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Patrick J. Buchanan: Is a war of civilizations ahead?
Creators Syndicate ^ | Friday, December 07, 2001 | Patrick J. Buchanan

Posted on 12/06/2001 9:06:57 PM PST by ouroboros

With the ouster of the Taliban and eradication of the al-Qaida in Afghanistan, Islamic extremism has sustained a crushing defeat. But what continues to unsettle Americans is that film of Arab and Islamic people, wildly cheering the barbaric atrocities of Sept. 11.

Is a war of civilizations coming?

Clearly, not a few in the Islamic world and the West so believe, and ardently desire. And, with the War Party cawing for an attack on Iraq, with Sharon unleashed after the atrocities in Jerusalem and Haifa, with the U.S. press calling for a reappraisal of our ties to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, a clash of civilizations has moved from the possible to the probable.

President Bush, however, seems instinctively aware such a war would be a disaster. For no matter how many deaths or defeats we inflict, we cannot kill Islam as we did Nazism, fascism, Japanese militarism and Soviet Bolshevism. Islam has survived for nearly 1,600 years; it is the predominant faith in 57 countries; it is indestructible.

Astonishingly, 63 years ago, when Islam lay dormant under the heel of Western empires, a famous Catholic writer predicted Islam would rise again. Wrote Hillaire Belloc: "It has always seemed to me ... probable, that there would be a resurrection of Islam and that our sons or our grandsons would see the renewal of that tremendous struggle between the Christian culture and what has been for more than a thousand years its greatest opponent."

Islam was a Christian heresy, Belloc believed, whose strength lay in its "insistence on personal immortality, the Unity and Infinite Majesty of God, on his Justice and Mercy [and] ... its insistence on the equality of human souls in the sight of their Creator."

While The Prophet "gave to our Lord the highest reverence, and the Mother of God was ever for him the first of womankind," he rejected the Incarnation. Mohammed "taught that our Lord was the greatest of all Prophets, but still only a prophet, a man like other men." Belloc believed Islam to be a "Reformation" movement with parallels to "the Protestant Reformers – on Images, the Mass and Celibacy."

When Christians were illiterate, Islam spread "for 700 years, until it had mastered the Balkans and the Hungarian plain, and all but occupied Western Europe itself," almost destroying Christendom "through its early material and intellectual superiority."

Three heroes saved the West. In 732, at Poitiers, Charles Martel, the Hammer of the Franks, stopped Islam's invasion in France. In 1571, the Christian fleets of Don Juan of Austria, an illegitimate son of Charles V, destroyed the Mohammedan armada in an epic battle immortalized in Chesterton's "The Ballad of Lepanto." And Polish Catholic King John Sobieski stopped the Turks at Vienna "on a date that ought to be famous in history, September 11, 1683."

One of history's great questions is why the Islamic world collapsed. A century before Yorktown, Constantinople was superior in arms. But in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Islamic world was not only superseded by the West, it fell backward – in technology, industry, communications, arms and governance. The Ottoman Empire became "the sick man of Europe."

Colonization by the West followed. In the 20th century, only at Gallipoli – the 1915 battle that cost its architect, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, his post – can one recall an Islamic victory over a Western army.

But if a clash of civilizations is coming, how stands the balance of power? In wealth and might, the West is supreme – though wealth did not prevent the collapse of the Western empires and did not prevent the collapse of the Soviet empire. Rome was mighty, and early Christianity pathetically weak. Yet, Christianity triumphed.

If belief is decisive, Islam is militant, Christianity milquetoast. In population, Islam is exploding, the West dying. Islamic warriors are willing to suffer defeat and death, the West recoils at casualties. They are full of grievance; we, full of guilt. Where Islam prevails, it asserts a right to impose its dogma, while the West preaches equality. Islam is assertive, the West apologetic – about its crusaders, conquerors and empires.

Don't count Islam out. It is the fastest growing faith in Europe and has surpassed Catholicism worldwide. And as Christianity expires in the West and the churches empty out, the mosques are going up.

To defeat a faith, you need a faith. What is ours? Individualism, democracy, pluralism, la dolce vita? Can they overcome a fighting faith, 16 centuries old, and rising again?


Patrick J. Buchanan was twice a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination and the Reform Party’s candidate in 2000. Now a commentator and columnist, he served three presidents in the White House, was a founding panelist of three national televison shows, and is the author of six books. His current position is chairman of The American Cause. His newest book, "Death of the West," will be published in January.


TOPICS: Editorial; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: clashofcivilizatio; clashofcivilizations; patbuchanan
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To: ouroboros
Is a war of civilizations ahead?

-----------------

Answer: Yes. The question is, do we understand the aggressive and pathological nature of Islam and want to survive?

21 posted on 12/06/2001 11:31:03 PM PST by RLK
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To: Cacique
A FORMER MUSLIM PROFESSOR ON WHY HE LEFT ISLAM (click on picture)


The Hardcover edition.


22 posted on 12/06/2001 11:32:04 PM PST by Cacique
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: ouroboros
The main problem with Islam is it's inability to adapt to the modern world. Christianity and Judaism have.

Personally, I'm non-religious in the traditional sense, but, by chance, just prior to 9-11 I had started an exploration into the history of man under the revelation that 'religion and race are the keys to history and are fundamental to all movements of man'.

To characterize the history of western civilization as rooted in the struggle between Christianity and Judaism is to unlock understanding of many events of the 20th and 21st century, including our current conflict.

As modern man, we like to pretend that such religious currents do not and are not effecting our political and social realities, and -- in a large way this has become believable because of the enforced hermetic barriers we impose between religion and politics/law/society via secular ideals.

This secularism, when made devoid of its pretty wrappings is shown to be a type of double standard where the rules do not apply to practicers of Judaism -- a religion that is, by evolution or design, inherently defensive and exclusive, reaching not out, but in, very unlike Christianity.

What I see now, grateful for whatever non-bias is imparted to me by being irreligious, is that Christianity has been conquered by Judaism. Mammonism (materialism) and the "End Times/Second Coming" are indicators that of such. Christianity has been immasculated, made impotent.

The effects of these ideals and essentially opposite religious philosophies effect the minds and hearts of even those of us that (believe) we are non-participants, believe we are free-thinkers who reside above the fray.

I admit my understanding in these matters is sparse, but also, I believe it is far more in depth than the average person. Many things puzzle me and disturb me about Judaism and Christianity both. I submit the following in hopes of raising some interest and discussion of these issues.

        The theme of this booklet has been the driving force behind religious thought and practice for as long as I have been alive, which is now a little past thirty years.  The second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth has been the most predominant, the most talked about, and the most commonly known doctrine by church people and non-church people alike.  It is the single tie that binds virtually all sects and branches of ‘Christianity' world-wide.  From the Catholic church, to the most ‘separate' of Baptist churches, when it comes to this doctrine, there is very little deviation of faith and anticipation.  Truly the ‘separation' of faiths ends there, and finally the ‘oneness' taught in Ephesians can apply, if only to this single Bible doctrine.

"What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"  Those few words of Christ's disciples are probably the most misrepresented words in the New Testament, if not the Bible.  The hopeless attitude that the world is now in, is due largely to the misunderstanding of those simple words.  There is a ‘church building' on virtually every street corner in this country.  There are more religious radio stations and television programs than at any time in the world's history, and yet the level of ‘right living' (righteousness) in this world is at an all time low.

        I have been told over and over that there are over 80 million ‘Christians' living in this country alone.  All through Scripture we see that God used one person here, or two people there, to show His mighty power through.  And yet, now there are over 80 million ‘God-fearing, Bible believing, church going, rapture anticipating Christians' in this country, and there is not enough power in the churches combined to make even the slightest of difference or change in this God-forsaken society in which we now live.  Could there possibly be a relationship between the words of Christ's disciples and what is now taking place in this world?  Could it be that these words have been twisted from their true meaning and then used against an unsuspecting and unknowing world in order to produce the generation that we are now seeing?

        The religious world answers with a resounding, "YES!" to question number one.  The religious leaders of the world would have us believe that the world situation is the way it is because, "We are in the last days, and we are seeing the fulfillment of Bible prophecy before our eyes".

        They would have us believe that the evil that is so prevalent in the world is the way it is because God has willed it to be so.  It is God's plan for ‘the end times'.  This teaching has produced a ‘flock' of religious people who have not only adopted this as the gospel, but have passed on to an unsuspecting world the atmosphere of complete ineptness, complacency, and downright laziness.  We are lead to believe that not only is there nothing that we can do about this world situation, but there is nothing that should be done, because, after all, it's Bible prophecy.

        Is it Bible prophecy though?  Could you take your Bible and prove these things?  Or can you only hope to ‘parrot' the supposed interpretations of this ‘Bible Prophecy' that has been forced down your throat since the day you heard your first ‘sermon"?  Religious people that I talk to almost daily on this subject, could no more convince a little child of what they believe based on firm teachings of Scripture, than a child could convince a NASA expert that he could fly the space shuttle.

        I talk to people nearly everyday, religious and non-religious people, who are obsessed by this ‘end of the world' message. Most of the people I talk to do not believe that there will be anything past the year two thousand for mankind.  There is an almost uncontrollable train of thought that people are bound to everywhere because of this ‘end of the world' thinking.

        Is there any chance that all this complacency could be exactly what the enem8ies of Christ have masterminded for ages?  Could it be possible that our complacency has occurred by design?  I believe that it has!  I believe that it has so much to the point where I challenge people daily to "search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life".   Is what you believe concerning the Scripture based on what you KNOW to be true, because you know where it is and you can prove it?  Or is what you believe based on the fact that you have paid someone else to ‘read and study' for you so that he can tell you what you are supposed to believe?

        What is it?  Do you KNOW what you believe because it is firmly grounded into your soul because YOU HAVE STUDIED IT?  Can you find your way through the Scriptures to convince your neighbor that what you believe is in fact the truth?  How many times have I been in conversation with people who have said, "If you would just talk to my preacher, he'd show you".

        All that I have ever asked anyone to do, is sit down and open the book with me.  Let's examine the Scriptures honestly and without preconceived ideas to see if anything other than truth is what we have been following.  How could studying the Scriptures be so threatening to so many people?  Read this booklet, if you find error, then HELP ME!  All that I have ever wanted is truth!   So far, no one has even cared enough to say, "Well, Charlie, I think that you missed a passage of Scripture here", or "I think you should read these verses over there."  No one has seemed to be able to respond to what is simply laid out within the pages of this little booklet.

Matthew 24 - The end of the temple, the end of the world!

        Verse one sets the stage for the rest of the chapter.  In verse one we find that Jesus' disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.  What temple were they going to show him? Can it be denied that they were talking about the very temple that was in existence in their day?

        In verse two, Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.  If it wasn't the temple of Christ's day, then what was it that they were supposed to be seeing?  Could it be anything but the same temple?

        I find it impossible to believe that anything but the temple that was in existence in the day of Christ – 2,000 years ago, was the temple that was being referred to by Christ and his disciples, in verses one and two.  It seems so obvious that the temple in question was the very temple of 2,000 years ago, and yet, the Bible teachers of America today would have us believe that Christ was actually talking about a temple 2,000 years in the disciples' future.  

        Why all the confusion?  Was Christ intentionally misleading His disciples?  Did He lie to them?  If you believe that the temple in Matthew 24 was anything but what the verses so plainly say, then you must believe that Christ intentionally mislead His disciples; that He lied to them.  I do not believe that Christ at anytime lied to His disciples.  I believe that He told them exactly what He wanted to say – and they understood Him correctly.

Study to shew thyself approved...

Verse Three - The controversy begins (or continues)!

        I say that the controversy begins here because I cannot even begin to fathom that verses one and two could refer to anything but the temple that the disciples and Christ and all of those living 2,000 years ago could touch and see and feel.

        Verse three tells us that as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?  

        It is very interesting that these three questions were asked after Jesus had told His disciples that their temple was going to be destroyed.  Why did the disciples equate the ‘end of the world' with, ‘the sign of thy coming' and with the utter and complete destruction of the temple of Jerusalem?   What did the "end of the world and the coming of Christ" have to do with "not one stone would be left standing"? A little later I will bring Scriptures in that will give a clear and concise answer as to why those three events occur(ed) simultaneously.

        One of the ways that we can begin looking for an answer is to be faithful to II Timothy 2:15 - Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  Is it possible that we could ‘wrongly divide the word of truth'?  In my Bible studies I learned a few years ago that we can never take any word for granted.  A complete and thorough study of each word is needed in order to rightly divide this word of truth.  

        The Authorized Version of the Bible was translated into the English language in 1611 A.D.  The English definitions used in 1611 A.D. are in many cases different from those which we use today, in 1992.  It would be very helpful then to obtain the oldest English dictionary that we could find, so that we could get as close to the 1611 A.D. definitions as possible.  The oldest dictionary that I currently have is the Webster's 1828 dictionary.  Since the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language, it makes sense that we should study with a Greek dictionary also.  

        There is an invaluable study tool that I purchased years ago that is available for anyone who wants to study the Scriptures.  The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance has not only a Greek dictionary, but also a Hebrew dictionary for effective study of the Old Testament.  I always study with my Bible, my Strong's Concordance, and my Webster's 1828 dictionary.  It takes a little longer, but who is in a hurry anyway?

       Maybe if we all had our eyes focused upon "He who is the Word made flesh" and off the "Eastern sky", we would be able to find the time to study the Scripture as we are commanded to do.  By the way, why does the religious world so desperately want the world to end? Have all of your family members and loved ones been "won to Christ"? [delete segments]

Definitions of the word "WORLD".

        The word ‘world' is a very interesting word when exhausted throughout Matthew 24.  The word ‘world' appears three times in Matthew 24.  A simple study of those words shows that each time the word is used, it comes from a completely different Greek word, each with a completely different definition in the Greek.  The first time it is mentioned is in verse three, "and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?".

        The Greek word for world here is number 165 in the Greek dictionary of Strong's and means - aion: an age: perpetuity; by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): – age, course, eternal, (for)ever etc.  The word 'world' here is concerned with the Jewish age or the Messianic period.  Keep this in mind while we look at the other two times that the word ‘world' is used in this passage.

        Are there any passages of Scripture that talk about an end to the Jewish age?  There are and I will bring them to you later.  There is something interesting about this usage here that only recently dawned on me as having any significance.  The religious communities that have disregarded the Authorized Version of the Bible in favor of such versions as the New International Version and others, still cling to the phrase ‘the end of the world', even though in the NIV, the Greek word aion is translated in the English as AGE.   They still talk about the ‘end of the world' (and use that exact same phrase) but the Bible that they use doesn't even say it.  Interesting.

        The word ‘world' is also found in verse 14, where Christ tells his disciples:  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. The word ‘world' here comes from the Greek world ‘oikoumene' (oykoomenay) which is 3625 in the Strong's and means – land, i.e. the (terrene part of the) globe; specifically the Roman empire; – earth, world. Now we find that Christ says that the gospel will be preached in all the Roman empire, then shall the end come.

        In all my days of being brought up in the religious world, not once was I told that the word ‘world' here could have meant anything other than the entire inhabited world.  Does this change anything? Does the fact that Christ used the Greek word for the Roman Empire do anything to the meaning of this passage?  If nothing else, it should show us that someone or some people are not doing even a minimal amount of studying when preparing messages on these passages.

        The last time we find the word ‘world' is in verse 21.  Christ is telling his disciples that there would be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  

        The word ‘world' here comes from the Greek word cosmos (2889 in Strong's) which means orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively. – adorning, world. Why wasn't this word used for verse 14?  Or even more so for verse three?  Shouldn't the ‘end of the world' be the ‘end of the cosmos'?

       Each one of these usages are extraordinary in and of themselves.  Organized religion would have us believe that Christ was teaching the end of the cosmos in verse three.  The truth is, Christ was referring to the end of the Jewish age or the Messianic age. They would also have us believe that the gospel had to be preached to the ends of the cosmos before the end would come.

        A few years ago, someone told me that we were getting closer than ever to the return of Christ because of something that Oral Roberts was getting ready to do.  I was told that Oral Roberts was going to play a major part in the fulfillment of the Bible prophecy concerning the gospel reaching the world.  I was told that he was going to parachute television sets down into the remotest tribes of Africa so that they could tune into his show and hear the gospel, then Christ would come.  My reply was then, well, what would they plug the TV's into?  They have electricity coming into their huts, but they've never heard the gospel???

        The truth is, Christ said the gospel would be preached throughout the Roman empire, then the end would come.  Those two miscarriages of Scripture have caused great harm to the truth of what Christ was talking about in Matthew 24.  Before we dig deeper into this wonderful chapter, I think there is something else that is extremely vital to the proper understanding of this passage.

        Who was Christ talking to?  Verse one makes it clear that Jesus and his disciples are the key figures in this passage of Scripture.  Verse two says And Jesus said unto THEM, See YE...

        Verse three, ... the disciples came unto him privately saying, Tell US...

        Verse four, And Jesus answered and said unto THEM, Take heed that no man deceive YOU.

        Verse six,  And YE shall hear of ... wars: see that YE be not troubled:...

        Verse nine, then shall they deliver YOU up to be afflicted, and shall kill YOU: and YE shall be hated...

        Verse 15, When YE therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,...

        Verse 20, But pray YE that YOUR flight be not in the winter,...

        Verse 25, Behold, I have told YOU before.

        Verse 26, Wherefore if they shall say unto YOU, Behold he is in the desert...

        Verse 32,  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, YE know that summer is night:

        Verse 33,  So likewise YE, when YE shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

        Verse 34,  Verily I say unto YOU, THIS generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

        I have added the capital letters for emphasis.  In my Bible, I have gone through Matthew 24 and have circled every time there is a word that describes who is talking and to whom the words are spoken.  It is overwhelmingly clear to me that Christ was talking to his disciples, 2000 years ago, and not to some future generation some 2,000 years later.  Once again, was Christ speaking to His disciples, or was He again misleading them?  Was He lying?  Did He intend those things for the ones that He said them to, or was it all a clever way of keeping them faithful and devoted by giving them false hopes of His return for them?

Not one word of the Bible was written to us, but every word was written for us!

        Think about it.  Neither one of us was alive 2000 years ago when the book was written.  How can we say that any of the New Testament was written to us?  When Christ told His disciples that they would see all these things... why is it so difficult to simply believe what Christ said?

        Well, here is one reason. Virtually all of the prophecy that is being preached in the church buildings today has come from a scheme of Bible interpretation propagated by C.I. Scofield early in the 1900's.

        Organized religion embraced Scofield's new interpretations. (In Scofield's own writings – What Do the Prophets Say?  he admits to having "controversy with well-meaning bible students over the too exclusively Jewish conception of the age to come." P161).

        Let's examine what Scofield says about Matthew 24 in his reference notes and I will show you how he intentionally has mislead those individuals who have chosen to adopt his schemes. In verse 34, Christ tells His disciples, Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Scofield says in his notes that we know that Christ could not have possibly been referring to that generation in which the disciples were living because of the definitions of the Greek words for generation.  He says that generation here comes from the Greek word GENEA.  Well, it does. It is number 1074 in the Greek dictionary of Strong's Concordance.  But, the deceiver does not give you the definition of GENEA, he instead goes down to 1085 – GENOS – and gives you that definition, all the while telling you that he is giving you the definition for GENEA.

        He uses the definition GENOS, which says, "off-spring, stock, nation, et.al." and tells you that it means that the word generation in Matthew 24:34 can mean A FUTURE GENERATION and NOT the one that Christ was talking to 2,000 years ago!  Not only that but he also says that we KNOW that He was talking about a future generation because "NONE OF THESE THINGS, I.E. THE WORLD-WIDE PREACHING OF THE KINGDOM HAS EVER TAKEN PLACE".

        If that were true, then I would have no choice but to concede that as the truth, and stop writing this booklet immediately.  But, somehow this great Bible scholar seems to be missing some passages of Scripture that are in my Bible, but simply must not have been in his or any other ‘preacher's' in this country.

LOOK at Colossians 1:23!

COLOSSIANS 1:23 – READ THIS VERSE!!!  Paul says TO THE COLOSSIANS – 2,000 years ago!!!

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye HAVE HEARD, AND WHICH WAS PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

        WHAT???? Paul said that the gospel was preached to every creature which is under heaven!   Did the apostle Paul make the same kind of ‘mistakes' that the Lord Jesus made when He taught?  Was Paul misleading these people?  Was he lying to them?  Paul also told them earlier in verses five and six that the gospel had come unto them as it IS IN ALL THE WORLD!  How could Scofield say that WE KNOW that the word generation of Matthew 24:34 could not have meant that generation because the gospel had never been preached to the whole world?

        My friends, the gospel not only filled the Roman Empire, which is all it had to do to fulfill the Bible prophecy, but it was preached to EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN!

        Why is it so hard to just believe what the Bible says?  Do you have any idea how many times people have said to me, "Well, I never saw those verses in COLOSSIANS."?  Well, why haven't you? Why don't you know those verses?  If you don't know such incredibly powerful verses as those, then what else don't you know?  How could people supposedly interested in truth not know that Paul said that the gospel had been preached to EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN?

        How could someone like the supposed great C.I. Scofield say emphatically that Matthew 24:14 has never been fulfilled?  Men's lives have depended on the fact that Matthew 24:14 has supposedly never been fulfilled.  The entire scheme of modern day religious Bible teaching on the "end of the world" must come crashing down because of this awesome lie that all of the religious world has swallowed.

        There is something else that is amazing to me when reading Scofield's notes of Matthew 24.  He says that we are seeing wonderful fulfillments of God's promises to Israel taking place right before our eyes.  Promises of land, blessings, etc., fulfilled right before our eyes.

TAKE A LOOK at JOSHUA 21:43 - 45.

        Verse 43: And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

        Verse 44: And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.

        Verse 45: There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

        How many notes do you think Scofield makes concerning this passage?  Not one.  Scofield does not place one single margin note on what his ideas are concerning this passage of Scripture.  Somehow it isn't amazing to me by now that the same people that didn't know COLOSSIANS 1:6 and 23 were in the Bible, don't know that Joshua 21:43 - 45 are in their either. [So much for running the Palestinians out of their homes and off their land by the force of ‘assault weapons', to deliver the ‘Jews' to their ‘promised land'. jp]

BACK TO MATTHEW 24!

        There are many more prophecies that Christ related to His disciples within the verses of Matthew that should be discussed.  He talks of false Christs coming in His name and deceiving many.  He tells of wars and rumors of wars, and famines, and earthquakes, and pestilence.  He tells them all these are the beginning of sorrows.  He tells the disciples that THEY will be delivered up to be afflicted, THEY will be killed, and THEY will be hated.  The talk about the abounding of iniquity.  Verse 13 has caused great dissension among religious people.  But when it is placed in its perspective according to its time and place, then it is easily understood. (More on this verse later).

        He tells His disciples that WHEN YE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE (WHOSO READETH, LET HIM UNDERSTAND:).

        If all of the events that were bing described to these men were somewhere 2,000 years in the future, how could they possibly understand?  Yet, Christ tells THEM to read and understand.  He tells THEM that when they see these things, they are to flee into the mountains of Judea.  He is telling them to get out of the city so that THEY will be saved.  PHYSICALLY!  (This is what is meant in verse 13).  Christ says, if you do what I tell you, when I tell you, you will be saved.  Stay in the city, you die.  Flee when you see these things, you'll be saved.

        Verse 20 says pray ye that your flight not be in the winter or on the sabbath.  If Christ was talking to some future generation (like me and you), then why did He talk about the Sabbath?  Does your religious organization observe the Sabbath day?  If not, and if this is talking to us, then why aren't you observing it?

NOW WATCH THIS CLOSELY!!!

        In verse 21 and 22 He begins to tell His disciples that For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

        Just as we examined who Christ was talking to in these verses of Matthew 24, let's change gears for a minute and go to I Thessalonians and make some of the same applications – all the while keeping in mind the things that we have discussed so far.

I THESSALONIANS - CHAPTER ONE

        As you should know, chapter four of this book contains the great passage concerning Christ's second coming that is so quoted throughout "Christendom".  I can't wait until we make it over to chapter four, but we really need to start in chapter one and verse one.

        Verse one: Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

        Now honestly, who is this book written to?  Can you honestly say that it was written to anyone other than the church of the Thessalonians – 2,000 years ago?  Can unto the church of the Thessalonians be ‘interpreted' or taught to mean anything but unto the church of the Thessalonians?

        He goes on in verse two, saying, We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

        Verse three:  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.

VERSE FOUR - ELECTION OF GOD

        KNOWING, BRETHREN BELOVED, YOUR ELECTION OF GOD.  Paul tells them that he KNOWS that they are elect of God.  Is there any chance that these people could have also been the ones that Christ was talking about in Matthew 24 when He said that there should no flesh be saved, BUT FOR THE ELECT'S SAKE THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE SHORTENED?  

        How was it that Paul was so convinced of their election that he KNEW it?  Paul had read Matthew 24 when Christ said, Behold, I have told you before!  There is no doubt in my mind that the elect of I Thessalonians 1:4 and the elect of Matthew 24:22, are one and the same.  Look down at I Thessalonians 1:9-10:  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

          Verse 10:  And to wait for his Son from heaven, who he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.  Was Paul giving these people misguided hope for their future?  Was he misleading these people as Christ supposedly mislead His disciples in Matthew 24?  How can we even begin to believe anything other than what is so plainly stated in black and white (and red) in the Scripture?

Chapter Two

        Look at verses 13 through 20 of chapter two.  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye have heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe.

        Verse 14:  For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

        Verse 15:  Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

        Verse 16:  Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might fill up their sins alway: for the WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST.

WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST.

        These past few verses must be reckoned with.  Paul has told the Thessalonians that he knows about their persecutions.  He knows about all of the tribulations that they are being put through.  And he says about the ones who have done the persecuting – THE WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST!  Can you get anymore wrath than the uttermost?  Is not this almost word for word what Christ talked about in Matthew 24? The WRATH IS COME!  That is present tense!  He told them that the wrath is come and that WAS 2,000 YEARS AGO.

        Verse 17:  But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

        Verse 18:  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

        Verse 19:  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  

WHAT??? Paul told THEM that THEY would be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ AT HIS COMING!  Paul was telling them that their persecutions would end at the coming of Christ.  This was the hope that the Thessalonian church was looking for.  This was what sustained their faith throughout all of the terrible persecutions that they were going through at that time!  Paul told them that THEY would be in Christ's presence at his coming.  Was this another in a long line of misrepresentations?  Is all of what we have been taught about the new Testament based on lies and misrepresentations?  If the Thessalonians did not go through all that was promised to them, was that not an unbelievably cruel thing to do to a group of sincere, Christ loving, God serving, persecuted people?

        In verse two Paul tells them that he sent Timotheus to establish them, and to comfort them concerning their faith.

        Verse 3: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves KNOW THAT WE ARE APPOINTED THEREUNTO.  Paul said that they knew that that is what they were supposed to go through!  Christ told them in Matthew 24 that they would be delivered up to be afflicted and to be persecuted!  The words are almost identical to those found in Matthew 24!

        In verse 4 he tells them: For verily, when we were with you, we TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT WE SHOULD SUFFER TRIBULATION; EVEN AS IT CAME TO PASS, AND YE KNOW!  It must be noted that I Thessalonians was written during the same generation in which Christ spoke of in Matthew 24, when He said (v. 34) This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Matthew 24 spoke of "the end of the world", the destruction of the temple, and the coming of Christ.  To this point, we have seen the persecutions, afflictions, tribulations, hope of the coming Christ, and the evidence that all of these things happened in the lives of the Thessalonian Christians.  Let's continue with chapter three to see if there are anymore points of special interest related to this subject.

       We see in verse 7 that Paul was happy to note that these Christians were "keeping their faith unto the end".  They were "enduring unto the end".  Look at verses 11-13:  Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

        Verse 12:  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

        Verse 13:  TO THE END he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, AT THE COMING OF OUR LORE JESUS CHRIST WITH ALL HIS SAINTS.

CHAPTER FOUR

Furthermore, then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

        Verse 13:  But I would not have YOU to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that YE sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

                   (14)  For if WE believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

                   (15)  For this WE say unto YOU by THE WORD OF THE LORD, that WE which ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD shall not prevent them which are asleep.

                   (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

                   (17)  Then WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall WE ever be with the Lord.

                   (18)  Wherefore comfort ONE ANOTHER with these words.

        Is this another cruel misrepresentation?  Paul told them that they would witness and be a part of this blessed event.  Paul told them that many of them would BE ALIVE AND REMAINING to be CAUGHT UP together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.

        Did God keep his word to those Thessalonian Christians 2,000 years ago?  Or was it all a hoax to keep them from falling away under the tremendous persecution that they were under?  Why is it so difficult to believe God's word for exactly what it says?  Paul very plainly says that he is doing the talking and they are the ones receiving the letter.

        How can we say that those words were "really meant for a future generation"?  Well, if you can trust Scofield with your eternal soul, then I guess we can believe that the entire scope of what we have read and studied in Matthew 24 and in the book of I Thessalonians, was a misguided riddle that was designed to keep those early Christians buoyed up above fear and anxiety, giving them a false hope in order to make our generation feel that somehow all these verses are for us – to help us through the tremendous sufferings and persecutions that we are going through.

        As we gorge ourselves around the table at dinner time and drive our luxury cars and live in our fancy homes.  Our ‘church buildings' are multi-million dollar superstructures with padded pews, air conditioning, heating, and fleets of Greyhound buses to carry us on our tours.  We have state of the art gymnasiums and athletic facilities that rival anything the world has.  We are filthy rich.  Yet, the teachings of the New Testament regarding persecution and the deliverance received from the second coming of Christ refers to us?  How could we be so deceived?

CHAPTER FIVE

But of the times and the seasons, brethren ye have no need that I write unto you.

        Verse Two:  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  Why did Paul tell them that he really didn't even need to talk to them about the times and the seasons?  And that they knew perfectly well about the day of the Lord.  Paul didn't need to talk about it because Jesus Christ Himself gave clear and concise lessons on the subject in Matthew 24. Chris said, "When YE therefore shall see all these things, KNOW that it is near, even at the doors!"

        Verse Three:  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

        Verse Four:  But YE, BRETHREN, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  They were not in darkness because THEY KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that THEY WERE THE FULFILLMENT of Christ's words in Matthew 24.  You see, when those people received the Scriptures, they believed it.  They didn't have the opportunity to listen to religious professionals explain away and tell them that what they were reading actually applied to some future generation some 2,000 years down the road.  They KNEW that what they were going through was the fulfilling of Christ's Matthew 24 prophecy and these things were not surprises to them because of Christ's own words, "Behold, I have told you before".

        Look at verse nine:  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul again tries to console these suffering saints, that they were going to be spared the awful things that were still yet coming.

        Verse 23:  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  If these people did not see the coming of their Lord Jesus Christ, then truly they were the victims of one of the cruelest jokes ever perpetrated on mankind.  Wouldn't it just be so much easier to believe that God's word is true, regardless of the level of our understanding: that Jesus wonderfully fulfilled all of His promises to "THAT GENERATION"?

        I would much rather believe that Christ and Paul kept their word to those people and that they were not mislead or lived and served Christ their Lord under some false or misguided pretense. [deleted segments]

ELIJAH WILL BE SENT

        God promised that before this great and dreadful day of judgement would come, that He would first send Elijah the prophet to Israel.  This would be a major sign that the end was upon them and that his words should be obeyed.  Let's go back to the New Testament to see if, just like all of the prophecy that we have seen thus far, we can find fulfillment within the pages of God's word.  In Matthew 16, Christ and His disciples are in the middle of another confrontation with the Sadducees, the religious leaders in Israel.  They had asked Christ to provide them with a sign from heaven.  Christ responded that only wicked and adulterous generations seek for signs.  He asks them why they can't discern the signs of the times?  Christ warned His disciples that the leaven He was talking about was actually the doctrines and teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

In verse 13, Christ asks His disciples who people said that He was.  Their response was that some said he was John the Baptist, Elijah, and others said Jeremiah.  Let's hold that thought for a minute and go down to verses 24 through 28.

        Verse 24:  Then Jesus said unto his disciples... Stop right there!  Who is doing the talking?  To whom is He talking?  The Bible said that Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

        Verse 25:  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

         Verse 26:  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Now watch this!!!

        Verse 27:  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

        Verse 28:  Verily I say unto you (Christ to His disciples – 2,000 years ago!!!) THERE BE SOME STANDING HERE WHICH SHALL NOT TASTE OF DEATH, TILL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM.

        Again, did the disciples witness the coming of Christ in his kingdom?  Or did he mislead them into thinking something other than what was actually the truth?  If they didn't have those words fulfilled in their lives, then why did Christ even bother to say it to them?  Was the whole bible written to people who were completely kept in the dark?  

        Now before you think that we have ventured into something other than finding Elijah, the promised messenger and forerunner spoken of by Malachi, let's go to chapter 17.  In verse one through seven we find the story of Christ's transfiguration.  The disciples were witnesses of God the Father speaking from heaven that Christ was His beloved Son.  He was the promised Messiah.  He was the Lord's Christ.  He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning the promised King of the Jews, the Redeemer, the Anointed One, the Most High!  

        In verse nine He tells His disciples that they should tell no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead.

        Verse ten:  And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

        Verse eleven:  And Jesus answered and said unto them.  Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

        Verse twelve:  but I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.  I likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

        Verse thirteen:  THEN THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD THAT HE SPAKE UNTO THEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF SAID THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS THE ELIJAH SPOKEN OF BY MALACHI, IN Malachi Chapter Four!

        The scribes who were teachers of the Old Testament, knew the teachings of Malachi. That's why the disciples asked why they were saying that Elijah should come first.  One of the reasons that the religious leaders of Christ's day rejected Him, is because they were so spiritually illiterate that they were expecting some physical return of the Elijah of the Old Testament.  They could not see that the fulfillment of the prophecy was of a spiritual nature and their earthly fleshly appetites could not be satisfied by a spiritual application of Bible prophecy.  It's amazing to me that religious leaders have never changed their spots – from that day till this, religion still seeks to satisfy the physical, all the while rejecting the trueness of the spiritual. [deleted segment]

        There was something said to me a few years ago by a Baptist 'preacher' concerning this lesson on John the Baptist being the Elijah of Malachi.  I was talking about Matthew chapter 11 to this ‘preacher' when the comment was made to me.  In verse 7 the Scripture says that Jesus began to teach the multitudes concerning John.  He says in verse 10:  For this is he, of whom it is written Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. He goes on to say in verse 14:  And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. Would you believe that this Baptist ‘preacher' said to me, that since the people didn't receive it, then John the Baptist was not really the Elijah that was to come?  Incredible!  The ‘preachers' in this country, in this day, no more believe the words of Christ, than did the religious leaders who actually heard and saw Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago.  If Christ were here today, the religious leaders of the organized church would crucify Him just the same as they did 2,000 years ago!

THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED.

        I have asked many people to do a simple study of the word generation as it is used in the four gospels of the New Testament.  It is very interesting to see how it is used and to whom the word is spoken. Since almost all of the teachings of the gospels can be found within each other, let's look at the word generation from the book of Matthew.  I can only hope that you would take this serious enough to do your own study throughout, not only Mark, Luke, and John, but throughout the rest of the new Testament.

        Probably the most interesting usages of the word generation (or generations) is found in chapter one. For the time being though, we will skip chapter one and go to chapter eleven.  Chapter eleven is a mirror of what we have already seen from Luke chapter three.  Matthew 11:16 – But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, (V.17) and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. (V.18) For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

        Have you ever heard the phrase – You just can't win for losing?  Christ said of the generation that he lived in that, even though John the Baptist and Christ Himself did opposite things, the Jews were equally critical of each.  They found fault with both of God's men.

        It is also interesting to note the next few verses concerning the generation that Christ was living in. In verse twenty the Scripture says that he began to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

        (V.21)  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, the would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

        (V.22)  But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, than for you.

      (V.23)  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the might works, which have been brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

      (V.24)  but I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement, than for thee.

        When I was involved in the organized religious church, I used to hear the ‘preachers' make comments concerning America that would go something like this:  "If God doesn't destroy America because of all of its wickedness, then He'll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah".  Have you ever heard them say such things?  Yet, Christ told the generation of jews that were alive during His day, that they were exceedingly worse than Sodom and Gomorrah.  Sodom and Gomorrah had the wretched Lot as their only hope; the Jews of Christ's day had GOD HIMSELF and yet they didn't come near to repentance.

        They rejected everything that was good.  They rejected the final call from God the Father when they rejected the Lord Jesus Christ.  Christ the Messiah was sent to that generation!  Christ fulfilled His Messiahship and His work as Messiah is over.  It is blasphemy to say that Christ will return to this earth as Messiah.  The redemptive work of Christ the Messiah is over!

        This reminds me of a Baptist anthem that was pounded into my head from my youth until I finally studied the Scripture for myself and saw the glaring error that this song so thoroughly brainwashed me with.  The song was called, Lift Up Your Head, Redemption Draweth Nigh. The words of the song go something like -


Wars and strifes are on every hand.
And violence fills the land. 
Yet some doubt He'll ever come again.
But the word of God is true. 
He'll redeem His Chosen few.
Don't lose hope. 
For Christ's coming draweth nigh.
Signs of the times are everywhere.
There's a brand new feeling in the air.
Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky.
Lift up your heads. 
Redemption draweth nigh. 

        This sounds to me more like a Jewish anthem.  It's the ‘so-called' Jews that believe that their Messiah has never come; and that when he does then they will be redeemed.  These Baptists are saying that the Messiahship of Jesus Christ will take place at this supposed rapture (a word that doesn't even appear in the Bible – NOT ONCE!).  What utter blasphemy.  They have denied the work of Jesus Christ while He was here – and they have adopted the Jewish belief that the messiah is yet to come.  The organized religious church is powerless because they have never met the One who gives the Power!

        They are lining up with the Jew waiting on their ‘promised messiah'.   If all of what we have read were somehow Bible prophecy, the generation of religious teachers could easily be compared with those of Matthew 11 and 23.

MATTHEW 23

        We are still talking about the word generation.  The next time we find it is in Matthew 23.  But, Matthew 23 is such a key chapter, we need to go through it from the beginning and then work toward verse 36, where we find the word generation.  Verse one tells us again, plainly, that Jesus was talking to the multitude and to His disciples.  If you will take the time to read it for yourself, you will see that Christ is absolutely blasting the religious leaders of the Jews up one side and then down the other.  He talks of how they love to be seen of men.  He talks about how they try to carry on as Moses did, but the truth is that they didn't have a clue concerning the life that Moses spoke of.  

        In verse thirteen, He goes on an all out lambasting of the scribes and Pharisees.  He says that they shut up the kingdom of God against men.  They devour widows' houses and they pray long prayers for an outward showing.  They cross the seas to make a proselyte of someone, and when they succeed, they end up making the proselyte twofold more the child of hell than themselves.  He calls them fools and blind.  He calls them blind guides that strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.  He says that they try to clean up their outward appearances but inside they are full of extortion and excess.  He says that they are whited sepulchers which appear beautiful on the outside but on the inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

        Needless to say, He was not very please with the religious leaders of His day.  We have now nearly arrived to the point for which we set out at the beginning of this chapter.  He tells them in verse 30:  And say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

        (V.31)  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

        (V.32)  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

        (V.33)  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

     (V.34) Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: NOW WATCH THIS!

       (V.35)  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

     (V.36)  Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation.

        (V.37)  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

        (V.38)  Behold, Your house is left unto you desolate.

        I see no possible way that the words of Christ in this chapter can be attributed to any generation except for the generation in which and to which He was speaking.  Of course, the religious leaders of Christ's day did not believe that His words were meant for them.  Therefore, it only makes sense that the religious leaders of our day would have us believe that those words were spoken for some other future generation.  Because, as Scofield says, we know that the word generation here could not possibly refer to the generation of Christ's day because the promise of the gospel being preached to all nations HAS NEVER OCCURRED.  

        The ugly awful truth is:  The religious leaders of Christ's day that shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, are still doing it today!  It's not the exact same group of men, because they died 2,000 years ago, and they wore robes.  Today, they wear suits and ties.  They are still the cleanest and sharpest looking on the outside – but their inwardness is still the same!  They have denied the Christ of the New Testament, in favor of the ‘coming Christ, the messiah of the Jews.  

        As long as I have been alive, I have heard one ‘preacher' after another say that he ‘wasn't setting dates", but then proceed to tell us when the Second Coming of Christ was to occur.  One of the main dates that I remember was 1981.  Then it was ‘84.  The it was ‘88.  Now I guess I hear ‘93 ad nauseum infinitum.  What a joke!  They base all of their ideologies on different passages of Scriptures – Old and New Testaments.  The truth is, they don't have a clue, yet they continue on, and all of the little ‘church sheeple' follow along.  It does make sense to me though, that if the event already took place, then we could look at certain Scriptures in order to make ‘guesses' about the Second Coming.  

        Funny thing, the greatest evidence of Scripture causes us to end up at – guess what time?  Would you believe around the time of the generation that Christ said would see His coming?  Amazing, isn't it?  Let's look at it. I said that we would deal with the importance of Matthew chapter one.  So, here goes.

MATTHEW CHAPTER ONE

        Verse seventeen of chapter one tells us the following:  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.  Now since all of the dates that the ‘preachers' have set have come and gone, one of their biggest excuses has been that they must have miscalculated due to the lengths of generations.  This basically gives them an out to recalculate each time their fraudulent theories are proven wrong.

        But since the easiest thing to do is just believe the Bible, why don't we just use Hebrews chapter three where the Book says that a generation is forty years?  This is probably too easy, but let's just try it.

        Now to find the answer to what I am suggesting, we must go to Daniel chapter nine.  Daniel chapter nine needs to be addressed (although very briefly), because it is a major passage that the organized religious ‘churches' use when discussing ‘end time prophecy'.  

        Just keep in mind those three sets of 14 generations found in Matthew 1.  By the way, 14 times 40 years equals 560 years.  Daniel chapter nine and beginning in verse 24, we find that God has spoken that there are seventy weeks determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

        Now I realize that the verse here says seventy weeks, which doesn't seem like any length of time at all.  Seventy weeks is barely more than one year.  The religious leaders of this world and myself agree on one thing – the word weeks here actually means sevens of years.  So the amount of time that God said were determined for the jew and Jerusalem was 490 years.  You can see that weeks here means sevens of years in Strong's Concordance; but for even more conclusive evidence you can read in Genesis 29 that the seven years that Jacob worked for Rachel was called ‘the fulfilling of her week'.

        Without going into great dissertations on Daniel's chapter nine prophecy (we will at a later date), I would like to prove the time of Christ's coming by going backward, instead of forward.  What I mean is this, the modern day bible ‘teachers' will set their dates on certain events and then proceed from that point.  Let us take the fourteen generations of Matthew Chapter one and go backwards.  Remember though, we are looking for 560 years based on the 14 generations of Matthew one.  Comparing this time period with Daniel 9:24, we apparently have a 70 year discrepancy.  But, upon closer observation, we see that Matthew says from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generation.

        Go back to Daniel chapter nine and look at verse two.  Daniel says: In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by the books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.  Compare this with Jeremiah chapter 25 and you will see that this was a direct comment regarding the Babylonian captivity of the jews that lasted 70 YEARS!  Add this 70 years to Daniel's 490 years and how many do you have?  560 YEARS!

        Are you beginning to see how the simple truths of God's word becomes so clear when they are read and believed for exactly what they say?  Before we leave Matthew one and Daniel nine, I would like to make a comment.  Do you remember a few paragraphs ago when we were studying the word generations in Matthew 23?  We read that Christ told the Jews of HIS GENERATION that their HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE.

        Look at the last verse of Daniel 9: (Verse 27)  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, AND THAT DETERMINED SHALL BE POURED UPON THE DESOLATE.  

        Isn't that exactly what Christ said about that generation?  It's clear.  Christ told them to read and understand the book of Daniel didn't He?  What was the purpose for their reading Daniel?  Before we go on to II Thessalonians, let's look at one more point of interest in Daniel.  As Daniel's prophecy was coming to a close, we find in Chapter 12,

        (Verse one:  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of they people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

        (Verse2) And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. I quote those verses only for familiarity sake.  What I really want you to see is in verse nine:  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

        God tells Daniel that his book is sealed up until the time of the end.  Now compare this verse to what John is instructed to do with his book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, SEAL NOT THE SAYINGS OF THE PROPHECY OF THIS BOOK: FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND. Enough said.

II THESSALONIANS CHAPTER ONE

        Well, if you can remember back, all of what was said concerning Malachi, John the Baptist, and this generation, was said because we were finishing up I Thessalonians and getting ready to go into II Thessalonians.  Now, let's go on into II Thessalonians.  We basically will look at the first several verses of chapter one.  

        Since we looked at Malachi and read that the day of the Lord will burn as an oven, and John the Baptist – Malachi's Elijah – confirmed the same, we only need to look briefly at II Thessalonians to drive a piercing blow into the unscriptural teaching of the religious leaders of this world concerning Matthew 24.  Verse one again makes it clear who is doing the talking and who is receiving the words.  It is the church of the Thessalonians, 2,000 years ago!  In verse four he tells them again that he recognizes their patience and continued faith amidst all of the persecutions that they are enduring.  

He tells them in verse five that: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which y also suffer:

        (Verse 6)  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

        (Verse 7) AND TO YOU WHO ARE TROUBLED REST WITH US, WHEN THE LORD JESUS SHALL BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHT ANGELS,

        (Verse 8)  IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON THEM THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST:

        (Verse 9) WHO SHALL BE PUNISHED WITH EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND FROM THE GLORY OF HIS POWER:

        (V10) WHEN HE SHALL COME TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS, AND TO BE ADMIRED IN ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE (BECAUSE OUR TESTIMONY AMONG YOU WAS BELIEVED) IN THAT DAY.

        Is it still some demented delusion that Paul was leading these suffering Christians through?  Did God keep His word to these people?  Did He do to them what He said He would do?  Did He keep the delusion going in chapter two when he begs them by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, AS THAT THE DAY OF CHRIST IS AT HAND?!?!?

NEW WORLD ORDER?  

       I am amazed at how far gone organized religion has shown that it is through its politics. George Bush [the elder jp] has finally coined the phrase "The New World Order", to which I thought for sure that we might see a little bit of stirring from the organized religious church.  I thought that we would possibly see an outcry against even the usage of this phrase.  Instead, it seems that the organized religious church has embraced it the same way that the rest of the world has.

        This "end of the world" GARBAGE that has been preached from the pulpits of American and English churches for over one hundred years now, HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR THIS NEW WORLD ORDER.

       In order for the new World Order to be established there could be nothing less than total acceptance from the religious community of the world.  The complacency, ineptness, and laziness that the "end of the world" message has produced, was exactly the goal of the One Worlders.

 Many Americans are now claiming to be "patriots" and are very much involved in fighting for the liberties that have been taken from Americans through the years.  They have not realized that their religious thought concerning the "end of the world" is actually one of their biggest enemies.  [emphasis added]

        They are trying to effect change in a society that believes that change will only come when "Jesus returns to rule the world".  After all, everything that is going on in this world today, is Bible prophecy and there is nothing we can do about it, or nothing that we should do about it.  Just wait, and let Jesus straighten out all of His/our enemies.

The enemies of Christ have propagated the "end of the world" message just the same as they have manipulated society to bring about all of the run that they have caused through the years.  

        We have been diverted into thinking that our battle has been with the Democrats, the Bureaurats (not a misprint), and the Republicans.  The enemy is much smarter than that.  The enemy is in the pulpits of the churches.  The enemy dresses in suits and ties and makes pretty speeches.  Our battle is a spiritual battle with the same enemy that attacked Christ.  

        I have shown within the pages of this booklet, that religious leaders such as Scofield, Van Impe, Lindsey, Falwell, Graham, Swaggart, Stanley, and others who preach Scofieldism (Dispensationalism is its religious term), have dealt treacherously with the Scriptures.  I have show you where in Scofield's notes – he either bold face lies, or he is really a pathetic student of God's word.  How can someone that claims to be such a Bible expositor, skip over a passage of Scripture such as Colossians 1:23 – the gospel which was preached to every creature which is under heaven!

        How does this happen?  Is it by design? Or is it truly a mistake?  As I told you earlier, I will show you another heretical teaching that Scofield taught in his book, What Do the Prophets Say?   Scofield, Graham, Falwell, and the others want us to believe that Jesus Christ is going to return to this earth and actually sit on the throne of David and rule the world from Jerusalem.  

        After all, isn't that what God promised David in II Samuel 7:12 and 13? Look at it: II Samuel 7:12: And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom (V. 13) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

        Now verse 16: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.  Okay.  So we don't actually see Christ ruling the world from these verses, although that is what the religious world gets around to saying.  But, we do see an establishment of David's kingdom that apparently will be carried out by the Lord Jesus.  

        Is it possible again that we could find the fulfillment of this promise/prophecy within the pages of the New Testament?  Scofield and the others say, "NO!".   It is unfulfilled prophecy that will be fulfilled in our future.  But what does the book say?  

WHAT DOES THE BOOK SAY?

        We will see the fulfillment of the "Davidic Covenant" before we leave the pages of the New Testament – proving again that the religious leaders of today are either pathetic Bible students, or miserable, deceitful men who have "made merchandise" of their followers according to II Peter 2:3.  In Acts, chapter two we find one of the most fantastic sermons ever preached by someone other than the Lord Jesus himself.  It is Peter preaching and it would be good for you to study it again starting from verse one. We, however, will begin in verse 14.

        Peter is trying to explain to the assembly that what they have been witnessing that day was not a matter of a bunch of drunks and that they needed to hearken to his words.  It is of special note that he says in

        Verse 16:  But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel;

        Verse 17:  And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

        Verse 18:  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

        Verse 19:  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

        Verse 20:  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come;

        Verse 21:  And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

        Verse 22:  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know;

        Verse 23:  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

        Verse 24:  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

        Verse 25:  For David speaketh concerning Him. I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

        Verse 26:  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad, moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

        Verse 27:  Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

        Verse 28:  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance.

        Verse 29:  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

        Verse 30:  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne:

        Verse 31:  You must read and understand this verse. HE SEEING THIS BEFORE SPAKE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THAT HIS SOUL WAS NOT LEFT IN HELL, NEITHER DID HIS FLESH SEE CORRUPTION.

        Now, is there any doubt in your mind that God's promise to David was fulfilled?  He said that the resurrection of Christ was the fulfillments of the prophecy.  Verse 31:  He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. You see, the religious leaders who have always been interested in the fleshly and not the spiritual, cannot see this as the fulfilled prophecy because it had a spiritual fulfillment."

THE SCOFIELDIC RESPONSE

        In Scofield's book, What Do the Prophets Say?, Scofield gives a couple of paragraphs to the Davidic Covenant. He says on page 161, in the second, third and fourth paragraphs:

Doubtless the whole subject has been made an offense to many sincere and well-meaning students of the Bible by the too exclusively Jewish conception of the "age to come" in controversies over it.  That the coming age is to fulfill the Davidic Covenant of the earth-rule of Messiah, as explained by the Prophets and confirmed by the oath of Jehovah and the message through Gabriel, is most true.

     But the New Testament lifts the purpose of the age to come into a breadth and majesty far beyond the promises to Israel, while including – nay, resting upon those promises. For the thought and word of God have an ever inner and vaster content than appears upon the surface. There are perpetual surprises in the interpretation of Scripture by Scripture as the student follows the progressive unfolding of the Divine will.

     The Davidic Covenant is indeed to be fulfilled in the age to come, but a vastly grander this is fulfilled – THE DESTINY OF THE RACE "(my emphasis added).

        What exactly is Scofield trying to say here?  Could there be anything more grand than the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Well, evidently Scofield thinks so.  

        You see, to Scofield, et.al., it is more important that the people that call themselves Jews in the Middle East today have land and "a place to call home".  The sad truth is, Scofield's true belief on this subject is that the Jesus Christ of the New Testament was not the Messiah.  He believes as the other Baptist ‘preacher' that I referred to that He would have been the Messiah had the jews accepted Him. But, since they didn't He will have to return as Messiah again.

        At that time, the jews will believe and then everything will be wonderful.  Well, at least according to this Pharisaical religious deception, Scofield goes on in his book, What Do the Prophets Say?  to talk about what will happen to the earth during this "golden age of the earth-rule of Messiah".

        On page 168 Scofield lets us know how this message has prepared the world for the Jewish, UN's New World Order.  He states as follows:

The "righteousness" which is the ethical keyword of the age to come is simply right doing.

The end of wars, the protection of the poor, the widow, and the orphan (Psa. 72:2-4, 12-15), the inflexible demand for just dealing, will be enforced by resistless power.  It is the age of the "rod of iron".

Whatever the inner thought of man may be, he must do right or die (Isa. 11:4; Psa.2.9; Rev.2:27).

What is he saying?!  He is telling us that "righteousness" is not for this age.  IT IS FOR THE AGE TO COME.  This is why no one is interested in doing right today.  Right living is not for this age.  

        We only need to, "Preach the gospel.  We shouldn't be involved in politics.  We shouldn't let the politicians of this country know that they pass evil legislation; the judges do not rule justly.  We shouldn't teach people that paper money is an abomination to God.  We shouldn't talk about the fact that taxes on labour are despised by God; and that Social Security participants make God's word of no effect. Just preach the gospel".

        This is the summation of the religion of the New World Order.  Stay in your little buildings and sing your pretty little songs – but that's it!  And, if you'll be good little "sheeple" we'll give you tax credits for contributions that you make to your church organizations.  We'll give your CHURCH CORPORATION tax-exempt status.  Sounds like a payoff for a "job-well-done".

        Upon closer examination of the preceding words of Scofield, not only is it apparent that he is teaching that "right living" is for the age to come, but another glaring statement of blasphemy needs to be addressed.  He states that whatever the inner thought of man may be, he must do right or die.  Can you not see that this completely nullifies the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus Christ?

        This should be a clear indication of what I have been saying concerning Scofield's thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament.  Scofield's Jesus is a Messiah yet to come in the future, when he will establish an earthly, fleshly kingdom.  

        This is NOT the Christ of the New Testament who said that His kingdom is NOT OF THIS WORLD.  

        It is NOT the same Jesus of whom Paul stated that FLESH AND BLOOD CAN NOT INHERIT His kingdom.

        This "end of the world" teaching that was brought to the forefront by Scofield and perpetuated by Graham, and the others, has produced exactly what it was designed to do:  Sleeping people who think that government is God, and that it is sin to question the bureaucracy that rules this New World Order.

        It has produced a country filled with religious people who claim to know God, but in their works they deny Him. It has filled the country and the world with people that are begging to have one world government.  They have deceived the people into believing that this one world government will be led by the Lord Jesus Christ – their soon coming Messiah.  

        While the religious crown looks for their Messiah to rule and reign, the enemies of Christ who have been the deceivers are laughing. They know that their one world government of slavery is coming and that ALL OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD HAS ENDORSED IT!!!

        They have the blessing of the entire religious world – excluding the religion of the Arab world. Search the Scriptures, for in them, YE THINK YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE – Jesus Christ.

APPENDIX

        As this booklet may never actually come to a close, there are a few things that must be covered yet with this little booklet. I will cover these two issues only briefly, and if you would like further information,... you'll have to study if for yourself....

A.D. 70 - The destruction of Jerusalem.

        We started this little booklet talking about Christ informing His disciples that before that generation passed away, the temple of the Jews would be destroyed.  Have you ever heard of a Jewish historian named, Josephus?  Most religious people have.  He was a man who was born around 37 A.D. and died around 100 A.D.  He is regarded as one of the foremost historians that the world has ever known.  

        In the book, The Works of Josephus, a complete analysis of the events that took place in Jerusalem in the days after the resurrection of Christ and through the year 70 A.D. is chronicled.  The religious community has told us that Christ was born around 3.B.C.  The Bible tells us that he was 331/2 years when He was crucified.  That would put His words of Matthew 24 somewhere around 30 A.D.

       Remember that Christ said that, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled?  Well, what do you think is recorded within the pages of the Works of Josephus?  How about the complete destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by Titus, the prince son of Vespasian.  In fact, Josephus records that the destruction of Jerusalem was so thorough, that:

Chapter I – How the entire city of Jerusalem was demolished, excepting three towers; and how Titus commended his soldiers, in a speech made to them, and distributed rewards to them, and then dismissed many of them.

1. Now, as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the object of their fury, (for they would not have spared any other such work to be done,) Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city AND TEMPLE (my emphasis added) but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne, and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side.

This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison; as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valour had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundations, that there was left nothing to make those that came hither believe IT HAD EVER BEEN INHABITED (my emphasis added) . This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind. —

        This took place at 70 A.D. Forty years from the time that Christ told His disciples that "NOT ONE STONE SHALL BE LEFT UPON ANOTHER".  Is this some coincidence?  How is it that such an incredible event like this took place and yet we never hear anything about it in the ‘churches'?  It's because it doesn't fit.  It is purposely left untold.  

        Josephus' account of the time between 63 A.D. and 70 A.D. (Seven years) covers some 300 pages. You can pick up a copy of Josephus in just about any book store.  Read for yourself that when Titus came into the city and his soldiers began their slaughter, there was so much blood that it ran to the top of the steps of the inner court of the temple.  Incidentally, there were 13 steps.  Read how he said that over 1.3 million Jews died from starvation.  You know, Josephus' writings are only icing on the cake.  It is not God's word – it is Josephus' words.  We have covered more than enough of God's word on the subject that it should be believed regardless os what Josephus says.  When Christ says, "All these things shall come upon this generation", we should believe Christ and let God be true and every man a liar.

REVELATIONS IS A HISTORY BOOK

        When the first verse of Revelation says, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must SHORTLY COME TO PASS, and when it says in verse seven: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: and al kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him; we need to believe those verses.

        The book of Revelation is a history book.  It was written to the Christians of the first generation of saints and the events inside, SHORTLY TOOK PLACE! Shortly meant shortly!  The ones that pierced him — SAW HIM AT HIS COMING!  It's what the book says.  

        It is completely consistent with what Christ said in Matthew 26:64. Christ was before Caiaphas the high priest.  After being questioned by Caiaphas, Christ answered:  Jesus saith unto him, Thou has said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter SHALL YE SEE THE SON OF MAN SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.

        Did our generation pierce Christ?  Of course not, we weren't even alive.  Did Caiaphas pierce Christ?  As sure as you are alive this minute — Caiaphas killed Christ!  There is so much more scripture to look at in dealing with this issue.  In fact, in light of what you have read, you will begin to see this truth everywhere you look, every time you read your Bible!  I will continue to add to this booklet — probably daily.  But for now, I will close this section.

        As I go back over the pages that I have written, I see that some of what I have written has appeared to be very harsh and stern.  I will make no apologies for this.  Religious deception is the most cruel, as well as the most damaging of all deceptions.  It must be met "head-on".

        I do feel tremendous compassion for those people that fill pews week after week.  However, they must be warned as Isaiah warned years ago, "The leaders of this people have caused them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed".

        Each of us has an excuse for not knowing what is in the pages of God's word.  It's all there in black and white.  Are you willing to keep trusting your eternal soul to someone who is as flesh and blood as you are?  Not this guy!  I know what I believe because I have seen it within the pages of the Bible.  I can take you on a guided tour from cover to cover. This is not an arrogant statement.  It is a simple fact of obedience.  Peter tells us that we are to: Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

        Can you give an answer?  Or will you continue to be just like everyone else, "Well, if you'd just talk to my preacher, he'd tell you.

A FINAL THOUGHT ON THE RELIGION OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER...

        When discussing C.I. Scofield's influence on modern bible teachers, one of Scofield's biggest disciples needs to be mentioned.  His name is Hal Lindsey and he has written such books as the Late Great Planet Earth, Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth, and for this booklet, There's a New World Coming.

        In Lindsey's book, There a New World Coming, I want to take a few exceptions from his writings to show you how Lindsey is one of the greatest allies that the proponents of the new World Order have. His teachings should illustrate clearly why he is given and benefits from tax exempt status and tax-deductible gifts.  Both pay-offs for advocating and promoting the New World Order.

  On page 3 of his book, Lindsey gives his honor and respect to that

   "venerable old Bible scholar, C.I. Scofield, who said that, 'The book (Revelation) is so written that as the actual time of these events approach, the current events will unlock the meaning of the book.  

   He pointed out that the Book of Revelation didn't have too much meaning to people a few centuries ago, and that for this reason very few people were willing to study its meaning'.  He goes on to say,

   'Interestingly, even the great reformers of past centuries, such as Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin, knew little about prophecy. They were primarily interested in unlocking Biblical truths desperately needed for their own generation. They therefore didn't spend much time studying truths about the future. Possibly they sensed that their age would not witness the fulfillment of the book of Revelation'."

NO KIDDING!!! Those reformers didn't spend any time on prophecy because it had ALL BEEN FULFILLED!!! There was no prophecy to discuss!!!

     On page four of Lindsey's book, he makes good mention of Daniel's words in Daniel Chapter 12.  In verses 8-10 Daniel writes, And I heard, but I understood not; then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

        Lindsey goes on to say (after these verses are quoted and in regard to Revelation),

"I believe that down through the centuries since John wrote these incredible revelations from God, men have received a blessing from reading them even if they understood very little of what they read. But today we live in a unique era. Now the promise of blessing carries an unprecedented comfort and practical fulfillment for every person who lets the Holy Spirit illuminate the words he reads."

        Why did Christ tell His disciples in Matthew 24 — When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) ???

        What was the purpose of them reading Daniel, if according to Lindsey, they could not understand what they were reading?  If what Lindsey was saying had any merit to it at all, let's examine two passages of Scripture to see if even a child could understand the ridiculous thinking and logic that Lindsey tries to convince people of.

      First, Lindsey quotes Daniel 12 where the angel tells Daniel to SEAL UP THE WORDS OF THE BOOK UNTIL THE TIME OF THE END.  Okay.  If Lindsey's logic were correct that would mean that Daniel's prophecy was "unsealed" after approximately 2500 years, because we are now in the ‘END TIME' and because knowledge is increasing.  Daniel's book has been unsealed.  That would man that even though Christ told His disciples to READ AND UNDERSTAND, they were not capable of it.

Second, compare again, John's words in Revelation 22:10 where the angel tells John, And he saith unto me, Seal Not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for THE TIME IS AT HAND.

        So what is being said is that God sealed Daniel's book for 2,500 years while John's book, which was written 500 years AFTER DANIEL'S was left unsealed.  It absolutely doesn't make any sense!  Unless of course, you believe in the same god and jesus that Lindsey, Scofield and the others teach.  Their jesus taught things that were misunderstood, filled with deception, and filled with false hopes for people who lived and sustained themselves on the very words of the ones they were following.  

        Why not just believe the Bible for its plain truth.  The times of the end took place during the lifetimes of the disciples.  When Christ told them that WHEN THEY SEE all these things, read Daniel and you'll understand.  

        That obviously means that Daniel's book was unsealed during their day.  It also means that Revelations was left unsealed because that TIME WAS AT HAND.   You know that verse in Revelations (verse one) that says that those things should shortly come to pass?  Well, here's what Lindsey says about that verse.

                          "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" — theme;                                                                                                         "God gave... to show" — source and purpose;                                                                                                   "Sent... by His angel" — intermediary;                                                                                                                "To His servant John" — recipient and writer.

WHAT HAPPENED TO "MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS"?!?!?   Does Lindsey's version leave that out?  Well, I checked.  Here's what I found:

The New International Version says:   The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him to show his servants what must soon take place.

The New King James Version says: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place.

The New World Translation of The Holy Scriptures (JW version) says:   A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place.

The Geneva Bible says:  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly be done.

        Why does Lindsey leave this phrase out?  Is there a hidden agenda somewhere?  I believe so!  Let me show you another passage in Lindsey's book that I believe links him to the religion of the New World Order.  

We find it on page 64.  I quote verbatim,

    "Since the Bible teaches the Rapture is going to occur before the Tribulation period begins, and since there are increasing signs that this time of God's judgement is nearing, it would be good to briefly summarize the major signs that Jesus and the prophets said would herald the Tribulation and the return of Jesus to this earth".

        At this point I want to make a couple of comments.  Note the usage of the word Rapture.  Once again, here is a word that doesn't even appear in the Bible.  Also note that he says that the Rapture is going to occur BEFORE the Tribulation period begins.  Note he puts the word ‘before' in italics for emphasis.  There is a very important reason why he does this and I will explain later.  He says that the world is nearing God's judgement.  In other words, the time is nearing where God is going to pour out all types of terrible things on the earth and there is going to be tremendous suffering on the earth.

        Keep those two things in mind as I will be back to them shortly. Lindsey goes on to make a list of all the things that we are seeing as fulfilled Bible prophecy in our lifetimes. The list goes like this:

  1. The return of the dispersed Jews to Israel to become a nation again in 1948.    
  2. The Jews' recapture of the Old City of Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.      
  3. The rise of Russia as a powerful nation and enemy of Israel.    
  4. The Arab confederation against the new State of Israel.         
  5. The rise of a military power in the Orient that can field an army of 200 million soldiers. (Red china alone boasts that she has this number of troops!)    
  6. The revival of the old Roman Empire in the form of a ten-nation confederacy. (I believe the  European Common Market is ultimately going to be this power.)    
  7. The revival of the dark occultic practices of ancient Babylon.    
  8. The unprecedented turn to drugs.  
  9. The increase of international revolution.    
  10. The increase of wars.    
  11. The increase of earthquakes.    
  12. The increase of famines through the population explosion.      
  13. The coming of plagues.    
  14. The increase of pollution.  
  15. The departure of many Christian churches from the historic truths of Christianity.    
  16. The move toward a one-world religion.   
  17. The move toward a one-world government.    
  18. The decline of the United States as a major world power.    
  19. The increase of lawlessness.      
  20. The decline of the family unit.

        Before I discuss the significance of this list, I want to go back to the paragraph where Lindsey was talking about the Rapture occurring before the Tribulation period begins.  After Lindsey says that it would be good to briefly summarize the major signs that Jesus and the prophets said would herald the Tribulation and the return of Jesus to this earth... he goes on to say:  "Even though many of these signs are appalling in themselves, their tremendous significance should gladden the heart of every true believer in Christ."

WHAT???  He is saying that all of the things that he listed should make Christians happy!  Look again at the list.

        The revival of the occult... the unprecedented turn to drugs... international revolution... increase of wars... famines.... plagues... increase of pollution... the departure of many Christian churches from the historic truths of Christianity (he got that one right!!!)... THE MOVE TOWARD A ONE-WORLD RELIGION.   THE MOVE TOWARD A ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT.   THE DECLINE OF THE UNTIED STATES AS A MAJOR WORLD POWER.   THE DECLINE OF THE FAMILY UNIT.  

        He says that these things should make us happy.

CONSEQUENTLY, THE ATTITUDE THAT COMES FROM THIS IS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE BIBLE PROPHECY AND NOT ONLY IS THERE NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, THERE'S NOTHING WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT!!!!

        There are forces at work in this world that have been trying to destroy this country for decades. There have been individuals with literally limitless financial resources who have openly stated that they want to destroy the sovereignty of the United States.  One such group of people are RHODES' SCHOLARS!  That's right, Rhodes' Scholars.  The Rhodes' Scholarships were set up by the late Cecil Rhodes who wrote that he wanted the United States recovered by England as an integral part of the British Empire.  

        Do you know of any influential Rhodes' Scholars?  Where are Rhodes' Scholars indoctrinated?  Oxford.  In England. Pick up a copy of Scofield's Reference Bible and look at the binding.  Where does it say the book is published?  Oxford.  See the connection?  I think it is very clear.  It is Rhodes' Scholars who have been responsible for most of the legislation and rulings in this country that seem to be counter-productive.  Why?  For the benefit of this country? Not hardly.  There is an all out effort, funded by English money, namely Rhodes', Carnegie's, Rothschild's and others, to destroy this country.

        Wake up, America. You have been lulled to sleep in your padded pews!  You have been gassed with a religious indoctrination that has led you down a path of destruction and slavery.  Your pastors have you convinced that you are seeing bible prophecy fulfilled.  So, just sit back and make the best of it.  Forget about what's coming.  After all, before it gets TOO BAD, you'll be Raptured out!  You won't be left to face it.  WAKE UP!!!

        While all of you religious people who have bought this lie are sitting back in near poverty, barely scratching by, taxed to death, licensed to death, and so on, ad nauseum; the MEN who have conned you into believing this is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, live in $150,000 homes, drive new cars every year, receive all types of tax credits and exemptions, and play golf three or four times a week! Wake up!!! Wake up!!! Wake up!!!

        All of this supposed fulfillment of bible prophecy has been bought and paid for by the people who created it.  None of what is going on today is bible (or Bible) prophecy.  It has been masterminded and carried out on an unsuspecting world by the ultra, ultra rich.  Yes.  They want what would appear to be a one-world government.  They want what would appear to be a one-world religion. It is a plan for ultimate control of the life of every individual that lives on the planet.  They have used the religions of the world to anesthestise their adherents into accepting this most sinister lie and devious plan. -- End --


24 posted on 12/07/2001 1:50:00 AM PST by mindprism.com
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To: djr
#24
25 posted on 12/07/2001 1:54:21 AM PST by mindprism.com
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To: Derville
It wasn't faith that caused the West to rise,it was the Renaissance,Reformation,the Enlightenment,and the scientific advances that outstripped the Ottoman world,including the opening of the 'New World'.

The very fact that these movements took place in the Christian West and not in the Muslim East says something about the differences between the two. Have you read Sir Butterfield's _The Whig Interpretation of History_? I sense the presence of uncritical secularist progressivism in your post, which mirrors in many respects the Whig historical perspective.

Are you aware of Belloc's thesis that Protestant nations ascended to global leadership on account of their governments' aquisition(even theft) of Church property to finance their rising nation-states?

26 posted on 12/07/2001 2:36:08 AM PST by Dumb_Ox
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To: My2Cents
#7: "Too bad his ill-advised run for President last year on the Reform Party ticket has rendered him virtually irrelevant..."

Pat sure had America's immigration mess wrong, eh?

27 posted on 12/07/2001 3:49:57 AM PST by Jethro Tull
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To: Governor StrangeReno
"Im an Australian my lunch bar is run by a greek,my barman is czech,my dentist is chinese and my physician is finnish,multiculturalism can work..."

It sounds like you're living in a complete mess, mate...

28 posted on 12/07/2001 3:53:16 AM PST by Jethro Tull
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To: ouroboros
Thanks for the Ping
29 posted on 12/07/2001 4:11:49 AM PST by Fiddlstix
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To: onyx
More level-headed than usual.

The farther Pat Buchanan is from a political campaign, the more sense he begins to make.

Maybe Pat Buchanan the presidential candidate is dead. And the 1980's conservative columnist Pat Buchanan has come back alive. We can only hope.

30 posted on 12/07/2001 4:53:55 AM PST by 11th Earl of Mar
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To: ouroboros
Bump
31 posted on 12/07/2001 6:58:07 AM PST by Valin
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To: ouroboros
Pat Buchanan bump.
32 posted on 12/07/2001 7:00:43 AM PST by mafree
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To: ouroboros
What seems to be coming to pass is the theological conflict between the different visions (versions) of God. The active Jewish version (vision) is pretty much the God of military support and that freedom comes with possession of land. The Christian vision (version) is that God is a figure of love and peace and that freedom comes from within a person.

Within the Christian community, I think the Protestant work ethic (Weber) places somewhat more emphasis on the economic systems of individual goods acquisition leading to experience 'more good things in the land of the living'. The Catholic seems to decry consumerism as leading to sins of pride and greed. Islam seems more to parrot the Jewish version of land ownership and the Catholic view of anti-consumerism.

What is sad about this 'war' is where Abraham's other son Ismael fits. I can hope there is till some opportunity for some kind of reconciliation between the heritage of both sons. Don't you think that is what God untimately wants?

33 posted on 12/07/2001 8:02:42 AM PST by ex-snook
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To: ouroboros
If belief is decisive, Islam is militant, Christianity milquetoast. In population, Islam is exploding, the West dying. Islamic warriors are willing to suffer defeat and death, the West recoils at casualties. They are full of grievance; we, full of guilt. Where Islam prevails, it asserts a right to impose its dogma, while the West preaches equality. Islam is assertive, the West apologetic – about its crusaders, conquerors and empires.

Don't count Islam out. It is the fastest growing faith in Europe and has surpassed Catholicism worldwide. And as Christianity expires in the West and the churches empty out, the mosques are going up.

Ouroboros, this is a really great article. Thanks so much for bringing it to my attention. Saving it for it's historical facts. :)

34 posted on 12/07/2001 10:21:32 AM PST by SusanUSA
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To: ouroboros
Is a war of civilizations ahead?

civilized?

Isn't Islamist civilization an oxymoron? Hasn't what we have seen of attacks on civilians been the nihilist opposite of civilization? Why should ole Pat even give that "faith" brought to light by Jihadists the legitimacy of the assumption that its civilized?

Why how many here even know that both Mullah Omar and bin Laden skipped out of their religious training in the 7th grade?

Why be fooled?

35 posted on 12/07/2001 10:54:24 AM PST by flamefront
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

To: nopardons
Pat's got his history a wee bit WRONG, again.

Note that it was a quote, not Buchanan's words.

37 posted on 12/07/2001 11:14:53 AM PST by bob808
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To: ouroboros
"Is a war of civilizations ahead?"

I hope not. I'm still exhausted from winning the Cold War, and don't have the energy to plunge into something new. I hope we aren't confronted with another biological-cultural war of mass destruction like we saw in WWII.

You might be interested in Rush Limbaugh's show today: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- he says -- won't end until one side can crush the other completely and totally.

It will be interesting to see what Pat and others have to say about this. If you look at some conflicts -- Germany-France, Germany-Russia, US-Japan, Rome-Carthage, Rome-Israel, USA-CSA -- you can see what Rush means. But others have less clear-cut results -- US-Britain, Britain-France, US-Mexico. Anyway, I fear Rush has entered the much more pro-war neo-conservative "clash of civilizations" camp.

38 posted on 12/07/2001 11:25:55 AM PST by x
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To: x
", I fear Rush has entered the much more pro-war neo-conservative "clash of civilizations" camp. "

No surprise. Hard to find any big names making money out of media who don't push getting America into this Israel-Islam conflict. But it's about real estate not civilizations.

39 posted on 12/07/2001 12:09:45 PM PST by ex-snook
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To: ouroboros
we cannot kill Islam as we did Nazism, fascism, Japanese militarism and Soviet Bolshevism.

We certainly could. If necessary, we have the military capability to kill every single Muslim on the planet.

We won't, but it's not because we can't. It's because doing such a horrendous thing would itself destroy any possible meaning to America or Western civilization.

40 posted on 12/07/2001 1:49:07 PM PST by Restorer
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