First we must acknowledge that Christ is the center of all prophecy.
Revelation 19:10 We must also look at scripture seriously and use the Bible
to interpret symbology and parables. The Bible is 66 books written by 40
authors over thousands of years with prophecy and foreshadows throughout.
There are pieces of related information spread throughout the Bible and
I believe to get to the Truth, we must look at all those pieces as a whole.
This is why I’ve attempted to focus on topics to define and bring
together the various words throughout scripture that are related to get
a wholistic view.
We are inundated our whole lives with deceptive propaganda leading us
away from truth and many times we subconsciously accept things without proving
them to be so according to scripture. Acts 17:11 We must also acknowledge
that we don’t know everything and it’s very easy for personal
bias to impede on understanding the Truth. For instance I once believed
certain things, such as the
pre-trib
harpazo, that I thought were solid based on respected Biblical scholars’
perspective. However, in taking the Bible seriously and getting a more wholistic
view from throughout scripture, certain things became clearer. In the example
of the harpazo, I came to a perspective on my own of a
pre-wrath
harpazo based on the various topical studies and
framework of the
70th week of Daniel. We just have to believe every word and logically
put them together to see the more clear meaning. Therefore I always try
to see the other perspectives and compare to scripture as the foundation
of understanding.
Isaiah 28:9-13 lays out the idea that understanding of God’s Word
is done building precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there
a little. Furthermore, it was done this way so “that
they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”
Understanding Bible prophecy requires building first on an understanding
of the original commandments and their fulfillments to have a strong foundation
from which the rest of the understanding is built. The Bible explains itself,
but hidden in poetic and prophetic pieces spread throughout. Having an understanding
of the whole makes sense of the seemingly disconnected pieces.
Discerning Bible Prophecy
The difference between the
milk and meat
of the Word is discernment of both good and evil. Regarding Bible prophecy
and our daily lives, understanding the Word of God and His position on good
and evil shed light in the darkness and especially in these end times we
see the importance of discerning good from evil.
Ephesians 5:11-21 And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done
of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest
by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore
he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming
the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with
wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things
unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
The goal of this website is to point out in the Word of God, what His
plans are according to His own words in context and in relationship to everything
else in scripture. It is obviously not complete, but it is my humble attempt
to share how my understanding of Bible prophecy has become a little easier
and sharing how I approach the Word of God in taking Him at His Word. I’m
not always right, but has led me in trusting His Word to a greater understanding
of His prophets and what they wrote through the Holy Spirit, describing
the times in which we live. I am no prophet, I just believe them. Understanding
them takes some time and honestly never ends, that’s where we grow.
1 John 4:1-6 Beloved, believe
not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of
God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of
God: and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is
not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.
Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you than he that is in the world. They are of the world:
therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. We
are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth
us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit
of error.
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the
wicked poureth out evil things.
Are We Better-Equipped to Understand Bible Prophecy in Modern Times?
Many people quote 1st century Bible scholars in interpreting
Bible prophecy as if the first believers had any greater understanding of
how future prophecy would be fulfilled than we do today. But is that the
case? Can we be limiting our understanding of what the Bible says about
the future by building our foundation upon those created at a time when
Bible prophecy was sealed from understanding?
Daniel 12:1-10 And at that time
shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children
of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation even
to that same time: and at that time thy people
shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words,
and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Then
I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this
side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank
of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon
the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the
river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven,
and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times,
and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power
of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
And I heard, but I understood not: then
said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he
said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed
till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and
made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of
the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
This clearly shows an Old Testament prophet confused by the prophecy
he was given because understanding of that prophecy was sealed until the
time of the end. So did the early church have any greater understanding
than we do today of what would come to pass? I do not believe that is possible
because of the clarity of Bible prophecy interpreting itself.
Daniel 9:24-27 Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment
to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall
be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built
again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and
two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people
of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;
and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war
desolations are determined. And he shall confirm
the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for
the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate,
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon
the desolate.
70 weeks of years were determined upon Israel and Jerusalem,
of which only 69 were previously fulfilled historically. This passage is
central to the understanding of order of the end and if you read through
the Biblical and historic explanations in the
HIStory, Our Future Bible studies, you can see how Israel’s
history is central to understanding God’s timing of end-time events
as prophesied in scripture. My focus on the passage above is not the timing
aspect presented in those studies however, but simply pointing out that
Israel is God’s timepiece for prophetic events. How
so? It begins with the first scripture quoted above at the time
Michael
the archangel “stands up.”
Matthew 24:14-22 And this gospel
of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto
all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore
shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee
into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to
take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field
return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child,
and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight
be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then
shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Notice “the end” that follows verse 14 is the beginning of
the 3½ year
great tribulation most Christians have heard about. In addition, Yeshua
points us to the Old Testament prophet Daniel regarding the
abomination of desolation which begins the great tribulation. This is
the same revealing of the man of sin of Bible prophecy which is to precede
the day of Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now we beseech
you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the
day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that
day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and
that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all
that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The point of all this is to show how the existence of Israel and the
temple is central to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. However,
before 1948 there was no Israel in existence in the land nor the prospect
of a temple in which the man of sin could stop the daily sacrifice. Even
today there is no temple or daily sacrifice, but the existence of the state
of Israel and a religious tie to that state certainly opens the possibility.
So how could Bible scholars before 1948 have any
grounding reference to understand when the end would really come?
They couldn’t. Bible prophecy as written could not be fulfilled until
just a couple generations ago. Since that time we have been steadily progressing
to “the end,” which is almost upon us.
Truly the prophecies were sealed until the time of the end and only now,
having seen Israel come back to the land as prophesied in Ezekiel 36-37,
are we beginning to really understand what was written so long
ago regarding our future. Truly the scholars of old could understand the
grace of God through Yeshua’s sacrifice and the importance of obedience
to God’s Word to conform to the image of Christ as well as the salvation
through Christ alone, but could they truly understand Bible prophecy from
a time before Israel? I do not believe so, they saw through a glass darkly
as do we all, but God promised that we would not be in darkness regarding
the coming of the end if we are awake and watching.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 But of the
times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For
yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace
and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon
a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as
a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children
of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let
us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch
and be sober.
Luke 21:34-36
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that
day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall
come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
There are many aspects of Bible prophecy that have been misunderstood
over the centuries and indeed the subject of Bible prophecy is often left
alone by the majority of the church because soothsayers have been predicting
the end of the world for centuries with no fulfillment to date. This is
why it is important to realize that they were speaking from the flesh and
personal interpretation of the Bible rather than relying on God’s
Word saying what He meant. Israel didn’t exist and so Bible prophecy
could not be fulfilled. The Bible interprets itself and all we need is the
guidance of the Holy Spirit that wrote the Bible through the prophets.
2 Peter 1:19-21 We have also a
more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the
will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost.
Isaiah
28:9-13 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall
he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept
must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon
line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering
lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said,
This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this
is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But
the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here
a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall
backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
How many people have been stumbling over scripture because they don’t
take into account the fullness of it? All scripture will agree 100% with
the rest of it, so we can be led into false doctrine by taking snippets
of scripture out of context with the whole. At the same time, understanding
is “precept upon precept,” “line
upon line,” “here a little
and there a little.” This means that to understand the big
picture, we must examine the context of the whole council of God to arrive
at the Truth. We must take each foundational precept and define it according
to scripture only building upon what is clearly defined. We must put the
various lines of scripture together and compare and we must do so from throughout
scripture. Then the Bible will interpret itself and we only need read and
believe, conforming our beliefs to those written therein.
With the Holy Spirit guiding our study of His Word we don’t need
to look to scholars of old for interpretation, we need look no further than
the Holy Spirit within us as Christians and the Word that hasn’t changed
on the whims of men,
trusting the source. In this way we will understand Bible prophecy more
than past generations because we are in the end-times and understanding
was only sealed until this time so that we who believe God’s Word
would not be in darkness regarding the coming
day of the Lord and our gathering to meet Him in the air. Let us come
before the throne and ask that the Holy Spirit guide us through His Word
to reveal the Truth, not our desires or imaginings. Let us search the scriptures
daily to see what things are so. Acts 17:11 And most of all, let the bride
of Christ come together in Spirit and Truth with the foundation of God’s
Word alone, breaking through the denominational divisions to instead trust
God’s Word and its own interpretation of itself.
BrittGillette.com(September 23, 2007) Is
Bible prophecy really important? And if so, how important? And aren’t
people who expend more than a passing moment examining bible prophecy
simply uneducated crackpots and lunatics yearning for
the destruction of the world? These are just a few of the questions
bombarding today’s Christians when it comes to the study of bible
prophecy. That bible prophecy is irrelevant to the Gospel or a mere
playground for the mentally unstable is a message we constantly receive
from the media, pop culture, and many so-called church leaders. It’s
unfortunate, because this false image of bible prophecy has succeeded
in turning many Christians away from the Gospel. Although recent history
is marked by an untold number of date setters and false prophets claiming
to speak for God, this is no reason to ignore bible prophecy. Such people
were never true Christians, but rather enemies of God in disguise. So
instead of relying on the words of ministers, priests, journalists,
and other humans, let’s examine the primary source. Here’s
what the bible says about prophecy, including every verse of God’s
Holy Word:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what
is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens
us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way
of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing
God wants us to do.
The word “all” includes bible prophecy, and that’s
good, considering more than 25% of the bible is fulfilled or yet to
be fulfilled prophecy. Why is so much of the bible dedicated to prophecy?
There are many reasons, but in the end, there is only one purpose: to
direct the attention of the human race to Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:10 (NLT)
For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.
Previously fulfilled prophecies lend unprecedented credibility to
the bible’s claim to be the Word of God, and
the Messianic prophecies fulfilled by the birth, ministry, crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth authenticate his claim
to be the one true Christ. In essence, bible prophecy is the most powerful
witness to the divinity of Christ. So don’t listen to those who
claim that bible prophecy distracts us from the true Christian mission.
Quite to the contrary, all bible prophecy points to Jesus Christ Himself.
more...
Here is an excerpt from Del Kralman’s Beth Dorshe Emeth Ministries
further making this point.
Recognize and Avoid Deceivers
by Del Kralman (Beth Dorshe Emeth Ministries:
4430 South 158th; Tukwila, WA 98188)
Matthew 24:4,5 And Jesus answered
and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many
shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that
I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall
say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,
as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Remember how Peter expressed the danger of listening to the deceivers
of the end times, with the possibility that it may have an adverse effect
on the saints when he said:
2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore,
beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness.
It is so very important to recognize the deceivers.
Truly the only way to know who the deceivers
are, is to be so familiar with the Truth that the deception stands out
like a mountain on a clear day. The only way to effectively deceive
someone is to make the deception look so real and good that they can’t
tell the difference. Even more, it must look so good that people will
accept it instead of the Truth and prefer it over the Truth. Satan is
the greatest deceiver of all and that is exactly the approach he uses.
“Secular Humanism,” which humanizes God and deifies man;
and the “New Age Movement,” which takes the Hindu approach
and deifies everything, has become popular in the western world as an
acceptable course to finding the “true power within” to
help men reach their maximum potential. Because it is ‘the great
lie,’ presented in such a desirable way, most of the world has
fallen under it’s spell. They have been deceived and drawn away
from God Almighty. It has even crept into the teachings of many teachers
and preachers in churches today, which indicates the craftiness of Satan
in using these influences to deceive the very elect, if possible. This
brings into focus the great urgency to call people back to God before
its too late!
A word about approach to prophecy in the end-times taken from Israel.
The following is spoken to Israel, but is connected to the end as well as
it is a Truth. The Bible endures forever and is the foundation for all Truth.
Each of us are eternal beings, our choice in who we serve, a God of love,
joy, peace, and patience or a fallen angel of hate, hopelessness, restless,
selfishness and pride. Galatians 5:19-26 As concerning prophets, and
the
apostasy, God’s Word...
Jeremiah 23 Woe be unto the pastors
that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore
thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people;
Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited
them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the
LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries
whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds;
and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds
over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be
dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. Behold, the
days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous
Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment
and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel
shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called,
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith
the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought
up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth,
which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of
the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them;
and they shall dwell in their own land. Mine heart within me is broken
because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man,
and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because
of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers; for
because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness
are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found
their wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto
them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and
fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their
visitation, saith the LORD. And I have seen folly in the prophets of
Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they
commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of
evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of
them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore
thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will
feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for
from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the
land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the
prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision
of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still
unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace;
and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his
own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel
of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked
his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth
in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the
head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he
have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart:
in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these
prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear
my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and
from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and
not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall
not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the
LORD. I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my
name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be
in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets
of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to
forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour,
as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath
a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak
my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that
breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets,
saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold,
I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and
say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams,
saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their
lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:
therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying,
What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What
burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD. And as for the prophet,
and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD,
I will even punish that man and his house. Thus shall ye say every one
to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered?
and, What hath the LORD spoken? And the burden of the LORD shall ye
mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for
ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts
our God. Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered
thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken? But since ye say, The burden of
the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The
burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say,
The burden of the LORD; Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget
you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers,
and cast you out of my presence: And I will bring an everlasting reproach
upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
This underlies the foundational understanding that God’s Word,
the Bible, is the absolute center of our understanding and upon which all
else is built to open our minds to reality and out of our vain imaginings
and desires. To understand Truth is to believe God’s Word and fulfilled
prophecy is what builds our faith and strengthens our understanding in Truth
and reality. The Bible and history are intimately intertwined and the Bible
gives the overall picture of the relationship between humanity and their
Creator, Yeshua. The whole Bible is written of Him and the testimony of
Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:10
My study of Bible prophecy has led me to a greater understanding of Christ
through the testimony of the prophets of the Bible and proof God is who
He says He is. The Bible was written by prophets led by the Holy Spirit
and it is a completed collection of books telling history and the future.
Moreover these books, just as they are, reveal the future according to the
interpretation of the Bible itself. I’ve learned more details about
the future to come from the Bible than any man giving a prophecy and unlike
men, it is 100% accurate in all things. I used to listen to modern prophets
and then I started actually
reading
my Bible and the whole end-time scenario became more and more clear.
I have very little concern about the future now because of this and have
complete peace and great hope for the future without needing modern prophets
or wealth and prosperity. God has provided for all our needs.
I’m very wary of people who claim to be prophets also because of
the blatant and constant warning in scripture regarding deceptions of the
end-times. Once the Bible revealed we are IN the end-times, I began
to discern a lot more than before, knowing Truth from fiction.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge thee
therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry.
1 Timothy 4
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which
believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing
to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it
is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things,
thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words
of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself
rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but
godliness is profitable unto all things,
having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all
acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because
we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially
of those that believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise
thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation,
in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come,
give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect
not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with
the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things;
give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take
heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing
this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
So my take on prophets is that there are at least 40 of them and they
already wrote their books as led by the Holy Spirit and those books are
good for all doctrine, reproof and correction of men’s perceptions
of the future. All those books that were necessary were combined into the
Bible available just about anywhere freedom is. When I realized that
thought
is the voice of the spirit realm, it made me realize all the more that
I needed to guard what I allowed in my thought life with what the Bible
said. And if it reveals so much detail, why do I need prophecies when it
is all unfolding before the church and many don’t see? What I’ve
been called to do is be a watchman for Christ and the Bible is all I need
to do that. I think if more people read their Bibles (really study it), they would find their faith built up beyond
destruction by the petty lies of the enemy when standing with the absolute
Truth of God’s own Word to us all. The Truth is the most valuable
asset we have today and that is the gift of God to us all. When we allow
the Bible to interpret itself and take the whole council of God into account
when determining doctrine, Isaiah 28:9-13, then I believe the
bride of Christ can come to be of one mind regarding things. This is
being made easier with time due to prophecy being fulfilled today.
In that light, we as Christians need to take the Word that lights our
path and point people to it as the
coming times
have the potential of several earth-shaking events of Bible prophecy happening
that the world will find hard to dismiss from the pages of scripture as
coincidence.
Clarifications about the Word of God
Do you trust the validity of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, the
Holy Bible? I believe that you can and
here is why. The
King James Version (KJV) is the version I use for in-depth study of Bible
prophecy. Why? It is what I have been using my whole life and so the way
phrases are stated are particular and it helps in recalling phrases or words
used to search for the book, chapter, and verse I’ve forgotten. Unfortunately
I have a horrible memory, part of the reason I started this website. I’ve
read through pages of my own site having forgotten I wrote it. So for me
it helps not to have various versions swimming around for recollection.
There’s also controversy around the translations and passages missing
from various versions. For starters, the NIV leaves out whole verses and
some new translations have contradictions built in. Also, here is Acts 8:37
in the KJV, and
here it isn’t in the NIV. What does it say? “And
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he
answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Why would this verse be left out along with over 200 verses missing in the
NIV and other modern translation Bibles?
Listen to Kent
Hovind address these issues and more. God promised He would preserve
His Word, and preserve He did. I prefer to get the most solid version of
the Word so that my foundation is as solid in Truth as it can be. That’s
just my personal choice in trying to understand God’s designs.
DDoes this mean you can’t be saved if you like the NIV version? No, that’s
ridiculous! I believe the important aspects of God’s Word are preserved
even if random pages were removed. The message of Salvation through Christ
will never be wiped from scripture.
Revelation 22:19,20 And
if any man shall take away from the words of
the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book
of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which
are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely
I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The NIV has been a big tool for those who cast doubt on the Word of God
and lest we forget, that is exactly how Satan tempted Eve in the garden
of Eden saying, “Hath God said?” If we are going to
study the details of Bible prophecy that lays out the future in such precision,
we had better use the most precise version we can get if we want the most
precise declaration of God’s plans. We must
also request the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26,27 But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Why is the language of the King James Version used? They didn’t
really talk like that, but there are comprehension reasons for using thee,
thou, and ye. Read
The Language of the King James Bible.
5
cardinal rules of hermeneutics (Bible Study methods):
Scripture should be read in its normal, natural and customary
sense. This of course allows for figures of speech.
All Scripture should be read in context. This means that the
interpretation of Scripture should be looked at in the light of
the verses and book in which the passage is found.
Always compare Scripture with Scripture. In other words, Scripture
is its own best commentary. All the passages touching on a particular
matter need to be harmonized before truth is found.
Scripture never contradicts Scripture. We have not found truth
until we find the common denominator that makes all the passages
fit together.
The recognition of near/far applications of prophetic literature.
Barton Payne says, “Biblical prophecy may leap from one prominent
peak in predictive topography to another, without notice of the
valley between which may involve no inconsiderable lapse in chronology.”
(J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, p. 137)
“Be not overcome
of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
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