This will be quite long, but please bear with me. Give me 3 minutes to motivate you to read it. If I haven't in that time, turn away. I am no formally educated or ordained teacher. My ministry goes on, but most often among the people of the streets, the common everyday man, as that is what I believe I am most suited to, as I am one of them. I speak to Christians who dismiss the importance of the prophecies all the time. But fully 1/3 of the Bible is prophecy. Obviously, it is extremely important. I have watched the signs of the world around me, and an event that JUST occurred is that the Pope, standing with an Imam, or whatever he was, announced to the world that 'Jesus did not REALLY die on the cross:
amredeemed.com/signs-of-the-en…
This was a HUGE step in the joining of the world's two most populous religions, because in Islam, Jesus is merely a prophet, and they do not believe He died on the cross. For Christians, it is just the opposite, so it would appear that there could be no reconciliation between the two...unless one concedes their position to the other... and to me, this is what the Pope has done. There are certain pivotal signs as to when the return of Christ will occur. When the apostles asked Jesus about it in Matt. 24, He told them some important signposts to watch for, many of which have occurred. The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem is one of these major signs. Some believers feel that the new 'Temple' is the Christians on earth, as we are so often referred to as 'The Body', and though it is true that we, as Christians with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit represent the Body of Christ, and the Temple, the antichrist cannot sacrifice a pig in the Holy of Holies without there being a physical Temple as well, which is again one of the events of the later days, one which I believe to refer to an actual physical event. (NOW, on December 21, 2018, this hit the net:
jewtube.tv/israel-conflict/the…
Consider what would unite the entire Muslim nation against Israel more than the moving of the Al Asqa Mosque, commonly known as the Dome of the Rock? It is sitting on top of the ground where the 3rd Temple is to be rebuilt. God selected the site of the original Temple, and the 2nd time it was built it had to be rebuilt on that site. But the Muslims built their Dome right over the top of this site. Intentionally. I believe this was more of Satan's handiwork, perceiving what it would bring should the Israelites ever attempt to rebuild Solomon's Temple again... So the Dome will have to be moved. The believers of Islam will come totally unhinged. The leaders of most Middle Eastern nations sit on the fence, officially, in today's world, but this Dome is the 2nd most holy Muslim shrine in the world, with the first being the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, and moving the Dome will push them all over the edge.
Another point that I envision is that the world's present financial system will have to collapse before the nations of the world will accept a One World Government. It will have to be so devastating that people will be willing to accept anything in order to put bread on their table, be able to conduct commerce, etc. Suppose this occurs. Since we are talking 'electronic' money, the 'Powers' that will be can arbitrarily assign any amount of money they wish to each individual...all you have to do...mark of the beast...which will be some form of a microchip. I do not know how the '666' will figure into that, but there is no other way to track individual commerce in today's world. And, another refinement, when the fig tree blooms that generation shall see (Matt 24: 32-35) all things fulfilled that are in the Bible. The fig tree is traditionally Israel. A generation in the Bible is between 20 -120 years, least to most. Israel became a nation in '48. They just celebrated their 75th anniversary. Though we do not know the day, or hour, this is a clear indicator of the generation. Finally, the perspective as to Pre or Post Tribulation Rapture, which is a point of great debate among believers: In Matt 24:37 the example Jesus refers to is that of Noah. In 2 Peter 2:4-9, both Noah and Lot are referenced as examples...of what? Of God rescuing His people BEFORE He unleashes His judgement upon the earth. 2:7 - and if He rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 - (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 - then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, ... These two parallel examples have one common aspect that I believe Jesus was correlating to these final days: In each case, Noah, with the sealing of the ark, and Lot being ushered out of town with the admonition to NOT LOOK BACK, were spared from the ravages of the destruction that followed, though by the width of a hair, as it were. So, I personally believe that the Rapture will occur before the 7 years of tribulation are formally initiated. All of this is to say, do not linger in making your decision. You are an eternal being, molded by the Hand of God, and having received His Holy Breath into you through Adam, and Eve. You will step beyond Time when your body dies, but you will never truly die, you simply have to have made your choice where you will go after you pass through the bonds of Time. Do not linger. The Day, it is truly upon us. Jesus died for your sins, was in the grave 3 days and was resurrected, and now sits at the Right Hand of the Father, awaiting His Command. Accept Him as your Savior. He paid a price you could never pay because He and God and the Holy Spirit actually Want You in Their Presence and in fellowship with Them. Simply accept that you are a sinner, as we all know we are. Ask Jesus to come into your heart, accept Him as your Lord and your sacrificial Lamb, that you, too might enter into the Presence of the Creator of this Universe, His Son, and His Holy Spirit. God Bless.
Update: I just completed an incredibly well written and thoroughly researched book by Jimmy Evans called Tipping Point - and am humbled to see that we are rolling down a very similar path of understanding. HIS work, however, far surpasses my little quibblings in the piece above. It is completely tied to so many scriptural reference points. Consider obtaining it for your own edification and peace of mind! God bless! Knock knock!
Swede Freely 3 yrs
Nice read, James