Gino
Those are the hard questions, that few take the time and
bother to answer, let alone ask. In fact topics such as the
omniscience and omnipresence and omnipotence of God are
IMPOSSIBLE for the Human mind to comprehend fully. With that
I will attempt to give some of my opinions on these
questions. Hopefully, and this has always been one of my
goals in fellowshipping with other believers, We through
this exercise might take God out of the box of human
comprehension, and put him in the throne of utter awe and
trust in his Majesty.
1. To rephrase this question: Can man affect the divine
plan of God, and throw off his predetermined timing of
events? Your example being Matthew 24, and our prayers to
not have the fleeing occur in winter or on a Sabbath.
I say yes. But I also say no, in that His plans have
already accounted for our failure and successes as he is all
knowing and eternal. The Key in understanding this is our
position as mortal beings. To give an example, we are told
to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. But God has
already predetermined those who will be saved, and will draw
them to him. Are we then to ignore the great commission?
Absolutely not, for in our service is found our victory over
sin. A proud man will not want to serve, and submit. Pride
being the original sin, casts its spell in the lack of
having the servants heart. Thus for man to not act in Love,
and reach out to the unsaved is to serve oneself, and is
contrary to salvation.
It is through this servant heart that we "move" God. Just
as Stephen saw Jesus standing and not sitting as he was
stoned. Why was he standing? We do not know. We can guess
though. For we know that shortly thereafter Saul's life was
intervened in by Jesus on the road to Damascus. Thus a
mountain was moved by the faith of one man. In 1 John
4:12, we find this gem of Truth: "12 No
one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God
abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
WOW! If God IS love as per verse 8 of the same
chapter, How is it that his love is perfected
in us? Does this mean that God's love is
imperfect if we do not act? By no means. We however
are the vessel through which that Love flows to the
world. If there are no more vessels remaining, then
his perfect love is no longer perfected in the
world...Lawlessness increases, and the Love of many
grows cold.
Now I know this in no way
answers your specific question. Although in a roundabout
way it does. Our prayers said in Love for Israel will
ensure that the abomination will not take place in winter
or on the Sabbath. He knew ahead of time, but we still
have to carry out his will. Thus our prayers on this are
for our benefit, As his commandments are for our
benefit, and are an expression of His Love for
Israel, through us.
What one must always
remember though, is that it is our choice to serve, and
the lack of affirmation of this service has
consequences..."Utter destruction" (Mal. 4:6) Just like
Ninevahs rejection would have resulted in destruction in
40 days. But because they repented, God relented, and
his wrath was averted for a time. I will add the
following passage, from 2 peter 3 as it speaks on these
things as well.
8 But
do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with
the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day. 9 The
Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some
count slowness, but is patient toward you,
not wishing that any should perish, but that all
should reach
repentance. 10 But the day of
the Lord will come like a thief, and then
the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the
heavenly bodies
will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and
the works that are done on it will be exposed.
2. Yes, this is basically the
same as one. Our willingness to serve is tied to his
mercy and Love. The ultimate example of His Love is
that we Lay down our life for another. In fact, this is
Jesus' new commandment which is beyond the Mosaic Law
(John 15:12-14).
3. Regarding the deceiving the
elect. The Key word in this phrase that makes it a
negative is "IF". In other words it is saying that the
deception will be so strong that even the elect would be
deceived, if it were possible for them to be deceived.
The Question that hides under this is; Who are the
elect? They are the ones that God has chosen to serve
and do his will. Since His will will be accomplished,
the elect will not nor cannot be deceived. Can one who
is elect now be replaced by another is a whole different
question that I cannot answer. (Read 2 Peter 1:3-15)
4. Powers of the heavens? This
brings to mind Colossians 2:6-15, and Revelation
12:7-12. I will have to look into this one further,
later.
5.Read Luke 13:6-9. This applies
not only to Israel, but to all who do not produce fruit.
The one year is his warning time to produce fruit. With
regard to Israel this may also point to the destruction
of the temple in 70 ad.
6. Days of Noah? The biggest
problem I have with the pre tribulation rapture is that
it implies that Jesus comes twice, once in the clouds,
and once as the rider on the white Horse (Rev. 19). pre
trib/post trib comings. My opinion is that this will all
be simultaneous, and will occur after the events of
Matthew 24:1-35..."Jacob's trouble", At a time of "peace
and safety" when normalcy of life is resumed (eating
drinking Marrying, planting, building, etc.)and a time
of scoffing (2 Peter 3). To those who do not
understand this he will come as a thief in the night.
This then is followed by much of the events of
revelation The seven year tribulation. I have argued
this for sometime now on other sites, but do not wish to
do so here. The abomination, thus is not the same as the
Mark of the beast, nor is the mark of the beast the same
as the events in 2 Thess. 2, however 2 thess.
2 is in line with the abomination. Hence the
clarification Paul had to make in writing 2 Thess. "That
day will not come unless.....". In other words in 1
Thess. Paul says the day of the Lord will come at a time
of peace and safety. Some obviously ran with this and
said that this day has come already, as there were many
days of peace and safety then. In 2 Thess. 2 Paul had to
clarify this, saying that the abomination precedes his
second coming. Many a pre-trib believer fails to see
this logical progression in these two letters, because
they have equated the abomination with the mark of the
beast, and thus will not have to be faced by those who
are raptured. But because they cannot get over this
assumption, they fail to see how this lends even more
credence to the pre tribulation rapture. Pre wrathers
and post tribb people take this to mean that there is a
rapture during the seven year tribulation...sixth seal,
etc. or none at all.
I hope you see what I am getting
at here. I am not very good at explaining it. All the
confusion is caused by this lumping together of the
abomination, and the MOB events Thus putting all the
events of both Matthew 24, and 2 thess. 2 within the
seven year tribulation. "[Let the reader understand]".
(Matt 24:15b)
My questions for you to consider.
If you happen to agree with my opinions above
regarding God's Love being perfected through
us, does this not also imply that we through our
testimony will be used By God to make Israel, The fig
tree, jealous, thereby leading to their
repentence?
If yes, does this not mean that
we will be part of his plan to remove their
blindness?...And What did Jesus use to make the blind
see? And which church has a connection to this?
Would this not also explain the eye salve? Many have
said the church in America is this church. How many have
overcome, and see this?
20 Therefore, we are
ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God. 21 For
our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so
that in him we might become the righteousness of
God. (2
Cor. 5:20-21)
God bless
David H