Are These the End Times? (Newsweek Interviews Tim LaHaye)

Newsweek ^ | August 2, 2006 | Brian Braker

[rightwingintelligentsia]

When Tim LaHaye talks, the faithful listen—by the millions. The conservative Protestant minister is the coauthor of the wildly popular apocalyptic “Left Behind” novels. The controversial books, which have sold more than 60 million copies, depict the biblical end of the world: the Christian eschatology of the upheaval that precedes the second coming of Jesus Christ, known also as “end times.” LaHaye recently spoke with NEWSWEEK’s Brian Braiker about why he believes the events currently unfolding in the Middle East reflect biblical prophesy.

[Lewite]

Yes, Bill Clinton would make an anti-krestos, being married to the "beast". But a good article on Islam-Mecca-The Whore of Babylon can be found at yourarmstoisrael.org select "sermon notes" and pull up "The Final End Time Beast". Print and save for future reference.

[af_vet_rr]

Mr. LaHaye is selling books, and it's in his best interest to titillate the public with fantastic predictions.

As it has been with those predicting the End Times for the past 1500+ years.

[brytlea]

I've actually wondered the same thing. Are we immediately imbued with the knowledge, or could we care less? I find it interesting that the Bible tells us very little about Heaven or what life will be like there. All we know is that it will be wonderful. I do hope there's an infinate library tho! ;)
susie

[brytlea]

You have an end times ping list? Could you add me?
susie

[Erik Latranyi]

People have been predicting the end of the world since it started.

What is really funny is that when the end happens, nobody will be around to say "Hey! You were right!"

[Quix]

END TIMES; PROPHECY; DREAMS/VISIONS PING LIST

PING.

Please let me know if you want on or off the list.

[Quix]

Done. Thanks.

[Aquinasfan]

The signs of the end of the world.

II. SIGNS THAT ARE TO PRECEDE THE GENERAL JUDGMENT

The Scriptures mention certain events which are to take place before the final judgment. These predictions were not intended to serve as indications of the exact time of the judgment, for that day and hour are known only to the Father, and will come when least expected. They were meant to foreshadow the last judgment and to keep the end of the world present to the minds of Christians, without, however, exciting useless curiosity and vain fears. Theologians usually enumerate the following nine events as signs of the last judgment:

1. General Preaching of the Christian Religion. Concerning this sign the Saviour says: "And this gospel of the kingdom, shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the consummation come" (Matthew 24:14). This sign was understood by Chrysostom and Theophilus as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, but, according to the majority of interpreters, Christ is here speaking of the end of the world.

2. Conversion of the Jews. According to the interpretation of the Fathers, the conversion of the Jews towards the end of the world is foretold by St. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans (11:25-26): "For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, . . . that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in. And so all Israel should be saved as it is written: There shall come out of Sion, he that shall deliver, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob".

3. Return of Enoch and Elijah. The belief that these two men, who have never tasted death, are reserved for the last times to be precursors of the Second Advent was practically unanimous among the Fathers, which belief they base on several texts of Scripture. (Concerning Elijah see Malachi 4:5-6; Sirach 48:10; Matthew 17:11; concerning Enoch see Sirach 44:16)

4. A Great Apostasy. As to this event St. Paul admonishes the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:3) that they must not be terrified, as if the day of the Lord were at hand, for there must first come a revolt (he apostasia).The Fathers and interpreters understand by this revolt a great reduction in the number of the faithful through the abandonment of the Christian religion by many nations. Some commentators cite as confirmatory of this belief the words of Christ: "But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8).

5. The Reign of Antichrist. In the passage above mentioned (2 Thessalonians 2:3 sqq.) St. Paul indicates as another sign of the day of the Lord, the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition. "The man of sin" here described is generally identified with the Antichrist, who, says St. John (1 John 2:18), is to come in the last days. Although much obscurity and difference of opinion prevails on this subject, it is generally admitted from the foregoing and other texts that before the Second Coming there will arise a powerful adversary of Christ, who will seduce the nations by his wonders, and persecute the Church.

6. Extraordinary Perturbations of Nature. The Scriptures clearly indicate that the judgment will be preceded by unwonted and terrifying disturbances of the physical universe (Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25-26). The wars, pestilences, famines, and earthquakes foretold in Matthew 24:6 sq., are also understood by some writers as among the calamities of the last times.

7. The Universal Conflagration. In the Apostolic writings we are told that the end of the world will be brought about through a general conflagration, which, however, will not annihilate the present creation, but will change its form and appearance (2 Peter 3:10-13; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Apocalypse 3:3, and 16:15). Natural science shows the possibility of such a catastrophe being produced in the ordinary course of events, but theologians generally tend to believe that its origin will be entirely miraculous.

8. The Trumpet of Resurrection. Several texts in the New Testament make mention of a voice or trumpet which will awaken the dead to resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; John 5:28). According to St. Thomas (Supplement 86:2) there is reference in these passages either to the voice or to the apparition of Christ, which will cause the resurrection of the dead.

9. "The Sign of the Son of Man Appearing in the Heavens." In Matthew 24:30, this is indicated as the sign immediately preceding the appearance of Christ to judge the world. By this sign the Fathers of the Church generally understand the appearance in the sky of the Cross on which the Saviour died or else of a wonderful cross of light.

The General Judgement

[Iscool]

Everyone knows this verse:

Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

But no one seems to know these verses:

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

How do you explain that some of us know, and some don't??? These verses have nothing to do with Scofield...And you certainly don't need an interpreter to understand these simple verses...

[who knows what evil?]

We use the ice rink to get the hockey players to come to Liberty University where many of them are exposed to accept Christ. Many of them come because they are Christians. They are challenged to go into the ministry, and we’ve already had some of the guys in the earlier classes that graduated, and they’re going home to Canada to start churches.

Sure could've purchased an awful lot of rice, beans, and water for the poor and homeless with that money...but whatever works for you, Tim.

[Zechariah11]

ping

I don't know if you caught this.

[Iscool]

There's nothing to contradict the notion that perhaps the Jews will be scattered and re-gathered two or three more times over the next 1000 years before the full number of Gentiles "enter in".

I believe the bible tells us that the Jews would be dispersed from their land 2 times...And they would return, 2 times...The second time was in 1948 or so...

[wideawake]

Christian faith is determined by a person's relationship to Christ...not by what the person does

One's deeds prove one's faith. Faith without deeds is a dead faith. Since faith is a personal relationship with Christ, we must act on that relationship.

Christ, when asked what would be signs of the last days, did not admonish or criticize his disciples for looking/thinking about such events.

There is a difference between meditating on the Scriptural account of the endtimes and becoming obsessed with predictions.

Additionally, I find your use of the phrase "arcane clues" to be rather telling.

I don't know why it would be. There is a long history of charlatans who "find" in the Scriptures things that were never there to begin with and who use fanciful interpretations that bear no discernible relation to the actual text. The "Bible Codes" ridiculousness comes to mind.

The best preparation, as Christ teaches, is to go about our daily business in a godly way - not to draw up fanciful timelines and dodgy predictions.

Endtime obssession is a spiritual disease that distracts Christians from the real work they are called to do.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[ShadowAce]

As the end approaches, they should all send me all their money, (they won't be needing it) with instructions on how to spend it once they are gone.

Perhaps you'd be more comfortable here, where they've already thought of that.

[Matchett-PI]

Essays on Eschatology James Patrick Holding
http://www.tektonics.org/esch/eschatology.html

Eons ago I recall getting from a "turn or burn" relative one of those neat brochures that outlined an interpretation of the book of Revelation with pictures of people being "raptured" and trucks and cars and planes crashing as souls flew out of the driver's/pilot's places. I have of course read my Hal Lindsey, but since taking a more scholarly bent to my studies, haven't thought much about it. I have said to others, if the parousia comes in my lifetime, it shall find me either asleep or in a library somewhere. The subject was of that little concern to me.

But it has become clear that certain questions dealing with eschatology, in particular the questions, "Did Jesus predict a soon return? Did the Apostles expect a soon return?", have become grist for the skeptical and critical mill. Of course we know well that skeptics ... are about as likely to understand what they are reading as they are to understand quantum physics. But I have corresponded with at least one person who has said that they were "losing their faith" over this very question, and I am sure others exist as well. ... [more at above link.]

[Zechariah11]

Ask Lindsey's defenders on FR. And all the FReepers who still listen to Gary North, even after 12/31/99.

Excuse me. The two hold oppsite points of view. Furthermore, when you blast the Schofileld Bible because of Hal Lindsay, it is similar to smearing conservatives because of David Duke.

[brytlea]

Spreading the Gospel works for Jesus.
susie

[Malacoda]

Indeed. Whatever happens, happens in His time, not ours. Our job is to live a Godly life and serve Him to the best of our ability.

[Lloyd227]

"When Tim LaHaye talks, the faithful listen..." B.S.

Mr LaHaye is a known fraud, a man who planned his invention of a phoney "religion" and described his plan in detail to his room mates and friends decades before pulling it off.

::sigh::

There, I feel better now. :-)