Question #1:
Can you please tell me about the mark of the beast from the point of the rapture?
Response #1:
I have written a whole (rather extensive) series about the end times (which includes of course the mark of the beast and the resurrection which only comes at the end of the Tribulation). The series is called, "Coming Tribulation" and is in nine parts (see the link for the home page). It really is better to consider these two particular questions as part of that whole rather than to discuss them individually, but here are some links to where those two questions are discussed in particular:
The Resurrection of the Lamb's Bride.
The Origin and the Danger of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture Theory
Three False Doctrines that Threaten Faith
Misplaced Faith in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Antichrist: the Mark, the Number, and the Identification of the Beast
Israel and Antichrist in Eschatology
The 7 Trumpets, the 7 Kings, Nephilim, Antichrist and Revived Rome.
Antichrist: Alive and Well and Living on Planet Earth?
More on Antichrist and his Kingdom
The Beast: Some Questions about Antichrist.
Aliens, antichrist, and eschatology.
Yours in Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Dear Bob,
You see any truth in this news?
Green sky over Holy Land a sign of Second Coming? Thanks
The sky in the Holy Land is turning green, sometimes for as long as five minutes at a time, according to a report in the US-based tabloid, Weekly World News. Some Bible experts believe it could signify the Second Coming of Christ. Since late November, according to the News, thousands have witnessed "thin wisps that many describe as 'green lightning' move from east to west and expand to fill the entire sky, from horizon to horizon. The green coloration ranges from pale, light aquamarine to a dark, nearly black jade green. The changes in sky colour happen at random and last for periods of time ranging from less than a second to as long as five minutes. "But, generally speaking, since 1. December when the first sightings were reported, the colour changes have become more pronounced and are lasting longer." The article quotes Dr Hana Abu-Zuluf, meteorologist with the Israeli Weather Bureau: "We simply have no scientific explanation for this unprecedented activity. People from Haifa to Karak have seen the green sky. But the vast majority of reports have come from Bethlehem - reputed birthplace of Jesus." "We don't know if there's a connection or not, but maybe it's no coincidence that it's happening here in the Holy Land during this, the Christmas season. Since science is unable to give us the answers, we're turning to religion." Dr Franz Weinburgh, an authority on the New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls and other lesser-known religious writings, said: "Although it's impossible to say exactly what this phenomenon means, three biblical scriptures indicate that it might herald Jesus' return to Earth. "The first is in Matthew 24 where Jesus tells us: 'As the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man.' And also in Matthew 24: 'The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens.' "The second piece of evidence is even more applicable. A passage that appeared in the original book of Luke, and was later removed by the early Christians, says: 'When you see the sky flashing the colour of grass, know that my return is imminent.'" "The third piece of evidence is a passage from the Dead Sea Scrolls that says: 'My return will be foreshadowed by dramatic changes over the place of my birth. The changes will happen also in the season of my birth.'"
(Source: Weekly World News, USA)
http://themiraclespage.info/phenomena/holy-land.htm
Response #2:
I wasn't present, so I can't vouch for the truth or fiction of the sky turning greenish. However, there's absolutely nothing in scripture about that despite the feeble attempt here to relate it somehow to our Lord's second advent. After all, if this were the sign, where is the Lord? In fact, there is no prophecy for the Church Age (only the seven era trends of Rev. chapters 1-2 and these are trends, not specific events). All as yet unfulfilled prophecy relates to the end times; once the end times begin, we will know it, and they begin with the start of the Tribulation, something which it will not be possible to miss (at least for any believer who is not horrifically hardened in heart). For once the seventh seal is broken to allow the Tribulation to begin . . .
. . . the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Revelation 8:5 NASB
These phenomena will be visible and audible worldwide, so we won't have to guess from third hand reports like the one mentioned here.
Yours in Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Hello Professor, sometimes I wish that I would have never stumbled upon your ministry. Knowledge is a burden! I know it was God's providence that I found you. My dilemma derives from me not knowing how to plan anything in my life anymore. Knowing we're running the last leg of our marathon in this worldly system - I'm vexed when it come to making plans. I had goals of getting into medical school but have lost all motivation knowing 12 years from now that everything as we currently know it will be changed. Actually before that, considering the Great Seals will be opened before the Tribulation/Great Tribulation Proper begins. I know in the midst of it all, that being alert and being prepared as the Word commands will be a blessing. Right now it's heavy on my heart. How do you handle it? I'm finding it hard to look towards having a normal life. I need your wise counsel.
Response #3:
I do see the dilemma. However, there is still time left for many things. I think that any Christian who puts the Lord first in all things as you are attempting to do will soon figure out what it is the Lord wants him/her to do. In terms of jobs/professions, anything honorable can be fine. Picking something that accords well with one's unique talents and interests is also always a good idea. The only exception to any of this will be those who are thinking that the Lord has given them a teaching gift; that might occasion special "crash" preparation time permitting. After all, we have to deal with the reality "on the ground" wherever we find ourselves. If a man is saved at 75 and correctly discerns that he has a teaching gift, well, it would probably be right to conclude that it is too late to go to seminary and graduate school but you never know. On the other hand, I know of a number of dedicated young men who, while the time of and opportunities for formal education may have passed them by, are nonetheless preparing on their own to teach the Word of God. And it is certainly also true that there is no perfect preparation out there, even in (or especially in) seminary.
If this is not your thinking, then I would say whatever your hand finds to do in terms of making an honorable living and/or preparing thereto, be pleased to do it. We have to live this Christian life one day at a time. We will have to be dealing with secular and material problems right up until the moment the Lord calls us home (cf. Matt.24:40-41). Knowing what we know and believing it ought to be a blessing, not a burden. Eschatology aside, we already know that all this we see with our eyes will not last, that we are merely sojourners here on the earth, and that our true reward is in heaven. So let us embrace the truth as our number one priority, and work with all our strength at the jobs, marriages and families with which the Lord has blessed us. That is a witness to the world in both ways that: 1) our priorities are straight; 2) but we still do what is noble and honorable in worldly terms as well.
I am keeping you in my prayers, my friend. I pray that you will find your way and am confident that the Lord is directing you even now. Please don't be discouraged. Every day walking through this world is a day walking through the valley of the death-shadow. The difference for believers is that we are not concerned about it because we know that the Lord is with us. He is with us now, and He will be with us even when the Tribulation begins. We are being protected now; we will be protected then. He is blessing us now; He will bless us then. And even if in the will of God we are taken home as martyrs, that will be a guarantee of reward for all eternity. Since we do not fear death because of the eternal life we have in Jesus Christ our Savior let us also not fear anything "uncomfortable" that may befall us in this temporary life. No doubt we have already been made "uncomfortable" in testing from time to time, but the Lord brought us through it. We don't have to worry about tomorrow: today has enough evil. And our great "tomorrow" will dawn soon enough, when the Lord returns to take us to Himself. That is our "blessed hope". Let it shine through all darkness, present or merely anticipated.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Professor, if the church age is supposed to end around 2026-27, then the Tribulation would start around 2020. No?
Response #4:
In my reading of these things, the Tribulation does begin ca. 2026 (see the link), but the Tribulation is a shared period between the Church Age and the Age of Israel (being the latter's last seven years as prophesied). This explains the 2000 years of the Church Age (beginning in ca. 33 A.D. following Christ's resurrection) and the provision of time for Daniel's final "week of years", the Tribulation, both being consistent with a ca. 2033 second advent. Here a link on this (the above is a very brief sketch) which will lead to many other links on the subject:
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Can you tell me about the rapture?
Response #5:
Certainly. Anything in particular you'd like to know? It's the resurrection of the Church which takes place when Jesus returns at the second advent some people call it a "rapture" because of the way the Latin Vulgate translates 1st Thessalonians 4:17.
The big "problem" with the way this doctrine is taught by most contemporary evangelicals is that they often mistakenly think that this resurrection will take place before the Tribulation, and nothing could be further from the truth. Here are some links that make all this clear:
The Origin and the Danger of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture Theory
Question #6:
I have been reading and enjoying your end time prophetic word. I see you believe the end time will be somewhere around 2033. I come up with something a little different and hope you can help me figure it out. I don't believe any of the current end time prophecy to be 100% accurate because Daniel's vision was sealed until the time at the end. People were to go to and fro and knowledge would be increased. There al parallels in all the end time prophetic word. One missed prophecy could make the difference between years, hundreds or even thousands, I believe the two most important prophesies in the bible have been completely overlooked. When added to the equation, they drastically alter perceptions but also clarify. The first prophecy is Isaiah 46:10. God declared the end from the beginning. The second is Genesis 6:3. He gave mankind 120 years. Leviticus 25:8-10 tells us how to calculate that 120 years. 6,000. The exact same time it took to complete the earth. Seventh day or seven thousandth year matches the millennium. It is a mirror event. Creation is estimated around 4000 BCE. If you align Daniel's vision within that 6,000 year time frame and calculate the 70 weeks using the jubilee cycle, they become 70 years. Shabuwa, the original Hebrew word for weeks, strong's 7620, plural is feast of weeks. Annual. With 1948 Israel as a focal point, Daniel's vision comes into focus. 1948 was a marker for the last generation and 1967, the last jubilee. Prophecy works without trying to transform Daniel's weeks into some calculation that God didn't provide us with. He gave us jubilees. No square peg in round holes. One continuous event from start to finish. That would mean Daniel's 70, 69, and 62 weeks would be 2018, 2017, and 2011 respectively. I have believed tribulation is here and sometimes this year we will begin transitioning into that last three and a half year period. These are just my thoughts. I do think it warrants consideration. I would greatly appreciate hearing your response.
Response #6:
Good to make your acquaintance. Let me clarify first of all that the 2033 date is an interpretation, not a prediction of any sort. It is based upon several assumptions, all of which I do believe are true. However, the alteration of any of these assumptions would of necessity vitiate the interpretation:
The seven millennial day interpretation is taught in scripture and meant to be understood and applied.
The Church Age will last for two millennial days or 2000 years.
The Church Age commences following the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
These events took place in 33 A.D.
The Tribulation belongs to both the Church and Jewish Ages and is therefore to be subtracted from the 2000 year total when calculating the start of the Tribulation.
The half hour of silence in heaven at the breaking of the seventh seal (Rev.8:1) signifies a half year grace period that shifts the start point from spring to fall.
Scripture gives no indication of either shortening or lengthening of this time-line, and therefore no such change of schedule is anticipated.
That said, I have not so far been convinced that the interpretation, which has been frequently challenged or questioned in terms of one particular or another, is incorrect in any respect.
As to your questions/observations:
1) Daniel 12:9: "sealed until the time of the end". This was given to Daniel before the revelation of Jesus Christ. With the completion of the first advent and our Lord's victory on the cross, and with His subsequent resurrection, ascension and session, and with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the details believers had been given about all manner of subjects, largely "sealed" under the Old Covenant, have now been made manifest (cf. Jn.14:26; 15:26; 16:13).
In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to Gods holy apostles and prophets.
Ephesians 3:4-5 NIVThis grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2nd Timothy 1:9b-10 NIV
Furthermore, "everything that has been written" has been written for the edification of the Church (Rom.15:4), so that the idea that there would be prophecies which would never be unsealed before the end of all things is not in my view a correct scriptural position (and would seem to make the revelation of those things pointless if true which it is not). Indeed, we have now reached "the time of the end", which is the Church Age, the penultimate period preceding Christ's return and thus often considered a part of the end times, since it constitutes its threshold (so to speak):
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1st Corinthians 10:11 NASB
That being the case, I do think that according to scripture we are supposed to be able to know what scripture says in every regard, including prophecy but whether or not we have correctly deduced the meaning is another matter indeed (and I dare say there are almost as many interpretations out there these days as there are interpreters).
2) Isaiah 46:10: This scripture seems to me, to the extent that it has applicability to this discussion, to confirm that we are to give attention to whatever the Lord has declared. Prophecy is valid because the plan of God is inviolable. What has been decreed has been decreed and will take place at its appointed time.
3) Genesis 6:3: I have heard this scripture quoted before in prophetic contexts, but I have never been convinced. We may argue about the reason for the 120 years delay before the flood (see the link: at response #6), but the context is clearly speaking about the flood and the delay of judgment on the world of that time, with nothing to do with eschatology inherent in the context. I would need a cue included here by the Spirit to be willing to use this verse elsewhere, especially to give it so dramatic an alternative application.
4) Leviticus 25:8-10: The provision of the Sabbatical years and the year of Jubilee in the Law may have significance beyond its stated purpose, but, again, I don't see precisely where and how that should be applied from reading these verses. There are many numbers in scripture, and numbers can be manipulated in many ways. When it comes to this sort of interpretation, a system of enumeration such as this may with validity be used to confirm some other piece of evidence, but jumping directly from these verses to a broader interpretation such as suggested is not, in my view, either convincing or acceptable prophetic hermeneutics. Using the "Jubilee Cycle" (see the link), is doubly suspect in my opinion when one considers that this was meant for the nation Israel and also apparently never adhered to by the Jewish nation.
5) 1948 and 1967: There is a secular nation called Israel in the heart of the middle east. Prophetically speaking, this doesn't mean anything since this is not the divine reconstitution of Israel prophesied in scripture but rather a human-driven event. Besides, Jews never ceased living in this area and in Jerusalem too (as long as it has been inhabited, that is); it's only a question of "how many". From the divine point of view, that is a pointless question because in all of the scriptures which speak about the return to the land, the return is total, not partial (and beyond all argument only a minority of the world's Jewish population now lives in Israel).
More to the point, perhaps, is the important observation that there is in fact no prophecy for the Church Age (see the link). The calling out of the Church from among the nations was a "mystery" and as such receives no direct prophetic references as to the specific events that will play out (or have played out) during its 2,000 years. Indeed, all eschatological prophecy is directed at the Tribulation and what follows, the Second Advent, Millennium, and Eternal State. The one exception to this are the trends of the seven Church Age eras contained in Revelation chapters two and three and these are really not exceptions inasmuch as they only describe trends, not specific, datable events. The date of the secular state of Israel's independence and of one of her many wars is not declared in Old Testament prophecy and for the reasons mentioned above these dates are not prophetically important (see the link: "Eschatology Issues I").
I hope this answers your questions about the positions taken by this ministry. If I have missed anything or if you would like to discuss any of this further, please do feel free to write back.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior.
Bob L.
Question #7:
Hey Bob
Thank you so much for responding. I haven't been at this long so it is really nice to talk with someone as studious as yourself. A year ago today I hadn't considered any of this. This voice kept saying this is the last generation. So I set out, with what I felt was guidance from the Holy Spirit to put it all in context. Some of the things I found were quite shocking. Globalization seemed to be the key. Who and how it would be attained would seemingly provide some insight into prophecy. Question; is there a parallel between the entities responsible for the mark of the beast and the globalist know as the New World Order? World leaders in finance, politics, and religion through organizations like Tri-Lateral Commission, Council on Foreign Relations, Bilderberg, NATO, U.N. Skull and Bones and the Vatican organized to bring about the one world government and religion. I'm noticing a hard expedited push to bring this about. The Pope and new age ministers like Rick Warren are openly conferencing with Islam and other religions to unite them under the umbrella of Catholicism. Could this be the mother of Harlots? Mystery Babylon?
War. Are we seeing the beast of Daniel forming? Does the beast unite. Are we seeing distress from the bear, lion and leopard currently? The war on terror is being taken to Spain, France and Belgium. All these countries have biblical significance. There have always been wars. In the 1800s Globalist planned three world wars that would maneuver is into this final global alignment. The U.S. has always had to have an enemy, for the most part fabricated. Marxism, Fascism, Communism were all fabricated for the purpose of creating an enemy. It all seems so silly now. Other than humanitarian, in some cases, what was the real danger of Communism spreading to the U.S.? It's not Ebola. What was achieved in Korea and Vietnam? The communist nation of Cuba has existed right off our coast. Was the Cuban missile crisis fabricated? It's deeper than this. I can explain those wars but I'm trying to stay as biblical as I can.
Terrorism. Another fabricated enemy. Osama was CIA trained and funded, betrayed, Al Qaeda was born. Terrorism has always been around. Conveniently it has global aspirations. These countries have been fighting this way since the beginning of time. Now, anyone Islamic opportunistically by the globalist media gets lumped into some theo political ideologist bent on world domination. America's boogie man. The Boston Tea Party was terrorism. Russian annexed Crimea and is threatening the Ukraine. Why are they not terrorist? Because they don't do it in the name of Allah. 9/11 was orchestrated. Overwhelming circumstantial evidence. The Paris shooting was orchestrated, Hollywood style. Video evidence. ISIL is being supported. The shooting of two New York officers was orchestrated. Photo evidence. The question is why.
Money. Insurmountable debt incurred by fighting this fabricated war on terror has crippled the U.S. economy. The world economy is in shambles. The majority of the debt is fiat money. Print billions backed by nothing. Purchase bonds by computer and keep interest rates at zero until you want to crash the economy. It happened in the great depression. The Federal Reserve wouldn't bail us out until we entered the orchestrated war with the axis powers. Private bankers control the U.S. economy. Kill it and there will be mass panic and starvation worldwide.
I could write a book and go into more detail. My question would be are the conditions satisfied for tribulation? God said he would cut tribulation short for the elect's sake. Could we be seeing this? Terrorists are the least of my worries. This world is increasingly under spiritual attack. Atheists are attacking schools. The war against gay marriage is all but lost. Schools are acclimating children to Islamic practices under our noses. There are Christians being murdered, beheaded and raped. How long do you think God will make his people endure? Could cutting tribulation short be the difference in the time frame? I think at its current pace there would be no flesh left by 2033. My biggest question is am I off base to consider events of the day while examining prophecy? Once again, thank you. I want to be able to do my part in this harvest. I just want to know that I will not mislead anyone.
Response #7:
I don't think it's wrong to consider these things. However, the trend out in cyberspace for people who do is often to put far more weight on conspiracy theories and extra-biblical material than on the Bible itself and when the Bible is consulted it is mostly wrongly used and misunderstood.
All these things you list are "signs of the times", but since there is no unfulfilled prophecy before the Tribulation begins they are of no use in getting a better fix on the date of the Tribulation's commencement.
As to "cutting short", Jesus words at Matt.24:22 (Mk.13:20) allow for a few days at most being taken away from the tally, not months, e.g. (since we know that there will be 42 months of the Great Tribulation; see the link). Here is what I have written about that elsewhere:
Rather than undermining the theory advanced in this study, however, Mark 13:20 in actuality supports the importance of paying heed to the Bible's chronological information. For if "the days are shortened", then surely this means that there was a definite heavenly timetable in the first place. Secondly, Mark 13:20 indicates that the shortening mentioned is a matter of days, weeks at the most (i.e., not enough to change the general time-line given below). This is certainly in line with the very specific tally of days and months given in Daniel and Revelation (Dan.7:25; 8:14; 12:7; 12:11-12; Rev.11:2-3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5).
On "mystery Babylon", please see the link.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #8:
Bob. I have made some discoveries. The time line about Daniel's prophecy is definitely about years. I hope you have time to look this over and follow with me. Slight misinterpretations changed the whole prophecy. Books and time missing from Christ's life make it impossible to place Daniel's vision around the time of Christ.
MYSTERY OF MYSTERY BABYLON
As some of you know I have been on a quest for knowledge over the last year. God has been very generous in providing me with answers to the deepest inquiries. I am working on a book which is surprisingly close to completion. What I discovered was so shocking, I didn't feel is was fair to those closest to me or you to wait for a book.
America is the mystery Babylon of the book of Revelation, Daniel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. If you are a Christian and you believe in prophesy, this country will be destroyed between now and 2017. You may have read the prophecies 1,000 times and didn't quite understand them. That is because the bible has been altered.
Every civilization in the world has the same polytheistic (male and female Gods) creation story. Those stories have been transcended by Christianity and Islam, who dominate the world of religion. The secret to unlocking the clues to mystery Babylon was the woman. The woman is known in all creation stories. She has over 100 names. She has been known as Isis, Astarte, Deanna, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna " This is why Revelation 17:3 states the woman sitting on the wild beast was full of blasphemous names. The Statue of Liberty is actually a replica of the Babylonian goddess "Ishtar" the Mother of Harlots and the goddess of Freedom/Liberty. This "artwork" was created by a Freemason who wanted to honor a Masonic doctrine that dates back to before Nimrod!
The Jews, like Islam and Rome have never believed in the supremacy of God. Between the 4th and 1st century when Christ appeared the Jews had changed the scriptures to reflect a monotheistic, supernatural supreme being, probably to establish superiority over their Arab counterparts. After a few centuries of not seeing gods, the Jews weren't to excited to see Jesus. The Arabs, after centuries of being polytheistic countered with Muhammad and Allah. This was the game of religion. We fell for it. That's okay. No harm. God said he would write his laws in our hearts. He wasn't concerned. Why would he be after a whore of Babylon if Lucifer was his main adversary? He wasn't.
Lucifer / The Morning Star (Greek and Roman): bringer of light, illuminator; the planet Venus, has often been portrayed as Satan's name before he fell. This is a misconception. In the original Hebrew text, the fourteenth chapter of Isaiah is not about a fallen angel, but about a fallen Babylonian king, who during his lifetime had persecuted the children of Israel. It contains no mention of Satan, either by name or reference. The Hebrew scholar could only speculate that some early Christian scribes, writing in the Latin tongue used by the Church, had decided for themselves that they wanted the story to be about a fallen angel, a creature not even mentioned in the original Hebrew text, and to whom they gave the name "Lucifer."
The scholars authorized by ... King James I to translate the Bible into current English did not use the original Hebrew texts, but used versions translated ... largely by St. Jerome in the fourth century. Jerome had mistranslated the Hebraic metaphor, "Day star, son of the Dawn," as "Lucifer," and over the centuries a metamorphosis took place. Lucifer the morning star became a disobedient angel, cast out of heaven to rule eternally in hell. Theologians, writers, and poets interwove the myth with the doctrine of the fall, and in Christian tradition Lucifer is now the same as Satan, the Devil, and --- ironically --- the Prince of Darkness. Isaiah 14:12 actually refers to the fall of Mystery Babylon. The Babylonian goddess Ishtar was also known as Dilba, the morning star or goddess of war. The Vatican and the Mason's have always know this. Hence, the statue of liberty.
Christ himself told the true story of creation in the Saga of Sophia:
6. "Lord, if you are the Son of Man, have you no Mother?" asked Matthew.
7. "This is what I desire to show you," replied the Redeemer. "The Man of Holiness is the Great Androgynous Progenitor. He is Father and Mother. In him is no division. In him is no lack. He encompasses the whole. He begot me, his Only Begotten Son, but I am not whole without my sister. She is Sophia, my sister, my consort, my feminine half. When we are united in one, then we are whole like our Parents, but when we are separated, we are incomplete, like the Aadamah who became separated into male and female to produce mortal children. That which has been divided must be united into a perfect unity for the realm of the Elohim to be established.
8. "That which occurred among the Aadamah was a reflection of that which had occurred in the celestial realms, for just as the Eves were led to separate from the Aadamah, leaving the Adams truncated in the Garden of Eden, my consort Sophia was seduced by the reflection of her own Light to separate from me and descend into realms of darkness. I tried to hold her, but so great was her love of herself that I could not. Only when she had severed the cord which bound us together did she discover that she had been deceived, for she had thought she was moving deeper into Divine Light, when she was actually moving away from it toward the reflection of her own Light. When she discovered her error, she found she was totally alone for the first time in her existence, surrounded by darkness and chaos. Out of her fear and loneliness, she drew from her mind the image of her consort, the Christ, and in this place of darkness, this image took on a form and life of its own, a life drawn from its Mother, but it was not the Christ. It was the projection of its Mothers mind, originating in the darkness where she dwelled.
9. "This Lord of Darkness proceeded to produce lesser reflections of it, until it was surrounded by many others. I am God! declared the Lord of Darkness. There is no other God but me, and you are my angels. So caught up in his arrogance was he, that he did not even acknowledge his own Mother, but she perceived him, and she spoke through the mists surrounding him, you lie, Samael (which means blind god), for there are many greater than you! Nevertheless, the Lord of Darkness ignored her voice, although it caused him and his angels to tremble with fear when they heard it.
This would have been considered heresy or uninspired to the vipers responsible for the death of Christ. This is why the wanted to get rid of him so bad. With so many books and years missing from Christ's life, I'm sure he rebuked them far more than we see in the book of Matthew.
Revelation 17:4 (KJV)
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
There are only two royal bloodlines on this earth, Father and mother creator. Purple is the color of royalty. Scarlet is the color of martyrdom. 42 of 43 presidents have been related and all have been of the same bloodline, that could be traced through King John of England. We have elected, but never selected a president.
http://www.omgfacts.com/ /42-of-the-43-US-Presidents-are-re
Whether it is Ishtar, Isis and Osiris or Zeus and Hera, God has acknowledged mythology was not just mythology.
Genesis 6:4 (KJV)
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
In Egyptian mythology, Isis raises Osiris from the dead and he becomes king of the underworld. All presidents, whose bloodlines can be traced back to Roman emperors and Pharaohs, conduct a raising ceremony that is supposed to raise the spirit of Osiris, the dark lord, to inhabit each president.
http://www.keyofsolomon.org/Obama.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxhkSGOCK_o
Revelation 17:6 (KJV)
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
God credits the martyrdom of the saints thru out the years to the mother creator and her bloodline.
Revelation 17:9 (KJV)
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Use wisdom because these are not seven literal mountains. The seven mountain mandate includes arts and entertainment, business, education, family, government, media and religion.
http://rayedwards.com/the-seven-mountains/
Revelation 17:15 (KJV)
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
New York, where the harlot sits has long been known as the melting pot. It is the gateway to the new world. Most of the world's immigrants came to Ellis Island where they were greeted by the whore of Babylon.
Revelation 18:3 (KJV)
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
All of the world's trade is conducted through the NYSE.
New York is the home to the United Nations or one world government.
After the Gulf War of 1991, President George Bush, in a nation-wide address said, "This is an historic moment. We have in the past year made great progress in ending the long era of the cold war. We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a New World Order, a world where the rule of law, not the law of the jungle, governs the conduct of the nations. When we are successful, and we will be, we have a real chance at the New World Order, an order in which a credible United Nations can use its peacekeeping role to fulfill the promise and vision of the UN. founders."
You can lead a horse. I hope that I have provided enough clues to identify who and why regarding Mystery Babylon. Hopefully God will allow you to discern. The main points were understanding the adversary, bloodlines and scriptural changes that have hampered us. Next time I will discuss what happens, who, why and the fate of Jacob.
Response #8:
1) There are no "missing books".
2) The Bible has not "been altered" (the KJV is not the best translation in regard to the mss. on which it was based but it is over 99+% pure in that regard even so).
3) Pagan mythology has nothing to do with scripture.
4) The Sophia is a Gnostic text. It is not the Bible. It is not inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is a lie (as are all apocryphal and pseudepigraphical works).
5) The seven mountains are seven kingdoms which constitute revived Rome, antichrist's first conquest from Babylon and the basis for his accession to world domination (the other three kingdoms that were part of Rome are conquered during the beast's crusade during the first half of the Tribulation).
6) None of the events which have or are transpiring now that is, during the Church Age were prophesied in scripture; nor do they have any prophetic significance whatsoever. Christians who study the truth about what scripture has to say regarding the Tribulation will no doubt see many trends afoot which are "preparing the ground" for what comes next. But this is not sufficient evidence to project a date (far from it). We do know that seven years subtracted from the 2,000th anniversary of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ is 2026 (not 2017) and that is the essential basis for discerning that year as the probable year of the second advent (with 2026 thus being the probable year of the seven year Tribulation which precedes it).
In short, after our discussions last January (and the failure of the earlier 2015 prediction), I have to say that I am disappointed that you did not take advantage of the truth sent your way to draw closer to the Lord via the truth, but have instead allowed yourself to be drawn further into fruitless theosophical speculation. This sort of thing has the potential to poison your heart, and I would strongly advise you not to let it do so. Spit it out, and instead seek the truth from the Bible. There is, at present, no other source of genuine truth. Only the truth can set you free from this prison you are constructing for your spirit.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #9:
Once again, truly appreciate you responding. This is not something I was even interested in a year ago. I have been guided spiritually. Our shepherds have misled us.
1) There were over 30 gospels, narrowed down to four. I would have like to see the other 26 and decided for myself what is inspired. Who inspired those who decided what was inspired? Pagan Rome? Pharisees? We know what Christ thought of the Pharisees.
2) The bible has been totally altered. If someone could produce the Quran and say it was from God, someone could alter scripture. God was not concerned because he wrote his laws on our hearts.
3) Scripture eventually replaced Pagan Mythology. We will totally disregard the history of ancient civilization and pass it off as mythology because we don't understand. God is a title for ascended beings, like we someday hope to be. God acknowledged their were other gods when he said thou shalt have no other gods before me. The gods of pagan mythology were simply the fallen. The ones who left their lofty estate and descended upon man. They were not magic. They were not ghosts. They had dwellings. They produced children. They made mankind worship them. The pyramids, even Solomon's temple were representations of dwellings that were not earthly. They had vehicles that flew. Read Ezekiel one, the pillar of the cloud in Exodus and Job said he covered that throne of Ezekiel with a cloud. People are acting like UFOs are a figment of our imagination. I'm sorry. This is not about spirits in the conventional frame of thought. Could you make an ark and overlay it with gold today? Can you imaging the technology? Every day of creation was a thousand years. Nothing was poofed into existence and we are not supernatural creatures. We do things with science. We are evolving. If we come back here in a thousand years, at the rate we are progressing, we may seem supernatural too.
4) Pagan Rome assembled the bible under the auspice that they received religion. Just like Muhammad, Rome was fractured and they were looking for books that met their theopolitical ideology. They weren't concerned with God. Hebrews 7:24 said Chris's priesthood had no successors. How did pagan Rome become religion central. It was a lie. Look at the atrocities committed in God's name. How can someone who writes about God, and does so beautifully call something uninspired? Is your writing inspired by God? Because it is not in the bible, is that what you truly believe. Why do Catholics have 73 and we have 66?
5) The seven mountains could not possibly constitute the revived Roman empire. It says let us use wisdom. Five are fallen. Everyone has number five wrong. Spiritual Rome did not directly persecute Christians. The fifth is the Ottoman empire. Check your history. Rome has no power today. Rome has no military. Rome is incapable of doing anything on the world stage except producing the false prophet. The antichrist is currently in Turkey ( Revelation 2:12 Pergamon). Seven mountains have nothing to do with the seven kings. The seven kings have or will persecute spiritual Israel. Five have fallen (Babylon, Persia, Rome, Greece, Ottoman). One is. Who is the remaining empire? Kings are people. The one that is, is Daniel's king of the north (Putin). The one that must come for a short while is your next (female) president.
6) Nobody has a clue what the church age is because they do not know how long Christ's ministry was. Nobody knows, unless you read uninspired books, what happened between Christ at 12 and when he came back on the scene. Don't you find that odd? Do you not see something wrong with 20 years of Christ's life disappearing, the way God likes to tell stories?
I'm not buying it. Every culture in the world was polytheistic until Christ came back. The two main religions were the only ones that were mono and Islam copied. Everything before Christianity and Islam became mythology. I'm not buying that every civilization was making idols and images out of the figment of their imagination. I'm not buying uninspired books. I'm not buying cave drawings, tablets and scrolls were just made up. I'm not buying the spiritual magical concept when it took 6,000 years for creation. I'm not buying UFOs don't exist and they were not represented in the bible, for lack of a description we can comprehend. I believe God wants us to know the truth, and religion is not it. That is why God says our shepherds have mislead us. Making homosexuality and drugs legal. There is no way God will allow this to go on until 2026. Two 13 year old boys sharing a kiss on ABC family television? Chrislam? He declared the end from the beginning. 120 Jubilees. It matches Daniel. It matched the new presidency. I respect your opinion and writing but I believe before this is over. my truth will be yours. God Bless.
Response #9:
1) The amount of apocryphal and pseudipigraphal material produced even in antiquity far exceeds thirty works, even only considering what has survived (and people have been churning this stuff out ever since then seeking to give it a false, early date). I have volumes of these materials and I don't have anything like a complete set. It's only necessary for a born again believer to read a few lines from any one of these works to be able to tell with the Spirit that He had nothing to do with the content. The Word of God the true Word of God (which is scripture only) has always been under vehement attack by the evil one. These humanly produced mythologies were most definitely inspired by the devil, and they are at best a waste of time for true believers in Christ at worst they have the potential to lead a person far astray. Consider: just because some of these materials exist does not mean they are the Word of God (!); just because they may claim to be true does not mean they are (!). People write me all the time telling me they have a message from God. If we were to believe everyone who said this, we would believe thousands of things that were not only not true but contradicted each other. Believe the Bible. Forget the rest. That is the only safe course now just as it has always been the only safe course.
2) What an assertion! Give me even one example of an "alteration" in scripture.
3) There is no such thing as evolution. Give me one single "proof" of it.
4) When the Bible was finalized, Christians were being burned at the stake (and so were their scriptures). Rome had nothing to do with it. Christianity was not even a religio licta until Constantine.
5) Mountains are often used in scripture to represent kingdoms, and that is what the mountains are in Revelation as well. Your assertion does not automatically refute this nor the evidence provided in the links given. What you do next is here is make the classic mistake of identifying present personalities and situations with what the Bible says about the end times. But you overlook the fact that there is no prophecy for the Church Age. This is the age of mystery. It will not be until the Tribulation begins that prophecy begins to be fulfilled again.
6) The fact that our Lord had to wait until He was of age is part of the suffering that He had to endure; it was also necessary for preparing Him to accomplish the most important thing in history, dying for our sins in the darkness on the cross. There is certainly no proof here, just because we have bumped into something you don't understand, that there must be some entirely different interpretation for everything. Your ignorance does not constitute proof for your speculations.
I'm not sure what to make of your last paragraph except that you object to the 2026 projection. Many people do, and I have included before for you the caveats to this interpretation (it is not a prediction). But people have said for a thousand years "this can't go on much longer!" Indeed, it won't go on much longer but it will no doubt go on longer than 2017.
In Jesus Christ who is God and man, our Savior through whom alone we have life eternal.
Question #10:
Hi Bob,
HOPE ALL IS WELL!!! If you would be so kind as to answer a question for me it would be most appreciated. The picture below cites Rev. 13:18 from the P47, a third century papyrus in the Chester Beatty collection, suggesting the overscore above the Greek letters Chi Xi Stigma, are an abbreviation being indicated/intended by the copyist. To this end, what does the overscore further down the page and above the greek letters Rho Mu Delta indicate? Does it represent the alphabetic numeral of Rev. 41:1 one-hundred forty and four thousand? Moreover, in this same P47 manuscript fragment, is it true that at least, the number, one-hundred forty four, is written out in the same Greek alphabetic mode as well? The word for "thousands" is written following these "digits". The same Rho Mu Delta occurs once again with overscore four lines from the bottom of the P47 picture fragment. Furthermore, as an example that the horizontal line above Greek letters does not always indicate a Greek alphabetic number representation, note the three letters Pi Rho Sigma, on line 12 equally have the horizontal line above them. This, however, is by no means a number. The order is reversed from the usual descending order (which is still possible) and two of the letters would stand for different hundreds (100 and 200). This horizontal line above Greek letters serves to signal that this is a NOMINA SACRA, a form of abbreviation used in some Christian Greek scriptures for certain COMMON "theological" words. This is the abbreviation for patros the Greek word for father (in genitive case), as in "the name of his father" (Rev 14:1). In summary, would I be correct in assuming that with respect to this particular P47 manuscript that seemingly the copyist chose to simply abbreviate his numerals by the overscore of the Greek alphabetic mode and nothing more not implying that the Rev. 13:18 name/number be found by the process/methodology of gematria? As such, why would the Textus Receptus not follow this/their same Rev. 13:18 abbreviated overscore Greek alphabet methodology (Chi Xi Stigma), respective to Rev. 14:1, when translating the numerals one-hundred forty and four thousand they write it out... as does some of the other greek manuscripts regarding Rev. 13:18? Your scholarly participation will be most respected.
Response #10:
Most critical editions of the Greek NT employ prose representation of all numbers as opposed to using the ancient Greek system for numerical abbreviation (i.e., as in wring "three" instead of "3" in our system). Actually, there were numerous Greek systems used in antiquity (the one you reference is the one that had mostly "won out" by the time of the writing of scripture). What all such Greek systems have in common, however, it the ease with which the numbers intended can be confused (we are spoiled by the utility of our so-called "Arabic" numerals). The most common textual errors and confusions from antiquity have to do with numbers in all forms of literature and documents, not just the Bible. Of course in the transmission of the scriptures, abbreviating the numbers and certain names (as you note) was common and practical too, because it saved ink, expensive vellum, and time as well. Today, with modern materials, tools and methods, there is nothing significant to be saved by such expedients, so the numbers are written out in full in all editions of ancient Greek works with which I am familiar. It is also probable, in my opinion, that the original autographs of the New Testament have the divine names fully spelled out, and most probably the numbers as well. So what the TR and Nestle et al. are doing in this respect is merely restoring the original representations.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Hi Bob,
THANK YOU for your kind, prompt and scholarly response. I agree with you. I think that the original autographs of the Greek NT regarding both divine names and numbers were all written out to avoid any confusion if nothing else. The question I am trying to get at in my poorly worded fashion is as follows. Why does the P47, a third century papyrus in the Chester Beatty collection, that I pictorially cited previously (see below), consistently abbreviate both the number of 666 Chi Xi Stigma in Rev. 13:18, and the number 144 Rho Mu Delta thousand in Rev. 14:1 & 3? Whereas, the Textus Receptus inconsistently only abbreviates the number 666, Chi Xi Stigma in Rev. 13:18, while completely spelling out the 144,000 in Rev. 14:1 & 3? Why would the TR do this rather than being consistent by spelling out both 666 and 144,000 without the abbreviation of either? Why abbreviate the 666 of Rev. 13:18 and not abbreviate the 144,000 of Rev. 14:1 & 3?
Response #11:
You're most welcome.
The failure to write out the number in the TR is one of its many missteps. Moreover, that has occasioned a very grave misunderstanding among the general public about six hundred and sixty six. People generally assume, based on the symbol which is then made into a number in many versions (i.e., 666 as opposed to the full expression " six hundred and sixty six"), that the "mark/number" will necessarily look just like this: 666. And that may well not be the case, given that "Arabic" (actually Sanskrit) numerals are a relatively modern development and were of course not used in the ancient Mediterranean world.
Nestle writes the number out however, writing the number out requires a choice, and that choice has been incorrectly made by Nestle and other critical editions. The numbers "sixty" and "six" are indeclinable in Greek, but the same is not the case for the number "six hundred". That number does reflect case, number and gender, and the correct gender, as we know from the oldest ms. of the Bible which does contain the book of Revelation, namely Sinaiticus (aka Aleph), is feminine. The critical versions all assume that it should be masculine, and so disregard the evidence. The significance of the feminine ending is that the 666 must refer to some feminine noun not in context a not uncommon thing in Greek and when actual women are not in view, the noun normally to be understood is hodos or "way". The meaning is that antichrist's composite religion will offer virtually innumerable "ways" to be "saved" under his false system, but the number itself falls just short of being a perfect, repeating cipher the key point, the one true WAY having been deliberately excluded: Jesus Christ, the only way of salvation (Jn.14:6).
You can read more about this at the links:
The number of the beast (in CT 4) - (be sure to read the footnotes)
Antichrist: the Mark, the Number, and the Identification of the Beast
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #12:
What will the mark of the beast look like?
Response #12:
Scripture is not specific beyond the details Revelation provides; so all I have been able to say is that it will be some sort of a tattoo containing the actual name of the beast or, alternatively, the number which represents his name. What precisely the name will be or how precisely the number itself will be graphically represented is not at present known, but it will be obvious at the time. Again, the links at Ichthys contain all I have able to glean from scripture about this with a lot more detail (please have a look):
Antichrist: the Mark, the Number, and the Identification of the Beast
In Jesus our dear Lord and Savior,
Question #13:
Hello! I have a phrase running round my head and felt like it was something I read in the Word at one point but now searching biblegateway and biblehub I can't find it. Essentially it was that the antichrist or evil one or similar would wage war with peace. Where might I find such a concept if indeed it exists in the Word?
Response #13:
Good to make your acquaintance. Here is the verse you may be thinking about (it is talking about antichrist):
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Daniel 8:25 KJV
I (and others) translate it differently, so perhaps that is why you had a hard time locating it. Here is my version:
And on account of his cunning, [his] conspiracy will prosper under his direction. And he will [greatly] magnify himself in his own thinking, and by his seductive ways he will corrupt many. He will even take his stand against the Prince of princes, and will be shattered apart from human agency.
Daniel 8:25
I cover this passage in Coming Tribulation part 3B: Antichrist and his Kingdom.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob Luginbill
Question #14:
Hi brother I have been studying on the end time may I share what I have found with you (at this link)?
Response #14:
This is pretty hard to follow. I can tell you with assurance that no one knows yet who antichrist is, and that this is the way it's supposed to be. But he is certainly not Solomon. If interested, please see CT 3B: Antichrist and his Kingdom
Question #15:
Hi Bob,
It has been a little while, but I watch this today and thought of you. Your thoughts on this conversation would be insightful if you have time to preview. I especially like it around 11:10 mins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V56IIFYijg8
Response #15:
The mark of the beast won't have anything to do with DNA, and it's not the "Illuminati" et al. about whom believers should be concerned. Traditional religion will fall in line behind antichrist when the Tribulation begins. The beast will claim to be "Christ" and will be accepted as such by most of the world, sadly, even by many believers. No doubt antichrist will use works and ideas such as this one you link in order to present a false dichotomy: himself as the solution to the "true evil". That will certainly be the case versus the Muslim world whose ruler, the Mahdi, will be styled as "antichrist" by the true antichrist, so that the beast will by that means too be able to enlist many unwary individuals into his false "crusade". All this is written up in Coming Tribulation, available in full at Ichthys . . . at no charge.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Hello Professor, I hope you are doing well. I have one quick question. Is there a great earthquake prior to the anti-christ's rule that helps to usher in his takeover? This is what was sent to me in an email:
How the Antichrist Really Comes to Power. What will the result of this be? The world will be a shell-shocked. Civilization will be smashed. The lights will be out. Homes will be flattened from the earthquakes and impacts. All the food will be burned up, buried or contaminated with no hope of growing more with the diminished sunlight. People will literally be starving to death in the cold. Those with food will be killed for it by stronger gangs. It will be total chaos and hopelessness. The world will need a "strong hand from somewhere" to restore order, shelter and food production. This is exactly when the Antichrist appears and offers a solution. With the power of Satan (2Th 2:9) he is able to convince the world that he is God himself (2Th 2:4) and the only one capable of fixing the mess...for a price (the mark of the beast). And part of what he will be fixing is the calendar. Out with the 365 day year, in with the 360 day year (Dan 7:25 ?).
Response #16:
Good to hear from you my friend.
There is nothing in scripture to suggest that the first earthquake of the Tribulation has anything to do with the beast's coming to power. The quake in Revelation 8:5 is part of the series of divinely caused phenomena which will let the world know that the Tribulation has begun. While it will be a world wide event, there is no indication in scripture that its destructive effect will be what this file suggests (indeed, the tribulational warning judgments will not begin until halfway through the first three and a half years; see the link). So it would be strange if this quake were a help to the beast inasmuch as all of the Tribulation's earthquakes (there are a series of them; please see the link: "Earthquakes in the Tribulation") are divinely caused. Rather, the Bible describes the disruptive political situation in the world as being at the heart of antichrist's opportunity coupled with the removal of divine restraint (2Thes.2:6-8). As far as these things can be discerned I have put that information at the following link: "The Rise of Antichrist", in CT 3B.
Yours in Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #17:
I was reading this passage in 1996. As I read the word desire I was intrigued and looked it up. When the Dictionary opened on the computer screen it showed about 20 definitions for it! I thought it was just my own imagination when my eyes got fixed on this one: Desire; sexual attraction between men and women. The Holy Spirit spoke these words... "The antichrist is a Jew and a Homosexual". This in context of the depravity going on and Rome's position on the subject will shed light into the current world situation...Revelation17:9.
God bless you.
Response #17:
"Desire" can of course be sexual attraction of any kind (chemdah in Hebrew is generic, not gender specific); but if there is no desire, then there is no desire of any kind . . . including the type you suggest. So the passage states that the beast doesn't desire women, but by downplaying sexual desire it also suggests instead a lack of interest in any sexual activity (rather than an interest in perversity).
For more on antichrist, please see part 3B of the Coming Tribulation series: Antichrist (at the link).
In Jesus Christ our Lord,
Bob L
Question #18:
Robert,
I have to humbly repeat this was a revelation not subject to interpretation. It was audible voice from the HS to my soul. This depravity is going to be endorsed by the mother of harlots next year [2015]. Thus the two persons of the satanic trilogy are in agreement as per Amos 3:3. The Antichrist and the false prophet!
Response #18:
I have some problems with this. In my reading of scripture, all future prophecy has to do with the Tribulation and the end times: there is no prophecy per se for any events of the Church Age (there are the trends of the seven eras given in Revelation chapters two and three, but these are just that, namely, trends rather than prophecies of specific events; please see the links).
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8 NKJV
These verses clearly state that antichrist will only be "revealed" after the Tribulation begins (especially in the context of the whole chapter).
Secondly, antichrist's false prophet's "ministry" takes shape only during the Tribulation's second half, the "Great Tribulation" (as Revelation chapter 13 makes very clear).
Thirdly, the "harlot" of Revelation is mystery Babylon (Rev.17:5), and that is a place, specifically, a country, not a person (see Rev.17:18: "The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth" NIV).
When the Tribulation does begin, we will all know it (Rev.8:1-5; see the link). It has obviously, therefore, not begun, and there are good indications from scripture that it is still some years away (certainly not next year [2015]; see the link).
Finally, as to personal revelation, it is not my place to tell you about your own experience. What I can say, however, is that "even if an angel should preach a different gospel" it would not be prudent to believe it (Gal.1:8). We live in an era when all manner of false teachers are making all manner of false claims and they all seem to have had personal contact with Jesus Christ. My policy on this, and the one I commend to all who follow this ministry, is to believe scripture, and to reject all claims which in any way contradict scripture. So to the extent that a person claims a revelation that says just exactly what scripture says, fine and good; however, to the extent that what is claimed goes beyond scripture in any way, prudent Christians will stick with scripture.
The Bible is silent about whether or not antichrist will proclaim a particular sexual orientation, and I don't see how your interpretation of Daniel 11:37 can possibly be correct. The "desire of women" I translate as "those [gods] favored by their wives" because this phrase is parallel to the prior direct object "the God of his fathers". In other words, both phrases describe the beast's disdain for traditional religion, both the true worship of God and also all false religion. This is confirmed in everything that immediately follows: ". . . nor will he have regard for any god [at all], for he will exalt himself above them all. (38) And in His place he will honor a god of powers, even a god whom his fathers did not know will he honor" (i.e., Satan).
Language means what it means, and the Bible is meant to be interpreted from the original language through an orthodox set of hermeneutic principles one of which is the importance of the context (and as described above the entire context is one of antichrist rejecting religion as he finds it and replacing it with a worship of himself and a direct worship of the devil just as Revelation chapter 13 affirms).
Inasmuch as I cannot see any linguistic way to have this verse mean what you prefer it to mean, I will stick with what the scripture itself clearly means in my opinion. Obviously, different teachers interpret things differently all the time, but our objective as Christians seeking the truth is to get closer to the truth, not farther away. That can only be accomplished by doing things the right way, and I am certainly willing to consider any reasonable objection to the method used in each case. However, I can't argue with a point of view that claims independent communication with God. It does seem to me, moreover, that if an answer is truly given, it would also make clear just how that answer comports with scripture, especially when that is certainly not obvious prima facie (that is the rub for me here as made clear above).
In Jesus Christ who is our truth, the very Word of God.
Bob L.
Question #19:
Dear Robert,
The one key I have learned from the HS is that scriptures are not written in the context of human chronological order. It is so that it will only be understood by His revelation. The finite (Men) can not understand the infinite (God) unless He allows it and then in measured amounts. This is how we get more from a verse we have read so many times each time we re-read it! The hour of tribulation that is about to happen will Not include the Church. Read Isaiah 26:1ff.' its there. If I can contribute something to you is this fact, the Bible is an eternal document. It can not be limited to our three dimensional limitations. It contains the 4 dimension of time which no human can control nor define. We just experience it. Ask yourself then this basic question: If what is written is Past tense for God, how can it be future for us?
May God bless you.
Response #19:
While I agree with some of the points you make here, in general you seem to have misunderstood the purpose and nature of scripture. Scripture is revelation. It does take the ministry of the Holy Spirit to understand scripture, but the process of understanding it is not "magical". The Bible is written to be understood by reading it (carefully). Granted that interpreting the Bible correctly takes 1) time and effort; 2) experience and learning (knowing Greek and Hebrew in particular); 3) the spiritual gift of teacher (past a certain point); 4) hard work; and of course 5) the Holy Spirit.
In your paradigm, the Spirit seems to use scripture almost like a channel independent of the actual words, where hard work, experience, knowledge of the actual text (English versions are not the original, merely translations), theology, learning, etc. count for little or nothing and may even be impediments. I don't find any scriptural basis for that method, or any history of that method in the legitimate teaching of the Word in the history of the church and in the one example you provided it is clear that there is an indisputable disconnect between your view and what the verse actually says (apart from other problems).
Consider: the Spirit is the One who has given spiritual gifts and He has appointed teachers in the Church. If every member of the Body could receive revelation independent of the authority of any teacher and, really, independent of the Bible (which is what this method amounts to and what it must be when "information" not in the Bible is provided), then there would be no need of teachers whatsoever (or the Bible). It would be great to have more information from the Lord . . . if that is what is happening. If, on the other hand, a person is merely arrogating to himself powers and abilities he doesn't really have, then that is tragic (especially in all cases where the wrong conclusions are reached) and even worse if the false information is shared with others and it causes them to stumble.
The facts that the Bible is eternal (of course) and that God knows the beginning from the end (of course) have no bearing on any of the above. The fact that the scriptures, especially Old Testament prophecy (obviously, it's not entirely chronological; see the link), is in part inaccessible to those without the teaching gift and particularly to those without a solid and deep knowledge of Hebrew is of course "on purpose", God's purpose being to lend authority to those who are gifted, prepared, experienced . . . and doing things the right way to the glory of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 26:1ff. does speak of the end times (it is treated extensively in the Coming Tribulation series), but nothing therein supports a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church (please see the link: "When is the Rapture?"). In fact, when it says, "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast" (Is.26:20 KJV), we have a clear command to believers to "hold on" until the Lord returns . . . just like our Lord told us to do.
"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Matthew 10:22 NIV
I suppose that by the end of 2015 you will see the need to reevaluate. But, honestly, it would be a shame to wait that long. The time really is short (just not that short), so that every moment is important in preparing for the coming Tribulation which, absent the Lord's taking us home to heaven individually through physical death, we members of Christ's Church are most definitely going to enter and have to navigate.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #20:
Dear beloved,
You just need to wait a few months [toward the end of the year 2015] when the Whore will adopt the LGBT doctrine and then you will understand that the Spirit indeed does nothing nor allows anything to happen without first revealing it to His Prophets. The level of revelation in Isaiah you are missing because of the 'finite' analysis approach. I'd suggest next time you read scripture you divest of human interpretation and allow the Holy Spirit to teach and reveal. It will blow your mind, I assure you.
The pre-tribulation Rapture is a revelation thus pray so He shows to you too. I will be praying for you as I believe this is a divine appointment.
God bless you. Jeremiah 1:5
Response #20:
Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7 NIV
However, there have been no prophets since the apostle John, nor has the gift of prophecy been operational since the days of the apostles. When the canon of scripture had not yet been completed, it is easily understandable why this gift was necessary, viz., to supplement the scriptures yet to be written; but now that "the perfect" has come into its full and complete form (1Cor.13:10), additional prophecy is not only unnecessary (what we have is "perfect" in every sense, including its completeness), but would also tend to undermine confidence in the integrity of scripture: why pay attention to scripture when some "prophet" has all the answers, including new and exciting stuff not to be found in the Bible at least not to be found there without some magical means not even available to highly prepared, deeply experienced, and orthodox teachers of the Word (as in your interpretation of Daniel 11:37)?
Either the Spirit gives the gift of prophecy, or the Spirit does not. In the case of false prophets we are told:
You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 13:3
We hear of new prophets nowadays on an almost daily basis. It is prudent for any serious Christian to "test the spirits" to determine the validity of their claims (1Jn.4:1), especially as we find ourselves at the end of all things in the course of which "even the elect" might be deceived (if that were possible: Matt.24:24).
In addition to previous things shared, there are at least three things in this latest email of yours that convince me that you are not a prophet:
1) Your misunderstanding of who the Great Prostitute is (i.e., Babylon, not a religion but "the great city", obvious even from a cursory English-only reading of Revelation: Rev.17:18).
2) Your method: the Spirit honors work and preparation. No one with a teaching gift is ready to teach without work. Yielding oneself up to the Spirit in a genuine way means doing what the Spirit requires and that means learning Greek and Hebrew, theology, ancient history, literary interpretation, textual criticism, the Bible (inside out) . . . and then working hard at exegesis and interpretation thereafter, paying careful attention to what the Bible actually says (not using it as some sort of Ouija board). There's nothing automatic or instantaneous or easy about doing anything "right" in the plan of God, regardless of gifts (and especially for those who wish to be teachers).
3) Your belief in the pre-Trib rapture: simply put, there is not a single verse in scripture which teaches this false doctrine (which was only invented in the 19th century); reading in Greek, it is very clear that there is only one parousia or return of Christ: after the first advent, there is only one other advent, the second advent (e.g., Matt.24:3; 24:27; 24:37; 24:39). I challenge you to present a single verse of scripture where it is obvious on the face of it that what is being discussed is a return of Christ before the Tribulation (but I can tell you ahead of time that this is impossible). I suggest you read the following links:
When is the Rapture?
Parousia
The Origin and the Danger of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture Theory
No Rapture
Three False Doctrines that Threaten Faith
Misplaced Faith in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture
I don't mean to upset you, but these are all very important matters, and you are charging along a false path like a blind man. My earnest counsel to you is that you purchase salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see clearly and not fall into the ditch.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #21:
Dearly beloved Robert,
Such exegesis is contradicting Ephesians 4:8-16 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Pay particular note of the purpose of the 5 Ministries and the fact that it is Jesuschrist who established them.
1. Nabiy
2. The Great Whore is the Roman Catholic church symbolized by the city on top of the 7 hills. Vatican City. Read 1Timothy 4:1-3.
3. Daniel 11:37 is a revelation from the Holy Spirit as you will be told by one of your most close colaborators shortly.
Read also Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
3. The rapture is Before the man of sin is revealed and you can read it in 2Tes 2:1-3. And several other scriptures.
Now you need to first pray for Revelation of the Rev: 18:20 verse.
Regarding studies of the holy scriptures, I have been studying under the guidance of the Holy Spirit since 1995. All I speak is from His revelation, as a Naviy, (naw-bee').
Last but very pertinent question: When did the apostacy begin?
Do you know when Abraham saw Jesus in the flesh?
Do you know what psalm declares both the great last revival and the Church Rapture?
Finally, the Lord is calling you to seek His revelation and understanding. Not through (finite) human interpretation but through eternal wisdom (infinite).
May you humbly accept this calling.
In Jesus name, amen.
Your brother in Christ.
Response #21:
1. Along with prophets, there are no apostles today either (only twelve total ever). That is why Eph.4:1ff. does not say that these gifts will continue to be given indeed they have not been, apostleship and prophecy at any rate, since the first century. Read the link: "Spiritual Gifts".
2. 1st Timothy 4:1-3 does not say anything about the Roman Catholic church. Many exegetes of the past have also confused the beast's revived Roman empire with the Roman Catholic church, but there is no biblical basis for doing so. Revelation 17:9 says that the woman (Babylon) sits on seven mountains (not hills: the Greek word here is oros, not bounos or similar); KJV has that right; these are not the "seven hills of the city of Rome" and do not refer to the Roman Catholic church but are instead the seven kingdoms that constitute antichrist's revived Roman empire ruled by the seven kings of Revelation 17:10: cf. the seven "heads" of Rev.17:3 and 17:7 which is why we are told that the seven mountains ARE the seven heads (the kingdoms and their rulers respectively). In other words, nothing in this chapter would point to the Roman Catholic church absent a predisposition to wish to find that interpretation present. N.B.: the Vatican does not sit on any of the traditional "seven hills" of the city of Rome; Vatican city is west of the Tiber (the main city and the seven hills are on the east of the river). Please read Coming Tribulation part 3B: Antichrist and his Kingdom for details (at the link).
3. 2nd Timothy 3:16: All scripture is "God-breathed" (including Daniel 11:37). Correct interpretation takes into account everything in the Bible on a given subject; it does not pick and choose what it likes as if the Bible were a smorgasbord.
4. Revelation chapter 18 describes the judgment on Babylon, not Rome. This is another place where traditional exegesis has failed, namely, in not distinguishing between the beast's home country, Babylon, and the revived Roman empire that he will take over early on in the Tribulation. Near the end of the Tribulation, Babylon (but not Rome) is destroyed by the beast and by his sub-kings who are after all the heads of the revived Roman empire as scripture clearly states:
The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
Revelation 17:16 NIV
5. 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-3 plainly states that the Day of the Lord is preceded by the apostasy and the revelation of the beast/antichrist/man of lawlessness. That is precisely what I teach. What these verses do not say is anything related to a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church, which in fact is nowhere in the Bible the challenge to you still stands to provide a single verse to support that false doctrine. Verse one clearly connects our "gathering together" to the Lord with "the Day of the Lord". Paul's entire point in using this argument is to assure these believers that they have not "missed" the resurrection because the apostasy and the coming of antichrist precede the Day of the Lord . . . when the resurrection takes place. Rather than proving some pre-Tribulation rapture, therefore, these verses demonstrate conclusively that the resurrection takes place after these events of the Tribulation (otherwise there would have been no sense in Paul introducing those events as a proof that the Thessalonian believers had not "missed" the resurrection).
6. The Great Apostasy (see the link) does not commence until the Tribulation commences. We live in the Church era of Laodicea (see the link), the time of lukewarmness in the Church but believers being apathetic to the truth is something quite different from the falling completely away from the faith of an entire one third of genuine believers worldwide. Understand: apostasy is all about believers losing faith and becoming unbelievers; it is different from the general rise of evil in this world among unbelievers (a trend which is at present unmistakable and no doubt is preparing the way for the horrendous events of the Tribulation to come), or of apathy among believers (Laodicea; see the link).
7. With all due respect, you are not a prophet (whether you wish to use Hebrew, Greek, English, or any other language). If you were, you would not be so far off on basic interpretation. I have had contact with many believers over the years, good people without the teaching gift, who even so have been able to figure out from simple Bible reading that the "pre-Trib" rapture they had been taught did not align with scripture. Surely a prophet would know that too. But I do allow as to how the Spirit has lead you to this ministry. My advice is to take that guidance to heart, then reconsider and drink deeply of the truth. No doubt the Lord does have a use for you as the end approaches. Be ready to fulfill that mission through careful attention to the truth.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #22:
Dear Robert,
I am appalled because of your arguments. They reflect a complete disorientation by too much letter! And no revelation. What I say comes from Revelation not exegesis! If you can not answer when the Apostacy began then its useless to continue with your endless genealogies. (1 Timothy 1:4 neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.) It is not in the future it already began, long, long time ago. This is the basic mistake you are making. Trying to interpret the Scriptures, without listening to the HS! Its humanistic interpretation in nature. Now I noticed you did not answer when did Abraham see Jesus day and rejoiced? You dispatch Ephesian 4 without argumentative basis, and this points to pride! I am a Naviy because the Lord called me Naviy. Your opinion is irrelevant and inconsequential. Last but not least NIV is perhaps the worst translation of the original copies! You are still on time to seek the revelation you have seek all these years. You just need to humble yourself before the Lord and He will show you things hidden from you and all that try to humanize His word. Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Your brother in Christ,
Response #22:
Here is what scripture says:
(1) And when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (2) And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. (3) And another angel with a golden censer came and stood by the altar, and much incense was given to him so that he might offer it for the prayers of the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne. (4) And smoke from the incense went up from the hand of the angel before God for the prayers of the saints. (5) Then the angel took the incense holder and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it to the earth. And there occurred thunderous voices and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Revelation 8:1-5
When the seventh seal is opened and the Tribulation begins soon thereafter there will be 1) thunderous voices, 2) flashes of lightning, and 3) an earthquake worldwide. These things have not happened. When the Tribulation begins, scripture tells us, we will know it. You say it has begun, but we have only your word against the Word of God.
"So if anyone tells you, There he is, out in the wilderness,' do not go out; or, Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it."
Matthew 24:26
We can take from our Lord's words here that we are not to believe what people say if it conflicts with scripture.
That is the gist of my entire objection to your method. You accuse me of lacking the Spirit, but anyone who pays any sort of careful attention to this ministry will see very quickly that it is entirely Spirit-dependent. On the other hand, making up things with one's fleshly mind irrespective of the fact that they are not in accord with the Bible and blaming that on the Spirit is not a godly course. Certainly, no believer should pay any heed to "teaching" so derived. It certainly does not accord with spiritual common sense the clear spiritual reasoning that the Spirit gives to all who belong to Christ to make a virtue out of ignorance of scripture.
You do not have independent revelation from the Lord (in the sense of being given information which is not in scripture) that is what prophecy is, and there have been no prophets of this sort since the death of the apostle John.
I told you when the Great Apostasy begins and explained the passage in 2nd Thessalonians in detail, but you paid no attention. Indeed, I have answered all of your questions (save one), and you paid no heed whatsoever nor have you answered mine, nor have you responded to the points made.
True, I had nothing to say about Abraham (it has nothing to do with this discussion); it is always telling however, when correspondents wish to seize upon tangential points as a smoke screen to cover up the fact that they are not engaging effectively with the important points at hand.
When you say, "I am a Naviy because the Lord called me Naviy", I think we can safely say that there is nothing more here to discuss. Anyone who claims they have are having conversations with the Lord in the way that Moses did is either lying or crazy . . . or if it is really true has no need to defend himself to me or anyone else.
Yours in Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior, through faith in whose perfect divine and human person and work on the cross in dying for our sins comes life eternal (and in no other way),
Bob L.
Question #23:
Did you ever hear of this "new eschatology"?
Here's my refutation:
http://emethbiblestudies.org/Guestbook.php
Response #23:
Good job on this indeed. When you get it posted outside the guestbook, I'll link to it.
I've been getting questions along these lines lately as well. Seems that the hyper-Messianics are always in search of some additional false doctrine or another. This one seems to me not so much new as it is a re-tooling of the amillennialism of the R.C. church that has lived on in the arrested-doctrinal development of the Reform churches.
Keep up the good work for our Lord!
Your pal in Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #24:
Dear Robert
I have heard that the false prophet will come in human form from the bible. I had just gained a fear of the possibility of me being that false prophet (sorry if this sounds ridiculous). But tell me, will the false prophet of tribulation know his job at birth?
Response #24:
Everything I have been able to glean about the false prophet can be found at this link: CT 4: "The False Prophet". It is also probable that the false prophet is only half human, a nephilim like antichrist, because, along with the beast, he is throne into the lake of fire before the last judgment which all true human beings undergo (Rev.19:20).
You are a believer in Jesus Christ and not the henchman of antichrist. I don't find anything in scripture to suggest that the false prophet will ever have been a believer.
The devil is very good at getting us to think of all manner of horrible things that "might happen". However, it is a measure of gaining some progress in spiritual growth to begin to realize that God is in control of all things and that He is working everything out together for good for those of us who love Him. If we are really moving forward spiritually with and for our Lord, then we have absolutely nothing to fear from anyone or anything, not though the very mountains fall into the heart of the sea and the whole world shakes and quakes for He is our fortress (Ps.46:1-3).
Yours in our dear Lord Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #25:
Thank you for the quick response about the apostolic and church father material, Dr. I was not concerned about using it as a replacement to studying his Word but merely having more knowledge about challenges of the 1st century believers and just to know who the main stalwarts were. I appreciate it very much. On another note, do you know why king of Kings and Lords of Lords were written on Christ thighs? Is there a significance for that placement?
Thank you for all you do in Christ!
Response #25:
You're very welcome.
As to the placement of this title, by "on His robe and on His thigh" I take this to mean that the title is emblazoned on that part of His robe which reaches down His thigh. In this way the title will be visible from the side (probably on both sides) as He rides into battle, but I don't know about any other particular significance to the placement beyond that the true significance resides in the title itself: "Kings and Lords of Lords". He is absolute Lord of all and to Him "every knee shall bow".
(8) He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even [His] death on [the] cross [for us all]. (9) Therefore God exalted [Christ] to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name (10) that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:8-11
Yours in our dear Lord for whose return we breathlessly wait.
Bob L.
Question #26:
Hello Dr. Luginbill,
Thank you so much for all of your responses. I was reading a passage in Revelation and it got me thinking about who the "Kings" are referring to. It is Revelation 21:24.
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Revelation 21:24
Do the kings mentioned in Revelation 21:24 refer to the kings mentioned in the verse mentioned in Revelation 1:6?
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:6
God Bless you and your ministry,
Response #26:
What I have said about the first passage (Rev.21:24) is that it refers to those resurrected believers of highest rank living outside of New Jerusalem in the eternal state (those would be part of the friends of the bride, the millennial believers); whereas Revelation 1:6 is talking about us, Church Age believers. Still, we are all kings and priests of Christ together, so there is an element of commonality.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #27:
Regarding the resurrection phases you wrote:
The words "then the end" refer to this last phase of the resurrection which would be well-known to readers of the gospels as referring to the likes of the sheep and goats judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, or even to readers of the Old Testament:
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
Daniel 12:13 NIV
This issue is now clear to me, but I'm not sure how to make Daniel 12:13 fit into what we discussed (i.e., Christ resurrected first, then, at His Second Coming, dead believers, then believers alive at His coming, then "the end" - resurrection of millennial believers). Since Daniel died, it seems that he would be resurrected at our Lord's Second Coming, but this verse says "and then at the end of the days you will rise", so it doesn't seem to fit what we discussed.
Response #27:
The answer to this and many such putative "problems" of interpretation is "prophetic foreshortening" (that is, the common telescoping of prophetic events by Old Testament prophets so as to present a unified picture of the future (rather a detailed chronology of things that could not be fully understood at the time). This Holy Spirit inspired device has the virtue of providing a simplified picture in the context (rather than having to provide what amounts to footnotes to explain things which contemporary audiences would not be able to understand in any case because the details are only revealed later through "progressive revelation": 1Pet.1:10-12). So for example it is not uncommon in Isaiah to see the Millennium and the Eternal state presented in blended pictures, and of course the two advents are also presented in this way throughout the Old Testament. Thus it is not surprising if the echelons of the resurrection are likewise telescoped in this passage. Important to note is that the description is technically correct. That is because "the end" begins with the Tribulation the "Day of the Lord" is the Millennium plus all the eschatological events preceding and following; see the link: "The Day of the Lord Paradigm". There is also nothing in Daniel 12:13 that directly contradicts what the New Testament teaches about the echelons of resurrection inasmuch as "the end of days" includes the second advent when Daniel will rise with the rest of us and be rewarded so as to receive his inheritance as will we all.
Question #28:
In Daniel 12 they talk about the kings form the north and south and so on to me it sounds like an event that has happened . I have in my kjv one title says Rome tyranny. It also says that people that are dead shall rise you know the rest. What I see here it says the dead shall rise but it doesn't say along with the living. Could this be referring to when Jesus died on the cross the saints rose from their graves (Matt.27:52-53) and not the rapture that so many people claim? What is Daniel 12 really about? Who are the kings and other leaders taking leadership at times?
Thank you and God Bless
Response #28:
The "time of distress" in Daniel 12:1 is the Tribulation. The resurrection mentioned at the end of the chapter is a conflation or telescoping of the resurrection of the Church (at the Tribulation's end) and the remainder of the resurrection which takes place at the end of history (the sheep and the goats of Matt.25:1ff.); see the link: "Prophetic Foreshortening".
You mention "kings" so you probably are talking also about Daniel chapter 11. In that chapter, Daniel gives a prophecy of the events of Hellenistic times future from his point of view but now completed until he arrives at verse 21 where the "contemptible person" is, historically, Antiochus Epiphanes. However, this king is also a type of antichrist (see the link), and so most of the information given from that point onward applies to the future beast. This is a somewhat complicated subject, but you will find these verses, concepts and principles explained in part 3B of Coming Tribulation: "Antichrist and his Kingdom".
The believers who were brought back to life in Matthew 27:52-53 were temporarily resuscitated into their original bodies just as Lazarus was. They subsequently died physically (a second time just like Lazarus did), and will be resurrected with us at Christ's return.
Yours in our dear Lord Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #29:
Hi Bob,
Suppose I start a family and have children. Some of my children are 18 when Christ returns, while some are only infants. Which of my children get to be part of the body of Christ, and which are relegated to being simply friends of the bride?
This is not just a theoretical question.
Sincerely,
Response #29:
When the Lord returns, all who believe will be caught up together with Him to meet Him in the air in a living resurrection (1Thes.4:16-17).
Those who are not believers will not be resurrected at that time, but all who have not accepted the mark of the beast (and this will include, it seems, all children who have not attained maturity inasmuch as taking the mark must be a free will action) will enjoy a thousand years of prosperity which in many ways will exceed the blessings of the garden of Eden. It would almost seem a pity for any of us to miss that blessed time except that we know that we won't, since being resurrected and rewarded and sharing in our Lord's millennial rule will be even better. So it is not at all a question of being disappointed by having to wait for resurrection (as some see it) or being disappointed by missing out on the pleasures of the Millennium (as others see it), but of blessing upon blessing according to either circumstance.
We cannot say precisely what our relationship with those not yet in eternal bodies will be on that great day and for those thousand years, but it would seem odd to me in the hypothetical situation you mention if parents (even though in eternal bodies) would not be allowed to care for and rear their children (who because of their young age had not yet come to faith and so were not resurrected). One thing is clear: God has this all under control. As our Lord tells us (Matt.10:29-31; Lk.12:6-7; cf. Job 12:10; Ps.50:11), not a single sparrow falls to the earth without His will (and without having been predestined for it in His perfect, all-inclusive plan), so we never ever have to worry for a moment about the consequences of good and right and righteous actions. If we are truly living for Jesus Christ, He will be with us through all troubles, trials and tribulations even the Great Tribulation . . . and with our families too.
Yours in the One whose return we breathlessly await, Jesus Christ the Lord.
Bob L.
Question #30:
The problem is that if the husband-bride is to be taken at face value, then it appears that there is a very steep price for not reaching maturity at Christ's Second Coming: you will not be a part of Christ's bride, but just a friend of Christ's bride. A husband loves his wife more than the friend of his wife, so it follows that the younger siblings will not have the same special relationship as the older siblings.
Response #30:
I think you are misunderstanding. First, all who are believers (regardless of how mature or if not mature at all) will be resurrected at Christ's return. Thus, with the exception of those not yet having reached the age of accountability, the only way a family of adults could be split up is for some of them not to be believers (and it is forbidden for a believer to marry an unbeliever in any case not to mention being a horribly bad idea).
We believers will all belong to Christ. And if a child is not part of the Church because of having been born late in the Tribulation and not yet having had a chance to accept Christ, well that child upon believing will still enjoy an eternity with Jesus and with us and will have the same opportunities for spiritual growth and rewards that we had for a thousand years, enjoying in a physical body the most wonderful time the world will ever see.
Let me put it this way: what is the alternative? If the alternative is not having a child, then not only would there not be membership in the Church but also no part of Christ at all for someone who never comes into existence.
But as I say, the Lord has all these things worked out. If He leads you to marry (in spite of what's coming), marry; if He leads you to have children (in spite of what's coming), have children. Teach your children as best you can and as early as you can to love Him with all their hearts (in that case), and trust Him to take care of the details. If, on the other hand, He is calling you to be celibate to serve Him better, then follow Him in this. But the consideration you are bringing up here does not seem to me to be one that can be anticipated in any meaningful way which is also a righteous way, practically speaking. Not having children for the reason considered here would seem to me to be a false consideration (and a waste of time given that there are plenty of genuinely important considerations to be taken into account).
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #31:
Hi Bob,
Am I the only one who finds it fascinating that Jerusalem is located at exactly the intersection of Europe, Africa, and Asia?
Sincerely,
Response #31:
You are right that this is certainly no accident. Jerusalem is described as the "center of the world" (Ezek.38:12; cf. Ezek.5:5), and will be the ultimate place of God's residence (Rev.21-22).
Also, the events of the Tribulation are defined and definable by the cardinal directions using Jerusalem as the focal point: North (revived Rome); South (the Mahdi's territory); West (Babylon); East (brought in when the Euphrates is dried up for Armageddon) and of course Jerusalem is where human history began (Eden; see the link), and where it concludes at the second advent and the central place of its thousand year denouement under the reign of the King.
Looking forward to being there, sooner or later, one way or another.
In Jesus our dear King and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #32:
You wrote: An imperfect world, a world in the grips of divine judgment, a world that needs a hell, has a sea.
Professor, the statement you said (below) sent shockwaves up my spine! I am a chemistry and geology major and the professors are constantly bragging about how our planet has 70% water and that water is needed for life. They clearly don't know.
Response #32:
The new heavens and new earth will not be without water, just without any seas. I except there to be abundant water on the New Earth (see the link: The New Heavens and the New Earth):
(1) And He showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal[s of ice], coming forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the middle of the [New Jerusalem's network of twelve main] streets and on both sides of [this] river [of the water of life which ran through them] was the tree of life, producing twelve crops, offering its fruit every month, month by month. And the leaves of the tree are for the enjoyment of [all] the nations, (3a) so that there will no longer be any division.
Revelation 22:1-3a
Keep the faith brother!
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #33:
Hello Dr. Luginbill
Revelation begins by saying that the first heaven and first earth were passed away. From my understanding, the bible says that there are 3 heavens, the first heaven referring to the atmospheric heaven. Does this imply that the 2nd and 3rd heaven will still exist as is? The 2nd heaven having with so many inhabitable planets. With they be inhabitable? This interests me, and I am curious if maybe the planets in the 2nd will be inhabited, and what will exist in the 3rd Heaven since the city of God will come down to earth.
God Bless!
Response #33:
Good to hear from you as always. The information about the heavens and earth passing away which indeed does refer to the entire material universe is contained in Revelation chapter 21. This is covered at the link in Coming Tribulation: "The New Heavens and the New Earth". It does certainly stand to reason that the new universe, at that time containing absolutely no sin, no evil and no darkness, will be on a par with everything else we are told about the eternal state and the New Jerusalem: perfect, breathtakingly beautiful, pleasurable and specifically made for the enjoyment of the Church and her complement, the friends of the Bride (and one would imagine also angelic creation) for all eternity.
There is nothing I know of in scripture which describes what the situation will be vis-a-vis resurrected believers and the universe at large (we will enjoy the whole new earth: Rev.21:24-26); instead, the portions in Revelation which deal with these matters concentrate on the New Jerusalem and that place, our eternal home, will be amazing beyond anything we can presently comprehend. I would not be surprised to find out that the entire universe with many planets and indeed galaxies along with all sort of wonders will be open for us to enjoy in that glorious future. But we do need to understand that the presence of God the Father Himself and fellowshipping with Jesus Christ in person, getting to know more and more about Him, will be pleasurable beyond all other blessings of the new creation, no matter how astounding.
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 NIV
For what may be gleaned about our personal habitations in the New Jerusalem based upon our eternal rewards, see the link.
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.