Posted on 03/06/2012 4:44:41 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.( 2 Timothy 3:1-5)
There is a Chinese ‘blessing’, the kind you confer upon an adversary, in which you wish him or her ,”May you live in interesting times”. We certainly do, don’t we? Fortunately we don’t have to rely on Chinese proverbs, for we have a guide to our times that is eternal, and gives us a profound template for understanding them.
We know that these are the “Latter days” spoken of by the apostles of Jesus and the Hebrew prophets. All of the themes of the Old and New Testament are being replayed in little and big ways, so that those who have “ears to hear” may be as the Sons of Isaachar, ”… which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…”(I Chronicles 12:32).
The Book of Esther all over again
Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, in meetings with President Obama, affirmed Israel’s right and willingness to use any means to defend itself, against her enemies. Netanyahu is particularly sounding the alarm about the recently nuclear weaponized Persian, (Iran) which has been openly threatening to annihilate Israel.
Obama, had been cautioning Israel against “war talk” and “bluster”in the days leading up to the meeting, but Netanyahu stood firm, resolving that Israel reserves the right to defend herself against all enemies.
The interesting aspect of this is that the meeting took place within days of the Jewish feast of Purim,(March 8-11,2012). Purim commemorates the successful self -defense of the Hebrew people in the land of their captivity, in ancient Persia (Iran). The nation had been threatened by Haman, an ambitious anti-semitic politician who deceived the Gentile King into authorizing an empire wide pogrom.
But the Lord had spared the nation through the intervention of the King’s wife, Esther, a Jewess. Netanyahu presented Obama with a scroll of the book of Esther.
Purim has been prominently confirmed in other events of recent history; for the first persian Gulf war ended on February 28, 1991, the feast of Purim. In the build up to the second Gulf war, President Bush gave Saddam Hussein a two-day ultimatum, on March 17,2003, or else Iraq would face invasion. That year Purim was on March 17-19 !
Demon Worship, The Golden Calf and the great Apostasy
We read of Israel in the Old Testament and marvel at the Spiritual harlotry, the backsliding, the accommodation with false religion, the sexually perverse religious rites, the total defection from God. But we must remember Paul’s warning,
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.(I Corinthians 10:11-12)
The modern church in many ways is where Israel was at its worst point! Consider this example;
An Anglican church in Auckland New Zealand installed a statue near its sanctuary, of a fallen Angel, ”Gadreel”. A figure from the apocryphal book of Enoch, the vicar commissioned it for “lent”as a way to assure the fallen away to come back;
The statue of Gadreel, one of the fallen angels in Enoch lore who reputedly led Eve astray in the Garden of Eden, was installed in the church’s Peace Chapel next to the main altar on Friday, and will remain there for the period of Lent. Vicar Glynn Cardy said the statue was to show that “even the devil would be welcomed in God’s Kingdom”. ”It’s to show that no matter how distant you are, or even if you’ve fallen to your deepest depth – like Gadreel – you are still welcome to be in our midst,” he said.
Fallen Angels to Land Lightly At City Church
This abomination is the direct fruit of decades of the “Love Gospel” with its misguided humanism, and it’s omission of the great doctrines of the horror of sin, the fall, the Holiness and Righteousness of God. What does the new style church preach? “Unconditional love”, a God who has no indignation, an all-inclusive deity who strikes no fear or awe and is unworthy of worship.
The same rotten theology is infiltrating the evangelical world now. Witness the popularity of Rob Bell’s book, “Love Wins” which is a denial of the certainty of Divine punishment. We are also seeing the rise of a movement called “Chrislam”, a blasphemous syncretism between ‘christianity” and Islam. Homosexuality is also being accommodated by some.
EXODUS all over again…
In the Wider World we are seeing the ominous spectre of themes from the Exodus playing out. Remember that the book of Revelation, is full of Exodus Imagery. The Plagues come upon the whole world, the AntiChrist is the last Pharoah, and the people of God make their Exodus out of this world.
Consider this horrifying story from Scotland, in which state licensed hospital midwives lost a courtroom battle to defend their right to exempt themselves from having to assist in abortions…”
Two senior midwives from Glasgow have lost their battle not to assist in abortions following a court ruling. In a judgment handed down today from the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Lady Smith ruled that the midwives must accept the decision of their hospital management to oversee other midwives who are performing abortions on the labour ward.
The midwives in the case, Miss Mary Doogan and Mrs Connie Wood, argued that they had never been required to supervise abortion procedures in the past, and that the hospital was asking them to be morally, medically and legally responsible for abortions. Although they said that this conflicted with their profound objection to abortions, Lady Smith said that the midwives involved were not protected by the conscience clause of the Abortion Act…
Scottish Midwives Lose Legal Battle
This comes right out of Exodus 1,
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.(Exodus 1:16-22)
The USA has its own version of Pharoah, with Obama also seeking to force Christians to participate in abortion and infanticide. It is as though the “principalities and powers” are doubling down on their efforts to involve all of us in these deep sins of our time.
Satan knows his time is short, and he knows the time itself is shortening, we are hurtling toward the final judgment at break neck speed, and most are oblivious. It is time to get right with God, on his terms. Confess and forsake your life of sin, and neglect of God and your soul. He forgives those who come with a broken heart!
The Prophet Isaiah cries out to us, “Seek ye the Lord while He can be found, call upon Him while He is near!” and Joel told us, that dark as the day is ,”Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”!
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you see prophetic significance to the rebirth of Israel?
Maybe. Or maybe there is another “rebirth” yet to come which is the one prophecy speaks of, and the Second Coming will not be in our liftimes at all. We see only the thin sliver of history our brief lives can occupy. It’s easy to believe that there can be no more than this because it’s all we know.
**I’m the same age, and have many of the same circumstances. I came to a different conclusion, but I didn’t start with the premise that it’s all about me and my life.**
And you aren’t proud either. Congratulations.
My view (witness), is that what’s happening in the world of sin, has increased it’s grasp on areas that, only a couple of generations ago, seemed quite resistant to an increasingly sinful world.
I’m hopeful, and prayerful that this can be reversed. But, such reversals have proven to be quite bloody, as history can attest. And the next effort could involve the worst weapons ever devised, in a worldwide involvement.
Personally, I think that right now would be the worst time in our county’s history to have a major drought. It would have a enormous impact on inflation, when we are in economic peril at this time. In the 30’s the population was much smaller, and many folk had gardens and canned their own food. Not so today.
Lot’s of scenarios. Lord knows.
But with this I do say how technology has made it possible for us to get news at a speed never before..and for that we are seeing things as they happen....which can make some things appear happening faster when it is really the use of technology revealing this.
Even so...it's the ‘movement and placement” of world leaders...shifts within the middle east have to occur because they must have the oil revenues usable for a one world economic system...they aren't about to let them manage those for two much longer. Opec was and remains a threat to the globalists for the power they weld...so incorporating them is what much of the “Arab Spring” is about.
Again it's much about alignments as they move closer to the positions where what is written can and of course will one day occur.
We have the same thing happening with the “Unity” and Inclusiveness of the faith movements happening now. The One world System has to have a “spiritual side” to move the people at will....thus we are seeing the church leaders push now for this inclusiveness....which of course is the forerunner for a One World Religious System.
Additionally IMO the USA has to be weakened...and we see this as well. If Obama wins the election, or Romney it will be telling in and of itself for neither will “fight” for our supremacy....rather take the USA further into the Globalist Worldwide agenda and all that entails. Hillary and Bill Clinton's movements throughout the nations has been far more than just humanitarian efforts...you can be sure of that.
So yes the clock is ticking...and as you say even secular humanity understands this....and with that “looking” for something/someone other than Jesus Christ.
There's nothing biblical about preserving this world..though most do what they can to tend it while here... appears you've taken the bait for believing otherwise.
I do find many more people who understand these times and are still very much going about their life as normalthan that which you've mentioned..... They have concerns for their familys future and are working hard to prepare them for it as most loving families do. An yet they are very much aware of the times we live and that Christ can come at any time. It's an expectation we have which Christ himself encouraged us to "watch".
It's odd you would say that people aren't interested if "preserving the republic" the primary itself evidences otherwise as do many who post throughout FR....this nations people have always attempted to do their part...even in light of the times and seasons.
There's nothing biblical about preserving this world..though most do what they can to tend it while here... appears you've taken the bait for believing otherwise.
I do find many more people who understand these times and are still very much going about their life as normalthan that which you've mentioned..... They have concerns for their familys future and are working hard to prepare them for it as most loving families do. An yet they are very much aware of the times we live and that Christ can come at any time. It's an expectation we have which Christ himself encouraged us to "watch".
It's odd you would say that people aren't interested if "preserving the republic" the primary itself evidences otherwise as do many who post throughout FR....this nations people have always attempted to do their part...even in light of the times and seasons.
Yes I agree Zuriel....there is no "sanctity" of life today...it's disposable and no wonder men today have no sense of "protecting" their loved ones as we once knew so well. Plus there's no shame....for evil ways and deeds are not only tolerated but encouraged. "Calling that which is evil good...and good evil" comes to mind. And we are surely that generation playing out today...and I suspect it will get worse.
The word “mansion” did not always mean what it does today. It previously referred to ANY dwelling (not necessarily anything large and fancy), or an apartment block, sometimes even somewhere to stay overnight.
This is the problem with relying too heavily on the KJV. Many of the words have changed meaning. We have the same problem the KJV referring to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter - comfort used to mean to support or encourage. Nowadays it means to console.
My biggest problem with the KJV is simply that it is written in a language with which I am not familiar. It is a bit like being a person that has been through two years of German and then trying to read a German bible. So much of my main cpu is being called upon to determine the meaning of eacy word that I quickly lose contextual meaning of what I am reading. It is also exhausting.
Communication is a primary function of my occupation. I believe in speaking with customers and developers in the language they can most understand so that they take away from a conversation a strong understanding of what was being communicated.
From that perspective, the KJV is almost worthless today. And if I want to confirm the validity of the other versions, I can do that, when necessary, via the Hebrew/Greek Lexicon.
Jesus said to render unto God what is God's and unto Caesar what is Caesar's. You're a free citizen of a self-governing constitutional republic. That comes with responsibilities.
Politically, I'm an "original intent" Constitutionalist. I don't look for enumerated powers in the Bible. Saying that people "aren't interested in preseving the repulic" is mild compared to the criticism I get for having that view.
The word “mansion” did not always mean what it does today. It previously referred to ANY dwelling (not necessarily anything large and fancy), or an apartment block, sometimes even somewhere to stay overnight.
This is the problem with relying too heavily on the KJV. Many of the words have changed meaning. We have the same problem the KJV referring to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter - comfort used to mean to support or encourage. Nowadays it means to console.
And a mansion could be considered a haven, but what ever it may mean to any one of us you can bet that Jesus was talking about something a little different than what is familiar to us here in this world.
“My biggest problem with the KJV is simply that it is written in a language with which I am not familiar”
I grew up with the Plymouth Brethren in South Africa. They used ONLY the KJV - in fact, they still do. In spite of growing up with it, it was a long time before I started to realise that words had changed meaning, aside from the generally archaic language.
Things can get very interesting language-wise in South Africa. For instance, we have 11 official languages - English, Afrikaans, and 9 African languages, plus some unofficial languages.
At one stage I was the organist for a Baptist church in university territory which had a mainly elderly white congregation. In about 1990 they acquired a new pastor - very evangelistic - and nowadays that is a thriving multicultural, multiracial congregation, probably about 60% black. In addition to all the South African languages, they also have people from Zimbabwe - another couple of languages, people from Kenya and surrounds (Swahili) plus French speaking refugees from Congo, Rwanda, etc. Also academics and students who come from those countries plus Nigeria, Cameroon, South Korea, Madagascar and a host of other countries. In any church service, there are people with probably 15 to 20 home languages, and for many of those English is their 3rd or 4th language.
Can you imagine if they had use the KJV in those circumstances?!! Their pew Bibles are the NIV, which while I would not use it as a study Bible, is perfect for that sort of congregation given that it is in easily understandable English. And those who still remain of the older white congregation are extremely hospitable, as they always were - they just needed the right pastoral leadership.
Meanwhile the Brethren with their KJV are dying, literally. They are rather short on younger people.
But many and most peopel Are responsible.....and what does this have to do with perserving the world...it’s not wired for preservation....we just take care of what we can and keep on living life....goint to our church of choice and paying our tax’s....and so....what is your point?
Just because people are watching for the return of Christ, and interest in the obvious happenings in our day doesn’t mean they’re irresponsible by any means...or that they stopped living.
Good point. I said people weren’t concerned about preserving the republic. I didn’t say anything about “preserving the world”, and should have just left this conversation alone as soon as it changed to that. I can’t defend what I didn’t say.
“The batting average of those who have claimed over the last 2,000 years that they were living in the end times is deplorably low. So I vote “Interesting Times.”
I read some years ago that as the year 1,000 approached the calendar makers refused to make any more calendars. Why? Because they were convinced that the year 1,000 would be the end of the world.
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