Posted 7-9-00
Thanks. The date the UN charter was signed was June 26, the same as the UR charter signed June 26, 2000. That just jumped out at me. Agape
-there is great admonishment for "date setting"; are we sinning by studying these calculations? I know that we are to watch and that God is showing signs, BUT are we overstepping and getting sidetracked when we go into the potential details? -can you recommend a website or book that will help reconcile Jewish months/feasts/traditions with our calendar/NT etc.; we get lost really fast when the Jewish names and months are listed. -thank you for listing URLs; it helps gain some credibility when we try to share these news items with others (even Christians) who think we are losing our minds. Our great sadness is that none of our families are saved-all good works-churched but not born again. Telling them about these things only seems to drive them farther away. Yet, time seems so urgent...any suggestions?
Praise the Lord. That is the only safe attitude to have. Everything should be compared with Scripture. All of us are human, capable of error, religious leaders and people alike. The only rock hard truth we have is the Bible. It must be our guide, or we are in danger of being "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14). We should read the Bible ourselves. Then we have the background to be able to recognize whether what someone says is truth or not.
> > how to deal with "one rapture" vs. "two raptures"-why is "two" not widely taught
Pastors can't teach what they have not yet recognized. Please don't hold it against them. Most are doing the very best they know how to do. They are doing yoeman duty to bring people to Christ and show them how to walk the Christian walk. It consumes all their time and energy. That is their calling.
I don't know of a Seminary that teaches two Raptures, and people tend to believe as their teachers do. Surprisingly, not all Seminaries even even teach one Rapture. I had to figure out that there are two by studying Scripture myself, and that was not because I didn't have access to good teaching, because I did. It is just that there is more in Scripture than is widely understood, and no one understands everything that is there. I have come to the conclusion that there is more packed into that one small book than one person can dig out in a lifetime. There is always something else to learn.
> > fundamentalists, who say that if you miss the (1st) rapture, you are not saved
I have run into those that say the Laodiceans are not believers too. However, Jesus said, "What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven CHURCHES which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, AND UNTO LAODICEA." In Rev. 3:16, he said, "because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." I don't see how they could be spued out of the Body of Christ if they were not in Christ in the first place.
Others say that the foolish virgins are not believers. However, they have lamps, go out to meet the Bridegroom, and call Him Lord. To me, they are believers, and believers can be left behind. Lu. 12:46 says of the unwise steward, "The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder (lit., cut him off), and will appoint him his portion (I think 2300 days, Dan. 8:14) with the UNBELIEVERS." If he is to be appointed a time with unbelievers, surely he is not himself an unbeliever too. Mt. 24:51 adds, "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites (pretenders): there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Therefore, he is not an unbeliever or a pretender. What is left? that he is a believer.
We see "a man which had not on a wedding garment" cast outside the door at the wedding feast and are told, "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Why? "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Mt. 22:11-14). Rev. 17:14 says, "they that ARE with him (the King of kings and Lord of lords) are called, and chosen, and faithful."
The prize Paul was running the race to win was to be part of the group called up at the first Rapture. He did not want to be a "castaway" at that time (I Cor. 9:24-27). In Phil. 3:14, he said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus." He was in Christ, and didn't want to be spued out of His mouth.
Believers of this dispensation are promised Heaven. If they are left behind the first time, there must be another Rapture later on. No believer can be lost. Jn. 18:9 says, "That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." In I Cor. 3:10-15, Paul said, "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
> > Are you just using different language: 2nd rapture=2nd Coming?
No. I think the 2nd Rapture will be 7 Jewish months (Eze. 39:12) before the 2nd Coming. The saints all have to be in Heaven with Christ to be able to come back with him. Zech. 14:5 says, "the LORD my God shall come, and ALL THE SAINTS WITH THEE." The second gathering can be seen in Mk. 13:27: "And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth (the Tribulation saints) to the uttermost part of heaven (those caught up in the first Rapture). All saints are called to the assembly on that day for the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Believers receive their rewards in Heaven while unbelievers on Earth get their just rewards for their unbelief. Rev. 11:18 says, "And the nations were angry (Israel is being attacked by the army led by Gog, Eze. 38), and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."
> > there is great admonishment for "date setting"; are we sinning by studying these calculations?
I don't see how we could be. In Rev. 3:3, Jesus said, "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." If we do watch, what can we know? In Mk. 13:23, he said, "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things." Lu. 8:17 says, "For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad."
For the correlation between calendars, try:
http://www.ibc.wustl.edu/~zuker/hebdate/
The feasts are Passover (Nisan 14), Unleavened Bread (7-day feast starting on Nisan 15), Firstfruits (Nisan 16), Pentecost (Sivan 6 or 7), Trumpets (Tishri 1), Day of Atonement (Tishri 10), and Tabernacles (7-day feast starting on Tishri 15, with an 8th day added). See Lev. 23.
> > Telling them about these things only seems to drive them farther away. Yet, time seems so urgent...any suggestions?
Only the Lord knows who is a true believer and who is not. Ask if they have accepted Christ as their own personal Saviour. Some don't realize that just going to church is not a guarantee. They should exercise their will and make a conscious decision to be certain. Pray for them. The Lord knows what they need more than we do. Ask him to put it in your head what you should say. Concentrate on the important thing, making sure that they have accepted Christ as their own personal Saviour, but if the conversation goes elsewhere, follow the Lord's leading. He knows what they are ready to assimilate. Agape
I know a girl, raised a Catholic, who said she went in to her brother's baptism in another church not understanding, and walked out understanding. That was the turning place in her life, and she was just the 2nd one in that large family to finally get to that place. They all did, one by one, in answer to her brother's prayers after he accepted Christ as his own personal Saviour.
He was going blind and lived with another boy who was born blind. Someone came to talk to the blind one about Christ, and her brother overheard and asked Christ to be his Saviour. From that time, one by one, they all came to realize that each person must make a definite decision and declare it to be born again. Rom. 10:9,10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
To cut a long story short I have since met a Russian lady, and we have just got married together, but there is this burning desire to be back in church again and being part of the worship team. I have been playing Christian music tapes and I have been praying that God will come into our lives more and more. I think often about my daughter, and I pray often that God will keep her in his love. I guess what I really want to say is that after reading the Rapture information, I really wanted to be part of that and really know that when it happens that God would take me and my family too, but I felt really sad and unhappy, after reading it. I quietly in my heart prayed that prayer you had written, and felt a burdon go, but like Peter in the Boat, I started to look at the situation I was in and see where I had been, and began to feel unworthy and afraid. So where do I go from here.
How do I get my victory and confidence back from where I am.? I hope you can help.
After that, when we slip and sin, we should immediately confess it so the Lord can cleanse us of all unrighteousness. I Jn. 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins (known sins), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (known and unknown). At that point, that stumble is past history, and we get another fresh start. The sin barrier between us and our holy God is broken down. We are back in fellowship. The Holy Spirit wells up within us like a fountain of living water. From that point, don't look back. Don't doubt what Scripture tells you plainly. If it says something plainly, believe it. Trust the Lord to keep his word.
You mentioned Peter. In Mt. 14:29-31, Jesus said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" That's a good lesson for us not to doubt. We are not doing this in our own strength, but in His. Without Him, he said that we could do nothing.
Ask the Lord what he wants you to do. After all, he gave you the talents you have to fulfill the plan he has for your life. Maybe it is a bit different from what you think. Let him guide you. Look at what opportunities you have before you. Go through the doors he opens in front of you, and don't try to open doors he firmly closes. Keep walking, but be like Enoch, who "walked with God" (Gen. 5:24). Agape
"The Oslo Accords, also known as the Declaration of Principles signed August 20, 1993, was unknown to the world other than in what bits and pieces the media came across until publically presented in Washington DC on September 13 that same year...."
Found it interesting that this happened exactly SEVEN years before the scheduled declaration date for the State of Palestine this year. Praying, watching and waiting with you. Agape
Also, I think the Sign of the End of the Age was the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israel grew leaves (Sinai, West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights) and fulfilled the fig tree parable of Mt. 24:32-34.
This is interesting too. From Nisan 8 in 30 AD, when Jesus came to Bethany before Palm Sunday, to Av 10, when the temple was burned in 70 AD, was 40 years, plus another 120 days.
In our days, from Iyar 28, 5727 (June 7, 1967), when they regained the temple area to Tishri 1, 5768 (Sept. 13, 2007) is also 40 years, plus another 120 days. It all seems to be too good to be by accident. I think God is regulating all these things to bring his prophecies to pass here at the end of this age.
He is giving us signs to show that the day of his coming for us is drawing near. I'm praying, watching and waiting too. Agape
I Tim. 2:5 says, "For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the MAN Christ Jesus"
On page 320, in This is the Faith: Catholic Theology for Laymen, by Rev. Francis J. Ripley, he said,
"Mary, Mother of God
The 3rd General Coucil of the Church, held at Ephesus in the year 431, solemnly defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God. That this is so follows from the truth already explained that there is only one Person in Jesus Christ, God the Son. Mary is the Mother of that one divine Person. THERE IS NO HUMAN PERSONALITY IN CHRIST, and she certainly could not be Mother of a mere human nature."
That flies in the face of John 1:14: "And the Word was made FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
It flies in the face of II Cor. 5:19: "God was IN Christ, reconciling the world unto himself."
It also flies in the face of Isa. 9:6. It says, "For unto us a child is born (inheriting his human nature from his mother), unto us a son is given (inheriting his deity from his Father): and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
On page 322, Ripley said, "Because of the inexpressible dignity that is hers, the Catholic Church has from the beginning given Mary the HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP below that reserved for God alone.... From Mary's divine Motherhood, all her other dignities flow. The first of these is her Immaculate Conception."
One error begets another, and you can be led astray so easily, one step at a time.
On page 324,5, Ripley said, "It is also Catholic teaching that Our Blessed Lady was always absolutely sinless."
That flies in the face of Rom. 3:23: "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
On page 327, Ripley said, "Further, it is the teaching of the whole Catholic Church today that EVERY GRACE GIVEN TO MEN COMES TO THEM THROUGH MARY...FROM GOD TO CHRIST, FROM CHRIST TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN, AND FROM THE BLESSED VIRGIN TO US....NO GRACE DESCENDS TO MEN EXCEPT THROUGH THE HANDS, THAT IS, THE INTERCESSION OF MARY."
On page 328,9, Ripley said, "'To Jesus through Mary' is a thoroughly Christian sentiment as well as a most useful criterion for the development of the love of God in the soul. The King of heaven and earth will certainly not close His ears to the requests of His Queen and Mother, and the Mother of men will certainly not fail to hearken to the PRAYERS of her children, and form them to the perfect image of her Son."
I think you are being deceived and don't know it. Agape
***I don't think it is as clear as you think it is. You can't take what a PERSON wrote as gospel truth over what SCRIPTURE says. Examine what people say to see if it agrees with Scripture. Do some arithmetic. People may have a preconceived opinion they are trying to prove and stretch things a bit here and there to make it fit.
***I think Jesus came as the former rain on Tishri 1, as stated in Hos. 6:3: " 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." The former rain starts Tishri 1, the latter rain Nisan 1. I believe he was born as the former rain on the first day of the Civil Year (Tishri 1) and will return as the latter rain on the first day of the Sacred Year (Nisan 1). Eze. 29:17 sets the day, " IN THE FIRST MONTH, IN THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH." Then v. 21 says, "IN THAT DAY will I cause the horn (king) of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth (Word, Logos) in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD."
> > Allowing two weeks for the laws of separation that G-d commanded in Leviticus (Vayikra) 12:5; 15:19,24-25 after going back to the house (Luke 1:23) and then going forward nine months (Sivan [tenth week] + 2 weeks + 9 months) puts the birth of John (Yochanan) during the festival of Passover (Pesach). This is an extremely important point
***Lev. 12:5 is talking about after the birth of a girl child. That won't buy you the 2 weeks you want.
> > In Birth of Yeshua (Jesus) during Succoth, Greg Killian said, "Doug Dolly in his book, "Messiah Our Passover is Sacrificed", wrote, "When Zekharya (Zechariah) was ministering in the temple, he received an announcement from God of a coming son. The eighth course of Abia, when Zekharya was ministering, was the week of Sivan 12 to 18. If Zekharya's promised son Yochanan (John the baptizer) were conceived soon thereafter, then Yeshua's conception, which was six months later, would be late Chiselev to early Tevet, near Chanukah (the Feast of Dedication); His birth would thence be at mid Tishri, the Feast of Succoth (Tabernacles)."
***Let's see if this holds water. The number of days from Nisan to Tishri are the same every year. Therefore, the 8 weeks plus 2 weeks for Passover and Pentecost that "Zacharias, of the course of Abia" (Lu. 1:5) served would be:
1. Nisan 1 - 7
2. Nisan 8 - 14
3. Nisan 15 - 21
4. Nisan 22 - 28
5. Nisan 29 - Iyar 5
6. Iyar 6 - 12
7. Iyar 13 - 19
8. Iyar 20 - 26
9. Iyar 27 - Sivan 4
10. Sivan 5 - 11
Therefore, Zacharias would have been at home starting Sivan 12, not Sivan 19.
***Elizabeth's 6 months could have been:
1. Sivan 12 - Tamuz 11
2. Tamuz 12 - Av 11
3. Av 12 - Elul 11
4. Elul 12 - Tishri 11
5. Tishri 12 - Cheshvan 11
6. Cheshvan 12 - Kislev 11
***Lu. 1:26,36 says, "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary....And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her."
***Elizabeth's 6th month could have been from Cheshvan 12 to Kislev 11. When Mary went to see Elizabeth in this 6th month, the babe lept in Elizabeth's womb and Mary said, "he that is mighty HATH done to me great things" (Lu. 1:49). Does that add up to Kislev 25 for Jesus' conception to you? The more I examine what these people are saying, the more I find wrong with this concept. They seem determined to stretch out the time an extra 2 weeks to fit their preconceived opinions.
> > The apostle Yochanan (John) tells us that the Word (of God) became flesh and "dwelt in a succah" (tabernacled) among us.[13]
[13] Apostolic Writings: Yochanan / John 1:14 (The author views Succoth as figurative of Messiah's coming to dwell among His people; this reference is not submitted as proof of a dogmatic date.)
***In spite of his note that "this reference is not submitted as proof of a dogmatic date," people keep telling me that Jesus tabernacled among us, so he was born on Tabernacles. I don't think it means that. He dwelt among us for 33.5 years, not one day. Jn. 1:14,15 says, " And the Word was made flesh, and DWELT among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." The word translated DWELT is Strong's 4637: skenoo, to tent or encamp, i.e. (fig.) to occupy (as a mansion) or (spec.) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion):--dwell. Agape
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Updated 7-9-00