This will help me understand? (Said with a distinct accent.)

I had asked a Jehovah Witness friend from work some questions pertaining to end times, because I wanted to get his take on it. 

He threw out his answer and then said, you should read this. It happened to be this booklet.

 “What does the Bible teach?” written by the Jehovah Witnesses.

He stated, "this will help you understand the Bible." 

I chose to begin with chapter 9 as the chapter topic is: "Are we living in the last days?

That subject is my passion as of late, and I study it with consistency. I do not claim to be an expert, but I am getting better at it with everyday. I have also noticed that in discussions with other Christians I am getting canned answers. This demonstrates to me how little they read, apply logic and truly attempt to understand the scriptures. It also demonstrates how unwilling they are to think outside the box that religion has put them in.

Do I have all the answers? No, but I am willing to ask and find out. I truly believe that if there is a question, the answer is in this book called the Bible, not some book by the Jehovah Witness. I also think that there are questions that are not to be answered down here. Daniel is an example of this. The angel told him that the understanding for what he saw was not to known then, but later; folks, the later is now.

With the rise of Islam, and a knowledge of what they believe, suddenly the book of Revelation and why Jesus comes at the end of the Great Tribulation with such a vengeance makes all the sense in the world to me.

The 9^th chapter of the booklet immediately asks 3 questions.

1. What events in our time were foretold in the Bible?
2. What does God's word say people would be like in "the last days"?
3. Regarding "the last days", what good things does the Bible foretell?

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The first scripture reference is to James 4:14. They do not elaborate but my friend says look these up in your bible. I can assure you that they are not looking these scriptures up themselves or they would be screaming foul. This idea of looking up the scriptures for yourself is something that, as believers, we should all be doing. It reduces the ability for someone to deceive you, because you will be applying intelligence to what you hear and read, and judging it in contrast to what “the Word” says.

What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears.

(James 4:14 CEV)

The booklet makes the statement: "Tragic things happen so suddenly that no human can predict what tomorrow will bring". While there is logic to this, you should rarely take scripture out context. That is precisely what the JW's have done.

Here is the entire passage

“.. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone? You should know better than to say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!" What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. You should say, "If the Lord lets us live, we will do these things." Yet you are stupid enough to brag, and it is wrong to be so proud. If you don't do what you know is right, you have sinned.” (James 4:12-17 CEV)

While things can happen that are tragic, and sudden, the biggest impact seems to be from not acknowledging God as being in control. One commentary that I read suggests that the person on the receiving end of these tragic events is self-willed and arrogant.

The booklet goes on to say that: “however, Jehovah knows what the future holds.”

Again, that is common sense to someone that reads scripture, but what about the person that does not. To back up this statement the booklet uses Isaiah 46:10 as their scripture reference.

Let's look at Isaiah 46:10

(KJV) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Again, the student of scripture knows that God knows the end before it ever begins, but this passage speaks about a God that decrees how it will be more than it speaks about him knowing, and it has a context.

Isaiah 46:9-11 NIV Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. (10) I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.' (11) From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.

The overall context is that God is in control and he honors his word. If anything this passage tells me that God can be trusted and regardless of what comes, he has my best interest at heart.

Look at Isaiah 46:4 NIV Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

There is nothing about this passage that warns of tragedy coming. Unforeseen events are a daily part of life. Tribulations, though not the Great one of scripture, are a daily part of life, and yet God brings hope. Did you ever wonder where the Apostle Peter or Paul got their information? Right here. God says, “I made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. This theme begins to pop up all over scripture, but the bottom line is that God is in control.

The last two verses of Isaiah are a radical statement against those that refuse to give God the glory. Read these:

Isaiah 46:12-13 NIV Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. (13) I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.

“Jesus Christ spoke about the kingdom of God which will bring an end to wickedness and make the earth a paradise.” (I will refer to the booklet as JWB from this point on.)

Their scripture reference is Luke 4:43. Alright let's look at that passage.

Luke 4:43 NIV But he said, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Once again, the student of scripture knows that the command was given in Mark 16:15 to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

But, what is the context?

Luke 4:40-44 NIV At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. (41) Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. (42) At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. (43) But he said, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." (44) And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

People had been coming to him steadily. Why, because they got something out of him. Not necessarily because they believed that he was the Messiah that they had been waiting for, but because he did not turn them away. Who wouldn't come? He feeds and heals people, and no one has done that before.

While the people may not have understood who he was, the demons sure did, and they shouted out who he was as they came out at his command. Having been exhausted by all this he had found a quiet place, as was his custom. They found him again, and tried to prevent him from leaving. Now you get Jesus response, “I must proclaim the good news to other towns also”. And so he kept on preaching in other synagogues of Judea.

This passage is once again a thin example and should not be used as the backbone of your argument. It does define the statement: “Jesus Christ spoke about the kingdom of God which will bring an end to wickedness and make the earth a paradise.” While he did tell the people that he had to declare the good news of the kingdom, his main purpose here, it does not say what he preached and the end result. That kind of assumption is pure conjecture here. There is a context here and this is not it.

If you gain anything from Jesus interaction with the people, you should come to understand that Jesus said what he meant, and meant what he said. He did go and preach the gospel to others, in so many ways.

There is nothing in this that even remotely backs the statement that he will make earth a paradise. I do though, believe the heaven will be exactly like this, paradise. Why do I think that? Because God make the earth, and all creation perfect in the day that he made it. Try looking that up! It was paradise, but paradise became subject to corruption just as man did. Revelation tells us that this earth and the heavens will be destroyed.

What the disciples asked was a very Jewish question, for they all understood that a Messiah would come and reign. The question was also asked to define when the destruction would come? Think about it, Jesus had told them that every stone in the temple would be thrown down. That happened in a relatively short period of time, but do you claim that as the forerunner to your paradise.

What Jesus spoke of is the most exciting time on earth. While there will be unparalleled destruction coming, it is also a time where those who have relationship with Him, will be rescued out of here, and those that remain will have to make a stand for God or bow to the beast / man and give your allegiance to the god he worships. If you know anything about Islam then you would know that the beast will take the role of the Islamic Mahdi, and you have to bow your knee to Allah. Doing this is a personal affront to God and all that he represents. Why? Because he paid for you with his own blood, an act of Love that surpasses anything that man could ever do, and yet man still choose to give his allegiance to Satan, the power that the Mahdi / Beast embodies.

Those who are not established in hope have nothing to look forward to but fear and dread. Try reading the book of Revelation for yourself. You will find the judgments of the seals, the bowls, and the trumpets. All this is going on at the same time the Islam is trying to weed out those that will attempt to resist its false prophet.

I have a hope that I can anchor on two things, even though there is so much more.

1Peter 1:3 tells me that: “..he has (Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, my Savior and soon coming King.) caused me to be born again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

This passage ends with a comma, therefore the thought continues:

1 Peter 1:4 KJV To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Another comma. I am getting to where I love commas because each one gets better. Now I have an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, a promise that will not fade away, reserved in heaven for me. But not just me, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord as their own. Jesus I need you and want you in my life. How I have lived without you I do not know. Come into me as you promised and let the rivers of living water flow from me as you promised. I turn my life over you and give you control, now take control of me and bring me into your kingdom.

1 Peter 1:5 KJV Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

While Jesus himself is a strong anchor that easily stands alone, another one that I learned to lean upon is one that Jesus himself stated, and the Apostle Peter reinforced, and expounded upon.

Jesus said, these last days would be as in the days of Noah.

Matthew 24:37 KJV But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Read the whole thing and then some thought to what the implications are.

The saga begins in Genesis 6:5 and continues through Genesis chapter 7. Even as Noah worked upon the Ark evil and the threat of destruction stood outside the door step.

An important passage to note in this is Genesis 7:16.

Genesis 7:16 KJV And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

In terms of a guarantee and hope, destruction is literally coming like a flood and God shuts the door behind them. One might even conjecture that God could not release the floods until Noah and his family were safely inside the Ark, protected. That is not such a far fetched idea.

Look at 2 Peter chapter 2. Peter describes God's salvation of Noah, but takes it a step further and includes Lot. God warned that he would destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. After sending angels and telling Lot and his family to get out, Lot hesitates. The angels had to physically escort them out, stating that we can do nothing until you are safe.

Genesis 19:16-22 NIV When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. (17) As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" (18) But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, please! (19) Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can't flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I'll die. (20) Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it--it is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared." (21) He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. (22) But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it." (That is why the town was called Zoar.)

Here is the key to this, and an aspect of the believers hope.

2 Peter 2:9-10 NIV if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. (10) This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;

“In fact, Jesus disciples asked: 'what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?'” JWB

This is supposed to be a quote from Matthew 24:3. Let's just look at that a moment.

Matthew 24:3 NIV As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

So what was going on that the disciples should ask this question.

Matthew 24:1-2 NIV Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. (2) "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

Jesus told them that the temple would be thrown down. This happened in 70 A.D., at the hand of Titus. While many felt that this was the end of the world, it was not.

No one asks, “what will be the sign of your presence.”JWB

Presence

PRES'ENCE, n. s as z. [L. proesentia; proe, before, and esse, to be.] The existence of a person or thing in a certain place; opposed to absence.

Are you serious, God, as a man, was sitting before them, answering their questions. He had not, as far as we know, explained to them that he going back to the Father, so how could this be an aspect of their thinking. They no more believed he was the Messiah, than any of the Pharisees that plague him.

Revelation 1:7 NIV "Look, he is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see him, even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him." So shall it be! Amen.

If you make the claim that Jesus returned to the earth in 1914 or whenever else, then you have taken the role of deceiver, or as Revelation calls him the anti-Christ. Trying to make people believe that Jesus acted outside of Truth makes you no less destructive than the False Prophet himself.

So if you now have people looking for signs of some presence then they will waste their time unproductively at everything but the Truth. Jesus himself said that he was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John testified that he, Jesus, was the Word of God, and the ONLY begotten Son. Standing around, not looking at the Truth, but looking for what they don't know, millions will be deceived, and be caught off guard.

One way that will happen: Islam despises “the people of the book”. In truth, this is the scripture, the Truth, that leads men to Jesus Christ, the Son, and none other. But Islam too has it's prophecies. One of which calls for the appearance of Jesus. Not the Son of God, but the son of Mary. They call him Isa ben Mariam, and he is just a man.

1. He is definitely a Jew, of the Aaronic line, therefore qualified to be a high priest in the rebuilt Jewish temple. (That will become very important in a minute.)
2. How is it that Muslims that hate Jews, are awaiting one? Because he is also a Muslim. When he comes he will be asked to say a prayer over the battle that is to take place. He defers to the Mahdi (the beast of Revelation, and leader of Islam at this time.) For him to defer to the Mahdi is to show a strong allegiance and subservience to Allah, not God the creator.
3. This Jesus of Islam is said to barter a peace treaty with Israel with those Muslim nations that have surrounded Israel, as they move in to destroy it.
4. He is said to produce lost documents that will prove that the Messiah that Israel seeks is all wrong.
5. He is said to produce the lost Ark of the covenant.
6. Many will be deceived. This may include those outside the Jewish faith.
7. He is said to have complete access to the temple.
8. He is said to be the enforcer of global Sharia law. That law allows for the beheading of those that oppose Islam.

So back to the obscure allusion to an answer to the question that the disciples asked. When Jesus responded to their question, what was the first thing he said. The JWB did not bother to mention that. Jesus said, “SEE TO IT THAT YOU BE NOT DECEIVED!” Considering what I just described above, why else would he have said that? We have a clear definition of when Jesus will come back to earth. Scripture tells us that he is coming in the clouds and every eye will see him. He is not sneaking in some back door, and only the Jehovah's Witness will have knowledge of it. He is not showing up in some Nebraska corn field. He is going to plant his feet upon the Mount of Olives, and that Mount will split in two, as though some great earthquake had hit. This happens very explicitly at the end of the seven years of “Great Tribulation”. That also coincides with the seven year reign of the beast/Mahdi. That also happens to be three and a half years after the beast breaks the peace treaty with Israel, and the be-headings have been continuing for some time.

If you were not aware, the Great Tribulation is a time of judgment upon the nations of the earth, so do not expect Christ to be coming with anything but a sword. If you actually read scripture then you should understand that a third of the earths population will be killed by various methods. We are told that if God did not shorten time, no one would survive what is coming.

Why would I tell you any of this?

Because only knowing the truth will set you free. There is only one truth, and his name is Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, the risen one.

2 Peter chapter 2 gives you the precedent. God will save his righteous ones, but as with Noah and Lot, it will be at your doorstep, and on the razors edge.

Righteous is what he makes those that humble themselves and come to him. He is in control, not you, and there is nothing you can do to make yourself righteous.

Having forgiven the world of the sin debt that we owed and could not pay, he made it possible for us to give ourselves freely to the Father. The Father gave his Son to die so that the family relationship could be restored. This is what Adam had in the beginning. If you cannot relate because your image of a family is skewed, then consider this. The earth represents a large adoption agency, and just like a legitimate one here, a price had to be paid. God comes down and takes a look to see if there is someone he wishes to bring home with him. Having looked around he decided that he had to have them all. He pays the price for all, signs the paperwork, and says come on and get in the truck. All anyone has to do is to sign the paperwork indicating that you wish to join him, and go jump in the truck. Here is the good news, He has not pulled away yet. That day will come soon. That does not mean that you are not welcome to come, it merely means that you may now have to sign the paperwork with your own blood as they chop off your head.

Many see this love and run to him, others may see it as something momentarily better than the conditions here, and others, with their bad attitudes sign on, sneering that I will try it out. Matters not, God takes you in. Some will struggle with that concept, but what does scripture say,

Romans 5:8 NIV But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Imagine if you had adopted and older child, set in their ways. They state openly, I will come with you, but don't expect me to do anything!” Do you understand that love himself gave his life for world that had nothing but a huge chip on their shoulder.

You really want to know what the sign of his presence is?

It came in the form of a baby in a manger. It was placed upon a cross to die. It rose again from the dead that I might live. It died for a world for a world that did not deserve it, and it promises us a life, beyond imagination, with Him, in Glory. The best part is, anybody is welcome to come.

“..and of the conclusion of the system of things?”

If you are going to throw something at me as scripture, then try using scripture. They did not ask him this, you are only conjecturing when you make a statement like this. Charles Taze Russell was disproved in a court of law as a charlatan that knew no Greek, therefore all his writings and claims were proven to be falsehoods, that he was using to gain monetary means.

On the other hand, scripture has withstood the test of time, and still brings men into a knowledge of a loving God, that wishes above all else to restore his relationship with man.

If Jesus disciples asked him what would be the sign of the end of the world, then wouldn't that be the end of all of us as well, unless of course you actually have a hope, based upon your relationship of Love with him.

then we should be moving heaven and earth

I cannot seem to help it. I get so involved in passages of scripture or an intended study that I lose contact with the outside world. That is not necessarily a bad thing as most of world offers me nothing. Don't get me wrong, I love art, music, a good play, and of nature. But the soap opera of life just drags me down, and I really do not care who won the lousy ball game. That being said I decided to read the book of Acts, again.

There is a background motivation for that. I get information from Chuck Misler's organization, and he, in describing an aspect found in the book of Acts got me interested once again.

(Acts 1:1-3 KJV)

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Allow me to shorten this, in an effort to get to the point.

....all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up,

...To whom also he shewed himself alive

....by many infallible proofs,

….being seen of them forty days,

….and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

I want so badly to know what he said to them.

Proofs:

• The correctness of operations in mathematics are ascertained by proof.
• Any effort, process or operation that ascertains truth or fact.
• That degree of evidence which convinces the mind of the certainty of truth of fact, and produces belief.
• Proof is derived from personal knowledge, or from the testimony of others, or from conclusive reasoning.

To be infallible is to be beyond dispute. The quality of being incapable of error or mistake. There is no room for argument, at least of a logical nature.

HE IS ALIVE; he is truth; he is coming, just as he said he would; there is a heaven, just as he said, and he is taking us there with him.

See it, feel it, and you can almost taste it, it is so real.

While he was still with them, he said: Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do.

(Acts 1:4 CEV)

And so they did.

Acts chapter 2:16 finds them being filled with the Holy Spirit of God and speaking with other tongues, tongues that seem to cover the gamut of foreign languages that had come to Jerusalem. Many thought they were drunk. Yeah right!

Peter, is back with a vengeance, and jumps up to speak. Here is a portion of what he said:

But this is what God had the prophet Joel say, "When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy. I will work miracles in the sky above and wonders on the earth below. There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will turn dark, and the moon will be as red as blood before the great and wonderful day of the Lord appears. Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help." (Acts 2:16-21 CEV)

“it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh...”

Dake's notes state that the Jews understood this term “in the last days” to mean in “the days of the Messiah.”

Some thoughts about this. This could apply to the time that he was, and will be physically here. - Ok, that gets blown out of water quickly, because only a short time before this he ascended. That means he left the earth.

Perhaps “ the days of the Messiah” is “the day of the Lord”. One could logically make that assumption because Peter associates Joel's prophecy with that time frame, therefore “the day of Lord” began at that point. There are things that happen around us that might make you believe that.

Allow me to explore some aspects of Joel's prophecy.

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come. (Joel 2:1-2 NIV)

As you can see from this he is talking about the time of judgment.

The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:11 NIV)

Now it appears that he speaking of the time at the end of the Great Tribulation, if the army of the Lord is coming. Still we are speaking in terms of judgment.

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. (Joel 2:28-31 NIV)

While this sounds like a glorious time when God will speak through his people, there is still a reference to the dreadful day of the Lord.

As I read through Joel's prophecy recently, I was taken by the statement “in the last days”. Throughout scripture this has been associated with the times of judgment and the Lord's return.

Here is a problem I have with the timing of Joel's prophecy.

If that time began, then it opened the door to the day of the prophet. If that is the case, then we should be moving heaven and earth at the mention of Jesus name.

A short story.

For a time I rented a room from a friend. As we sat and watched the evening news many years ago, they gave a minute by minute news update about a hurricane about to slam into the Galveston Texas coastline. I turned to him and said, “you know, scripture tells us that the oceans are bound by the coastline and not allowed to cross them.” Puzzled he just looked at me. I said, “ watch this”, and I prayed, out loud there in front of him. “In the name of Jesus I command this hurricane to honor those boundaries and turn back out to sea.” In a matter of minutes the newscaster came back on and said, “we are all puzzled and pleased, as the hurricane has just turned back out to sea.” Several minutes passed and it was reduced to merely a wet wind storm. My friend was visibly shaken by the power of God.

Don't you realize that God intended for this to be our lifestyle. It has been religion and fear of failure that has prevented you from living like this.

I cannot begin to describe what I feel right now. It is like standing out in the most beautiful place ever seen, experiencing a one of kind sunrise, and you are standing there taking it all in as the colors of a new day explode upon the pallet of the sky.

How would your world change if you knew your words were dynamic and alive, charged by the Spirit of the Living God?

They Are! Those days are upon us. God is drawing muslims from around the world to him through dreams and visions.

What is God saying to you? I know that he has spoken to many of you, and he has called you to come to him. He was standing there with arms open wide, motioning for you to come. Run to him, and Jesus Christ the risen one will come into your life if you will ask him. Allow him to have the control in your life and you will gain a freedom that you never thought possible.

The Millennial kingdom – Who are all these people?

If you read my blogs then you know that much of what I write is what I grapple with. Here goes another one.

Let's assume a scenario; I just happen to think (based upon what I see in scripture) this is how it will happen: The rapture – the great snatching away of the church (that is a whole other issue I will dive into later) takes place. The rapture, as I see it, is on the cutting edge of God's wrath. God's wrath is an integral part of the Great Tribulation.

The Great Tribulation – Has two components -

God's wrath being poured out upon the earth in the form of: 1. The 7 seal judgments; 2. the 7 trumpet judgments; 3. the 7 bowl judgments. This may not look like God's hand when you look at the players involved, but it certainly is. If nothing else happened, such as be-headings in the name of Allah, I cannot imagine anyone surviving on the earth, and yet they do.

Cover via Amazon

The second is the work of the Beast, (a man driven by a Satanic spirit that has shown up many times, in many people, throughout man's tenure here on earth.) and the False Prophet.

(Islam fulfills both of these roles in their prophecies. The Mahdi, also known as the 12^th Imam, and a prophetic person named Isa ben Maryiam. In English, Jesus the son of Mary, not God. I am telling you that if you will find out more about who these characters are that Islam is anxiously awaiting, it will alarm you, and scripture will suddenly make more sense than you ever thought possible. If you are bold enough, find the book “The Islamic Antichrist”, by Joel Richardson and read it.)

At the rapture the Church, those that are awaiting the return of Jesus Christ, will be removed from the earth.

(An aspect that has caused me some confusion is “the dead in Christ” shall rise first. I suppose I am confused because if you want to analyze it, we are all dead. We were born into death thanks to Adam's transgression.) If, as scripture states, to absent from the body is to be present with the Lord then there really are no Christian dead, lying around waiting to be caught up. I am really sure why any portion of the body needs to be recovered, but there you have it. Clearly God made each one of unique in some way, and that body, in much better shape than when you left it, will be restored intact. For you skeptics. Was Jesus body found in the grave after the three days? No. This is making my mind swim as I think about bodies and their propensity to decompose. Really, what are we talking about here? Atoms. Apparently God is able to reconstruct an entire body from whatever molecule is left.

If the church is gone, who is left?

1. OK, so those who God found awaiting him are gone. Who is left? A lot of religious folk who thought they should have gone; the cults who live on the fringe of acknowledging Christ as Lord, but most have no real idea (I hope that I am wrong about many of them. If they learn of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, and anxiously await him, then they should be gone as well), sadly I think that most will still be here. There will be the eastern religions, and a few stray cats mixed in.
   One of the things that recently caught my attention was Matthew 25:1. Jesus said the last day will be like ten virgins that were coming to the wedding. Jesus Christ is coming on that day to gather us to the wedding. Half of them, though on their way, in their mind, were unprepared, and when the call finally came they started scrambling for oil. A key to understanding what is happening here is Matthew 25:5 which says, “While the bridegroom tarried they slumbered and slept.” 
   
   
   Even as I write these things, and talk about them with people, this is what I get, “why are you getting all worked up, we have been waiting for him for over two thousand years. Beside all that, the world is always in turmoil, and people are always in some form of tribulation.” With that being said, they spiritually go back to sleep. 
   
   
   When you consider that no oil based lamp burns forever and must be refilled, and we are equated to an oil lamp with a limited burn time, then there must be the need to keep replenishing that oil. That would have to be on a daily basis, and multiple times a day.
   
   
2. So we have established that many versions of religious types will be left here, what about the others? While Islam believes in a god, no less than the oriental religions believe in god(s), I did not even, in my mind, include them as I thought about the religious folk that have been left behind. I suppose you could chalk my attitude up to prejudice. That was not an uncommon, and unspoken teaching in church, I cannot remember a colored person in our church growing up. Dear Lord, I hope God can set that tragic problem aside when he comes for us. Islam, though staunchly religious, and appalled at our lack of morality, is entwined in a hatred of the Almighty, and refuses to believe that Jesus Christ, though a good man and a prophet, was the Son of God, or God himself. Bottom line, they are in opposition to everything we believe outside of morality, and yet even that is twisted, for a man can get away with things that a woman cannot.
   
   
   I suppose the bottom line here, on those that are left, are the godless, the unknowing, the scared, and the arrogant. We are not to be naive When Adam committed treason, handing the earth over to Satan, and eating the fruit of the tree that gave a knowledge of both good and evil, he passed that knowledge, I suppose genetically, through every generation since. NO MAN will have an excuse, for they know what good is and have chosen not to do it.
   
   
   Why do you think that God wreaks such destruction upon the earth's inhabitants, because having the opportunity to accept the loving act of the one who created you, and paid for your release from the genetic damage that Adam did, with HIS OWN BLOOD, they reject him. 
    
   God out of love, gave man the opportunity to choose for himself, and there in the problem lies.

Alright then, the rapture comes and goes, along with seven years of horrid events culminating in Jesus return to earth (When he returns the first place he plants his feet is the Mount of Olives, NO PLACE ELSE.). The beast, and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. I suspect primarily because they deceived so many people, and Satan is locked up for a thousand years of peace on this earth.

1. The saints – those who were beheaded for their testimony are brought back to life, and possibly those who refused to take the mark (this may be something that you wear just as the Jews did during the time of the Holocaust.) and / or refused to worship the beast or his image that speaks – will reign with Christ during the following thousand years.
2. But there are other people.

Micah 4:1-5 KJV But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. (2) And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (3) And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (4) But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. (5) For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

This is the first time I have ever paid attention to this, but it is not a fluke because other passages substantiate what I am seeing.

Remember, we are considering the millennial reign. Christians taken up in the rapture are stated to be the city, the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven. Here on earth, during the 1000 years, in one of those references to that city, it is called “the camp of God”.

At the end of the 1000 years Satan is released and rallies the nations, those outside the camp of God, against the camp of God.

Who is Satan deceiving this time? Not those those who live in the city, but those that live outside the city. Were they outside because they refuse to acknowledge Jesus Lordship? There are a lot of possibilities, but exclusion is not one of them. Would they have been safe if they had been inside? Certainly.

A quick reassessment. We have people during the millennial reign that are walking in the name of their god, and living outside the city.

Revelation 22:14-15 CEV (14) God will bless all who have washed their robes. They will each have the right to eat fruit from the tree that gives life, and they can enter the gates of the city. (15) But outside the city will be dogs, witches, immoral people, murderers, idol worshipers, and everyone who loves to tell lies and do wrong.

These two verses stun me.

1. I would have thought that the time of washing of the robes had passed. Perhaps this is a continuing process which implies that Holy Spirit is still alive and active even during the millennial reign.
2. People are continuing to come to Christ. Sure, Satan is no longer an issue, but man still has the ability to choose. The logical aspect of this is that life continues to go on. Survivors of the Great Tribulation continue to have families and we now have an exponential multiplication of people once again. Everyone of those people will apparently have to choose Jesus over whatever else is being offered to them.
3. Only those who have washed their robes can enter the gates. Obviously this continues to imply the blood of Christ and salvation. Therefore an acceptance of the price he paid for us is necessary, and continuing to happen.
4. Verse 15 is the most unnerving part of all. For it implies that sin still runs rampant throughout the earth. Jesus and the millennial saints would seem to be the peace keepers, and I suspect the blatantly sinful indulgences will be dealt with swiftly. But I never in my wildest imagination thought that God, in his mercy, would allow such a thing to happen at this point.

There has to have been survivors of the tribulation that God's mercy has pulled through. We tend to think of the tribulation as a time of purging, and it is, but of all evil? Apparently not. Man's ability to make choices has not been taken away, and clearly many have made some form of choice to follow God and not the anti-Christ, therefore he extends his hand of mercy and pulls them into the millennial reign right next to the saints of God.

No evil is allowed in the city. Where is evil coming from if it's motivation and inspiration is locked up? This can only mean that evil is in the heart of man. Think about it. Adam's transgression brought us knowledge of good and evil, along with death.

Believers throughout the life of earth have been raised to a new, incorruptible life at the rapture. Tribulation saints are those that were beheaded and resurrected, apparently they too were raised incorruptible.

I am not so sure about those that survived without taking the mark or worshiping the beast. Would not refusal to do take the mark give you an all access pass. We certainly see them here during the millennial reign, but I would not think that the the freedom of choice they had and refused, prior to the tribulation, is still on the table merely because they refused the mark, nor worshiped the beast.

But, if, based upon the concept that half the so called Christian population does not make it in the rapture, this would not necessarily be where such horrible evil comes from.

Others that may not make the rapture are those that are considered the cults, such as the Latter Day Saints and the Mormons. They are on the fringe of the truth, but have been deceived into believing that some other tripe is true, not God's word. They are fairly decent people, and mind you anyone can go over the edge, but on the whole we do not see that happening with this bunch.

Let's assume for a moment that intelligent people will suddenly open their eyes, realizing that Islam offers no hope and make a stand against it. Does intelligence make you less evil? No, you are usually just smarter about it. Bernie Madoff who stole millions from investors is no less evil than the murderer.

If there is a point to this oration, it is that my notions have been blown out of the water. Is that a bad thing? No, actually I love that God still chooses to speak to me. What this proves to me, again, is that God's mercy has exceeded all boundaries and constraints that my mind had.

I am suddenly reminded of a passage that caught my attention as I was eating dinner. John 9:39 KJV “And Jesus said, For judgment ( a sifting) I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

Blinded by ignorance or arrogance, I am not sure, but suddenly things just got a little clearer for me. I do not know why, but God just keeps pointing out his mercy to me, and I love him for it. Having received far more mercy than I deserved, I find myself falling more and more in love with the one who showed me that mercy.

Not seeing, you believe

A continuing look at 1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1: 7-9

“….at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (8) Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

(9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

It is oft times impossible to just jump in without asking what you are jumping into, and diving into this passage at verse 8 is no different, so I have included a portion of verse 7. I had written to you on previous occasions about Jesus Christ, the living one, our savior, and I had been talking about the strong, living hope that we are entitled to hold on to. Why say entitled? Because I feel that many will try to beat this out of you, implying that you are not entitled. Peter used some strong words in describing this hope, and lively is one of them. As a recent acquaintance said, lively is something that is fresh, clean, strong, as in a mountain stream that is running without obstruction, and that is how powerful this hope is intended to be in us.

Anyone feel that definite or secure in your hope? Probably not; if not, then ask yourselves why? Did someone dispel that hope in you. The means is irrelevant, it happens too often. There is only one way to maintain a strong foothold in many aspects of God life he has planned for us, and that is personal knowledge. Even if all you had was an audible word that someone spoke to you. Constantly reminding yourself that the promise of his coming is true keeps that alive in you.

The Dake's bible notes indicates that this portion of verse 7 is where the rewards will be made known in the eternal kingdom. “At the appearing of Jesus Christ:”. On that day, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be caught up to meet him in the air. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

What if any rewards come as a result of some judgment that we are to receive? This of course makes the assumption that there is the potential for punishment as well. Let's see if we can make sense of this.

We still have local fairs around here, and folks enter the things they make in contests just so that their item can be judged. The winners take home rewards in the form of ribbons and the knowledge that this day they were the best. So, even in judging there can be a reward. Of course the parallel is a criminal case in which you are either guilty or innocent. If found to be guilty then you are judged and sentenced, and this only punishment. I think it is more common for us to think of judgment in this manner.

When it comes to our guilt or innocence, we should have been judged for our sins; we were born guilty.
Sin being the debt that we could not pay, but Jesus took all that judgment for the sin upon himself, freeing us from the judgment for sin. I know people who cannot or will not grasp that.
Do I still sin? Absolutely, but I am covered by his blood and I do not make a habit of it, and scripture tells me that I will not be judged for my sins, and neither will you. 

Having been forgiven by God, my sins, no matter how small, still affect other people as I choose to continue sinning and being selfish. That make things very difficult later when I try to tell them about a God that loves them. Why? Because we all do it, making judgments about how everyone else is going to treat me based upon the bad examples that sin always provides.

What I do know for sure is that inspite of me God still loves me. I am a working example of his grace, and I have experienced his mercy first hand and if I know anything, I know God is merciful. 

NO, I do not take advantage of his mercy by constantly pushing the envelope. Paul spoke of this when he wrote about using your liberty in front of those who are weaker, causing them to stumble. You may not be sinning at that point, but you are certainly being selfish, because your liberty is not considering anyone but you, and there are people who will think that what you are doing is sin. Yes, I realize that this internal struggle they are having is all them, but why promote it. 
 
If you knew that a person amongst you was an alcoholic, and that alcohol was a tremendous and detrimental draw to them. Would you be serving up alcohol with them at the gathering? Taking it a step further, if someone close to you was an alcoholic would you torture them with your freedom to drink, at all? 
 

1 Corinthians 8:9 NIV Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Look at Romans 3:4 KJV God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.
The word judged here is: krino, and means to separate, to pick out or select.
Certainly God has and is going to separate us out, that is the purpose behind the snatching away. Jesus spoke a parable to this effect that describes the angels coming and separating the wheat from the tares; this happens in the last days, and is an example of him judging, as he picks out those that are his. Matthew 13:30

What if this judgment is something else? What if it is based solely upon our actions toward others? That is the scariest part of all, for we might have some good moments, but far to many of us have damned someone to hell for the way they drive. Jesus said, in: Matthew 7:1-2 NIV "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (2) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Who was Jesus talking to? Religious Jews that refused, with minor exceptions, to accept who he was. This becomes important because this lifestyle of judgment is what Jesus was describing in Matthew 25 where God separates the sheep, from the goats.

When it comes to judging people I do not think I ever really learned my lesson, but I got a good dose of what the effects of judging is all about.
I had a moment where I was put in charge of the crew, primarily women. To tell you the truth, they were all great, knew how to do their jobs, and did them well. One in particular, a Christian girl, a bit of a whiner, was really going into a tailspin. As I look back on the situation she had bad feet, as I do now, but she integrated that pain into every other aspect of the job. She was having a meltdown on the day that I was in charge, saying that she could do the job anymore.
I really did not understand, but I tried to reason with her, pointing out that she was the one that had taught me how to do what they did. That did not end the rant so I got religious on her, and told her that I was ashamed of her and her lousy Christian example. Those are the words I used. There was a pained look on her face and she shut up. Six months to year went by, and I was now working at another location when I learned, first hand, how painful those words could be as I was now the brunt of them. I truly believe that this was an example of Matthew 7 coming back to slap me in the face.

Paul wrote in: 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 NIV (31) But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. (32) Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Paul had been addressing those who came to the Lord's table in an unworthy manner. If you come, not being a glutton, but one who is giving thanks for the Lord's sacrifice for you, then I suspect you are doing this act in a worthy manner. This address by Paul came from a time when there was actually something of a shared meal that the early Christian church would gather for. Apparently many would intentionally come hungry and eat everyting in sight. Choosing not to gather to remember that Jesus paid a tremendous price for them, but treating God as common, it appears many got ill and paid the price in their physical bodies. In other words they were judged.

Here is the key to all this, hope.

Peter initiates this letter with a solid attempt at establishing or reestablishing hope. Not only hope, but a living hope.

Verse 8 begins with. “whom you have not seen, you love,”

This Jesus Christ, the one in whom we await.

If men were honest they would tell you that they fall in lust with the woman's looks, and then they fall in love. Love is a growing process of interrelationship based upon trust. 

The problem with the way we fall in love becomes apparent when you contrast it with our relationship with Christ, one whom we have never seen, and with only his Word to go on we must build the trust necessary for love.

So then, what was the thing that drew us to him? It was love, given without measure, and with no demands, merely open arms.



“...even though you do not see him now, you believe in him...”
How peculiar, coming from Peter. He saw him and yet denied Jesus, just to preserve his own skin. After Jesus death on the cross Peter quit and went back to fishing. Jesus, addressing a small group of disciples after the resurrection said, go tell the disciples and Peter. Jesus knew he had quit, and sought him out, just like a good shepherd might. 
 
I can just see that father in the prodigal story, running down the road to greet the son that returned to him, receiving him back into the household. 
 
Peter, witnessed his death and saw him alive after the resurrection, experienced the years of ministry, and had hands on evidence of his love. All I have is his word, and the feeling of love I feel as I bring my brokenness to him. Perhaps Peter is stunned and proud that so many have come to love him, someone they cannot experience in the same manner that Peter did.

Can I be honest here. After ten years of relationship with a girlfriend, a woman that I would have wed. I finally called it quits. In most every way she was wonderful, but she changed. I think that a constant stream of stresses, she acts like they are not there, and the change of life prompted her to turn her frustrations against me. My leaving was not what I meant to do, but in anger I sent a message that I could not retract, and through a combination of actions I brought the relationship to a crashing halt. Now here I am writing about a God that gave his own life for me, and a love I have with him even though I cannot see him. There is a huge incongruity inside me right now. 
 
When I made the commitment to marry, I had to make the choice to invest all of me into this. If a person jumps quickly into a relationship without knowing how the other person thinks and functions then you will have to learn. If your wise, then this learning curve has to be integrated into the relationship.
Now what would make this easier as time goes by? Both parties consistently striving to love the other one. God loved this world, comparing his actions to entering into a marriage, knowing full well what scum we are. 
 
There was no learning curve for God, he already knew everything about us. Does He overlook sins? He was fully aware that we all sinned and had become masterful at it. So what he did was obliterate that sin, and forgot it; on purpose. 
 
What is left for God to do in relationship to us? He runs to us when we come to him. He puts the cloak of his kingdom upon us to indicate that we are still his, and he keeps his arms open wide so that we can return easily to him when we turn away. 
 
To be a part of a marriage breakdown you have to work at it. You have to decide that your selfishness is more important than the relationship that God may have actually put together. You have to choose to destroy the team partnership that God may have intended to bring life to other people through. You have to choose to put others first, not God or your mate. You have to choose to degrade and ignore. You have to teach yourself and your children to disrespect the other. Do I need to go on?

And the oddity is that marriage is the relationship that God uses to relate to us. To reject him is to act like this toward hiim, a choice you make.

1 Peter 1:9 KJV Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

I see hope in this, a lively hope, and yet there is the terminology souls used. I will tell you that I want this body pulled out of here too. I will come back to this thought.

Another version puts it this way. 1 Peter 1:9 CJB And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance.

What have we been talking about? Trust and relationship building without being able to see the other person. Without being able to read the others facial expressions as they speak of testing, trials and judgment. Without speaking Greek it is difficult to know that

the word krino used in Romans 3:4 KJV when Paul says, “... when you are judged. “ Means to separate, to pick out, or select.

Because we have this life with him, we have a promise of salvation. Salvation means deliverance and rescue, but from what?

Not from life and brutal people that surround you. Not from life's steady stream of tribulations, but from the wrath that God is bringing upon the world, the Great Tribulation period.

1 Peter 4:12 NIV Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

2 Peter gives us clarity on this question of what we are being delivered from. Jesus told us that a Great Tribulation is coming upon the earth and that without God shortening time no one would survive it. The great tribulation period is a time of judgment upon the nations of the earth. This would not be the first time that God has destroyed man upon the earth, and Peter gives us Noah and Lot's scenarios as an example (Look at 2 Peter chapter 2). God rescued those righteous men out of the destruction, but it was right up against the destruction. The destruction itself did not touch them, but the evil that God was eliminating was all around them.

I pointed out that several translations use the word souls. We should not have a problem with that for:

1. The soul is currently an embedded part of the body. You cannot separate the two, but God can. We were first a soul or spirit, and then we were put into a body.
2. 1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed. Changed into what? Jesus said, “Flesh and blood, the body, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore we will be changed into what ever Jesus became after his resurrection, incorruptible. Keep in mind that he was able to cook, eat a meal, and relax with the disciples.

My desire is that we escape the pain and destruction that is to come. I think that would require getting this body out of here. I suppose that I am fortunate and should not be complaining for Christians all over the world are being killed for their faith in Christ. We here in America believe that will not happen to us. I truly think that we are being naive when we espouse that kind of narrow minded thinking. There are very vocal people in America that are calling for Sharia law to govern this nation. When that happens they will come after you.

Don't think that you are safe because you are a “bible” thumping Mormon or Latter Day Saint. If you adhere to something that looks like a bible then Islam will come after you as well. You are considered an infidel by them and will be beheaded. Apparently Islam is somewhat fair about this in that they will give you the opportunity to convert to Islam, and acknowledge that the only god is Allah and Mohammed, not Jesus Christ, is his prophet. To accept their deal is to take the mark and worship the beast. Trust me, you do not want to do that, for you will have excluded yourselves from any mercy God would have shown you.

Think about this for a moment. Why would taking the mark (quite probably a prominently displayed armband, much like the Jews had to wear) be such a big thing? Because there are a couple of things that God absolutely cannot tolerate, idol worship and adultery. To give your “love” to someone else when he paid for your freedom with his own blood would have to be the ultimate insult. Not only did he create you, but had to buy you back, and why? To give you the opportunity to live with him in eternity. Therefore to reject him is like pushing every button necessary to bring about a divorce.

Don't you realize that you have work at destroying a marriage. You have to choose selfishness, fornication, adultery, distrust, cheating, jealousy, lack of communication. These things were not part of a reasonable persons game plan on their wedding day. Why are they part of your game plan, in relationship to the Father, now?