32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
I haven't said or done anything or stopped anyone from entering in God's church or believing in Jesus to be saved!
You are absolutely right. Also it is prefferable to have those churches than nothing. In Europe in countries where those churches play a significant role in the society, usually Southen/Eastern Europe, people are closer to God and His commandments than the North where people are almost completely atheists and this is obvious from the no. of divorces, rate of crime, etc. But I wish they could just open their eyes and see and follow the truth. How a great salvation it could be done. In my country more than 95% of people have been baptized as Orthodox christians when they were infants. They often attend the church liturgies, take part in celebtations, festivals, fastings, everything...but their everyday life doesn't show Christ. If that church could see the truth and preach it, my God what a great salvation would result, I believe thousand and millions of people would have been saved. Another thing is that we must honor those churches, apart from condemning them all the time. This may sound strange but let us not forget that Christianity was spread throughout the world mainly by those 2 churches, the Catholics in the West and the Orthodoxes in the East. If those didn't exist, probably we wouldn't have learned anything about Christ. As we owe honor to Israel because they kept the faith to the real God for so many millenia so that the church found it at the end, the same way we owe honor to those churches because they kept the faith for so many centuaries untill we found it. This is justice. But we also have to talk to them about their errors. We really can not do much, but God is powerful to change that all completely. I believe that as we are approaching the end and the sin in the world is becoming biger and biger, the stonger our God's power will be revealed to the world. We can talk to everybody about our faith but if God doesn't show His strength not much will be done. So our prayes here is to see God powerful again, as the ancient times. ( Joel 2:23)
30And the times of this ignorance GOD winked at;but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31Because He hath appointed a Day,in the which He will Judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto ALL men,in that He hath raised him from the dead.
Mat.28:18-And JESUS came and spake unto them,saying,All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Luke 10:19-20
19Behold,I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions,and over ALL the power of the enemy:and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not,that the spirits are subject unto you;but rather rejoice,because your names are written in heaven.
Joel 2:1-11
1Blow the trumpet in Zion,sound an alarm in my holy mountain:let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:the Lord's Day comes...
2A Day of darkness and of gloominess,a Day of clouds and of thick darkness...a great people and a strong there has not been ever the like,neither shall be any more after it...
3A fire devoures before them;and behind them a flame burns:the land is as the garden of Eden before them,and behind them a desolate wilderness...
5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoures the stubble,as a strong people set in battle array.
6Before their face the people shall be much pained...
7They shall run like mighty men;they shall climb the wall like men of war;and they shall march every one on his ways,and they shall not break their ranks:
8...and when they fall upon the sword,they shall not be wounded.
9They shall run to and fro in the city;they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses;they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
10The earth shall quake before them...
11And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army:His camp is very great:He is strong that executes His Word:the Day of the Lord is great,very terrible;and who can abide it?
The earth is full of violent men and wars of all kind,wars of demons,in all the continents,they are something like fallen angels. But what does the Word of God say?What did my Lord JESUS say? Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth- Matthew 5:5.But how?
GOD the Father-the Word,the Word is GOD- said by the prophet Hoseas(8th-century BCE-Hosea or Oshea means salvation,he is called also Joshua in the holy Scriptures): GOD said by Hosea: But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah,and will save them by the Lord their GOD,and will not save them by bow,nor by sword,nor by battle,by horses,nor by horsemen- Hosea 1:7.
GOD is the Truth. Jeremiah 10:10: But the Lord is the true GOD,He is the living GOD,and an everlasting King:at His WRATH the earth shall tremble,and the nations shall not be able to abide His INDIGNATGION.-As it is written in Romans 2:5-16-Check it.
The Day of the Lord
The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the Kingdoms of our LORD and of His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:v.15.The Word is GOD,the Word is self-executing according was preestablished and revealed.
So,there shall be a spiritual BATTLE against this devilish/satanic world ruled by the Devil which deceives the whole world- Revelation 12:9. And how do the nations will react?Well, we know that the nations will rage,yeah,will rage- Revelation 11:18-,the kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel together,against the Lord,and against His anointed,saying,"Let us break their bands asunder,and cast away their cords from us",but the LORD will laugh:the Lord shall have them in derision- Psalm 2.
The LORD said: Joel 2:1-3
1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:for the Day of the Lord cometh,for it is nigh at hand;(That is this 7th and last Day,the LORD's Day,or seventh and last millennium).
There shall be War against three unclean Spirits like frogs-Rev.16:13-15
Revelation 6:12 And when the SIXTH seal was opened, and lo, there was a great earthquake .... Matthew 27:54.... and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair ...... Matthew 27:45 ....... and the moon became as blood ...... John 19:34 .....
All this was prophesied:
Joel 2:31 The sun shall turn into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable Day of the Lord come.
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
There are those who look at the latter rain described in Joel 2:23-27 we see what is similar text (along with the early rain). The final revival of the world likely will fulfill other promises in Joel such as in Joel 2:28 also mentioned at least partially fulfilled in Acts 2:17. We also can't ignore how God has blessed Israel even today with more rainfall then surrounding nations; and no doubt the earth in the Millennium will be fruitful more than ever for the final fulfillment with literal rainy seasons of predictable nature (except for those who don't come to worship God as we see later on in Zechariah).
Verse 2 describes that there were those as if there was no shepherd; apparently struggling into part of verse 3. This reminds us of Christ's statement in Matthew 9:36-38.
Verses 3 and 5 show indications of later verses in Zechariah of Judah fighting against the enemy armies in campaigns related to Armageddon; specifically after the taking of half of the city of Jerusalem. Basically the rest of this chapter shows the unity of Judah and Ephriam and gives glory to Christ as the victor over the enemies. Verses 9 and 10 show an ingathering from Egypt and other places.
The pride of Assyria in verse 11 could be partially fulfilled in the past but Antichrist himself is known as the "Assyrian" in Ezekiel 31:3. Egypt is mentioned too; although it's national prominence will never be what it was ( Ezekiel 29:15) but it will cry out in the last days ( Isaiah 19:20) and of course it is mentioned in Zechariah 14:17 they will still exist and need to worship God every year.
Zechariah 5 (Apparently I listed chapter 4 errantly earlier as chapter 3; sorry)
1Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
3Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
4I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
These verses are admittedly difficult to analize. Some have suggested this indicates the dimensions of a missile or some small scale nuclear warhead. It does show that the whole earth is somehow affected in particular the thief and those who "swear falsely". I would tend to think that may mean convenants such as marriages or other vows that are disregarded with God in particular. One could look at other demons in Revelation and the Book of Joel 2:9 for a similar invasion but there are some differences.
The rest of the chapter seems to indicate demonic religion taking root in the land of "Shinar" which is in ancient Mesopotamia or the area of Babylon (verse 11). This could certainly refer to the one world religion being prepared in Abu Dhabi and perhaps envisioned elsewere to bring about unity with all the Monotheistic religions; and or a new religion amalgamating mysticism from Eastern and Western faiths alike. We certainly see this as dominating the world in the first half of the Tribulation ( Rev. 17:3) before Satan overthrows it ( Rev. 17:16) and the subsequent destruction of the religious AND economic Babylon in Revelation 18.
Reading you comment above ref. Joel 2:31, and Rev.6:12-17, and Matt.24:29-31concerning "The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes",
first of all I remember that "there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars". Once "the sun tuns dark" the woman will be in darkness(terrible), by the way, at "midnight there was(there will be)a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose(will arise), and trimmed(and will trim) their lamps.
And the foolish said(will say) unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out"; Matt.25:6-8. The lamps is gone out at midnight? In full midnight darkness, in a so perilous hour?
In the above comparison described, I am trying to highlight the issue of the sun becoming dark as prophesied. I don't see or interpret as being a physical phenomenon.
Based in Revelation 9:1-3&10&6 & 11-12
1 I saw a STAR fall from heaven unto the earth( Isaiah 14:12-14 combined with 2 Thess.2:3-4): and to HIM was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And HE opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the SUN and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter
I have said several times if we do not see the tribulation period and the wrath of God as being completely different time periods, that it will cause confusion in our understanding of prophecy in the Lastdays. If we get one thing wrong such as this, it will cause other parts of our interpretation of prophecy to not be correct. When this happens we have to twist Scripture to fit our understanding, or as I have said before we would have to read things into Scripture that's not there.
In ( Joel 2:31) We are told "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, ((BEFORE)) the great and the terrible day of the LORD come". The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes.
When does this happen in the book of Revelation?
( Rev 6:12-13) v12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. and, lo, there was a great earthquake; ((and the sun became black)) as sackcloth of hair, and ((the moon became as blood)). v13 "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind". The sun is dark, the moon to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, all this happens at the 6th seal. Then if we look at ( Rev 6:14-17) we see the wrath of the Lamb is come in verse 17.
Do we see this any other place in the Bible? Yes we do in ( Mt 24:29-31) "Immediately ((after the tribulation)) of those days shall ((the sun be darkened)), and ((the moon shall not give her light)), and ((the stars shall fall from heaven)) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken". v30 "and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory". v31 "And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect".
After the tribulation the sun is darkened, moon shall not give her light, the stars fall from heaven, THEN the Son of man comes in the clouds to gather together His elect. THEN the wrath of God.
As you imply, we are not "salesmen for Christ". The task of the True Believer is to be a witness for the True Gospel in our life and in the Gospel that we proclaim.
But it must be the True Gospel as circumscribed by the Bible Alone and in its Entirety. It must be the Whole Counsel of God. And that starts with the fact that by nature we are sinners under the Judgment of God for every sin that we have or will ever commit as God describes us in
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
And so we are under the Wrath of God for our sins, Eternal Death. But God has provided a way of escape by paying the full penalty required for the sins of those whom He has chosen to save. So we can come to God like the Publican in Luke 18:13, striped of any self righteousness, pleading for Mercy with a broken and contrite heart. There is then the very real hope that God might save us.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God.
We, by nature, do not want this kind of a Gospel. God saves us by His Grace Alone. We are not in control.
Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Jonah 3:4-10 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Ezekiel 36:24-32 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Zephaniah 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Amen RicoUS what a wonderful prayer TY.....Jesus said if i be lifted up I will draw all men unto me...And Joel 2:28...says he was gonna pour out of his spirit on all flesh...And Isaiah 65:1 said I was found of them that sought me not and made manifest unto them that asked not after me....And while we were yet sinners Christ died for us....When he was on the Cross he had us all in mind....God so loved the world....Gbu RicoUS
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Jonah 3:4-10
Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For the word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Ezekiel 36:24-31
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
We see that God had prepared the hearts of the the Ninevites to repent and they did because God had elected them and therefore saved them as is confirmed in Matthew 12:41
How different was Jonah's preaching to what is currently being proclaimed in the churches of our day? Is it any wonder what we read in 1 Peter 4:17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Wonderfully God is still saving in our day OUTSIDE the churches. But the Gospel that saves is the Gospel of the Bible. The whole counsel of Judgement for sin and Mercy in salvation.
Joel 2:12-14
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Hey Littlechild Gbu I like your screenname....But it all started by the disobedience of 1 man Adam...And this curse and stain was applied to all men at Birth no exceptions....In Adam we all die but in Christ we will all live 1 Cor. 15:22...Jesus says If i belifted up i will draw all men unto me....Thus the blood of Christ has to be applied to all men....That was the new Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 I will know them all from the least to the greatest...An all inclusive Covenant....Implying the blood of Christ has to be applied to every person from the least to the greatest....As God so loved the world....But there is another man in this picture which is our old adamic nature, he is the man that has to be destroyed by the lake of fire....If thy right hand offend thee cut it off....He is the dog that returns to his vomit and the sow that returns to her mud....Every sinner has to have his part in the lake of fire which is baptism of the H.G. and fire as our God is a consuming fire...Thats y Jesus said i come to bring fire on the earth....Which is his baptism of the H.G. and fire...The gift of God to every person that hungers and thirst after righteousness.... Joel 2:28 I will pour out of my spirit on ALL FLESH etc...God wants to write every mans name in this book of life that Jesus wrote with his own blood...And if any man's name was not found written in the book of life he was cast into the lake of fire...Thus nobody will be lost...As our God is a consuming fire implying Judgement....Jesus said when he the spirit of truth is come (the H.G.) the manchild..he will reprove the world of sin and judgement and righteousness...etc....Its not his will that any should perish...If i be lifted up I will draw ALL men unto me....God is no respector of persons...Thus we all must go thru that lake of fire...HG.and FIRE BAPTISM...The gift of God by what Jesus did at Calvary IN his blood.....The love of God is beyond our comprehension....ok lemme go nuff said...ty Jesus
Concluding thoughts for now on Rapture and reasons for it; as well as Tribulation saints commentary
My proposition is that the final revival or as Joel 2:23 is basically attained in the "signs and wonders" environment which the rest of Joel and much of the O.T. discuss for the end times. As I have stated numerous times of late by the sixth seal ALL will know about God AND Christ on the throne. ( Rev. 6:12-17). This proves judgments of God clearly are poured out with comprehension by all those on earth at the time. Therefore; the Gospel as preached now will be unnecessary; Christ and God will be on one side; and Satan; the False Prophet and Antichrist on the other side. It would appear that with the woman riding the Beast the first part of the Tribulation the false Babylon one world religion will be the primary killers ( John 16:2; which appears to have particular emphasis on those in Israel at that time). Later on; of course the Antichrist destroys the religion and probably one of the headquarters by fire ( Rev. 17:16). I will state that those who are destroyed are naked; and that seems to parallel Revelation 16:15 as well as the fate of the Laodiceans. It appears a remnant will survive most of the Tribulation who don't step out in faith but also hide out from being forced to take the Mark.
The aforementioned verses and others such as similar sounding events in the seal; trumpet and bowl judgments which make us question not just the timing of the Rapture but other events I am not planning to go into a detailed analysis at present. I will state that just because things are hard to understand we shouldn't just place symbolic interpreteations on them; most believers don't with the already fulfilled prophecies when Christ came the first time so we shouldn't do so now with future events. There is as many are aware a time for "Jacob's trouble" or Daniel's 70th Week ( Jeremiah 30:17; Daniel 9:24-27) which seem to indicate the seven years to purge Israel.
Jimbob no offence to you but also fire is just symbolic language....As Rev. 11:5 tells us if any man hurts any of these fire comes out of their mouths and destroys ( kills their enemies )....But its not a literal fire but a spiritual fire which is the H.G. AS OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.. Hebrews 12:29 kjv....That is gonna consume mans evil and adamic nature ....If ya don't understand symbolic language you will not see that the Kingdoms of this world are gonna become the kingdoms of our lord and his Christ...Thus the clouds are just symbolic language for folks that have that living water..That latter rain doctrine which is spirit...That is gonna flood this earth with his spirit....I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh... Joel 2:28..And Isaiah 11..Of course this knowledge he saw covering this earth was an intimacy....Resulting in a birth of Christ in us....As Jeremiah 30:6 ...he saw all men in travail and birth pains...Thats y he has to know us that the good seed of the sower will be sown in our hearts....And she brought forth a man child that is gona rule all nations....Now y wd we need to be caught up to to the literal clouds when the kingdoms of this world are gona become the Kingdoms of our lord and his Christ...And the manchild which is the H.G.is gonna rule all nations....And jesus tells us of that spirit of truth that is gonna reprove this whole world of sin and judgement and righteousness....Thus a literal rapture wd kill all these scriptures of the earth at rest and becoming full of his Glory....Seed time and harvest for ever .... Isaiah 6:3 The angels are saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty for the whole earth is full of his GLORY....Jimbob yes truth is important but if we took your doctrine of a literal rapture in literal clouds we wd have to eliminate 90% of the bible....And there wd be no need for the manchild to Rule all nations....Or for the angel to preach the everlasting Gospel to all that dwell on the earth... Rev 14:6...ok lemme go...Jim GBU.
Jimbob....The clouds are just symbolic language for ppl that have that living water as Jude tells us....Some folks are clouds with water and some folk are clouds without water....Meaning no H.G....No fruit unto God..And 2 Peter also mentions wells without water....Clouds they are driven by the tempests for ever...Jimbob clouds are just symbolic language....It don't mean literal clouds....And there is no physical rapture...As Rev.11:15...The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever....There is no way we can get physical Rapture outta of that....A spiritual rapture yes but not a physical rapture....As God's Kingdom is spirit....As Jesus said the Kingdom is gonna be with in you....Right here on this earth....Abide in me and i in you....God is gonna send the manchild to rule and teach all nations,Thus there is absolutely no need for a physical rapture....They shall ALL be taught of God... Isaiah 54:13....Under this NEW Covenant....On the day of Pentacost they were all caught up in the air...But that mighty rushing wind was the H.G....Their bodies didnt go anywhere....Paul writes to some You are come unto my Zion the city of the living word Hebrews 12:22....But their bodies didnt go anywhere....He was writting to them....It was just in the spirit....Jesus wants to meet us in the Spirit not in the air....But Air and Clouds are symbolic language for the Spirit and ppl...Jim can you imagine folks in the literal air... womans dresses wd be flying up....Some men wd be having a heart attack b/c of the hights....And there is no oxigen up in the clouds higher up...God don't want no kind of foolishness like that...ok lemme go....I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh... Joel 2:28 kjv thats how he is coming....51 times in the bible it says by my spirit saith the lord...Alex Gbu Jimbob....As that which is born of the spirit is spirit....Impling Gods Spirit is gonna be born in us via his seed the word.
As you study; Christ is going to CAUSE thoughts to come to you, those thoughts are the prophecy of scripture.
Never second guess those thoughts; it's God's WORK, bring you to light.
Joel 2:28 ...and afterwards I will pour my spirit out upon them .... and your young men (and women) shall SEE VISIONS ...
These visions are YOUR THOUGHTS, the appearing of the meaning of God's WORD, HIDDEN, only to revealed by you study and HIM CAUSING HIS THOUGH'S to be YOUR THOUGHT'S.
You Christ BODY; It's like talking to YOURSELF, You become confident that every word you speak and every word you write are HIS WORDS, not your words.
Thank you for this information on the "last days." I agree with you that " Acts 2:17,18 is very applicable to the 'last days'."
There are two what are called "platform phrases" on which this message is built on. In Verse 17, it says "And it shall come to pass." In the Greek text it says "And it will be." And in Verse 21, it says "And it shall come to pass," and it's literally "And it will be!" Those would be the two platform verses!
So Verse 17 says and it will be in the last days. Now in Joel's prophecy ( Joel 2:28, 29), it just says afterward. Peter changed it to last days. What he is saying is that in Joel's prophecy, when he said after the judgments here, there will be another judgment day.
He meant now. So my understanding is that the theological or biblical definition of the "last days" begins here in Acts Chapter 2. From Acts Chapter 2 on, we've been in the last days for some 2,000 years.
In the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit. Twice now, he's going to say this. I'm going to pour out of my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And then he says even on my servants and on my handmaidens, slaves, both male and female, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: That is, speak the word of God!
Hi David....Lemme give ya my slant on the bible the written word....The lesser light....Its only Jesus that is the light of the world... John 5 :39...Jesus said to Search the scriptures in them you think you have eternal life but it is them that testify of me....Who testifies of Jesus ?...The living word the H.G....The anointing....The gift of God....David....it was the living word Christ Jesus that had to die to initiate a New Covenant in his blood....At Calvary....Not paper and ink....David WAKE UP ...God is much more then paper and ink..And God is gonna pour out of his spirit on all flesh...like it or not... Joel 2:28 kjv....His Kingdom can only come by the LIVING WORD the contents of that book of life in the father's right hand....Behold the lamb of God taketh away the world....The bible in its self which is precious cd neva take away the sins of the world....Jesus is that Living Word much greater then the bible the lesser light..
....David Its not the bible the written word that died for the sins of the world....But the living word Jesus ...David there are zillions of bibles in this world...But this world is in gross darkness as Isaiah said....Darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the ppl...But we have millions of bibles....But without the H.G. the spirit we have nothin....There is no eternal without the H.G. the living word....That N.C. in his blood at Calvary.....David its not the bible that is gonna rule all nations with a rod of iron....But the manchild the H.G that spirit of truth that is gonna reprove this whole world of sin and righteousness etc...The woman giving birth to the manchild which is that spirit of truth the living word is gonna rule all nations.. Rev 12:10....Not the bible ...The O.C.
.....David when you say that the bible is God....You are in essence saying that God is paper and ink.....How sick is that....Stay away from ppl like Mr camping....Focus on the H.G. the Manchild that is gonna rule all nations..That N.C....GBU David
I feel I have intruded on you and Chris, forgive me if I have.
I will just touch on Matt. 24:40-41. I understand Matt. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are twofold, parts for the disciples for instruction for what they would endure and things leading up to the destruction of the temple and also for who will be living at the end times. In context of the chapter, we see "the coming of the Son of man." three times in this chapter verses 27, 37, and 39.
Matt. 24:27 He will be seen coming as Rev. 1:7. In Matt. 24:29:31 after the tribulation the Son of man coming with power and great glory. Rev. 19:11-16, similar to Joel 2:11, Joel 3:13-17Zechariah 14:1-9. My understanding this is about the Second Coming of Christ.
In Matt. 24:36 we do not know when and we must be ready, we do not know when our death will be, it could be now. Jesus second coming is after the tribulation of the beast, we must be ready to not be tempted and be strong in our faith to not take the mark to save this flesh. Luke covers Matt.24 40-41 and just before, he adds this. Matt. 16:25Mk. 8:35
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. God has said He will keep us from this, Rev. 3:10, but for those people who know the truth and refuse to receive it, He will send a delusion, 2 Thes. 2:11-12
In Matt. 24:37-39 as the days of Noah so shall also be the coming of the Son of man, the ones taken away in Noah's time were wicked. Matt.24:40-41 Why would it be the opposite of Noah's time? It is like the wheat and the tares at the end the ones taken will be burned in the lake of fire and the righteous will be left. At Jesus's return, the ones taken before the end will be where the eagles are, Luke 17:37Ezek. 39:17-20Rev. 19:17-21 the battle of Armageddon.
This is my understanding you may disagree and that is ok. Those in the first resurrection reign with Jesus on earth and there are only two resurrections.
Daniel 9:26 ....and the people of the PRINCE (Christ) that SHALL COME ----those born again, the New Creation in Christ ....
Daniel 9:28 And he ( Messiah, the prince) shall make a COVENANT with many for ONE WEEK (the week of PASSOVER), and in the midst of the week (of passover) shall he cause the sacrifice and offering TO CEASE, and for the OVERSPREADING of ABOMINATION shall HE MAKE it DESOLATE, even until the consumption, and that DETERMINED ( Joel 2:28) shall be POURED on the DESOLATE.
Yeshua is the Hebrew name, and its English spelling is "Joshua." Iesous is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name, and its English spelling is "Jesus." Thus, the names "Joshua" and "Jesus" are essentially the same; both are English pronunciations of the Hebrew and Greek names for our Lord. (For examples of how the two names are interchangeable, see Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 in the KJV. In both cases, the word Jesus refers to the Old Testament character Joshua.
As for the controversy over the letter J, it is much ado about nothing. It is true that the languages in which the Bible was written had no letter J. But that doesn't mean the Bible never refers to "Jerusalem" or "Judah." And it doesn't mean we cannot use the spelling "Jesus." If a person speaks and reads English, it is acceptable for him to spell things in an English fashion. Spellings can change even within a language: Americans write "Savior," while the British write "Saviour." The addition of a u (or its subtraction, depending on your point of view) has nothing to do with whom we're talking about. Jesus is the Savior, and He is the Saviour. Jesus and Yeshuah and Iesus are all referring to the same Person.
We refer to Him as "Jesus" because, as English-speaking people, we know of Him through English translations of the Greek New Testament. Scripture does not value one language over another, and it gives no indication that we must resort to Hebrew when addressing the Lord. The command is to "call on the name of the Lord," with the promise that we "shall be saved" ( Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32). Whether we call on Him in English, Korean, Hindi, or Hebrew, the result is the same: the Lord is salvation.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after ----it's been 2000 years, that's not immediately after --- the tribulation of those days ---it's Christ's tribulation, leading up to his death on the cross, that he is speaking about ----shall the sun be darkened, Matthew 27:45 ---he is quoting Joel 2:31 and Revelation 6:12 a prophecy about Christ death on the cross ---and the moon (symbolising Christ) shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven ---- Revelation 12:4 ---and the powers of heaven shall be shaken ----all this description is a parable Matthew 13:34. Christ's words are most often HIDDEN in parables and symbols.
Matthew 24:30 Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ---this is still symbolic and a parable ---heaven is symbolic of man, where GOD DWELLS, Colossians 2:27 ...Christ in you .... John 3:13 ... he which is in heaven ....
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will DO NOTHING, but he revealeth his secret to his servant the prophets.
Your raptured: one at a time
Isaiah 27:12 ....and ye shall be gathered ONE by ONE ....two in the field, one taken one left ....
God bless you, as you study and Christ reveals himself to you.
Hiya Susanella...GBU...But the way I read it is...This New Covenant is an ALL INCLUSIVE covenant... Jeremiah 31:34...I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah not according to the covenant i made with their fathers etc...I will KNOW them ALL from the least to the greatest...This KNOW them all is an intimacy with humanity as God so loved the world....And Jesus says if i be lifted up, the shedding of his blood on calvary initiating that New COVENANT I will draw ALL MEN UNTO ME...Told his disciples go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every CREATURE...And his words cannot return unto him void..
"This Know them all is an intimacy with humanity" That is gonna result in a birth of Christ in everyman....As Jeremiah 30:6 he saw all men in travail and birth pains..All men...You have not chosen me but i have chosen you...While we were yet sinners Christ died for every man...I was found of them that sought me not and made manifest unto them that asked not after me...Thats y Jesus says he has to KNOW us...Thus that tree of KNOWLEDGE....And Isaiah speaks of a Knowledge that is gona cover the earth as the waters covers the seas...Thus a 2 nd Flood that is gona kill all of humanity according to our old adamic nature...Man's carnal minds which is the very enemy of God...If thy right hand offend thee cut it off...As our God is a consuming fire that is gona consume mans adamic nature...Thus our new hearts and new spirts answers to a New Earth and New Heavens...When Jesus began his ministry he was preaching i come to bring fire on the earth...Which is his baptism of the H.G. n fire..ok lemme go..And Joel 2:28 speaks of God pouring out of his spirit on ALL flesh...Thats y he said the harlots and the whoremongers will go into the Kingdom of heaven b/f you....I will KNOW them all from the least to the greatest...And if ya be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to that Promise of multiplication of Christ seed...The H.G.The Promise.
Alex1939...William this Matthew 21:16 is prophetic of the Manchild the H.G. that has to be born in us...Rev.12:5 she brought forth a manchild that is gonna rule all nations...Thats y the sower wants to sow his precious seed in our hearts that we might birth a baby Christ the Son of Man...The H.G...That Children of Promise...Thats y he cannot speak of him self simply b/c he has to be born in us via the seed of the sower, he is just an infant spiritually speaking...Jesus said unless you receive the Kingdom of God as a lil Child ( the H.G. ) that Child of Promise That New BIRTH you will in no wise enter there in...We need a new heart and a new spirit a new innerman...Which is the H.G...Our biggest enemy is our carnal minds...And nothin can still this demon without Christ in us...Which is the wheat from his good seed but satans sows a Tare in us ...Then we are in a war with satan...Its gonna be Kingdom against Kingdom...The only way we can win this war is by the babes and sucklings...which are baby Christ, Jesus offspring from his good seed the living word that is gonna be sown in humanity the opening of the BOOK ...The Kingdom does not come till the woman births the manchild the H.G.....Read Rev.12v10
......The world is gonna have a Baby....Thats y Jeremiah 30:6 Tells us all men are gonna travail in birth pains...The Child is the H.G. THE Children of PROMISE...I will Multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven...Thus the Children of PROMISE the H.G... Joel 2:28 I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh...Jeremiah says he saw all men with their hands on their loins as woman in travail with birth pains... Jeremiah 30:6...The Child is the H.G. that heavenly Jacob that is now in a warfare with the Tares...Satans seed...A time of Jacobs troubles...Jacob was the 3 rd person but the H.G. is also the 3 rd person...The wheat Jesus's seed the H.G.
But these things are hid from the wise and prudent but revealed unto babes.... Matthew 11:25...William this is for spritually minded.
At three different places in the Bible, a former/early and a latter rain are mentioned:
1. Joel 2:23, 'Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."
2. Hosea 6:23, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
3. James 5:7, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."
What is this former/latter rain? Is it just a figure of speech or it may imply something? Do you think that it may imply something for us now in the last(of the last) days?
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
I haven't said or done anything or stopped anyone from entering in God's church or believing in Jesus to be saved!
You are absolutely right. Also it is prefferable to have those churches than nothing. In Europe in countries where those churches play a significant role in the society, usually Southen/Eastern Europe, people are closer to God and His commandments than the North where people are almost completely atheists and this is obvious from the no. of divorces, rate of crime, etc. But I wish they could just open their eyes and see and follow the truth. How a great salvation it could be done. In my country more than 95% of people have been baptized as Orthodox christians when they were infants. They often attend the church liturgies, take part in celebtations, festivals, fastings, everything...but their everyday life doesn't show Christ. If that church could see the truth and preach it, my God what a great salvation would result, I believe thousand and millions of people would have been saved. Another thing is that we must honor those churches, apart from condemning them all the time. This may sound strange but let us not forget that Christianity was spread throughout the world mainly by those 2 churches, the Catholics in the West and the Orthodoxes in the East. If those didn't exist, probably we wouldn't have learned anything about Christ. As we owe honor to Israel because they kept the faith to the real God for so many millenia so that the church found it at the end, the same way we owe honor to those churches because they kept the faith for so many centuaries untill we found it. This is justice. But we also have to talk to them about their errors. We really can not do much, but God is powerful to change that all completely. I believe that as we are approaching the end and the sin in the world is becoming biger and biger, the stonger our God's power will be revealed to the world. We can talk to everybody about our faith but if God doesn't show His strength not much will be done. So our prayes here is to see God powerful again, as the ancient times. ( Joel 2:23)
GBU
30And the times of this ignorance GOD winked at;but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31Because He hath appointed a Day,in the which He will Judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto ALL men,in that He hath raised him from the dead.
Mat.28:18-And JESUS came and spake unto them,saying,All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Luke 10:19-20
19Behold,I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions,and over ALL the power of the enemy:and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not,that the spirits are subject unto you;but rather rejoice,because your names are written in heaven.
Joel 2:1-11
1Blow the trumpet in Zion,sound an alarm in my holy mountain:let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:the Lord's Day comes...
2A Day of darkness and of gloominess,a Day of clouds and of thick darkness...a great people and a strong there has not been ever the like,neither shall be any more after it...
3A fire devoures before them;and behind them a flame burns:the land is as the garden of Eden before them,and behind them a desolate wilderness...
5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoures the stubble,as a strong people set in battle array.
6Before their face the people shall be much pained...
7They shall run like mighty men;they shall climb the wall like men of war;and they shall march every one on his ways,and they shall not break their ranks:
8...and when they fall upon the sword,they shall not be wounded.
9They shall run to and fro in the city;they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses;they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
10The earth shall quake before them...
11And the Lord shall utter His voice before His army:His camp is very great:He is strong that executes His Word:the Day of the Lord is great,very terrible;and who can abide it?
GOD the Father-the Word,the Word is GOD- said by the prophet Hoseas(8th-century BCE-Hosea or Oshea means salvation,he is called also Joshua in the holy Scriptures): GOD said by Hosea: But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah,and will save them by the Lord their GOD,and will not save them by bow,nor by sword,nor by battle,by horses,nor by horsemen- Hosea 1:7.
GOD is the Truth. Jeremiah 10:10: But the Lord is the true GOD,He is the living GOD,and an everlasting King:at His WRATH the earth shall tremble,and the nations shall not be able to abide His INDIGNATGION.-As it is written in Romans 2:5-16-Check it.
The Day of the Lord
The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the Kingdoms of our LORD and of His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:v.15.The Word is GOD,the Word is self-executing according was preestablished and revealed.
So,there shall be a spiritual BATTLE against this devilish/satanic world ruled by the Devil which deceives the whole world- Revelation 12:9. And how do the nations will react?Well, we know that the nations will rage,yeah,will rage- Revelation 11:18-,the kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel together,against the Lord,and against His anointed,saying,"Let us break their bands asunder,and cast away their cords from us",but the LORD will laugh:the Lord shall have them in derision- Psalm 2.
The LORD said: Joel 2:1-3
1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:for the Day of the Lord cometh,for it is nigh at hand;(That is this 7th and last Day,the LORD's Day,or seventh and last millennium).
There shall be War against three unclean Spirits like frogs-Rev.16:13-15
Get ready
Revelation 6:12 And when the SIXTH seal was opened, and lo, there was a great earthquake .... Matthew 27:54.... and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair ...... Matthew 27:45 ....... and the moon became as blood ...... John 19:34 .....
All this was prophesied:
Joel 2:31 The sun shall turn into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable Day of the Lord come.
Quoted in Acts 2L20
God Bless YOU!
Verse 1 states:
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
There are those who look at the latter rain described in Joel 2:23-27 we see what is similar text (along with the early rain). The final revival of the world likely will fulfill other promises in Joel such as in Joel 2:28 also mentioned at least partially fulfilled in Acts 2:17. We also can't ignore how God has blessed Israel even today with more rainfall then surrounding nations; and no doubt the earth in the Millennium will be fruitful more than ever for the final fulfillment with literal rainy seasons of predictable nature (except for those who don't come to worship God as we see later on in Zechariah).
Verse 2 describes that there were those as if there was no shepherd; apparently struggling into part of verse 3. This reminds us of Christ's statement in Matthew 9:36-38.
Verses 3 and 5 show indications of later verses in Zechariah of Judah fighting against the enemy armies in campaigns related to Armageddon; specifically after the taking of half of the city of Jerusalem. Basically the rest of this chapter shows the unity of Judah and Ephriam and gives glory to Christ as the victor over the enemies. Verses 9 and 10 show an ingathering from Egypt and other places.
The pride of Assyria in verse 11 could be partially fulfilled in the past but Antichrist himself is known as the "Assyrian" in Ezekiel 31:3. Egypt is mentioned too; although it's national prominence will never be what it was ( Ezekiel 29:15) but it will cry out in the last days ( Isaiah 19:20) and of course it is mentioned in Zechariah 14:17 they will still exist and need to worship God every year.
1Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
2And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
3Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
4I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
These verses are admittedly difficult to analize. Some have suggested this indicates the dimensions of a missile or some small scale nuclear warhead. It does show that the whole earth is somehow affected in particular the thief and those who "swear falsely". I would tend to think that may mean convenants such as marriages or other vows that are disregarded with God in particular. One could look at other demons in Revelation and the Book of Joel 2:9 for a similar invasion but there are some differences.
The rest of the chapter seems to indicate demonic religion taking root in the land of "Shinar" which is in ancient Mesopotamia or the area of Babylon (verse 11). This could certainly refer to the one world religion being prepared in Abu Dhabi and perhaps envisioned elsewere to bring about unity with all the Monotheistic religions; and or a new religion amalgamating mysticism from Eastern and Western faiths alike. We certainly see this as dominating the world in the first half of the Tribulation ( Rev. 17:3) before Satan overthrows it ( Rev. 17:16) and the subsequent destruction of the religious AND economic Babylon in Revelation 18.
Greetings in Christ JESUS
Reading you comment above ref. Joel 2:31, and Rev.6:12-17, and Matt.24:29-31concerning "The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes",
first of all I remember that "there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars". Once "the sun tuns dark" the woman will be in darkness(terrible), by the way, at "midnight there was(there will be)a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose(will arise), and trimmed(and will trim) their lamps.
And the foolish said(will say) unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out"; Matt.25:6-8. The lamps is gone out at midnight? In full midnight darkness, in a so perilous hour?
In the above comparison described, I am trying to highlight the issue of the sun becoming dark as prophesied. I don't see or interpret as being a physical phenomenon.
Based in Revelation 9:1-3&10&6 & 11-12
1 I saw a STAR fall from heaven unto the earth( Isaiah 14:12-14 combined with 2 Thess.2:3-4): and to HIM was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And HE opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the SUN and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter
GOD BLESS
I have said several times if we do not see the tribulation period and the wrath of God as being completely different time periods, that it will cause confusion in our understanding of prophecy in the Lastdays. If we get one thing wrong such as this, it will cause other parts of our interpretation of prophecy to not be correct. When this happens we have to twist Scripture to fit our understanding, or as I have said before we would have to read things into Scripture that's not there.
In ( Joel 2:31) We are told "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, ((BEFORE)) the great and the terrible day of the LORD come". The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes.
When does this happen in the book of Revelation?
( Rev 6:12-13) v12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. and, lo, there was a great earthquake; ((and the sun became black)) as sackcloth of hair, and ((the moon became as blood)). v13 "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind". The sun is dark, the moon to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, all this happens at the 6th seal. Then if we look at ( Rev 6:14-17) we see the wrath of the Lamb is come in verse 17.
Do we see this any other place in the Bible? Yes we do in ( Mt 24:29-31) "Immediately ((after the tribulation)) of those days shall ((the sun be darkened)), and ((the moon shall not give her light)), and ((the stars shall fall from heaven)) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken". v30 "and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory". v31 "And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect".
After the tribulation the sun is darkened, moon shall not give her light, the stars fall from heaven, THEN the Son of man comes in the clouds to gather together His elect. THEN the wrath of God.
As you imply, we are not "salesmen for Christ". The task of the True Believer is to be a witness for the True Gospel in our life and in the Gospel that we proclaim.
But it must be the True Gospel as circumscribed by the Bible Alone and in its Entirety. It must be the Whole Counsel of God. And that starts with the fact that by nature we are sinners under the Judgment of God for every sin that we have or will ever commit as God describes us in
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
And so we are under the Wrath of God for our sins, Eternal Death. But God has provided a way of escape by paying the full penalty required for the sins of those whom He has chosen to save. So we can come to God like the Publican in Luke 18:13, striped of any self righteousness, pleading for Mercy with a broken and contrite heart. There is then the very real hope that God might save us.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God.
We, by nature, do not want this kind of a Gospel. God saves us by His Grace Alone. We are not in control.
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Jonah 3:4-10 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Ezekiel 36:24-32 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Joel 2:12-14 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Zephaniah 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Jonah 3:4-10
Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For the word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Ezekiel 36:24-31
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes
Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
We see that God had prepared the hearts of the the Ninevites to repent and they did because God had elected them and therefore saved them as is confirmed in Matthew 12:41
How different was Jonah's preaching to what is currently being proclaimed in the churches of our day? Is it any wonder what we read in 1 Peter 4:17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Wonderfully God is still saving in our day OUTSIDE the churches. But the Gospel that saves is the Gospel of the Bible. The whole counsel of Judgement for sin and Mercy in salvation.
Joel 2:12-14
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
Praise God for so great salvation!
My proposition is that the final revival or as Joel 2:23 is basically attained in the "signs and wonders" environment which the rest of Joel and much of the O.T. discuss for the end times. As I have stated numerous times of late by the sixth seal ALL will know about God AND Christ on the throne. ( Rev. 6:12-17). This proves judgments of God clearly are poured out with comprehension by all those on earth at the time. Therefore; the Gospel as preached now will be unnecessary; Christ and God will be on one side; and Satan; the False Prophet and Antichrist on the other side. It would appear that with the woman riding the Beast the first part of the Tribulation the false Babylon one world religion will be the primary killers ( John 16:2; which appears to have particular emphasis on those in Israel at that time). Later on; of course the Antichrist destroys the religion and probably one of the headquarters by fire ( Rev. 17:16). I will state that those who are destroyed are naked; and that seems to parallel Revelation 16:15 as well as the fate of the Laodiceans. It appears a remnant will survive most of the Tribulation who don't step out in faith but also hide out from being forced to take the Mark.
The aforementioned verses and others such as similar sounding events in the seal; trumpet and bowl judgments which make us question not just the timing of the Rapture but other events I am not planning to go into a detailed analysis at present. I will state that just because things are hard to understand we shouldn't just place symbolic interpreteations on them; most believers don't with the already fulfilled prophecies when Christ came the first time so we shouldn't do so now with future events. There is as many are aware a time for "Jacob's trouble" or Daniel's 70th Week ( Jeremiah 30:17; Daniel 9:24-27) which seem to indicate the seven years to purge Israel.
As you study; Christ is going to CAUSE thoughts to come to you, those thoughts are the prophecy of scripture.
Never second guess those thoughts; it's God's WORK, bring you to light.
Joel 2:28 ...and afterwards I will pour my spirit out upon them .... and your young men (and women) shall SEE VISIONS ...
These visions are YOUR THOUGHTS, the appearing of the meaning of God's WORD, HIDDEN, only to revealed by you study and HIM CAUSING HIS THOUGH'S to be YOUR THOUGHT'S.
You Christ BODY; It's like talking to YOURSELF, You become confident that every word you speak and every word you write are HIS WORDS, not your words.
Go in the POWER of CHRIST!
This will become your nature.
God BLESS YOU!
Thank you for this information on the "last days." I agree with you that " Acts 2:17,18 is very applicable to the 'last days'."
There are two what are called "platform phrases" on which this message is built on. In Verse 17, it says "And it shall come to pass." In the Greek text it says "And it will be." And in Verse 21, it says "And it shall come to pass," and it's literally "And it will be!" Those would be the two platform verses!
So Verse 17 says and it will be in the last days. Now in Joel's prophecy ( Joel 2:28, 29), it just says afterward. Peter changed it to last days. What he is saying is that in Joel's prophecy, when he said after the judgments here, there will be another judgment day.
He meant now. So my understanding is that the theological or biblical definition of the "last days" begins here in Acts Chapter 2. From Acts Chapter 2 on, we've been in the last days for some 2,000 years.
In the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit. Twice now, he's going to say this. I'm going to pour out of my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And then he says even on my servants and on my handmaidens, slaves, both male and female, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: That is, speak the word of God!
Thanks again and God Bless!
....David Its not the bible the written word that died for the sins of the world....But the living word Jesus ...David there are zillions of bibles in this world...But this world is in gross darkness as Isaiah said....Darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the ppl...But we have millions of bibles....But without the H.G. the spirit we have nothin....There is no eternal without the H.G. the living word....That N.C. in his blood at Calvary.....David its not the bible that is gonna rule all nations with a rod of iron....But the manchild the H.G that spirit of truth that is gonna reprove this whole world of sin and righteousness etc...The woman giving birth to the manchild which is that spirit of truth the living word is gonna rule all nations.. Rev 12:10....Not the bible ...The O.C.
.....David when you say that the bible is God....You are in essence saying that God is paper and ink.....How sick is that....Stay away from ppl like Mr camping....Focus on the H.G. the Manchild that is gonna rule all nations..That N.C....GBU David
I feel I have intruded on you and Chris, forgive me if I have.
I will just touch on Matt. 24:40-41. I understand Matt. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are twofold, parts for the disciples for instruction for what they would endure and things leading up to the destruction of the temple and also for who will be living at the end times. In context of the chapter, we see "the coming of the Son of man." three times in this chapter verses 27, 37, and 39.
Matt. 24:27 He will be seen coming as Rev. 1:7. In Matt. 24:29:31 after the tribulation the Son of man coming with power and great glory. Rev. 19:11-16, similar to Joel 2:11, Joel 3:13-17 Zechariah 14:1-9. My understanding this is about the Second Coming of Christ.
In Matt. 24:36 we do not know when and we must be ready, we do not know when our death will be, it could be now. Jesus second coming is after the tribulation of the beast, we must be ready to not be tempted and be strong in our faith to not take the mark to save this flesh. Luke covers Matt.24 40-41 and just before, he adds this. Matt. 16:25 Mk. 8:35
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. God has said He will keep us from this, Rev. 3:10, but for those people who know the truth and refuse to receive it, He will send a delusion, 2 Thes. 2:11-12
In Matt. 24:37-39 as the days of Noah so shall also be the coming of the Son of man, the ones taken away in Noah's time were wicked. Matt.24:40-41 Why would it be the opposite of Noah's time? It is like the wheat and the tares at the end the ones taken will be burned in the lake of fire and the righteous will be left. At Jesus's return, the ones taken before the end will be where the eagles are, Luke 17:37 Ezek. 39:17-20 Rev. 19:17-21 the battle of Armageddon.
This is my understanding you may disagree and that is ok. Those in the first resurrection reign with Jesus on earth and there are only two resurrections.
God bless,
RLW
Daniel 9:25-28
The prince is Christ.
Daniel 9:25 ...now the MESSIAH the PRINCE ......
Daniel 9:26 ....and the people of the PRINCE (Christ) that SHALL COME ----those born again, the New Creation in Christ ....
Daniel 9:28 And he ( Messiah, the prince) shall make a COVENANT with many for ONE WEEK (the week of PASSOVER), and in the midst of the week (of passover) shall he cause the sacrifice and offering TO CEASE, and for the OVERSPREADING of ABOMINATION shall HE MAKE it DESOLATE, even until the consumption, and that DETERMINED ( Joel 2:28) shall be POURED on the DESOLATE.
God Bless YOU!
In Joel 2:24 and 3:13 where it says "your fats will overflow with wine and oil". Seems it should
be "vats" not "fats". I did not see in spelling anything about the f changing to a v or vice versa.
Thanks and hope to hear from you.
Yeshua is the Hebrew name, and its English spelling is "Joshua." Iesous is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name, and its English spelling is "Jesus." Thus, the names "Joshua" and "Jesus" are essentially the same; both are English pronunciations of the Hebrew and Greek names for our Lord. (For examples of how the two names are interchangeable, see Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 in the KJV. In both cases, the word Jesus refers to the Old Testament character Joshua.
As for the controversy over the letter J, it is much ado about nothing. It is true that the languages in which the Bible was written had no letter J. But that doesn't mean the Bible never refers to "Jerusalem" or "Judah." And it doesn't mean we cannot use the spelling "Jesus." If a person speaks and reads English, it is acceptable for him to spell things in an English fashion. Spellings can change even within a language: Americans write "Savior," while the British write "Saviour." The addition of a u (or its subtraction, depending on your point of view) has nothing to do with whom we're talking about. Jesus is the Savior, and He is the Saviour. Jesus and Yeshuah and Iesus are all referring to the same Person.
We refer to Him as "Jesus" because, as English-speaking people, we know of Him through English translations of the Greek New Testament. Scripture does not value one language over another, and it gives no indication that we must resort to Hebrew when addressing the Lord. The command is to "call on the name of the Lord," with the promise that we "shall be saved" ( Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32). Whether we call on Him in English, Korean, Hindi, or Hebrew, the result is the same: the Lord is salvation.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after ----it's been 2000 years, that's not immediately after --- the tribulation of those days ---it's Christ's tribulation, leading up to his death on the cross, that he is speaking about ----shall the sun be darkened, Matthew 27:45 ---he is quoting Joel 2:31 and Revelation 6:12 a prophecy about Christ death on the cross ---and the moon (symbolising Christ) shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven ---- Revelation 12:4 ---and the powers of heaven shall be shaken ----all this description is a parable Matthew 13:34. Christ's words are most often HIDDEN in parables and symbols.
Matthew 24:30 Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ---this is still symbolic and a parable ---heaven is symbolic of man, where GOD DWELLS, Colossians 2:27 ...Christ in you .... John 3:13 ... he which is in heaven ....
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will DO NOTHING, but he revealeth his secret to his servant the prophets.
Your raptured: one at a time
Isaiah 27:12 ....and ye shall be gathered ONE by ONE ....two in the field, one taken one left ....
God bless you, as you study and Christ reveals himself to you.
"This Know them all is an intimacy with humanity" That is gonna result in a birth of Christ in everyman....As Jeremiah 30:6 he saw all men in travail and birth pains..All men...You have not chosen me but i have chosen you...While we were yet sinners Christ died for every man...I was found of them that sought me not and made manifest unto them that asked not after me...Thats y Jesus says he has to KNOW us...Thus that tree of KNOWLEDGE....And Isaiah speaks of a Knowledge that is gona cover the earth as the waters covers the seas...Thus a 2 nd Flood that is gona kill all of humanity according to our old adamic nature...Man's carnal minds which is the very enemy of God...If thy right hand offend thee cut it off...As our God is a consuming fire that is gona consume mans adamic nature...Thus our new hearts and new spirts answers to a New Earth and New Heavens...When Jesus began his ministry he was preaching i come to bring fire on the earth...Which is his baptism of the H.G. n fire..ok lemme go..And Joel 2:28 speaks of God pouring out of his spirit on ALL flesh...Thats y he said the harlots and the whoremongers will go into the Kingdom of heaven b/f you....I will KNOW them all from the least to the greatest...And if ya be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to that Promise of multiplication of Christ seed...The H.G.The Promise.
......The world is gonna have a Baby....Thats y Jeremiah 30:6 Tells us all men are gonna travail in birth pains...The Child is the H.G. THE Children of PROMISE...I will Multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven...Thus the Children of PROMISE the H.G... Joel 2:28 I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh...Jeremiah says he saw all men with their hands on their loins as woman in travail with birth pains... Jeremiah 30:6...The Child is the H.G. that heavenly Jacob that is now in a warfare with the Tares...Satans seed...A time of Jacobs troubles...Jacob was the 3 rd person but the H.G. is also the 3 rd person...The wheat Jesus's seed the H.G.
But these things are hid from the wise and prudent but revealed unto babes.... Matthew 11:25...William this is for spritually minded.
At three different places in the Bible, a former/early and a latter rain are mentioned:
1. Joel 2:23, 'Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."
2. Hosea 6:23, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
3. James 5:7, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."
What is this former/latter rain? Is it just a figure of speech or it may imply something? Do you think that it may imply something for us now in the last(of the last) days?