Posted on 03/06/2012 4:44:41 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.( 2 Timothy 3:1-5)
There is a Chinese ‘blessing’, the kind you confer upon an adversary, in which you wish him or her ,”May you live in interesting times”. We certainly do, don’t we? Fortunately we don’t have to rely on Chinese proverbs, for we have a guide to our times that is eternal, and gives us a profound template for understanding them.
We know that these are the “Latter days” spoken of by the apostles of Jesus and the Hebrew prophets. All of the themes of the Old and New Testament are being replayed in little and big ways, so that those who have “ears to hear” may be as the Sons of Isaachar, ”… which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…”(I Chronicles 12:32).
The Book of Esther all over again
Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, in meetings with President Obama, affirmed Israel’s right and willingness to use any means to defend itself, against her enemies. Netanyahu is particularly sounding the alarm about the recently nuclear weaponized Persian, (Iran) which has been openly threatening to annihilate Israel.
Obama, had been cautioning Israel against “war talk” and “bluster”in the days leading up to the meeting, but Netanyahu stood firm, resolving that Israel reserves the right to defend herself against all enemies.
The interesting aspect of this is that the meeting took place within days of the Jewish feast of Purim,(March 8-11,2012). Purim commemorates the successful self -defense of the Hebrew people in the land of their captivity, in ancient Persia (Iran). The nation had been threatened by Haman, an ambitious anti-semitic politician who deceived the Gentile King into authorizing an empire wide pogrom.
But the Lord had spared the nation through the intervention of the King’s wife, Esther, a Jewess. Netanyahu presented Obama with a scroll of the book of Esther.
Purim has been prominently confirmed in other events of recent history; for the first persian Gulf war ended on February 28, 1991, the feast of Purim. In the build up to the second Gulf war, President Bush gave Saddam Hussein a two-day ultimatum, on March 17,2003, or else Iraq would face invasion. That year Purim was on March 17-19 !
Demon Worship, The Golden Calf and the great Apostasy
We read of Israel in the Old Testament and marvel at the Spiritual harlotry, the backsliding, the accommodation with false religion, the sexually perverse religious rites, the total defection from God. But we must remember Paul’s warning,
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.(I Corinthians 10:11-12)
The modern church in many ways is where Israel was at its worst point! Consider this example;
An Anglican church in Auckland New Zealand installed a statue near its sanctuary, of a fallen Angel, ”Gadreel”. A figure from the apocryphal book of Enoch, the vicar commissioned it for “lent”as a way to assure the fallen away to come back;
The statue of Gadreel, one of the fallen angels in Enoch lore who reputedly led Eve astray in the Garden of Eden, was installed in the church’s Peace Chapel next to the main altar on Friday, and will remain there for the period of Lent. Vicar Glynn Cardy said the statue was to show that “even the devil would be welcomed in God’s Kingdom”. ”It’s to show that no matter how distant you are, or even if you’ve fallen to your deepest depth – like Gadreel – you are still welcome to be in our midst,” he said.
Fallen Angels to Land Lightly At City Church
This abomination is the direct fruit of decades of the “Love Gospel” with its misguided humanism, and it’s omission of the great doctrines of the horror of sin, the fall, the Holiness and Righteousness of God. What does the new style church preach? “Unconditional love”, a God who has no indignation, an all-inclusive deity who strikes no fear or awe and is unworthy of worship.
The same rotten theology is infiltrating the evangelical world now. Witness the popularity of Rob Bell’s book, “Love Wins” which is a denial of the certainty of Divine punishment. We are also seeing the rise of a movement called “Chrislam”, a blasphemous syncretism between ‘christianity” and Islam. Homosexuality is also being accommodated by some.
EXODUS all over again…
In the Wider World we are seeing the ominous spectre of themes from the Exodus playing out. Remember that the book of Revelation, is full of Exodus Imagery. The Plagues come upon the whole world, the AntiChrist is the last Pharoah, and the people of God make their Exodus out of this world.
Consider this horrifying story from Scotland, in which state licensed hospital midwives lost a courtroom battle to defend their right to exempt themselves from having to assist in abortions…”
Two senior midwives from Glasgow have lost their battle not to assist in abortions following a court ruling. In a judgment handed down today from the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Lady Smith ruled that the midwives must accept the decision of their hospital management to oversee other midwives who are performing abortions on the labour ward.
The midwives in the case, Miss Mary Doogan and Mrs Connie Wood, argued that they had never been required to supervise abortion procedures in the past, and that the hospital was asking them to be morally, medically and legally responsible for abortions. Although they said that this conflicted with their profound objection to abortions, Lady Smith said that the midwives involved were not protected by the conscience clause of the Abortion Act…
Scottish Midwives Lose Legal Battle
This comes right out of Exodus 1,
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.(Exodus 1:16-22)
The USA has its own version of Pharoah, with Obama also seeking to force Christians to participate in abortion and infanticide. It is as though the “principalities and powers” are doubling down on their efforts to involve all of us in these deep sins of our time.
Satan knows his time is short, and he knows the time itself is shortening, we are hurtling toward the final judgment at break neck speed, and most are oblivious. It is time to get right with God, on his terms. Confess and forsake your life of sin, and neglect of God and your soul. He forgives those who come with a broken heart!
The Prophet Isaiah cries out to us, “Seek ye the Lord while He can be found, call upon Him while He is near!” and Joel told us, that dark as the day is ,”Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”!
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If you believe in prophecy, then the technology is irrelevant. It's going to happen with our without it. Technology is just a tool, and has the same potential for good in your hand that it might for evil in someone else's.
What is possible doesn't always line up with what people actually do. You know that.
In every generation there are those who choose to live in the End Times.
Just an interesting thought: The word “antichrist” does not occur in Revelation. What, in Revelation, is called the “beast” is what many mean when they use the word “antichrist”.
Jesus attracted such crowds that satan knew that if he could use him as a tool he could rule the world back then, Jesus did not go for it so satan uses people of prominence where ever he can find them.
Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The high places must be here on earth because satan and his angels were kicked out of heaven when Jesus was taken to heaven.
rev 12:7
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
The high places are in government whether it be secular government church government or any other kind of government clubs, etc. i do not mean that all of them are with satan but that is what satan is after for his use.
In view of the fact that death is always very near, it really is always the end times. However there are undeniable and unprecedented things which have happened that mark this time as different, whether we “choose” it or not, such as the re-emergence of Israel.
—I believe anti Christ is referring to the spirit of satan while the beast is the tool that he uses.—
That is how I see it as well.
History shows that not one of them has ever been correct.
In view of the fact that death is always very near, it really is always the end times.
The difference is whether be believe what we do will matter in the lives of our children and grandchildren. If you really believe it’s the End Times, then it won’t, and believing that will change what you do.
You would not encourage any one to live in satans world so they would have a chance to live, would you? Satans people are going to go to eternal death.
Actually, I just did a double check. The Message version does use the word “antichrist” in 1 John just as other versions do, but where they say “lawless one”, etc. it says “”
—Does it say anarchist in the scriptures that have been translated of old or is that some ones new translation?—
Its in “The Message” translation. That said, the phrase translated “lawless one” in other versions is translated “anarchist” in that version. An anarchist is, by definition, lawless, so it does work. The only problem is that it is also used commonly as a label with more broad meanings.
It’s my understanding that the REAL end of this world has to be at least 1,007 years away. You have the 7 year Tribulation and the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth first. Now the end of the Age of Grace can happen anytime, and I believe that is before the tribulation.
—Does it say anarchist in the scriptures that have been translated of old or is that some ones new translation?—
Its in “The Message” translation. That said, the phrase translated “lawless one” in other versions is translated “anarchist” in that version. An anarchist is, by definition, lawless, so it does work. The only problem is that it is also used commonly as a label with more broad meanings.
True, but For anyone to live the Christian life in any age requires a miracle of grace- “the whole world lies in the wicked one”
I believe in prophecy. It says that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Evil has made tremendous gains in corrupting the minds of people in just my lifetime. The embracing of evolution, abortion, sexual misconduct of all kinds, has changed our society for the worse, much worse.
In my 57 yrs, I have seen my, rural, west central IL community transform from strongly conservative in all aspects, into a liberal leaning, “what’s in it for me” mentality. A neighboring farmer I’ve known all my life has become pro-abortion, anti-gun, anti-war, pro-big government. His daughter was recently mugged on college campus in Peoria. She lost her purse and cell phone, but was only bruised. He was glad she didn’t have a gun, “because it might have been used on her”. Even if she had been raped, he was not for her having even a knife. He’s an example of the liberal cowardice that has taken over many. His kind would surrender, rather than defend his own family. This is the type of community that was completely the opposite to that mindset just two generations ago. Now, the brave God-fearing men in this community are certainly a minority, it seems.
Thanks, I like your last quote about in the end it will all be seen to be obvious- It is the sam way with Jesus’ first coming- we read the gospels and wonder why they couldn’t see it
I agree with you. That’s why “anarchist” is not my favorite way of translating it.
In fact, to be blunt, it is as if the original text is translated to mean “lawless one” an then The Message version translates that to “Anarchist”, streamlining - but also confusing - the meaning. Lawless one is very clear. Anarchist needs to be looked up. And then you discover it means “lawless one”, among other things.
Do a search on the word “mansions” in the KJV (In my Father’s house are many mansions) and you will find that the word from which it was translated really means “room or dwelling place”. No other version translates it to “mansions”. And I don’t think they should. It would be like translating a phrase that says “In my dad’s garage are a lot of cars” to actually say, “in my dad’s garage are a lot of limousines.”
I don’t know why they used that word, other than to imply that it is better than anywhere we could live on earth. But that should be communicated via the rest of the scripture.
Neve
I agree with you. That’s why “anarchist” is not my favorite way of translating it.
In fact, to be blunt, it is as if the original text is translated to mean “lawless one” an then The Message version translates that to “Anarchist”, streamlining - but also confusing - the meaning. Lawless one is very clear. Anarchist needs to be looked up. And then you discover it means “lawless one”, among other things.
Do a search on the word “mansions” in the KJV (In my Father’s house are many mansions) and you will find that the word from which it was translated really means “room or dwelling place”. No other version translates it to “mansions”. And I don’t think they should. It would be like translating a phrase that says “In my dad’s garage are a lot of cars” to actually say, “in my dad’s garage are a lot of limousines.”
I don’t know why they used that word, other than to imply that it is better than anywhere we could live on earth. But that should be communicated via the rest of the scripture.
Neve
I think that if i am saved i would consider the place where i was going to be a mansion or castle or something more than what i have here.
I have a room or dwelling place here, and believe me what ever i have in the fathers house will be a mansion to me, not disagreeing with you but i have read several other versions and i trust the KJV more than i do the others.
I’m the same age, and have many of the same circumstances. I came to a different conclusion, but I didn’t start with the premise that it’s all about me and my life.
That still leaves us with the same deal everyone before us got. I don't see us having any claim to special circumstance.
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