Hi John & All:
A funny thing happened
to me the other day, and of course we know that with God there is no such
a thing as coincidence. I was going through the video section of one of
our many public library branches, and spotted a video done by the CBC (Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation), on the Six Day War.
The video cassette
was a copy of a black and white film documentary produced
by the CBC, almost 40 years ago. The famous battle was hailed as the greatest
military victory of all time. You had to see it to believe it. Russian ...
and yes I mean Russian ... military equipment was strewn everywhere across
the desert landscape on the Egyptian side, along with monumental numbers
of bodies of Arab soldiers. The sight of Jewish soldiers crying at the Wailing
Wall when they recaptured Eastern Jerusalem, unifying the entire city,
was truly something to behold. It was also a fulfilment of Biblical prophecy.
Even the CBC announcers
had the common sense to tell the world that all the Arab rhetoric about
the land really belonging to the newly created (Arab) Palestinians, was
nothing but false propaganda. They were quick to point out that, in fact,
the so-called "Palestinians" were not the owners of the land, but rather
discarded cast-offs from their true homelands, namely the other countries
of the Arab emerites.
The funny part about
all of this? The day I brought the video home just happened to be the very
first day of Ariel Sharon's forced eviction of the Jewish people from the
Gaza Strip, which according to the Word of God is their rightful possession.
Of course, as bad as
it seems now over there ... things are going to get unimaginably worse.
One of the Israeli leaders is going to outdo his predecessors, by participating
in the ultimate act of betrayal. He will sign some kind of "peace" agreement
with satan himself, through the possessed anti-christ.
Definitely not a time
of your "same old, same old".
By the way, in regards
to the idea that the rapture timing is forever unknowable, the
all-time favorite verse quoted is usually Matthew 24: 36 and Mark 13: 32
The only problem (among
others), in the application of these two verses (and it is a big one), is
that in both cases the previous scripture verses are not even speaking
of the rapture.
"Now learn a parable
[a new point is being made] of the fig
tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that
summer is nigh (v. 32)
So likewise ye, when
ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors (v.
33)
Verily I say unto you,
this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled (v. 34)
Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my words shall not pass away (v. 35)
But of that day and
hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only (v.
36)"
- Matthew 24: 32-36
"Now learn a parable [again
a new point is being made]
of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves,
ye know that summer is near (v. 28)
So ye in like manner, when
ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the
doors (v. 29)
Verily I say unto you, that
this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done (v. 30)
Heaven and earth shall pass
away: but my words shall not pass away (v. 31)
But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son,
but the Father (v. 32)
- Mark 13: 28-32
While certainly not wanting
to offend any of the Doves, it seems to me a massive stretch to reference
those two verses (Matthew 24: 36 and Mark 13: 32), to the rapture, which
clearly isn't mentioned, by implication or otherwise, within the context
of the new parable Jesus was teaching.
By the way, the fact that
both verses state "but of that day",
means that it is referencing a day which is previously mentioned within
the verses of the parable just spoken, and not some subsequent text.
Also, on another front, there
are a couple of other Scripture verses that seem to take opposition with
the idea that neither the rapture or tribulation timing is knowable.
"And when he [Jesus] was come by the other side
into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils,
coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by
that way.
And, behold, they [the
demons]
cried out, saying; What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God,
are thou come hither to torment us before
the time?"
- Matthew 8: 28-29
This scripture verse tells
us two things: First, that everything in God's plans have a fixed date,
because the demons referenced the day in which their torment commences as
"the time"; and, Secondly, they
knew themselves that it clearly was not
the aforementioned appointed time (and Jesus did not disagree, so he must
have known when it is as well). To know the appointed time when the demons
will receive their torment, you would therefore also have to have some knowledge
of when the Tribulation occurs, because it takes place some time afterwards.
Furthermore, there is also
the following Scripture verse:
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the
sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he
knoweth that he hath but a short time."
- Revelation 12: 12
Now before anyone jumps on
my case, I am fully aware that this is a tribulation event. But my point
is still this: If all this is completely hidden, how does the devil know
he has a short time? Furthermore, how does he know who to appoint as his
anti-christ son, if he doesn't even know when the tribulation occurs?
If the condemned demons of
hell have a certain amount of knowledge concerning the time, how much more
should the blood bought, children of the living God know?
See ya in the air,
Eric