Posted 1-3-01
> > Only Matthew talks of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it is only for the Jewish.
We can't make too much of that. In the parable of the grain of mustard seed, Matthew has "kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 13:31), but Mark 4:30 has "kingdom of God." In the parable of the leaven, Matthew has "kingdom of heaven." Luke 13:20 has "kingdom of God." Don't these stretch to the end of this age?
Mt. 13:37-40 applies to the end of this age. It says, "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world (lit., age); and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end (consummation) of this world (age)" (as in Mt. 24:3).
Mt. 24:15-31 applies to the Great Tribulation, the last segment of this age.
II Tim. 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." The Jews were chosen to receive the scriptures, but they are all, from Genesis to Revelation, written that anyone might profit thereby and be saved. All the books have lessons for us all.
Abraham was a Gentile descended from Shem. He was born 2 years after Noah died, yet he was the progenitor of the Jews, who are Abraham's progeny through Isaac, and not Ishmael. Rom. 3:1,2 says, "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."
> > Psalm 18 and Psalm 117. Interesting that gentiles are mentioned. I see the final harvest in these two Psalms
Psa. 18 sure sketches the Pre-Wrath Rapture. In v. 7, "he was wroth." In v. 9, "He bowed the heavens also, and came down." In v. 12, there are "hail stones and coals of fire." In v. 16, "He sent from above, he took me, and drew me out of many waters" (nations, Rev. 17:15). In v. 19, "He brought me forth also into a large place." Saturn is a large place. In. v. 20, "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness" speaks of the Judgment Seat of Christ that same day. In v. 33, "He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places."
Maybe you mean 118. Verse 5 says, "I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place." Verse 20 says, "This gate (or door) of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter."Verse 22 says, "The stone which the builders refused (Christ) is become the head stone (King) of the corner" (the Earth).
The 10 widths of fabric that formed the tent of the Tabernacle represented the planets. That is why cherubim were embroidered on them. The one that represented Earth was the one that draped over the back corner. Therefore, the reference to the corner is a reference to Earth. Christ is crowned King of kings and Lord of lords in Heaven that same day and is given dominion over Earth. Dan. 7:14 says, "there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him." This is the kingdom of God on Earth during the millennial Day of the Lord.
> > John 12:24. Marilyn, notice the reference to wheat here. It is the Passover.
It is not, however, the new crop that will start to be reaped on Pentecost.
> > the Greeks who come to worship, who are essentially turned away. If you look in Matthew 15:24, the LORD clearly states that until the work on the Cross is finished, Gentiles are not included in his ministry.
The Greeks were not turned away, but left to listen to the voice from Heaven, etc. They were among "The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it (the voice from Heaven)." They heard Jesus say, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL MEN unto me" (12:31,32).
In Mt. 15:24, Jesus said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." However, he told her, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." Jesus came to fulfill the Law that was given to the Jews, but he didn't forget that he was the Saviour of the whole world. He didn't turn anyone away. He just concentrated on the Jews first.
> > see what you discern in the Spirit about Passover, Pentecost, Jews, Gentiles and Wheat. What I get out of it is that Pentecost can be seen as a candidate for FirstFruits Rapture, as well as Passover, and actually any time from today until Shavuot 5761.
You probably already know what I think on this. I can't say that the Rapture wilI be on Pentecost for sure, but I do expect the Rapture on a feast day. Heb. 12:23's "general assembly" is panegurei, a festal assembly (Thayer). I think it will be when the rain is over and gone (Song of Sol. 2:10-14). Since the latter rain falls in Nisan, to me, that drops the first 3 feasts out of the picture, leaving Pentecost as the only feast left that is in the spring, when there are green figs and firstripe grapes. The former rains of Tishri drop the fall feasts out of the picture too.
It seems that the 3 main ranks in the First Resurrection fall on 3 feasts in the normal order of occurrence, (3rd feast) Firstfruits (30 AD), (4th feast) Pentecost (probably 2001), and (5th feast) Trumpets (probably 2007). Agape
You do not know when the rapture will occur and you have proven that you will never know. Actually, no one will ever know. The police do not call before coming to arrest you, thieves do not call before robbing you.
Imagine if you will Mary. Someone is sinful their entire life not caring about Heaven or Hell because they know they will be able to ask for forgiveness at the last second because they know when the Rapture will occur.
The lord does not give signs because of one of the biggest words he treasures the most: FAITH. The lord said be patient and faithful. It takes no faith at all when you already know when the Rapture is coming. Chris
ALL? I have been able to get some people to accept Christ. If you think there is more bad than good, would you have me quit?
In my 40 years of studying the Bible as deep as I can go, I have learned some things that as far as I can tell, no one else had been able to figure out before me. For instance, I know what Ezekiel saw in his visions in chapters 1 and 10. Do you? I know what the flaming sword that turns every way in Gen. 3:24 stands for. Do you? I'm pretty sure I know where Heaven is located. Do you? After reading about an 18" stack of books about the Bible from BIOLA's library every week for 7 years, what these things stood for were burning questions I could not find answers for. In desperation, I asked the Lord to show me all the deep things, everything he wanted man to know about the Bible. Is my 40 years pursuit of the truth all for nothing?
I saw a rectangle of light on Jer. 50:2. It said to publish and conceal not. I am obeying to the best of my ability, and I will continue to do my best to obey until the Lord comes.
> > you will never know
You can't know that. I am watching, so there will come a day that I will know. In Rev. 3:3, Jesus said, "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Turn it around. Then it would say that if we do watch, he will not come on us as a thief, and we shall know what hour he will come upon us.
> > thieves do not call before robbing you.
Surely you have read I Thess. 5:1-8. It shows that we are not of the night. That is when thieves usually break through to steal. It says, " But of THE TIMES AND THE SEASONS, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves KNOW PERFECTLY that the day of the Lord (the Millennium) so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction (the Day of God's Wrath is the 1st day of the Millennium and the 2300th day of the 70th week of Daniel; Dan. 8:13,14) cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But YE, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but LET US WATCH and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."
> > they know they will be able to ask for forgiveness at the last second because they know when the Rapture will occur.
Anyone who thinks that is liable to get fooled. The foolish virgins have no time to get more oil (Mt. 25:1f). Rev. 22:10-12 says, "the time (of the Rapture) is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly." I think that might take effect 10 days before the Rapture. Rev. 2:10 says, "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Crowns are handed out at the Rapture.
> > The lord does not give signs
Why then did the LORD say, "THERE SHALL BE SIGNS in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring." In verse 28, the LORD also said, "And when these things BEGIN to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (i.e., the Rapture) draweth nigh."
> > It takes no faith at all when you already know when the Rapture is coming.
Without faith, there is no hope, and the Rapture is our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). Faith and hope are wrapped up together. Rom. 15:4 says, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." I am searching the scriptures for clues, for in Mark 13:23, my LORD said, "take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you ALL things." What would you subtract from "ALL"?
In Luke 8:17, the LORD said, "NOTHING is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad."
In Luke 12:2, the LORD said, "there is NOTHING covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."
In Mark 4:22, the LORD said, "there is NOTHING hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad."
I take the LORD at his word. Don't you? Agape
I am a father and a grandfather of 5. I have been a Christian for 42 years and a pastor, and bible scholar for nearly 30 years. I would welcome any communication you might wish.
One possibility as a type was when Moses ascended Mt. Sinai (which represented Heaven). In Ex. 19:1, the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai on Sivan 1 (the same word means month and new moon, so it was the 1st). Since "He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people," (Ex. 13:22), the Shekinah glory was on the mount. Shekinah means residence.
On Sivan 4, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and 70 elders "saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a SAPPHIRE stone, and as it were the body of heaven (heavenly body)" (Ex. 24:10). Sapphire means dear to the planet Saturn, from the Sanskrit, Sani, Saturn, and priya, dear. Sinai may also be derived from Sani, Saturn.
The symbol of the planet Saturn is a sapphire stone. Ezekiel saw Heaven in his visions in chapters 1 and 10. The cherubim orbit in concentric rings around the Sun, "a fire infolding itself, and a brightness (nogah, sunlight) was about it" (Eze. 1:4). One wheel, or orbit, is "upon the earth" (Eze. 1:15). The 4 orbits are upon the 4 terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. In the expanse of space above the 4 terrestrial planets (cherubim) was the Lord's throne. Verse 26 says, "above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a THRONE, as the appearance of a SAPPHIRE STONE: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man (Christ) above upon it." In 1:28, Ezekiel saw "the brightness round about" (i.e., Saturn's rings). He said, "This was the appearance of the likeness of the GLORY of the LORD." The glory ties it in with the Shekinah GLORY on Mt. Sinai.
In I Cor. 12:2-7, Paul was caught up to the "third heaven," (1) Mars, (2) Jupiter, (3) Saturn. Zech. 3:9,10 (LXX) says, I bring forth my servant The Branch. For as for the stone which I have set before the face of Jesus, on the one stone are seven eyes" (circles, orbs, rings).
The original 10 planets (Rahab was split apart forming our Asteroid Belt), were represented by the 10 widths of fabric embroidered with cherubim in the tent of the Tabernacle and by the 10 stones mentioned in Eze. 28:13. The SAPPHIRE is #7, (1) Mercury, (2) Venus, (3) Earth, (4) Mars, (5) Rahab, Satan's original planet, (6) Jupiter, (7) Saturn, (8) Uranus, (9) Neptune, (10) Pluto.
Saturn was represented by the eastern lamp in the lampstand. That the western light was always to be kept lit showed that it was the Sun, as the Pharisee priest Josephus indicated (Ant. III. VI. 7). Since Rahab had already been split apart in ancient days, the lampstand stood for (1) Sun, (2) Mercury, (3) Venus, (4) Earth, (5) Mars, (6) Jupiter, (7) Saturn. No wonder God's number is 7. Also, just as 7 in Hebrew is sheba/shibah, a week is shabua, the 7th day is Shabbat, the 7th planet is Shabbatai, Saturn.
Back to Moses at Sinai. Ex. 24:16,18 says, "the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the SEVENTH DAY he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount." The 7th day would have been Sivan 7, Pentecost, which the Jews celebrate on both Sivan 6 and 7. This seems to suggest that the Rapture, when we are called up, will be on Pentecost.
Heb. 12:18-24 ties the Rapture to Mt. Sinai. It says, "ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire...And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) But YE ARE COME UNTO MOUNT SION, and unto the city of the living God, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly (panegurei, festal assembly) and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus." Agape
Mt. 24:36 said, "of that day and hour KNOWETH (present tense) no man." It was true on the day in which it was stated. It didn't say that we could never know. It also did not say that no man knew the year or month. Why did Jesus tell us over and over to watch if we could not at some point figure it out?
> > The bible also says that the End Times are not to be gauged on current events.
I hope you try to find that scripture for me. Please look long and hard. I would like to know where it is. :-)
In Mark 13:23, the LORD said, "take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you ALL things." Wouldn't it be a sin to say that the Lord did NOT foretell ALL things?
In Luke 8:17, the LORD said, "NOTHING is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad."
Are you going to say that something is secret that shall not be known?
In Luke 12:2, the LORD said, "there is NOTHING covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."
In Mark 4:22, the LORD said, "there is NOTHING hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad."
Do you believe the LORD?
In Mt. 24:32-34, Jesus gave us the parable of the fig tree and in v. 42, told us to watch. By watching, we would be able to recognize when the end of the age was approaching. You can put on blinders if you want to, but I have my eyes wide open. Jesus scolded the Laodiceans for being blind and will temporarily spue them out of the Body of Christ. He will leave them behind until they have been chastised. Rev. 3:16-19 says, "because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (cut them off at the Rapture and appoint them their portion with the unbelievers in the Tribulation, Lu. 12:46). Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and BLIND, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and ANOINT THINE EYES WITH EYESALVE, THAT THOU MAYEST SEE. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
In Rev. 3:3, the LORD warned the CHURCHES. He said, "If therefore thou shalt NOT WATCH, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." He comes on the church at the Rapture. What can we know if we do watch? Turn it around. It would then say that if we do watch, he will not come on us as a thief, and we shall KNOW what hour he will come upon us.
In Mt. 16:3, Jesus scolded the Pharisees. He said, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" I do not want him to scold me, so I watch, as he commanded. In Lu. 11:52, Jesus scolded them again. He said, "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the KEY OF KNOWLEDGE: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." We must be careful not to take away the KEY OF KNOWLEDGE or to hinder those that are entering in.
Because I was watching world events, I recognized that when Israel was back in the land, it was a sign that the end times were approaching. Eze. 38:8 says, "in THE LATTER YEARS thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations." Ever since Israel became a nation, we have been living in "THE LATTER YEARS" of this age.
I think that those born in 1948 will see ALL the end time events take place within their normal life span (1948 + 70 = 2018). Therefore, I don't think the Rapture could take place any time after 2018.
In Mt. 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus what the sign of his coming, and of the end of the age would be. He answered them with the parable of the fig tree. Pay close attention to his words, for to understand this parable is why we were told to watch. It is a key of knowledge.
Jesus said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree (Israel, Joel 1:6,7); When his branch (klados, scion broken off for grafting, i.e., modern Israel grafted into her old rootstock) is yet tender (apalos, young, i.e., no more than 19, as when they came out of Egypt), and putteth forth leaves (when 19, she grew the Gaza Strip, the Sinai, the Golan Heights and the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967), ye know that summer is nigh (the war started June 5; summer began June 21): So likewise ye, when ye shall SEE all these things (because of watching), know that it (the Rapture) is near, even at the doors (symbol of the 2 Raptures, Pre-Trib and Pre-Wrath). Verily (Amen, so be it) I say unto you, This generation (born in 1967) shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
We know that a generation is 40 years, because in 30 AD, Jesus told the Pharisees in Mt. 23:36 that all those things would come upon that generation. They did, in 70 AD. Therefore, 1967 + 40 is 2007, and we have the Lord's word on it that "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." All the end time events have to fit within this 40-year span of time. It takes someone that is blind like the Laodiceans not to see it. It is not hard to understand if you have your eyes open and are watching.
When they came out of Egypt, they only counted those 20 and over. All under that age were the young. I can't see any way that this parable could be fulfilled after 1967 when Israel was 19 years old. Can you? That was the last year she could fulfill it.
> > Study the Word a little bit more before calculating the unknown and awaited return of our Saviour.
Study a little bit more. I have studied the Bible as deep as possible for the last 40 years, and I keep studying all along. I stay up until after midnight most nights. How much is a little bit more? What do I lack that you know? I am teachable. Tell me, but back it up with the scripture of truth if you want me to accept it. If scripture says it, I believe it. Otherwise, I will compare it with scripture to see if these things are so. Only if it agrees with scripture will I accept it. Agape
Ed and I are both better. I am more pain free right now than I thought possible.
Here's the strange part. Right before I saw it I was reading Jim Bramlett's posting of an email he received. It was the one about the woman missionary who said she had a vision of the Rapture happening on 01/01/01. It was a very convincing read. I have never been a ardent believer in the Rapture. I've never really been convinced one way or the other. After reading the vision I said a prayer to God along the lines of, "is this vision true?" and "Is there really a Rapture?" I stepped out side and that's when I saw the "fireball" I was a bit shaken. Was it a sign? I don't know. Afterall the woman's vision didn't come true. But was the part of the prayer about the Rapture being true answered? I don't know. All I can say is that it was a moving experience. I'm not a believer in coincidences either. Well I just thought I'd drop you a line about the experience since the writer of the other email wanted to know if anyone else saw it. Feel free to pass this along if you wish.
> > Was it a sign?
Well, if you were the Lord and heard such a prayer, what kind of sign would you show them? something unusual, I would think, so that they would definitely know that they had seen a sign.
One time, my mother-in-law, an overworked beauty shop owner, said, "If there is a God, send me an operator," and that instant, one walked through the door. You see, God is omniscient. He knows ahead of time what we are going to do. He is always a step ahead of us, and can prepare for such things. He is a coordinator par excellence.
> > "Is there really a Rapture?"
Of course there is. Christ will come in the clouds, say "Come up hither," and we will be caught up to meet him in the air. Then wherever he is, we will be there too. In Jn. 14:2,3, Jesus said, " In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Agape
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