[Roman_War_Criminal]

End Times Ping

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Maranatha!

[grumpa]

https://prophecyquestions.com/

[fidelis]

Many churches do not reject Bible prophecy, but do reject the novel Dispensationalist interpretation of prophecy that often presents itself as the only valid Christian interpretation and that one’s validity as a true Christian depends upon it.

[EliRoom8]

Charles Bridges Commentary on Proverbs brings up an astute point. He remarked how Christians in his day were too focused on the more entertaining areas of Scripture and neglecting others.

At a Baptist Sunday school today I became a wee bit fed up with the "Hmm .. .What do you think" "bull" session approach studying the Word has become. I left after 15 minutes. So, yes, it is disappointing that the Reformed churches won't teach Eschatology, but that just greatly understates the case (having visited many). The famine in good prepared Bible teaching covers all areas and is extant in Baptist and fundamental churches as well. It's sickening!

[Candor7]

Exodus 13:21-22

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

[StrictConstructionist]

1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 NASBS
Do not quench the Spirit; [20] do not despise prophetic utterances.

[metmom]

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 KJV – “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

Some people take that to mean that since we are seeing so much turmoil, this cannot possibly be the time.

However, I think what is possible is that we go through a bad time like we see now, with wars threatened, and then the antichrist comes along and sets up this peace treaty, and everyone is thrilled because now they have hope for peace and safety, at last.

But they don't realize that the establishment of the peace treaty with Israel will usher in the Great Tribulation where God judges the world with His terrible judgments.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Sadly too many will go off on a Wild Goose Chase on Bible Prophecy. I’ve seen too many examples in the past. Here are a few..
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/5-end-times-prophecies-that-failed/129347.htm
The failed return of Christ in 1890 as prophecied by Mormon Joseph Smith.
I have a copy of a prophecy from an anti Semitic publication from 1984 promising the destruction of Israel and the return of Christ by 1986.It didn’t happen and the writer had to make an apology.

Remember the promise of the 1980s that when Communism falls and the “Ten Toes” reunite? Communism fell and we are still waiting.
I have received several books warning us to prepare as the End Times were just a few years ahead. One I received in 1978, another in 1993. Still here.

Lots of people getting rich off of sale of end times books.

Matthew 24:
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [a]heaven, but My Father only.

Mark 13:32
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Acts 1:
6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Thessalonians 5:
The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Best thing you can do is live your life as if Christ would be here tomorrow, or sooner.

[Ezekiel]

1) The Quantity — One-fourth to one-third of the Bible is prophetic in nature.

As if the author/experts know what is prophecy in order to make this kind of statement.

Red flag. Not even close. Responsible, trustworthy people know that there's no way to put a number or range on it.

[AmericanMermaid]

Bkmrk

[delchiante]

Quote
One-fourth to one-third of the Bible is prophetic in nature. ...

They’ll be surprised one day how much prophecy they missed because they believed that kind of stat..

[Cronos]

Regarding the second point, most Christians are unaware that the return of Jesus will be in two stages — first, the Rapture, and then the Second Coming.

There is no writing in the Biblical books nor in Apostolic Tradition that holds to a "two stage return of Jesus" -- that is a fundamentally un-Christian statement of the pre-tribulation rapturists

Let's prove the rapture wrong - here are the reasons why the pre-tribulation rapture 19th century philosophy is wrong:

1 Corinthians 15:20-26

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The order is clear:

1. First, Christ was raised bodily from the dead. This event stands as a prophecy concerning our own personal future. Christ was "the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep"
   
   
2. Second, Christians will be raised from the dead.
   
   
3. Third, "the end" comes

That is the order - not a word about any kind of rapture. If St. Paul had believed int he rapturist system, this would have presented a perfect passage to describe it, but there is not even a HINT of a secret rapture in 1 Corinthians - there is ONE resurrection mentioned (not two) and onlyone coming "event" (not two , or in two stages)/

Immediately after this coming, (not in 7 or 1007 or 2007 years later), "the end" arrives, at which time Christ "delivers the Kingdom to God"

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 -

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[a]

Rapturinos say this describes the secret rapture, but there is NOTHING in this text that cannot be understood perfectly wel as happening at the second coming --

St. Paul tellsus that not all Christians will die, but that "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.. we shall all be changed" -- this is an event that will occur at the second coming of our Lord and Savior

Note that this is the "last trumpet" - we read in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that these are FINAL - no "two stages"

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:3

Believers Who Have Died 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The word St. Paul uses for meeting the Lord "in the air" is aer the Greek word for atmosphere

This SAME word is used in Ephesians 2:2

And you [a]were dead [b]in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the [c]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

yet no one would claim that, because of this word, Satan wouldn't influence people on the earth

A consistent rapturist reading of this wod here would mean that only airplane passengers are influenced by Satan's power

NO, when Christ returns to the earth's atmosphere, He has returned to earth

Rapturists trying to point to the "coming in the clouds" -- but this ignores the symbol of divinity in the clouds

The Bible uses three Greek words interchangeably

1. parousia - coming
2. epiphaneia appearing
3. apokalupsis revelation

Rapturists think that there is a different usage for each, but that is false - parousia is not used just for some fake "rapture" and the others for the 2nd coming

Paul doesn't mention this 19th century rapture idea as occuring before the appearance of the antichrist and before the second coming is simple: it never entered into his mind that anyone would believe Christ would rapture His Church before the final Eschaton

In the apocalypse, that is referred to as the battle with Gog and Magog, Christians will participate in that confrontation because there will be no secret rapture before it. Our comfort rests in Him who will emerge from that confrontation as the Victor.

THAT is the reassurance Paul offers, not the promise of an escape from the great Tribulation.

And very clearly Jesus DID teach that "as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man" (Matt 24:27). St Paul taught in 1 thessalonians 4:16 that "the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of comman, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God"

BOTH passages speak of the second advent as unmistakably obvious. There is nothing secret about lightning, cries of command, angel calls or trumpets

2 Thessalonians 2

In 2 Thessalonians, Paul is writing shortly before the Jewish-Roman War begins in 67 AD

[1] And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him: [2] That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. [3] Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, [4] Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. [5] Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

[6] And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. [7] For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. [8] And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him, [9] Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, [10] And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying:

The REVOLT - the Jewish revolt in 67 AD. The Man of Sin - Nero. And then Nero's statue in the temple.

Rapturists make the false claim that Christians had been secretly raptured 3.5 years before the Temple worship was corrupted

But this is deceptive and FALSE. Paul wrote Thessalonians to encourage a group of Christians who were afraid they had been "left behind" yet he explicitly does NOT speak of the "blessed hope of the rapture" to comfort the worried Thessalonians. NOWHERE in this passage is there even a message of the rapture. In this passage the rapture is missing in action.

The reason Paul does not mention the rapture as occuring before the appearance of the antichrist and before the second coming is simple: it never entered into his mind that anyone would believe Christ would rapture His Church before the final eschaton