{"id":962,"date":"2017-09-20T13:35:11","date_gmt":"2017-09-20T20:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/?p=962"},"modified":"2017-09-20T13:35:11","modified_gmt":"2017-09-20T20:35:11","slug":"the-conclusion-of-this-age-and-the-return-of-our-lord-teaching-notes-from-2-peter-chapter-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/?p=962","title":{"rendered":"The Conclusion Of This Age, and The Return Of Our Lord &#8211; teaching notes from 2 PETER chapter 3"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>This is a loooong post because these are notes from a teaching that encompasses much but clearly not all of the biblical perspective of the return of Jesus. Since it so broad in its text reference, it can be a good source and\/or starting point for one to familiarize themselves with a biblically based point of view on this critical subject.<\/p>\n<p>Much of the underlining and words in bold are for the speaker to not forget to mention. These are speaking notes. Apologies for some of the graphic images not being in this post version.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>WEEK THREE \u2013 2 Peter <\/strong><br \/>\n1&amp;2 PETER \u2013 WEEK THREE \u2013 conclusion<\/p>\n<p><strong>We\u2019re finishing up this evening looking into the third and final chapter of 2 Peter. We have <u>a lot<\/u> of ground to cover, and\/so I will not be reviewing a lot of where we\u2019ve been over the past two sessions. AGAIN \u2013 thank you for the positive feedback.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>ONE MORE THING <\/strong>\u2013 it pretty much would require me going through nearly the ENTIRE BIBLE to fully confirm MY OPINIONS that I will be setting forth tonight \u2013 so I won\u2019t attempt that. People more diligent and studious than myself have taken DECADES to explain their positional opinion re: END TIMES EVENTS. We have two hours or so.<\/p>\n<p>So our two hours (guaranteed longer, actually) are what our two hours will be, <strong>and Lord willing<\/strong>:<br \/>\nA. His Spirit and presence will affirm and confirm at least SOME of what I am bringing forth this evening, and<br \/>\nB. This evening will AT VERY LEAST woo you and maybe drive you into your own depth of analysis of these things, and this time in which we live, and then to settle in your own mind and heart THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS that Peter puts forth in regards to his bringing up this topic:<\/p>\n<p><strong>(AFTER TELLING US THE PLACE IS IN FOR SOME HEAVY WORLDWIDE UPHEAVAL, BY GOD HIMSELF: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>2 Peter 3<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, <strong><u>what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, <\/u><\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em>12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Peter wrote two letters (epistles). This final one mentioned his awareness of his upcoming death <strong>(John 21:18,19) \u2013 and btw this is one of many verses REFERENCED IN THESE NOTES, but not displayed or discussed tonight, for time sake)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Peter took his departure most seriously, understood he\u2019d be at the hands of others, and wrote this letter recognizing <u>that the most critical things wanted to be addressed prior to<\/u> that departure. Those most \u201ccritical things\u201d had to include the return of Jesus \u2013 <strong>the capstone event<\/strong> of the entire plan of God. More is written about His SECOND coming, than His first.<\/p>\n<p>So \u2013 as we read last week &#8211; Peter dealt w:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><u>intentional growing and maturing <\/u>in God, and<\/li>\n<li><u>the need for critical awareness of false teaching;<\/u> and<\/li>\n<li><u>deceptive doctrines<\/u> that would come in church to try to destroy it or erode it to a place of ineffectiveness (sadly, that\u2019s happened way too much \u2013 some will be lightly addressed this evening).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So Peter, in his final writings, addresses culmination events and the conclusion of this age (I will be using the terms \u201cend-times\u201d and \u201cend-of-age\u201d interchangeably, even though TIME will not END when the Lord returns. It\u2019s clear in scripture, especially Zech and Ezek that time continues into the next 1000 year age).<\/p>\n<p><strong>BTW \u2013 if your personal spiritual grid re these issues is not deep and I\u2019ve already brought up things new to you, &#8211; that\u2019s OK it\u2019s good to start somewhere. Part of the reason for people\u2019s curiosity is EXACTLY WHY there\u2019s a shaking work on earth. It is intended to unnerve us all, to get us to ask the \u201cWHY?\u201d questions. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to give a good shot at a broad approach \u2013 and to do so I\u2019ll necessarily be all over the bible because it best testifies to itself and <strong><u>ANY doctrine of accurate teaching<\/u><\/strong> REQUIRES that it withstands the scrutiny of the complete biblical text. This is a litmus test that many doctrines CANNOT withstand \u2013 they collapse in the light of other scriptural truths, and then end up requiring the \u201cget out of jail free card\u201d of: \u201cIT\u2019S A MYSTERY!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There ARE mysteries, and things yet to be revealed. But I am personally convinced that the \u201c<strong>PROPHETIC GIST\u201d<\/strong> of the entire scriptural text appears to weigh heavily in favor of the things I plan to bring forth, and I bring them forth in the fear of God.<\/p>\n<p>Everything we personally don\u2019t understand doesn\u2019t qualify as mysteries. Some of it is our ignorance, and the best counter against ignorance is study. God loves it when you <strong><u>study and pray into His word<\/u><\/strong>. He\u2019s the best teacher.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll address some <strong>INARGUABLES<\/strong> (clearly in scripture), and also touch on some of the <strong>ARGUABLES<\/strong> \u2013 things a good deal of the global church views from different perspectives. MOST IMPORTANTLY is that what we address and look at are biblically based.<\/p>\n<p>ONE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING GOD AND HIS WORD: There are no functional \u201cCLIFF NOTES\u201d or shortcuts to getting the whole picture of the plan of God. There are BOTTOM LINES of conclusion \u2013 but God in His wisdom has purposed His plan and anointed His prophets to set forth His words to <u>require and reward <\/u>humble and diligent and contemplative study and investment of time into His word. IN THAT PLACE, true revelation occurs. It\u2019s the difference between INFORMATION and REVELATION.<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, there\u2019s been erroneous and\/or goofy doctrines brought forth by people\u2019s wild visions and hopeful imaginations that have managed to gain credibility only via a Vita-Mix-event of weird things blended together, always in ignorance or defiance of the full text of the bible. That is a dangerous scenario, and quite frankly something to remember when, TWO HOURS FROM NOW \u2013 I speak about ONE reason I am convinced the seasoned saints will be on earth for the last days harvest: <u>the work of God REQUIRES seasoned saints who have been around the block and immersed into the word, for decades. <\/u><\/p>\n<p>WE DO KNOW THIS: <u>What has to occur will always coordinate w ALL of scripture<\/u> (ISA 28 \u2013 \u201cto whom will He teach knowledge?&#8230;&#8230;line must be upon line and precept upon precept\u201d). It is that glorious assurance that can lead us to accurate interpretation of scripture, and accurate understanding of God\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SO LET\u2019S READ 2 PETER 3. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>PRAY\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em>2 Peter 3:1<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u200b1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of <strong>reminder<\/strong>), <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>WE SEE PETER CONSIDERS THIS A CRITICAL MATTER \u2013 doesn\u2019t want the saints to ever forget it. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>And we can see Peter\u2019s differentiation of the OT writers (PROPHETS) and the NT writers (APOSTLES),<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, <\/em><\/p>\n<p>SO PETER TELLS US WHAT HE IS REVEALING IS WHAT THE EARLIER (OT) PROPHETS WROTE ABOUT \u2013 IT IS NOT A NEW THING. THEN PETER <strong>PRIORITIZES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECEPTION AND DANGER OF FAR-FLINGING THE RETURN OF CHRIST INTO THE WAY, WAY FUTURE<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><em>3 <strong><u>knowing this first:<\/u><\/strong> that scoffers will come in<strong> the last days<\/strong>, walking according to their own lusts, <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>4 and saying, \u201cWhere is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Sadly, ones falsely predicting the return of Christ \u2013 either too early or too late &#8211; lend credibility to the conception of \u201cHERE WE GO AGAIN\u201d \u2013 when another group of believers puts forth some loud proclamation of upcoming prophetic events \u2013 only to be proven wrong.<\/p>\n<p>WE\u2019RE IN ONE OF THOSE PERIODS RIGHT NOW:<\/p>\n<p><strong>(SLIDE: FOXNEWS PIC AND ARTICLE \u2013 9.17.17)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We have some dear and beloved brethren who I believe are sincere, who I also humbly believe have CORRECTLY recognized there\u2019s some serious stuff happening in alarming frequency, but then have reached the INCORRECT conclusion that all this points to the RAPTURE (the lifting up and exit) of the Church and the beginning of the trouble and wrath of God. Some go so far as to think Jesus is coming back <strong>Sept 23<\/strong>. As a reference: today is Sept 20. Whether they are right or I am right in saying they aren\u2019t right, will be known in 3 days.<\/p>\n<p>MY STATEMENT OF FAITH RE SEPT 23 \u2013<\/p>\n<p>Jesus is not coming back Sept 23, nor is the church getting raptured upward into heaven &#8211; we\u2019ll deal w this as the evening goes on.<br \/>\nMeanwhile, I <u>don\u2019t believe they\u2019re wrong in their AWARENESS<\/u>. But I do believe they are <u>wrong in their CONCLUSION<\/u>.<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, once all the noise and proclamations are over and Sept 23 comes and goes, it will do damage to the credibility of scripture and it may discourage many sincere saints who will think \u201cNOW who can I trust?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>BACK TO PETER: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Peter goes on to equate the return \u2013 with its judgmental destruction \u2013 compared to the Flood of Noah and its with its judgmental destruction. Immediately we are assured this is not simply the King coming back for His Kingdom, and His wedding to His Bride\/Church. There will be warfare waged against wickedness.<\/p>\n<p><em>5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, <\/em><br \/>\n<em>6 by which the world that then existed <strong><u>perished, being flooded with water<\/u>.<\/strong> <\/em><br \/>\n<em>7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word,<strong><u> are reserved for fire <\/u><\/strong><u>until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.<\/u>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p>FIRST &#8211; Verse 7 ought to bury the concept of Jesus simply coming back for a world that has been successfully evangelized by the zealous church (a different-than-pre-trib-rapture doctrine but also very popular, conference-filling doctrine AT LEAST in the Western Church bubble).<\/p>\n<p>NOTE: Many of the doctrines of the Western Church don\u2019t hold up well in other parts of the world, where saints are already being martyred in unprecedented numbers. THOSE FOLKS don\u2019t buy into the Kingdom of God taking over the world and then handing it back to Jesus, on a platter, when He returns, nor are they convinced the tough stuff happened in 70AD. Reality has opened the scriptures to our suffering brethren as to how this world looks to be wrapping up this age. And that aligns w biblical text.<\/p>\n<p>SECOND \u2013 we see that the culmination of the TIMES OF TROUBLE are actually followed by DAYS OF WRATH for the ones who still refused to repent of their ways during the TIMES OF TROUBLE.<\/p>\n<p>I DO BELIEVE the saints are delivered from <strong>\u201cthe wrath to come\u201d (1 Thess 1:10)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>NEXT VERSE can be controversial \u2013 although I think that its place in this writing supports my opinion re it being a TIMING HINT as to the conclusion of the age:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><u>8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, <\/u><\/em><\/strong><em>that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>AN ARGUABLE<\/strong> \u2013 YOU MAY NOT AGREE W MY OPINION HERE &#8211; I am inclined to believe what many Jewish theologians believe, along w many Christian theologians \u2013 that God\u2019s spectacular plan of redemption and return-to-holiness for the Creation is based around a 7 \u201cDAY\u201d plan equating to 7 millennial \u201cYEARS\u201d \u2013 which, if this is the case, would put us, right now, startlingly close to His return, as the Jewish calendar has us around 5778 right now (Rosh Hashanah \u2013 NEW YEAR 5778 \u2013 coming up in a few short days).<\/p>\n<p><strong>IF<\/strong> the 7-millennium formula equates to SEVEN 1000-year epochs, suddenly the description in Revelation 20 of a 1000 year reign of Christ, after His return, makes more sense \u2013 it would represent the 7<sup>th<\/sup> DAY, the day of rest, the SHABBAT day, and the 6 days prior would be the <strong>days of man<\/strong> governing earth (and having done a lousy job \u2013 which dovetails into the <strong>crushing and collapsing governmental imagery of Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s statue (SLIDE PLEASE) in Daniel 2 \u2013 which is regarded by many as the MOTHER OF ALL PROPHECY<\/strong> as it illuminates the dilemma of man\u2019s leadership and then the victory and reign of God\u2019s leadership).<\/p>\n<p>IF YOU DON\u2019T AGREE W THIS 7-millennium THEORY, that\u2019s your choice. I don\u2019t know that there\u2019s tons of additional proof-text to argue this one incessantly. I do believe, however, that there are too many OTHER SIGNIFICANT MARKER events that have occurred and <u>are occurring right now w increased frequency<\/u>, for us to blow off the imminent return of our Lord \u2013 and the clear fact that the ESCHATOLOGICAL POT is beginning to come to a boil.<\/p>\n<p>PETER explains God\u2019s longsuffering w mankind, God Himself recognizing the stubbornness of mankind, the plight of society, and the fullness of His plan.<br \/>\n<em>BACK TO PETER \u2013 looking at 8 and 9 again:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><em>9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us<u>, not willing that any should perish<\/u> but that all should come to repentance.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I CONTEND THIS IS <strong>AN IMPORTANT INARGUABLE<\/strong>: \u201cNOT WILLING <strong><u>THAT ANY <\/u><\/strong>SHOULD PERISH\u201d flies in the face of <u>pre-destination (Calvinism) <\/u>which would want us to believe that all people are on their way to hell and God chooses some to save \u2013 while He chooses to not save MLST. That\u2019s a hard message to believe when you read:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>1 Timothy 2:3-4<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>4 who <strong><u>desires all men to be saved<\/u><\/strong> and to come to the knowledge of the truth<\/em><\/p>\n<p>AND HOW IS THIS EXTREME EXAMPLE explained \u2013 if not that God\u2019s will for the hypocritical priests was salvation \u2013 but they chose otherwise \u2013 demonstrating complete free will:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Luke 7:30<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>And If we\u2019re told to redeem the time (Eph 5:16) &#8211; BUT if God already purposed that most all people definitely will NOT get saved \u2013 then why would Jesus tell us this:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Mark 16:15<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>15 And He said to them, \u201cGo into <strong>all the world<\/strong> and <strong>preach the gospel to every creature<\/strong>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>AND \u2013 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Isaiah 55:1<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u200b1 \u201cHo! <strong><u>Everyone <\/u><\/strong><u>who thirsts, Come to the waters;<\/u><\/p>\n<p>BACK TO PETER \u2013 so although God\u2019s will is for none to perish \u2013 we know, historically as well as currently by the increase of evil upon the earth \u2013 mankind (how ironic: KIND) will continue to exercise his free will to be stubborn and rebellious, eventually bringing destruction upon himself by refusing to repent.<\/p>\n<p>AND MEANWHILE, while we\u2019re here in troubling times, we would do well to not despise people, but to understand much of their acting-out is out of frustration \u2013 but God wants them to be saved \u2013 and that is WHY WE ARE HERE \u2013 to tell them the good news of SALVATION.<\/p>\n<p>It is man\u2019s stubbornness that necessitates the severity of trouble as we approach the conclusion of this age.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWHY ALL THE TROUBLE?\u201d <\/strong>is a valid question.<\/p>\n<p>WHY does the conclusion of this age have to end w SO MUCH trouble?<\/p>\n<p>Trouble and troubling times, undesired as they are, aligns w the fullness of scripture re the last days of this age.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The word <strong>\u201cTRIBULATION\u201d<\/strong> sounds very bible-y, and it is. It means <strong>\u201cTROUBLING\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>TROUBULATION.<\/p>\n<p>Someone asked me yesterday, as we discussed the latest 7-point Mexico earthquake: <strong>\u201cWHY MUST WE HAVE ALL THIS TROUBLE?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The answer is a hard one to embrace, and yet simple:<br \/>\nMOST OF THE TIME, MOST OF THE PEOPLE, don\u2019t come to God unless and until there\u2019s trouble, and unless and until that trouble affects them. The entirety of scripture in both testaments, testifies to this sad truth.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s Isaiah speaking of God\u2019s covenant people, the Jewish nation:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Isaiah 26:16<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>16 Lord, in trouble they have visited You,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the psalmist recounting the history of Israel:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Psalms 78:34<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And they returned and sought earnestly for God.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>And lest you think it\u2019s simply the stubborn Jews, here\u2019s John on Patmos, at the conclusion of the New Testament, declaring that AFTER the judgments of God occur on the whole earth, finally there\u2019s been established an atmosphere for surviving men (of all nations) to exercise the WISDOM of fearing the Lord:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Revelation 15:3-4<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>\u201cGreat and marvelous are Your works,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Lord God Almighty!<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Just and true are Your ways,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> O King of the saints! <\/em><br \/>\n<em>4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?<\/em><br \/>\n<em> For You alone are holy.<\/em><br \/>\n<strong><em><u> For all nations shall come and worship before You,<\/u><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em><u> For Your judgments have been manifested.\u201d<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you need to see whether ALL men finally come to God after His judgments on earth, you can look into<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rev 9<\/strong>:<br \/>\n<em><u>20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, <strong>did not repent <\/strong>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. <\/u><\/em><br \/>\n<em><u>21 And they <strong>did not repen<\/strong>t of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So hopefully we have a little bit of a perspective into the troubling season at the end of this age \u2013 days I am inclined to believe are upon us, in their beginning stages. THAT might be an <strong>ARGUABLE<\/strong> to you, and if so, then at least let\u2019s not argue that these are <strong>some kind of troubling days<\/strong>, whether or not you think they are the age-conclusive troubling days. History has shown us that troubling times, throughout all epochs, have been times of revival, because men come to God when there\u2019s trouble. THAT is <strong>INARGUABLE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>BACK TO PETE &#8211; NOW WE SEE PETER SPEAKING OF YOM YAHWEH &#8211; The Day of the Lord \u2013 He is wrapping his prophetic verses around those conclusive days of this age, prior to the return of Messiah \u2013 days referred to biblically as \u201cthe day of the Lord\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>3 Peter<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>10 But the <u>day of the Lord<\/u> will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cLIKE A THIEF\u201d means SURPRISE and UNEXPECTED. \u201cWITH A GREAT NOISE\u201d means it won\u2019t be missed. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>IT IS HERE THAT PETER ASKS THE SAINTS <strong><u>THE BIG QUESTION TO ALL OF US WHO WOULD CARE TO READ THIS<\/u><\/strong><u>: <\/u><\/p>\n<p><em>11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, <strong><u>what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, <\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? <\/em><\/p>\n<p>The \u201cnevertheless\u201d in verse 13 below speaks to saints looking BEYOND the troubles and destructions of the end-times events, understanding that WHAT COMES AFTERWARD far exceeds, in glory and reward) the troubles of those troubling \u201ctribulating\u201d times. (Paul \u2013 I Cor \u2013 \u201c..our light affliction&#8230;.\u201d)<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>2 Peter 3<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>SAINTS v SINNER OPPOSITE OUTLOOKS: Amazing is to look into Isaiah 30 \u2013 which speaks to the <strong>warfare-significance of prophetic worship<\/strong>, and supports the <strong>stark contrast<\/strong> between the attitudes of the <strong>prepared and praying<\/strong> saints and the situations occurring on earth to shake up <strong>sinful mankind<\/strong> \u2013 situations that have NOT YET occurred, so we know they will occur. The <strong>rebellious and unprepared<\/strong> will be in a state of panic (men\u2019s hearts failing \u2013 Luke 21) and meanwhile many of the saints, will be understanding their calling, as well as the approaching deliverance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cHHY\u201d = HASN\u2019T HAPPENED YET <\/strong>\u2013 this fits into the truth of the Sermon on the Mount \u2013 <strong>an INARGUABLE<\/strong> Jesus message \u2013 which we will look at as our next verse.<\/p>\n<p>ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING END-TIMES FULL-FILLMENT OF ALL THINGS \u2013 Jesus sets forth a pre-emptive strike against a doctrine that sadly permeates much of the Church in our days \u2013 teaching that the toughest of times can be checked off <u>as having occurred during 70AD <\/u>and into the following century under Roman rule over, and destruction of, Jerusalem. Those believing that teach and preach the \u201ctough stuff is done\u201d &#8211; fulfilling ALL of the OT prophecies of trouble. Problem is, that is not even historically accurate.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what Jesus said NOT TO THINK:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Matthew 5:17-18<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>17 <strong><u>\u201cDo not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.<\/u><\/strong> I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>KEY TO SOBER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FULL-FILLMENT REQUIREMENT:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, <u>one jot or one tittle<\/u> will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Jesus FULFILLED the requirements of ordinances contained in the Mosaic covenant. He did so that there might be a doorway into holiness and holy-acceptance (by God) so that \u201cwhosoever will\u201d may come, in faith, into His presence and walk in His ways \u2013 that is for both Jews and Gentiles WHOSOEVER WILL means WHOEVER WANTS TO, CAN.<\/p>\n<p>THAT is the worldwide salvation plan. But Jesus says \u2013 <strong>DON\u2019T think I came to destroy what the Jewish prophets wrote, and what the Jewish law clearly lays out as forthcoming<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus uses the Greek word \u201cnomos\u201d (Greek: \u201cLAW\u201d) when He said \u201cLAW and PROHPETS\u201d.<br \/>\nPaul also used \u201cnomos\u201d in Corinthians to describe what was written by Isaiah in chapter 28 \u2013 clearly confirming that <strong><u>all of the writings of the Old Testament, the Jewish scriptures, are \u201claw\u201d<\/u>.<\/strong> OUR problem is that the word LAW is viewed by us to be restrictions. The biblical context of LAW would better to be understood as \u201choly instructions of God so that we might live successfully\u201d.<br \/>\nJames in fact calls the NEW TESTAMENT way the <strong>\u201cLAW OF LIBERTY\u201d<\/strong> (James 1:25 and 2:12).<\/p>\n<p>If we recognize the eternal validity of ALL the word of God, and the fact that our enemy tries to sabotage EVERYTHING, it suddenly blows away lots of the clouds of confusion \u2013 including end-times predictions, and the message gets clearer.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>(ALL THE WAY DOWN TO &#8220;TOPHET&#8221; NOT DISCUSSED BUT LEFT IN NOTES FOR ON-YOUR-OWN STUDY, LATER, IF YOU LIKE):<br \/>\n<\/u><\/strong>ISAIAH 30 and the CONTRAST BETWEEN TWO GROUPS during tough times \u2013 much of which Isaiah is speaking clearly pertains to yet-to-occur events \u2013 so take this as a contrast between SAINTS ON EARTH and STUBBORN, NON-REPENTANT SINNERS ON EARTH, around the time of our Messiah\u2019s return.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Isaiah 30:27-33<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>GROUP ONE: Here\u2019s what applies to those bent on wickedness (this is the group that won\u2019t repent, try as God might, to get their attention): <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>27 Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Burning with His anger,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And His burden is heavy;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> His lips are full of indignation,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And His tongue like a devouring fire. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>28 His breath is like an overflowing stream,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Which reaches up to the neck,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> To sift the nations with the sieve of futility;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Causing them to err. <\/em> (because they had reached the point of no-return \u2013 like most people in the days of Noah)<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>GROUP TWO: MEANWHILE here\u2019s what applies to the ones who know their God<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>29 You shall have a song<\/em><br \/>\n<em> As in the night when a holy festival is kept,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> To come into the mountain of the Lord,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> To the Mighty One of Israel. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>30 The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And show the descent of His arm,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> With the indignation of His anger<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And the flame of a devouring fire,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> With scattering, tempest, and hailstones. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>HERE\u2019S GOD\u2019S DESTRUCTIVE JUDGMENT WORK<\/p>\n<p><em>31 For through the voice of the Lord<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Assyria will be beaten down,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> As He strikes with the rod. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>AND HERE\u2019S THE REDEEMED ARMY OF GOD (w their flutes) participating in the area of <strong><u>prophetic worship<\/u><\/strong>:<br \/>\n<em>32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Which the Lord lays on him,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> It will be with tambourines and harps;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>strong>TOPHET \u2013 where\u2019s that?<br \/>\n<em>33 For Tophet was established of old,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Yes, for the king it is prepared.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> He has made it deep and large;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Its pyre is fire with much wood;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Kindles it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>TOPHET outside of Jerusalem \u2013 w varying names over the millenniums \u2013 here we\u2019re clearly told Tophet = Hinnom: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>(The Jews, in their darkest days, offered sacrifices of innocent children in this valley \u2013 not unlike our legalized sacrifice of the young innocent, btw)<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Jeremiah 7:31-33<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>32 \u201cTherefore behold, the days are coming,\u201d says the Lord, \u201cwhen it will no more be called <strong><u>Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom,<\/u><\/strong> but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room. 33 The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>God is saying <u>other people<\/u> (the guilty) will be buried in the <strong><u>valley of judgment<\/u><\/strong>, as a redemptive work. Where else is that found in scripture? In Psalm 110 \u2013 which is quoted innumerable times in the NT.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Psalms 110<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\nHERE\u2019S WHAT SURE LOOKS LIKE REFERENCE TO HINNOM\/TOPHET<br \/>\n<em>5 The Lord is at Your right hand;<\/em><br \/>\n<strong><em> He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. <\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>6 He shall judge among the nations,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> He shall fill the places with dead bodies,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> He shall execute the heads of many countries. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>There is much in scripture pointing to a conclusive end-times battle between good and evil, both on earth (Ezek 38, Zech 14) and also in the heavenly realms (Rev 12:7, Dan 12:1).<\/strong> Men will be there for this battle.<\/p>\n<p>QUES: Is it orchestrated by evil people?<br \/>\nNo, it is orchestrated <strong>by God Himself<\/strong>, because the time has come to judge the earth:<\/p>\n<p>EZEKIEL REVEALS IT THIS WAY (don\u2019t trip over the names GOG and MAGOG \u2013 Magog and in fact other regions and people groups as mentioned in Ezek are also mentioned in the dispersion account after the Flood of Noah \u2013 and the names Gog and Magog appear again at the end of the next millennium (Rev 20). Although there\u2019s <strong>(AN ARGUABLE)<\/strong> speculation as to just which evil nations these names represent, it\u2019s clear you don\u2019t want a t-shirt designating your alignment w the GOG or MAGOG team. <strong>SIMPLE &#8211; GOD: GOOD. MAGOG: BAD.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ezekiel tells us:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Ezekiel 38:1-8 <\/em> (I am skipping over verses only for time-sake)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u200b1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>2 \u201cSon of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>3 and say, \u201cThus says the Lord God: \u2018Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>4 <strong><u>I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws,<\/u><\/strong><\/em> (a phrase likening to how the Babylonians dragged off the Israelites into captivity, many to their destruction)<em> and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>(SOME NATIONS WHOSE NAMES WE KNOW)<\/p>\n<p><em>5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops\u2014many people are with you.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>7 \u201cPrepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, <strong><u>which had long been desolate<\/u><\/strong>; ( A RE-ESTABISHED ISRAEL \u2013 when might that be?) they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><br \/>\n<strong><em>EZEK 38: 14-16 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>14 \u201cTherefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, \u201cThus says the Lord God: \u201cOn that day when My people Israel dwell safely<\/em> <strong><u>(DANIEL TELLS US THOSE WILL BE DAYS OF FALSE PEACE IN ISRAEL (obviously NOT YET \u2013 HHY \u2013 when most of Israel is duped into thinking the Anti-Christ is their friend and ally, and has accomplished \u201cWorld Peace\u201d \u2013 buy your CO-EXIST bumper stickers \u2013 they\u2019ll work for just a few short years),<\/u><\/strong> <em>will you not know it? <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>15 Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you <strong>and many peoples with you<\/strong>, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><u>So we see God Himself is SOVEREIGNLY orchestrating the end-times plans<\/u>, so that all that has been written will occur. Every jot and tittle will be fulfilled.<\/p>\n<p>This is what Peter is talking about.<br \/>\nThis is why Peter, in 1 Peter 1:10-12, told us this about the OLD TESTAMENT prophets who wanted to know what the Spirit of God was meaning when they were moved to write about many mysterious things:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>1 Peter 1:12<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>12 To them it was revealed that, <strong><u>not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you t<\/u><\/strong>hrough those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven\u2014things which angels desire to look into.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>What we are seeing, I believe in many ways ignited by the fuse of Israel\u2019s <strong>NATION BIRTHED IN A DAY <\/strong>prophetic fulfillment (1947) is the setting of the stage for the culmination of end-of-age events.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Isaiah 66:8<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>8 Who has heard such a thing?<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Who has seen such things?<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?<\/em><br \/>\n<em> <strong><u>Or shall a nation be born at once?<\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Jesus told His disciples this when asked about His return (wildly, the scriptures \u2013 and I believe the purposely anointed FORMAT of the questions of the disciples) set the stage for a magical-mystery question that had <strong>SOME<\/strong> fulfillment in 70 AD w the destruction of the temple, but clearly f<strong>ailed to fill all<\/strong> the requirements of FULL-fillment. THEREFORE: Stay tuned.<\/p>\n<p>SAYS OUR LORD:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Matthew 24:3-14<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, \u201cTell us, <\/em><br \/>\n<em>(A) when will these things be? And <\/em><br \/>\n<em>(B) what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?\u201d<\/em><br \/>\n<em>4 And Jesus answered and said to them: \u201cTake heed that no one deceives you. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>5 For many will come in My name, saying, \u2018I am the Christ,\u2019 and will deceive many. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. DIDN\u2019T HAPPEN 70 AD<\/em><br \/>\n<em>8 <strong><u>All these are the beginning of sorrows.<\/u><\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em>9 \u201cThen they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name&#8217;s sake. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (DIDN\u2019T HAPPEN 70 AD) as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. <\/em>(THAT DIDN\u2019T OCCUR IN 70 AD)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong><em>Matthew 24:15-31<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>15 \u201cTherefore when you see the \u2018abomination of desolation,\u2019 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place\u201d (whoever reads, let him understand), <\/em><br \/>\n<em>16 \u201cthen let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.<br \/>\n<\/em><em>18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! <\/em><br \/>\n<em>20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>21 For then there will <u>be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world<\/u> until this time, no, nor ever shall be. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>(JESUS COORDINATES W DANIEL SPEAKING OF LAST DAYS): <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Daniel 12:1-2<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>\u200b1 \u201cAt that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And there shall be a time of trouble,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> <strong><u>Such as never was since there was a nation,<\/u><\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<strong><em><u> Even to that time.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em><u> And at that time your people shall be delivered,<\/u><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><em><u> Every one who is found written in the book. <\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>(ascribing THIS to 70 AD troubles is faulty, because there <u>was no deliverance of Israel<\/u>. It was the beginning of the downfall of Israel. And no book (of life) was opened \u2013 nor was their mass resurrections).<\/p>\n<p><em>2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Some to everlasting life,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Some to shame and everlasting contempt.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>BACK TO MATTHEW<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>HERE\u2019S ONE ENORMOUS ESCHATOLOGICAL WORD: <strong>\u201cIMMEDIATELY\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>29 \u201c<strong>Immediately<\/strong> (\u201cEUTHEOS\u201d) after the tribulation of those days <strong><u>(HEAVENLY SIGNS WILL OCCUR)<\/u><\/strong><\/em><br \/>\n<em> the sun will be darkened, and<\/em><br \/>\n<em> the moon will not give its light;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> the stars will fall from heaven, and<\/em><br \/>\n<em> the powers of the heavens will be shaken. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u00a0<\/em><br \/>\n<em>30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>THAT is what Peter is alluding to at the end of this second and last letter \u2013 the violent, all-eyes-shall-see-Him, in-the-clouds return of Jesus. I see nothing secretive about this. I read of trumpets in the book of Rev \u2013 they are ALWAYS intended to be heard.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To the point of the actual return \u2013 and it NOT ONLY being some OT \u201cangry God, pre-Jesus\u201d kinda thing \u2013 Paul speaks to the troubles of the saints on earth in those yet-to-occur days and confirms the geo-political, anti-God climate on earth:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>2 Thessalonians 1:7-10<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>7 and to give you who are troubled (TRIBULATED) rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, <\/em><br \/>\n<em>8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, <\/em><br \/>\n<em>10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>BACK TO 2 Peter 3<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; <\/em><\/p>\n<p>THEN THE WARNING ABOUT MESSING AROUND W THE SCRIPTURES, WHETHER IN IGNORANCE OR WORSE YET, W FAULTY RELIGIOUS AGENDA (which motivated many false prophets in both testaments \u2013 many of which sealed their own fates and were destroyed)<\/p>\n<p><em>15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation\u2014as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; <\/em><br \/>\n<em>18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. <\/em><br \/>\n<em> To Him be the glory both now and forever. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So we\u2019re told, in the midst of the ongoing and increasing troubles on earth, we\u2019re invited into <strong>intimacy and knowledge and Spirit-led relationship<\/strong> by a God who is not kidding around, <strong>not NOT<\/strong> coming back, and planning to rescue and redeem those who are His, and punish those who, even after the most increasing troubles, still refuse to come to Him, will only be worthy of destruction.<\/p>\n<p>I did not write the bible. I don\u2019t dare alter what it says. If I had written some religious book, it would have been a lie, but it would have at least APPEARED EASIER TO COMPLY WITH. That, in fact, is why so many false religions, and dead churchianity, thrives \u2013 because God\u2019s ways are His ways \u2013 honorable but not easy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>BACK TO MATTHEW 24<\/strong> for a moment:<\/p>\n<p><em>29 <strong>\u201cImmediately<\/strong> (\u201cEUTHEOS\u201d) after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>What we see here is Jesus pointing to signs in the sky. Solar and lunar eclipses have consistently been used by God to speak to the world. Constellational alignments are alignments of His stars. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>ALWAYS BEEN TROUBLE &#8211; Of course there\u2019s been troubling times throughout most all the ages, and long seasons of peace on earth have been rare, but we are witnessing, and living in, a world of increased violence, decay of social mores, and day by day natural disasters. Riots, earthquakes, storms \u201cof biblical proportions\u201d, nations crumbling (including ours), corruption more rampant, signs in the heavens.<\/p>\n<p>DOES GOD SPEAK TO US THROUGH NATURAL DISASTERS AND SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Genesis 1:14<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Then God said, \u201cLet there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for <strong><u>signs and seasons<\/u><\/strong>, (AS WELL AS) and for days and years;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>THIS OT prophecy, below is quoted by PETER in the books of Acts, to explain the AGE between the FIRST appearance of the Messiah, and the second appearance.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Joel 2:28-32<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>28 \u201cAnd it shall come to pass afterward<\/em><br \/>\n<em> That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Your old men shall dream dreams,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Your young men shall see visions. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants<\/em><br \/>\n<em> I will pour out My Spirit in those days. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>THE PROMISE OF HEAVENLY SIGNS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>30 \u201cAnd I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> And the moon into blood,<\/em><br \/>\n<strong> SPECIFICALLY WHEN?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><u>Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. <\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>THE SALVATION PLAN OPEN TO ALL, ESPECIALLY DURING THOSE \u201cTIMES OF TROUBLING SIGNS)<br \/>\n<em>32 And it shall come to pass<\/em><br \/>\n<em> That whoever calls on the name of the Lord<\/em><br \/>\n<em> Shall be saved.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,<\/em><\/p>\n<p>There is so much more to discuss and look into \u2013 all of it clearly pointing to the <strong>INARGUABLES<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There\u2019s a God who has a plan to come back and straighten things out \u2013 testing, trying and refining HIS PEOPLE through troubles and struggles (Ps 66, Zeph 3) and then rescuing His people and also addressing all who live in wickedness, and in fact all who are on the face of the earth, even the \u201cgood ones\u201d who don\u2019t rob banks or kill people. He is dealing w each and every man. ALL MEN EVERYWHERE need to be saved. That is the gospel message. Paul, the author of so much grace, said he warned every man (Col 1:28)<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>\u201cPROPHETIC GIST\u201d<\/strong> of all these verses, and more, points to the most troublesome times ever, not to be confused or falsely-hoped-for as having happened in the past, so that we might now happily float down the Christian river of life \u2013 which is very popular in churches in SOME places in the world, in countries still, sort of, in the \u201cbubble of safety\u201d \u2013 a bubble that is quickly popping. We have seen, increasingly, the bubble in fact is delusional.<\/li>\n<li>God has used in the past, and continues to use, the wickedness of the world for His redemptive purposes. Crazy as that seems, it\u2019s scriptural. He told covenant-Israel that He\u2019d bring upon them \u201cthe worst of the Gentiles\u201d (Ezek 7:24). We are seeing that happen now \u2013 generally evil governments and often nearly-totally evil nations. Zech 5 tells us that \u201cwickedness\u201d was being moved by angelic creatures to Shinar (Iraq &#8211; Erech (Uruk) until a time of her release \u2013 a set time when wickedness will be released on the earth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The world is increasingly terrorized by terror from North Korea, in the Middle East, in Europe. Likely coming to your city, shortly. I was in NYC 9\/11\/2001. There was more than an attack against two buildings. They were a SHOT ACROSS THE BOW OF PRIDE, OF OUR NATION. GOD IS waking us up (He has done that and will do that Isa 45:7)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The nations raging against Israel, increasingly, is not only a sign of OUR time, it is a sign of the END of time of this age. Read Ezek 39 to see how many revelations come to <strong>both<\/strong> the surviving world powers and also to Israel, as to why certain things have happened. God is not fooling around. But it will make sense eventually, to all, and what is preached contrary to biblical truth and biblical \u201cprocedure\u201d will be burnt away by the fire of God\u2019s word.<\/li>\n<li>America \u2013 named after Amerigo Vespucci whose name MAY have prophetically been derived from the Hebrew word \u201cAM\u201d which means \u201cPEOPLES\u201d \u2013 The United States of Peoples\u201d is slowly unraveling, becoming more and more fractured and dis-united, because <strong><u>we are a COVENANT nation<\/u><\/strong> (since 1620 \u2013 before we were officially a nation) and God takes covenant seriously (Amos 3:1-3), and deals w us as a poster child, in many ways like He deals w the Jewish people (AND about half of all Jews live in America \u2013 but that\u2019s another story).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>AMOS 3:1-3 \u2013 You only have I known\u2026\u2026therefore I will judge you\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n<p>We know there will be people on earth, prior to the appearance of the Lord, who will be doing all they can to maintain a \u201cSEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Matthew 24:38-39<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, <\/em><br \/>\n<em>39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>AND THEN THE QUESTION STARES AT US:<br \/>\n<\/strong>Are we simply just another generation who can ASSUME the return of the Lord will be waaaay down the eschatological road, and NOT in our day?<\/p>\n<p>God is the one who has proven to utilize signs and wonders and dating and years and specific Jubilees (50 years periods) for some enormous events focused around Israel (especially), but also all the world.<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah reveals eternal truth this way:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Jeremiah 9:24-26<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>24 But let him who glories glory in this,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> That he understands and knows Me,<\/em><br \/>\n<em> That I am the Lord, exercising (CONTINUOUSLY throughout time) lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> For in these I delight,\u201d says the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>ABOVE AND BEYOND THE \u201cALWAYS\u201d of v 24<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>25 \u201cBehold, the <strong><u>days are coming<\/u><\/strong>,\u201d says the Lord, \u201cthat I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised\u2014 <\/em><br \/>\n<em>26 Egypt, <strong>Judah<\/strong>, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and <u>all who are in the farthest corners<\/u>, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\nHere\u2019s SOME events that have occurred in recent history that might assist us in understanding the TIMING OF GOD \u2013 which is yet ANOTHER topic of biblical significance to give us some understanding and awareness of times and seasons:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1<sup>st<\/sup> Zionist National Congress to establish the state of Israel \u2013 1897 + 120 (a significant biblical #)= 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_Zionist_Congress\"><strong>https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_Zionist_Congress<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Balfour Doctrine \u2013 Nov 1917 + 100 (a significant biblical # and a Jubilee year) = 2017<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cHis Majesty&#8217;s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object,\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Balfour_Declaration\"><strong>https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Balfour_Declaration<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>UN Resolution 181 to create the state of Israel: 1947 + 70 (70 being a significant biblical #) = 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/United-Nations-Resolution-181\"><strong>https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/United-Nations-Resolution-181<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jerusalem restored to Israel (6 days war started by the Arab nations): 1967 (a Jubilee + 50 \u2013 THE Jubilee #) = 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2017 is a JUBILEE YEAR, as was 1967, as was 1917<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishpress.com\/indepth\/columns\/firstonethrough\/here-in-united-jerusalems-jubilee-year\/2017\/04\/09\/\"><strong>http:\/\/www.jewishpress.com\/indepth\/columns\/firstonethrough\/here-in-united-jerusalems-jubilee-year\/2017\/04\/09\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>There\u2019s lots more as well, some of which I have not researched to confirm \u2013 so I won\u2019t speak to those things.<\/p>\n<p>LIKE: The great American Eclipse was 8\/21\/17, 33 days from the Rev 12 sign \u2013 33 is a strong biblical number \u2013 Jesus gave his life in His 33<sup>rd<\/sup> year. The 8\/21\/17 eclipse will be followed in SEVEN years, by another, and those two eclipses will intersect at a location in Illinois referred to as \u201cLittle Egypt\u201d \u2013 Egypt is the poster-child for national judgment. (Nineveh is believed, in part, to have repented because they had recently experienced a complete solar eclipse and took that as a sign of God\u2019s impending judgment \u2013 Walvoord)<\/p>\n<p><strong>To further frustrate us<\/strong> &#8211; there\u2019s internet articles declaring the Sept 23 SIGN as a SIGN indeed, but a FALSE sign \u2013 to test the hearts and minds of the people of God (as to whether we will worship SIGNS more than whether we will worship GOD). Personally I don\u2019t see anywhere in scripture where Satan had any say in constellational alignments. Those same websites point to 2018 as a significant prophetic year, and remind us that the completion of the Israel-establishment was 1948 and not 1947.<br \/>\n<strong>SO WHAT IS ONE TO DO????<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And to be fair and offer some \u201cequal time\u201d to the pre-trib rapture folks, they point to other numbers as being significant in leading them to a STRONG\u2019S CONCORDANCE #726 as being the number for the word: HARPAZO which means \u201ccaught up\u201d \u2013 which is where we get the term \u201cRAPTURE\u201d and they feel that the # of days between the last blood moon 9\/26\/15 (always taken as a heavenly sign) and 9\/23\/17 Rev 12 sign means the church gets raptured next week. THAT we will know soon enough. For a multitude of reasons, I personally don\u2019t support that theory \u2013 ALTHOUGH I\u2019D BE HAPPY TO BE PROVEN WRONG.<\/p>\n<p>Beam me up, Scotty.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US RIGHT NOW? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If Peter\u2019s 1000 year \u201chint\u201d is a prophetic marker, one would be led to believe it would be AROUND the year 6000 that our Lord would return and conclude the SIX DAYS of man making a mess out of ruling the earth.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>A FAIR QUES: <\/strong>Will MORE be in place, geo-politically, numerically, and natural \u2013disaster-wise, than what is happening right now in this time and season?<\/p>\n<p>Can we perhaps at least agree that 2017, and its remaining months, might well be Prophetically Pivotal? I am inclined to believe that. I am in fact further inclined to believe THIS SEASON is a beginning of increased troubles and occurrences, both in the heavenly as well as earthly realms, that will lead up to the return of our Lord.<\/p>\n<p>SO WHAT HAPPENS SEPT 23?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The return of Jesus \u2013 definitely not. Too many things are out of place.<br \/>\nB. The rapture of the church \u2013 removing all of the primarily Gentile saints from the earth, the Jews startled by this sudden departure and immediately having Jewish revival and then evangelizing the world while the Gentile church plays harps in heaven? I don\u2019t think so.<\/li>\n<li>What about \u2013 MAYBE \u2013 the beginning or BEGINNINGS of a tribulation \u2013 (bible-speak for \u201ctroubling\u201d) period, intended by God to \u201cturn up the heat\u201d to get folks on their knees? I think, maybe, and I further think that if so we will know more and more, w increasing frequency \u2013 because that is what the fullness of biblical text points to.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In which case, we go to the Peter question: how should we be living&#8230;..<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The eclipses, the Sept 23 constellational alignment that portrays the Rev 12 virgin woman w warrior-baby in her womb, is happening ON OUR WATCH. Even the secular scientists tell us this star-alignment has occurred in at least 6,000 years. If you agree w the biblical model of 6,000 year \u201cyoung earth\u201d that means God has saved this alignment for THREE DAYS FROM NOW \u2013 whether it is bonafide as a clear representation of the coming of Christ, or a \u201cdress-rehearsal\u201d to educate the saints, once again, to focus on Christ over the constellations, it is happening now.<\/p>\n<p>When Jesus said, further than we read before, in Matt 24:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Matthew 24:33-35<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>33 So you also, when <strong><u>you see all these things, know that it is near\u2014at the doors!<\/u><\/strong> <\/em><br \/>\n<em>34 Assuredly, I say to you, <strong><u>this generation<\/u><\/strong> will by no means pass away till all these things take place. <\/em><br \/>\n<em>35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>THESE THINGS \u2013 what we read earlier, will occur and a certain GENERATION won\u2019t pass away till all this has taken place.<\/p>\n<p>The word in Hebrew for \u201cTHIS\u201d is also the same word of \u201cTHAT\u201d<\/p>\n<p>CRITICAL: g3778 could readily be interpreted THAT as easily as THIS:<\/p>\n<p>g3778. \u03bf\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u03c3 houtos nominative singular masculine; \u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03b7 haute nominative singular feminine; \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf touto nominative singular neuter; from the article 3588 and 846; the he (she or it), i. e. this or that (often with article repeated):\u2014<\/p>\n<p>That means THIS GENERATION could be accurately written THAT GENERATION \u2013 which would then point us back to those on earth when the <strong>fig tree blossomed<\/strong> \u2013 many think that blossoming was the nothing-short-of-miraculous re-creation of PHYSICAL ISRAEL \u2013 necessary because that is where our Lord will return and then rule and reign. REMEMBER \u2013 Israel is Ground-Zero for the plans of God.<\/p>\n<p>So then the ques comes up as to the age of a \u201cGENERATION\u201d in scripture, and Moses in Ps 90 mentions 70 years or 80 years. 70 years has us doing math: 1947+70 = 2017. 1947+80 = 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Moses lived til he was 120. 1947+120 = 2067. IF this speculation is more than speculation, you can at least see the closeness of His imminent return.<\/p>\n<p>The question is then worthy of asking, again:<br \/>\nWHAT MANNER OF MEN OUGHT YOU TO BE?<\/p>\n<p>Some are sure that the Lord will rapture (grab up) the church on or around Sept 23 because they are confident:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The Rev 12 constellation sign means the time has come (certainly active spiritual times appear to be upon us); AND<\/li>\n<li>They are convinced that God loves His people so much He will take us all out of here before all the trouble hits the fan (hugely questionable conclusion).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>My FLESH would love to agree with that dreamy speculation of getting out of here before trouble happens. Problem is, I see a Lord whose intention in SHAKING HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE SEA AND DRY LAND \u2013 <strong>is to do something specific in purpose \u2013 BECAUSE HE DOESN\u2019T WANT ANY TO PERISH. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Haggai 2:6-7<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>6 \u201cFor thus says the Lord of hosts: \u2018Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>7 and I will shake all nations, <strong><u>and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,\u2019 says the Lord of hosts.<\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>First, we know THIS is <strong>HHY <\/strong>because when the temple was destroyed in 70AD, the temple was not filled w glory, nor were the nations drawn to God. <strong>So HHY, and stay tuned.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Also, we know that the tribulation work wants\/requires SAINTS on earth to be the light of the world \u2013 proclaiming the hope of Christ, and that light <strong>is the church<\/strong> (Matt 5 \u2013 let your light so shine\u2026.). So why would God remove the light if He wanted people saved?<br \/>\nThe pre-trib rapture folks say the Gentile church exits stage-UP and the Jews will suddenly get saved, en masse, and evangelize the world.<br \/>\nMy wife and I can tell you from experience that <strong>when true revival comes <\/strong>and there are no seasoned elders, it\u2019s a formula for religious failure. Our pastor took his life.<\/p>\n<p>God wants a FAMILY, a MISHBUCHAH consisting of on-fire seasoned elders and lit-up young ones full of vision, to evangelize the world together for the great harvest.<br \/>\nPRAY TO THE LORD THAT WE WILL SEND FOR PEOPLE INTO THE HARVEST.<br \/>\nIt does not say: PRAY TO THE LORD THAT <u>HE TAKES THE HARVESTERS OUT OF THE WORLD<\/u> because there will be trouble.<br \/>\nWe are living in the greatest of times, the most trying of times. Unlike Dickens \u2013 who said something similar at the beginning of \u201cTale of Two Cities\u201d, these times will culminate with the Jewish Savior appearing, the Jewish people looking on the One who they pierced (Zech 12:10), the nations either coming to God in reverence or being destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>And we haven\u2019t even mentioned:<br \/>\nNuclear meltdowns in Japan and cesium traveling across the Pacific to our shores right now.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/swfsc.noaa.gov\/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&amp;id=20593\">https:\/\/swfsc.noaa.gov\/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&amp;id=20593<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Unprecedented category 4 and 5 hurricanes stacking up one behind the next, this season.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/news\/4403960\/hurricane-maria-why-so-many-hurricanes-us\">https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/news\/4403960\/hurricane-maria-why-so-many-hurricanes-us<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Earthquakes of vast magnitude, SINCE the eclipse, in Alaska and Mexico and elsewhere<\/p>\n<p>Terror attacks increasing all the time \u2013 to the point that we only respond emotionally when some personal \u201cdeath-quota\u201d is reached.<\/p>\n<p>QUES \u2013 what would make us think that CA, w its ungodly laws, and its \u201cmanufacturing\u201d of world sin, will be insulated from the hand of the Lord, especially in these days?<br \/>\nGod is shaking heaven and earth.<\/p>\n<p>all scripture NKJV<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a loooong post because these are notes from a teaching that encompasses much but clearly not all of the biblical perspective of the return of Jesus. Since it so broad in its text reference, it can be a &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/?p=962\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,1,38,16,37,50,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-end-times-related","category-uncategorized","category-gods-word","category-israel","category-jesus","category-timing","category-the-tribulation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=962"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":965,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions\/965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}