Posted 4-11-01
Eighty-seven of the 100 U.S. Senators have sent a letter to President George W. Bush requesting that he not invite PA leader Yasser Arafat, at least until after the White House completes a reassessment of its relationship with the Palestinian Authority. The letter, initiated by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Joseph Biden (D-DE), urges the Bush Administration to consider putting Arafat's Fatah Tanzim and Force 17 on the official U.S. list of terrorist organizations. A similar letter is circulating in the U.S. House of Representatives
Mankind doesn't have eternal life of the whole person, body, soul and spirit. The body can die. That is the first death. The soul can die. That is the 2nd death. However, I have never found any scripture that says that the spirit can die. There is no 3rd death. Mark 9:43,44 says, "if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where THEIR WORM DIETH NOT, and the fire is not quenched."
I don't see why God would punnish us for eternity---that's a long time.
***Whether we understand or not, God rules. We have no power against Him. What he says, goes. We are just lucky that he is a good God. He has no higher authority over Him saying that he should do this or not do that. The decision is his to make and ours to obey
***Mt. 25:46 says, "these shall go away into EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT: but the righteous into LIFE ETERNAL." The punishment is just as everlasting as eternal life.
THe Demons , who new full well from the beginning chose too.From what I learned the Demons will exist for ever aloan till they repent which they won't. And besides, the demons are against God , so why should they get the reward of torturing us for eternity-- thats along time (again)
***What Bible verse says that "they get the reward of torturing us for eternity"? We get eternal punishment if we don't accept Christ, but I don't know if it includes Demonic Torture. Mark 9:45 says, "go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." I sure don't want to go to Hell to find out about Demonic Torture, either. I want to be with the Lord. Period.
> Keep up the good work. GOD knows
***Thanks. Lord willing, I will. Agape
There is another problem with the asteroid theory. why would the Holy Spirit refer to one asteroid as a mountain in Rev 8:8 and as a great star from heaven in Rev 8:10 ???
Rev 9:15 four angels were loosed which were prepared for an hour (noon) and a day (1st of the month) and a month (Tishri) and a year (5768).
> > (if this is a fulfillment of Amos 8:9 it does not match) Amos said sun to go down a noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day. If its a clear day then the other trumpets could not have sounded.
If they sound in rapid succession, everything would happen very fast. All the trumpet judgments would be fulfilled rapidly. The day could be fairly clear until noon. Then the asteroids hit and chaos rules. The word for clear is "owr," illumination or luminary, Sun. It could even mean it would turn dark at noon, when the Sun is usually overhead. It takes longer to tell what happens than for it to take place. The asteroids do hit at noon (Zeph. 2:4,5; Eze. 25:16; Job 20:23; Amos 8:9; Psa 91:6; Zech. 9:5).
> > why would the Holy Spirit refer to one asteroid as a mountain in Rev 8:8 and as a great star from heaven in Rev 8:10
The binary asteroid has a large piece and a smaller piece. The smaller one is the size of a mountain. It hits the Mediterranean Sea. It is not called a star because "star" in Rev. 8:10 has to tie in with "star" in Rev. 9:1. That is why the 2 asteroid pieces are called two different things. The "star" forms the Lake of Fire. The "mountain" does not. Agape
Anstey said, "The true date of the 1st year of Cyrus is therefore B.C. 454, not B.C. 536, which makes the chronology of this period 82 years too long." He explained that Ptolemy made a mistake in the Persian period and said, "But in chronology he (Ptolemy) was only a late compiler and contriver, not an original witness, and not a contemporary historian, for he lived in the second century after Christ. He is the only authority for the chronology of this period. He is not corroborated. He is contradicted, both by the Persian National Traditions preserved in Firdusi, and by the Jewish National Traditions preserved in the Sedar Olam, and by the writings of Josephus."
Another thing that helped me was an unpublished MSS bound like a thesis (maybe it was his thesis, but I don't remember that) written by Dr. Arnold D. Ehlert, head librarian at BIOLA when I began my Bible study in earnest. It is the "Syllabus of Bible Chronology," dated 1946. It could be checked out. He covers several Gordian Knots in figuring Bible Chronology. All the clues we need are in the Bible, but 4 or 5 times it seems at first that we can't get there from here. We have to reason, well if this is true, then that is true, sometimes jumping ahead then backing up to figure a detail.
Here are a few things that Dr. Ehlert said. He listed 2008 AH (BC 2035) for the birth of Abraham and said, "Up to this point there is perfect agreement in arriving at the date 2008 A.H. as the date of Abram's birth by Anstey, Panin and Ussher." Concerning 2369 AH (BC 1674), death of Joseph, he said, "The result arrived at is characterized by the accuracy and certainty of an exact science. It cannot be one year more. It cannot be one year less. This is so mathematically exact and so absolutely certain, that since Ussher proved that Terah was 130 when Abram was born, no chronologer, who accepts the text of the Old Testament, has ever made the period covered by the Book of Genesis from the Creation of Adam to the death of Joseph anything else but 2369 years. The only exception is R.G. Faussett, who supposes that Abraham left Haran, not as Scripture says, when his father Terah died, but after an interval of 2 years....Panin agrees with Anstey on all dates up to birth of Moses. He dates the 430 years from Abraham's 2nd covenant and gets 2457 AH instead of 2433 AH (BC 1610) for birth of Moses" (a 24-year mistake). Agape
To all those 'FAITH' preachers, "...Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18). To all those called by His Name who claim to live by FAITH (TRUST) in God's Word, I John 3:6 says, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him". The best part is I John 1:8-9 where we are given in part, a remedy to getting ourselves ready. It reads, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". This Passover would be a start in accepting in spirit and in truth what was accomplished on that tree of life. We need to be real partakers of that blood covenant by doing (works) our part of His redemption plan (Revelation, Chapter 2 and 3).
In closing, Marilyn, I wasn't preaching to you. If you chose to publish this maybe, just maybe someone will work out their own salvation and their order of rapture with humble prayer, fear, and trembling. As a faith preacher (student of E.W.KENYON), I apologize for their behavior and pray that someday they will try reading the Old Testament for a more complete understanding of God's Word and the work that He is trying to accomplish in our hearts... only if we (the church) will let Him.
P.S. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepard of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Agape'...Baruch Ha Shem v'Shalom!
> > cannot find convincing proof in the Word of God that those who aren't good enough will be left behind at the time of the rapture.
Isa. 57:1 says, "The righteous perisheth (abad, escapeth), and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away (acaph, taken up, gathered, removed), none considering that THE RIGHTEOUS IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EVIL TO COME" (the Tribulation).
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is the Rapture. That is when he will be revealed to us in all his splendor, as when he is seen in Heaven with the 7 candlesticks (churches) around him in Rev. 1:12-16. He still has the star performers in his right hand, for he has just snatched them up in the Preview of the Rapture.
The book of Revelation is written as if the Rapture is at hand. It is "at hand" in both the 1st chapter and the last chapter (1:3; 22:10). Jesus signs off with, "Surely I come quickly. He comes quickly at the Rapture (2:5; 3:11). It could be written from the vantage point of Ascension Day if the Rapture would be 10 days later on Pentecost. In Rev. 2:10, those put in prison will only have "tribulation ten days." Maybe they will be liberated in 10 days by being raptured.
Jesus stands on the pinnacle when the Rapture is at hand and looks both backward and forward to give his assessment of each church group. The Philadelphians (brotherly love) are given no words of condemnation. They are ready. They are not even told to repent, for they already have. They seem to be the funnel through which all the overcomers go at the end, for they are the only group before whom is set the "open door" (Rev. 3:8) of Heaven (Rev. 4:1).
In other words, the people of "Sardis (meaning those ESCAPING) which have not defiled their garments...shall walk with me in WHITE: FOR THEY ARE WORTHY. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I WILL NOT BLOT OUT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:4,5). Those believers of Sardis that have "NOT DEFILED THEIR GARMENTS" will go through the "open door" set before the Philadelphians.
In the message to Sardis we see that the worthy will be escaping. That reminds us of Luke 21:34-36. It says, "take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day (the Rapture) come upon you unawares. For as a snare (trap) shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. WATCH ye therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE all these things that shall come to pass (in the Tribulation), and to stand before the Son of man" (in Heaven after the Rapture, as in Rev. 5:9).
Jesus' message to the church (ekklesia, called out ones) of the Laodiceans (meaning judgment of the people) is written to believers who are in Christ. Because they have accepted Christ, they think they have it made and are "neither cold nor hot."
Because they say, "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," the Head of the Body of Christ says, "I will spue (emesai, vomit) thee out of my mouth" (Rev. 3:16). Evidently, they are in the stomach unassimilated. They are not working parts of the Body of Christ.
The Lord warns them saying, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold (deity, i.e., Spirit of Christ) tried in the fire (the Tribulation), that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment (righteousness), 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."
I Peter 4:17 says, "JUDGMENT MUST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" The Laodiceans (judgment of the people) are judged when the Rapture is "at hand" and found not worthy, because they do not have white garments. The Bride wears white. By the time they are caught up with the other Tribulation saints, they will have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14). In other words, they will have confessed their known sins since they accepted Christ, so the Lord can cleanse them of ALL unrighteousness (I John 1:9).
When we accept Christ as our own personal Saviour, all our "old sins" are wiped off the books. After telling us what to add to our faith, II Peter 1:9 says, "But he that lacketh these things is blind (like the Laodiceans), and cannot see afar off (Heaven), and hath forgotten that he WAS PURGED from his OLD SINS."
> > keep sin confessed and out of my life, I do not these things to earn a trip in the first rapture...after all, even my righteousness is a filthy rag.
Psa. 40:1-3 says, "I waited patiently for the LORD (patience is listed in Rev. 3:10); and he inclined (bent down) unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up (at the Rapture) also out of an horrible pit (out of Earth), out of the miry clay (as Jeremiah was raised up out of the pit with miry clay with a cord under which he put 'ROTTEN RAGS'), and set my feet upon a rock (Heaven), and established my goings (at the Rapture). And he hath put a NEW SONG (sung by the saints after the Rapture, Rev. 5:9) in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it (the Rapture), and fear, and shall trust in the LORD." God never leaves himself without a witness. Like Jeremiah, we will take our rotten rags, put them under the strong cord (the Spirit of God) and be pulled up out of the Earth.
Jer. 38:12 says, "Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon."
> > If the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, logically those who possess this Earnest would go with Him.
The lamps of the 10 virgins (Mt. 25) represent the "Earnest" or sealing of the Spirit of God. The "golden oil " (Zech. 4:11-14) of the Holy Spirit is to be taken with them in their vessels (i.e., bodies) besides their lamps. II Peter 1:4 says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE (Spirit of Christ), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
Here is Peter's list of things to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (agape love). II Peter 1:8-11 says, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind (like the Laodiceans), and cannot see afar off (Heaven), and hath forgotten that he was purged from his OLD SINS. Wherefore the rather, brethren, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance (the Rapture) shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Luke 12:46 says of the foolish servant, "The lord of that servant (a believer) will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder (lit., cut him off), and will appoint him his portion (2300 days of the shortened Tribulation, Dan. 8:13,14) with the UNBELIEVERS." Mt. 24:51 adds, "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH."
We see this weeping in the parable of the wedding feast in Mt. 22. The man without a wedding garment was cast outside the door. There will be "WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH." Mt. 25:30 echoes with "cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness (outside the door darkness):there shall be WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH."
We don't want to be left behind with the unbelievers, and we don't want to be in the crowd weeping and gnashing their teeth. Therefore, we should pay attention to II Peter 4-11 and I John 1:5-9.
Paul was not in danger of losing his salvation, yet in I Cor. 9:24-27, he said, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a CASTAWAY." He also said of the "prize...So run, that ye may obtain." In Phil. 3:14, he said, "I press toward the mark for the PRIZE (the Rapture) of the HIGH CALLING (the 'Come up hither') of God in Christ Jesus." The prize is to be part of the Bride group caught up before the Tribulation. There is something we need to do to win that prize, be certain that we are wearing spiritual white robes of righteousness.
Enoch is a type of the firstfruits Rapture. We should take heed. Before "his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Heb. 11:5). We want to please God too.
> > I believe that the Word of God has divine protection and has been preserved without error in the King James Version of the Bible. If there is any error in it, it cannot be trusted at all.
II Peter 1:21 says, "prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Scripture was written down, and every word was God-breathed, without error.
Afterward, people needed the Hebrew and Greek scriptures translated into other languages. Men did the translating according to the best meaning they could see in the original and the best they could say it in the other language. However, no translation is perfect, because they could only translate well what they understood well. For instance, the translators had no idea what Ezekiel's visions in chapter 1 and 10 meant. Only when I began looking up the original words could I finally, after 7+ years, figure it out. The first clue was that "nogah" meant sunlight. The KJV has "brightness" (Eze. 1:4). That doesn't get you looking at the "fire infolding itself" as the Sun like sunlight does.
The KJV is a very good translation, but not entirely error free. When they found the copper Isaiah scroll in the Qumran caves, and compared it to the KJV, they found that the KJV was remarkably reliable, but there was one thing different. In Isa. 53:9, the KJV says, "he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death." The Isaiah scroll had two words reversed, he made his grave with the rich, and with the wicked in his death. I learned this from Dr. Charles Feinberg, Dean of Talbot Theological Seminary when I lived in La Mirada, CA, and had a library card at BIOLA. If you think about it, you can see that the scroll is right and the KJV has the 2 words transposed. The KJV is not perfect, but it is astonishingly reliable. I have about 17 versions, but I use the KJV with Scofield's notes as my main study Bible.
In II Thess. 2:2, the KJV has "day of Christ." Almost all of the major MSS have day of the Lord. There, it is referring to the Millennium, not the Rapture, which is the day of Christ, or the day of the Son of man (Luke 17:22).
Phil. 2:14-16 says, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the DAY OF CHRIST, THAT I HAVE NOT RUN IN VAIN, neither laboured in vain." Agape
On the KJV...I believe it to be perfect...blindly, by faith. I would not even consider anyones evidence or logic. To do so gives me too much authority. The Word of God is my ultimate authority and I do not have the wisdom to change or improve it.
Thank you for your study and effort to warn and encourage Christians. Here, there, or in the air.
In 30 AD, Christ told the Pharisees that "All these things shall come upon this generation" (Mt. 23:36). They did--in 70 AD. Counting Palm Sunday (when Jesus was refused as King) as day #1 and using Jewish inclusive reckoning, it was 40 years plus another 120 days to Av 10 in 70 AD, when the temple proper was burned and taken away from Israel.
In our days, it seems that we have a mirror image of those days. From June 7, 1967, when Israel took the temple area, to Sept. 13, 2007 is 40 years plus another 120 days.
30 AD, Jesus refused as King, + 40 yrs + 120 days = 70 AD, Temple area lost
1967, Temple area regained, + 40 yrs + 120 days = 2007, Jesus crowned King
Jesus is crowned in Heaven. Then the Marriage of the Lamb and the Judgment Seat of Christ take place. Because of the judgment, the 7 trumpet judgments and the 7 vials that fill up his wrath hit Earth. What starts with the trumpets ends with the vials. For instance, when the 2nd trumpet sounds, the asteroid of Rev. 8:8 hits the Mediterranean Sea (Zeph. 2:4,5). One third of the life in the sea dies. When the 2nd vial is poured out, all life in the sea is dead. The effects of the disaster spread for awhile. I hope this helps. Agape
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Updated 4-11-01