Jim Bramlett - Powered by InJesus
Subscribe    Unsubscribe    Change E-mail    View Archive

=?iso-8859-1?Q?1988,_2004,_and_the_missing_=93s=94?=
Jim Bramlett
Nov 19, 2004

Dear friends:

The latest edition of "The Last Call," the newsletter of Pastor F.M. Riley, is very interesting.  I spoke with him on the telephone about it.  He does not have a Web site and the newsletter is only available in print.  I can only briefly summarize.  To get a free copy, see bottom of this message. 

TWO INTERESTING ARTICLES

1.  THE YEARS 1988 AND 2004.  He recounts the worldwide anticipation for the rapture in 1988 based on some biblical patterns and the popular book about the "88 reasons."  He explains why 1988 was not the year, but why it pointed to the year 2004!  This caught my attention!

One reason many people expected the rapture in 1988 is the exact 40-year period from the Israelites' last Passover in Egypt until the crossing of the Jordan River.  Adding 40 years to the year of modern Israel's birth, 1948 = 1988.

Using the books of 2 Peter, Habukkuk, Hebrews, Isaiah, and the Psalms, Pastor Riley shows why he believes the Lord's longsuffering extended the time by 15 years, just as He mercifully extended King Hezekiah's life by 15 years.  And 1988-89 + 15 = 2004.  He believes these 15 years have also been a time of "sifting" for Christians, to see who would remain faithful and watchful and not "draw back" according to Hebrews 10:37-39:
"For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:37-39).
Pastor Riley believes the rapture will be this year, or possibly this Jewish year, which ends in the spring of 2005.

2.  THE CASE OF THE MISSING "S."  Second, Pastor Riley believes he has discovered additional evidence for the rapture that I have never heard about, evidence that also indicates that the Lord may have made the event known to His disciples.

He did a word study on the Greek word parousia, the word that is mostly translated "coming," or on two occasions "presence."  For example, in Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

He discovered that the Greek word parousia here, unlike most other uses of the word, is actually spelled with an "s" (sigma) at the end: parousias.  If the "s" makes it plural, as Pastor Riley believes, this means the disciples really asked: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy comings, and of the end of the world?"  Riley confirmed this with several major Greek texts (which he names) and they are all the same, with the "s."  My own Greek text also shows the "s" at the end.  But I checked several English translations and they all translate it as singular!  That is most strange.  Even Strong's Concordance ignores the "s" form. 

He found a total of 24 uses of the word in the New Testament; six are with the "s" and 18 are without it. Other uses with the "s" are in Philippians 1:26, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 8, James 5:7, and 2 Peter 3:4.

One fellow called Pastor Riley and told him the "s" at the end did not mean that the word is plural; however, he had no explanation as to why the word sometimes has the "s" at the end and sometimes not.  Pastor Riley says that he knows Greek and is persuaded that the word is plural.  If there is a Greek language scholar on this mailing list who has any further insights, please let me know.

If it is, indeed, true that this "s" at the end of the word makes it plural, it seems to be a profound finding and more solid evidence for the rapture.

This brief summary does not do justice to Pastor Riley's studies.  You can a free hard copy of his newsletter by e-mailing him at frmglorybound@centurytel.net (give your name and address), calling at 573-814-4560, or writing him c/o LAST CALL GOSPEL MINISTRY, 3305 Clark Lane, Suite D, PMB 147, Columbia, MO 65202.

Pastor Riley would probably not want me to say this, but he is paid only part time at his church and because of his age and health he cannot hold down a full-time job.  He offers everything free, but if you feel led to help him a little with a donation, I know it would be a great blessing.

And may God bless you!

Jim


Visit My InJesus to manage your subscriptions, change your profile, or check out thousands of other great ministry groups.

If you do not have access to the web, you can use these addresses to unsubscribe or subscribe:
Unsubscribe: insights-unsubscribe@MyInJesus.com
Subscribe: insights-subscribe@MyInJesus.com