sincere having come from the selfish desire to save ourselves rather than from the loving desire to live God’s love on earth for the salvation of others. The prayer that Jesus counsels (Luke 21:36) is for “strength to escape all these things,” meaning the dissipated life of earthly pleasures and concerns mentioned earlier in this passage, so that we will be able to concentrate on our spiritual lives, thus enabling us “to stand before the Son of Man” unashamed.
There is the story in Matthew 25 of the wise and foolish maidens. Ten young women of the bridal party were to meet the bridegroom when he came. Five brought extra oil; five did not. The bridegroom was late and when he arrived the wise maidens trimmed their lamps and went out to meet him. While the others went to try to buy oil the door to the feast was closed. Jesus says, in verse 13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
True followers of Christ will trust and obey. For those who have chosen to be obedient to God, to follow in The Way, as Paul later calls Christianity, instead of being a fearsome time it will be a time to raise their voices in rejoicing. Why? Because this is the time when his obedient followers will be gathered together in the presence of our returning Lord Jesus the Christ.
Wealth does not remedy nuttiness. And I have nothing but distain for those who knowingly prey on others by exploiting their fear and uncertainty, regardless of their religion or beliefs. I’ll let you figure out who that references.
“Those that predict such things do a great disservice to the Christian faith.” ~ TSgt
They’re actually guilty of taking God’s name in vain when it gets right down to it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2687844/posts?page=750#750
You are aware that Yah'shua is the Jewish Messiah. You are aware that the theme of book of Matthew If you were familiar with ancient Jewish writings
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
one of the descriptions of the YHvH commanded
Feast of Trumpets is: you will not know the day nor hour.
describes Yah'shua as the Jewish Messiah to Jews.
No....He is the Christian messiah not the Jewish messiah.
You are aware that the theme of book of Matthew describes Yah'shua as the Jewish Messiah to Jews.
Matthew did a lousy job of evangelizing the Jewish people.
MATTHEW’S ERRORS, DISTORTIONS & MISQUOTATIONS
Over twenty times in the gospel of Matthew, goes out of his way to tell of prophecy fulfillment. By doing so, the author of Matthew had to misquote, misinterpret verses in his favor, take verses out of context, or simply make them up to reach his goal. Comparing what the author of Matthew wrote to the Old Testament―the Hebrew Bible; we find the following:
CONTRADICTS OLD TESTAMENT
Matthew 1:2―15 – His list of generations does not agree with l Chronicles Ch. 1―3 Matt. 1:16 – Trying so hard to make Jesus appear to come from David's lineage that he ignored Jewish law. The Hebrew bible states that a Hebrew's genealogy and tribal membership is transmitted exclusively through one’s PHYSICAL father, never the mother. (Numbers 1:18 Jeremiah 33:17)Matthew has Jesus genealogy through the cursed King Jeconiah, who G-d told him no descendant of his would ever sit on the throne of David. This disqualifies Jesus. Period. Matt.5:43 – had Jesus say, “thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.” Leviticus 19:18 does not mention any enemy, only “…love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matt. 15:11 – “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” Contradicted by all the dietary laws in the Hebrew bible.
MISQUOTING, TAKING OUT OF CONTEXT AND ALTERING ISAIAH
Matt. 1:23 – Mistakenly uses the Septuagint word for virgin instead of Hebrew “HaAlma”, the young woman. Matt. 1:23 – Misquotes Isaiah 7:14, “they” will call Jesus Immanuel, whereas Isaiah wrote “his mother” would call him Immanuel – not “they.” Jesus was not named Immanuel. Matt. 3:3 – Misinterprets and alters Isaiah 40:3 – “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Not so. Matt. 4:15 – Added “Galilee of the Gentiles” to Isaiah 9:1―2. Not in the Hebrew Tanakh (OT). Matt. 8:17 – Took Isaiah 53:4 out of context – Isaiah was relating to a leper (nagua). Matt. 12:17―21 – Taking Isaiah 42:1―4 out of context – the Servant was Israel four times. And then changes verse 21 to read: "and in his name shall the gentiles trust" (Isaiah 42.1―4). Matt. 13.14―15 – Took out of context Isaiah 6:9―10 of people being “blind”
MISQUOTING AND DISTORTING JEWISH PROPHETS
Matt. 2:5―6 – Misinterprets Micah 5:2 ― the Messiah coming from Bethlehem. It was David a Bethlemite, born in Bethlehem and from his seed would come the messiah. Matt. 2:15 –Taking Hosea 11:1 out of context, Jesus being called out of Egypt. It was Israel who was called out of Egypt. Matt. 2:17―18 – Distorts meaning of Jeremiah 31:1―17 of Rachel weeping. Rachel doesn’t weep for martyred children. Matt. 11.10 – By changing the pronoun in Malachi 3.1 “before ME” or “before YOU”? Matt. 13:35 – The Christ will speak in parables – distorting Psalm 78:2 Matt. 21:1―7 – Jesus riding on two donkeys at the same time – good trick ― (Zechariah 9:9) Matt. 22:43―44 – Capitalizes the second lord – altering the meaning of Psalm 110:1 There are no capital letters in Hebrew. Matt. 23:35 Mistakenly gave Zechariah’s father the wrong son. Zechariah was the son of Jehoiada, not Barachiah. II Chronicles 24:20――21 Matt. 27:9 – Quoted the wrong prophet ― was not Jeremiah but Zechariah Matt. 27:9 – Book of Zechariah was never about any “potter’s field”
Mathew wrote; “…from the blood of righteous Abel unto Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar” (23:35). According to Tanakh, it was Zechariah (Zacharias) son of Jehoiada who was killed by the Temple (ll Chronicles 24:20―21). There is no evidence in the Hebrew bible or in any other writings that Zechariah the Prophet was murdered, let alone killed in the Temple. The First Temple had already been destroyed in Zechariah's time. CONTRADICTS OTHER GOSPELS
Matt 2.12 – Contradicts Luke about going to Egypt after Jesus’ birth. Matt 9:9 – Becoming one of the 12 conflicts with Luke and John. Matt 27:57-66 ― Disagrees with Mark, Luke and John at the “burial scene”
MAKING UP STORIES
Matt Chapter 2 not verified by any other writer and not logical Matt 2:16 – Got mixed up about Pharaoh & Herod’s Killing of the innocent babies (read the infanticide in Exodus 1:15―22 regarding Pharaoh being told of the Messiah) Matt 2:23 – Jesus dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, he shall be called a Nazarene”. No prophet ever said this, the verse doesn’t exist. Matt 23:37 ― [thou] that killest the prophets. Which prophets did the Jewish people kill? Matt 27:51 ― And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain – event never happened, there is zero record of this. Matt 27:52 ― The graves were opened and the dead went to Jerusalem – never happened, zero record of this. Matthew 9:9 ―The author wrote in the third person. This was unusual as no other author wrote that way. Makes one wonder if Matthew himself wrote this book.
Two things are known:
(1) Matthew, IF he was Jewish, knew very little Hebrew and did not understand the Hebrew Bible, and
(2) He knew very little about Jewish law, since he relied so much on the Greek Septuagint.
The Jewish Scribes and rabbis only translated the first five books of Moses in the LXX Septuagint. There is no record who wrote the rest of the Hebrew bible, presumably they were not Jews. That means that the Greeks translated Isaiah and the prophets and are responsible for the changing of the word “young woman” in the Hebrew to “virgin” in the Greek ― a blatant mistranslation.
You provide a plethora of anti-missionary statements.shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachPlease allow me some time to answer each in detail.
In the mean time:
Was Yah'shua not a Jew ?
Was He not from the line of David ?
Was Yah'shua not born in Bethlehem ?
Was the inheritance exception granted for
the daughters of Zelophehad not in play ?Was not the LXX created to evangelize hellenized Jews ?
The scholars began with the Torah and later completed the entire Tanach.
They included in addition some non-canonical books which the Roman "church" employ.
The LXX was written during the 3rd through 1st centuries BCE.
I will provide a detailed response after some research.
I might start with the anti-anti-missionary tracts.
You really dont have to unless you want...I just ask you consider the points...
Was Yah'shua not a Jew ?
Jesus>Ἰησοῦς>יְהוֹשׁוּעַ>Joshua was a Jew who did not not meet the requirements of mashiach ben David.
Was He not from the line of David ?
No. Matthew has his genealogy coming through Joseph by the cursed King Jeconiah who G-d forbids his descendants to sit on the throne of David. And Joseph is not his biological father. Luke has his genealogy through Mary (even though it doesnt say Mary anywhere) through Nathan instead of Solomon. The mashiach MUST come through the line of David and Solomon. Tribal affiliation is NEVER through the mother. He fails on 4 accounts to meet the requirement of being of Davidic line.
Was Yah'shua not born in Bethlehem ?
Look closely...David was born in Bethlehem...the Davidic line comes from Bethlehem...not that mashiach ben David comes from Bethlehem.
Was the inheritance exception granted for the daughters of Zelophehad not in play ?
No..that only pertained to inherited property. If a woman inherits property from her father because there are no brothers, that property has to stay within that tribe. Tribal affiliation is only through the biological father, including cases of adoption. If Jesus had no earthly father, he had no tribal affiliation. Plain as that.
The scholars began with the Torah and later completed the entire Tanach.
The Rabbi's who translated the Torah for Ptolemy only did so because of the request to learn the LAW of the Jews. The Rabbi's only did the first 5 books. The rest was done over time and by Matthews time was corrupt. The Rabbis would never have translated certain words the way the LXX is recorded. It totally changes the meaning to the text from the Hebrew.... further proof is the apocryphal books of the RCC included in the LXX. The Jews rejected those books.
Shabbat Shalom !shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Is there world peace? A third temple? A restored priesthood? Restored sacrifices? A universal knowledge of G-d? etc...No. He wasnt the messiah. The Hebrew bible NEVER teaches a second try...a second coming...a do-over. Nor that he will be divine, nor that he will kill himself for the sins of the world (human sacrifice is forbidden) etc....
There is one scripture that has piqued my interest however, if someone would care to explain what it means...
As well it should since your presuppositions are all wrong (OK, maybe not the Psalm 90 reference, but nonetheless, it is irrelevant)
Yah'shua is saying that we will know the season of His coming
The Kingdom is already here Luke 22:18 says that our LORD would not eat or drink with them until the Kingdom of God has come. In Acts 10:41 we read that soon after He rose from the dead, He ate and drank with the disciples.
The fig tree has always bee associated with Israel.
That is pure fiction generated by the Futurists, there are no passages in Scripture that associate the Fig Tree with the secular nation of Israel, ethnic Jews, or, for that matter any people or nation. Many ignorant people look at Matthew 24:32-34 and think that the Fig Tree is Israel because they want it to be and thus they eisegete that fantasy into the passage with absolutely zero support other than wishful thinking. Otherwise, please explain Luke 21:29-33 which says "Behold the fig tree, and all the other trees"
But if Futurists demand it based on some extra-biblical tradition or that it is mortal to their camp-fire story, then ask yourself this: "If the Fig Tree is Israel, then what do we make of the Curse against the Fig Tree whereupon God caused it to wither and die?" (Matthew 21:19) Because you have an even bigger problem with handling the death of Israel statement direct from God's mouth "Let no fruit grow on thee heceforward for ever." Naturally, the Futurists hate this passage and have ripped it from their Bibles since it kills the whole Fig = Israel = Grand Future theory.
Israel will 70 years old in 2018.
This is called "moving the field goal". The whole age of Israel foolishness was made largely to deal with the wresting of Mt 24:34 "this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." because Futurists want to be in on the action and can't possibly have anything really fulfilled before they were around to witness and experience it, "this generation" actually meant "that generation" and "generation" was transmogrified from the people standing before him, to a secular UN creation in the 20th century thousands of years from the "very soon" comment made by our LORD. A generation was always considered to be forty years, and thus every Dispensationalist/Futurist was pegging their Rapture on the date of the Jewish calendar's New Year using the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar 1988 - naturally combining a traditional Jewish calendar with a calendar not yet in existence by over a millennia and a half at the time of the prediction (these are prime example of Futurist logic and interpretational hermeneutics.)
But if you talk to Tim LaHaye, author of the wildly popular "Left Behind" series and considered THE authority and pillar of the Futurist cabal, originally had the birth date of Israel back at the signing of the Balfour Declaration of 1917. Even with your "70 year" theory, that still places it at or around 1988 which as we all know was not the date of the alleged "rapture".
In Psalm 90 Moses states the length of a mans life as three score and ten.
I really can't imagine, other than the pathology of wanting to be "that generation" that experiences the alleged "Rapture" why this would matter in any context. First of all, didn't you just compare Israel to a tree? If so, then what does that have to do with the life span of a human? If you are trying to reckon the years for a generation, you are asking more out of the word than it can bare. Generally speaking, a "generation" is not a period of time as so much as it means "the people of this time". Let's say that our LORD meant forty years, since forty years is the magic number gratuitously assigned to redefine a generation by the Futurists. So when He said "this generation", what was year zero for that generation for when they start counting? In Futurist's parlance, clearly that stopwatch doesn't get flicked on to at least two thousand years later. And is it Balfour as LaHaye originally advocated or is it 1948 when younger people who want to be in on the action claim it to be?
If you want to do some synthesis to generate a more meaningful number, I'll give you "100" as the number of years in a generation based on Genesis 15:13,16. "they shall afflict them four hundred years"(13) followed by the divisor "in the fourth generation they shall come hither again". I do this as a public service and because I don't want you to walk away with the idea that all I want to do is shoot down theories - you have a new date to look forward to 2048.
So go forth and enjoy the life God gave you and put aside this foolish speculation about a fantasy Rapture. When our LORD returns, it won't be a U-Turn somewhere at cruising altitude for modern jet-craft, it will be to come and judge the Earth once and for all.
One of the most oft-quoted OT passages in the NT is Psalms 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
It is easy to see why. Most Jews saw only one coming of the Messiah, when he comes he puts all enemies under his footstool. Yet here was a verse that prophesied a session of Christ at the right hand. The present interadvent session of Christ, between his first and second coming. That verse must have meant a lot to the early Jewish church.
There are many verses in the gospels, Acts, and the epistles that tell us Christ fulfilled this prophecy at his ascension to heaven, at which time he was raised to the right hand.
His first coming was as a Lamb, sacrificial, his second coming will be as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The kingly tribe (lion). Which is what we see in Revelation chapter five, Christ as both Lamb and Lion. A great revelation, no doubt, to the early Jewish church: Lamb = the first coming, Lion = the second coming.
His second coming judgmental in nature, like a Lion, his first sacrificial in nature, like a Lamb dying for the sins of the world, Jew and Gentile.
In between the two comings, he sits at the right hand position (probation symbolism), awaiting all enemies being put under his feet.
Yes, one of the most misquoted of the Jewish scriptures. Psalm 110 has nothing to do with Jesus. The KJV butchers the Hebrew in 110 to make it appear to be about Jesus.
From Messiah Truth:
His first coming was as a Lamb, sacrificial, his second coming will be as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The kingly tribe (lion). Which is what we see in Revelation chapter five, Christ as both Lamb and Lion. A great revelation, no doubt, to the early Jewish church: Lamb = the first coming, Lion = the second coming.
The Hebrew scriptures simply do not teach this anywhere. This notion is created by the church through mistranslation and pure eisegesis of the text.
Human sacrifice is forbidden, human vicarious atonement is forbidden, Jesus did not die on the altar, did not die of sudden blood loss at the neck, he suffocated. His ofal and fat were not burned. In everyway imaginal...he was not an acceptable sacrifice. The sacrifical god-man for sin is purely a grecco-roman concept.
The 3rd temple will be built, the priesthood restored, sacrifices are returning forever, mashiach will be a noraml man who will live and die and pass the throne of David to other Kings forever. The gentiles will come to Jerusalem to learn of G-d and his law. Isaiah 2:3
Shavua tov!
I see, blasater a 21st century Jew knows more about these Messianic issues than the early 1st century Jews. Which Jews to believe? They lived two thousand years closer to these Messianic events than you. You are just a Johnny come lately.
I’m sure the early Jewish Christians were aware of the criticisms you bring up, yet they rejected your notions choosing Jesus Christ. Your notions are nothing new, antichrists, both Jew and Gentile, have used them for centuries.
The more early Christians developed a theology, the fewer Jews were attracted.
No...we have access to the same scripture as they did. Most of them rejected the man-god. It was mainly the hellenized Jews who didnt know Hebrew that got caught up in the lies of Paul the roman.
We the Jews of today, like our forefathers, have always known that the man-god is incompatible with the word of G-d.
If you and jjotto want to be enemies of Jesus Christ that’s your business. That is who he is going to put under his feet at his second coming. It won’t be the sissy looking, long haired hippy looking, Jesus of the Catholic artists either. He comes the next time as the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
You see, the apostle Paul, Jewish not Roman, was right all along when he said repeatedly in his epistles, this boils down to one thing: faith. Either you believe in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, the prophesied king of the world at his second coming (lion of the tribe of Judah) or you don’t.
I think it is much better to believe in him now as the Lamb of God, and then at his second coming as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, rather than meeting him as the Lion of the tribe of Judah...without first having believing in him as the Lamb of God.
This is a huge misnomer. When you read the OT, there is not one scripture that ever says that the messiah must be believed by faith. Not one. Why?
Because when messiah comes, it will take NO FAITH. It will be obvious to all. The events will unfold so clearly and plainly, all will understand from the least to the greatest. Worldwide.
The OT NEVER teaches one man taking the sins of the world or of another person. Ezek 18 and other...each man is responsible for his own sin. Personal responsibility! G-d wants us to deal with him directly....just as Noah did, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Hezekiah etc....Each man deals with G-d directly regarding his own sin. No god-man required. G-d doesnt give us the Torah at Sinai....tell us what we need to do and what we CAN do (Dt 30)and then 1500 years later say....You cant do it! You are not responsible! This god-man will do it for you! He is my son... Oh and he is really me! That would mean that G-d is deceptive and a liar. He tells us we can do it and we really cant? He gives us hope and it is really hopeless? What kind of god is that?? Deceptive and duplicitous? G-d forbid.
I am not anti-messiah...I am pro messiah...proG-d...Just the right messiah...who will take NO FAITH when the time comes.
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