The Psalms of King David, Secrets to His Success!

14:2-7  "The Lord looks down from heaven on all man-kind to see if there are any who are wise; who want to please God.  But no, all have strayed away; all are rotten with sin.  Not one is good, not one!  They eat my people like bread and wouldn't think of praying!  Don't they really know any better?  Terror shall grip them, for God is with those who love Him.  He is the refuge of the poor and humble when evildoers are oppressing them.  Oh, that the time of their rescue were already here, that God would come from Zion now to save His people.  What gladness when the Lord has rescued Israel!

15:1-5 "Lord, who may go and find refuge and shelter in your tabernacle up on your holy hill?  Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere.  Anyone who refuses to slander others does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbor, speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even if it ruins him, does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered him - such a man shall stand firm forever.

16:5  "The Lord Himself is my inheritance, my prize.  He is my food and drink, my highest Joy! He guards all that is mine.

16:8-11  "I am always thinking of the Lord; and because He is so near, I never need to stumble or to fall.  Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy.  For you will not leave me among the dead; you will not allow your beloved One [Jesus] to rot in the grave.  You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence."

17  "I am pleading for your help, O Lord; for I have been honest and have done what is right, and you must listen to my earnest cry!  Publicly acquit me, Lord, for you are always fair.  You have tested me and seen that I am good; You have come even in the night and found nothing amiss and know that I have told the truth.  I have followed your commands and have not gone along with cruel and evil men.  My feet have not slipped from your paths.  Why am I praying like this?  Because I know you will answer me.  O God!  Yes, listen as I pray.  Show me your strong love in wonderful ways, O Savior of all those seeking your help against their foes.  Protect me as you would the pupil of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings as you hover over me.  My enemies encircle me with murder in their eyes.  They are pitiless and arrogant.  Listen to their boasting.  They close in upon me and are ready to throw me to the ground.  They are like lions eager to tear me apart, like young lions hiding and waiting their chance.  Lord, arise and stand against them.  Push them back!  Come and save me from those men of the world whose only concern is earthly gain -  these men whom you have filled with your treasures so that their children and grandchildren are rich and prosperous.  But as for me, my contentment is not in wealth but in seeing you and knowing all is well between us.  And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face."

Amen.

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The writings of King David is timeless with a twinge of prophecy.  Just as Jesus said, much of what we see in the world now are just initial birth pangs.  God revealed details to John through sight and sound; so that he can record it; which he did in the book of Revelation.  Where was I in the Bible when my little time travel occurred?  Old Testament.  Must have been.  I felt a little twinge of the supernatural, but perhaps it's because I am a science fiction buff.  So, the feeling of time,....I am not familiar with.  I can't even describe it because I don't understand the technology.  Just like when God speaks, His voice is not bouncing against the air molecules, but He speaks; and I know it is Him.  I do not believe the so called beginning of the end of the world will occur in my lifetime.  There is no way tech advances like that could occur in one lifetime!  After this incident, I had to take a break from Biblical prophecy.  It was too intense.  I had my socks knocked off of me.  So, reading the Psalms is refreshing and bit more down to earth for me.

June 6, 2012:  I finally found the verse which best fit my illustration.  It is Matthew 24:29 during which at some future time "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light...."  And yet, there were buildings, moving vehicles, and an all around sense that the future is far, far away just by comparing the differences between our time now and that of the future.  The technology is much more advanced, but I can not describe it in exact detail because I have forgotten all of what was revealed to me during my reading of Scripture in the OT.  My memory of it is just a dark blurr.  But I do vividly recall the darkness of that time.  Even during the day, there will be no light. Since a Polar day would not make sense at all cause it only occurs within the small, not all inclusive, polar circle for about 6 months out of a 12 month year.  Inorder for the entire earth to experience darkness 24/7 all year long, even during what should have been daytime, verse 29 in Matthew chapter 24 is a better fit.  I believe by reading the Word of God, I got close enough to receive His message that the beginning of the end is not today.  And instead of worrying about it or living life as if the end is near, I should take this time to smell the roses; share the gospel of hope and abundant life to those who are ready to accept Jesus.  Enjoy God's gift of life, here on present-day earth.
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The Two Witnesses of Revelation 11: Who Do You Suppose They Are?

REFERENCE:  The Bible Knowledge Commentary:

Revelation 11:3-6:  It was revealed to John that the two witnesses would be empowered by God to serve as prophets for 1,260 days or 42 months. They would be clothed in sackcloth and would be called two olive trees and two lampstands. 

Numerous and varied interpretations have been given concerning the two witnesses. Some have suggested that they are not literal individuals. However, in view of the fact that they die and are resurrected, the implication is that they are actual people. 

[Supposition #1:  Nothing suggests a staff member of God could not take physical/human form here on earth.  Melchizedek, priest of God and King of Salem of Genesis 14, was of human form as well; but he had no human lineage and no human ancestry.  The resurrection of the two witnesses serves God's purpose.  Then a loud voice from heaven calls out to the two witnesses "Come up here".  And "they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies looked on"]

Another problem is their identification. A common interpretation is that they are Moses and Elijah because the judgments inflicted by Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament are similar to those of these two witnesses (11:5-6). Further support is given the identification of Elijah because of the prediction (Mal. 4:5) that he will appear "before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes." Christ said this prophecy of Elijah was partially fulfilled in His lifetime (Matt. 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13; cf. Luke 1:17). And both Moses and Elijah were involved in the transfiguration (Matt. 17:3), which anticipated the Second Coming. But a problem with this suggested identity is that Moses had already died once. Some have identified the two witnesses as Enoch and Elijah inasmuch as they did not die but were translated (cf. Heb. 9:27).

While there is room for considerable discussion of these various views, the fact is that the passage does not identify the two witnesses, and they probably do not have historic identification.

[Supposition #2:  Elijah, Moses, Enoch were old Testament figures; with long familial lineages.  The 2 witnesses were introduced in the Old Testament in Zechariah 4:14.  There's no mention of their familial lineage in the Bible.  According to the Bible, they will appear at a future time from John's reference.  The only similarity that I can compare this with is Melchizedek, an OT character.  This OT character was not an ordinary person whose records could be sketchy or get lost.  Melchizedek was a priest of God and a king.  And usually, someone of this pedigree would have an ancestral lineage.  But according to the Christian Bible, Melchizedek appeared on the scene and just simply was.]

The description of the two witnesses as olive trees and lampstands has an Old Testament background (Zech. 4:2-14). The two witnesses in this passage were Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor. Their connection to the lampstands was that they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the olive oil. In a similar way the two witnesses of Revelation 11 will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Like prophets of old the two witnesses will be able to do supernatural miracles, and fire will destroy those who will try to harm them (Rev. 11:5). Like Elijah they will have power to stop rain, and will have power like Moses to turn water into blood and to bring on plagues (v. 6). In the midst of the unbelief, apostasy, and satanic power of the Great Tribulation these two witnesses will be a threat to the entire wicked world for a literal period of 1,260 days.

Revelation 11:7-10:  With the ministry of the two witnesses ended, God permitted the beast that comes up from the Abyss (cf. 9:1-2, 11; 17:8; 20:1, 3) to overcome them. The beast, that is, the Antichrist, is mentioned nine other times in Revelation (13:1; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 17:3, 13; 19:20; 20:10). After the witnesses were killed, their bodies were left unburied in Jerusalem, figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, because of the people’s apostasy and rejection of God.

For three and one-half days

the whole world gloated over their dead bodies. This implies some worldwide display, now made possible by television. Their deaths were considered a great victory for the world ruler and Satan, and were celebrated by people sending each other gifts.

Revelation 11:11-12:  After three and one-half days in the street, however, suddenly the two witnesses were resurrected and stood on their feet. They responded to the invitation, Come up here, and went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on with great fear.

Daniel 11:29

Keeping in mind...

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

"for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love." Romans 8:38

"Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept His authority." 1 Peter 3:22

The verses in Daniel 11 troubled me.  I first began a more in-depth study of Daniel through one of Beth Moore's Bible study classes.  It was my understanding that the first part of Daniel 11 is about a historical figure by the name of Antiochus Epiphanies IV.  The second part is suppose to describe future events that will be fulfilled by the anti-Christ.  But for days, something was bothering me.  And I needed to find it out.

What I struggled with in Daniel 11 is this:  where in the text does the unfulfilled portion of end-time prophesy begin?

As I was mulling over Revelation 9:16, this verse led me to the biblical verses on spiritual warfare or principalities of the unseen world.  According to the angelic messenger sent to the prophet Daniel by God, these principalities rule in parallel with an earthly ruler; who could be just as evil and Godless as the demonic spirit that oversees him/her. 

Daniel 11:29 intrigues me.

At times, when I'm stuck about something written in the Holy Bible, I ask the Lord to help me understand it.  He always supply abundant amount of wisdom.  So, in my prayer, I asked Him for wisdom.  "I need  wisdom," I said. 

Not really knowing if my prayer was answered, but BELIEVING that in scripture, He gives wisdom to those who ask it, I believe He has heard me.  In His own timing, He will put that wisdom to use in order to glorify Him. 

Therefore, these few days, I've been fixated on Daniel 11 beginning with verse 29:  "Then at the appointed time he will once again ...."

I am thinking, hypothesizing,... that the person in question found in verse 29 is the anti-Christ. 

Is it possible that Daniel 11:29 is the boundary line that separates the past that was already fulfilled from the future, that has yet to be fulfilled through the anti-Christ?

Here is where I am.  For now, in my study, I will presume, the past ends at Daniel 11:28 and the future begins with Daniel 11:29.  The two "anti-Christ" figures are very similar.  I believe it was Beth Moore of Living Proof Ministry who said God is teaching us about future events using past events.

My [and your] God is the almighty God, and He is my one and only God. 

I study on....

Washington DC

It was suppose to be a relaxing weekend visit to our nation's capital. Instead, the visit almost started WW  IV (seeing how we're currently working on WW III) when we had a rather nasty confrontation with the saleswoman for Gray line Tours.  Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We were going to also book our night tour.  However, since there was such a ruckus about going to Mt. Vernon, we never bothered to return for the night tour. Plus, they don't pickup and drop off from the hotels anymore.  On a previous visit, they dropped me off at L'Enfant Metro Station at 10:00 PM to catch my ride back to Crystal City Metro; where I had to wait another 15 to 20 minutes for my shuttle back to the hotel in Arlington.

This past weekend, I brought my mother who has never visited Mt. Vernon before. The Mt. Vernon was perfect. It was a sunny, humid day. We even stopped briefly at Christ Church where the Washington's and the Lee's attended church.  This is a photo of the family pew once belonging to George & Martha Washington. The church was founded in 1776 (I think); which makes it older than my old Alma mater! Ha Ha Ha. Just don't tell them that.

We also checked out some other sites too including Washington's tomb. There wasn't much to see here, but it's interesting to think that on "resurrection day", the Lord would have to do some heavy lifting. The thought crossed my mind that perhaps the principalities of this world are trying to keep a lid shut on something eh? You'd have to understand Biblical prophesy in order to understand what I just wrote about. If you're a Muslim, your Quran probably doesn't explain what "resurrection day" means to many believers who died in Christ and those who preach it daily, AND everyone else including Muslims who follow their own beliefs outside of Christ will have to wait a little longer for "judgment day" because on that day, your deeds and works during your time here on earth will be judged by God; and God alone.

We stayed at a lovely hotel in downtown Washington DC.  The hotel is world renowned; made famous by its visiting dignitaries and infamous by a recent scandal about a former New York governor.  We had a marvelous time here.  Food was great, service was terrific; and our hair smelled great and looked nice, bouncy and fresh.

I've ridden on tour buses that passed by Chinatown, but never felt safe enough to venture on my own.  But, this time, we made the stop and walked around.  We noticed a couple of interesting restaurants to visit, but ran out of time.  Our flight into DC on Friday was canceled and transferred to another airline at a much later time; so, we lost a whole day of sightseeing.  That put us behind schedule.  We didn't have time to dine in Chinatown. 

We did manage a night tour with another tour company in town.  This tour picked up and dropped off at hotels.  We stopped by Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.  The photo is Jefferson Memorial.  Contrary to what we were taught during middle school in Charleston SC, Jefferson was indeed a US President.  I was disappointed to find out FDR memorial is still under renovation.  Twice, I've not been able to re-visit FDR.  It's one of the better ones to visit with a group at night. 

Now, this is what I call a decent looking diamond necklace.  Since I can't wear rings on my fingers (I lose and damage them too quickly), I wouldn't mind wearing a necklace like this one.  However, I kind of like the yellow diamond better after seeing one for the first time.  Wow!  so much glitter and glamour.  I think diamonds are a girl's best friend after all.  Hey, notice the bejeweled and bedazzled tiara on the right?

The Beautiful Land

Daniel 11:

"11:40b-43. When the Antichrist hears of this invasion, he will move his army from Europe into the Middle East, sweeping through many countries … like a flood (v. 40). He will move quickly into the land of Israel, the Beautiful Land (v. 41; cf. v. 16; 8:9). His first strike will be against Egypt (11:42-43a), for Egypt and her Arab allies (Libyans and Nubians, v. 43) are the ones who will initiate the invasion on Israel. ['He will also invade the Beautiful Land' - Daniel 11:41, NIV]. On this occasion the king will not conquer the territory of Edom, Moab, and … Ammon (v. 41), now included in the present kingdom of Jordan. But he will gain control over “many countries.”
11:44-45. Then the Antichrist will hear alarming reports from the east, probably referring to an invasion by a massive army of 200 million soldiers from east of the Euphrates River, Rev. 9:16 (I strongly disagree Rev 9:16 refers to an actual human army of 200 million soldiers, see NOTE below) and from the north (perhaps another attack by the king of the North; cf. Dan. 11:40). Enraged, the Antichrist will set out to destroy … many of the invaders. Then he will occupy Israel and will pitch his royal tents between the seas, that is, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, at the beautiful holy mountain, probably Jerusalem. Posing as Christ, the Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Jerusalem, the same city from which Christ will rule the world in the Millennium (Zech. 14:4, 17). The Antichrist will also pose as Christ by introducing a one-world government with himself as the ruler and a one-world religion in which he is worshiped as god. But God will destroy the kingdom of this king (he will come to his end; cf. Dan. 7:11, 26) at the personal appearance of Jesus Christ to this earth (Rev. 19:19-20)."
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Da 11:40–45). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Although I've never visited Jerusalem, I've seen plenty of pictures of Israel, "The Beautiful Land" or better known as "The Land of Promise".  I look upon Jerusalem almost every afternoon; having a great view of the location where the 2nd Jewish Temple once stood.  Alas,....my perfect view is that of a panoramic poster stapled to the wall in my little tiny closet sized break room; where I eat my lunch just about every day.  And on these days I look upon where God's temple will stand from the Mt. of Olives; or better yet, I imagine that I'm standing on the Mt. of Olives where I assume; there's a view of the Kidron Valley below.  Stuffing my lunch down, I'd say to myself, "This will be my home one day".  I imagine Jesus returning in a cloud of glory; bringing with Him, His armies of the saints.  The Bible says Jesus will set foot on the Mt. of Olives (Zechariah 14:3) again.  Jesus spent a lot of time here on the Mt. of Olives when He was here the first time around.  All of you who had the privilege of stepping upon the Mt. of Olives during your visit have truly experienced a unique blessing indeed!  It is also written; I believe in the book of Ezekiel [according to Beth Moore of Living Proof Ministry; in her Bible study of the life of Jesus our Messiah] ... in the ancient days of the Israelites, when God left the Temple for good, He passed through the East gate of Jerusalem; through the Kidron Valley; and hovered above the Mt. of Olives before disappearing for good; or until...the birth of Jesus, the Messiah.  Oh, I believe, just this thought would bring about much debate.  So, I shall wait until Jesus, my Lord, returns ... before I make the "Beautiful Land" my permanent home.  (You have to do some serious reading about Biblical prophesy to understand what I just wrote about...I pray God will bless you with much knowledge and wisdom)

NOTE:  In the book of Daniel (e.g. Daniel 10:13) the angel explained his tardiness for 21 days was because of a spirit prince, principality unseen by the human eye, who blocked the angel's way.  I believe it when the Bible says that the 200 million soldiers mentioned in Revelation 9:16 are troops under the command of four angels of Revelation 9:15; therefore, concluding that verse 9:16 are actually spirit warriors.  They are NOT likely human warriors from China.  As Christians, we are taught (albeit difficult to enact and uphold at times) that we are in a spiritual warfare; but not against flesh and blood with our fellow human beings, but instead, all of us here are at constant odds with the principalities of this world who are under Satan's command:

• "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
• "for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.  Everything was created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16
• "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love." Romans 8:38
• "Now Christ has gone to heaven.  He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept His authority." 1 Peter 3:22

So, constant studying of God's Word is so crucial.  If you were to "google" this on the internet, you will see a lot of scary suppositions and theories about Revelation 9:16 and pointing their fingers at China's vast population; therefore, jump to the conclusion the prophesy is about a Chinese military.  But, one must look at all the verses leading up to 9:16.  In the previous verses, there's mention of four angels.  Angels are spirit, heavenly beings; capable of appearing between the heavenly and the earthly realm.  The prophesy indicates these four angels, once bound at the Euphrates river, were released to carry out their mission.  These four angels command an army of 200 million troops.  Angels are typically invisible to the human eyes.  Therefore, it's unlikely, the 200 million troops described in Revelation from the east are from China.  If you were to read further into Revelation 9, you will also discover that the mission resulted in three plagues that killed 1/3 of the world population.  And the Bible prophesy reveals that the Godless people of the future continued their wicked ways even after being struck down by three plagues. 

We are in a spiritual battle (even before God created the earth and mankind) both here and now; and it would seem, also in the future as well.   If experts can accurately shed more light on this, then praise God, that's terrific!  Pray that the Lord reveals His truth to them; and that when they do receive and accept God's revelation to them; they will have the courage to teach their discoveries to others.  To scare churchgoers with false teaching is just a blatant disregard of God's warning.  Just like during the "Cold War", someone or something introduced a controversial topic into some churches about the U.S.A (aka:  the eagle) being at war with the Soviet Union (aka:  the bear) at some time in the future; and that it's been prophesied in the Christian Bible.  And what a cart load of goat dung that was.  There were some who were falsely led to believe it as true.  The eagle-bear imagery was a distorted illustration probably taken from the book of Daniel (or Nostradamus, who is not mentioned in the Bible nor was he a Biblical prophet).  In the book of Daniel, the "lion with eagles wings" was actually ancient Bayblon; and the bear was the ancient Medo-Persian empire.  Both empires did battle each other - Babylon fell and the Medo-Persians took control.  But, all that took place around 2600 or 2700 years ago...or there abouts.  I only hope and pray such false teachings did not lead others astray.  Biblical prophesy is from God.  The Bible also says in Revelation 22:18 and 22:19 "...If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God shall add to him the plagues described in this book.  And if anyone subtracts any part of these prophecies, God shall take away his share in the Tree of Life, and in the Holy City just described."  We've all been through a lot here on earth.  I for one, certainly do not want to miss out on my rewards when rewards are being handed out at God's appointed time.

God is truly wonderful and merciful indeed!

The Whore of Babylon

Experts say that the whore of Babylon is NOT a particular individual or person of the future.

This past, hot and muggy Saturday, I dog-sat for some family members.  Both being Christians, they left the radio on for the family's pooch.  Funny, how God uses different means to answer my question about Bible prophesy.  Since much of future events prophesied in the book of Daniel have already been identified in simple terms, I just can't help but wonder who or what is the whore of Babylon?  This question whirled around in my head for days.  And so, here I am, wondering about the reference in the book of Revelation.  I set that aside on the back burner but understood that the missing link could affect my understanding of many things foretold to us over two thousand years ago.  Checking on the pooch...a Christian radio program about end time prophesy was on the air!  I've tuned into this show before.  The host accepts calls from listeners and answers their questions.  This one person called in to ask about the whore of Babylon!  How eerie but awesome.  Well, the short answer he gave to the question is this:  the whore of Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation is the church who has or will lead many astray.  When I heard this explanation, I almost dropped to the floor.  Why is it no one ever tells us anything!  I pulled out my PDA and Laptop and started searching for more on the Logos Bible software.  I've heard about Warren Weirsbe before from one of Beth Moore's bible study classes.  So, I pasted a portion of his commentary on the subject below:

The harlot represents the apostate world church of the latter days, centered in Rome. The name “Babylon” takes us back to Gen. 10:1–11 and 11:1–9, where the first organized rebellion against God took place. The name “Babel” means “confusion” and stands for apostate religion. The Babylonian system has been guilty of persecuting true believers ever since Cain killed Abel. All anti-Christian sects (even those that call themselves “Christian”) that have killed God’s servants are a part of this abominable system.  In the last days, one world church will be formed. This world church (the harlot) will be involved in the political and economic affairs of the world and, with the help of the Beast, will become a great power. The world church will “ride into power” on the back of the Beast, that is, with the help of Satan and the United States of Europe.  The Beast will get the support of the ten kings as he rides to victory (Rev. 6:1–2). A union will exist between the nations of Europe, the Beast, and the world church. The scene in chapter 17 takes place during the first half of the Tribulation. Note that the Beast has not yet been revealed in his true satanic character.  During the middle of the Tribulation, the Beast will want to have all power and worship for himself (chap. 13). This means he must get rid of the harlot, because she represents the worship of God, if even in an apostate way. Verse 16 indicates that the federated nations of Europe will turn against the world church and destroy her, fulfilling the prophecy of Rev. 2:20–23. Once the harlot is out of the way, the Beast will declare himself to be a god and demand the worship of the nations.  The apostate church is called a “harlot,” while the true church is pictured as a pure bride. The harlot is in the wilderness; the bride is in heaven. The harlot is adorned by Satan (17:4), while the bride is adorned by Christ (19:8). The harlot is judged forever; the bride reigns forever. The harlot is stained with the blood of the martyrs; the bride is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  It behooves dedicated Christians to separate themselves from Satan’s false church and to identify with those who are true to Christ and the Word of God. The false church may appear to be successful for a season, but her doom is fixed.

Here we read of commercial Babylon, which represents the great global system of the latter days. Of course, religious Babylon (the apostate church) will have a great part to play in the economics of the nations. When this religious system collapses, it will be the beginning of the end for the Beast’s entire empire, although he will have three and one-half years yet to reign. It is comforting to read 17:17 and realize that all of these things fulfill the Word of God! Note in this chapter four different voices:


I. The Voice of Judgment (18:1–3)

This angel announces the fall of Babylon, an event that has already been announced (14:8 and 16:19). The repetition of “is fallen, is fallen” suggests the dual judgment of the two chapters (on religious and commercial Babylon), as well as the statement in v. 6 that she would receive double for her sins. This “great city” (v. 10), the center of the world economic system, will finally get what it deserves from the hand of God. It has become a habitation of demons (see Eph. 2:22, where the church is a habitation of the Spirit), and a haven for foul spirits (see 16:13–14). Satan is often pictured as a bird (Matt. 13:4, 19, 31–32). Verse 3 indicates that Babylon influenced the nations of the earth the way wine influences drunkards. But this city made them rich, which was all that mattered to them.


II. The Voice of Separation (18:4–8)

Some of God’s people are in this city, and God wants them to come out for two reasons: (1) the city will be destroyed and He wants them saved; (2) the city is satanic and He does not want them defiled. “Come out!” has always been God’s call to His people, for salvation means separation from the world unto the Lord (2 Cor. 6:14ff). The world glorifies itself (v. 7); the Christian seeks to glorify God. The world lives for the “delicious pleasures of sin,” while the Christian lives for the pleasures of Christ. Look at Babylon’s pride in v. 7: “I sit a queen … and shall see no sorrow!” But v. 8 indicates that in one day she will exchange her joys for sorrow, her riches for famine! There is a lesson here for God’s people today: “Do not share in other people’s sins” (see 1 Tim. 5:22; also Jer. 51:9).


III. The Voice of Mourning (18:9–19)

We see two groups lamenting the fall of Babylon: the kings of the earth (vv. 9–10), and the merchants of the earth (vv. 11–19). They had “committed fornication” with Babylon by rejecting the true God and going after idols, money in particular. They sold their souls for wealth. Their luxurious living was now at an end. Note the repetition of “Alas, alas!” in vv. 10, 16, and 19. Babylon is judged in one day (v. 8) and one hour (vv. 10, 19).  Why do the merchants and kings lament? Because their merchandise is now gone. Verses 12–13 indicate the vast wealth of the mercantile system, including “slaves and the souls of men.” Slavery will increase in the last days, for Satan has always wanted to enslave the souls and bodies of humans. The rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer. Both luxuries and necessities will be destroyed when God judges Babylon. Shipping will be destroyed and the shipping industry brought to ruin. The world’s peoples depend on this economic system to care for them, protect them, and satisfy them; but ultimately it will fail them.


IV. The Voice of Rejoicing (18:20–24)

The men of the earth never have the same viewpoint as the people of God. When Satan was cast out of heaven, heaven rejoiced but the earth mourned (12:10–12). Now that Babylon has been destroyed, heaven rejoices but earth laments.  The main reason for heaven’s rejoicing is that God has avenged the blood of the martyrs. The Babylonian system is satanic and from the very beginning (Gen. 4) has been responsible for the martyrdom of God’s faithful people. The souls under the altar in Rev. 6:9–11 had asked, “How long, O Lord?” Now their prayer is answered: God has avenged their blood. See Rom. 12:19.  The casting down of the millstone indicates the suddenness of God’s judgment on the empire of the Beast. Some students see in this millstone the return of Christ, the Smiting Stone, as pictured in Dan. 2:34–35, 44–45. Just when the world thinks it is performing beautifully, Christ will return to destroy its works.  Note the repeated “no more” statements in this chapter, and read Jer. 25:9–11. When God says “No more!” there is nothing man can do to change it. Read Jer. 51 also.  We have seen, then, the destruction of the Beast’s economic and religious empire. All that remains is for Christ to destroy his armies, and this we see in chapter 19 [of the book of Revelation].

Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament (847–849). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

The Armies of the Saints

I am no historian; nor a religion expert, and definitely not a politician.  God created me to be an explorer, an artist, poet, and writer; which I know without a doubt, God will see that I do just that on the new Earth one day.

Since 9/11, the role of our military has become significantly more important than ever before; not since our two world wars fought during the 20th century of American history.  After WWII, the ally forces created the WEU which in it's infancy, comprised of 10 nations.  Having just completed my Bible study of Daniel, when I discovered this bit of history, I was terrified for the unsaved.   OMG!  The prophetic end times is nearer than I was taught to believe.  I was shocked; terrified; and very disappointed with the Christian church (of all denominations).  Jesus was not kidding when He said He will be returning soon (Revelation 12:22) and with His return will be the "rewards" according to our deeds and judgment to those who do not accept Jesus as their Lord and savior. 

Lately, I've been wondering if our armies will be the armies of the saints and whose side will our military personnel take when that time arrives.  In my earlier study of Biblical prophesy, as a newbie, I wasn't 100% certain if Jerusalem would be under seige again.  In my reading of scripture, the Holy Spirit guided me through some of the passages of Zechariah 14.  When this time comes, whose side will our armies be on?  Whose nation will follow the anti-Christ and which nation will hold their ground and uphold their faith in the Lord?  These are difficult questions.  I think, a person must keep in perspective what the book of Daniel entails.  In summary, the statue of Neb and the 4th world empire should be looked upon from a much, much bigger perspective.  The ancient Roman empire is considered a world empire because it stretched throughout parts of the present day continent of Europe and Africa; but it did not literally cover the entire planet.  For example, present day China was never under the rule of ancient Rome.  However, the future world order under the anti-Christ could possibly influence (but without 100% certainty) China in two areas:  economic policy and/or natural resources (e.g. oil - just as Beth Moore speculated).  Today, half of our world headlines are about monetary policy and the debt crisis; the other half, about middle-east instability. 

I agree, as Christians, we do need to be prepared.  If Jesus returns during our lifetime, that's great Praise God!  If you've confessed your sin, humbled and submit yourself to Christ and asked Jesus into your heart and to be Lord over you; then you have nothing to fear.  There is no fear of the end; no fear of the uncertain.  I just hope and pray you don't mind being around, "hob knobbing" with a lot of people - including famous historical figures you read and studied about in school. 

Hot dog!  I get to spend eternity with God, Jesus, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist (who unlike me, did not have an IPhone in his pocket or leather satchel), George and Martha Washington, ....and that's just naming a few.

Hopefully, your name will be found in the Lamb's book of life.

Our Lord is wonderful and marvelous!

What Did Jesus Say?

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard!  Be alert!  You do not know when that time will come."  Mark 13:32, 33

"...As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives [which He will one day return to again] opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Him privately 'Tell us, when will these things happen?  And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?  Jesus said to them:  "'...When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.  These are the beginning of birth pains.'"  Mark 13:3-8

"'When you see the 'abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong [in the Jewish Temple] - let the reader understand - ....'"  Mark 13:14

May 21, 2011

What is the significance of May 21, 2011? Since my mouse is totally out of control, when I google, I seem to have found a commercial brand of the Anti-virus........Huh? Yep, exactly right. Logic is not supported here in any theory.

Since May 21, 2011 is supposedly my last day on earth, I'm going to eat a big bagel with low-fat cream cheese and drink a hot cup of java and observe, wait for the end of the world to come.

A Glimpse of A Possible Future

Ever wonder what it would be like in the future at a moment in time just before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Rebuilding of the Jewish Temple: "...When the Jews captured the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967, they came into possession of the site for a future 'Third Temple'. The first temple, built by Solomon (about 960 BC) was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. The Persians next came and allowed the Jews under Zerubbabel to return and rebuild the Temple on a much smaller scale. Herod enlarged this temple and adorned it with marble and gold. This temple was what Jesus saw. It was completely destroyed by Titus the Roman general in AD 70. It is almost impossible to imagine how a 'Third' temple could be built on the site of Muslim's holiest shrine. Perhaps unimaginable events in the world will result in an agreement with the Arabs for the purchase of their mosque, although this seems highly unlikely. Perhaps there will be an earthquake, planned or otherwise. Or it may be that the Jews would have to wait until Antichrist comes, makes a covenant with Israel, and permits them to rebuild their temple. Note that nothing requires that the 'Third' temple be rebuilt before the tribulation period - and certainly the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation will be ample time to do it." (Source: Tan, P. L. 1996. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc.)

I agree, there is nothing that suggests the "Third" temple has to be built before the tribulation period begins. I took the Beth Moore study of the book of Daniel last year.  In this study, I learned that the Jewish practice of daily Temple sacrifices resumed at some time in the future but will be hastily stopped by the Anti-Christ.  From there, the Beast will erect the abomination of desolation for worship upon terminating the covenant 3 and 1/2 years after making the covenant with the Jews.  There certainly exists reference to that same covenant between the Antichrist and the Jewish people.

The Broken Covenant: "...For at some future date, the prince [Antichrist] that shall come will make a covenant with the Jews for seven years...[The Antichrist] will agree to protect them from their enemies and permit them to rebuild their temple. (Daniel 9:27 talks about a restoration of the sacrifices, and this would demand a temple)...'The time of Jacob's trouble', the Tribulation period, will be seven years long. 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12 indicates that the Antichrist cannot be revealed until the restrainer is taken out of the midst. That restrainer is the Holy Spirit .... Once the church [Christian believers] is out of the world, then Satan can produce his masterpiece, the Antichrist. He will make the agreement for seven years, but after three and one half years, he will break that agreement. He will then move into the Jewish temple himself and proclaim that he is God (2 Thes 2:3-4; Rev 13). The Antichrist will cause a living statue of himself to be put into the temple, and his associate (the false prophet, Rev 20:10) will cause the whole earth to worship it. Satan has always wanted the world's worship, and in the middle of the Tribulation he will begin to receive it (Matt 4:8-11). Jesus called this statue 'the abomination of desolation'. (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15)...." [Logos Bible Software 4:  Systematic Theology, page 825 by Charles Hodge]

About the Anti-christ:
"... Enter The Antichrist
The name “Antichrist” is found only in I and II John. Although there anyone who denies Christ is labeled an antichrist, yet Bible writers do recognize an actual, end-time person who will appear to oppose Christ in its entire flowering implications. Thus, the events of the last days and the person of the Antichrist are inseparable. While the spirit of the antichrist pervades the whole Christian era, an actual individual will arise to climax and bring to a sinful close human history without God.

...Names Of The Antichrist
The name of the Antichrist is not given to us in Scripture. But some Bible writers have definite terms used of him, as follows:
Assyrian—Isa. 10:5
Beast—Rev. 13:1
Chaldean—Hab. 1:6
King of Fierce Countenance—Dan. 8:23
Little Horn—Dan. 7:8
Man of Sin—II Thess. 2:3
Son of Perdition—II Thess. 2:3
Vile Person—Dan. ll:21
The Wicked—II_ Thess. 2:8

... Life Of The Antichrist
Briefly sketched, the following are the salient points in the life history of the future Antichrist:
(1) Inconspicuous beginning—Dan. 7:8, 24; Rev. 6:1, 2.
(2) Makes treaty with Jews for Seven Years—Isa. 28:15, 18; Dan. 9:27.
(3) Overcomes some resistance in uniting Europe—Dan. 7:8, 20, 24.
(4) Becomes head of 10-nation European Confederacy—Rev. 13:1; 17:12, 13.
(5) Attacked by Kings of the South and the North, and is killed—Dan. 11:40–43.
(6) His deadly head wound is healed—Rev. 13:1, 12:14.
(7) He becomes world ruler—Rev. 13:7b; 17:9, 11–14, 17, 18; 18:2, 10, 16.
(8) Breaks Jewish treaty and stops temple sacrifices—Dan. 9:27.
(9) Kills the Two Witnesses—Rev. 11:3–7.
(10) Usurps divine worship—II Thess. 2:4; Matt. 24:15.
(11) Persecuted the Jews—Dan. 7:21–22; Jer. 30:7.
(12) Kills the 144,000 Evangelists—Rev. 14:1–5.
(13) Destroys the World Church—Rev. 17:16–17.
(14) Defeated at Armageddon by Christ—Rev. 17:14; 19:19.
(15) Cast alive into the Lake of Fire—Rev. 19:20; 20:10.

... Character Of The Antichrist
The personal character of the Antichrist may be described as follows:

(2) Great speaking ability—Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:5.
(3) Crafty political talents—Dan. 9:27; Rev. 17:12, 13, 17.
(4) Strong physical appearance—Dan. 7:20.
(5) Military genius—Rev. 13:4; 17:14; 19:19.
(6) Morally, the worse personage
(a) Materialistic—Dan. 11:38

(c) Against the Law—II Thess. 2:8
(d) Selfish ambition—Dan. 11:36, 37; II Thess. 2:4.
(e) Tries to change prophecy and history—Dan. 7:25
(f) Substitutes self for God—Dan. 11:36; II Thess. 2:4."

[Logos Bible Software 4, REFERENCE: Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.]

A glimpse of the Great Tribulation Period: "It must be noted that the earth's oceans and seas constitute a system like a giant air conditioner, sweeping away the impurities of the air and balancing nature. Moreover, the oxygen-giving phytoplankton which are found in water, supply a majority of the earth's oxygen to man. When suddenly in the Tribulation, the oceans and the seas turn to blood (as prophecy says), what happens? (1) Waters become poisonous and putrid, and foul-smelling air sweeps across the world, (2) Fish become unobtainable as a source of food; starvation accelerates around the world, (3) People will rush to dig wells, but blood is also found in springs, and (4) Man's oxygen supply will diminish." [Source:  Logos Bible Software 4]

I believe the Rapture will occur right at or around the time this covenant is broken; before the really terrible and horrific stuff happens. This means I am a mid-tribulation pre-millennialist. 

Mark 13:14 Jesus said to the Jews "When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong  [in the Temple] - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains"

Jesus's grand re-entrance is a separate event that occurs at or towards the end of the 7 year period. The Rapture and the return of Jesus in a big way are two separate future events.  There are differing opinions about the timing of the Rapture of Christian believers and Jesus's Return.

"There are two major schools of thought regarding end time prophecies: amillenialism and pre-millennialism. These two schools of thought differ on how to interpret those Scriptures which prophesy the Davidic Messianic Kingdom. The Old Testament has many such prophecies, none of which specify the duration of this earthly kingdom; however, Revelation 20 specifies six times that it will last one thousand years hence the term 'millennium'. Amillennialists regard the literal fulfillment of these Old Testament promises as having been abrogated by Israel's rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, and see the promises filled allegorically in the Church. The Church Age, then, becomes a spiritual Messianic Kingdom and the millennium, understood allegorically, started either with Christ's earthly ministry, or covers the period between His death and resurrection. They see Christ's return as marking the end of this age and ushering in the new heaven and the new earth.  Pre-millennialists see the millennium as a period yet to come, which will last for one thousand years, and during which all the Old Testament prophecies relating to a literal, earthly, Davidic Messianic Kingdom for Israel will be fulfilled. Christ, in this view, will return to institute the millennium, which will both vindicate God's choice of Israel as His chosen people and also demonstrate what the world He created is like without sin (thus vindicating His creation, and demonstrating that He made no mistake in creation). These notes are written from the pre-millennial position, essentially because it seems to me to be the interpretation to which a literal interpretation the Bible naturally leads.  Pre-millennialists subdivide into three groups depending on where they place the rapture. Pretribulation premillennialists anticipate the rapture before the seven year tribulation; midtribulation premillennialists anticipate the rapture half-way through the tribulation; and posttribulation premilllennialists anticipate the rapture at the end of the tribulation (i.e., at Christ's second coming)...." [Logos Bible Software 4, Reference: The Life of Christ A Study Guide to the Gospel Record]

The tribulation period is cut short at the end of 7 years; and Jesus returns.  Mark 13:20 Jesus said "If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them."

Jesus's Second Coming: "Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with promises of the Second Coming of Christ. There are 1,845 references to it in the Old Testament, and a total of seventeen Old Testament books give it prominence. Of the 260 chapters in the entire New Testament, there are 318 references to the Second Coming, or one out of 30 verses. Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event. The four missing books include three which are single-chapter letters written to individual persons on a particular subject, and the fourth is Galatians which does imply Christ's coming again. For every prophecy on the First Coming of Christ, there are 8 on Christ's Second Coming." [Logos Bible Software 4]

Some scripture references about Jesus's Second coming:

• 1 Thess 4:16
• Acts 1:11; 1st John 3:2; Revelation 1:7
• Matt 16:27, 24:30, 25:31
• Matt 24:30
• Matt 25:31; Rev. 5:11
• Rev 22:7, 12, 20; Matt 28:7, 8
• Matt 24:50; Luke 21:34, 35
  

The Rapture: [NOTE: This is a pre-tribulation, premillennialist view point].
"The Rapture of the Church is an event separated by seven years from the Second Coming of Christ. The Rapture will occur first. The more important verses describing this blessed hope of Christians are:
John 14:1-3; Romans 8:23, 13:11; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Phililippians 3:20-21; 1Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:1-9; II Thessalonians 2:1; Revelation 3:10

I am a "midtribulation, premillennialists" - i.e., the 7 year tribulation period begins when the covenant is made between AntiChrist and the Jews; then 3 and 1/2 years later the covenant is broken and the Rapture of Christian believers/Church occurs midway and probably before the covenant is broken and the abomination of desolation is erected in the Temple. Three and a half years later after that, Jesus returns....whew! Praise God!

The Resurrection - OUR RESURRECTION (i.e., only if you're a believer): "...a time is coming when Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven, accompanied by the souls of those who have died in Him (1 Thess 4:14); He will then resurrect their bodies (1 Thess 4:16) and reunite their souls with these bodies. Their resurrected bodies will be immortal and imperishable (1 Cor 15:44), the reports of Jesus's post-resurrected appearances reveal that it has all the attributes of a physical body, yet none of its limitations (Luke 24:39-43). This resurrected body will be imperishable, glorius, and powerful (1 Cor 15:42-43). This new imperishable body is necessary to participate in the imperishable kingdom that God is yet to create because that kingdom will be physical, not purely spiritual like the present Heaven (1 Cor 15:50)."

The Kingdom Age (the 5th and final world empire): Jesus forms a new government and reigns throughout the earth for 1000 years. This is the Kingdom Age, the next world empire following the 4th world empire or the Roman empire and its remnant.  This is when there is world peace.  We will still eat, drink, and get married. There will be children born during this time (because of the remnants - whether or not these people will bear the mark of the beast; I do not know for certain). The earth ruled by Jesus will be the present earth; not the new earth referenced in Revelation (not yet anyways). All of this to exist for 1,000 years with Jesus as our supreme ruler and leader; our King! See also Zechariah Chapter 14 about our annual Feast of the Tabernacle during the Kingdom Age (looks like party time; and God only knows how funny that is to me when I read this passage).  How awesome! God is truly amazing!

Daniel Chapter 2
Background:  the first four world empires were (symbolized by 4 beasts):

1. Babylonian Empire (around 626 BC - 539 BC)  ... Helmet & Head of Gold (the Lion with eagle's wings)
2. Persian Empire (around 539 BC - 331 BC) .... Arms of Silver (the Bear)
3. Grecian Empire (around 331 BC - 63 BC) .... Belly and thighs of Bronze (the Leopard with four bird wings)
4. Roman Empire (around 63 BC - A.D. 476)....Legs of Iron (the 4th beast with iron teeth; ferocious and different with 10 horns).  The ten iron and clay toes represent the future.

The 4th world empire or Roman Empire, is the last great empire ruled by man.  The world as we know it today, consists of remnants of the 4th world empire.  The next world empire will be Jesus's empire ruled by Him our Lord and Savior.  But that's way far into the future of unknown time and hour.

AFTER THE 1,000 YEARS REIGN OF CHRIST ON THE OLD EARTH:
The Creation of the New Heavens and a New Earth
Isaiah chapter 65, verses 17 thru 25

"'Behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.

20 'Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
he who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere youth;
he who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the works of their hands.
23 They will not toil in vain
or bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the LORD,
they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
but dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,' says the LORD'" The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996 (electronic ed.) (Is 65:17–25)

Additional references of the New Creation:

Revelation 21
Revelation 22:2-5
2 Peter 3:13


John 14:1-7 The Lord says to all His disciples who entrust their lives to Him today, here and now, He says to all of faith and belief "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

"I pray that your heart will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future He has called you to share ...." Ephesians 1:18

Let's Start From the Very Beginning

Out among formless water and darkness, God created the earth and the heavens. "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Genesis chapter 1, verse 2. This is what creationists believe in. God created matter with absolute precision. "...'Let there be light'; and there was light...and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day." Genesis chapter 1, verses 3 thru 5. Is it possible to create matter with absolute precision randomly? "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters...thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament...." Genesis chapter 1, verses 6 thru 8 . Can science duplicate or discredit Creationism? Humans delve too much on baggage; and can be easily veered away. "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear...And [our Creator] called the dry land Earth (our galactic biosphere)." Genesis chapter 1, verse 9 and 10.

Meanwhile...
As born-again Christians, there are three essentials to incorporate into our daily lives:

1. Obedience to God and His commandments: "... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew chapter 22, verses 36-40. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1st John chapter 5, verse 3. "Owe no one anything except to love one another for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments 'You shall not commit adultery'. 'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not bear false witness.' 'You shall not covet.' And if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans Chapter 13 verses 8 thru 10.
2. Enact on God's Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20. Even if you find it impossible to serve on the mission field as missionaries, there are other options available to you. The IMB has an array of programs for people of all ages. College students can even volunteer to serve on some of these short-term missions; some even overseas. And the cost for travel, room and board usually minimal compared to the cost of an overseas holiday trip. Plus, on these short-term mission adventures, you get to know and learn the local culture first-hand and meet new Christian brothers and sisters in the process. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." John chapter 16, verses 15 and 16. ''And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.'', Matthew 24:14
   
3. Keeping up with the good fight of faith; believing in His Word, God's promises of salvation, eternal life, and the abundant life: "...The fight that as a Christian, I am called upon to fight is the good fight of faith." 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 12. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. 1st John ch. 5 verse 4.

DISCLAIMER: The World's Attitude Toward Believers in Christ If the world hates you [and me], you know that it hated Me [Jesus] before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I [Jesus] chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I [Jesus] said to you, "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted Me [Jesus] they will also persecute you [and me]. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. Matthew 15: 18-21




To be a true born again, one must be truly brave and truly love the Creator. God is giving all a choice.

The Abundant Life

In John chapter 10, verse 10 Jesus said to some of the Pharisees who were present when He healed a blind man and ministered to those who wanted to learn more about Him [during Jesus's public ministry, He healed and fed the multitudes]. Jesus said, "...I have come that they [you] may have life, and that they [you] may have it more abundantly."

So, what is the abundant life?

The abundant life is not something you have to work your fingers to the bone for. It is not immense material wealth. It is not that well-paying job which most people dream of nor is it that perfect man or woman to share your life with. The abundant life as born again Christians is the "abundant, God-kind of life". The first step to an abundant life is believing Jesus is the Son of God (by faith), to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and to privately ask Jesus to forgive your transgressions.

For many of us, before we became believers, we were oblivious of the fact that God, since the fall of the human race, have set things in motion to reconcile us back to Him. But we, as a human race have ignored Him and in some instances, forgotten Him. And for many of us, we were living life without God who completes us.

"God wants you to prosper in your spirit, in your soul (which is your will and the mental and emotional part of your personality) and in your body. Abundant life includes spiritual fulfillment, mental and emotional peace and physical healing and prosperity. Sometimes Christians are given the false impression that poverty, lack, oppression, sickness and tragedy in the life of a Christian are signs of spirituality. This idea proposes that in His sovereignty God afflicts a Christian with abuses so the Christian will demonstrate more nobility and humility than he [or she] would have if his [or her] had been one of blessing and abundance. Maybe you've heard believers saying things like, 'The Lord is using this disease to teach me something.' 'God must have had a reason for allowing us to have that accident.' 'This tragedy is God's way of getting my attention.' Insurance companies even call tornadoes, hurricanes and natural disasters 'acts of God'. The Bible does not teach that." [reference or source: "Getting a Grip on the Basics: Building a Firm Foundation For the Victorious Christian Life", written by Beth Jones, copyright 1994 by Beth Ann Jones P.O. Box 555 Richland Michigan 49083, Published by Harrison House, Inc. P.O. Box 35035 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74153, ISBN-13: 978-1-57794-826-1; ISBN-10:1-57794-826-2; formerly ISBN 0-89274-625-4].

Philippians Chapter 4, verses 11-13 (spoken by Apostle Paul): Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

"He wants us to be content in all circumstances. We are to expect and look forward to God's great blessings while being content with our current lot in life. This is not always easy. Trust God for an increasing measure of the abundant life, and don't allow yourself to grumble with discontent in your present status in life." [reference or source: Getting a Grip on the Basics: Building a Firm Foundation For the Victorious Christian Life, by Beth Jones, copyright 1994 by Beth Ann Jones].

Proverbs Chapter 10, verse 22: The blessing of the Lord makes one rich. And He adds no sorrow with it.

Psalm Chapter 68, verse 19: Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits. The God of our salvation!

Psalm Chapter 103, verses 1 thru 5: Bless the Lord; O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from destruction. Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies. Who satifies your mouth with good things. So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Romans Chapter 5, verse 17: For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans Chapter 8, verse 37: Yet in all these things, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.

3rd Epistle of John Chapter 2: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Philippians Chapter 4 verse 13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians Chapter 4 verse 19: God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Luke Chapter 1, verse 37: For with God nothing will be impossible.
2nd Corinthians Chapter 2 verse 14: Now thanks be to God who always leads us [me or you] in triumph in Christ, and through us [me or you] diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
Matthew Chapter 6 verse 25: Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Matthew Chapter 6 verse 33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew Chapter 7 verses 7 thru 11: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1st Timothy Chapter 6, verse 17 thru 19: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Gifting money is easy. The sharing of riches include one's time, talents, and Spiritual gifts require more from a person. Also try to remember that we are fighting and resisting an invisible foe in this imperfect world. The human mind is the Devil's favorite battleground. So, those of us who believe in preventive medicine, we seek Divine intervention, guidance, and wisdom from our Lord through prayers, helping others in need (e.g. feeding the homeless, initiating something like a neighborhood watch program in your area, keeping children safe from road hazards, taking in and caring for stray cats, helping injured victims or stranded highway travelers when their cars break down in the middle of nowhere....), spending alone time in His Word (reading the Bible daily), growing in knowlegdge of our Lord (and He knows a lot).
Deuteronomy Chapter 28, verses 1 thru 14: Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God; Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country, Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offsprings of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandmets of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them."

Deuteronomy Chapter 8, verse 18: And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

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I believe as born-again Christians, God has given each and everyone of us a purpose in our lives and has equipped us with what we need in this present life - whether as servants of God, missionaries, secular fields, or parenthood. We each have a role. You might recall one of Jesus's parables "the parable of the talents":

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his good to them. And to the one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'. He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them'. His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours'. But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" Matthew chapter 25, verses 14 thru 30.

This parable is analogous to the final days of the prophecy described in the book of Revelation. "And they were judged, each one according to his works."
I learned that the first step of becoming a Christian bearing much fruit is accepting Jesus as my [and your] Lord and Savior. Be vigilant in your faith. If you believe that you are called to serve the Lord in the mission field, pray about it, seek the counsel who is in the service of the Lord (e.g. church pastor). And perhaps, consider going on a short-term mission trip. Keep in mind, that even if you are not called to serve as a missionary, you still have a purpose, responsibility as a Christian.

"Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need." 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 9 thru 12.

The Good Fight of Faith

1st Timothy Chapter 6 verse 12: My opponent seeks to rob me of my faith in God's Word. Recognize that I am in an invisible wrestling match, but I must remember, Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection, overcame and defeated Satan. The fight that as a Christian, I am called upon to fight is the good fight of faith.

1st Peter Chapter 5 verses 8 thru 10: Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

1st John Chapter 4 verse 4: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he [the devil] who is in the world.

Luke Chapter 10 verses 18 thru 20: And He [Jesus] said to them "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Mark Chapter 16, verses 16 thru 18: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name [in Jesus's name] they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues: they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

John Chapter 14, verses 13 and 14: And whatever you ask in My [Jesus'] name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My [Jesus'] name, I will do it.

John Chapter 15, verses 6 thru 14: If anyone does not abide in Me [Jesus], he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me [Jesus], I also have loved you, abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I [Jesus] command you.

Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 5 thru 6: ... [God] ... made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace, you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."

2 Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 4 and 5: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

James Chapter 4 verse 7: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Matthew Chapter 21 verses 21 and 22: Assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea"; it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Mark 11:22,23 And Jesus answered saying to them, 'Have faith in God.' Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him."

1st John 2:27 "But the anointing [of the Holy Spirit] which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me."

Romans 1:17 "...as it is written, 'BUT THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LOVE BY FAITH.'"

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith not by sight."

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Matthew 9:21,22,27-29 "...Take courage. Your faith has made you well."

James 1:5-8 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."

James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him."

Hebrews 11:6 "...without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Mark 9:23 "...All things are possible to him who believes."

Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

Romans 10:8,9,10,11 "But what does it say? 'THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART' - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, 'WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.'

Now, How About the Ending

[This version was shortened on March 13, 2010 to highlight Biblical Scripture as the only source of truth to deeper insight into God's love and our purposeful life.]

You might have heard Christians comparing today's busy, modern lifestyle with the beginning of the end. Although, the so called end times is no laughing matter for those who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. Our Creator has told us in advance what to expect in the future (for He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End); whether it be near or distant. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Matthew chapter 24, verse 36.

Then there's the phenomenon called the rapture. The belief is, born again Christians will be gathered up into heaven before the Tribulation and the reign of the Beast and False Prophet.

However, I side with the literal interpretive view that the Rapture occurs when the "Son of Man" comes again after the Great Tribulation begins. Scripture suggests Jesus's return will cut short the Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). [Some] Scholars believe the Rapture will take place 3.5 years after the Great Tribulation begins. The book of Daniel chapter 12 offers a timeline in terms of days. This time Jesus returns with great power and glory..

[Here we go again. There will be differing viewpoints about how we're going to get there, but the point is, no matter how you look at it, we will be renewed. We will reside on the new earth. And more importantly, God will dwell among us again someday. For the serious and inquisitive who want to delve deeper into the study of eschatology, LOGOS software offers a wealth of information].

I FEEL THIS VERSE CONFLICTS WITH DISPENSATIONAL PREMILLENIALISTS. IT WAS SPOKEN BY JESUS AND RECORDED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. PERHAPS JESUS WAS ADDRESSING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE WHO STILL HAVE A CHANCE AT REDEMPTION (POST-RAPTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH TIME PERIOD):
"Immediately after the great tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory...Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left [i.e., left behind]. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming....Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew chapter 24, verses 29, 30, 40, 41, 42, and 44. Is it possible? Is Jesus saying to those nations of the future who were left behind (not raptured) that they can still be redeemed and be saved?

When that day does come [the day of Jesus's return], God has described in clear and in details what to expect before the second coming of our Lord during the last days or end times.

THIS WAS A MESSAGE ABOUT THE FUTURE THROUGH DANIEL:
....The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall rise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time." Daniel 7:1-28.

SOME OLD TESTAMENT VERSES APPLY STRICTLY TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND NOT TO US.

I NOW BELIEVE THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL:
Daniel 12

THE TRIBULATION PERIOD:
"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."Luke 21:25-28

THIS IS A GENERAL MESSAGE TO EVERYONE:
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.....
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2nd Timothy 3:1-17

VIEWS DIFFER ON THIS HORRIFIC SCENE: SOME CALL IT IMAGERY AND NOT NECESSARILY LITERAL:
"...and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up." Revelation chapter 8, verse 7. "... and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." Revelation chapter 8 verses 8 and 9. "... And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water ... and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter." Revelation chapter 8, verse 10 and 11. "A third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. Revelation chapter 8, verse 12.

The phenomenon of the universe imploding/exploding (however you want to look at it) or purging of the heavens and the earth is [MIGHT NOT BE] part of the Great Tribulation. However, the Great Tribulation will be shortened by Jesus's return. His return will coincide with the Rapture of Christian believers. "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" Matthew 24:21. WHOSE FLESH?
IT DEPENDS ON WHOSE INTERPRETIVE VIEW YOU SIDE WITH. IF GOD HAD CHOSEN NOT TO SHORTEN THOSE DAYS, HOW LONG WOULD IT HAVE BEEN? (WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?)


The truth is found only in His Word -printed in the Holy Bible. The Devil seeks to steal that from us, our faith in God's Word. For Satan's domain includes this world for he goes to and from the earth "walking back and forth on it". Job chapter 1, verse 7

"My opponent seeks to rob me of my faith in God's Word. Recognize that I am in an invisible wrestling match, but I must remember, Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection, overcame and defeated Satan. The fight that as a Christian, I am called upon to fight is the good fight of faith." 1st Timothy chapter 6, verse 12.

So Then What Happens After Jesus is Here Again?

• Armageddon: "And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him [the Lord] who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone." Revelation chapter 19, verses 19 and 20.
• the Devil is Bound and Locked Away for 1000 Years: "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him [Satan] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more til the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while." Revelation chapter 20, verses 1, 2, and 3.
• the Kingdom Age: "...Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished..." Revelation chapter 20, verses 4 and 5.
• After the 1000 Years Pass: "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth...to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever". According to 2 Peter 3:10-18, after the Rapture, some horrible phenomenon from the heavens will cause fervent heat, melt the elements, and "burn up" the earth and the works in it. Is the prophesy of 2 Peter 3:10-18 describing the same future event as Revelation 20:7-10? And how can humans and animals survive that?
  
  "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation - as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever, Amen. " 2 Peter 3:10-18 " The Purging of the Heavens and the Earth" [this is not a parable]
  
• The White Throne Judgment: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire... And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation chapter 20, verses 12 thru 15.
  
• The New Heaven, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem: "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation chapter 21, verses 1 and 2. ..."And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He [the Lord] who sat on the throne said, 'Behold I make all things new.' And He said to me [John], 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.' And He said to me [John], 'It is done!' I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation chapter 21, verses 4 thru 8. The Last Message in the Holy Bible from Jesus: "Behold, I [Jesus] am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book...And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches, I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star....Surely I am coming quickly."
  ___________________________________________
  "...and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:36
  The above verse Luke 21:36 in a different translation also says to pray that you will have the strength to escape all these things that will come to pass.... which suggests, that we should pray that we will be physically, emotionally, and psychologically able to escape the Great Tribulation, if the foretold prophesy should occur during our own lifetime.
  In the last days, even leading up to the end times, there will be scoffers, disbelief of the prophesy. "...knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts." 2 Peter 3:3-9
  Can all these things come to pass before the "Rapture" of believers, of the Christian church?
  
  1. Another siege of Jerusalem - SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT CALLS FOR A COVENANT (WHETHER BEFORE THE RAPTURE OR AFTER, DON'T KNOW FOR CERTAIN)
  2. The Great Tribulation which includes those things which are coming on the earth from the heavens (Luke 21:25-28). - PERHAPS NOT AND MAYBE YES. DEPENDS ON WHICH VIEW YOU SUPPORT.
  
  
  TRIVIA:
  NASA and world renowned astronomers watch the heavens including Near Earth Objects (NEOs). There's even a NASA website categorizing these observed and known NEOs. So far, none of these NEOs have been classified as ominous enough to doom and destroy the entire earth. Our planet also emits a natural "force field" due to our earth's own electromagnetic radiation/field to protect our planet from intense solar flares and as we all know, objects from the heavens disintegrate as it passes through our atmosphere (or at least they have been in the past anyways).

We do not know when the Great Tribulation will take place. If you want to know more about the subject (not the NEOs), keep to the Word of God (Holy Bible) tenaciously. Jesus said He came so that we [you] may have life, have life more abundantly. Jesus states in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." And He goes on to say in John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Other fine points about Jesus:

1. Jesus is the Son of God. He came to us in the flesh (like you and me) but the difference is Jesus did not sin. He experienced temptation like we do but Jesus did not give in to temptation (see Matthew chapter 4). "It is important to remember that temptation is not sin. To be tempted is normal for the Christian. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, and yet, we know that He never sinned. When you are tempted, don't let the enemy make you feel as if you have already sinned. Resist the temptation, and you will not sin." [Reference: "Getting a Grip on the Basics Building a Firm Foundation for the Victorious Christian Life", by Beth Jones, Copyright 1994, Published by Harrison House, Inc.]
2. Under the old law, sacrificial offerings were made according to God's instructions found in the book of Leviticus of the Holy Bible. Through Jesus, these old laws in the book of Leviticus were no longer necessary as Jesus became the ultimate sin offering, the sacrificial lamb when He was crucified and died on the cross for us.
3. Jesus died, experienced the physical death, but was resurrected from the dead on the 3rd day. He is the only known prophet, religious leader, and teacher to ever come back from the dead three days later and ascend to heaven with over 500+ eyewitnesses present. Jesus rose from the dead on the 3rd day after He died on the cross.
4. After His ascension to heaven, as promised, the Holy Spirit came to those who followed Him. Today, the Holy Spirit will come to you upon conversion or transformation as believer in Christ (the book of Acts chapter 2: "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, ... And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, ... and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit"). A gift, do not grieve the Holy Spirit. You will know with absolute certainty whether you do or do not have the Holy Spirit. Only through Jesus, can you receive the Holy Spirit. "Nevertheless I [Jesus] tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I [Jesus] go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they do not believe in Me [Jesus]; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world [Satan] is judged. I [Jesus] still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth [Holy Spirit], has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me [Jesus], for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." John 16:7-15. In other words, after Jesus ascended to heaven, Christ continues to reveal truth through the Spirit...

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The New Jerusalem: "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I [John] heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.'" REVELATION 21:2-3
"The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. its length, breadth, and height are equal." REVELATION 21:16
"And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." REVELATION 21:24-27.
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Scofield's Notes About the Beast and False Prophet:

Animal imagery of the Anti-Christ:  head of a leopard, feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion (edited on 11/24/2011)

• the distinguishing mark of the anti-Christ is hatred of God and believers
• Rome: final form of 4th world empire; the ten kings and the little horn (ref: Daniel 7:8 and Daniel 7:26)
• Daniel's 10 horns: "The whole vision is the last form of Gentile World power, a confederation of 10 nations which will be a revival of the old Roman Empire. Its sphere will probably reach out beyond the old boundaries since it is to be a world power (ref: Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12). "The Beast is the final form of Gentile world power." "...the world empire will embrace all the areas of Christendom, which assuredly includes the Western Hemisphere. Revelation 13:1-3 refers to the ten-kingdom power...to its ruler who is emphatically the 'beast'".... "Fragments of the ancient Roman Empire have never ceased to exist as separate kingdoms. It was the imperial form of government which ceased; the one head 'had been mortally wounded'. What is written prophetically ... is the restoration of the imperial form as such, though over a federated empire of ten kingdoms. The head is 'healed', i.e., restored, there is an emperor again - the beast."
• Daniel's 10 horns: "Frequently in Scripture 'ten' is the number of kings or kingdoms designated as opposed to Israel in her past history or to be federated against Christ and the people of God in the future (ref: Genesis 15:19-21, Psalms 83:1-8, Jeremiah 46-51, Daniel 2:41&42, Daniel 7:7, 20, 24, Revelation 12:3, Revelation 13:1)
• Gentile World Power: "The times of the Gentiles is that long period that began with the Babylonian captivity of Judah, under Nebuchadnezzar, and is to be brought to an end by the destruction of Gentile world power by the stone 'cut out without hands'" (ref: Luke 21:24, Daniel 2:34&35, Daniel 2:44)
• "the end of Gentile world power: (1) in the beast vision (Daniel chapter 7), the fourth beast is declared to be the 'fourth kingdom,' i.e., the Roman Empire, the 'iron' kingdom of Daniel chapter 2. The 'ten horns' upon the fourth beast (Roman Empire) are declared to be 'ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom', answer to the ten toes of the image vision. The ten kingdoms, including the regions formerly ruled by Rome, will constitute, therefore, the form in which the fourth or Roman Empire will exist when the whole fabric of Gentile world domination is struck by the stone 'cut out of the mountain without hands,' i.e., Christ. But (2) Daniel sees a 'little horn' rise and subdue three of the ten kings. His distinguishing mark is hatred of God and believers. He is not to be confused with the little horn in Daniel chapter 8, a prophecy fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes (171-164 B.C.). In Revelation chapter 13 additional particulars of the little horn of Daniel chapter 7 are given"
• About the 1st Beast/anti-Christ of the future: "The dragon [Satan] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his [seven] heads had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast... And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for 42 months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation...." (Revelation chapter 13).
• "In this unveiling of conditions on the earth at the end of the age, the following factors will be manifest: (1.) the world ruler is satanically energized; (2.) he and his image are worshipped; (3.) he is acknowledged as possessing supreme military power; (4.) he exercises a universal authority; and (5.) he persecutes the believers in Christ." The false prophet or second beast "is (1.) a deceiver, and (2.) he exercises economic dictatorship.

What the Bible Has on the False Prophet:
Animal imagery:  two horns like a lamb (edited on 11/24/2011).
it is believed the false prophet will exercise "all the authority of the first beast and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the 1st beast" (Revelation 13:12). He even performs great signs such as making fire come down from heaven on to the earth in the "sight of men" (Rev 13:13). He will "deceive those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast (1st beast) who was wounded by the sword and lived (Rev 13:14). The false prophet will be "granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed" (Rev 13:15). The false prophet "causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads (Rev 13:16) that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Rev 13:17).
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