Question #1:
Hello, Bob,
As I read things unfold, I think there will be a great deal of unrest coming.
Potentially a civil war if I'm to believe what I hear out here in the boonies.
Or at least the '60s and early '70s on steroids. (I was there and actually got
spit on as a baby killer which it turns out was easy compared to today.)
Applying Biblical principles to what we'll face can be a challenge.
In recent news, I read of a Russian company making androids indistinguishable
from humans. I think they could be used, along with the AI generated "news"
casters and photos to generate an
enormous amount of hatred and violence. Whether the mobs would venture all the
way out here is an open question, but the insurrection, if it comes, would be a
perfect excuse for the beast to take over. And, with AI, images of the beast
could and probably would be made to speak. Signs and lying wonders.
I've also been thinking about David's defection to the Philistines and how that
applies to us as I suspect it does. David was chosen by God, but Saul was still
the king.
At the bottom of it, Bob, I think the great apostasy is beginning now. I've been
spending a lot of time thinking about the Tribulation which may not be
appropriate now, but I'm seeing that the time will be nothing like what we've
imagined.
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Response #1:
You're most welcome, my friend. Happy to hear from you any time.
All of these scenarios are possible. As I often say, the Bible gives us
the broad outlines of what will happen during the Tribulation, but not
the specific texture (even if it did, experiencing it is different from
reading about it, "sweet in the mouth" but "bitter in the stomach"). It
would not have been appropriate for the Spirit to speak of, e.g.,
androids, to a pre-industrial, pre-tech audience. We know the main
things, and that will be more than enough for godly Christians to avoid
having anything to do with the beast and his movement on the one hand,
and to persevere in faith in Jesus Christ no matter what may come on the
other.
You're in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Dear Bob,
I hope and pray all is well with you and yours. and your injuries are
healing. (Yes, old age isn't for sissies. Mind says 28, body says, "You
gotta be kidding! You'll pay!")
As I mentioned, I think, I've been stuck in Isaiah and Jeremiah. I keep
remembering Solomon's scripture the "there is no new thing under the
sun." People haven't changed at all and I think we're
going down the same road as Israel and Judah. I don't expect a different
outcome.
What I notice today is an increasing prejudice against Christians. It
will get worse, as you know, and start with the corporate churches.
Eventually it will get to us all. Yahoo, I know for a
fact, has been filtering emails for years and filtering email is
mindlessly simple. Now, I think, would be a good time to start thinking
about email encryption. I would hate to lose touch.
I notice that the term "well" has been turned into the term
"asymptomatic." More is coming. I also think that all the restrictions
and proposed "solutions" are setting us up for the anti-christ.
v-s, immunity certificates, et. al, It goes along with SS numbers,
driver's licenses and state requirements.
I think now is the time to start thinking about preserving as much
freedom as we can.
I hope you can enjoy the spring time up there. I still remember the
rhododendrons in the "hollers." Magnificent. As close to God's country
as you can get. Good fishing, too, as I recall.
Stay well and safe.
In Jesus Christ,
Response #2:
It's not as if anyone couldn't easily see from the site who I am and
where I am and what I think. If folks want to communicate with me via
some secure platform – Proton Mail or similar – I have no problems with
that. But when "the show" starts, well, there won't be any emails
forthcoming from prison or the grave in any case (if it comes to that –
we shall see).
People may not change but countries and societies do degenerate. Turning
away from the truth, the basic rights and wrongs that even unbelievers
can see from natural revelation, accelerates that trend, and we are in
full acceleration mode at the moment. At this rate I don't see any
issues with "getting there" in time to be well set up for the
Tribulation. The latest crisis has not so much sped things up, I think,
as it has revealed the toxic underbelly of where we have gotten to as a
country, spiritually speaking. And the tech we now possess makes it
possible to magnify these bad tendencies as never before – I certainly
agree with you in that regard.
Getting used to the anti-truth and ant-Christian negativity is not
without benefit, a sort of immunity build up so as not to be caught off
guard by the evil to be directed against us when the Tribulation does
start.
Thanks for all your good thoughts and offices on my behalf, my friend!
And thanks even more for the prayers. Keeping you in mine daily.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Hello, Bob,
You've done an excellent job. I am more worried about filtering across
the internet, Any
thing that even smacks of Christian now seems to be discouraged and
banned.
I do have a Proton Mail account but it's only secure between Proton
users. I apologize for taking up time with this. I'm getting more and
more concerned. I suspect things will get much worse for us even before
the Tribulation as it seems to be beginning now. Given the way people
have reacted to the current hysteria, I doubt there would be but a very
few who would refuse the mark. And even then, I wonder.
The 23rd Psalm has been a great comfort to me through out this putsch. I
think current events will change life as we knew it. David, of course,
went through more trying times than we are, but
I suspect it will get as bad for us.
I hope you've been able to start your research such as it may be without
libraries and normal resources. I have no idea how you'll manage -- the
web is such a pathetic resource. I pray you'll find reliable resources.
Please, if you can, get out and enjoy the rhododendrons and a glorious
spring. Eastern Kentucky is gorgeous this time of year. If you fish,
trout season should be open and there are always smallmouth bass. Be
sure to enjoy what the Lord has given us.
I pray you and yours are well and safe.
In our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
Response #3:
I appreciate your concern and also your expertise, my friend.
I figured as much re: Proton. I have one correspondent who was only
willing to correspond via Proton, but she had to send me emails to let
me know that I had a message so it got pretty cumbersome.
Yes, it's sometimes – oftentimes – a judgment call as to whether or not
we are trusting the Lord or being lazy on the one hand, or being
diligent or giving ourselves over to undue worry on the other. If we're
not sure between the two, we're likely to be in the sweet spot.
Love the 23rd Psalms (and the Psalms generally). Enjoy flowers and
gardening. Hate fishing. But the later has to do with my youth more than
anything. Maybe if I liked eating fish I'd be more apt to want to go
fight the mosquitoes and chiggers to catch a few. Anyway, I've never had
the time. I don't think there's much fishing in west Texas, is there?
Library is now closed for a spell.
Yes, things may get worse and the Tribulation won't be fun. But – other
than the Great Persecution – the trouble that comes from the Lord is
directed not at us but against those who oppose Him and us in answer to
our prayers (Rev.5:8; 8:3-4). Having been through a few things in my
life, the present dislocation wherein I am only experiencing minor
disruptions personally whereas many are being terribly harmed (by the
reaction far more than the disease) seems a loose parallel. Of course
the Great Persecution is a pretty big exception.
Your friend in Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Hello, Bob,
As far as trusting in the Lord I think we have to exercise due diligence
and do what we can to take care of ourselves. The rest is up to the
Lord. David has been a great inspiration to me. (Bathsheba aside. Having
been married, why anyone would want more than one wife escapes me. David
rather proves my point. Lesson learned.)
I personally don't think the current hysteria is worth taking seriously,
Yes, I think the Kung Flu is real and yes, I think it's probably tipped
the scales for many who had more serious health issues, but the reaction
is uncalled for. The USS Theodore Roosevelt was a good incubator; 5,000+
crewmen in close quarters, 300-400 infections and one death. Sounds like
a bad flu to me. Government reaction, though is killing healthy people
and businesses. I doubt we'll recover from that.
Bob, take care and good luck with your research.
In our Lord Jesus Christ,
Response #4:
No worries at all.
Yes, if a person doesn't have one foot in the grave already, this all
seems about as bad as a seasonal flu. Nothing to commit national suicide
over or to go hide under the bed until starvation sets in. Saw something
about an Israeli epidemiologist who's studied this thing around that
world. Bottom line: regardless of measures great or small, it peaks in
six weeks and starts declining in eight. A lot of damage here for mostly
nothing, it looks like. I'm very grateful to the Lord for being brought
through relatively unscathed – so far. Hoping (and praying) for cooler
heads to prevail by the fall.
Good point about the Roosevelt. When my TBS company did our landing
exercise off Camp Lejeune, we shipped on the LST USS Saginaw. Someone
had the flu when we embarked; nearly everyone had it by the time we got
on the amtracs. Nobody died of it, however (but we're talking less than
20% of the personnel of the Roosevelt overall).
Enjoy your Texas spring!
Your friend in Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Hi Bob,
Hope you’re keeping safe and well during the present situation. I’m sure
teaching online is a lot more work and it is pretty stifling to be such indoor
day after day but we are blessed when one considers others in far less fortunate
circumstances.
I would have thought this situation would have driven people to their knees but
it appears not.
Its 4 years exactly since my daughter went to be with the Lord. God has answered
her prayers regarding her children. They are loved, happy and doing well. I
remember you telling me that God would answer a mother’s prayers for her
children and so He has and more.
Keep well and you are in my prayers,
Response #5:
Yes, e-teaching was a lot more work! And very enervating too – even more
for the students than for me. Most of them didn't like the experience
whatsoever and from what I'm hearing, that is a nationwide assessment.
Universities that go "online" in the fall are going to find out that
most of their students don't go with them.
Thanks for the update about your grandchildren. I've been keeping them
(and you) in my prayers daily.
Thanks for your prayers too! Greatly appreciated.
Hope you are doing well.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #6:
Dear Professor
You got onto that quickly - I am amazed how you keep up with everything.
Thanks for your reminder of how much your Dad enjoyed his time here.
I think nowadays that most indigenous people don’t know how to use a boomerang,
so perhaps you could practise over there and add that to your teaching
curriculum and show us after arrival. As kids we did muck about with them (shop
bought ones and also self carved bits of wood) trying to make them return to
sender, and it worked - sometimes.
In the meanwhile a friend has offered his air rifle to get a few rabbits (plenty
of those here) should the food situation get a bit tight.
That’s probably not going to outbid your Texan ranger correspondent with his
shotgun - though my neighbour got a rabbit on our place with his shotgun - using
light shot - could not even see a hole in the rabbit - it just impacted on the
skin - perhaps the rabbit died of shock. His wife and he enjoyed a meal of it
the next day.
I am praying things work out for you today with your summer employment paper.
Always grateful for your dedication to our Lord’s harvest. I notice that some
other readers share your site with others and I am hoping many more will
eventually embrace your writings.
Thank you for all you do in your Ministry which blesses us beyond earthly
measure.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior.
Your student and friend
Response #6:
Dad had a lot of movies we were treated to as kids. One image that
sticks in my mind is of him and his army buddies at some Australian park
with huge snakes draped around their shoulders (wouldn't try that one
myself).
A word about rabbits: they may be tasty but they're not too beneficial
in survival mode because they have almost no fat. There is phenomenon in
the far north known as "rabbit starvation" where individuals have been
known to have died of starvation in the process of eating plenty of
rabbits.
Thanks for the prayers. I'm zeroing in on an approach for summer, one
that involves a short article and prospecting for the future (things I
can do from home and not have to depend on whatever is going on on
campus this summer).
Purdue, a few hours north of here, has already announced that they will
be open for business in the fall. If we can get a little bit more of
that, it may be OK. God is in control so no worries.
Always appreciate your good and encouraging words, my friend!
Keeping you and yours in my prayers too.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #7:
Dear Professor
The snakes might have been non-bitey pythons. The young soldiers
obviously had confidence in their strength to resist any neck
strangling. Many years ago, at a reptile park, one of our children had a
snake crawling all over him. I did have a touch but it gave me the
creeps. The handler assured me they are beautiful.
Thanks for the thumbs up about a rabbit diet. Kangaroos are in the same
lean team - yet a past pet cat of ours, once introduced, would eat
nothing but kangaroo meat (not even the posh brands advertised on TV).
Don’t remember how long she lived, but we never found any dead birds or
lizards, so the addiction to roo must have been complete.
There are plenty of sheep and (fat) lambs about here, though the farmers
are pretty well armed to deal with feral animals (pigs, dogs, foxes,
deer); though I found a roo (native animal) with a bullet through it in
our paddock. Purloining neighbouring farmers flocks is not recommended.
Tomorrow school is back, though teachers are not happy. Otherwise it is
back to 10 people in a group keeping the 1.5m rule (except at the
supermarket where a lot more than that mingle together). I am about to
text all the parents on my bus run to see how many of the 52 students I
need to look out for. Many parents seem to still want to keep their
children “safe” under the bed. Also going to check out the bus - it had
to get a new “child alarm” fitted at and by my former employers. I want
to make sure the battery is good - going to be just 3 degrees tomorrow
morning to welcome me back to work - already in the Fall here (though we
call it Autumn) - so perhaps that is why we are easing out of
restrictions before the USA?
No new cases of CV 19 in our state for a couple of days now. I still
wonder what will happen when it is “over” in the rest of the world, and
then we who have “kept it at bay and out of the country”, open our
doors.
Both the Prime Minister (from 30% to 68%; and our State Premier (now at
89%) have soaring approvement ratings. They went with, and sometimes
beyond, the medical advice. Crises seem extremely beneficial for leaders
- when “handled correctly” - even when (or especially when) they impose
extreme measures. Surely there is a message and confirmation here for an
ambitious future “leader” to exploit to the full.
Always appreciate your Ministry of truth.
Praying your summer preparation goes well.
Your student and friend in Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Response #7:
Pythons - I'm sure that's what they were. Still wouldn't do it myself.
Good to know that there is plenty of meat down under. My dad did complain that
all they got to eat down there in the war was mutton. But the beer was good, he
said.
Yes, this is one thing that perplexes me more than almost anything else, namely,
to hear of the majority reaction to the hysterical measures and the dictatorial
actions of the ones taking them. If I had any faith in mankind, this would cause
it to dissolve entirely. As it is, all my faith is in the Lord. But I do admit
to be being a bit surprised. Along the lines of someone hearing the rafters
creak a bit and finding out on inspection that termites have made a meal of most
of your dwelling.
And thanks for your prayers, my friend! Keeping you and yours in mine daily.
In Jesus our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #8:
Dear Professor
Hope you are travelling well in our Lord, even if you are travelling
economy class in worldly terms.
I may have missed some important points regarding the Church in the
Laodicean era. If the true Church is just a very small proportion of the
church visible, where do all the 1/3 rd apostates, 1/3 rd martyrs, and
1/3 rd remainders till the Second Advent come from?
If there are not many true believers around today, who makes up the
numbers? It would not take long to round up the handful of Ichthys
adherents. A very short war for the antichrist to complete after the
midway point of the Tribulation . His war seems to indicate their will
be considerable numbers of believers remaining, even after the apostasy
of the 1/3rd part of former believers.
I bring this up to as we followers at ichthys say that it is difficult
to find other good solid teaching today (and from my perspective, it
usually is). And yet, their must be a considerable number of true
believers in the world - lest I am inclined to get a bit precious and
discount others belief in Christ as not being adequate - that harks back
to old mormon beliefs. Heaven forbid such thoughts!
I do totally endorse your emphasis on being prepared spiritually for the
time ahead. Definitely.
Conceding that antichrist will be waging war during the first half
against “antichrist and his followers” (non believers) and then
afterwards against rebels who may also be non believers, his system
would exterminate all believers if the time was not shortened for the
sake of the elect.
Still it seems to me there must be many true believers in Christ. Are
they inside the Laodicean churches of today? Will there be an awakening
of believers prior to the start of the Tribulation and even during the
first half of the Tribulation? The 144,000 will result in many Jews
believing in Christ. Is it likely there will be a considerable
strengthening of the faith of weak believers in the 7 remaining years
till the Tribulation begins.
Today believers are already persecuted. Surely they have their reward in
staying true in their belief in Christ’s saving power - notwithstanding
they may not have as much “knowledge” as to all the details in
scripture.
Perhaps the true believers are in countries where we do not usually
associate with large believing populations. If that is not the case
there seems that their must be more true believers under our noses.
Perhaps they just need a bit of prodding to prepare spiritually to
accept all truth.
Seems, numerically, we at Ichthys are a tiny portion of all the
believers.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior
Your student and friend
Response #8:
I'll get to your other email anon. Busy time here this fall. My boy got off fine
and made it safely to New Mexico. It was wonderful seeing him, but I'm still
behind on everything, feeling tired and holding off a cold, with a lot to do
next week in addition to catch-up. I'd better do so, though, because the week
after is total craziness with all three German search candidates coming to town
and our Classics honor society party that Friday night – along with everything
else (not just classes but writing exams for the end of the fall term et al.).
On the numbers, there are by good estimates 2.3 billion people in the world who
identify themselves as "Christian" (about a third of the world population), so
even if genuine believers were only ten percent, that would still be a great
multitude, even one third of that ten percent. A Christian of course is someone
who believes in Jesus Christ, and you don't have to be spiritually mature (or
even interested in being spiritually mature) to count as a believer. That is the
point about Laodicea: not that there are many who claim to be Christians but who
are not, but that of those who are genuinely believers most are lukewarm.
As to being rounded up, that is a genuine possibility. We have to be ready for
an early martyrdom (though this really begins in earnest in the Great
Tribulation) or to endure until the end:
If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
Revelation 13:10 NIV
Yes, I do think that there are many believers in the lukewarm churches – and
many also who are not believers. God knows which is which. And I do anticipate
the Tribulation will bring about what Christ desires when He says that He wishes
all to be red hot or cold: the pressures of that time will bring some of the
lukewarm closer to the Lord (that is where we may come in as the need to
minister to them will be great); while others are pressured to fall away (the
Great Apostasy).
There is indeed persecution of Christians in various ways in many places around
the world – but nothing like what is going to happen very soon. Perhaps, in the
case of those who are genuinely Christians and who are genuinely facing
persecution, these are being blessed with a special measure of preparation for
what is to come. I do know that God is perfectly faithful and that He is working
everything out for the genuine good for all who truly belong to His Son.
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend – and thanks so much for yours!
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #9:
[omitted]
Response #9:
The internet is a scary place and anyone would be wise to be at least a
little concerned about having their correspondence put out there. Of
course the present generation lives on line (FB, Instagram, etc.), but
we were talking about wisdom. So I always try to take out identifying
features.
This virus situation has us all a little off balance. Why wouldn't it?
The whole world seems to have gone mad over night. Of course it's always
been mad, but all of a sudden "acting out" in very distressing ways. I
think you hit the nail right on the head when you added in that they
think they can "fix it". How absolutely arrogant! I heard a report
second hand about an Israeli researcher who's studied the virus around
the world and concluded that in every place it peaks in six weeks and
declines in eight – regardless of measures taken, a great many or none
at all. That makes sense to me based upon reports of outbreaks going
back to the Peloponnesian War and the plague at Athens. It's just how
these things always work, more or less. But I am sure that when it
dissipates – because God causes it to do so – the scientists and the
politicians who caused all this terrible harm will do a victory lap.
Believers being wary about what they say to those caught up in this mass
hysteria is just common sense. Prudence is not the same thing as
cowardice (that is a common mistake), just as recklessness is not the
same thing as courage. Favorite verses on that point:
Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
Isaiah 59:15 NIV
The wicked strut about on every side when vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Psalm 12:8 NASB
When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.
Proverbs 28:12 NIV
When the wicked arise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Proverbs 28:28 NKJV
And most especially:
For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous man, you take bribes, and you turn the innocent away [from justice] at the gate. So the prudent man keeps quiet at [such a] time [as] this, for it is an evil time.
Amos 5:12-13 (cf. Matt.7:6)
Your friend in Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #10:
Hello again Bob,
Do you think the Pope is the false prophet?
I know that Catholicism is already heretical but look at the list of
growing heresies from Pope and the Vatican. They do not hide it anymore!
http://francisquotes.com/
Is Vatican ll also known as Novus Ordo? I know from my time as a
conspiracy theorist that many government leaders are calling for a New
World Order.
At the Pan Amazonian Synod, Pope has published a document called
Instrumentum Laboris.
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2019/06/exclusive-full-text-of-amazon-synod.html?m=1
The Pope is eagerly promoting a one world religion through Coexist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnUMjW-xRAI
He believes all religions have the same "god" and is happy to kiss Imams
and carry articles of other "faiths" such as a witches' stang around the
youth synod. It's hard to imagine how the false prophet could be much
worse. Do you think he is merely paving the way?
It is interesting to note that in James Musker's book on the New World
he writes that the precursor to luciferian satanism will be a "dark
green religion" of worshipping Gaia, the earth goddess, Mother Nature or
earth worship, worshipping the creation over the creator. It is this
dark green religion that the Pope is embracing in both his document and
synod. We are also seeing both new age and pagan practices infiltrating
Christian churches at large from labyrinth walking (a Loyola practice),
yoga, contemplative prayer, even extremes such as grave soaking! These
are Protestant and Evangelical churches, not Catholic ones! Prominent
and influential preachers are leading their congregations back to Rome!
What are your thoughts on these things? They are all happening at such
an alarming rate!
Safe from within my Father's hand,
Response #10:
There's no lack of false religions out there and the devil and his son will make
use of them all in a collective way once the Tribulation begins. So we don't
need to find antichrist or the false prophet in any contemporary person. I doubt
that is possible in any case, especially when it comes to the false prophet who
doesn't even appear in the narrative until the middle of the seven years. The
beast will not be beholden to any particular religion. The RC church is one of
the worst in projecting a "Christian" front but in truth being anything but. Our
friend's
series on Mary (link) is the best exposition on that I've ever seen. When it
comes to documenting things the RC church gets wrong, it'd be simpler to list
what they get right – a much shorter list indeed (I think they believe in God,
after a sort).
You are right, however, to see these trends are leading in the very definite
direction of the Tribulation. Knowing that it is coming, and seeing that this is
being confirmed by events for anyone who has studied these issues, is a great
advantage: it prods us to become spiritually prepared so as to be able to endure
those most difficult seven years. And that is where most of this Laodicean
generation falls short.
So keep growing in grace and the knowledge of the truth, my friend! We won't
regret a single bit of that when "the balloon goes up".
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Hi Bob,
Thanks for setting me right. We are not there yet and I do ascribe to your
timeline for tribulation as I have had many, many examples of proof to back the
dates up.
Would that mean we are currently in a seven year period of birth pangs? It does
certainly seem to be paving the way for the antichrist at the very least.
Of course, I completely forgot that the false prophet would possess supernatural
powers. I think it more proof however that we are hastening towards the end.
I have to say that my love and faith for God through my loving Saviour has
increased so much recently and my heart swells with the love our father pours
out on us.
I do not fear evil as I once did, I feel lighter inside and am able to walk in
peace and joy. I feel that I have come home to my faith and it is my most
precious possession above all overs.
Like I said earlier, I feel safe within my father's hand.
God bless you my friend,
Response #11:
It's wonderful to watch your growing spiritual confidence, my friend.
That is a natural result of spiritual growth. So by all means keep
reading the site and your Bible, and applying the truth as you are
doing.
As to the seven years before "the seven years", there is no prophecy in
the Bible for the Church Age, the mystery Age which is only adumbrated
in the Old Testament. All biblical prophecy yet to be fulfilled begins
with the Tribulation (the seven churches of Rev.2-3 are a special case
wherein there is no specific prophecy but rather trends of the eras). It
does make a great deal of sense for things to get worse and worse
spiritually speaking just prior to the Tribulation, as the devil is no
doubt involved in preparations too. However, in terms of how things are
generally, I wouldn't be surprised if instead of trouble before trouble
we experience "good times" before the trouble (cf. the seven fat years
before the seven lean ones in Joseph's vision). That will certainly
contribute, it seems to me, to the lackadaisical spirituality of
believers here in Laodicea who are not preparing now. But for those of
us who are aware and interested in doing something about it, this may be
a help to us in our efforts to be as spiritually ready as possible.
[written before the present CV hysteria]
Your friend in Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #12:
Hello Bob,
I hope this finds you well, in good health and spirit. I just wanted to
share some developments which I find very alarming and seem to point at
the current Pope being the False Prophet. It's hard to imagine what
could be worse than what is happening now. Alternatively, do you think
this is paving the way for the false prophet?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ-uKnSX_u8
Obviously the Catholic Church is completely false but even so these are
very alarming developments.
Also I wanted to ask you about this video. The Vatican in the Easter
mass sings a hymn to Lucifer. The Catholics in the comments defend it by
saying Lucifer in Latin refers to Morning Star and they claim this hymn
is to Jesus? I don't know any Latin at all could you please clarify the
truth in this matter?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kmAl8OtT23c
God bless you and keep you.
In our Lord Jesus,
Response #12:
Good to hear from you, my friend.
I am "bumping along", and I hope you are doing well too.
On your questions, first, as I often point out, when it comes to "paving
the way", surely everything the devil is up to in these last few years
before the Tribulation is "paving the way". However, there is no way for
us to look at any specific event and glean more than generalities from
that. We don't know who the beast is yet and far less the false prophet
who only comes into the book of Revelation after the mid-point of the
Tribulation. So it is very likely that even once the Tribulation starts
and the beast is clearly revealed to Christians who know their Bibles,
it will still be quite a while before the false prophet comes onto the
scene. As I've also mentioned many times, while Protestants – and
particularly Reformation era Protestants – are apt to see the pope as
"the antichrist", this is almost certainly not going to be the case. The
beast is half-human, and his human half is Jewish, for example. Also,
while the RC church is large and powerful, compared to the rest of the
world's religions (including Christian and putatively Christian groups)
it is neither large nor powerful enough to be the "king maker". The
beast's religion will embrace everything out there – except for genuine
biblical Christianity comprised of born again / born from above
believers (of whom the number is far less, I fear, than meets the eye).
As to Lucifer, that's a good reason why I don't like hymns (of almost
any kind). There is always something wrong or misleading about them,
being written by non-inspired individuals of dubious theological
understanding). In Latin, lux means "light" and -fer means
"bearing", so, etymologically, "Lucifer" is "the light bearer". So
"Lucifer" may refer to the "Morning Star", the harbinger of day, a title
for our Lord (Rev.2:28; 22:16; cf. 2Pet.1:19); but we have to remember
that the devil was also called this (Is.14:12; cf. 2Cor.11:14), and our
Lord's title in part demonstrates His leadership role in the
displacement and replacement of the devil. Still, I'd not personally
feel comfortable singing a hymn like that. The fact that no one is
bothered about it in that false religion is just an indication of their
general disinterest in the truth (which one expects from unbelievers in
any case).
In Jesus our dear Lord and Savior,
the
"bright Morning Star".
Bob L.
Question #13:
Dear Bob
I do hope you and your family are keeping well? Those words are not just
empty platitudes these days! We’re fine in the family, though sadly we
lost someone at church to covid. But actually, he only had a few months
to live, they thought, from cancer. I think the Lord spared him lots of
pain. Another friend, with multiple transplants (and therefore
immunosuppressed) survived 45mins without his pacemaker, during a
battery update which went wrong - and he shouldn’t have been able to!
And caught covid in hospital and survived! Praise God! He’s home again
now, I hear.
But I’m not making much headway on the anti contemplative prayer front.
Impossible to discuss at church in lockdown, but prior to that all I
managed to convey was that I felt strongly about it, not to get any
agreement. The Pastor told me the preacher who introduced the idea was
aware of the dangers but ran out of time to give a warning!!! The church
still hasn’t been warned. I would have thought any “technique” that
needs a health warning, or is only suitable for the spiritually mature,
lest they meet an evil spirit in the gloom, is so obviously wrong. I
revisited the worry with someone who knew I was concerned about this,
from my small group, and she seemed to be saying I should trust God
more. Very astute of her, can she read my mind?! She counselled that
we’re a team (though I took it to the team leader) and to trust God to
bring a good safe result. It makes a nonsense of testing the spirits and
analysing the scriptures, or for that matter, the fruit. I remain
worried. I’m beginning to think I don’t belong with these people, but I
hate to think they’re being so badly taught . No, taught bad stuff. I
remember your passion about false teachers!
I was very glad of the confirmation when you advised me about
contemplative prayer. I’m ok, glad I kept the emails though! Thank you
again. And I’m sure about this prayer thing, very clear to me. It’s so
New Age/eastern. There is so much interest in this, it’s alarming.
God bless and keep you
Response #13:
Thanks for the update. Yes, I wonder about the numbers since it seems
that everyone who is passing away at present regardless of age of health
condition otherwise is deemed a "Covid patient". That's helpful for the
hysterical narrative no doubt. For the situation here, the latest
Ichthys email postings will give you a lot of info. Here' the latest
one: Eschatology Issues XXXIV
Good to hear from you, and kudos to you for sticking up for the truth.
That's not easy to do – there is always "blow back" and few but the
spiritual mature are up for that.
What to do about your present group is something I would not presume to
weigh in on. I will say, however, that it's pretty clear that if
spiritual growth depends on what you are getting there it won't be
forthcoming. So in addition to the emails we've exchanged, I really do
encourage you to begin reading through Ichthys (or listening to another
good source: Bible Academy is an excellent one). Defense alone – even if
it is excellent – can't cut it. It takes spiritual offense – growth in
the truth – to make a Christian whole and fully spiritually mature. You
are welcome here any time!
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #14:
Dear Sir,
I am trusting the Lord that you are doing ok and prospering in the Lord.
How are you doing? I glean some from your weekly postings of your
response to letters, though at times I may not know what is current.
Nevertheless I've been praying for you and the ministry amongst other
things, that God will strengthen you and make you to finish strong in
the Lord. Col 1:9-13 is my favorite prayer and I've been praying it for
you, though it may look rudimentary for you.
I am doing ok to some extent. I have been trying to work on myself in
growth entreating the Lord in this task, but my pace has not been as
when I was ____.
We are all in semi lockdown mode here. My children are all at home. It
has been a wonderful opportunity for us all to share the scriptures and
to encourage them in the WAY. If not for corona virus (CV), I would not
have had the opportunity to get them all together again for God knows
how long! If not for CV lockdown none of them was in come-home mode not
to talk of coming home all at the same time. I guess CV has worked for
our good. (Actually I believe CV is a wake up call to the church. See
how it has exposed the church!) My family's response to me makes me
glad! The details you supplied in CT makes them more entrenched in the
truth. I guess -No, I know- I am mightily blessed in my family!
Somehow I've been opportuned to speak to a number of people about the
need to be alert, staying awake and preparing for what is coming. Some
of them in my church including my pastor. Actually I've been having a
measure of success with them. I encourage them to show me what they know
and then we look at the scriptures. One confessed that though he is YET
to believe, I've given him sleepless nights. I guess that is progress!
All these on the phone due to the CV lockdown. Even my pastor is not
totally at ease after I inject stuff into our discussions. He knows I'm
saying the correct thing but the tradition of pretrib is very strong!
Anyway It's like I can't help myself!
I met a brother who -surprise- is posttrib. That is so rare here. He was
even more excited than I! After directing him to your website, he still
collected all the Ichthys downloads from me, so I'm trusting God to help
him to grow. His main concern in our discussion was how to get
information out to believers!
Our friend has been a great source of encouragement to me, though he
does not know how much!. He has his own battles too and I pray for him
but I thank you so much for introducing me to him. You guys are my
teachers and I'm so grateful to God for knowing you. Maybe if the Lord
permits and provides, we can come to the US one day and see you! It
would give me so much joy!!
Thank you once again for all your labour on Ichthys. Only that coming
great day can tell all the results of it! You're a wonderful elder
brother and friend to me. [omitted]
Tried to summarize because I know how busy you are. I miss hearing from
you so I won't say no need to reply! LOL
Looking for that Blessed Hope
In Christ
Your brother
Response #14:
Wonderful to hear from you, my friend, and thanks so much for the update. God is good! I'm thrilled to hear of your family reunion (unintentional though it may have been), and also about your ministering of the Word – I know that the Lord is well-pleased with all such efforts. I'm also much gladdened to hear that you are keeping to the task of spiritual growth. When you were delivered, your enthusiasm and positiveness was so great, it seemed inevitable that the evil one would counterattack. The fact that you have continued on course despite everything is a great testimony to your love for the Lord. It is a very rare person – maybe they don't even exist – who can keep going at that high level indefinitely. That is why I always encourage believers to take all this one day at a time, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow, but trying to continue to plod along doing one's best (or at least doing a good job) TODAY. As to pride, we all have that problem. As it says in Ecclesiastes:
Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Ecclesiastes 9:3 NKJV
Human beings truly ARE "mad". We imagine we are "something" when even the natural world whose scientific principles we are told to revere shouts at us that we are "nothing". How big is a single acre of land compared to a pitiful human being. And what can we do to that acre of land other than superficially work it over, even if we devote all our efforts and resources to it. It doesn't really change much although we do, growing older by the day. And compare that small patch to the size of the earth – and the earth to the solar system and the solar system to the galaxy and the galaxy itself is pitifully unnoticeable in the wide universe. Yet we imagine ourselves to be "something". And at the same time, we imagine God to be small – heaven forbid! – but that is the madness that lurks in the sin nature of the human heart. The universe is infinitesimally small compared to God – there is in fact no comparison. But in our thinking human beings when they imagine Him at all imagine Him not as big as us! And far away! Worse than that, while many proclaim He doesn't exist (!), those who accept Him as God often imagine that they can help Him! That He needs and desires our help! But if we really saw Him, just the back of His glory (Ex.33:20-23), we would throw ourselves to the ground and repent of our arrogance in dust and ashes. His glory is veiled to the fleshly eyes of all at present, but the day will come when He manifests Himself to all. In the meantime, we see Him and His Son, the Lord of glory, through the truth. But that is not an automatic thing either. We read the truth, we listen to the truth, we believe the truth, but we still have to apply the truth. Every time we worry, we proclaim that our problems – and therefore we – are bigger than God. If that is not madness – the madness of pride and arrogance – then what is?
"And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?"
Luke 12:25-26 NKJV (cf. Matt.5:36)
I'm happy to hear that you and our friend are keeping in close touch.
Whatever happens in this life, we will all share a wonderful reunion on
that great day of days when we stand together in resurrection, basking
in the glory of the One we love more than this miserable life.
Keeping you and your family in my prayers daily, my friend.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #15:
Hi Bob,
I hope you are doing better. I’ve been reading your weekly email postings and it
sounds like you’ve been having some health issues. As someone who works on folks
with sprained and strained areas, I know how awful it can be. Hopefully, you’re
on the mend! Will be praying for you in those areas for sure.
Mom and I are doing good considering. We have been in lockdown since the middle
of March. Businesses, restaurants (open only for takeout), salons, schools
(closed indefinitely), tattoo parlors, construction, fishing, hiking, camping,
etc. The pot shops are open though! I am considered essential health care, so I
have been working. Mom has been staying home except for a weekly ride in the car
to visit my dad at the cemetery and maybe get something to eat. She has been a
trouper but it is wearing on her not being around other people.
Our governor has a tight grip on the state and is threatening to keep us locked
up until June 1st. He is finally letting construction start again and *maybe*
fishing. People are fed up and it wouldn’t surprise me if there isn’t a major
uprising soon. My little town has had 54 confirmed cases and five have passed,
all over 80 years old and from a local nursing home. Only two counties in our
state have been hit bad. Each death is a tragedy and not to diminish that but
this is a pure power grab on the governor's part. I know Who holds tomorrow and
He is in charge, so I am able to see this for what it is and know that it will
be used for His purpose. I really think this is, at least, a small taste of what
might happen when the antichrist shows up, so I am thankful for the preview.
People are scared and they are searching and I am able to use this to share the
peace I have. I’m hoping that it will help, even if it is just one person.
How has the “new normal” been for you and teaching? Were you able to finish your
classes or are you shut down now? With all the cuts going on, I hope that your
job safe. I’m wondering if schooling will now be online only in the “new
normal”? I have a patient that teaches twice a week online and sends out email
homework daily. This is at college level, so these students have been going to
school for a long time. I’m concerned about the younger kids and being
socialized.
We’re still having problems with ___. Mom and I can’t thank you enough for the
prayers and continued support. We know they are working. Things haven’t been as
intense as they were. Now it’s the minor “just under the radar” stuff that he
does just to keep prodding us. [details omitted] I’m still trusting God that He
will end this soon. Most days I can handle it well, but lately it’s wearing me
down again. I know there has to be a reason for this. It has gone on over three
years which seems like thirty. I thank God that He has kept us safe through this
trial and I know He will continue to do so, if it is His will.
Mom and I are keeping you and yours in our prayers. We really appreciate yours!
In Him,
Response #15:
Thanks for the update, my friend!
Interesting info about the virus. We've only had some two hundred plus
in the whole state here, but have pushed the entire economy over a
cliff. One wonders what this will do to the opioid death count – which
in '18 was about four times the current CV count. And yes I think most
of our deaths have involved very frail people in nursing homes too.
I'm very sorry to hear that this problem continues, but I am greatly
encouraged by you being so "strong and courageous" in dealing with it!
Sometimes God delivers us "from" and immediately so. More often than
not, it seems, and for our own spiritual benefit, He delivers us
"through", and it can take a minute. That will be true of the
Tribulation; it was also certainly true of
the exodus which is a biblical type of the Tribulation. From
the moment that He sent Moses and Aaron to the children of Israel to
tell them that He was going to deliver them – and they were thrilled –
it didn't happen overnight and it tested their faith. Or, rather, they
demonstrated that they had very little faith. Every time Pharaoh refused
and increased the pressure on the Israelites, the Lord forced him to
relent, of course. And He did this ten times! But instead of being
patient and trusting that He would do what He said He would do, the
children of Israel keep failing the test – in spite of seeing all these
miraculous judgments on their foes. And when they finally did leave the
land, they failed the test at the Red Sea as well, being terrified at
the sight of the Egyptian army and seeing also that their way was
blocked by the sea.
They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
Exodus 14:11-12 NIV
Hebrews tells us that they then crossed over "by faith", because it did
require some small measure of faith. They had to accept Moses'
encouragement and wait, wait for the wind, for the blocking of the
Egyptians by the cloud of His Presence, wait for the way to be opened
up, and then move through and keep moving through in faith, even when
the Egyptians began to pursue. We know what happened, of course, and
they greatly rejoiced on the other side. But soon enough they were
failing tests again – ten times (Num.14:22)! We can do better than that
(1Cor.10:1-13; Heb.3:16-19). We are TOLD to do better than that
(1Cor.10:). I praise the Lord that YOU are doing so much better than
that, trusting Him to see you all the way through to the other side of
this test – where we will rejoice together in your spiritual victory.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Hi Bob and family,
I was just wondering, considering the hysteria the CV is causing and remembering
the story of Job, could it be possible that it’s Satan’s work in a ‘softening
up’ strategy to make it easier for him to cause so many to blindly follow him
when the time arrives in such a short time?
I’m sure there’s much more to come after this subsides and the beginning of
Tribulation may largely go unnoticed by so many except to those who are watching
for it. And if there is more to come the next one might not just be the elderly,
it may affect all.
With such a short time before it begins it would be an easy matter for him to
break down society to the point where so many will depart from their true faith
in panic and grab hold of anything held out to them – just a thought Bob.
Keeping it short as I know you’re busy.
Praying that you and yours will stay safe in Him,
As always dear Bob,
Response #16:
Great to hear from you, my friend!
I don't think there's any doubt but that the evil one is involved in
much of the present manipulation of world leaders and "opinion-makers"
on all this. It's all proving that most are already willing to follow
blindly – and that it's not so easy for those who are not to resist or
do anything differently when the whole world is going the other way.
That really is a trend we'll see accelerate in the Tribulation.
I do think you are correct in your analysis of the way the unbelieving
world will react. Believers, however, ought to know better. And it's not
as if the Lord is not going to punctuate the beginning of the
Tribulation with a worldwide warning difficult to ignore (Rev.8:5).
Thanks for those prayers, my friend! Keeping you and yours in mine
daily.
In Jesus our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #17:
Hey Bob,
I graduate ___. I am looking to start up a business of some sort, but am
still working on the details. I am looking into services/trades
businesses because they are not even close to as risky as something like
a tech startup, and require no specialized knowledge. I know our Lord
will work something out.
So the "Flee Babylon" command occurs two months after the beast enters
the darkness. Since our opportunity will come to flee after the beast
enters the darkness is it wrong to prematurely Flee Babylon for Israel
when that fifth bowl judgement hits and in the two months if we can. I
am inclined to think that we should wait until the divine command
officially hits so we can continue to minister in our home country of
Babylon (isn't that an amazing thing!) but I'm not sure.
I hope you are pushing through the final grind. Almost there. I'm hoping
and will be praying that U of L will continue to exist as you said when
we roll into next fall semester. I'm almost positive that schools will
not have in-person classes next year (hide under the bed mentality is
strong with people who need "trigger warnings" to hear the truth) so it
may be hard for the universities without the monster endowments to
survive.
In our Lord and Savior,
Response #17:
Exciting to hear that you are looking to start a business. Times are tough, but
businesses were started during the great depression, so it's not impossible –
nothing is impossible with the Lord if that is what He is leading you to do.
"is it wrong to prematurely Flee Babylon for Israel?" – my application on
this is exactly what yours is, namely, we do what we are told to do WHEN we are
told to do it. We don't ignore the command and we don't anticipate the command.
That would seem to be spiritual prudence.
I'm hearing more and more signs of some universities planning to be open as
normal (or close to it) in the fall, and our president has now said she is
optimistic about it too (though some places are saying the opposite).
There's all kinds of fear. When administrators figure out that no students will
return for a virtual degree (not enough to keep the doors open), they are likely
to get more flexible about this. The places that will suffer the most are the
ones which go virtual when their competition does not. I can tell you from my
own experience and that of colleagues that even though we were very kind and
considerate to our students this semester and many went the extra mile to try
and make the classes as fun and appealing as possible, nevertheless the students
had a very hard time staying engaged – and it got worse as time went on. If that
was true of only six weeks with an end in sight, an entire year of this sort of
thing is going to put the vast majority of students off. Even if we got 50% to
start the fall, I doubt we'd finish the year with much more than 10%. We are a
tuition funded operation (the state has gradually stopped helping), so that
would be disaster. I think our uni president. has figured that out – I sure hope
so.
But of course God has it all figured out. And He is the only One who matters.
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #18:
Hello Dr.,
In your DropBox you should find the following audio file:
The Mystery
Age/Complement, Israel in the Church
Plugging along here. Even though I don’t feel like doing it I’m
beginning the demolition/remodel of our master bathroom this week. We
saved up and purchased the material over the past couple of years and
it’s sitting around waiting to be installed, so....here I go...got to
live today like it is my last and yet still have fifty years to go (even
though I know in my heart I don’t). Not much I can say about our present
situation with this so called “pandemic”, seems like you have heard it
from all sides (judging by the postings over the last few weekends). It
is a good “dry run” for those of us who know what is on the horizon.
Watching what is going on around us now is a pretty good (mild)
indicator of what is to come, keeping in mind that what is to come is
going to be much, much, worse. “Practice makes perfect”.
From the sound of your posting’s it seems like your getting along fine
with your new work from home routine (even though it is not your
“druthers”). I always laugh a little when you refer to not liking being
“inconvenienced” or “uncomfortable”, not laughing at you, but laughing
at the understatement! Thanks' again for all you do. Praying for you
daily.
All the best,
Response #18:
Thanks for the new MP3! Uploaded and working fine.
You are certainly talented, my friend! Personally, it if can't be fixed with a
hammer, WD-40 and a big roll of duct tape, it mostly does NOT get fixed around
here. I do make exceptions for plumbing and electricity – both nice to have (I
guess from what I said you can infer I don't enjoy being without either); and
while I diddle with the former it's only first or second echelon; the latter I
leave to others entirely.
Yes, people never change – unless the Lord changes them when they turn to Him.
It is pretty amazing however how a country which in prior times was known for
"pioneer spirit" and "self-reliance" has been so thoroughly knocked on its
keester by a little bitty bug – and a great deal of largely unwarranted fear.
I'm also amazed – though I certainly shouldn't be – at the incredible arrogance
of seemingly everyone in imagining that we pitiful human beings can "solve the
problem". And I see absolutely no acknowledgment that this is a problem that
only God can solve. Do "we" have a role to play? That is almost always the case
with all problems the Lord lets us grapple with. But if we forget – or fail to
acknowledge at all – that HE is the One who is actually saving us, delivering
us, helping us, we have really missed the boat.
Arrogance is blind, and the not-so-subtle blind arrogance that is oozing forth
from every media outlet and apparently from most of our countrymen too is more
disturbing than the virus and even than the much more damaging hysteria-induced
reactions to it. Fear and arrogance are a highly dangerous and toxic
combination. Instead of examining ourselves and calling upon the Lord to help
us, we are looking for scapegoats and damaging ourselves and the most vulnerable
among us in arrogant group-think self-righteousness. People in that state are
capable of just about anything and it bodes ill for the future. This verse is
coming to mind:
But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
Revelation 9:20 NKJV
All this makes me all the more glad to know stand-up dedicated believers like
yourself who truly do honor the truth and follow the Lord come what may.
Summer routine is starting to fall into place – thanks for your prayers!
Keeping you and your wife in my prayers daily my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #19:
[omitted]
Response #19:
The pressures caused by this present unpleasantness are capable of
getting anyone upset.
But it's very important for believers to remember that none of this is
about how we may feel at any given moment. That is probably more
important for advancing believers because they are the ones who come
under special satanic attack. We are none of us perfect, and we all have
our vulnerabilities which the evil one and his minions know about (by
simple observation over time). Even if we are not at fault, therefore,
it's not a complicated matter for him and his to throw something in our
path which is likely to upset us. If and more when we are hit (we all
get hit), we have to understand what is happening and not overreact to
our natural emotional response to trouble. Some things we may handle
well, but not other things may be tailored to our particular weaknesses.
Elijah had no difficulty hiding out for years alone, no problem trusting
the Lord so as to go to a foreign country and ask the widow for help; he
was strong and courageous in asking for her son to be brought back to
life; he had no qualms about facing down the king who had searched the
world in order to destroy him; and he single-handedly faced down all the
prophets of Baal and their supporters along with the king and his
minions, in total confidence that the Lord would answer his prayers and
produce an astounding miracle – and then bring rain too. But as soon as
he received a threatening letter from Jezebel, he took off running.
That is how life is. None of us is invulnerable from things that may
bother and upset us. When they do, instead of taking off running, we
need to "speak to our hearts" and calm our emotions down (Ps.4:4); and
if they don't calm down, we need to learn to ignore them and focus on
the truth until such time as they do.
We have a problem? OK. The Lord knows we do, doesn't He? He is for us,
isn't He (Rom.8:31)? He didn't bring us here, delivering us out of
Egypt, to no purpose, did He? He didn't lead us to this impassable sea
by accident, did He? Just because we are stuck here at the moment
between that sea and the approaching Egyptian army, He's not going to
let us be destroyed, is He? The fact that He is bringing in a strong
wind we can feel and hear is not something we should miss. And the sea
is parting! It hasn't started to do so so that it will stop, has it? And
now there is a way through! He didn't open it up for no reason, did He?
He's not going to let the waters collapse on us while we are midway
through, is He? He's not going to let the Egyptians catch up to us, is
He? NO! He is going to bring us safely through to the other side even as
those who seek to destroy us are destroyed instead.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
Hebrews 11:29 NKJV
"By faith"! Every step takes faith. At the beginning, in the middle, at
the end – we have to trust Him absolutely. It is all about Him. Our
power is pitifully small. What can we do? Turn one hair white or black?
We can do nothing. He does expect us to act in an appropriate way, but
act in faith. If we are doing that, eventually our emotions will come
around. And we don't have to be ashamed that we have them. We only have
to regret if we follow them. Something inside Elijah told him to run for
it. That was not unreasonable: Jezebel was one of the scariest people to
ever have lived. What was wrong was responding to that fear – instead of
trusting the Lord in spite of it.
Yes, that's it! Keep fighting the fight! "In season and out of season",
that is what the Lord expects us to do. How we feel about it at the
moment is insignificant – as long as those feelings don't keep us from
doing what is right.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #20:
Hello professor,
Would you help me to understand how the system of counting the years
work?
I was trying to count the years from Adam coming up to Abraham, a 2000 +
years, further counting from Abraham, the number even goes higher, but I
read in the books that years were decreasing BC1;so does this math work
? Now we have got another -2000 years again???
Yours in our Lord Jesu.
Response #20:
Good to hear from you, my friend. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by your
question, so I'll do my best here and give you some links – but do feel free to
write back.
There are 2,000 years from the fall to the birth of Abraham; 2,000 from that
point to the birth of Christ; and 2,000 from the cross/resurrection to the
second advent; add 1,000 for the Millennium and you have the whole plan for
human history.
Adding up the numbers from scripture directly is not that easy because there are
a number of points where interpretation has to come in. For one thing, the A.D.
/ B.C. system was not in existence until hundreds of years after the canon was
closed. For another, one has to understand the genealogies correctly and how
they are to be used. Here's the link to where I go through this point by point
and step by step and I would ask you to try and follow along carefully and then
get back to me if there is anything you have questions about (n.b., the
retrogression to Eden occurs after the chart following 'a. The Life of Christ'
and just after 'b. Days 4-3, and 2-1', with "The Jewish Age"; the whole section
is good to read to see how we get there, however):
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #21:
Hi Bob and family,
Well another year has come and it’s nearly over and they seem to be getting
quicker as the day draws closer – and hoping this email finds you and yours all
well.
I have been reading through my article on the Rapture Principle and I have a
question about the 7000 year / 7 days prophecy that I would like to clear up and
be precise about.
In reading my Bible there are certain passages that tells us that a day is as
1000 years and 1000 years is as a day and I understand from that, that we are
almost at the end of the 6th day of human history i.e. Adam to Abraham 2000
years, Abraham to Jesus 2000 years, Jesus to now 2000 years, with the millennium
of 1000 years to come, which is literal time and also prophetic time as in 2 + 2
+ 2 + 1. (I think I am confusing myself!)
It also refers to a day is a year and a year is a day as in the 70 weeks of
Daniel prophecy – 70 weeks being 490 years, 70 x 7.
And also where 42 months is 3.5 years in literal time in other areas.
As I don’t want to be guilty of misleading anyone in the 5th paragraph in my
article, even though it isn’t specifically related to the article, (perhaps it
is) would you be so kind as to tell me how to address this properly in the
article as I feel it is incomplete and should have more.
Again and as always dear Bob, with brotherly love,
Response #21:
You are correct about everything here.
The only clarification I would offer has to do with "It also refers to a
day is a year and a year is a day as in the 70 weeks of Daniel prophecy
– 70 weeks being 490 years, 70 x 7. And also where 42 months is 3.5
years in literal time in other areas." When you say "it also refers to",
these two other prophetic time-related references are not part of the
seven millennial days. Sure, these are integrally related topics and are
usually discussed together, but they each stand and fall on their own.
The other point of relationship is the biblical method of comparing days
to years or years to days, but clearly not in the same way since it's
1,000 to one in the seven days, but one to one in the seven weeks
prophecy.
We are definitely getting closer, and I think that would be obvious to
any godly Christian even without the benefit of these prophecies. Things
surely can't go on like this much longer.
Hope you are well, my friend! Keeping you and your family in my daily
prayers.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #22:
[person considering changing their name]
Response #22:
Here's what I read in scripture:
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
Revelation 2:17 NKJV
Whatever our particulars in this life, it's the next one that counts.
Our Lord will rename us then – based upon how we did down here.
And that is definitely motivation to do well down here in spiritual
terms – and to see things for what they are, especially in these
challenging times.
And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1st Corinthians 9:25 NKJV
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.