Sunday, October 02, 2005

LET ME TELL YOU THE FUTURE

Every prophesy in the Bible, except for prophecies for the future, have been fulfilled. For instance:

1. That Jesus would be born, die for our sins, and be resurrected (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23; Isaiah 53; Psalms 16:8-10; Acts 2:22-40).

2. That the Jews would be dispersed and brought back again as a nation: they returned home and Israel was declared a nation May 14, 1948. No other dispersed peoples have ever come back again as a nation except Israel, the only one that God, in His Word, said would become a nation again. Ezekiel 11:13-20; Isaiah 11:11,12; Ezekiel 36:24-27

3. And do you recognize this...? "Know this 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... ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

4...or this? But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4

5. Do you see this coming? This King will make a seven year treaty with the people (Israel), but after half that time he will break his pledge and stop the Jews from all their sacrifices and their offerings... Daniel 9:27 The Living Bible

Have you watched the news lately? The point is YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE!

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD:

The Rapture: There are no prophesies that still need to be fulfilled before Jesus comes to take the Church (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord) off this planet. For a little more information about this read my previous post "Me, Die? I Don't Think So!"

The Tribulation: After believers are removed from here to Heaven, there will be a seven year period of horrible events on the earth we call the Tribulation, the last three and a half years will be the worst. There will be devastation and destruction as we have not yet seen. Hurricane Katrina won't even compare to what will come. (The book of Revelation in the bible reveals a lot of what will occur during this period, it's also referenced in other books of the bible.) At the beginning of the Tribulation a leader will be revealed, which we call "The Antichrist", though I doubt he'll be referred to that way by the media or the majority of people who are still here. He will offer "solutions" and people will listen and be deceived by him. Some Bible Prophesy teachers have said that his authority will be mainly in the Middle East, but I believe his influence will extend to most nations of the world. He will establish a seven year treaty with Israel which he will break after three and a half years. There will be a lot for him and other government leaders to work with, Christians will be leaving behind a lot of land, property, and goods. Think of what the governments of the world can do with all of that! Anyway you don't want to be here during this time, though there still will be people accepting Christ. I may discuss this period more in a future blog post.

The Second Coming (or We're Back!): Jesus Christ returns to Earth with His raptured and resurrected Saints (riding on horses). He will fight and win a battle called The Battle of Armageddon with Antichrist and his armies. Satan is bound for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-30). At the rapture Jesus doesn't set foot on the earth but at the Second Coming he's here to stay! Revelation 19:11-21

The Millennium: Jesus Christ sets up His throne in Jerusalem, He will reign for a thousand years and His Saints will reign with Him. There will still be nations and natural people on the earth, they will marry, have children, live normal lives, except better than we can imagine now. Rev. 20:4-6

The Battle of Gog and Magog: Believe it or not, as good as they have it, there will still be rebels on earth. After a thousand years Satan will be loosed and will stir up these rebels, there will be another battle called the Battle of Gog and Magog. Of course the good guys win again and Satan will be permanently terminated. Rev. 20:7-10

The Great White Throne of Judgement: (You don't want to be there!) The wicked dead (or those who did not accept salvation through Jesus Christ) are judged according to their works. The Book of Life is brought out but their names won't be found there. Unfortunately they will never die nor lose consciousness but will suffer endless torment in the Lake of Fire (called the second death). (Rev. 20:11-15 ). I didn't say this the Bible does, it is my desire that everyone, friend or foe, will accept God's free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

New Heavens and New Earth: The earth will be renovated by fire. 2 Pet. 3:5-15 The people of the nations still here will have bodies like Adam and Eve had in the beginning so they can't be destroyed by the fire. The Holy City, New Jerusalem will come down to earth and God will dwell among His people. Rev. 21, 22 There will never be an "end of the world", but it will sure be a lot different than it is now!

Recommended reading: "Dake's Annotated Reference Bible"; "God's Dispensational and Prophetic Plan" and "Prophecy Marches On! Daniel and Revelation" by John G. Hall.

This is a link to a site where you can look up scripture references in many different versions of the bible:
http://www.biblegateway.com/

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is all superstition masquerading as evidence. The "prophecies" you cite are so vague that they may fit any time. The ancient Greeks complained of all the points you mention... temples neglected, the youth disrespectful... and that was before Jesus was even born. I have seen death. I have seen loved ones die. There is no God. We are evolved animals with conscience - and isn't that truly more miraculous than some idealised father figure in the sky? I despise this whole "rapture" idea - it's just a way for you to feel smug and superior to your fellow man... but pride comes before a fall.

Anonymous said...

How come people will suffer the lake of fire AFTER Satan is vanquished. Who will be running Hell? With Satan "terminated", I guess that means God will be the one torturing those unfortunates who didn't believe in him. Gee, what a merciful creator. I'd sure hate to be screwed up enough to belive in a holy father who will torture me for ETERNITY if I say something bad about him. What kind of warped psycho would even come up with something like that? That's the most hateful and vengeful thing I've ever heard. That makes God WORSE than any human killer or torturer, ever. The lake of fire for ETERNITY!?!?! That is Evil.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you that these are the times predicted by the Christ (in Matthew, especially), but I am having just a bit of trouble with 'Rapture' as no-where that I have found in New or Old Testement is there anything that says anything about the 'Rapture'that Time Lehaye ad his ministry, and others like his, try to teach. However, I may have missed it, and so I ask you to please direct me to ALL the places in the Bible that specifically state Abba would take out the pilot of an aircraft while leaving a planeload of passengers. I am not trying to be snide, honest. I know the Christ states that "...two will be in the field, one will be taken and one left behind..." Is this where the 'Rapture" comes from? Because I've been studying Scripture (many translations) for a long-long time, and I don't find Daniel, Isaiah, or even Jeremiah prophesying anything near the 'Rapture', only that when End Times hit, things are going to get very ugly for the denyers, and that those who have died in the faith of God's everlasting love, who had been waiting in Heaven wearing white linen, will be brought fully into the resurrection.

PAMI said...

Response to anonymous 10/16/2005 1:29pm
You're right, the word "Rapture" is not in the bible. The old meaning is "to snatch away", "to take out".
The following are verses that refer to what we call the Rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (King James Version)
Public Domain
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:
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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 (King James Version)
Public Domain
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

There is a difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming, at the Rapture Christ doesn't actually set foot on the earth, we meet Him in the air and are taken to heaven for seven years. The spirits of those who have already died are already in Heaven, but they will get their bodies back at the Rapture, only now they will be incorruptible bodies. Paul said he's showing us a mystery, it was a revelation Paul and Jesus' disciples had that had not been revealed to the Prophets of the old testament. At the Second Coming we come back with Christ, He fights and wins the battle of Armageddon, and establishes His kingdom in Jerusalem.

The man of sin Christians call the "Antichrist" will not be revealed till after the Rapture.
He will be a powerful figure during the seven year Tribulation period.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (King James Version)
Public Domain
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
let: hinder
(Saints who now hinder will hinder until they are caught up to be with the Lord)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(the Second Coming)
The verses in Luke 17:34-37 where one is taken, the other left, don't refer to the Rapture, they refer to those people (or nations) taken to die at Armageddon, verse 37 states they are taken to where the eagles are gathered (to eat the flesh of the dead).

As for planes falling from the sky, they might, they probably will, who knows, but this would only be a small token of the devastation and destruction predicted for the seven year Tribulation period that follows the Rapture.

PAMI said...

Response to anonymous 10/15/2005
3:03pm and 3:09pm
To begin with Satan is not in hell now, he never has been there, and he doesn't want to go. He was thrown to earth after his fall:
Isaiah 14:12-15 King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground (to earth), which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Verse 15 above says he will be brought down to hell, he's not there yet, he definitely doesn't run the place. The lake of fire was created for the devil and his angels, not for us, we got reservations when we believed his lies and allowed our spirits to be separated from God's Spirit.
Rev. 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now Satan is called the prince of the power of the air, his influence extends on earth and around it's atmosphere.
Ephesians 2:1-3 King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation (manner of living) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Our holy father will not allow us to be tormented forever if we rejoin our spirits with His Spirit by accepting our redemption (being bought back) through His son Jesus Christ. If our spirits remain separated from Him we have no part with Him, and He cannot have part with spirits that have no connection with Him.

The lie that Satan and our society has perpetuated is that we are animals, the truth is God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul, created in the image and likeness of God. We are spirits, who have souls (mind, will, emotions) and live in bodies. That's why God wants us back. God created animals but He didn't breathe His Spirit into them.

It was 1948 that Israel was declared a nation, people are still alive today that saw that prophecy come true. I am in my 50s, I attended school, I taught school, and now I hear about things happening in schools all the time on the news. I can't recall any school shootings being reported while I was in school, and I seem to recall we were pretty respectful to our parents and teachers, the kids I taught were more disrespectful, but still they never shot anyone (at school at least), but it's pretty sad when the major news stories are about the horrible things that are happening at schools today, a day when many teachers are afraid of their students. And as far as people running to and fro and knowledge increasing, we have gone from horse and buggy to jet aircrafts and space shuttles in the last 150 years. Out of the 6000 or so years since man's re-creation, I'd say we've advanced pretty well.

Pride may come before the fall, it definitely did for Lucifer (Satan) but preparation should come before the Rapture.

PAMI said...

CORRECTION TO MY PREVIOUS COMMENT:
The earth was re-created, man was created.