Lollehta, 

 

I assume the two and a half lines (shown at the bottom), from my letter entitled MYSTERY BABYLON, and posted on 11-26th, is the letter you were referencing in your post: http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/nov2007/loleehta1128.htm  First of all, I am sorry that it offended you so badly; the difference between our calendar and the Hebrew calendar (modern as well as OT) has never before, to my knowledge, been a bone of contention on this list to anyone!!!  In fact, quite regularly we compare them. We strive to be on the "same page" with our Lord to understand His Word properly. So, I would be happy to discuss your objections to the afterthought to my post:

 

"Sir, I beg to differ but 2007 and 2008 are not the same years if you are a gentile."

 

While many of us on the Doves are Gentiles and use the Gregorian calendar, we understand that Israel is God's timepiece.  Our Savior and Lord is a Jew and Jerusalem is the city He loves above all. Dealing with prophecy as we have all done for many years, we tend to look at our world and the prophetic implications of daily news through those eyes. Personally, I don't presume to think God plans to work His endtime plans around our Gregorian calendar to accommodate we Gentiles, although it will certainly fall on some Gregorian date. However, He certainly could give us clues through His Holy Spirit to coincide with our calendar.

 

"If someone goes about passing out handouts to inform people that Jesus is coming in 2007, then I will expect Him to return in 2007 otherwise its best to remain quiet if you heard nothing from the Lord."

 

Mam, my post to this list was totally different than passing out tracts or handouts on a sidewalk, and I never claimed Jesus said He is coming at any particular time.  But we all certainly HOPE He will come VERY soon! There is a general sense among the human population, and especially Christians that something BIG is about to happen. Personally, I think if you read any tract you must use discernment before you automatically expect something to happen. And I NEVER said the Lord told me this or that!!!  We have numerous brilliant and extremely knowledgeable people on this list who have worked very hard using their gifts to try to discover some of God's mysteries. There have been times when dates seemed unbelievably perfect, were hoped for, but didn't transpire, but we thanked them for their faithfulness to Him and to us, and we kept on truckin.  In my post to this list, I was writing about Mystery Babylon, and transitioned into discussing Israel, as the Annapolis Summit was about to take place.  So, with my mind heavily on Israel, and since I had been working on another piece that was blowing my mind concerning scriptures I was lead to (which will forever be private now), I consulted Karite Corner to understand a certain term--so, the thought hit me about their (the Hebrew) calendar. And, I quickly added it to my post as an afterthought.

 

"It is very serious matter to tell unbelievers especially that God said the rapture will happen in 2007 and it doesn't. This will make them think light of God and bring mockery and reproach to the name of Christ. "

 

First of all, this list is not designed primarily to preach to unbelievers, to my knowledge, although they would always be most welcome.  As believers, we all started out receiving the milk of the Word, but now in the study of Bible prophecy we focus on the meat of the Word.  It's like a gigantic puzzle we are all trying to put together to know what our Lord intends. And just as when you work a puzzle, sometimes you try a piece here or there that just doesn't fit, but each person brings different aspects to the table to consider; that's how we learn from each other.  But, whether we are right in our initial thinking or not, we try to work together for the common good; after all we are many parts of ONE body. There is not a proclaimed prophet on our list to my knowledge; we are just a group of committed Christians trying our best, in our human clothing. Not one person on this list has ever written anything intending to deceive or to bring reproach or mockery to the name of Christ.  Quite the opposite, we strive to exalt His name! 

 

"We will be held accountable for how and what we do to the name of Christ. "

 

That is most certainly true!  However, I signed my own name to my post, not Christ's!  I am certainly the least of the least, and would never presume to speak for God! My word are my words and thoughts, period! His Words are written in the Greatest Book ever written!

 

"God is not a Liar neither is He confused."

 

I know everybody on the Doves list would definitely agree with that!!!  We are simply trying to study God's roadmap for us and our families and friends during these end times, and no one has ever brought God to task on either issue--or EVER WOULD!  What made you think I did?  My comment that the "great hope" of the church we are all looking for may not be on God's timetable until HE says the year ends, and it does neither call him a liar nor confused. Quite the contrary! It means simply that, considering the times and seasons for God's Mo'adim [appointed times] as written in scripture, perhaps He will not consider the change in the calendar instituted by Pope Gregory XIII via his papal bull, (the Gregorian calendar). I was trying to consider things from God's perspective, and perhaps He does not see time as we do. 

 

'We need to be very careful and take responsibility for our actions because we are to be salt and light to unbelievers and if we claim to speak a word on God behalf then they expect it to be true since our God will not lie to us otherwise they will see us as very deluded beings and this will make it quite easy for them to be deceived during the trib. since they will not know what to believe."

 

Again, I was not speaking to unbelievers, but, I thought, to like-minded fellow watchers and I take full responsibility for everything I say. And again I was not speaking on behalf of GOD!  Saying "something to ponder is this..." is a far cry from saying, "Thus saith the Lord"!!! Only my children think I am a deluded being; my friends think I'm pretty cool, straight-forward and honest! If anyone is deceived during the tribulation it won't be from anything they read on this list, I assure you! ... Maybe reading some of Rick Warren's books or Joel Olsteen's, but NOTHING from my simple posts! I'm nobody! The people searching for answers during the tribulation will find a wealth of solid information, lessons of faith and resting in God, in their dusty Bible, or websites or teachings of Godly pastors.

 

We only have few more days in 2007 to determine the validity of the 2007 rapture "word of the Lord". Nuff said.

 

That's true.  God's Will-- WILL be done WHEN He wants, WHERE He wants, and HOW He wants.  Satan himself cannot change that. God is absolutely sovereign and will do as HE pleases. I have written no books or tracts, and my posts to this list are simply that--a sharing among like-minded believers. I don't always agree with everything I read, but I certainly respect their right to their own opinion!  But, it is not for me to judge.  I believe in the scripture when it says, "Judge not that ye be not judged."  Again, I am terribly sorry you were so offended by my added thought, and perhaps I could have worded it better, so I humbly offer a re-write below my original comment. I certainly don't want to cause a stumblingblock in anyone's walk, as you feel I did. It is not God's Will that there be division among His followers. The apostles wrote much to make us understand that. We are to walk in peace and love, and to encourage one another. 

 

One final thought. Jesus said 2000 years ago "Surely, I come quickly." The fact that He didn't come when they expected Him did not dissuade any of the apostles or the many generations of Christians who came after them. His statement did not make them think light of God, nor bring mockery nor reproach to His name. In fact billions have come into the church since. His ways are not our ways. And the fact remains, He resides outside time itself, we are the ones locked in time, and He IS coming quickly! We are told to WATCH, which is what we are trying to do by sharing with one another!

 

Shalom,

 

 

Kay

 

 

"Something to ponder is this...perhaps December is not the end of 2007!  Remember that God says that the new year is to start when the Abib barley is seen in Israel--in the Spring. That is yet four months away from this Annapolis summit of evil. But, although there is yet 4 months until the harvest (of barley), the fields are ripe for spiritual harvest now."

 

RE-WRITE:

"Something to ponder is this...perhaps what we hope for is not confined to our Gregorian year.  Remember that God says in the Bible that the Jewish "agricultural" new year is to start when the Abib barley is seen in Israel--in the Spring. (EXTENDED CALENDAR REFERENCE FOR HOPE) That is yet four months away from this Annapolis summit of evil. But, as Jesus says-- Jhn 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (HOPEFUL SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE THAT 2007 IS CORRECT!)