The End Is Near! by Ready2Rapture .....
Where we're at in Bible prophecy
Date: 6/2/2005 4:11:13 PM ( 19 y ago)
Luke 21:31 "Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near."
No, this is not another plug for the "Left Behind" series, which I have not even read. It's a look at the remaining prophecies yet to be fulfilled in the Bible. There are many views on how to interpret Bible passages, but basically I take the Dispensational and Literal approach (see earlier blog entries for more detail). That means I view the Bible not as a mystical, cryptic, esoteric object but as the living, breathing Truth.
Daniel's prophecy of "seventy 'weeks'", which I detailed earlier, has one 'week' left to go. This will be a period of seven years, during which God turns back to Israel after having focused on the Gentiles since Jesus' resurrection and ascension almost two thousand years ago. The language of the prophecy indicates that this will be the final one, the end of all prophecies. Its completion will mark the end of all the Bible has to say about human history, after which time as we know it will cease and eternity will begin.
This is essentially what the last book in the Bible, Revelation, is about. After an introduction including letters to churches, John is taken up to heaven for a vision of the end, the vision written about so long ago by Daniel. He is shown details of this period of seven years which Daniel wasn't given, which we refer to as "The Tribulation".
The Tribulation is divided into two equal parts of 3 1/2 years each, with the second half known as "the time of Jacob's Trouble" or "The Great Tribulation". Although the first half will be bizarre and painful for the earth's inhabitants, the second half will be beyond anything ever before it in terms of global disaster. Its purpose is twofold: to finally judge unbelievers for their evil, and to complete the judgment of the nation of Israel as predicted. When completed, there will be a period of one thousand years ("the Millenium") of human history, then final judgment of everyone who ever lived.
How close are we to this time of prophecy? Jesus said we could not know the day or the hour, but the season. We were given signs to look for, signs which are becoming increasingly clear each day. Only this generation has seen the reformation of the physical and ethnic nation of Israel, the exponential increase in knowledge and technology, the military and political climate, to make the events of Revelation understandable and plausible. Seeing the shadow of the 70th week means that day is about to dawn.
Immediately preceding this last seven years is an even known as "The Rapture". It is based on the Greek phrase for "caught up" or "snatched away", and refers to the sudden transportation of all Christians to heaven in an instant, without dying. We, "the church", are each individually indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, and He will therefore remove us from earth before raining down judgment upon it. This is not a question of the judgment of us believers, or of fear of hardship, or anything else but God's promise and prophecy. There is no sign preceding this event, so it could happen at any time. The fact that we are seeing signs for the Tribulation means that the Rapture which precedes it must be even closer.
Other religions, especially New Age, are warning of a sudden global catastrophe that will mark a leap into a new level of spiritual consciousness. They believe that we who disappear were taken away because we stood in opposition to this "evolutionary leap". A world leader will step up at that time and reassure the people who weren't taken that he will protect them and guide them into a higher level of spiritual perfection, ushering in world peace at last. But in reality, this leader is the one the Bible refers to as the Antichrist, "the son of perdition". But peace is not his plan.
If you are not yet a believer in Jesus, don't put off becoming one another day!
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