White Lies, Black Truth – Where Do You Stand?

Many things in today’s world just aren’t what they seem. It’s the era of the “sophisticated lie.” Who can you truly believe? What is behind all this lying and duplicity?

The Founder of true Christianity said: “He that is faithful [honest] in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).

He who would steal a postage stamp would likely steal money or other valuables also — if he got the chance!

A lie often has to be covered by several other lies, which have to be covered by yet more lies. Such an intricate web of duplicity is woven that it becomes almost impossible to discover the real truth.

Lying and stealing often go hand in hand. A person who steals will often need to lie to cover up his crime. Perhaps this is why the eighth commandment — “Thou shalt not steal” — is followed immediately by the commandment against bearing false witness (Deut. 5:19, 20). Elsewhere in the Pentateuch we read: “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another” (Lev. 19:11).

Is The End Of The World Near?

zenzoneforum.com

The self-proclaimed Doomsday prophet Harold Camping had predicted a May 21, 2011 date to be the End of the World when 200 million people will Rapture and the earth will be struck with series of violent natural disasters. Believers abandoned their careers and sold all their earthly belongings in preparation.

According to Camping, the prediction of the date was calculated using references in the Bible, particularly Genesis Genesis 7:4 (“Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth”) and 2 Peter 3:8 (“With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day”).

According to Camping, “God’s wrath was supposed to begin in New Zealand and then race across the globe, leaving millions of bodies wherever the clock struck 6 p.m. But the hours ticked by, and New Zealand survived. Time zone by time zone, the apocalypse failed to materialize.”

It’s worth noting that Camping made a similar prediction in 1994, which received little publicity. This time, however, the story headlined across newspapers around the globe because we are witnessing unparalleled wars and rumors of wars. The Middle East is in meltdown, Western nations are collapsing due to massive debt crises and the entire globe is being pummeled in an unprecedented wave of natural disasters.

The idea of an “the end of the world” no longer seems so far fetched in light of what we see happening today, but we still have to look to the Bible for our answers. Matthew 25:13 states that we cannot know the exact day or hour of Christ’s return—only the Father knows that. However, this doesn’t mean we can ignore the sign of the times.

In Matthew 24:3, Christ’s disciples asked Him for signs of His coming and of the “end of the world”— or the end of the rule of man. The disciples understood this as Christ returning and establishing the Kingdom of God on this Earth, headquartered in Jerusalem. Of course they didn’t have all the details, so they asked for signs of His return.

The Fallacy Of Seventh-Day-Adventist Doctrines

bibleprobe.com

Why do Seventh-day Adventists believe the 1,000-year reign of Christ will be in heaven? And that the earth will be desolate and uninhabited by humans?

That Satan and his demons will be the sole inhabiters of the earth during the 1,000 years? And that Jesus’ feet will not stand on the Mount of Olives until after the 1,000 years?

Whereas the Bible plainly says the saints shall reign on the earth (Rev. 5:10) and that “men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited” (Zech. 14:11).

That Satan and his demons are to be shut away from humans — bound as prisoners — so that Satan “should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled” (Rev. 20:3).

And that when Jesus Christ returns to set up the Kingdom of God for 1,000 years, “his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives … And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem … And the Lord shall be king over all the earth” (Zech. 14:4, 8-9).

Seventh-day Adventists, as a denomination, know what the Bible prophecies say about the establishment of the Kingdom of God. They simply do not believe them! Why?

As a group, they observe the Sabbath, which is a biblical doctrine. And more than 120 years ago they had fellowship with the people of God, whom we know later in history as the Church of God (Seventh Day).

The great Adventist movement

The year was 1831. Excitement was in the air, both in Britain and the United States. It was generated by expectations of the Second Coming of Christ and an ensuing 1,000 years of peace.

This excitement was related, for the most part, to the preaching of ministers who had come to believe the proclamation then being made, beginning 1831, by a prosperous New York farmer, William Miller. That year, it should be observed, was 18 centuries, exactly, after the founding of the New Testament Church of God in A.D. 31.

Catholics Have It Wrong On Jesus’ Time In The Grave

Editors Comment: This is a great article about the fallacy of the Catholic Church’s timing of how long Christ was really in the grave, to suit their doctrinal errors. It is from the Trumpet.com, and written by columnist Stephen Flurry. Check it out .

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newcreationperson.wordpress.com

It is commonly assumed that Jesus was crucified on a Friday afternoon and then rose from the dead a day and a half later around sunrise on Sunday morning. But if Jesus died on Friday and vacated His tomb at dawn on Sunday, how does that amount to three days and three nights, the time frame Christ established as proof of His Messiahship?

That’s the intriguing question posed by USA Today last week. Sadly, the article attempted to explain away the sure prophecy of Christ by holding up weak arguments presented by biblical scholars. One “expert” actually reasoned that Jesus didn’t intend for His words in Matthew 12:40 to be a “precise” measure of time!

Even Pope Benedict xvi, the article informs, wrestles with the three-day time frame in his book about Christ’s last days. According to the pope, “There is no direct scriptural testimony pointing to the ‘third day.’”

No scriptural testimony? When the Pharisees asked Christ for a sign as proof of His Messiahship, being in the grave three full days and three full nights was the one and only sign Jesus gave. He meant what He said. In another passage, He even referred to the daylight portion of a day as including 12 hours (John 11:9).

So when Jesus said three days and three nights, He meant 72 hours—no more, no less. That is the plain testimony of Scripture.

When it comes to the Easter sunrise service, however, there is no scriptural testimony to observe that man-made holiday. The word “Easter” appears once in the Bible—in Acts 12:4—and only in the King James Version. Hastings Bible Dictionary and other translations of the Bible correctly render this word, pascha—as it is translated in every other instance it appears in the Bible—as Passover. The Bible says that Jesus Christ was crucified on Passover (Matthew 26:2).

Fulfilled Messianic Prophecies Prove Bible Is Accurate!

cardensdesign.com

For the gospel writers, one of the main reasons for believing in Jesus was the way His life fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Following is a list of some of the main prophecies:

1. Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem – Old Testament, Micah 5:2 – New Testament, Matt. 2:1–6, Luke 2:1-20
2. Messiah was to be born of a virgin – Old Testament, Isaiah 7:14 – New Testament, Matt. 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38
3. Messiah was to be a prophet like Moses – Old Testament, Deut. 18:15, 18-19 – New Testament, John 7:40
4. Messiah was to enter Jerusalem in triumph – Old Testament, Zech. 9:9 – New Testament, Matt. 21:1-9, John 12:12-16
5. Messiah was to be rejected by His own people – Old Testament, Isaiah 53:1,3, Psalm 118:22 –  New Testament, Matt. 26:3-4, John 12:37-43, Acts 4:1-12
6. Messiah was to be betrayed by one of His followers – Old Testament, Psalm 41:9 – New Testament, Matt. 26:14-16, 47-50, Luke 22:19-23

Russia, China And Europe: The Prophecied Clash To Come!

http://www.newprophecy.net

Much of the framework of all prophecy is found in two prophetic books—the books of Daniel and Revelation. But only in Revelation do we find events of various other prophecies correlated in order of time sequence” It actually details events leading to the return of Jesus Christ; events symbolized by seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vials. before I begin, I will visually lay out the story flow of the Book of Revelation:

Book Of Revelation Story Flow

7 Seals:

1. False prophets
2. War
3. Famine
4. Pestilence – these first 4 seals are the 4 horsemen of (Rev. 6:1-8)
5. Tribulation – (Rev. 6:9-11)
6. Heavenly Signs – (Rev. 6:12-14)
7. 7 Trumpets – beginning of the Day of the Lord

• 1st trumpet – Injury to the earth – (Rev. 8:7)
  
• 2nd trumpet – Injury to the sea – (Rev. 8:8-9)
  
• 3rd trumpet – Injury to rivers – (Rev. 810-11)
  
• 4th trumpet – Injury to heavenly lights – (Rev. 8:12)
  
• 5th trumpet or 1st woe – attack of beast power – (Rev. 9:1-12)
• 6th trumpet or 2nd woe – Asian counter strike – (Rev. 9:13-19)
• 7th trumpet or third woe – Seven Last Plaques

1. Sores on those who accept the mark of the beast (Rev. 16:2)
2. Sea turns to blood and all sea creatures die (Rev. 16:3)
3. Rivers turn to blood (Rev. 16:4-7)
4. Sun scorches humanity (Rev. 16:8-9)
5. Beast’s seat of government afflicted (Rev. 16:10-11)
6. Euphrates dries up, armies gather at Armageddon (Joel 3:9-17, Rev. 16:12-16)
7. Great earthquake and hail (Rev. 16:17-21)
   

The  seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vials portray a progression of catastrophic plagues God will inflict on mankind. These three world shaking events summed up are:

1. The Great Tribulation
2. The heavenly signs in the sun and moon and stars (immediately following the Tribulation)
3. The Day of the Lord

So let’s break these down in order.

The Great Tribulation (the first of three world shaking events)

The first four seals in Revelation 6:1-8 are:

1. False religion
2. War
3. Famine
4. Pestilence

These lead to the fifth seal, the Great Tribulation—the time of Satan’s wrath – described in Revelation 6:9-11 and other prophecies. The Tribulation  will last for 2½ years.

The Heavenly Signs (the second of three world shaking events)

In Revelation 6:12-14 it says:

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”

The heavenly signs signify the sixth seal of Revelation 6:12-14.

The Day Of The Lord (the third of three world shaking events)

This is the Day of the Lord—the time of God’s wrath, when God punishes mankind for their rebellion against Him and His government with plagues. Here he is trying to bring all sinners (who survive the previous disasters) to repentance (verses 15-17).

The Day of the Lord lasts for one year, but it is NOT the last year of the 3½-year period we read of, and is NOT a part of the Great Tribulation. It is a combination of the Great Tribulation, the Heavenly Signs and the Day of the Lord which collectively make up the 3½‑year period called “a time, and times, and half a time” (Revelation 12:14).

The beginning of the day of the Lord is at the opening of the seventh and final seal:

“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets” (Revelation 8:1-2).

These seven trumpet blasts occur after the seventh seal is opened during the Day of the Lord. They symbolize plagues sent from God as He intervenes in the affairs of mankind! This is the result of people refusing to listen to God and repent of their sins.

• The first four trumpet blasts of Rev. 8 destroy the environment, making living conditions on Earth unbearable.

• The fifth trumpet (also called the first woe) signifies world domination by a European beast power. Daniel 11:40 (speaking of the first woe) speaks of a clash (in this end time) between that European empire (the King of the North) and the King of the South, a radical Middle Eastern power (modern Iran).

Verses 40-41 speak of the Great Tribulation, when this European Beast Power will enter into the glorious land (called Israel today) and overthrow many nations. However, the spectacular military success of the beast power in the Middle East will be short lived:

“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him …” (verse 44). If we see the modern nation of Israel as a reference point, we have to look north and east on a map, coming directly to Russia and China!

After destroying the radical Middle eastern power (King of the South), the beast power (King of the North), will be troubled by China and Russia in the east and north. This scripture is speaking of a massive clash between these two world superpowers, with the king of the north launching a preemptive strike against the Asian foe:

“Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”

This attack (the first woe of Rev. 9:1-11) is described as the beginning of all-out war between these two superpowers to determine world rule. The biblical language used is symbolic, because the apostle John had to use terminology of his day to describe technology of the future.

For example, verses 3 and 7-10 state that locusts “came upon the Earth with power in their tails like a scorpion.” This could merely be describing modern military helicopters firing missiles during an all out, five month military attack on the inhabitants of the earth. All is spearheaded by the devil, as verse 11 actually explains the king over these soldiers is Abaddon or Apollyon, which are names of Satan.

The Second Woe

Continuing in Revelation 9:

• The sixth trumpet of verses 12-13 (also called the second woe) sounds. Four angels are released specifically to amass an almost incomprehensibly large, 200-million-man army (verses 15-16).

Most Bible critics argue that it would be impossible to assemble an army this size. But the current population in China is over 1.3 billion. Russia has 142 million, India with 1.1 billion people has the fourth-largest army in the world. Japan, the nations of Southeast Asia, and the former Soviet republics could all be probable participants in this alliance. Adding up the populations, there will easily be a total approaching 3 billion people from which to make up an army of 200 million! It is hardly unrealistic to think these combined countries could not muster an army of 200 million men.

Joel 2:4 also speaks of this Asiatic force (there called God’s army) during what is titled an event in the Day of the Eternal. It is actually God who will inspire it to wreak havoc on the European beast power with a counterattack and obliterate it. The end result is the death of “the third part of men” (Revelation 9:15). Of course such a scenario has never transpired and it takes the awesome destructive power of modern super-weapons to achieve such carnage.

Babylon Falls

Jeremiah 50 also adds details to this story, now calling the political-religious system of the King of the North by the name of Babylon, though historically it was known as the “Holy” Roman Empire.

In verse 3, God says He will bring a nation out of the North which will make it desolate. Again, the massive Asiatic counterattack will overwhelm the beast power. This is the second woe.

And verse 9 states that it will be an assembly o many nations, which could only be Russia and China, along with various other nations which will join this power bloc. The devastating collapse of the Babylonian system, the beast power, is further described in Revelation 18:2-19.

These Russians and Chinese armies will be ruthless. To “slay the third part of men”, there can be no doubt that they will attack with nuclear weapons! In verse 15, God says this act is His vengeance, because the people of this beast power have sinned against him (Revelation 18:5-6). Revelation 18 and Jeremiah 50:29 show that Babylon is destroyed in the space of one hour!

Unbelievably, the last two verses of Revelation 9  reveal just how hard-headed and stubborn man can be, even after such severe correction, as those not killed continue on with their lives, unrepentant of their idol worship, their murders, fornication, thefts and so on (verses 20-21). Even after most of the Earth’s population has been personally afflicted by nuclear war and complete destruction, they still are not willing to turn to God and His law!

The Third Woe

Revelation 11:14-15 now speaks of the third woe. Two of the three woes are complete and after that, the kingdoms of this world are to become God’s Kingdom. Christ will return, and God’s government will again take over the Earth.

But even after all the destruction, verse 18 says the nations will be angry and wrathful toward Christ. Can you believe that? And now what’s left of the beast power and of Asia will actually gather to fight against Christ at the last trumpet. This battle is described in great detail throughout Revelation 15 and 16.

The final trumpet blast is divided into seven vials of God’s wrath—the last seven plagues (Revelation 15:1, 6), sent upon mankind because of their hard-headedness. In Revelation 16:12, God dries up the Euphrates River to prepare the way for these armies to gather near Jerusalem (in a place called Armageddon, verse 16). There they will turn their attention toward their one common enemy—the King of kings—Jesus Christ.

There is wonderfully good news in the midst of all these horrors. Both of these armies will gather at Armageddon to fight each other, but will end up fighting Christ at His Second Coming! The armies will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them (Revelation 17:12-14). The conclusion of that battle will mark the beginning of a new, peaceful age for the whole Earth!

Ezekiel’s Prophecy

Ezekiel also tells us about yet another burst of rebellion to spring from northeast of Jerusalem, with the Millennium only just begun. As unbelievable as it sounds, the people of Asia will muster their forces for one final attempt to overthrow Christ’s rule!

Reading Ezekiel chapter 34, we find that, after the Day of the Lord, God will gather His sheep—those enslaved Israelites left alive after the Day of the Lord—and rescue them from captivity. This is when God will remove the spiritual blindness from their eyes and they will seek God’s ways. God’s Kingdom will be set up to finally establish lasting peace (Isaiah 11:11; Romans 11:25-26; Micah 4:2-3).

Dozens of prophecies refer to the end-time descendants of Israel being scattered around the world during the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. But Ezekiel 36 pictures the remnant of Israel returning to the land God originally promised them, to one place.

Ezekiel 37:15 begins to speak of Israel and Judah as two sticks united together after Christ’s return. God will take them from among the heathen and make them one nation (verse 22), with a resurrected, spirit-born King David being king over Israel (verse 24).

Chapter 37 also  speaks of a prophecy referred to as the valley of dry bones. Much of it pictures a literal fleshly resurrection of those who had long since died, never knowing the truth. This resurrection occurs at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ.

What happens to Gog and Magog (the Asiatic Nations)?

The Russians and Chinese are used to punish the beast power just before Christ returns, but as a result, they too become proud and haughty, therefore needing correction from God. He even tells these nations to prepare for a coming battle with Him (verse 7), after Christ’s return. God prophecies against Gog and Magog , stating that His anger is against them (Ezekiel 38:2-3).

How do we know this? Notice that verse 8 says Israel has been “brought back from the sword.” Here the people of Israel are dwelling peacefully (verse 11). It is the remnant of the Asiatic hordes of the battle of Armageddon (who were not killed) which descend upon the glorious land a short time after it has been occupied by the re-gathered Israelites. It will only be a land of villages at this point early on in the Millennium. Gog and Magog will see how God has blessed His people and will target the people of Israel as easy spoil in a blessed and undefended land!

Now think about this, because it really makes the mind reel. Even after Christ returns, there will not be peace immediately. There will still exist those who haven’t submitted to God’s law and government. They will learn the “hard way” that God’s system is fair and equitable and that they must submit to it to be blessed. Imagine, having to force people to be happy.

Yet that is exactly what the Bible says God does. Only one sixth of those who come to attack Israel will live through the battle, even though the y have been pre-warned (Ezekiel 39:7). The number of dead will be incalculable, and the people of Israel will be called upon to bury the fallen fighters. “And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land” (verse 12).

According to Ezekiel 38 and 39, this is the last great rebellion this Earth will experience for 1,000 years! Then, at the end of the Millennium when Satan is loosed for a little season, and there will be another—Revelation 20:7-9. Through both of these, God will not only defend and deliver His people, but He will prove that He fights and wins our battles for us.

God will make sure that His wrath is felt and witnessed throughout all the Earth (Ezekiel 38:18-20). He will have the nations of Gog and Magog destroy themselves (verse 21). Only through  blood, pain and suffering will God finally have all skeptics—those who do not accept Christ’s rule; those who do not know God, come to the understanding that He is the Eternal.

And here’s the rub. God wants us to choose life, not death! He does not like to see anyone suffer. Only those who stand with God now in complete obedience will not have to suffer in the future.

Leftism And The Collapse Of The United States

http://www.businessweek.com

Leftism is a belief system spanning from liberal socialist democracies all the way through totalitarian communism. It encompasses many divergent ideas, strategies, and tactics.

The left cabal almost universally despises things American. It has a hatred of country, paranoia, accusations of “right wing conspiracies,” and admiration for revolutionary icons. Leftists are concerned with, and are opposed to, economic and social injustice. Their systems are unified by a belief in the worker and the common people having the right to self-determination, as well as embracing the overthrow of the moneyed elites and the destruction of elitist power, culture and dogma.

Leftists are concerned with, and are opposed to, economic and social injustice. They propose ameliorating social ills through active intervention or charity, whether under the auspices of the State, NGOs, or other formal organizations.

They believe that human beings do not naturally get along, so they must be educated and encouraged to be cooperative. When all else fails, this can always be enforced by the State, through the sanctioning of some properly constituted legal institutions where they get to make most of the rules to be enforced. (insurgentdesire)

Their dream is a utopia of equality, justice and individuality for all, no matter who they are. Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter was afflicted with this ideology, thinking Hamas was “an organization ready for peace.” And Bill Clinton neglected numerous chances to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. His tepid reaction to the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, and the attack on the USS Cole in Aden, encouraged America’s enemies.

Now we have President Barack Obama. In his bookbook: “The Case Against Barack Obama,” author David Freddoso says, “Many among the media and his followers have elevated him to nearly divine status. Barack Obama has escaped realistic appraisal and serious-minded critique more than any man (or woman) who has ever been elected to our nation’s highest office.

The real Barack Obama certainly is a man of hope: hope to govern America from the far Left. He cavorts with liberal ideological soulmates who like him believe in the redistribution of higher taxes, and a Supreme Court full of young judges enthralled by the notion of “living, breathing Constitution” that says pretty much whatever they want it to say. In addition to “stimulating” the stagnating economy, bailing out lending institutions, and providing financial relief for homeowners, the new administration also intends to spend trillions more on alternative forms of energy, universal health care and public education.

A historical shift to the left

Anyone who cannot see that we now have the most radically left leaning President in history, and with him the most dangerous time in history,  is either historically ignorant, intellectually dishonest or willfully self-deceptive.  And this has created a whole new set of problems. The world’s evils are mounting so quickly that they threaten to overwhelm domestic concerns! Your Bible has prophecies which show America will ultimately experience a state of terminal collapse, which we are beginning to experience now. Although this may sound foolish to people unaccustomed to critical analysis, it is clearly stated and can be proved in more than a hundred prophecies of the Holy Bible.

This book prophesies of a seventh resurrections, or resurgence, of the Holy Roman Empire (Revelation 17:10-12).  “And there are seven kings: five are fallen”—Justinian, Charlemagne, Otto the Great, Charles v and Napoleon—“and one is”—the Hitler-Mussolini axis, which was on the world scene when this prophecy first began to be understood—“and the other is not yet come”—but it is rising now—“and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”

America is extremely inwardly focused because of its financial mismanagement—leading to being totally distracted by geopolitical events elsewhere. With America unprepared and reeling, the Holy Roman Empire grows in Europe unimpeded. Watch for a perilous 2009.

The Violence Of Islam

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Editors Comment: I posted this article  from probe.org in its entirety because I thought it contained a good insight into a politically incorrect subject. Too many are willing to minimize what is plainly evident before our eyes today. Islam is not a religion of peace, though many practice it that way. From the outset, as the article states, Muhammad conquered with the sword and this philosophy is now manifesting itself again in a huge way worldwide. Any opposition is worn down through suppression – either violent or non-violent through political pressure by integration into other societies.

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http://www.sodahead.com

On September 11, 2001 Americans found themselves confronted by an enemy they knew little about. We had suddenly lost more lives to a sneak attack than had been lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor and yet few understood the reasons for the hatred that prompted the destruction of the World Trade Center towers and part of the Pentagon. Even in the days that followed, Americans were getting mixed signals from the media and from national politicians. One voice focused on the peaceful nature of Islam, going so far as to argue that Osama bin Laden could not be a faithful Muslim and commit the acts attributed to him. Others warned that bin Laden has a considerable following in the Muslim world and that even if he was removed as a potential threat many would step in to replace him with equal or greater fervor.

Some argued that fundamentalist Muslims are no different than fundamentalist believers of any religion. The problem is not Islam, but religious belief of any type when taken too seriously. This view holds that all forms of religious belief, Christian, Jewish, or Islamic can promote terrorism. Robert Wright, a visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania writes that:

If Osama Bin Laden were a Christian, and he still wanted to destroy the World Trade Center, he would cite Jesus’ rampage against the money-changers. If he didn’t want to destroy the World Trade Center, he could stress the Sermon on the Mount. [1]

His view is that terrorism can be justified by any religion when people are economically depressed. He adds “there is no timeless, immutable essence of Islam, rooted in the Quran, that condemns it to a medieval morality.” [2]

This claim points to the question: Is there something inherent in Islam that makes it more likely to resort to violence than other world religions like Christianity or Buddhism? While it is important to admit that all religions and ideologies have adherents that are willing to use violence to achieve what they believe are justified ends, it does not follow that all religions and ideologies teach equally the legitimacy of violent means.

People have committed horrible atrocities in the name of Jesus Christ, from the inquisitions to the slaying of abortionists. However, it is my position that it is not possible to justify these actions from the teachings of Christ Himself. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus teach that one should kill for the sake of the Gospel, the Kingdom of God, or to defend the honor of Jesus Himself.

What about Islam? My contention is that Islam’s founder Muhammad, and the Quran, its holy book, condone violence as a legitimate tool for furthering Allah’s goals. And that those who use violence in the name of Allah are following a tradition that began with the very birth of Islam.

Muhammad

As mentioned earlier, there are followers in most of the world’s belief systems that justify the use of violence to achieve their religious or political goals. However, this says more about the sinfulness of humanity than it does about the belief system itself. It is important to look past the individual behavior of a few followers to the message and actions of the founder of each system and his or her closest disciples. In the case of Islam, this means Muhammad and the leadership of Islam after Muhammad’s death.

One cannot overstate the centrality of Muhammad’s example within the religion of Islam. One of the greatest Muslim theologians, al- Ghazzali, writes of Muhammad:

Know that the key to happiness is to follow the sunna [Muhammad’s actions] and to imitate the Messenger of God in all his coming and going, his movement and rest, in his way of eating, his attitude, his sleep and his talkGod has said: “What the messenger has brought–accept it, and what he has prohibited–refrain from it!” (59:7). That means, you have to sit while putting on trousers, and to stand when winding a turban, and to begin with the right foot when putting on shoes. [3]

Although considered only human, one Muslim writer describes Muhammad as “[T]he best model for man in piety and perfection. He is a living proof of what man can be and of what he can accomplish in the realm of excellence and virtue. . . .” [4] So it is important to note that Muhammad believed that violence is a natural part of Islam. Many passages of the Quran, which came from Muhammad’s lips support violence. Followers are told to “fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them (9:5),” and to “Fight those who believe not in God, nor the Last Day.” (9:29) Muhammad also promises paradise for those who die in battle for Allah, “Those who left their homes . . . or fought or been slain,–Verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath;–A reward from the Presence of God.” (3:195; cf. 2:244; 4:95)

While living in Medina, having escaped from persecution in Mecca, Muhammad supported himself and his group of followers by raiding Meccan caravans. His fame grew after a stunning defeat of a large, well defended, caravan at Badr. Muhammad was also willing to have assassinated those who merely ridiculed his prophetic claims. The list of those killed included Jews, old men and women, slaves, and a mother of five children who was killed while she slept. [5] Also, in order to violate a long-standing ban against warfare during a sacred month, he claimed a new revelation that gave him permission to kill his enemies. [6]

Violent expediency seems to have been the guiding rule of Muhammad’s ethics.

Early Islam

Muhammad’s life as a prophet was a precarious one. After fleeing Mecca and establishing himself in Medina, Muhammad was constantly being tested militarily by those who considered him a religious and political threat. Although at an initial disadvantage, Muhammad wore down his opponents by raiding their caravans, seizing valuable property, taking hostages and disrupting the all-important economic trade Mecca enjoyed with the surrounding area. [7] The turning point for Muhammad and his followers seems to have come in what is known as the Battle of the Ditch or the Siege of Medina. A large Meccan force failed to take the city and destroy the new religion. Suspecting that a local Jewish tribe had plotted with the Meccans to destroy him, Muhammad had all the men of the tribe killed and the women and children sold into slavery. [8] In 630 A.D. Muhammad returned to Mecca with a large force and took it with little bloodshed. He rewarded many of its leaders financially for surrendering and within a short period of time a large number of the surrounding tribes came over to this new and powerful religious and political movement.

Muhammad continued building his following by using a combination of material enticements, his religious message, and force when necessary. With the fall of Mecca, many other tribes realized Muhammad’s position as the most powerful political leader in western Arabia and sent representatives to negotiate agreements with him.

Muhammad’s death in 632, just two years after his triumphant return to Mecca, thrust an important decision on the community of believers. Should they choose one person to lead in Muhammad’s place or do they separate into many communities. The decision was made to pick Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s father-in-law and early supporter to assume the role of caliph or successor to Muhammad. Immediately, many who had submitted to Muhammad refused to do so to Abu Bakr. Several tribes wanted political independence, some sought to break religiously as well. The result is known as the Apostasy wars. At the end of two years of fighting to put down both religious and political threats, Abu Bakr had extended his control to include the entire Arabian Peninsula. Islam was now in position to extend its influence beyond Arabia with a large standing army of believers.

Violence and warfare seems to have dominated early Islam. Two of the first four caliphs were assassinated by internal rivals, and within the first fifty years of its existence Islam experienced two bloody civil wars. Rival tribal loyalties within and the religious struggle or jihad against the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires made the first century of Islam a bloody one.

Jihad

Historian Paul Johnson writes,

[T]he history of Islam has essentially been a history of conquest and re-conquest. The 7th-century “breakout” of Islam from Arabia was followed by the rapid conquest of North Africa, the invasion and virtual conquest of Spain, and a thrust into France that carried the crescent to the gates of Paris. [9].

From the beginning, Muslims “saw their mission as jihad, or militant effort to combat evil and to spread Muhammad’s message of monotheism and righteousness far and wide.” [10] Although many Muslims in America have argued that jihad primarily refers to a struggle or striving for personal righteousness, Bernard Lewis, professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University writes that, “The more common interpretation, and that of the overwhelming majority of the classical jurists and commentators, presents jihad as armed struggle for Islam against infidels and apostates.” [11]

Although highly regulated by Islamic law, the call for every able- bodied Muslim to defend Islam began with Muhammad and has continued with the fatwas of Osama bin Laden in 1996 and 1998. Bin Laden argues that his attacks on American civilians and military has three specific complaints: America has placed infidel troops on holy soil in Saudi Arabia; America has caused the death of over a million Iraqi children since Desert Storm; and American support for the evil Zionist nation of Israel.

Regarding the history of jihad in Islam, an ex-chief justice of Saudi Arabia has written “[A]t first ‘the fighting’ was forbidden, then it was permitted and after that it was made obligatory, . . .” Muslims are to fight against those who oppress Islam and who worship others along with Allah. [12]. He adds that even though fighting is disliked by the human soul, Allah has made ready an immense reward beyond imagination for those who obey. He also quotes Islamic tradition, which says, “Paradise has one hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin who fight in His Cause.” [13]

Numerous passages in the Qur’an refer to Allah’s use of violence. A surah titled “The Spoils of War” states, “O Prophet! Rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you . . . they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are a people without understanding.” [14] Another says, “O ye who believe! When ye meet the Unbelievers in hostile array, never turn your backs to them. . . .” [15] It adds that those who do will find themselves in hell, a significant incentive to fight on.

Muslims and Modernity

Islam was born in the midst of persecution and eventually conquest. Muhammad was adept at both religious and military leadership, but what about modern Islam? Do all Muslims see jihad in the light of conquest and warfare?

While it is probably safe to say that American born Muslims apply the teachings of Muhammad and Islamic traditions differently than Saudi or Iranian Muslims. The use of violence in the propagation of Islam enjoys wide support. Part of the reason is that the concept of separation of church and state is alien to Islam. Muhammad Iqbal, architect of Pakistan’s split from Hindu India, wrote, “The truth is that Islam is not a church. It is a state conceived as a contractual organism. . . .” [16] Responding to the inability of Islam to accommodate the modern world, an Algerian Islamic activist points to the example of Muhammad:

The Prophet himself did not opt to live far away from the camp of men. He did not say to youth: “Sell what you have and follow me. . . .” At Medina, he was not content merely to be the preacher of the new faith: he became also the leader of the new city, where he organized the religious, social and economic life. . . . Later, carrying arms, he put himself at the head of his troops. [17]

The powerful combination within Islam of immediate paradise for those who die while fighting for Allah and the unity of political, religious, and economic structures, helps us to understand the source of suicide bombers and children who dream of becoming one. Young Palestinians are lining up by the hundreds in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to volunteer for suicide missions. Eyad Sarraj, the director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Project, detects a widespread zeal. “If they are turned down they become depressed. They feel they have been deprived of the ultimate award of dying for God.” [18] Palestinian support for suicide bombers is now at 70 to 80 percent.

Islam and Christianity both require its followers to sacrifice and turn from the world and self. Yet while Islam equates political conquest with the furtherance of Allah’s reign, Jesus taught that we render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s. Christianity recognizes that the advancement of God’s kingdom is not necessarily a political one. The New Testament did not advocate the overthrow of the Roman Empire. Muslims are given the example of Muhammad’s personal sacrifice in battle so that Allah’s enemies might be defeated. Christians are given the example of Christ who gave His life as a sacrifice, so that even His enemies might believe and have eternal life.

Notes

1. Robert Wright, http://www.msnbc.com/news, 10/30/2001.
2. Ibid.
3. Norman L. Geisler & Abdul Saleeb, Answering Islam: The Crescent in the Light of the Cross, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1993), p. 82.
4. Ibid., 84.
5. Ibid., 175.
6. The Quran states, “They ask thee Concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: ‘Fighting therein is a grave (offense)’; But graver is it In the sight of God To prevent access to the path of God.” (2:217)
7. John Esposito, The Oxford History of Islam, (Oxford University Press, 1999), p 10.
8. Geisler & Saleeb, p. 79.
9. Paul Johnson, National Review, October 15, 2001.

10. John Esposito, The Oxford History of Islam, p. 13.
11. Bernard Lewis, “Jihad vs. Crusade,” The Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2001.
12. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Humaid, “Jihad in the Qur’an and Sunnah,” http://islamworld.net/jihad.html, p. 4.
13. Ibid., p. 8.
14. Qur’an 8:65.
15. Qur’an 8:15-16.
16. Kenneth Cragg & Marston Speight, Islam From Within, (Wadsworth Inc., 1980), p. 213.
17. Ibid., p 228.
18. Eric Silver, “Bomber quit intelligence service to join Hamas two days before attack,” Independent Digital (UK) Ltd, 03 December 2001, www.independent.co.uk.

Is God Fair?

dreamnepal.blogspot.com

Look at the world today! War, famine, pestilence! Poverty, inequality, hunger, want! Sickness, disease, suffering, death! Crime, graft, dishonesty, corruption! Insanity, degeneration, decay! Unhappiness, fear, wretchedness and woe!

How, so many are asking, can a supreme, all-powerful God of love permit such human woe? Why is He permitting civilization itself to crumble?

Is God Fair?

Listen! Some men are saying, “God isn’t fair!”—or “Is there a God, after all?” But what do you suppose men would say if God took away their right to think and do as they please? For God could never stop this awful carnage without forcing men to act according to His will—denying them a free will of their own!

It is men’s ways, so contrary to God’s ways, that have brought on this unhappy state. And they have brought on all the world’s sorrows and anguish in spite of the pleadings of God. He says, “Your ways are not my ways” (Isa. 55:8).

God’s ways, had they been followed, would have led inevitably to peace, happiness, prosperity and joy. God always has revealed to men His ways. Always He has pleaded with the human family. Suppose God had taken the only alternative.

Suppose He had forced men, against their wills, to have lived according to His laws?

Can’t you almost hear the defiant, rebellious, stiff-necked human race indignantly screaming at the Almighty: “You can’t cram your religion down my throat!” For it is a matter of religion. Can’t we see that had God followed that course, more than ever men would have shouted, “God isn’t fair!”

For six thousand years men have lived in defiance of God’s laws. Had God denied them this right to be wrong, men would have accused God of injustice, demanding freedom to follow their own ways.

God’s plan has for its purpose the creating of perfect CHARACTER in beings that are separate entities from God, yet members of the very family of God. Character cannot be created automatically by fiat—it must be developed through experience!

Nor could character be instilled without free moral agency. To achieve this great purpose—that of producing the supreme pinnacle of all God’s creation, sons of God having perfect character—man has to be convinced, of his own free will, that God’s laws are just, and that His ways are the only right ways for man! Man must turn to them, voluntarily! This lesson could be learned only by EXPERIENCE!

In the beginning, Satan appeared to contest the wisdom of God’s law. This law is, simply, love for God and love for neighbor, as defined in the ten broad principles of the Ten Commandments. A fundamental, spiritual, eternal law. The philosophy Christ taught is that it is more blessed to give than to receive. But Satan argued for the GETTING way. Competition, he argued, is the life-blood of activity. Self-desire provides incentive to endeavor. Vanity spurs to action. And so, in Satan’s philosophy, self-desire, competition, strife, provide the root-principle for accomplishment. The way of getting is the way of progress and advancement.

Had not God permitted this selfish way to be tried, tested, and demonstrated, God’s creatures could argue throughout eternity that they had been denied the better way.

The Devil’s Week

And so God turned over to Satan the first six days of one week, consisting of seven one-thousand-year days, in which to demonstrate the falsity of this way—the way of greed.

During the first six days of this week of seven thousand years Satan was permitted to retain dominion over all the earth. “Six days,” God said, “thou shalt labour, and do all thy work”—his work of deception and hate—”but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.” Six thousand-year days have been permitted Satan for his labor of deception. Even then his dominion has been limited to the power of influence and suggestion. Never has God permitted even Satan arbitrarily to force men against their wills.

And so for nearly six thousand years men have been left free to accept the self-seeking competitive philosophy of Satan, or to follow the golden rule of God. And for six thousand years Satan has labored. And mankind has fallen for his delusion!

Satan’s philosophy is the philosophy of the world today. On it our present civilization has been built. A civilization men love and cherish, and for which they patriotically sacrifice their lives! A civilization developed on desire for self-gain, competition, strife! In it success is determined by how much a man has been able to get, not on how well he has served.

God has never left men in ignorance of the true way of life. Always He has made known the true values—the way of His spiritual law of love! Continually God has pleaded, with patience and in love. He pleaded through Noah in the days before the Flood. He set up a nation of His own on earth that pledged to follow His laws, dedicated voluntarily to God’s ways of life. But ancient Israel turned from God’s ways, and persecuted and killed God’s prophets!

God sent His only begotten Son to point men back to the true paths. And Him, too, men rejected and killed.

During these six thousand years since Adam, men continually have spurned God’s love, rejected His law, turned a deaf ear to His prophets and His true ministers. They have built a world after the false philosophy of Satan, replete with its pagan customs, traditions and beliefs. Today people are hopelessly engulfed in these false ways, but, being deceived, realize it not at all!

Satan is revealed as the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4). The original inspired Greek should properly be translated, “the god of this age.” And this worldly civilization worships its God. The appalling fact unrealized by the world is that Satan, not the Eternal, is its god! The Creator God “is not the author of confusion,” we read in I Corinthians 14:33. Its real author is Satan, the world’s god! And so he has his many denominations and sects, all striving in a babylon of confusion!

The Devil’s Work

Today the people of organized religion refuse to hear the law of the Lord (Isa. 30:8-11). They demand that their ministers preach the soft and smooth things—the deceits! They have turned away from the truth, and are accepting and believing fables (II Tim. 4:2-4).

Yes, Satan has organized religion. He himself appears, not as a devil with horns and a tail, bearing a pitchfork, but “is transformed into an angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14). His ministers are transformed as the ministers of righteousness, appearing AS the apostles of Christ! (Verses 13, 15.) But they are preaching “another Jesus” (verse 4), in the power of “another spirit,” and deceiving men with “another gospel” than the true gospel of the Kingdom which Christ brought and Paul and all the apostles preached! (Gal. 1:6-7.)

Satan’s congregations go in for much form. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the POWER thereof: from such turn away,” plainly warns God’s Word! (II Tim. 3:5.) The present worldly order—its competitive principle, its customs and traditions, its political systems—are upheld by false churches within every land! Truly, all nations are deceived! (Rev. 12:9; 17:2; 18:3.)

Jesus Christ appeared 1900 years ago as a messenger bearing a message from God. He brought to an unhappy world steeped in false ways the “good news of the KINGDOM OF GOD.” A Kingdom now, soon, to replace these crumbling governments on earth!

That Kingdom today is near at hand—even at the doors! (Luke 21:31.)

Thank God, we are near the end of the six working days allotted to Satan’s dominion. God’s thousand-year Sabbath day is just about to dawn!

There is a saying that it is darkest just before the dawn. Now we see on every hand the final fruitage of men’s ways. Written in unerasable blood, in human misery, anguish and despair is the six-thousand-year record of experience!

Even now men will not heed this horrible lesson—not until they are forced to see it!

But, as Satan’s sixth “working day” closes, God is about to step in and supernaturally interfere!

The coming seventh millennium—typified by the Feast of Tabernacles—shall see Satan restrained. Christ will return to rule the earth with all the power of God. God’s new order for the next thousand years will restore peace, happiness, and joy.

Then men may look back over this present world, and compare! Never will God force a single human being, against his own will, into salvation and eternal life.

But, with the seven-thousand-year record of experience set plainly before seeing eyes, do you think anyone will want to return to these ways we seem now to love? Not many, you may be sure of that! Yet some, even then, will rebel.

Finally the world shall acknowledge, of its own free volition, that God’s ways are right. Christ, says the scripture, “learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:8-9.) Even He who never did wrong! “And being made perfect”—through experience—”he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”

Some day we shall look upon God’s plan with breathtaking admiration and awe! The suffering of this present time shall have faded completely from mind. The lessons of experience we shall have with us for eternity! Finally humanity shall accept God’s ways of life, knowing that they are right ways. The happiness and joy we shall then experience cannot be conceived by our minds today! Through all eternity we shall worship and praise the Eternal God for His wisdom, His mercy, His love!

Do you think anyone, then, will look back and say, “God isn’t fair”?

Source: Plain Truth, January 1978

Herbert W. Armstrong Warned Of Global Economic Crash Decades Ago!

pcg.g5i.net/french/whowashwa.php

Decades ago, the Plain Truth magazine – under its founder, the late Herbert W. Armstrong declared that two events would dominate the prophetic horizon:

• The resurrection of Germany at the helm of a Eoropean superstate that would revive the Holy Roman Empire for one final rule over world affairs.

• A great social upheaval, triggered by the collapse of the global financial and economic system.

Mr. Armstrong prophecied that this  socio-economic upheaval would cause  a strong and forceful leader to again arise in Germany to lead European nations to suddenly unite as a powerful world empire larger than the Soviet Union or the United States. That, in turn, he said could suddenly ignite nuclear World War III and lead directly to the coming of Jesus Christ.

Now, if we have a common sense look clearly around us, we can easily see that this scenario has already significantly advanced toward fulfillment. In in doubt, have a look at these specific prophecies of Mr. Armstrong which have already come to pass:

• 1945 – he forecast Germany’s rise from ashes to become the economic and political powerhouse of Europe. This is now an undisputed fact.
• 1954 – Russia would give East Germany back to the Germans and relinquish Eastern European countries.
• 1960 – he foretold the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• 1967 – he said Europe would adopt a common currency.
• 1972 – he prophecied the integration of Yugoslav states into a united Europe.

The reason Mr. Armstrong was right in these events was because he based his view of current events on inerrant Bible prophecy. And events prohecied for the next few years will violently affect Britain, the United States, Western Europe and the Middle East.

Source: www.pcog.org

Was Christ A Long Haired Nazarite?

http://www.keyway.ca

Jesus was not a Nazarite.

Some have been misled by an erroneous interpretation of Matthew 2:23:

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Many have concluded that this prophecy had to be a written prophecy recorded somewhere in the Old Testament. This is an unfounded assumption.

Since they could not find anything in the Old Testament about Nazarenes, they guessed that some similar word must have been intended. Using this erroneous reasoning, they went one step further in their folly and assumed that this scripture was referring to the LAWS (NOT prophecy ) about Nazarites.

Notice that the prophecy said that Christ would be called a NazarENE, not a NazarITE. A NazarENE is one who lives in Nazareth; and a NazarITE is one who has a nazarite vow, which is described in Numbers 6. Many Bible students have been confused by the similarity of these two words, although they are not at all related in their meanings. They are just as unrelated in meaning as some of our English words of today that have similar sounds, such as “encumber” and “cucumber.”

Christ was a Nazarene, a man from Nazareth. He was not a long-haired Nazarite. A Nazarite was forbidden to drink wine, but Christ drank wine on numerous occasions. Either He was never a Nazarite — or He broke His vows!

The prophecy — that the Saviour would be called a Nazarene — was not “written” in the Scriptures. Matthew says it was “spoken by the prophets.” It was a universally recognized ORAL prophecy that was authoritatively preserved from generation to generation by the priests. It became a WRITTEN prophecy only in New Testament times.

One verse, however, contains an interesting play on words — Isaiah 11:1. The word “branch” here is from the Hebrew “nezer.” This word is very similar to the Hebrew word for “Nazarene.” Perhaps the Jews at that time understood this verse to refer to someone from Nazareth.

The Bible Explained

The Bible contains history, prophecy, spiritual knowledge, wisdom and truth. Within its pages is the most needed key knowledge about the origins of all life. It is the basis of all true knowledge. No other book in the history of man reveals what this book reveals. It gives details about us—what we are and God’s intended purpose for all mankind.

The main flow of human history was written down in the Bible before it occurred. What happened to ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece, Persia, and Rome was recorded 2,000 or more years ago. What is happening and is sure to happen to modern powerful nations today was also written down in the Bible.

It also contains God’s divine revelation that mankind is not capable of discovering. Mankind is limited to acquiring material knowledge that comes by the five senses. Yet for man to live happily and peacefully with God and other humans, he needs spiritual knowledge. Only the Bible can provide this type of education. However, it does not contain all knowledge. It is simply the starting point.

Still, very few people, even most Christians, understand and believe their Bible in full (Colossians 1:26; Matthew 15:8-9; Luke 6:46) They have no idea it is an instruction book for mankind on how to be happy and successful. They do not believe it is  the literal “Word of God” (2 Timothy 3:16) — which is also one of Jesus Christ’s titles (Revelation 19:13).

Christianity in general disagrees as to what the Bible actually says on critical doctrines. The Christian world is thoroughly confused about Christ’s return. Even Bible scholars dissect the scriptures by picking out only a few verses, or small parts of verses, to support their own ideas. They read different meanings into the Scriptures, taking great liberties by ignoring clear rebuke. Others have worked tirelessly to inject meanings into verses to support their own false doctrines, mercilessly subjecting it to private interpretation against instructions to do so (2 Peter 1:20). It is no wonder that people cannot see the plain truth so simply presented within its pages. We are a society plagued with Bible illiteracy.

There is an explanation for this phenomenon. The Bible is actually not written to be understood by regular reading. It is best studied by subject; finding all the related scriptures on a topic, and accepting the plain meaning. It is also coded – with large swaths hidden from meaning by those not called. Several verses show that Christ Himself purposefully hid His meaning from the general public. (Matthew 13:10-11; Luke 8:10; Luke 10:21-24).

Still, the Bible is intended to be decoded by those whom God calls – his true Christians (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11). They understand that the Bible is 100% true, 100% of the time. (Psalms 119:160; John 17:17). It is their foundation of knowledge, covering principles for success and happiness for every situation they come across. (Psalm 111:10).

It is God’s desire to make His spiritual knowledge plain to any willing to see (1 Corinthians 2:9-14; James 3:15-17). Unfortunately, leaders in government, education and religion reject what God says is coming.

Here are some Bible stats:

1. The Holy Bible is a book on fire as the world’s bestseller, with an estimated 6 billion copies printed between 1816 and 1992.
2. The Bible has been translated into approximately 2,230 languages and dialects.
3. Parts of the Bible are over 4,000 years old.
4. The Bible was written over a 2,000-year period by about 40 authors on three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe).
5. The King James Bible is divided into 39 Old Testament books, originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and 27 New Testament books, originally written in Greek. That’s 66 total.
6. The King James Bible has: 1,189 chapters, 31,173 verses and 773,692 words.

The Bible breakdown:

SECTION	BOOKS	CONTENTS
The Law	Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy	God’s law, the history of ancient Israel, and prophecy.
The Prophets	Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings. Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi	History and prophecy for ancient and modern Israel.
The Writings	Ruth, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations	History, prophecy, poetry and other writings.
The Gospels	Matthew, Mark, Luke, John	Biography of Jesus’s life
The Acts	Acts	Church history
The Epistles	Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude	Letters from Christ’s apostles to their brethren
Revelation	Revelation	Prophecy

Do Liars Always Lie?

http://www.jossip.com

Epimenidis said, “The Cretians are always liars” (Titus 1:12). But Epimenides was a Cretan! Was he lying or telling the truth about Cretans?

If he were telling the truth, he was a liar. If he were a liar, he was telling the truth. What is the answer?

The resolution of this ancient paradox clarifies several misunderstandings about the Bible. It explains why Satan (and his ministers) quote true scriptures (Matt. 4:1-10; II Cor. 11:13-15), why the false prophet Balaam uttered true prophecies (Num. 22), and why the demon who impersonated Samuel seemed to be so “honest” (I Sam. 28:3, 12-20).

The answer hinges on a principle — someone who is always a liar does not always lie! Once this is understood the paradox vanishes. (Fenton violates this principle in giving a logically absurd translation of Titus 1:12. Also, many of the commentaries seem to be unaware of the paradox connected with this verse.)

If a liar could be “depended upon” to lie consistently, one could always extract the truth from him. Consider the story about a logician who is captured by a tribe of savages (Kemeny, Snell, and Thompson, Introduction to Finite Mathematics, 1957). The tribal chief decides to give the logician a “sporting chance” to escape. He places the logician in a jail having two exits and two guards. One exit leads to freedom, the other to death. One guard is always truthful, the other always lies. He is allowed to ask only one question of only one guard. The logician asks, “If I ask the other guard whether this exit leads to freedom, will he say yes?” No matter which guard he asks, he can determine from the answer which door leads to freedom. So, he escapes!

A little thought will show that if the guard says “yes,” the logician has picked the wrong door; if the guard says “no,” the logician has selected the correct door. In any case, no matter which guard he asks, the truth can be determined and thus he escapes. However, if the lying guard — like Satan — sometimes told the truth, the logician would be hopelessly confused. “Effective” liars do not always lie!

In order to be “effective,” liars often mix truth with error. The statements of Satan in Genesis 3:4-5 are an excellent example. Many people use these verses as an argument that human beings cannot be born into the Family of God. They reason that since Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and since Satan said, “Ye shall be as gods …” (Gen. 3:5), then men shall NOT be as gods. WRONG! Satan told the truth about the ultimate destiny of mankind. Jesus Christ said so! (John 10:34-35.) But Satan lied about HOW to become as God (Gen. 3:4-5).

Keep in mind that a quotation from the Bible may be false, if the one quoted is a liar, but it should not be assumed to be false just because the one quoted is a liar. Just as Epimenides spoke the truth when he said (by implication) that he was a liar, someone quoted in the Bible also spoke the truth when he said, “I will be a lying spirit” (I Kings 22:22).

Source: Tomorrow’s World, October 1971

Seven Proofs Of The Existence Of God!

http://www.pbase.com/

There is a delusion gripping the minds of people today. It holds them in its sway, deceiving them, making them veritable slaves. It is the concept of “no God.”

Sir Julian Huxley, grandson of the famed evolutionist, has stated: “There is no longer either need or room for supernatural beings capable of affecting the course of events in the evolutionary pattern of thought. The earth was not created, it evolved. So did all the animals and plants that inhabit it, including our human selves, mind and soul as well as brain and body.”

Is there “no longer any need for a concept of God”? Is the Bible merely a collection of Hebrew fables, or the dynamic living Word of an intelligent, all-wise Creator Being? Here are seven proofs to counter this claim.

Proof Number One

Is the Bible totally out of harmony with all science? Do modern-day discoveries in the sciences render the Christian helpless to reconcile his belief with the “enlightened age” in which he lives?

The first Positive Proof of the existence of God is so broad, so all-encompassing, so diverse in its many ramifications that it is possible only to barely scratch the surface in this article. However, there can be no clearer way to substantiate this proof than to quote from a typical college textbook which discards the Biblical record. In the foreword material, the authors offer various explanations as to the origin of the earth:

“Our own galaxy, which we remember is but a tiny part of the universe, has probably existed a million, million years.

“But some progress has been made in attempting to explain how and when the sun and its nine planets came into being. The study of the solar system gives us at least a clue to the origin of that part of the universe most important to us — the earth. The explanation commonly accepted today is called the Hypothesis of Dynamic Encounter formulated about 1900 by T. C. Chamberlain and F. R. Moulton of the University of Chicago. In brief it suggests that our solar system had its birth when the sun was approached by another huge star. The latter, through the operation of the law of gravitation, detached from the sun great masses of flaming gas. The orphan masses from the parent sun gradually cooled and crystallized to become the nuclei of planets. These continued to revolve around the sun, held in their orbits by the gravitational pull of the parent body. The evolution of the earth to its present state was very gradual” (Wall-bank and Taylor, Civilization Past and Present, Vol. I, page 31).

Even though it is outdated in certain respects, I quote this statement in full for a very special reason. Let’s go back and carefully ANALYZE what we have just read. Notice carefully the italicized words in the quotation you have just read. We have such words in the opening phrases as “probably, some progress has been made, attempting to explain, at least a clue, explanation commonly accepted, and the “suggestion” of a “hypothesis” — the very word itself meaning “we guess.”

Then, in very careful wording, having begun with a number of “possibles” and “perhapses” the book begins to tell of definite past occurrences which are said to have taken place. But let’s analyze further this very vital first proof of the existence of God.

In the very beginning the writers, even though beginning with many attempts to explain, clues and guesses, admit the existence of our solar system, a “sun,” another “huge star,” the “operation of the law of gravitation,” great “masses of flaming gas,” and admit that these gases “gradually cooled.”

They also mention how these gases “crystallized” and then continued to “revolve around the sun, held in their orbits by the gravitational pull of the parent body.” What a fantastic array! Here is a tremendous, limitless, imagination-defying expanse — an entire universe. Here is a whole solar system, a huge sun, the operation of certain, definite, immutable, unchangeable LAWS. Here is a supposed collision between gigantic, breathtakingly huge astral bodies, resulting in the supposed formation of our present solar system.

Think of it! All of these myriad laws — of heat, light, energy, motion, the rotation of astral bodies, the laws of gravity, and myriad other laws, entirely too numerous to mention — are admitted to exist. Where to begin? Is it an attempt to explain the existence of our present solar system? Decidedly not. Scientists and astronomers tell us that our solar system is only one of many such systems in our great galaxy called the “Milky Way.” However, even our galaxy is only one of myriad galaxies, which form only a part of the vast, limitless expanse of the universe. Our planet, astronomers assure us, is merely a third-rate planet in a second-rate solar system, lost in the expanses of seemingly limitless space.
Do you begin to comprehend? By what law did one star approach another? By what law did heat gradually cool? By what law was there a “gravitational pull”? By what law was there the existence of the “operation of the law of gravitation”?

Yes, there it is. In dissecting and looking carefully into the statements of some of the preposterous hypotheses which have been advanced, you begin to see that in every case the writers have begun with an orderly, law-abiding universe, governed by irrefutable laws. The existence of law, unchangeable, immutable, irrevocable, unseen and yet active, absolutely demands the existence of a great lawgiver.

“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy …” (James 4:12).  That Lawgiver is God!

Proof Number Two

Before seeing this next amazing, irrefutable proof, it is first necessary to state, in simple terms, the meaning of the word “evolution.” Of course, there are many processes called “evolution.”

The process of development of music from simple to complex is, in a sense, an “evolutionary” process as is true in all technological inventions. This has perhaps led many to assume such a development is also true in organic, living material.

Here is one such stated idea:

“Evolution is the gradual development from the simple, unorganized condition of primal matter to the complex structure of the physical universe; and in like manner, from the beginning of organic life on the habitable planet, a gradual unfolding and branching out into all the various forms of beings which constitute the animal and plant kingdom” (Richard Swann Lull, Organic Evolution, page 6).

Evolution theorizes from the beginning of organic life — already having LIFE with which to begin. It does not now show, nor has it ever shown, nor will it ever be able to show, how life itself first CAME into existence.

The theory of evolution (the word “theory” means “we think”) states simply that all life forms that we know today, including humankind, have gradually evolved from the most simple life forms to the complex, intricate, interdependent species we see about us today, each reproducing according to its own kind.

Evolution postulates that life evolved in a “gradual process,” by “resident forces” into the complexity of life we see about us today. And herein, at the very basic trunk of the tree of all evolutionary thought, lies one of the greatest proofs of God!

Evolutionists, geneticists, biologists, scientists in any field whatsoever have never been able to demonstrate, nor to offer the slightest evidence that the not-living can make itself into the LIVING. It is true that certain laboratory experiments have taken place in which supposed “dead cells” are said to have been “revived” and brought back to life by the means of certain chemical compounds. In other experiments, scientists have diligently tried to produce organic type compounds called amino acids. This, however, is a far cry from “spontaneous generation.”

There is a broad, gaping, yawning chasm of separation between life and death. The great gap between the not-living and the living is so broad, so insurmountable, so unfathomable by man, that evolutionists can only “suppose” and guess, offering vague, ethereal, nebulous “theories” as to how life for the first time “might have” begun accidentally! However, on the other hand, there is an absolute, demonstrable law of science which comprises the second major proof of the existence of a life-giving God. That is the law of biogenesis!

“Bio” means life! “Genesis” means beginning. This law, then, is a law concerning the beginning of life. This law, simply stated, is the absolute law that life comes only from life. That the not-living can never give rise to, give birth to or produce the living.

There is perhaps no law known to science that can be any more firmly and easily demonstrated than the law of biogenesis. The very existence of life demands a Life Giver!

God states dogmatically, “And the Eternal God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7).

Almighty God — the Life Self-Existent, the One who has life, who is Life, who was before all things — imparted life to the first man and set within man, the animals, and all plants the cyclical character of life which enables them to reproduce according to certain set laws. God is the great Life Giver!

Proof Number Three

Many of these amazing proofs of the existence of an Almighty God “overlap.” That is, each is, to a degree, interrelated with the others. The third major proof of God can be stated quite simply from the quotation you saw under Proof Number One.

You will notice that evolutionists, in trying to substantiate their theory, always BEGIN with an orderly universe and the existence of matter. Notice the so-called Theory of Evolution BEGINS with matter, laws, and “simple” life.

What is matter? Matter occupies space and has weight. It is not always necessarily seen, since certain gases, and even the air which you breathe, are also classified as “matter.”

Until recently, scientists talked of the law of the “conservation of matter.” However, with the discoveries in nuclear physics, and following Madame Curie’s experiments with radium, scientists have now found there is a certain amount of “disintegration” in matter!

This deterioration of uranium is a scientific fact! Uranium (U238) gradually disintegrates through many intermediate states into lead (Pb206). Uranium, as you may well know, is radioactive and gives off energy in the form of radiation.
Gradually, over a period of seemingly limitless years, this radioactive material disintegrates into lead! There is no proof of any new uranium coming into existence today!

Hence science has firmly established that there has been no past eternity of matter! Matter must have at sometime come into existence. It had to have been, at some time, created.

Creation, then, the very existence of things, absolutely demands and requires a Creator. That which is made requires a Maker. That which is produced requires a Producer. Therefore, the third great proof is that the creation requires a great Creator.

Proof Number Four

The One who is quoted in the first person as being God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:24-25).

Scientists have attempted to show the evolutionary pattern by “comparative embryology,” by a study of selective breeding, genetics, and various other aspects of biology.

However, without taking the tremendous amount of space necessary to even faintly scratch the surface of such a broad subject, suffice it to say there is an absolute, irrefutable, immutable, unchangeable law, which absolutely prohibits a jump from one kind to another kind!

There are hundreds of different varieties within a certain species, and while there may be small, tiny dogs, such as the Mexican Chihuahua, and also huge dogs such as the St. Bernard or the Great Dane, they are still dogs! They are not cats, or horses, nor are they even beginning to show a gradual trend toward developing into another species. They are all of the same kind.

Comparative embryology tries to point out that the beginning embryos of fish, polliwogs, and humans look very much alike. This is absolutely true. But while it proves absolutely nothing for the case of evolution, this does offer a STRONGER proof of the existence of God. Scientists are defied to attempt to make the embryo of a fish turn out to be a polliwog, a man, or anything other than a fish of the exact same kind of fish which laid the egg in the first place.

Proof Number Five

Look about you. You live in a complex, intricate and interdependent world. It is a world of great design. You have never seen an ugly sunset. You have never seen an ugly scene in the desert, in the mountains, at sea, or anywhere on the surface of this entire earth, unless it were a scene made ugly by man. All is in harmony. Life, as we know it, is entirely interdependent upon other forms of life. Nothing lives or dies to itself.

The question to the evolutionists is: Which “evolved” first, the corn or the bee? Did the bee evolve slowly for thousands, millions or billions of years independent of the cornstalks, the flowers and the pollens from growing things which are his life source?

Did the flowers, grasses, trees, and grains all evolve slowly and gradually over a period of millions or billions of years independent of the little bee, upon whom they must rely for their very continuation of life?

These are totally insurmountable, and unanswerable questions to the evolutionists! The old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is a question which the evolutionist feels worthy only of disdain. Why? Simply because he cannot answer it.

It is better, from his point of view, to merely scoff, make fun of and attempt to dismiss such a question when he cannot answer it.

This total interdependency of all life forms — the tremendous design within this universe shows a common Beginner, one main Architect, one great Designer with an overall framework of a plan of creation into which all life forms fit.
Nothing lives or dies to itself. Each living thing, whether plant or animal, when it dies, supplies further life for other living things. Observe a forest. A tree grows, finally dies and falls, only to become part of the fallow forest floor, supplying life-giving elements for the young trees which it had sown in its lifetime.

This great universe, and the complex intricate earth on which you live and draw breath, is a world of great design. It is a world of such complex and intricate design as to take the very breath in beginning to investigate even the minutest part.

The cleavage properties of minerals, the wings of a bird or a fly, the beauty of a sunset, the facets of a quartz crystal, and above all, the marvelous, tremendous masterpiece of all design, the human body, all point out that for such intricate design, there had to be an eternal Designer. Design in the universe proves the existence of a Designer!
[Photo Caption – Left: Even when magnified 100 times, the titanium alloy (top) still follows a definite pattern of construction. Slightly oxidized iron crystals (below) have been enlarged 10,000 times, revealing even more intricacy. Right: From the tiniest metallic crystals to the most gorgeous sunset, everything is in perfectly designed harmony.]

Proof Number Six

This sixth proof of the existence of an Almighty God is perhaps the most astounding of all. It is fulfilled prophecy!
About one full third of your Bible is prophecy; and while most of that one third pertains to our present day, there are many, many prophecies which have already been fulfilled, and which are presently BEING fulfilled.

God sent His prophets hundreds of years ago to such major cities as Babylon, Ekron, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Tyre and Sidon. These prophets — simple human beings who had been commissioned with a message — foretold the decay, fall and particular type of fate which was to befall each of these ancient cities.

And without fail, in every single instance, exactly at the time prescribed, all these things HAPPENED! The very fact that God is able to foretell the future, and bring it to pass, is a great proof of His existence!

Proof Number Seven

This last proof is perhaps the greatest proof of all to true Christians. It is the proof of answered prayer. However, since the skeptics, atheists and doubters have never prayed, and hence have never had prayers answered, they continue to DOUBT.

Now take George Mueller’s example.

George Mueller is dead now, but he was a great man of FAITH. He founded five great orphanages and other charitable institutions in Bristol, England. He started out, as FAITH always does, with a very small work, without any financial backing, and absolutely no means of support, except to get down on his knees and send up a believing prayer to God.
For nearly seventy years George Mueller continued that great work, and it grew into a tremendous institution until it housed thousands. Every dime for feeding, clothing, sheltering, and schooling those thousands of orphans came in only one way — as a result of believing prayer.

Altogether he received more than a million four hundred thousand pounds — that was about seven million dollars — sent to him in answer to his prayers!

Real answered prayer is NOT the mere working out of events as a result of “concentration.” Many people seem to assume answered prayer is merely an accomplishment as a result of “positive thinking” or a psychological adjustment.
This is a gross error!

Real answered prayer is a direct, miraculous supernatural intervention from Almighty God! It is the result of obedience to God’s laws, asking according to His will, and then believing in faith until the answer comes.

These seven, irrefutable unchallengeable PROOFS of the existence of Almighty God represent only the minutest beginning of the subject. They are, nevertheless, proofs. It’s about time people quit assuming — it’s about time they began to really PROVE all things.

It’s about time YOU said with Job, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25).

Source: Tomorrow’s World, October 1971

The Facts Behind The Fictional Da Vinci Code

 

What do you know about “The Da Vinci Code?” Millions of words and thousands of commentaries have been written about a code that DaVinci might have created. So where do I begin to provide a meaningful commentary from a godly perspective on this craze? Perhaps with three words: “It’s a novel!” That means – simply and plainly – the book is a made-up story.

In 2006, this book was made into a feature film starring Tom Hanks. It was, of course, a highly controversial film that whetted the appetites of conspiracy buffs worldwide and fueled already present doubts and misconceptions of those who do not know or believe the Word of God.

The Da Vinci Code’s blasphemy is nothing new. It’s just another highly promoted, celebrity-enhanced, big budget effort to discredit God and His Word. It is a compilation of half-truths and heart-felt heresies being sold to biblically illiterate seekers, particularity in denominational church settings where gullible participants involve themselves for the love and acceptance of a compromised collective. Let’s have a closer look at the novel.

Is Judas the betrayer a myth?

This book is too poorly founded to even have the title of pseudo history. Dan Brown simply pulls things out of the air. The opening page’s claim of historical reality served to confuse millions, and reading further, one witnesses a radically different view of the Bible and of Jesus Christ. It even portrays Judas, not as a traitor to Jesus Christ, but as a hero. Imagine that!

There have also been headlines in the past about the gospel of Judas being found in Egypt. It is estimated to have been put there some nearly 2,000 years ago, with 13 sheets in 1,000 fragments being found. But is this really so important to all of us? Does our salvation depend upon a tattered and worn document, maybe a couple of thousand years old? Is there any credence we can give to those writings? Do we really know what these fraudulent documents are all about, and which ones to believe?

We have to be careful of a deeper deceit here. If  modern Christianity were preaching the truth the way it should, these writings would not have much of an impact at all. But the whole world is deceived, and that includes religion. We need to be proving all things in this very, very information-glutted age when there’s no telling what we may be reading.

The biggest problem however is that we simply don’t know the Bible. Do you know the difference between the real gospel and a counterfeit gospel? You have to, by proving all things, as God says. Organized religion won’t help you because their deceit is just shocking. And now people are digging these things out of caves, and somehow they capture the imagination of the world with what they find.

But do you know something? Every single one of them is really attacking the Bible, and attacking the Christ of the Bible. They’re anti-Bible, and they’re anti-God. But if we are going to be defenders of the truth for God, we’re going to have to begin to speak out on these issues.

Here is an excerpt from The Da Vinci Code:

“The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.”

Some people may fall for such words, but they’re wrong and you can prove it! This character says: “History has never had a definitive version…” and that is absolutely, TOTALLY false! It has had a definitive version. The problem is they have rejected it! Does anybody have proof of what they say? Does ANYBODY really prove their view?

Christ taunts the critics by saying, “Well, PROVE Me now herewith! God isn’t backing down from the critics, and neither should we.

A different Christ

Now, obviously these are different views of Jesus Christ, and Christians are supposed to follow Him, but how can you do so if you don’t know Him and if you don’t know which books He inspired? And He absolutely, dogmatically states that He did! Do you honestly believe that His real teachings come from a lost gospel someone dug out of a cave? Does that really make any sense?

Notice 2 Timothy 3:16:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Now,  can you prove that? Do you know what scripture really is? Is the lost book of Judas, Mary, Philip, or Thomas scripture? No, they are not! Brown’s book focuses on goddess worship, or worship of the divine feminine. He ties this pagan mysticism to Mary Magdalene. I mean really, he would have us believe that Christ and Mary Magdalene were active participants in a pagan sex cult? Brown is so far out in left field, he takes his proof from Da Vinci’s painting of “The Last Supper,” assuring gullible readers that it is Mary Magdalene sitting next to Christ, not John.

What is really diabolical about such statements is that Jesus Christ being involved in a pagan sex cult instantly disqualifies Him as being our Savior. Remember, He offered Himself as a sinless offering for all of mankind. If He was into such debauchery, we all  can fold up our tents and go fishing. There really wouldn’t be any more point in believing, would there? But there is not a single shred of evidence for what is being said!

Do you know your Bible?

If you don’t know the Bible, then some of these conspiracy theories start to sound pretty credible. I mean look, isn’t the Bible then just the work of men? Without scriptural knowledge, how do you dispel your doubts, even though Brown doesn’t offer any proof but just makes bold, blatant statements?

Now think about this! The author takes his proof from a Da Vinci painting, of all things! It would be ridiculously laughable, if this subject weren’t so serious! Is that really proof enough for the reader? Does such nonsense take precedence over the inspired Word of God? Does a painting by a man who didn’t know much about the Bible and God, in the first place really hold vital clues for us about God? Even if it did, who says this one interpretation is the right one? Wouldn’t many people have many interpretations? No, what we should look for are the bold statements made by Jesus Christ throughout the Bible. He tells us that this Bible was preserved, the Old Testament by the Jews, and the New Testament by the Greeks. That’s proven by the Bible, itself.

Was Mary a church leader?

Brown plays upon the Gnostic legends that Christ wanted Mary to head the Church, but Peter and the other apostles (painted as chauvinists) prevented this from happening after Christ’s death. Legends say Mary became a famous preacher founding Christian communities.

Notice, it is legend that says so. Nowhere in the Bible – our most reliable historical account of the life of Jesus – does it claim that Jesus and Mary were married. Nowhere in the writings of the early leaders of Christianity is there any reference to any such “marriage.” And amazingly, nowhere in the Gnostic writings – about which Dan Brown so endearingly speaks – is there an statement that Jesus and Mary were married. This error in Brown’s book makes Mary Magdalene out to be more important than Jesus Christ, and really, this fact has attracted a large feminist audience to the book.

But if you know anything about the Bible, then this is about as contemptuous as anything ever written. God the Father is in charge, and then Jesus Christ, not some human female. Luke 8:1-3 tells us that Christ actually cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. That should tell us something about her previous mental and spiritual condition, until God healed her.

Those same demons that influenced Mary now still roam this earth and heavily influence men, and even possess them. Doesn’t your Bible say that Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)? But who believes that anyways?

Isaiah 46:9-10 says,

“I am God, and there’s none like Me.” There’s no one in God’s class! It is He that reveals secrets about what is to happen in the latter days…Dan. 2:38. You should be able to prove your Bible alone by comparing prophecy to news magazines or news sources! One-third of your Bible is prophecy, and 90% of that prophecy is being fulfilled today, so it’s easy to prove that God is prophesying today. The books of Daniel and Revelation are for the end time, as is the main focus of all the Major and Minor Prophets.

Why don’t we believe?

Secular and religious people stumble because they hate the government of God. In many cases, they don’t even know what it is. They assume that the Bible is not the infallible revelation of a supernatural God — without the scientific proof they demand on material questions. Most fundamentalists believers simply assume that this book is NOT the infallible Word of God. Have they proven this fact? Absolutely not! Religious people lean the other way. They simply assume the Bible is right, and when pressed with heavy questions, they have no good answers. In either case. you just can’t make statements and not prove them. Does such a stance  even make sense? But God always offers proof, we simply have to look for it!

A warning for man today!

In John 5:39, Jesus Christ told the Jews in His day to search the scriptures, because in them is eternal life. This was a warning. If we, like the Jews of old, think we have eternal life, we aught to consider what happened to them. They entered into a holocaust, with all kinds of cannibalism, pain and untold suffering. This is merely a type of what’s coming upon the world in this end time – the great Tribulation. The Jews were warned but didn’t listen. They believed in a false religion without evidence or proof. They didn’t know Christ, and the world today doesn’t know Christ. They talk about His person, but they don’t talk about His message.

But shouldn’t we know that message inside and out? Christ said, “The scriptures testify of Me. “Search the scriptures,” He said. That means both the Old Testament and the New Testament, which are solidly intertwined together. Many New Testament quotes are from the Old Testament. Don’t throw it away because Christ said we ought to live by EVERY word of God (Matthew 4:4). Why would we be given half a Bible that is correct, and half that is not correct? Does this make sense? No wonder they err, not knowing the Scriptures (Matt. 22:29). They should know the scriptures, but they don’t, nor the power of God.

God says to “prove all things” and He gives people every opportunity to do so. The proof is abundant and it’s not even that hard to prove the Bible if we’ll just apply our minds and work at it. That knowledge than change our lives and we’ll know exactly what this Bible is all about.

Death of Judas Iscariot: Four Apparant Contradictions Solved!

Is there a contradiction about the death of Judas Iscariot between Matthew 27:5 and Acts 1:18? Did Judas, after betraying Christ, hang himself or just swell up and burst open? Does it matter that history is completely silent on this issue?

First, to explain to the critics (though it will hardly satisfy), we should understand that God had His Word recorded in such a way that it could be misunderstood. Through one of the prophets we find that the Bible is written “here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10). Each part is true, but the whole truth about a particular subject may not be found in any one verse or chapter. This is one reason Paul said that the Word of God must be rightly divided (II Tim. 2:15). 

By putting the two accounts of Judas’ death TOGETHER we get a clearer idea of what happened. Both events are true, yet there are some details which give critics a hard time, though we have only to apply some common sense. 

1) The first contradiction: Two separate deaths — Both events did not happen at the same time – simple. Matthew wrote that Judas “hanged himself” (Matt. 27:5), giving the means of death. He never denies that Judas fell and had his entrails gush out. Luke explained what happened later. He does not tell us that this is the means of Judas’ death, and he also does not deny that Judas hanged himself. He merely reports the end result. 

2) Second Contradiction: Why does Acts say the body of Judas burst open after a fall? — “Consider the following. When a person dies, the body begins to decompose. If left to itself (and not acted upon by the attempt to preserve the body), bacteria soon begin to break down various tissues. As a result, gases are released within the body, which in turn cause it to swell. A few years ago, the news media reported how a 50-ton sperm whale had beached itself on the shores of Taiwan and died. While on its way to being transported through a Taiwanese city to a particular research center, the swollen whale literally exploded and soaked pedestrians and motorists in blood and entrails. According to one Taiwanese scientist, “Because of the natural decomposing process, a lot of gases accumulated, and when the pressure build-up was too great, the whale’s belly exploded” (“Whale Explodes…,” 2004). In light of such events, it certainly is not difficult to imagine that a dead human body, which may have been swelling for a number of days, could have fallen a short distance (from wherever it was hanging), and easily burst open when striking the ground.” (Apologeticspress.org)

This idea has promise for several reasons: 

a) Judas hanged himself on Passover and before a Sabbath, and no Jew was going to touch the hanging corpse (touching a dead body caused defilement; it would have been work to take it down on the Sabbath; added to that, death by hanging was especially a disgrace; and hoisting a dead body isn’t an attractive vocation if it isn’t on your property). So it may be assumed that Judas hanged himself, his body was heated by the Palestinian sun, blew up, broke or slid through the knot of the rope, and fell down bursting open because of decomposition.

b) Another point to consider why the rope around Judas’ neck broke. Approximately six to nine hours had elapsed, and it was during this time that Judas hanged himself. The Bible relates that when Jesus died, there was an earthquake so mighty that rocks were broken and graves were opened. One may assuredly presume that an earthquake strong enough to rend a rock might also be powerful enough to break a rope or cord, specifically the rope from which Judas was hanging. Consequently, it follows, that while Judas did in fact hang himself, the cord from which he was suspended broke. 

3) Third Contradiction: Judas did not really die? — Those who say the narrative is not literal but figurative need to consider Acts chapter 1.  Peter says that he fell headlong, burst asunder in the middle and his bowles gushed out, making it fairly clear that he is talking about someone who died. Luke, who was part of the early church, had no problem believing that Judas Iscariot died.  Also, if Judas Iscariot had not died, he would not have needed to be replaced.  

4) Fourth Contradiction: How could the body of Judas fall headlong if tied by the neck? — Can a body fall headlong from hanging? Would not he legs crash to the ground first? I’m not sure why this particular issue is such a stumbling block to people. The word here rendered “headlong” – πρηνής  prēnēs means properly “bent forward, head-foremost.” So there is little denial this happened. But how did his body rotate 180 degrees upon the rope breaking?

First, we don’t know the height of the tree. Judas could have used a high branch to hang himself and his body hit another branch as the rope loosed, causing his body to flip? This is possible, but would it not make more sense for Judas to simply choose the lowest branch that he could find; one that was sufficiently high? Probably, since a branch with a branch underneath it may have only gotten in the way. But then again, the lower branch may have caused doubt and since the state of mind of someone bent on suicide is not the most stable, this scenario cannot be fully discounted.

Another scenario would simply state that Judas chose a branch suitably higher than himself and used a nearby rock to climb up to it – perhaps it was right underneath the branch. Once the rope broke, the body would have crashed down feet first into the rock (which could have been of a suitable size) and as such, the body simply pitched forward and fell headlong the rest of the way. It certainly is not an impossible circumstance!

Conclusion

I hope people stop making a huge deal out of nothing at all. The amount of information on the internet about this subject is tremendous, yet most is erroneous and proves a huge lack of faith. The Bible does not always give every detail, yet this does not mean the incident is fictitional. It simply means we have to look deeper into the matter, use faith and common sense. We also have to under stand that critics approach the Bible from the angle that God is lying, which contradicts what the scriptures say, “that God cannot lie” (Tit 1:2).

Is America Abandoning Israel?

markmcdonnellhowiseetheworld.blogspot.com/

 

An interesting article in the Israel National News quotes a former highly-placed U.S. intelligence source as saying that America may soon be abandoning Israel in favor of the Arabs. The quote is:

“The Obama administration is no friend to Israel, is no friend to the Jews in America and is no friend to democracy or freedom in America.  …Just by his very appointments, we can see him filling positions of power with people who are anti-Semitic, who want to see Israel essentially dissolved as a nation, if not by diplomacy, then certainly by war.”

He explained this would happen “when our administration provides more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation.” 

In the past, one country has always stood by Israel: whether it be by vetoing UN resolutions or supplying military and economic aid, Israel’s most reliable ally in recent decades has been the United States. But apparantly U.S. administrations have been following such a policy of abandoning Israel for several years.

Not only is this policy aimed at the nation of Israel, but also Jewish interests at home. The above named source is also  quoted as saying:

“Whatever the reason, the anti-Israel, pro-Islamist policy makers will be appointed or have already infiltrated nearly all levels of the U.S. government. These are the people who place anti-Semitic references in school textbooks, promote revisionist history regarding Islam, 9/11, and are the same people who allow or even promote the Islamic agendas in all aspects of Western society, especially the restrictions on speech against Islam.”

What is so insidious about it all is that the US is turning its back against its only true friend in the Middle East.  Israel is a tiny country surrounded by enemies. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights routinely adopts a hugely disproportionate number of resolutions against Israel (26 percent of the total) and Israel is the target of more investigative committees and such than any other country in the UN. 

The Security Council also routinely condemns Israel while not once adopting a resolution critical of Palestinian attacks on Israel. The fact that terrorists are camped on Israel’s doorstep hurling death their way daily matters little to the UN. Or witness the country that inspires and backs the various terror groups bent on Israel’s obliteration—Iran. 

So what happens now that the alliance between two former friends has deteriorated? Bible prophecy suggests this very thing would happen. Zechariah 11:14 shows  a prophecy that God would “break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.” Is this the future rift between America (biblical Israel) and the Jewish state (Judah)?

If Israel is left isolated and vulnerable, this would set the scene for a further biblical prophecy to be fulfilled: one that sees Israel seeking help from Germany—biblically, Assyria (Hosea 5:13). Evidently, by this time the U.S. is no longer willing, or able, to come to Israel’s aid.

It is God who rules the affairs of men. He will prove to the Jews—and to all the world—that He does have power over what they do when they turn their back on Him: “….the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Daniel 4:17).

Prediction Addiction Versus Prophecy: False Apocalyptic Dates

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Here’s one to file under nonsense. A Canadian newspaper, the Toronto Sun, posted a short commentary on a coming Doomsday date which I would like to summarize here.

It quoted December 12, 2012 as a growing and recognized day of Armageddon, with books and blogs suggesting the 5,125-year long count cycle of the Mayans’ calendar (the survival and evolution of an ancient calendar) will draw to an abrupt close.

Wacky predictions are nothing new to man. There have been literal thousands of predictions and mass hysteria over dates and books supposedly giving us insight into what is to happen in the near future. NONE have been right – NONE. There are also future predictions still on the table, and guess what – NONE of these will be right either. There is a very good reason for this, as I will explain soon. Some of the more interesting recent predictions are:

• Works like Michael Drosnin’s best seller, The Bible Code, predict space meteors may plow into the earth.

• Self-described alien contactee and author, Riley Martin, has theorized a great mother ship could return in 2012.

• Author Dannion Brinkley predicts in his book, Secrets of the Light, humanity will finally go through a spiritual transition in the same year the world goes through physical changes.

• Some scientists argue an alignment of our entire solar system will take place.

• Others predict a legendary and much debated heavenly body — often dubbed Planet X — will enter our solar system to throw our world for a loop.

• Author Lawrence Joseph’s book Apocalypse 2012 talks about the threat of the Earth’s weakening magnetic field and the part the Sun may play as it pelts us with storms, devastating earthquakes, hurricanes, spiking global temperatures and tsunamis.

Ah, pundits who foretell the future. As the article pointed out so succinctly, “foretelling future events in the lifespan of the world is like predicting where the very first raindrop will land during a storm.” Just like Y2K, it may lead up to a lot of unnecessary hysteria, and then nothing will happen.

Unless your information is based on the Bible, and God’s revealed word, you have nothing but speculation. Indeed, the Bible has a lot to say about our immediate future. But then, wants to listen to free advice? We tend to believe in things only when we shell out hard earned cash for fallacious stories. This despite having a Creator desiring to educate His creation. It’s true, but sad – deceivement is a trait most desire so that they don’t have to pull their heads out of the sand and face reality.

Here is a fairly exhaustive list of historical dates set since after the time of Christ, taken from Bible.ca:

Year 44 – Theudas declared himself the Messiah, taking 400 people with him into the desert. Theudas was beheaded by Roman soldiers. Josephus records this.

53 – Even before all the books of the Bible were written, there was talk that Christ’s return had already taken place. The Thessalonians panicked on Paul, when they heard a rumor that the day of the Lord was at hand, and they had missed the rapture.

80 – Ben Zakkai died about 80, and expected the Messiah about the time of his death

100 -200 – Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (1-2 Cent) thought the days of the Messiah would last 40 years. Before Bar Kochba the Mess. age was short; longer afterward

130 – Rabbi Jose, the Galilean, a contemporary of Hyrcanus and Azariah, thought the Messiah would come in three generations (60 years), after the destruction; namely 130 (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

381 – Return of Christ; Tichonus a writer of the 4th Cent (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

400 – Hippolytus “calculated that 5,500 years separated Adam and Christ and that the life of the world was 6,000 six full ‘days’ of years until the seventh the day of rest.” His calculations in 234 indicted there were still two centuries left. (from A History of the End of the World, Rubinsky and Wiseman, 1982)

400 – Rabbi Dosa (2-3rd Century) said the Messiah would come at the end of 400 years. This was based (?) on Gen. 15:13 (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

435 – Messiah comes; Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (135-220) believed Messiah would come 365 years after Temple destroyed in 70 (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

470 – Messiah would come; Rabbi Hanina (3rd C), though Messiah would come 400 years after Temple Destruction. (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

500 – A Roman priest and theologian in the second and third centuries, predicted Christ would return in A.D. 500, based on the dimensions of Noah’s ark.

500 – Return of Christ; Hyppolytus (170-236) and Lactantius (250-330) said 500 would be the time for the second coming of Christ (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

950-80 – Letter on the Hungarians that speaks of widespread apocalyptic reactions among the population (“Un témoin de la crainte de l’an 1000: La lettre sur les Hongrois,” Latomus, 15 (1956), 224-38); considered the background of Adso’s treatise (see below #3).

950 – In A.D. 950 Adso of Montier-en-Der wrote a “Treatise on the Antichrist” which was a response to a number of mid-century crises that had provoked widespread alarm and fear of an end-time apocalypse.(5) Five years later, Abbo of Fleury heard a preacher in Paris who announced that the Antichrist would be unleashed in the year 1000 and that the Last Judgment would soon follow.(6) At about the same time a panic occurred in the German army of Emperor Otto I because of a solar eclipse that the soldiers mistook as a sign of the end of the world.(7) And when the last Carolingian dynasty fell with the death of King Louis V in 987, many saw this event as a precursor to the arrival of the Antichrist. King Otto II of Germany had Charlemagne’s body exhumed on Pentecost in the year 1000 supposedly in order to forestall the apocalypse. Both Halley’s comet in A.D. 989 and a super nova in A.D. 1006 were interpreted as signs of the end. About the same time, the Moslem caliph, Al Hakim, destroyed the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem prompting apocalyptic fear in the west as well as violent anti-Jewish outbursts.(8)

964 – “Dum saeculum transit finis mundi appropinquat…” [As the saeculum (century?) passes, the end of the world approaches.] Cartulaire de Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes, pp.1, 11, 17.

965 – Abbo hears a preacher in Paris announcing the unleashing of Antichrist for 1000 AD and the Last Judgment for shortly thereafter (see below # 7, 17).

968 – Panic in Otto’s army at an eclipse the soldiers took to portend the end of the world (Gesta episcoporum Leodensium, MGH SS IX, p.202)

990s-1010s – Preaching of Aelfric and Wulfistan, filled with images of Last Judgment, explicity linked at points to the year 1000 and the unleashing of Antichrist (Gatch, Milton McC., Preaching and Theology in Anglo-Saxon England: Aelfric and Wulfstan (Toronto, U. Press, 1977).

1000 – This year goes down as one of the most pronounced states of hysteria over the return of Christ. All members of society seemed affected by the prediction that Jesus was coming back on Jan 1, 1000 AD. There really weren’t any of the events required by the Bible transpiring at that time. The magical number 1000 was primarily the sole reason for the expectation. During December 999 AD, everyone was on their best behavior; worldly goods were sold and given to the poor, swarms of pilgrims headed east to meet the Lord at Jerusalem, buildings went unrepaired, crops were left unplanted, and criminals were set free from jails. The year 999 AD turned into 1000 AD and nothing happened.

1010 – Brythfird commentaries note that the 1000 years of the Apocalypse are completed according to human calculations, therefore supporting Augustine’s allegorical reading

1033 – This year was sighted as the beginning of the millennium because it marked 1000 years since Christ’s crucifixion.

1135-1202 – The Calabrian monk, Joachim of Fiore (ca. A.D. 1135 1202) stands out as a key figure in medieval apocalypticism. On Easter Sunday in 1183 he was inspired to write his massive Exposition on Revelation. Later near the end of his life, he summarized his prophetic knowledge in the Book of Figures. His writings influenced a wide range of medieval events. The Franciscan order was founded on the basis that they would be the spiritual elite described in Joachim’s “Age of the Spirit,” a future time when God would send revelation directly to believers. Using Joachim’s hints, writers concluded that the “Age of Grace” would end and the “Age of the Spirit” would begin in A.D. 1260. This prophecy, mixed with German social unrest, created a myth surrounding Frederick II. Having ruled from 1220 to 1250, many believed that Frederick was the “Emperor of the Last Days” who would usher in the new Millennium.The myth gained force when Frederick seized Jerusalem in 1229. When he died in 1250, a new myth started that Frederick would return from the dead. Two pseudo-Fredericks were burned at the stake by his successor to the throne. The Book of a Hundred Chapters stated that the returned Frederick would lead a fight against corruption in the state and the church, and that he will instruct his followers to “Go on hitting them” (referring to the Pope and his students) and to “Kill every one of them!” (Paul Boyer, When Time Shall Be No More: Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture, Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press, Harvard University, 1992, p. 53-55)

1186 – The “Letter of Toledo” warned everyone to hide in the caves and mountains. The world would be destroyed and only a few would be spared.

1420 – The Taborites of Czechoslovakia predicted every city would be annihilated by fire. Only five mountain strongholds would be saved.

1533 – Beginning of the Millennium, Anabaptists (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

1533 – Christ’s Coming and Judgment at 8:00 AM October 19, 1533; Michael Stiefel (1486-1567) Acq. with Martin Luther, and taken into Luther’s home when he had not given away all possessions. (Luther Martin, Date Setters, Guardian of Truth, Sept. 15, 1994)

1533 – End of the world, preceded by 3-1/2 years of apocalyptic tribulation. (Melchoir Hoffman, from S German Imperial Free City of Schwabish Hall.) Associated with Srousbourg Anabaptists, some called Melchoirites Emphasized “inner” word to “outer” written word (Gary K. Waite “David Joris and Dutch Anabaptism 1524-1543” Wilfrid Laurier University Press (Waterloo, Ontario), 1990.)

1534 – A repeat of the Muntzer affair occurred a few years late. This time Jan Matthys took over the city of Munster. The City was to be the only one spared destruction. The inhabitants of Munster, chased out by Matthys and his men, regrouped and lay siege to the city. Within a year everyone in the city was dead.

1534 – Easter: April 5, 1534 Return of Christ; Jan Mattijs, a “prophet” replacing Melchoir Hoffman (see 1533) who was imprisoned. Claimed Munster, not Strasbourg was the New Jerusalem; later Amsterdam. (Gary K. Waite “David Joris and Dutch Anabaptism 1524-1543” Wilfrid Laurier University Press (Waterloo, Ontario), 1990.)

1650-1660 – The Fifth Monarchy Men looked for Jesus to establish a theocracy. They took up arms and tried to seize England by force. The movement died when the British monarchy was restored in 1660.

1666 – To the citizens of London, 1666 was not a banner year. A bubonic plague outbreak killed 100,000 and the Great Fire of London struck the same year. The world seemed at an end to most Londoners. The fact that the year ended with the Beast’s number (666), didn’t help matters either.

1809 – Mary Bateman, who specialized in fortune telling, had a magic chicken that laid eggs with end time messages on them. One message said that Christ was coming. The uproar she created ended when she was caught forcing an egg into the hen’s oviduct by an unannounced visitor. Mary later was hanged for poisoning a wealthy client.

1814 – Spiritualist Joanna Southcott made the startling claim that she, by virgin birth, would produce the second Jesus Christ. Her abdomen began to swell and so did the crowds of people around her. The time for the birth came and passed – she died soon after. An autopsy revealed it had been a false pregnancy.

1836 – John Wesley wrote that “the time, times and half a time” of Revelation 12:14 were 1058­1836, “when Christ should come” (apud A. M. Morris, The Prophecies Unveiled, p. 361)

1843-1844 – William Miller was the founder of an end-times movement that was so prominent it received its own name– Millerism. From his studies of the Bible, Miller determined that the second coming would happen sometime between 1843-1844. A spectacular meteor shower in 1833 gave the movement a good push forward. The build up of anticipation continued until March 21, 1844, when Miller’s one year time table ran out. Some followers set another date of Oct 22, 1844. This too failed, collapsing the movement. One follower described the days after the failed predictions, “The world made merry over the old Prophet’s predicament. The taunts and jeers of the ‘scoffers’ were well-nigh unbearable.”

1859 – Rev Thomas Parker, a Massachusetts Minister, looked for the millennium to start about 1859.

1874 – invisible return of Christ; Original position of the Watchtower. Then Charles Taze Russell predicted the Rapture in 1910, followed by End of the World in 1914–later interpreted as invisible return of Christ. (99 Reasons Why No One Knows When Christ Will Return, by B J Oropeza, Foreward by Hank Hanegraaff, IVP publishing, 1994)

1914 – was one of the more important estimates of the start of the war of Armageddon by the Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society). They computed 1914 from prophecy in the book of Daniel, Chapter 4. The writings referred to “seven times”. The WTS interpreted each “time” as equal to 360 days, giving a total of 2520 days. This was further interpreted as representing 2520 years, measured from the starting date of 607 BCE. This gave 1914 as the target date.

1914 – Charles Russell, after being exposed to the teachings of William Miller, founded his own organization – the Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 1914 Russell predicted the return of Jesus Christ.

1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994 – Jw’s: Here are other dates that the Watchtower Society predicted. 1975 looked likely as it was computed as the 6000th anniversary of the creation of Adam in the Garden of Eden in 4026 BCE. They interpreted Psalms 90:10 as defining the length of a generation to be 80 years. Since 1914 plus 80 equals 1994, they predicted Armageddon would occur around that year. The latest estimate was 6000 years after the creation of Eve, for which no date can be determined with any accuracy.

1914 – End of World; Charles T. Russel, Jehovah’s Witnesses; later explained that Michael (ie Jesus) had defeated Satan in heaven

1914 – Jesus invisible and quiet return to the Earth. (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Book: This Means Everlasting Life, page 221) “So A.D. 1914 marks the time of Christ’s invisible return in spirit.” Explained after they said he would return in 1914

1917 – Nov. 1917, rebirth of God’s people Israel and awakening of Russia

1918 – In 1918, new math didn’t help the Jehovah’s Witnesses from striking out again.

1920 – NO DATE ON BOOKLET early this century, periods after names and sections. Franklin Ferguson of New Zealand Booklet: The Lord is Coming (23rd Ed.) “Our Lord’s long-promised Return appears to be at hand….We are not warranted in giving a date…we find the startling truth that everything predicted is now abundantly evident.” (inside cover)

1925 – The Witnesses had no better luck in 1925. They already possessed the title of most wrong predictions. They would expand upon it in the years to come.

1953-AUG – David Davidson wrote a book titled “The Great Pyramid, Its Divine Message“. In it, he predicted that the world would end in 1953-AUG.

1957-APR – The Watchtower magazine, quoted (1) a pastor from California, Mihran Ask, as saying in 1957-JAN that “Sometime between April 16 and 23, 1957, Armageddon will sweep the world! Millions of persons will perish in its flames and the land will be scorched.’

1960 – Piazzi Smyth, a past astronomer royal of Scotland, wrote a book circa 1860 titled “Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid.” It was responsible for spreading the belief in pyramidology throughout the world. This is the belief that secrets are hidden in the dimensions of the great pyramids. He concluded from his research that the millennium would start before the end of 1960.

1967 – When the city of Jerusalem was reclaimed by the Jews in 1967, prophecy watchers declared that the “Time of the Gentiles” had come to an end.

1970″s – This 1970’s tract says: “very likely going to happen in the very near future” Ron Reese

1970’s – The late Moses David (formerly David Berg) was the founder of the Christian religious group, The Children of God. He predicted that a comet would hit the earth, probably in the mid 1970’s and destroy all life in the United States.

1970 – The True Light Church of Christ made its claim to fame by incorrectly forecasting the return of Jesus. A number of church members had quit their livelihoods ahead of the promised advent.

1973 – A comet that turned out to be a visual disappointment, nonetheless, compelled one preacher to announce that it would be a sign of the Lord’s return.

1975 – The Jehovah’s Witnesses were back at it in 1975. The failure of the forecast did not affect the growth of the movement. The Watchtower magazine, a major Witness periodical, has over 13 million subscribers.

1975 – Armageddon, 1975; Jehovah’s Witnesses; (Various publication, cited in Newsweek Oct. 15, 1984)

1977 – We all remember the killer bee scare of the late 70’s. One prophecy prognosticator linked the bees to Rev 9:3-12. After twenty years of progression and the bees are still in Texas, I’m beginning to think of them as the killer snails.

1979 – Sept. 10, 1979; Walter M. Simmons; (Booklet: The Day of the Lord, 1978, The final warning sign: June 28, 1967) “Therefore, adding the 12 years, 75 days to the June 28, 1967 date ends on September 10, 1979.” (p. 24).

1981 – Lindsey boldly declared that “The Rapture” would occur before Dec. 31, 1981, based on Christian prophesy, astronomy and a dash of ecological fatalism. He pegged the date to Jesus’ promised to return to Earth a generation after Israel’s rebirth. He also made references to the “Jupiter Effect,” a planetary alignment that occurs every 179 years, that would supposedly lead to earthquakes and nuclear plant meltdowns.

1981 – Rapture June 28, 1981; Bill Maupin & The Lighthouse Gospel Tract Foundation, Tucson. Figured a miscalculation; changed to Aug. 7, 1981; Return of Christ to occur May 14, 1988; based on Founding State of Israel, May 15, 1948 (Gary DeMar, The Debate Over Christian Reconstruction, Ft. Worth: Dominion Press, 1988.)

1982 – It was all going to end in 1982, when the planets lined up and created magnetic forces that would bring Armageddon to the earth.

1982 – A group called the Tara Centers placed full-page advertisements in many major newspapers for the weekend of April 24-25, 1982, announced: “The Christ is Now Here!” and predicted that he was to make himself known “within the next two months.” After the date passed, they said that the delay was only because the “consciousness of the human race was not quite right…” Boy, all these years and we’re still not ready.

1984 – The Jehovah’s Witnesses made sure in 1984 that no one else would be able to top their record of most wrong doomsday predictions. The Witnesses record is currently holding at nine. The years are: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984. Lately, the JW’s are claiming they’re out of the prediction business, but it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. They’ll be back.

1984 to 1999 – In 1983, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Guru of the Rajneesh movement predicted massive destruction on earth, including natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. Floods larger than any since Noah, extreme earthquakes, very destructive volcano eruptions, nuclear wars etc. will be experienced. Tokyo, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Bombay will all disappear.

1986 – Moses David of The Children of God faith group predicted that the Battle of Armageddon would take place in 1986. Russia would defeat Israel and the United States. A worldwide Communist dictatorship would be established. In 1993, Christ would return to earth.

1987 – The Harmonic Convergence planned for Aug. 16-17, 1987, and several New Age events were to occur at that time. The second coming of the serpent god of peace and the Hopi dance awakening were two examples.

1988 – The book “88 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1988” came out only a few months before the event was to take place. What little time the book had, it used effectively. By the time Sept 11-13 rolled around, whole churches were caught up in the excitement the book generated.

1988 – Rapture in Rosh Hashanna Sept. 1988 before Sept 21, Edgar C. Whisenant (Book: 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will be in 1988 (cites Joe Civelli as agreeing with his conclusions)

1988 – Return of Christ: May 14, 1988; based on Founding State of Israel, May 15, 1948 Bill Maupin & The Lighthouse Gospel Tract Foundation, Tucson.; Rapture June 28, 1981; Figured a miscalculation; changed to Aug. 7, 1981 (Gary DeMar, The Debate Over Christian Reconstruction, Ft. Worth: Dominion Press, 1988.)

1988 – Tribulation begins in 1988; J R Church (Book: Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms, clearly hints that 1988 will be the year.) “Psalms 88-94 seem to describe the future seven years of Jacob’s Trouble in chronological order. This is not to say that the Tribulation Period will begin in 1988” (p, 246).

1989 – After the passing of the deadline in 88 Reason’s, the author, Edgar Whisenaunt, came out with a new book called “89 Reasons why the Rapture is in 1989.” This book sold only a fraction of his prior release.

1989 – Rapture in Sept. 1989; Edgar C. Whisenant (Book: 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will be in 1988; The Final Shout: Rapture Report 1989) Revised his thinking after it did not happen in 1988; documented in book Soothsayers of the Second Advent, Wm. Alnor.

1990’s – In 1992, David Koresh of the Branch Davidian group in Waco Texas changed the name of their commune from Mt. Carmel to Ranch Apocalypse, because of his belief that the final all-encompassing battle of Armageddon mentioned in the Bible would start at the Branch Davidian compound. They had calculated that the end would occur in 1995. After a 51-day standoff, on 1993-APR-10, 76 members died as a result of a deliberately set fire.

1991 – A local group in Australia predicted Jesus would return through the Sydney Harbor at 9:00 am on 31st March, 1991.

1991 – Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan proclaimed the Gulf War would to be “the War of Armageddon … the final War.”

1991 – Menachem Schneerson, a Russian born rabbi, called for the Messiah to come by Sept 9, 1991, the start of the Jewish New Year.

1992 – A Korean group called Mission For The Coming Days had the Korea Church a buzz in the fall of 1992. They foresaw Oct 28, 1992 as the time for the Rapture. Numerology was the basis for the date. Several camera shots that left ghostly images on pictures was thought to be a supernatural confirmation of the date.

1992 – Oct. 28, 1992, Rapture; Full page ad in USA Today, on Oct. 20, 1991, placed by the Hyoo-go (Rapture) movement. EP News service quoted one sect, “50 million people will die in earthquakes, 50 million from collapsed buildings, 1.4 billion from World War III and 1.4 billion from a separate Armageddon.” (99 Reasons Why No One Knows When Christ Will Return, by B J Oropeza, Foreward by Hank Hanegraaff, IVP publishing, 1994)

1993 – If the year 2000 is the end of the 6000 year cycle, then the rapture must take place in 1993, because you would need 7 years of the tribulation. This was the thinking of a number of prophecy writers.

1994 – In the book “1994 the Year of Destiny” F. M. Riley foretold of God’s plan to rapture His people. The name of his ministry is The Last Call and he operates out of Missouri.

1994 – Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church Los Angels caused quite a stir when he announced he had received a vision for God that warned of apocalyptic event on June 9th, 1994. Hinkle, quoting God, said, “On Thursday June the 9th, I will rip the evil out of this world.”

1994 – Harold Camping in his book “Are You Ready?” predicted the Lord’s return in Sept 1994. The book was full of numerology that added up to 1994 as the date of Christ’s return.

1994 – After promising themselves they would not make any more end time predictions, the Jehovah’s Witnesses fell off the wagon and proclaimed 1994 as the conclusion of an 80 year generation – the year 1914 was the starting point.

1994 – John Hinkle On Trinity Broadcasting Network quote: “The most cataclysmic experience that the world has ever known sine the resurrection is going to happen.” He said, God said, “On Thursday, June the ninth, I will rip the evil out of this world.” TBN’s Paul Crouch later said maybe something was happening invisibly. (99 Reasons Why No One Knows When Christ Will Return, by B J Oropeza, Foreward by Hank Hanegraaff, IVP publishing, 1994)

1994 – Sept. 15, 1994: Last Day and Return of Christ; Harold Camping; Book: 1994 (pub in 1992) “Last Day and return of Christ sometime on or between September 15, 1994…and September 27, 1994.” (p. 531) “I will be surprised if we reach October 1, 1994” (p. 533)

1995 – Armageddon Delayed! Jw’s. In early November 1995 Jehovah’s Witnesses made newspaper headlines around the world. This time it was not a record crowd at a stadium convention or even a controversial blood transfusion case that attracted international attention, but the postponement of the End. One headline read: “Armageddon Not Coming,” and the related article stated that Jehovah’s Witnesses had announced that “Armageddon [had] been delayed and [that] the end of the world [was] no longer nigh.” (Victoria Times-Colonist, Sunday 12 November 1995, p. A2).

1996 – This had a special month, according to one author. He foresaw the month of Sept as the time for our Lord’s return. The Church Age will last 2000 years from the time of Christ’s birth in 4 BC.

1996 – California psychic Sheldon Nidle predicted the end would come when 16 million space ships converged upon the Earth on Dec. 17, 1996, along with a host of angels. Nidle explained the passing of the date by claiming the angles placed us in a holographic projection to preserve us and give us a second chance.

1996 – The book “The Return of Jupiter: End of the world in the light of the Bible” Dorrance Publishing, Pittsburgh PA predicted a disaster starting in the Pacific Ocean: “A terrible earthquake is going to break the oceanic earth crust under the Pacific Ocean by the year 1996 AD

1996 – Millennium Begins; Morgan Edwards (Book: Two Academical Exercises on Subjects Bearing the Following Titles: Millennium, and Las-Novelties written between 1742 adn 1744; pub 1788) Millennium to begin 3-1/2 years after the Rapture; (cited by John Bray reading The Life and Works of M Edwards, Thom. McKibbens Jr)

1996-OCT-23 – Since 1658, many Christians have accepted the calculations of James Ussher, an Irish archbishop, who estimated that the first day of creation occurred on 4004-OCT-23 BCE. This would make the time interval between the creation of the world and a common estimate of the birth of Christ to be precisely 4000 years. Some people believe that Ussher fudged the data to make it come out neatly. He also estimated that the end of the world would occur exactly 6000 years later, in the fall of 1996.

1997 – When Rabin and Arafat signed their peace pact on the White House lawn on Sept 13, 1993, some saw the events as the begin of tribulation. With signing of the peace agreement Daniel’s 1260 day countdown was underway. By Adding 1260 days to Sept, 1993; you get Feb 24, 1997.

1997 – Stan Johnson of the Prophecy Club saw a 90 percent chance that the tribulation would start Sept 12, 1997. He bases his conclusion on several end-time signs. The date of September 12 was chosen by Johnson because it will be Jesus’ 2000th birthday and it will also be the day of atonement, although not what is currently the Jewish Day of Atonement. Further supporting evidence came from Romanian pastor Dumitru Duduman. In several heavenly visions, Dumitru claimed to had seen the book of life. In one of his earlier visions, there were several pages yet to be completed. In his last vision he noticed the book of life only had one page left. Doing some rough calculating, Johnson and friends figured the latest time frame for the completion of the book of life would have to be September 1997.

1997 or early 1998 – The 1997-JUL-29 issue of the Weekly World News carried a statement by a spokesperson of the International Association of Psychics. 92% of their 120,000 members have had the same “end time” vision. Spokesperson Madame Vredeau predicts: A rise in religious belief. Prophets and saints will appear and lead the faithful to safety The oceans will shrink. Deserts expand. Crops will fail; there will be massive starvation Widespread emotional and mental collapse; increase in crime and violence Changing weather patterns; basic laws of nature will be disrupted Satanic demons will appear in broad daylight. War, pestilence, a worldwide plague Mankind will disappear around the year 2001 CE.

1997-1999 – Russian scientist Vladimir Sobolyovhas of the Rerikh Academy has analyzed prophesies made by Russian saints, by Nostradamus etc. (6) He announced his conclusions in1997-SEP: that the earth’s axis will suddenly tilt about 30 degrees sometime during the next two years. This will submerge the Scandinavian countries and Britain under water, in what is termed the Armageddon Flood. Siberia will be spared. He expects that aliens will intervene and lead the world into the fourth dimension. Right now, these aliens are on earth, but in hiding. Sobolyovhas said: “If we completely believed in them, we would get lazy. So they are clever. They stay hidden in the fourth dimension and only show themselves from time to time.”

1997 – End of World in 1997; Japanese Religious Sect: Aum Shinri Kyo 3000 members; located at base of Mt. Fuji. The words “shinri kyo” mean “supreme truth” and in English it is known as Aum Supreme Truth. Said by ABC News to be radical group; thought to be manufacturing nerve gas ABC World News Tonight, Mar. 21, 1995 Also info from AOL news.

1997-APR-10 – Dan Millar, of Surrey, BC, Canada and Bob Wadsworth of the Biblical Astronomy newsletter are two religious researchers. They are following the age-old tradition of looking for signs in the heavens for the arrival of the Antichrist, return of Christ, etc. Ancient prophecies told of heavenly events and even a cross in the sky in advance of momentous developments. Millar and Wadsworth have predicted the arrival of the Antichrist on APR-10.

1997-DEC-31 – The 1997-JUL-29 issue of the Weekly World News reported that the biggest end of the world scare since the Cuban missile crisis was circulating through Washington. President Clinton called a secret meeting with leading Bible scholars for the week of JUL-27. A confidential Pentagon memo sparked the scare; it predicts a worldwide cataclysm of unprecedented proportions. Earthquake activity is on a rise and will peak at year-end; the earth’s crust is shifting ominously.

1997-MAR-8 – The Vortex of the Star of David religious sect of Luskville, Quebec was quoted (2) as predicting the end of the world on Saturday, MAR-8. A father, Jean Leon Marcoux, was interviewed; he was worried because his children will be visiting their mother at the sect’s commune on that weekend. He approached the Quebec police but was unable to get them to take any action. A spokesperson for the sect stated that they do not have a doomsday scenario.

1997-NOV-27 – The Sacerdotal Knights of National Security report that “A space alien captured at a UFO landing site in eastern Missouri cracked under interrogation by the CIA and admitted that an extraterrestrial army will attack Earth on November 27 with the express purpose of stripping our planet of every natural resource they can find a use for — and making slaves of every man, woman and child in the world!”

1997-OCT-20 – A particularly wacky Jewish group, called the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement (with David Ben-Ariel) were expected to attempt to place the cornerstone of a new temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This is a small piece of real estate that is the most sacred spot in the world to Jews, and one of the most sacred to Muslims. The Rapture Ready home page has predicted that the “Tribulation” would be triggered by that event. Previous attempts had failed either because of riots, or police action. There was one report that they were going to try to airlift the stone by helicopter this time. On OCT-20, several thousand police officers were deployed throughout Jerusalem; they successfully prevented access to the Temple Mount.

1998 – Numerology: Because 666 times three equals 1998 some people point to this years as being a prophetically significant year. I had someone call me long distance just so they could pass on to me this earth shattering news.

1998 – A Taiwanese cult operating out of Garland Texas predicted Christ would return on Mar 31 of 1998. The group’s leader, Heng-ming Chen, announced God would return, and then invite the cult members aboard a UFO. The group abandoned their second coming prediction when a precursor event failed to take place. The cult’s leader said God would appear on every channel 18 of every TV in the world. Maybe God realized at the last minute, the Playboy Network was channel 18 on several cable systems, and he didn’t want to have Christians watching a porn channel.

1998 – On Apr 30, 1998 – when Israel will be age 50 – The tribulation could start. The reasoning for this date has to do with God’s age requirement for priesthood, which is between 30-50.

1998 – Marilyn Agee in her book “The End of the Age” has her sights set on May 31, 1998. This date will conclude the 6000 year cycle from the time of Adam. Agee looks for the Rapture to take place on Pentecost also known as the feast of weeks. Another indicator is the fact that the Holy Spirit did not descend upon the until 50 days from Christ’s resurrection before descending on the Church. Israel was born in 1948, add the 50 days and you come up with 1998. If this prophecy fails, numerology will mark itself as one of the most unreliable method of foretelling and yet the most repeated. After her May 31 rapture date failed, Agee, lacking the ability to face up to her error, continued her date setting by using various scripture references to pointing to June 7, 14, and 21.

1998 – Centro is a very active religious organization, largely centered in the Philippines. They predict that the world will come to an end in 1998. They recommend that their followers retreat to safe places.

1998 – The famous psychic Edgar Cayce predicted that a secret, underground chamber would be discovered between the paws of the Great Sphinx. Inside, there will be documents revealing the history of Atlantis. This revelation will trigger the Second Coming of Christ. This prediction is rather interesting, because two independent studies have revealed that there is in fact an underground structure just where Cayce said it would be!

1998-FEB-26 – Edgar Casey predicted that the earth would have a new pole during the winter of 1997-1998. Since the earth spins like a gyroscope, this would take an enormous amount of energy to achieve. That amount of energy would cause a massive disruption to the oceans and the earth’s crust. That could, in turn, cause very serious, worldwide tidal waves, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

1998-JUL-5 – The Church of the Subgenius predicts that on “X Day”, the end of the world will occur. At that time, “the Men from Planet X, or XISTS, will arrive on Earth, close a deal with “Bob,” rupture the card-carrying Ordained SubGenii up to the Escape Vessels of the Sex Goddesses, and destroy the remaining population of Earth, VERY VERY SLOWLY.” Bob is J.R. Dobbs, leader and High Epopt of the Church of the SubGenius, Living Avatar of Slack, the Saint of Sales. He was responsible for founding the Church on a shifting, sandy beach of hypocrisy.”

1998-MAR-31 – About 150 followers of a Taiwanese Christian-Buddhist spiritual sect have moved into Garland TX (a suburb in northern Dallas) to await God’s arrival. On MAR-25, God is expected to broadcast a commercial on Channel 18 in Garland. He will then be reincarnated into a man on MAR-31 at 10:00 AM, local time. They expect to draw a crowd of about one million who want to be touched by God. Their leader, Hoh-Ming Chen, selected Garland because it sounds like “God land”. News reports from Taiwan indicated that the group plans to commit mass suicide if God does not appear. These appear to be unfounded.

1998-OCT – The House of Yahweh, Abilene (™) predicts that an end-of-world scenario will start during 1998-OCT. By mid-2001, they predict that 80% of the world’s population will have been killed as a result of nuclear warfare.

1999 – TV newscaster-turned-psychic Charles Criswell King said in 1968 that the world as we know it will cease to exist on August 18, 1999.

1999 Sept – 30: Second Coming of Jesus Christ predicted by Kirk Nelson using Edgar Cayce’s Predictions in correlation with the Christian Bible.

1999 – Hon-Ming Chen has founded God’s Salvation Church in Texas. The group believes that a nuclear war will destroy parts of Earth in 1999. They have identified a nine-year old boy as the “Jesus of the East”, a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. They believe that if they can link him up with the “Jesus of the West” then 100 million lives will be spared. The second Jesus is supposed to live in Vancouver BC, look like Abraham Lincoln, and have been born in late 1969. Their search was unsuccessful.

1999-AUG-11 – The WWW site CALENdeRsign® lists a number of astronomical events that will happen as the millennium closes. There has always been an association between such alignments and momentous events in the mind of the public. Starting in late 1999, the following will be observed: 1999-AUG-11: total solar eclipse; visible from Europe 2000-JAN-21: total lunar eclipse; visible in Europe and US 2000-APR: Triple planetary conjunction involving Mars, Jupiter & Saturn 2000-MAY: “Great Conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn. This also occurred in 7 BCE and is thought by some to be the star that some of the Gospels mentioned as leading the three wise men to Jesus.

1999-AUG-11 – According to the 1997-MAY-27 issue of Sun Magazine, the Anti-Christ is alive today and living in the Middle East. On AUG-11, the time of an eclipse of the sun, he will make himself known to the world. “It will be the ultimate war.” Many will perish, and their souls will travel to Heaven or Hell, depending upon which side that they supported during the conflict.

1999-AUG-6 – According to the latest interpretation of Biblical prophecy by the Branch Davidian sect, 5 months of major torment will begin as the sixth seal is fulfilled.

1999-DEC-19 – Sun Magazine listed a prediction of “Bible expert” Dotson Meade. He predicts that “something will happen that brings about the war which will end the world as we know it… There will be a vicious cycle of storms and earthquakes that lead to the final battle the world has awaited.” This date was derived from information in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

1999-JAN – According to the 1997-JUN-24 issue of Sun Magazine Pope John XXIII predicted in 1962 that visitors from outer space will arrive in chariots of flaming steel and will share their advanced knowledge with humanity. Our life span will be increased to 150 years or longer. Most diseases will be wiped out.

1999 – Concerned Christians This group, whose members were ordered deported from Israel, was started by Monte Kim Miller, who used to run an anti-cult network in Denver. People who know the cult say Miller believes he is the last prophet on Earth before Armageddon. Miller, who reportedly believed he talked to God each morning before he went to work, was said to claim that America was Satan and the government evil. Miller has predicted he will die on the streets of Jerusalem in December 1999 but will rise from the dead three days later. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC news, Jan 5, 1999)

2000 – The House of Yahweh A former kibbutz worker named Jacob — now Yisrael — Hawkins started the House of Yahweh, a group that prophesies that the end of the world will arrive very soon if the laws of Yahweh set down in the Bible are not universally obeyed, and the temple in Jerusalem not rebuilt to lie side by side with the Dome of the Rock Mosque. Hawkins has about 3,000 followers who believe he will announce the second coming of Jesus before being murdered by Satan. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC news, Jan 5, 1999)

2000 – Sukyo Mahikari A secretive Japanese group said by former members to spread a neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic dogma, it has established itself as a charitable organization in England. A group leaflet says as the year 2000 approaches, “mankind might be annihilated by the baptism of fire.” Similar language turned up in Aum Shinrikyo materials. Aum Shinrikyo was the cult famous for the deadly sarin gas attack in Tokyo. A spokesman for Sukyo Mahikiri has denied the cult is linked to Aum Shinrikyo or that it is anti-Semitic. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC news, Jan 5, 1999)

2000 – Elohim City In the Cookson Hills of eastern Oklahoma lies the fortress-town of Elohim City, where about 100 heavily armed inhabitants work, pray and conduct paramilitary drills. A former Mennonite preacher named Robert Millar, 73, who envisions a white Christian nation in North America, runs Elohim City in anticipation of an Asiatic invasion of the United States, an attack he considers inevitable. Millar, inspired by fundamentalist Christianity, KKK-style racism and astrology, believes that Christ has been revealing himself for the last two millennia. He also preaches that a series of disasters is about to strike, probably soon after the year 2000, during which time the unworthy and wicked will be cleansed from the Earth. Convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh phoned friends of his in Elohim City before the blast. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC news, Jan 5, 1999)

2000 – Numerology: If you divide 2000 by 3, you will get the devil’s number 666.66666666666667.

2000 – The names of the people and organizations that have called for the return of Christ, at the turn of the century, is too long to be listed here. I would say that if there is day that Christ cannot come back on, it must be Jan 1, 2000. To come at an unknown time means an unknown time. I think Jan 2, 2000 would be a more likely day for Him to call His Church home – right after the big let down.

2000 – On May 5, 2000, all the planets are supposed to be in alignment. This will cause the earth to suffer earthquakes, volcanic eruption, and various other nasty stuff. A similar alignment occurred in 1982 and nothing happened. People fail to realize that the other 9 planets only exert a very tiny gravitation pull on the earth. If you were to add up the gravitational force from the rest of the planets, the total would be only amount to fraction of the tug the moon has on the earth.

2000 – Michael Drosnin, author of “The Bible Code,” found a hidden message in the Pentateuch (the first five books in the Bible) that predicts that World War III, involving a worldwide atomic [sic] holocaust, will start in 2000 (or perhaps 2006).

2000-2001 – Dr. Dale SumburËru looks for March 22, 1997, to be “the date when all the dramatic events leading through the tribulation to the return of Christ should begin” The actual date of Christ’s return could be somewhere between July 2000 and Mar 2001. Dr. SumburËru is more general about the time of the Christ’s second coming than most writers. He states, “The day the Lord returns is currently unknown because He said [Jesus] these days are cut short and it is not yet clear by how much and in what manner they are cut short. If the above assumptions are not correct, my margin of error would be in weeks, or perhaps months.”

2000 – Begin of Jesus’ reign from Jerusalem; Lester Sumerall; Book: I Predict 2000 AD; “I predict the absolute fullness of man’s operation on planet Earth by the year 2000 AD. Then Jesus Christ shall reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years.” (99 Reasons Why No One Knows When Christ Will Return, by B J Oropeza, Foreward by Hank Hanegraaff, IVP publishing, 1994)

2000 – Rapture; Implied in Hal Lindsay’s revision. 1st said 1948+40=1988; Later Israel did not have land until 1967 War; 1967+40=2007; Rapture seven years earlier.

2000-DEC-25 – According to the 1997-JUN-24 issue of Sun Magazine Pope John XXIII predicted in 1962 that Christ would appear in the sky over New York City. He will announce the creation of a 1000-year paradise, to be proceeded by six months of great sorrow.

2000-JAN-1 – According to the 1997-JUN-24 issue of Sun Magazine Pope John XXIII predicted in 1961 that Doomsday will begin with the detonation of an atomic bomb in a major European city by a Libyan terrorist group. This will trigger a massive six-month war that will cause the deaths of millions of people.

2000-JAN-1 – William Cooper, head of a militia group in St. John’s AZ, predicted that on this date the secret chambers of the Pyramid at Giza will be opened. Its secrets will be revealed and Satan will become a public figure. The American militia will engage in a massive war at this time. This, and the previous prediction, are the only two that we have been able to find which agree on the same day. Of course, it is an obvious date to select, because most people believe that the next millennium begins then. It doesn’t; it starts one year later on 2001-JAN-1.

2000-JAN-11 – According to Weekly World News of 1997-NOV-18, the CIA has caught a space alien who had crash-landed on JUN-20 in a New Mexico desert. He is from a species that is considerably more developed, both mentally and spiritually, than mankind. He is only survivor of the destruction of his world – a planet some 200 light years from Earth. He reports that God is “furious with His creations everywhere.” Apparently none of the species that he created turned out at all well. So, god is systematically working his way across the galaxies, setting fires to the planets and exploding them one by one. Earth will be next!

2000-MAY-31 – The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in front of Taurus and the coming back of the Star of Bethlehem like 7.B.C. Some people expect a supernatural event comparable to the birth of Jesus.

2000-SEP-21 – Dan Millar, mentioned above, estimates this date as that of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Four events happen on that day, a Thursday. The sidereal day is reset. It is also the Jewish New Year, using the Canaanite calendar that was in use within ancient Israel prior to the Babylonian Captivity. It is the time of the Jewish “Feast of Jubilees” according to a message given by the Virgin Mary to Father Stefan Gobbi. This feast occurs only once every fifty years. This date is also the Autumn Equinox.

2001 – Jack Van Impe Ministries sponsors the largest Evangelical Christian program devoted to end-time prophecy. In his home page, he discusses his book “On the Edge of Eternity” in which he predicts that the year 2001 will “usher in international chaos such as we’ve never seen in our history.” He predicts that in 2001, and the years following, the world will experience “drought, war, malaria, and hunger afflicting entire populations throughout the [African] continent…By the year 2001, there will be global chaos.” Islam will become much larger than Christianity. (That would take a sudden growth spurt; Islam is currently followed by 19% of the world’s population vs 33% for Christianity). A one-world church will emerge; it will be “controlled by demonic hosts.” Temple rituals (presumably including animal sacrifice) will resume in Israel.

2001 – Because there was no year 0, the true millennium will not start until Jan 1, 2001. Most prophetic watchers still have their sights set on 2000. If the date passes uneventful, I’m sure they’ll realize their error and refocus on this year.

2001 – Charles Spiegel, a retired psychology professor, preaches from a small town near San Diego CA that the ancient land of Atlantis will emerge from the Caribbean circa 2001 CE. Shortly thereafter, 1000 extra-terrestrials from “Myton” in 33 spaceships will land there and bring new knowledge to humanity.

2001-2012 – Beginning of the Millennium, not the end of the world, 1000yrs yet to go. Jack Van Impe; TV show: JVI Presents week of 1-15-1995l; Rather Vague but cites Jewish Catholic and Christians as well as Notradamus

2001-JAN-31 – Sun Magazine reported in its 1997-OCT-14 issue that Noah’s Ark has been discovered intact in undamaged form on a slope near Mount Ararat in Turkey. Inside were a group of 6 copper-gold-silver scrolls, each 12″ square. Scroll 2 reveals that the sun will superheat the earth, melting both polar ice caps, and creating a world-wide flood. Scroll 3 reveals that Doomsday is set for 2001-JAN-31. Good people who repent of their sins will be saved; cruel tyrants will be cast into the burning fires of Hell.

2004 – This date for Jesus’ return is based upon Psalmology, numerology, the biblical 360 days per year, Jewish holidays, and “Biblical astronomy.” To figure out this date you’ll need a calculator, a slide rule, and plenty of scratch paper.

2004 – Arnie Stanton noted on 1997-SEP-16 that that evening was the fourth Jewish festival since 1996-APR-3 on which a lunar eclipse occurred. (7) He quotes Luke 21:25-26 which mentions “signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars and on the earth distress of nations” He believes that “these recent lunar eclipses are the last known astronomical signs that will preceed a 7 year (360 day/year) countdown to Armageddon/Christ’s return to the Earth.” He expects that Christ’s return will occur within a few months of 2004-SEP-29 when Asteroid Toutatis will make a very close approach to the Earth – perhaps even a collision!

2007 – A False teacher named Shelby Corbett, of Bradenton, Florida has put up benches throughout town advertising the rapture will happen in 2007! She has little Bible knowledge and is tying to make money selling her book.

2007 – End of world; Implied in Hal Lindsay’s revision. 1st said 1948+40=1988; Later Israel did not have land until 1967 War; 1967+40=2007; Rapture seven years earlier. Also now says generation from 60-80 yrs. Puts it also at 2040, 2047

2008 April 17 – By January 2009, we (the United States) will be down the tubes… If we come to the point in time where what I’ve said doesn’t come to pass, the reality is that I’m just a false prophet. That’s the bottom line… The reality is if it doesn’t happen, then you’re just false…I’ll acknowledge my error, my wrong, if I’m wrong…(Ronald Weinland, 2008 – God’s Final Witness, Church of God)

2012 – New Age writers cite Mayan and Aztec calendars which predict the end of the age on Dec 21, 2012.

2012 – Michael Drosnin, author of “The Bible Code,” found a hidden message in the Pentateuch (the first five books in the Bible) that predicts that a comet will crash into the earth in 2012 and annihilate all life.

2012-DEC-22 – The Mayan calendar has many divisions of time: months of 20 days, years of 360 days, katun of 7200 days and a baktun of 144,000 days. Their calendar started on 3114-AUG-13 BCE with the birth of Venus. They expected the world to last for exactly 13 baktun cycles. They anticipated the end of the world near the Winter Solstice of 2012. (3)

Jerry Falwell “In a speech about the concern people have over the new millennium, The Rev. Jerry Falwell said the Antichrist is probably alive today and is a male Jew. Falwell also told about 1,500 people at a conference in Kingsport, Tenn., on Thursday that he believes the second coming of Christ probably will be within 10 years. (Williamsburg, Va., Associated Press, January 15, 1999; Falwell: Antichrist May Be Alive)

Order of the Solar Temple Since 1994, more than 74 members of the Order have committed suicide in Canada, Switzerland and France, leaving behind rumors of gunrunning in Australia and money laundering in Canada and Europe. Whether the group is a cold-blooded hoax that milks its victims of their money and then disposes of them or a more “genuine” suicide cult remains unclear. The Order was founded in 1977 by Luc Jouret, then 30, a Belgian born in Zaire who believed he was a third reincarnation of Jesus Christ and that his daughter Emmanuelle, whom he said was immaculately conceived, was the cosmic child. Although he killed himself, the Order still exists. The cult teaches that life is an illusion and after death followers will be reborn on a planet revolving around the dog star Sirius. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC News, Jan 5, 1999)

Church of the Final Testament Started in the early 1990s by a former Russian police sergeant named Sergei Torop who was dismissed from the force after he had a series of religious visions, the group holds particular fascination for former Communist Party members. Torop, who took the name Vissarion, rejects prohibitions on suicide. He tells his followers he is Jesus Christ, and looks the part with flowing dark hair and wispy beard. Currently building a “City of the Sun” on Siberia’s Mount Sukhaya, the Vissarionites are estimated to be the largest cult-like group in Russia with thousands of followers. Russian politicians have recently warned that the Church members may commit mass suicide as the millennium approaches. (Apocalypse Really Soon: ABC news, Jan 5, 1999)

Did The Father Forsake Jesus On The Cross?

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Torture_stake

Did the Father forsake Jesus on the cross? The answer is yes, God really DID forsake His Son while He hung on the cross and it is important to understand why.

Except for Jesus Christ, all humans have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Sin, the breaking of God’s law, requires the penalty of death: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Sin also cuts one off from God: “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does is will, He hears him” (John 9:31, RAV). Isaiah wrote: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isa. 59:1-2, RAV).

Nevertheless, when one does repent — change, turn around, go the right way, and overcome — God will hear and answer that person’s request.

So, did Jesus sin? Is that the reason the Father cut Himself off from His only begotten Son who poured out His blood and finally died on the cross? No, not at all. Jesus was perfect. He never sinned. Notice: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (I Pet. 2:21-22).

Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, willingly took on our sins and, by His shed blood and death, suffered the penalty of sin for us. While He was on the cross, Jesus bore the sins of all of humanity, paying the penalty for them. Therefore, Jesus was cut off from God while on the cross because sin separates man from God. If God the Father was going to accept Jesus’ one supreme sacrifice as payment for the sins of all mankind, He had to turn His back on the sinbearer — Jesus. He had to forsake Jesus and let Him pay the full penalty for our sins.

God so loved the world that He was willing to cut Himself off from His perfect, loving, and obedient Son so that the Son could bear the sins of the world. How great and wonderful God’s love is toward us!

But, remember, God forgives and applies Christ’s sacrifice to only those who have truly repented, those who are willing to turn from their evil ways, the very ways which made Christ’s supreme sacrifice necessary. Christ came to save man FROM his sins — not IN his sins.

Why did Jesus ask the question He asked? Didn’t He know that God had to turn His back on Him and forsake Him while He was carrying the sins of the world? Certainly, Jesus fully realized that God had to forsake Him if the world were going to receive an atonement for its sins. This was one of the reasons Jesus came into the world (John 3:16-17). Why, then, did He ask the question? The answer is that by so doing He fulfilled prophecy.

David too, in a time of trouble, cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (Ps. 22:1).

These words, spoken by a man after God’s own heart hundreds of years before the crucifixion, prophetically applied to Christ. They foreshadowed the utter anguish Jesus felt when God the Father forsook Him.

Why Homosexuality Destroys God's Gospel

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man-and-man-i...

Given today’s liberal climate of pandering to homosexual conduct as normal behaviour, I doubt this post will be popular with the “politically correct” elite. But then again, the truth is seldom popular. Witness Jesus Christ, who was killed for  bringing the message of His Father. Yes, many seemed to believe “on” Christ, but only 120 “believed” Him – that is, they obeyed. Today also, many profess to believe in Christ, adore Christ, worship the name of Christ – yet who listens to or obeys God? Man has the audacity to actually do away with the 10 Commandments, when there is no clear scripture authorizing such a move.

Is this the end time?

It’s pretty hard to wrap your mind around a subject like the end time, when everything seems to be well in your world. North America still has a high standard of living and has enjoyed one for almost a century. However, all that is slowly coming to an end. The entire world seems to be in a financial free fall, but as this is mentioned, many seem to shrug it off as a concern that will right itself again. It’s just another cyclical event, right? Wrong! No one has ever seen the likes of what we are facing today. The experts admit they are dumbfounded and speechless. They don’t know what is going on because history has no precedent. It’s very easy to be casual about things such as these, but we are now witnessing the outer edge of the coming storm, prophecied in your Bible.

In Gen. 6:13, during the time of Noah, God said the end of all flesh was near. And so it is again, as we face another end –  the coming Tribulation as prophecied in the book of Revelation. Anyone with a little foresight should be able to recognize that this world’s problems cannot be solved by man. Yet no one wants to listen to God. There is very little humbleness in this world, and the Bible says mankind will experience destruction just short of destroying all humanity (Matt. 24).

Peter warns about homosexuality

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly” (II Pet. 2:6).

This warning was not for the first century Church, but rather the end time, about which Christ prophecied that “no flesh” would be saved alive if He did not return. Peter was inspired to write about this end time sick  Sodom-and-Gomorrah world.

So what is Sodomy? It is abnormal sexual intercourse between people. This was practiced widely in Sodom, known for some of the most vile sins ever committed by men. Today we have become so sophisticated that sodomy, or homosexuality,  is regarded as good, rather than the abomination God says it is (Rom. 1:22-23).

The Bible is clear in its condemnation of this lifestyle (Is. 1:10, 3:9, Jer. 23:14), and of the certainty of those sinners being severely punished (Is. 13:9, Jer. 49:18, Lam. 4:6).

Like Sodom of old, the scripture says we declare our sin as Sodom and hide it not. Today’s society is proud of the fact that it has collectively come out of the closet. The entire lifestyle is taught early on in school to be tolerated and any opposing views are squashed as being intolerant.

The most important thing on the minds of many people is the drive to legitimize and legalize homosexual marriage. People think if they can get caught up in their evil desires, they can forget about reality and about what God says. Yet, God gave us specific New Testament example in Peter (and Jude) about what happens if a city or nation is polluted with homosexuality. It is going to be destroyed the same way that depraved Sodom and Gomorrah were.

The twisting of the human mind

The sin of sodomy is the utmost twisting the human mind. God is NOT pleased about people being defiled in such a way. And that is exactly what it is – a defilement. God calls it an uncleanness – a dishonouring of the human body (Rom. 1:14).

Now it’s funny that most professing Christianity believe in the New Testament, yet here are specific warnings from God and even churches that claim to represent Jesus Christ openly advocate homosexuality – saying the Bible is silent on the issue, or worse, approves of it.

Let’s be real honest in our evaluation of this behaviour – it is not neither loving nor balanced; solid or sound minded. It is a depraved conduct – period. I understand that more and more courts of the land are approving of it, but they are defying the living God! They have pushed and pressured young, impressionable minds to accept this sick lifestyle and now “the whole head is sick (Is. 1:5).

The antithesis of hope!

Homosexual marriage is the antithesis of real hope. Why? because rather than being a “freedom,” it destroys families. Family is the most sacred of all institutions. When a family obeys God it produces strong, beautiful children which will amaze you. These are the backbone of nations. When families fall apart, nations fall.

Now many will argue that they have seen strong homosexual marriages with adopted children, which function better than some traditional families. That may be true, but it misses the entire point. Marriage and family are a God-plane relationship. It prepares us to enter our marriage with Jesus Christ. God is our Father, Jesus Christ is the Husband of the bride (God’s firstfruits) and the entire world will be likened as children in the God family. It is a family gospel.

Satan is the author of the “queer” movement. He understands that he will be deposed when Jesus Christ returns, that he has no opportunity in the family of God. He wants to obliterate family – destroy marriage and blot it out forever. He is the motivator behind the same sex marriage movement which is defying God to His face.

Anciently, when two angels visited Sodom in the guise of physical men, the perverted male population wanted to have sexual relations with them. They were so full of lust, that even as they were struck blind, they kept coming. Just as there was no  reasoning with such deviant minds then, so there is no reasoning with the homosexual movement today. There is no knowledge of God with them, so they have been given over to a reprobate [vain, empty, worthless – Strong’s # 96] mind (Rom. 1:28).

If you understand the gospel of God – which is about the family of God – you will understand the magnitude of this sin. We are now witnessing the destruction of the gospel of God – the good news of the coming family of God. Satan is desperately trying to blot out this hope from mankind by twisting and distorting the very foundation of family. But God turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes as an example and warning to us of what will happen if we turn wholesale to this sin. And as a nation, we have!

There is no greater physical warning in the Bible than this. God didn’t spare the sinning angels, nor the sinners in Noah’s day. Neither did He spare Sodom and Gomorrah.  We are living in such societies today and  God does not spare people who commit such vile sins. Think about it. Haven’t most people been dulled to homosexuality and other immorality in this world?

“Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin…(II Pet. 2:14). They are hooked on sin like heroin – like the homosexuals in Gen. 19. Their willpower is destroyed.

The homosexual movement promises liberty, but they themselves are the servants of corruption (II Pet. 2:19). They never talk about God’s “law of liberty,” in Jam. 1:25. They offer a false freedom – a lawless liberty, which is really slavery. They talk about love, but it is a shallow, meaningless love not grounded in the law of God.

Homosexuality is NOT freedom, because it destroys the law of God and the gospel of God. It is part of the pornographic market which rakes in billions annually. And we need to call it what it is. First, homosexuals are not queer or gay, because those words soften or add legitimacy  – they are sodomites – as God calls them.

Some will say that this type of post is hateful, but the opposite is true. We are to love the sinner and yet hate the sin and I abide by that principle. I have nothing against people themselves, but I can’t condone the lifestyle.  Anyone who thinks our present problems are unrelated to the filth and degeneration present in society today is not thinking clearly. These problems will only intensify, they will not go away.  There will not be an economic upturn anymore – this is it – we have crested the hill and the way down is before us. God is now judging our nations for turning their backs on Him.

What an ugly picture leading to the greatest time of suffering ever in mankind’s history – the Tribulation – as described in the book of Revelation. Yes, that’s the same book no religion teaches about because of its perceived bad news. And contrary to scoffers, that won’t make it go away. In fact, God knew such attitudes would prevail today:

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts (II Pet. 3:3).

Lange’s Commentary says this is referring to “the last of the last days.” So many will come in the spirit of scoffing and cursing (Ps. 109:16-17). What is causing this mass exodus away from God? Satan has been cast down and demons are racing about like mad dogs stirring up rage, clothing all in a scoffing spirit. It’s an ugly picture, but just like in the time of Noah, they refuse to listen, which actually fulfills prophecy.

There is good news though. Jesus Christ is returning and will overthrow the governments of this world, installing God’s government of peace and justice. Right and proper conduct will be taught from the basis of the law of God and the result will be true happiness.