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THEY'VE ALL BEEN WRONG
Looking back at how Christians have viewed Christ’s second coming in the past, we find many people obsessed with figuring out all the details and making predictions.
Here is a quote: "The last days are upon us. Weigh carefully the times. Look for him who is above all time, eternal and invisible" That statement was not made by a modern prophecy expert. That statement did not come religious TV. It was made by a Christian named Ignatius, who lived in 110 AD, just a few decades after 1 John was written.
Here is another quote: "There is no doubt that the Antichrist has already been born. Firmly established in his early years, he will, after reaching maturity, achieve supreme power" That statement wasn’t made by a radio prophecy teacher. It was written by a Christian leader named Martin living in 375 AD.
In the year 236 AD a church leader named Hippolytus predicted that Christ was sure to return by 500 AD.
The years between 999 and 1030 AD were characterized by excessive speculation about Christ’s second coming among Christians, so much so that it led to social chaos as farmers didn’t plant crops for the next year, buildings weren’t repaired, and the details of daily life were neglected because they thought Christ would return in their lifetime.
In the 1500’s the Protestant reformer Martin Luther said, "We have reached the time of the white horse of the Apocalypse. This world will not last any longer… than another hundred years."
Christopher Columbus said he was sure the world would end by 1656. The year 1666 saw an explosion in end time speculation, so much so that one pastor wrote in his journal that every time a storm hit, people would go to church to await Christ’s second coming.
In the 1800s a Christian named William Miller said, "I am fully convinced that somewhere between March 21st, 1843 and March 21st, 1844 Christ will come." When Miller’s date came and went, hundreds of people walked away from the Christian faith. If their pastor was wrong about that, what else was he wrong about?
In our own generation, many modern day prophecy experts guessed that 1981 would mark the rapture of the church and the beginning of the terrible seven year tribulation period that would culminate in the battle of Armageddon. Now as we near the year 2000, dozens of prophecy experts on Christian TV, radio, and in books are making new predictions related to the year 2000.
Christian historian Richard Kyle cautions us, "Through two thousand years of Western history millions of…sincere, devout, and knowledgeable people have seen the end as [about to happen in their own lifetimes]…But they have all been wrong."
SOURCE: Timothy Peck. Citations: Richard Kyle, "The Last Days Are Here Again," pages 27, 55, 87. Abanes, "End Time Visions," pages 337-338.
A man was out on walk when he saw another man about to throw himself from a bridge into the river. He ran over to save him. "Why do you want to kill yourself?" the man asked. "I've nothing to live for."
"Don't you believe in God?" "Yes I do."
"What a coincidence-so do I! Are you a Jew or a Christian?" "A Christian."
"What a coincidence-so am I! Protestant or Catholic?" "Protestant."
"What a coincidence-so am I! Anglican or Baptist?" "Baptist."
"What a coincidence-so am I! Baptist Union Church or Independent Baptist?" "Baptist Union."
"What a coincidence-so am I! Premillenial or amillenial?" "Premillenial."
"What a coincidence-so am I! Pre-tribulation rapture or mid-tribulation rapture?" "Mid-tribulation rapture."
At that the first man pushed the suicidal man into the river shouting "Die heretic, die!"
QUOTE ON DANIEL’S SEVENTIETH WEEK:
"The procedure of those who separate the 70th week from the 69th, by an interval already far greater than the whole of the 70 weeks, is altogether unjustified."
(Source: WJ Grier, The Momentous Event.)
HOW THE DEVIL WAS CONQUERED
Saint Augustine said,
“The devil was conquered by his own trophy of victory. The devil jumped for joy, when he seduced he first man and cast him down to death. By seducing the first man, he slew him; by slaying the last man [Christ], he lost the first from his snare. The victory of our Lord Jesus Christ came when he rose, and ascended into heaven; then was fulfilled what you have heard when the Apocalypse was being read, ‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah has won the day’ [Rev. 5:5] … The devil jumped for joy when Christ died; and by the very death of Christ the devil was overcome: he took, as it were, the bait in the mousetrap. He rejoiced at the death, thinking himself death’s commander. But that which...
QUOTE ON DANIEL'S SEVENTIETH WEEK:
"The first coming of our Lord is spoken of in (Daniel 9:24-27) as ordained to be before the seventy weeks were finished, and the city (Jerusalem) should be destroyed; and so it was even as the prophet had spoken… Jesus Christ our Lord, the Messiah, came exactly as it was prophesied, and remained on earth as it was foretold he should do; in the middle of the predestinated (seventieth) week he was cut off, when he had completed three and a half years of saving ministry, and with another period of like length the gospel was preached throughout all nations, and Messiah's peculiar relation to Israel was cut off."
(Source: Charles Spurgeon, Messiah's Glorious Works.)
THE FIFTH SEAL
How Big is 200 Million? BIG.
Here’s a visual for everyone. If an army had 1 Million soldiers lined within a mile of each other, it would be the biggest conglomeration in history. Now imagine that it takes about 200 miles to get from St. Louis to Kansas City. This force is going to be so big that their movement will fill up about every inch of every mile from here to St. Louis.
If the force was placed closer together, like on an open 4 or 6 lane highway, it would stretch from St. Louis all the way to Denver, Colorado. That is the force coming.
The death toll of this force says that it is going to kill a 1/3rd of mankind. Since 1/4th of mankind has already been killed after the opening of Seal #4, this means that the Earth’s population has already been reduced by one half. This means that in a 4 year time period or so, 6 Billion people have been reduced down to 3 Billion. Comparing 3 Billion dead people to the 60 Million dead people of World War II for the same 4 year time period would be like comparing apples and oranges. The world has never seen nor could ever imagine that kind of carnage and lost of human life.
SPELUNKING ADVENTURE
I went with my family on a camping adventure to a cave. When we got into the deep inner core, the tour guide asked for everyone to turn off all the lanterns and flashlights. The results were frightening! Seriously, the total darkness was so deep that it could actually be felt. One of my children actually burst into tears it was so frightening.
This will be the shape of the whole world. (what are the odds that electricity is actually going to work well with all the other disasters going on?)
The most recent issue of Tim Magazine was most revealing to say the least. Who would ever think that such a nationally known magazine would have this unique subject on its cover page and inside? (Issue: July 1, 2002)
“The Bible & the Apocalypse! Why more Americans are reading and talking about THE END OF THE WORLD!” Nancy Gibbs authored the article entitlted: Apocalypse Now.
“What do you watch for, when you are watching the news? Signs that interest rates might be climbing; maybe it’s time to refinance. Signs of global warming, maybe forget that new SUV. Signs of new terrorist activity, maybe twice about that flight to Chicago. OR SIGNS THAT THE WORLD MAY BE COMING TO AN END, AND THE LAST BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD? . . . We seem to be born with an instinct that the end is out there somewhere. We have a cultural impulse to imagine it – and keep it at bay.”
For many years the Church and Bible scholars have used the word “Apocalypse” and even said we live in such an age. The word actually means in Greek: “Revelation or Lifting of the veil.”
Time Magazine writer (Nancy Gibbs) says, “In an apocalyptic age, people feel that the veil of normal, secular reality is lifting, and we can see behind the scenes, see where God and the devil, good and evil are fighting to control the future.”
The article continues by pointing out that even the pre-Christian is thinking about the future. Recent polls suggest that 35% of Americans say they are paying closer attention to news events and how they relate to the coming of the world since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. 17% of Americans believe the end of the world will happen in their lifetime. 36% of Americans believe that the Bible is the Word of God and is to be taken literally. 59% believe the prophecies in the Book of Revelation will come true.
If you have followed the book market you will note that the “Left Behind” Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins are some of the best sellers. They have written 10 boys in the series and have sold approximately 36 million copies.
While I do not know when Jesus Christ will return, I do know this: the Bible says that He will. And in light of what is happening today, it is time for us to do some serious thinking about the Future.
When we look at Jesus’ life and ministry, we see that He spent considerable time talking about the future events. Even the disciples had many questions regarding the future. The Apostles in their writings, especially Paul, spent considerable time speaking about the future events. While the Book of Revelation speaks of the seven Churches of Asia Minor, its main emphasis is on the future.
Jesus reminds us in this passage of Scripture (Matthew 24, 25 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) that we are to “watch” and “be ready.” He emphatically states it over and over. One cannot read these words without feeling a sense of urgency and expectancy today. As someone has written:
“The improbable happens just often enough to make life either disturbing or delightful.”
Growing up as a teenager, I heard a lot about the ...
CONNECTING MOTHERS DAY
How do you connect an army of invading locusts to Mother’s Day? A colleague at a conference on Domestic Violence said, "That’s easy. It’s when your teenage boys
bring their friends home for dinner."
Thomas Merton: "The Gospel looks to a future event that is still not fulfilled - the full revelation of the Glory and the Reign of Christ. He reigns already, but his reign is not yet manifest as it will be.
"Yet this brings with it another temptation: the false news of those who have too much of a message, too clear a message - 'Lo, here is Christ, precisely here. and we are the ones who have found him for you.' They have the date and the hour of his coming, and they are themselves the main point of the news. A very important point, indeed. The Second Coming is their news.
"Such news is not to be believed. The Gospel itself is much simpler. Now is the judgment of the world..."
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