We’re a curious species. And as the saying goes, “Curiosity killed the cat.” I’m not saying that it’s bad to learn. God gave us these wonderful minds and we commit sacrilege when we discourage honest inquiry into reality. God also gave us boundaries such as the inability to see the future or to know for certain what happens after death. Scripture condemns the aspiration to transcend these boundaries as divination.
“But what about prophecy?” you say. Yes, God does speak through the prophets but there is a difference between information that God gladly gives us and that which we attempt to take. Prophecy seems to come in two forms: First, there is often very clear instruction about how to react to something yet to come in the immediate future for a specific group or individual. Second, there is vague, general information about that which God will do in the distant future as with the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament or with Revelation. God does things this way because he knows how dangerous our divine pretensions can be and how we crave to know all that is yet to come.
Jesus’ own disciples revealed their vain curiosity on the Mount of Olives near the end of Christ’s ministry. In Matthew 24:1-2, Jesus gave them a peek at what was to come a few short decades into the future, that the temple would be demolished. The disciples immediately rushed toward this cracked door, hoping for full disclosure, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age.” (Matt. 24:3b).
Christ’s words in response to them command our consideration as well, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” (Matt. 24:4) Jesus knew that our speculative urge can easily be turned toward Satan’s purposes. For evidence of the blinding nature of speculation, one need look no farther than most commentaries on Matthew 24 itself. It seems that almost everyone looks at this passage as a foretelling of what will be at the end of time. Yet, Christ didn’t respond to the disciples’ probing with, “Okay, okay, since you guys asked.” Instead, he said, “Watch out!”
As Christ prepares to leave his disciples to engage a spiritually diseased world, he gives them an inoculation against speculation. Here on the eve of the fourth blood moon in this most recent tetrad, with BSF for the first time ever venturing into Revelation and the secular media replete with post-apocalyptic movies, I’d like to offer the church Christ’s prescription:
- A lot of people will buy the devil’s lies. It doesn’t mean they are true. vs. 5
- World events are neither predictive nor insignificant. Like birth pains, they declare, “It’s getting closer!” vs. 6-8
- The time between Christ’s first coming and second coming will be filled with persecution, apostasy, false religion, ever growing wickedness, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel through the church. vs. 9-14
- The destruction of the temple will have no eschatological significance. So, don’t buy in to the end times hysteria which will immediately follow that event. vs. 15-25
- There will be no secret return of Christ. When he comes back, his presence will fill the sky like lightning and every eye will see him. The heavens will declare his coming and a loud trumpet will herald his approach. Both his enemies and his friends will know he has come again. His friends will be gathered to him at that time. vs. 26-31 (Rev. 1:7)
- The first coming of Christ has begun the last days. People often stumble over vs. 34 here but its always best to let scripture interpret scripture. Jesus said, “this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.” What could that mean? We’re either left with somehow coming up with a secret return of Christ within the lifetime of those standing with him which was just precluded or we look for another understanding. First of all remember Christ’s purpose with these teachings, to safeguard his disciples from speculation. If Christ was giving a 50 year window for his return, then he would have been defeating his very purpose. So, what could he have meant? I believe the answer can be found in the verse which follows directly after, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” We are all the generation under Christ by his words. He has no successor nor is there any mediator between us and him. In these words, Christ has precluded every Mohammed, Joseph Smith or David Koresh. This meaning fulfills his purpose and fits the immediate context.
- Anyone who says with any certainty or specificity when the end will be is a liar. If Jesus didn’t know, then William Miller didn’t know and Harold Camping doesn’t know. Our job is to live today like Christ will return today. Period. Exclamation point! vs. 36-51
HIGH 5 !!
Reblogged this on Life Teams Support and commented:
Yeah, I wrote this but it’s really important.
Reblogged this on Life Teams Support and commented:
Yeah, I wrote this but it’s really important.
In the time of the end,,living person-(soul) has been and is invited to learn and study the scriptures . Daniel 12:4 “As for you , Daniel keep the words secret , and seal up the book until the time of the end . Many will rove about , and true knowledge will become abundant. Verse 9 also reemphasis on verse 4. ,,verse 10 explains that those having insight will understand. Bible students would be keenly interested in who “those having insight will understand ” will prove to be.,,,who are those having insight ??,, Good question ,,,everyone and those that claim to represent God would love to crack the code to speak. God’s Holy writings have always been born along by Holy Spirit ,, which we must believe that as much as we believe in God . The scriptures are clear,, there will be a time that God will reveal bible truths and direction in due time. For instance Jesus disciples asked Him before He ascended to heaven ,,,if Jesus was restoring the Kingdom @ that time . Acts 1:6 and Jesus reply was in verse 7 ,,”It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in His own jurisdiction.” This scripture would dictate that restoring the Kingdom would be future,,,Jesus disciples did not live to see this happen in their time .,,Daniel 2 :44 states that God WILL set up a Kingdom indicates a future time ,,,why would God set up a Kingdom wasn’t He already living residing in His Kingdom ??? Kingdom represents a ruler ship a government that would be restored in Heaven that would rule over mankind ,,,a government/Kingdom that will not be brought to ruin but will crush and but an end to all man made governments that have failed to bring peace ,,,failed to govern mankind in the way that God’s Kindgom will soon do,,, Jesus’ last command before He ascended to be with His Fathet was in Matthew 28:19,20,,He simply commanded His disciples to continue to GO and make even more disciples ,,a great teaching and preaching work was to take place and Jesus’ own words said that He would be with His disciples. Time would pass as the preaching work will continue all the way to the end ,,Matthew 24:14 ,,, So the question we might ask is ,,is the Kingdom restored as of in Now ,,or has is it yet to be restored ?? ,,.. Matthew 24: gives great insight ,,,bible readers must be careful as to what is written to be understood as literal and what is to be understood as symbolic,,Matt 24:3 Jesus’ disciples approached Him privately ,,,why privately ??? ,, Because Jesus taught His disciples information that He didn’t in His public teachings ,,,Matthew 13:11 ,,,this scripture is so profound as to the importance of whom Jesus will reveal sacred secrets to now in the time of the end . Matthew 24:3 in the KJV reads what will be the sign of your “coming” ,,,here is where accurate knowledge and discernment is essential to bible truths,,,the word “coming” is incorrect ,,,it is used here b/c religion @ King James time has taught and revised a completely different meaning to this scripture . Do some research please on this,,,in the original Greek writing of the New Testament the Greek word was “parousia” or in English means presence ,,which literally means right along side of ,,, Jesus’ disciple was asking Him privately when would we know in our time Jesus royal presence ,,, because of all the physical signs Jesus foretold ,, the wars between nations ,,earthquakes ,,food shortages etc,,would indicate a specific time period we would spiritually see that His presence was invisible ,,,would the signs indicate a literal “coming” ???? How could that be ,??,,Jesus’ literal coming will be in Armeggeddon to rid the earth of the wickedness and to abyss Satan for a thousand years . So we can see world conditions that this has not happened yet but His “parousia ” for certain has happened b/c we are experiencing all the literal signs. Jesus also stated in Same chapter of Matthew 24:39 that last days would be as the flood time period people would take no note until the flood came and swept them away ,,,so the “presence of the Son of man will be ,,, All the signs are proof that Jesus has already fulfilled Psalms 110:1,2 that He upon His resurrection was to sit @ the right hand of God UNTIL He was to go subduing in the midst of His enemies .,, In the midst was in heaven and Revelation 12:7 gives insight to this ,,a war in Heaven broke out,,, now in your understanding has this war taken place or yet to take place ??? Keep in mind Woe to the earth and the signs in Matt 24,,, and keep in mind be glad you heavens b/c Rev 12:8 says nor was a place for Satan and his demons any longer in Heaven ,,,so this is a prophecy that Satan will be casted to earth ,,,I understand this has already happened and this marked the beginning of the last days,,,but even more profound is Rev 12:10 b/c of the Heavens being cleansed of all evil a new development occurred for the Heavens,,, Rev12:10 ” Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the KINGDOM of our God and the AUTHORITY of HIS Christ …..Christ Kingom power has began to rule !!! The Kingdom has be restored in the Heaven ,,, the Kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for and the Kingdom to come to the earth. The evil one had to be removed and Kingdom established in our time of the end ,,,,Kingdom wasn’t restored in Jesus time on earth but was when it was God’s due time . Praise the King as He will come and vindicate His Fathers name and remove all wickedness from the earth . Yes there are many false prophets and they too are part of the physical signs as we see,,, But reason why there are false prophets in the time of the end ,,,Matthew 13:28,29,30 the illustration of the weeds and the wheat ,,,Jesus said they would grow together until the harvest ,,not to uproot the weeds for fear of uprooting the wheat ,,,weeds will duplicate what they grow beside of takes a trained eye to weed a garden that’s how close the true religion and false religion would be in the last days,,, so to all disciples and to all truth seekers we must discern for ourselves and stay with God’s written word and recognize Christ the King’s presence ,,,keep on the watch because we do not know the hour but is coming as a theft in the night ,,,Keep in mind it was the religious leaders that initiated and demanded Jesus death,,Jesus also made a profound statement in Matthew 24:45-47,,This is Jesus asking “who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over His domestics to give them their food at the proper time ? Who are the domestics and what is the food?? Jesus foretold a slave class ,,is it just one person or many ,,or is it a religion … Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep ,,,Jesus foretold that ther will be a earthly slave class that WILL thru Jesus provide spiritual food ,,instructions to survival of Armeggeddon . Key is “faithful and discreet” just as the wheat would be growing and manifesting Bible truths all along .
Amazing Paula. It must take special gnosis to parse all of that out…
It just takes a worldwide organization that thrives by formulating its own unanswerable questions and then serving as the sole source for the “answers.”
In the time of the end,,living person-(soul) has been and is invited to learn and study the scriptures . Daniel 12:4 “As for you , Daniel keep the words secret , and seal up the book until the time of the end . Many will rove about , and true knowledge will become abundant. Verse 9 also reemphasis on verse 4. ,,verse 10 explains that those having insight will understand. Bible students would be keenly interested in who “those having insight will understand ” will prove to be.,,,who are those having insight ??,, Good question ,,,everyone and those that claim to represent God would love to crack the code to speak. God’s Holy writings have always been born along by Holy Spirit ,, which we must believe that as much as we believe in God . The scriptures are clear,, there will be a time that God will reveal bible truths and direction in due time. For instance Jesus disciples asked Him before He ascended to heaven ,,,if Jesus was restoring the Kingdom @ that time . Acts 1:6 and Jesus reply was in verse 7 ,,”It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in His own jurisdiction.” This scripture would dictate that restoring the Kingdom would be future,,,Jesus disciples did not live to see this happen in their time .,,Daniel 2 :44 states that God WILL set up a Kingdom indicates a future time ,,,why would God set up a Kingdom wasn’t He already living residing in His Kingdom ??? Kingdom represents a ruler ship a government that would be restored in Heaven that would rule over mankind ,,,a government/Kingdom that will not be brought to ruin but will crush and but an end to all man made governments that have failed to bring peace ,,,failed to govern mankind in the way that God’s Kindgom will soon do,,, Jesus’ last command before He ascended to be with His Fathet was in Matthew 28:19,20,,He simply commanded His disciples to continue to GO and make even more disciples ,,a great teaching and preaching work was to take place and Jesus’ own words said that He would be with His disciples. Time would pass as the preaching work will continue all the way to the end ,,Matthew 24:14 ,,, So the question we might ask is ,,is the Kingdom restored as of in Now ,,or has is it yet to be restored ?? ,,.. Matthew 24: gives great insight ,,,bible readers must be careful as to what is written to be understood as literal and what is to be understood as symbolic,,Matt 24:3 Jesus’ disciples approached Him privately ,,,why privately ??? ,, Because Jesus taught His disciples information that He didn’t in His public teachings ,,,Matthew 13:11 ,,,this scripture is so profound as to the importance of whom Jesus will reveal sacred secrets to now in the time of the end . Matthew 24:3 in the KJV reads what will be the sign of your “coming” ,,,here is where accurate knowledge and discernment is essential to bible truths,,,the word “coming” is incorrect ,,,it is used here b/c religion @ King James time has taught and revised a completely different meaning to this scripture . Do some research please on this,,,in the original Greek writing of the New Testament the Greek word was “parousia” or in English means presence ,,which literally means right along side of ,,, Jesus’ disciple was asking Him privately when would we know in our time Jesus royal presence ,,, because of all the physical signs Jesus foretold ,, the wars between nations ,,earthquakes ,,food shortages etc,,would indicate a specific time period we would spiritually see that His presence was invisible ,,,would the signs indicate a literal “coming” ???? How could that be ,??,,Jesus’ literal coming will be in Armeggeddon to rid the earth of the wickedness and to abyss Satan for a thousand years . So we can see world conditions that this has not happened yet but His “parousia ” for certain has happened b/c we are experiencing all the literal signs. Jesus also stated in Same chapter of Matthew 24:39 that last days would be as the flood time period people would take no note until the flood came and swept them away ,,,so the “presence of the Son of man will be ,,, All the signs are proof that Jesus has already fulfilled Psalms 110:1,2 that He upon His resurrection was to sit @ the right hand of God UNTIL He was to go subduing in the midst of His enemies .,, In the midst was in heaven and Revelation 12:7 gives insight to this ,,a war in Heaven broke out,,, now in your understanding has this war taken place or yet to take place ??? Keep in mind Woe to the earth and the signs in Matt 24,,, and keep in mind be glad you heavens b/c Rev 12:8 says nor was a place for Satan and his demons any longer in Heaven ,,,so this is a prophecy that Satan will be casted to earth ,,,I understand this has already happened and this marked the beginning of the last days,,,but even more profound is Rev 12:10 b/c of the Heavens being cleansed of all evil a new development occurred for the Heavens,,, Rev12:10 ” Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the KINGDOM of our God and the AUTHORITY of HIS Christ …..Christ Kingom power has began to rule !!! The Kingdom has be restored in the Heaven ,,, the Kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for and the Kingdom to come to the earth. The evil one had to be removed and Kingdom established in our time of the end ,,,,Kingdom wasn’t restored in Jesus time on earth but was when it was God’s due time . Praise the King as He will come and vindicate His Fathers name and remove all wickedness from the earth . Yes there are many false prophets and they too are part of the physical signs as we see,,, But reason why there are false prophets in the time of the end ,,,Matthew 13:28,29,30 the illustration of the weeds and the wheat ,,,Jesus said they would grow together until the harvest ,,not to uproot the weeds for fear of uprooting the wheat ,,,weeds will duplicate what they grow beside of takes a trained eye to weed a garden that’s how close the true religion and false religion would be in the last days,,, so to all disciples and to all truth seekers we must discern for ourselves and stay with God’s written word and recognize Christ the King’s presence ,,,keep on the watch because we do not know the hour but is coming as a theft in the night ,,,Keep in mind it was the religious leaders that initiated and demanded Jesus death,,Jesus also made a profound statement in Matthew 24:45-47,,This is Jesus asking “who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over His domestics to give them their food at the proper time ? Who are the domestics and what is the food?? Jesus foretold a slave class ,,is it just one person or many ,,or is it a religion … Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep ,,,Jesus foretold that ther will be a earthly slave class that WILL thru Jesus provide spiritual food ,,instructions to survival of Armeggeddon . Key is “faithful and discreet” just as the wheat would be growing and manifesting Bible truths all along .
Amazing Paula. It must take special gnosis to parse all of that out…