Posted on 02/22/2014 10:44:58 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
When First Baptist's Robert Jeffress proclaimed a couple of weeks back that President Obama is "paving the way for the antichrist," we dismissed it as a publicity stunt designed to sell copies of his new book on the end times.
Not everyone was so quick to call Jeffress' claim empty bombast. Take this Christian Post piece from over the weekend in which a reporter, apparently keeping a straight face, asks two Baptist biblical scholars -- or rather as the headline suggests "experts" on the Obama-antichrist link -- to weigh in on the controversy.
Darrell Bock, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, offers a slight rebuke to Jeffress, saying that while "believers are to keep watch and be alert" for the second coming of Christ and all that will entail, the timing is unknowable.
He points out that the U.S. is mentioned nowhere in the Bible and that previous attempts to prophesy the end times have, well, failed.
The second expert, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary president Paige Patterson, is less cautious. Though he tells the Christian Post that "Identifying specific politicians with the antichrist of the last days is clearly absurd," Jeffress is generally on point.
"The rapid expansion of the powers of government and the growing dependency on the welfare state set the stage for the antichrist, since that is precisely what he is forecast to do," he says. "Dr. Jeffress is not personally attacking President Obama. He is simply attempting to explain to his people what is to happen next."
Indeed, his reference to a specific political figure aside, Jeffress' is bread-and-butter Baptism. Here's what the Southern Baptist Convention has in its statement of faith under the heading "Last Things":
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
There are competing interpretations of how that will come to pass, but no one can say for certain that Obama isn't paving the way for the antichrist.
We might not know the “day or the hour”, but I think the season is getting pretty close.
People still saying “antichrist” in place of “beast”, I see. The Beast is an historical empire, and it’s on the scene now; one can judge it by its actions. (Part of it does look like a lamb and speak like a dragon, i.e. deceptively.)
There are multiple signs of it getting closer. The problem is, it’ll hit like a thief in the night.
I think there was a consensus that the season started in earnest once nukes came on the scene, because before that it wasn’t possible to create an environment where no flesh would be saved.
You are right. And I believe that we are in the process of being prepared to defend Our lord. And, most of us don't even know it.
Obama is still young - we might see him as head of the UN in the future!?
I have and still ponder what is being said in the warning Christ gave regarding 'time' Matthew 24:22 And except those days (of Daniel) should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Who saves we in the flesh? This does not read like a nuke is being prevented or allowed. It reads like an attempt to replace Christ is allowed, because it is in Christ any and all are 'saved' in the flesh. And deception is the first warning Christ gives when the disciples ask what are the signs of His return.
And Christ specifically says that 'war' and rumors of wars, is not the end, in Matthew 24:6.
Our dear leader this nation hired to rule over US, has much company in how to 'fix' US. How many peoples vote for liberals? Why the majority of voters. And the mindset can be broken down into three to four different thoughts. Some are flat out deceived that the democrat party is the party of God. Others believe in the idea of wealth redistribution or 'social justice' and the rest know darn well what they are doing is against God and they could care less. Then there are those that could care less about bothering to vote.
What conditions does a thief look for to steal. See it always sounded strange to me to think of Christ as a thief in the night. So what is being said? What mindset must there be for any to consider Christ a 'thief'. Why wouldn't it mean there is already on scene another claiming to be Christ?
The US is only 315 million. China has 1.35 Billion. There are approximately 1 billion muslims.
However you want to look at it, 2.4 billion is a huge amount. Far beyond what a conventional war could kill.
Christ Himself isn’t the thief in the night. The metaphor refers to the suddenness that the time of trouble will fall with, and an admonition to keep watching. Matthew 24:43 notes that if the owner of the house knew when the thief was showing up, he would have stayed up waiting for him and not allow his house to get broken into.
So we had better make sure we have enough lamp oil.
Yet Christ said that 'war and rumors of war' were not the sign of the end. Matthew 24:6 ....And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, BUT the end is not yet.
And Paul tells Christians that we are to prepare for a spiritual war, not of flesh and blood. Ephesians 6 whole chapter. If one is not in Christ are they not 'spiritually dead'?
Of course Christ is not a/the thief. However, for this analogy to be view for what it is, then the peoples here in majority will view Him, His return as a thief. Meaning they in majority already believe that He has returned and are no longer waiting/watching for His return. Plain and simple, the whole world will be deceived except for the elect.
The fire that destroys the chaff is the Holy Spirit. For the same reason that a prayerful blessing to an evil person is like placing hot coals upon their head. The Holy Spirit is such a high frequency of consciousness that it has the same effect upon low frequency dense objects such as fear, guilt and anger as a dense object such as a spoon or fork placed into a microwave will become hot, throw sparks and ignite anything combustible around it.
The weeds will be burned by the same Holy Spirit that Jesus used to cast out demons and to remove the guilt fear and anger from people’s souls in order to heal their flesh. The Holy Spirit is perfect Love and perfect Love casts out fear. It is this process that heals the soul and the flesh and by the same process, anyone who holds onto the “old” wineskin and tries to fill it with the new Spirit will perish.
Could the 1/3 of mankind being killed, be abortion? Are we, having been led astray in a spiritual war, not killing 1/3 of mankind now?
Bttt
I never considered that but it’s certainly possible.
First from what I read of the article this man was not claiming a date or time nor was he calling Obama anti-Christ. He just said he was paving the way for him.
Second, we are to be discerning and watchful knowing the times and no matter how you see it, Israel is reborn, something for almost 2,000 years seemed impossible and a generation is passing away since the date of its conception. Whether you count from 1948 and its reforming or 1967 of it regaining Jerusalem.
Yes, the systems are or have been set up to control the populations of the world the Bible spoke of.
wouldn’t be surprised if the anti-christ will be gay.
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