Home

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Recent Posts

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The End of Sacrifice – Daniel 9:27

    The common narrative, popularized by Hal Lindsey, is that the Jews will be allowed to rebuild their Temple because the Anti-Christ confirms a covenant with them, and that Old Testament sacrifices will be resumed, with God’s blessing, on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  But alas!  after 3 1/2 years The AntiChrist violates the terms of the agreement and presents himself as God.  Then the Jews’ eyes are opened, they see the error of their ways and escape to Petra because they have just seen “the abomination of desolation” in the Holy Place.

    I think that’s a reasonably accurate statement of what many believe.  After this dastardly deed, God becomes angry because sacrifices and offerings (that He apparently approved of) have been discontinued, and the Great Tribulation begins.

    Well, perhaps not.  I’d like to propose a possibility that fits the Biblical criteria for these events, without the imaginative forays into the Land of Biblical Make-Believe. 

    The covenant-maker and deal-breaker is assumed to be The Bad Guy based on one very tenuous shred of “evidence” based on a mis-reading of Daniel 9:26.  The verse is well-known amongst us eschaticians (I made that word up): “ … and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.”  Hal Lindsey correctly pointed out that Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed during the war between the Romans and the Jews 70 AD.  However, as Flavius Josephus pointed out, General Titus Vespasian tried to preserve the city, but the conscripts he had enlisted stopped following his orders.  So a fairly strong case can be made that it was NOT the Romans who actually lit the fires.  But more on point, both Jesus and Josephus lay the blame for the complete destruction at the feet of the Jews.  They could have preserved their city but they did not.  It was rebellious, stiff-necked and hard-hearted Jews who caused the ultimate destruction.  Daniel was apparently saying the Jews living at the time of the Messiah would destroy the city and the sanctuary.  (see Luke 11:51)  If it was the Jews who destroyed the city and the sanctuary, then the “Prince” is necessarily “Messiah the Prince.”

    Grammatically, the antecedent of “he” in verse 27 could not be “prince who is to come.”  This is a modifying clause within a prepositional phrase; that is, a group of words that serves as an adjective to describe the noun “people.”  You grammarians can help me out here, but I understand that the antecedent of a pronoun must be a noun.  Since “people” is inherently plural, it would not make sense as the antecedent for “he.”  What DOES make sense is the only Prince that Daniel talks about, and that’s “Messiah the Prince” in verses 25 and 26.  Jesus Christ the Messiah is the one who will confirm the covenant.

    Perhaps I’m not that sharp as a grammarian and the antecedent of “he” in verse 27 COULD BE the “prince who is to come.” Even so, the only prince anticipated by Daniel is “Messiah the Prince” who is mentioned twice. That the coming prince might be “The AntiChrist” is not even suggested. Remember the context and purpose of Daniel and this prophecy which he stated. The prophecy concerns ultimate reconciliation between God and the Jews.

    Second, in Lindsey’s conjecture, one of the terms of this covenant that The AntiChrist allegedly confirms is that the Jews can resume Temple sacrifices.  This is not in the text, but is assumed to make the model make sense.  “Sacrifice and offering” are not necessarily part of the covenant that is confirmed, and when you see what “sacrifice and offering” are ended, you will agree.

    We understand that Israel is blinded “in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (see Romans 11:25).  This is generally understood to mean that the Jews will have their blindness removed at the time of the rapture.  In Lindsey’s model, the church is removed but the Jews stumble on in their blindness, accept a false messiah, and offer sacrifices of bulls and sheep for 3 1/2 years, and THEN the AntiChrist shows his true colors and the Jews’ eyes are opened.  I find this problematic.

    In the popular model, God’s anger is aroused when these presumably acceptable sacrifices and offerings are discontinued, so He initiates 3 1/2 years of GREAT Tribulation.  I also find this problematic.

    There are some other problems, but you may be thinking, “okay, so what DOES this guy believe?”  So glad you asked.

    Messiah the Prince confirms a covenant to begin the final seven years.  This is very shortly after the rapture.  God made a covenant with Abraham.  Read Hebrews 11:8-13.  God made earthly promises of land and blessings to Abraham and those who followed his example of faith.  But they died “not having received the promises.”  God will raise them up and confirm His covenant with them.  The resurrection is described in Ezekiel 37 and the confirmation in Revelation 7:1-8.  When God makes a promise, He will deliver.  Death won’t short-circuit His integrity.

    A word about the State of Israel:  Jesus warns His church TWICE about those who say they are Jews and are not, but do lie.  Read Rev. 2:9 and 3:9.  It’s well-known that Tel Aviv is the “gayest city in the Mediterranean” – they boast about it.  What is not so well-known is that any woman in Israel can get an abortion, paid for by the government, at any time and for any reason.  Hitler may have killed 6 million Jews, but the modern State of Israel has done more.  Israel is also leading the charge on the current global vaccine genocide.  This is not my anti-Semitism; rather, my suggestion that many of the folks in the modern State of Israel are not really Jews at all.  I will be happy to be proven wrong on this, and I hope they repent and get saved.  But most of the evidence points in the other direction.

    So modern Israel may remain more-or-less intact, and I suspect a beautiful Temple complex will be built.  It will have porches or entrances for maybe five major global religious groups:  Judaism, faux-Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Humanism.  (or other flavors; it probably does not matter).  But they will have as an architectural focal point: The Image – perhaps in a gorgeous central rotunda.  And before that Image will be an altar for human sacrifice.  THAT is the “sacrifice and offering” that Messiah Jesus will bring to an end.

    For those who sent money to the Temple Institute, that’s probably where your money has gone. 

    In summary:  the rapture, followed by an intense “great tribulation” (see Rev. 2:22 or this item), and then per Revelation 11:2 and 13:5 the Dragon/Beast/false prophet – the “unholy trinity” – rule the earth for 42 months.  During that time, God has two witnesses who stand before the “god of the earth” (Rev. 11:4) for 1,260 days (a bit less than 42 months).  Then they die, are raised, and Jesus returns to Jerusalem to put an end to the whole Satanic scheme.  Not sure how long it takes, but the war is over and peace and blessing come to the global village by Day #1,335.  (Daniel 12:12)

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    Kicking the Can

    I don’t remember for sure, but think it may have been Hal Lindsey’s best-selling The Late, Great Planet Earth that introduced me to the prophecy of the “fig tree generation.”  Lindsey asserted that the rebirth of national Israel was the “budding of the fig tree” and that within a generation of that event, all the prophecies of Matthew 24 would have to be fulfilled.

    Jesus said so!!   You can read it yourself in Matthew 24:32-34 if you don’t believe me.  Lindsey then opined that, because a “generation” was about 40 years, that about 40 years or so from 1948 we should expect Jesus to return and set up the Millennial Kingdom.

    According to The New York Times, Lindsey’s book was the best-selling non-fiction book of the 1970s and no doubt, it greatly impacted a LOT of people.  But alas! the 1980s came and went, Jesus did not return, and the “fig tree prophecy” needed to be re-visited.  There have been two approaches to its regular recalibration.  First, a “generation” might not be 40 years.  Jack Van Impe calculated the dates and counted the generations in Matthew chapter 1 and concluded that the 2150 years between Abram’s birth and the birth of Christ, divided by the 42 generations recorded in Matthew gives just shy of 52 years per generation.  That moves the goal posts from 1988 to 2000.

    Perfect!  The new millennium, the “third day” … everything is dropping into place. 

    But alas again!  Y2K came and went.  And Y2K+1.  Back to the drawing board.

    The second way to recalibrate is to say, “Maybe the ‘fig tree generation’ didn’t begin in 1948.  Maybe it began in June 1967 when the Jews recaptured Jerusalem.”  Maybe.  If a “generation” really is 40 years as Lindsey proposed, we only had seven years to wait.

    In 2008 it was time to move the goal posts again, and now the preferred schema is to abandon “generation” and substitute “lifespan.”  For this we go to Psalm 90.  Seventy years passed from May 14, 1948  in 2018.  Still no Parousia, no rapture, no Millennial Reign.  But there’s a 10-year “fudge factor” in verse 10 where we can stretch to 80 “by reason of strength.”  So it’s “game on” until 2028.

    Sorry.  A “prophecy” that can be made to say anything says nothing.  We’re seeing equivocation here, which is a logical fallacy wherein the definitions of the terms of the argument are changed or are ambiguous, so the logic does not really cohere.  But the real problem with this whole thing is at the beginning.  What did Jesus really say???

    Jesus said, “when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the very doors.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled.”  Jesus used the “fig tree” as an example.  Luke recounted this discussion in Luke 21:29 – “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  When they are already budding …” 

    It is eisegesis of the highest order to invent “rebirth of Israel” and substitute it into this text.  Jesus said nothing about Israel being re-established as a nation.  The “generation” to which Jesus was speaking was, in context, HIS generation, and within 40 years of the time He uttered these words, they were fulfilled by Titus and the Romans.  Whether or not there will be a second or final fulfillment of this prophecy is a separate question.  But “fig tree generation” as a timing device for the rapture is simply a well-executed hoax on the believing but sadly gullible Christian community.  If Bible prophecy were a lawn, then the “fig tree prophecy” would be crabgrass.

    I suspect it is the pro-Zionist crowd that may have invented this idea, along with the idea that the blessings and curses suggested in Genesis 12:3 apply to the modern State of Israel.  The reason is fairly clear:  they wanted legitimacy for the UN-created “State of Israel.”  They did not just want a “homeland for the Jews” – their view was broader than that.  Perhaps this is what Jesus was warning us about in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 – ” … the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” and ” … the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie …”  Jesus was talking to US.  Who might he have been talking about??

    This is NOT anti-Semitism.  I don’t believe that most of these Zionists are Semitic people.  And I certainly bear them no ill will.  But this is politics, NOT fulfilled prophecy.  That much of American Christianity has been duped is a testimony to their skill.  And I will let it go at that … for now.

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    A Discussion of “Biblical Inerrancy”

    The accuracy or faithfulness of modern English translations of the Bible is an ongoing point of discussion. Even translations deemed reliable can be called into question because of the commentary passages some publishers embed in their Bibles, intending to be helpful (no doubt). Still, I’m not sure that many of the discussions on “which translation is the best” (or “most accurate”) etc. are all that helpful.

    You may be aware that some cult groups or nominally Christian groups “translate” their own versions, not to bring clarity but rather to support the cult’s aberrant beliefs. These versions fail the “inerrancy” test for reasons I hope to explain. However, with these versions set aside, there is still a huge number of versions of scripture that claim to be legitimate and accurate translations, and yet they all differ from one another, and some in significant ways. Can ALL of these versions be trustworthy and “inerrant”?  Can we determine if any of them are?

    Let us suppose, for purposes of illustration, that I install a wall safe in your home. I have the factory paperwork, and I copy the combination of the safe on a piece of paper and give it to you. If I don’t show you the original paperwork, how can you find out if the copy I gave you is “inerrant”? Obviously, you would try the combination on the safe and see if it opens.

    In the case of scripture, the “original paperwork” has long since disappeared. All we have is copies, and copies of copies. So you can’t compare today’s scriptures with the originals.

    Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished for every good work.” So just as the purpose of the combination is to open the safe, the purpose of the scriptures is to complete and furnish men of God. If the diligent study and faithful application of scripture produces godliness, we can generally trust the version. If the scriptures are indeed “God-breathed” (which is what “inspired” means) then we have to believe that if God can create a message for us, that He can also preserve the integrity of the message and ensure the message gets delivered. If the message “opens the safe”, that is, produces men and women of mature faith and godly character, the version is probably at least generally trustworthy.

    Cult versions of the Bible are designed and intended to produce cult members. A Jehovah Witness has his faulty belief system shored up by his “New World Translation.” A Mormon has no problem with Mormonism’s beliefs because they are supported by Mormon “scriptures.” Their combination simply opens a different safe.

    But why do versions vary so much? Part of the reason is copyright laws. Any copyrighted material must differ by a certain percentage (I think it’s 10%) from any other copyright or it’s plagiarism. So the editors must be careful, and this constraint may mean they can’t use the exact word or phrase that expresses the original (as best we know) Greek or Hebrew, because someone else in another version already used that exact same text. So they look for synonyms, and they amplify or clarify with commentary notes, footnotes and the like. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

    For the diligent student of scripture, the Bible you hold in your lap is just the starting point. Internet resources, concordances, Greek and Hebrew lexicons and the like can help open up scriptures, as well as some understanding of the cultural lens through which the original recipients of these books understood them.

    But the bottom line is obedience. Francis Chan tells the story of him telling his daughter to go clean her room. Later, he asked her, “Rachel, did you clean your room?” She said, “Dad, I memorized what you told me. In fact, I can even say it in Greek. I got five of my friends together and we had a discussion on what it would look like if I cleaned my room. Here’s our study notes.”

    Humorous, to be sure, but sadly much like what American Christianity has become. We’re called to lives of obedience and discipline. If we “believe in our heads” we can pass a written test. If we “believe in our hearts” then we obey and our lives are changed. So the issue is one of obedience, rather than the accuracy of the Bible translation. We’re directed to “believe in our hearts” that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9) and this heart-belief must necessarily result in behavioral change and spiritual growth. The sweep of New Testament thought makes this conclusion inescapable.

    The test is: what is my study and application of the scriptures doing to me? If your study AND APPLICATION makes you arrogant, complacent, anxious, legalistic, doubtful etc. then maybe it’s a problem with the version. If you’re becoming mature, gracious, loving, compassionate, serene and faithful, then keep at it. Bear in mind, of course, that the Pharisees in Jesus’ day were the people of The Word. They studied and memorized their scriptures, knew EXACTLY what they said … and yet, they failed dismally. Read John 5:39 – it was not a problem with the “version”, but their real problem lay elsewhere.

    This is getting long, but forgive me for making it just a little longer. In mathematics, we deal with equations. X + 3 = 5 for instance. The two sides are functionally equal, even though they are textually different. We don’t quibble in math about these textual differences. In the example of our wall safe, if one of the numbers was ’46’ and instead of writing that number, I wrote “forty-six” or “45 + 1” or “JFK’s age at his death” you realize that it’s several different ways of expressing the same value, and you could still open the safe. By studying the whole of scripture, we can get past these textual differences and get the whole message from God. We “open the safe” when we are conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), as we grow up in all things in Him (Ephesians 4:15).

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    Broken Cultures

    Church is community – that’s what we’ve been told. We saw a glimpse of it in Acts 4:32-35 – the church lived as a FAMILY – no healthy family is un-sharing or un-caring.

    Since church community is ideally an enlargement of family community, it occurred to me that a normal family as God intended was most probably not a husband and wife, both with careers, a son, a daughter and a dog. A family of four lacks the critical mass to exercise community. It occurred to me also that a healthy family was most probably a husband, wife, and maybe ten or more children. That was NORMAL and in that arrangement, the children learned the principles of community.

    Since we don’t have normal families any more, we don’t raise people in the culture who are equipped for community. Therefore, the church is a place where you can gather, but not a place where you can be assembled. You can gather all the necessary parts of a bicycle but until they are assembled, there is no function. Since the church is not assembled, the church usually does not function … or functions way below the level intended.

    Our architecture supports this dysfunction. A church is built for meetings, with a few “main” people in prominence and everyone else watching. A church building is more like a movie theater than a living room. But our residential architecture also is built for families that don’t function, and are actually more like boarding houses. Each person has his own room, his own TV, his own phone – his own life. The dining room table has been replaced by TV trays, families eat in shifts or go their separate ways. The demands of school and career destroy family time.

    My thought is that the culture is broken and the tools needed to fix it are also broken. I also think the Millennium is the only cure. We are past the point of no return. I expect the Millennial Kingdom will be a complete re-boot of humanity. We sure need it.

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    Beat Any Traffic Ticket

    Traffic tickets – what a bummer! You’re cruising along, minding your own business and not hurting anyone, when suddenly the blue lights come on and you’re on the hook for $50 … or maybe more …. because some cop stopped you while lots of people going even faster got away scot-free.

    Now you can use a legal theory – embraced by MILLIONS of intelligent people – to “educate” the judge in traffic court and hopefully keep YOUR MONEY.

    Interested? Read on ….

    If you are brought into court after being given a ticket for speeding, you can simply tell the judge about all the times you didn’t speed, and under the legal doctrine of Praeponderat Bono Malum he must let you go. Praeponderat bono malum is Latin for “good outweighs evil.” Your good deeds outnumber your bad deeds. There have been many, many more times that you drove at or under the speed limit. You have been more good than evil. You are basically a “good person.” The judge would be UNJUST if he were to convict you.

    This defense will work equally well for any crime. Murder someone and then tell the judge and jury about all the people you haven’t murdered. Steal something and list all the things you didn’t steal. Lie under oath (commit perjury) and then tell the judge all the times you told the honest truth. The judge would lack the expected temperament for his position, one would hope, if he were harsh or unmindful of the fact that — after all — “we’re only human.”

    As you may suspect, this sort of “defense” does not work at all! No law school teaches it, and no judge would accept it. But what is really crazy is that a lot of sane and reasonable people are betting their eternity on this doctrine. You probably know a few of them: “I expect to go to heaven because God is fair and I’m a ‘good person.’ My good deeds outweigh my bad deeds. God won’t send me to hell.” This Kool-Aid® has lots of flavors, but they are all basically the same.

    When you stand before God, it won’t be for traffic tickets, and your money won’t be at risk. He will examine every detail of your life in the light of His perfect moral law, and for every one of us, there is only one verdict: GUILTY. There is only one punishment: eternal separation from God, and from every good thing that is sourced in Him. There is only one escape: a perfectly innocent substitute who is willing to serve your sentence for you.

    This is NOT religion. No religion can save you. No memberships, “good deeds,” intentions, institutionalized rituals, incantations, ceremonies, incense, indulgences, votive candles, monetary offerings, repetitive prayers to specific persons declared as “saints” or even to the one who some refer to as the “queen of heaven” can save you. NONE of these can protect you from God’s wrath against YOUR sins. My friend, you need a specific savior.

    God has provided one. Just one, but that’s all you need.

    If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

    Head knowledge gets you through a written test, but it’s heart knowledge that transforms a life and changes an eternal destination. Believing thing about Jesus is not the same as believing IN Him. Has your life been transformed? Do you have saving faith? If not, what are you going to do about it? And what are you waiting for?

    Trip To Truth

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The Grand Insult

    I think I’ve sort of figured out why it bothers me so much that there is so much rank indifference to the Second Coming among those who self-identify as Christians. Yes, I know – many of these people may not be Christians in the Biblical sense. But the fact is, some are. And we talk with them – or try to – about the signs of the times, the things Jesus told us specifically to watch for, and the unmistakable Revelation 12 sign that’s nearly upon us …. and you know as well as I what kind of reaction we often get.

    It bothers me because this is an insult to Jesus Christ of the highest order. Not just the disobedience to His explicit command to watch (Mark 13:37), but the inexcusable indifference to His return.

    Here’s an illustration: A guy is engaged. He’s in the military and he is being deployed. So he says to his fiancée, “Sweetheart, troop movements and ship movements are classified, so I can’t tell you when I’ll be back. But check the ‘arrivals’ page on the base web site every night. It will announce our return 24 to 48 hours before we get back. You’ll have enough advance notice to be on the pier when I return.”

    Then he leaves, and six months later he returns. He gets to the pier and lots of folks are there, but not his fiancée. He waits around for an hour or so, then gets on the phone. She tells him she never checked the arrivals.

    You can imagine the excuses she might have offered, but the bottom-line question is: Does she really love him? And with that comes another question, does she deserve him?

    I think the answer is “no” on both counts. And sadly, Jesus is getting the same shabby treatment from people we know who claim to be Christians. I think it’s shameful and disgusting, and I’m at a loss as to what I can do about it. But I think the Matthew 7:23 crowd is going to be a whole lot bigger than we imagine.

    “No one knows the day or the hour” will NOT be a defense, or an adequate excuse. Let’s face it: arguably up to a quarter (perhaps more) of the scriptures have eschatological application. Did Jesus follow the Olivet discourse with, “but you need not concern yourselves, because ‘no one knows the day or the hour’?” Did John end Revelation with, “you can ignore everything I’ve written here, because ‘no one knows the day or the hour’ “?

    I need not belabor this. And I won’t. For those who truly love Jesus Christ, these are exciting times. For those who want just enough Christianity to stay out of hell, I’m afraid a painful surprise may be in store.

    Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (emphasis added)

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The Tribulation Gospel

    Here’s an illustration of the “tribulation gospel” and a few other things:


    You buy (or inherit) a large piece of land. You may have funds to build your dream house on it, or perhaps funds are also part of the inheritance. But you tell your lovely and gracious bride that the deal is done, the paperwork is signed and the land is yours.

    You are both so excited!

    There is a sort of shack standing on the land now, and you decide you will move into the shack until your dream house is completed. You can hardly wait.

    But there’s a small problem. A band of vagrants has set up camp on your land. They are trespassing – it’s not their land and never was. But while the land was vacant, they moved in. They are armed and dangerous. You tell them you own the land and you are moving in and they must “vacate the premises forthwith!” or you will call the Sheriff. They snarl at you and refuse to budge.

    So you call the Sheriff and explain the situation. You prove to him that you are the lawful owner and you want these trespassers removed. So the Sheriff tells them they must leave or they will be forcibly evicted. They still refuse.

    So the Sheriff returns with a few dozen deputies. The miscreants start shooting! The Sheriff and his men return fire, kill some of the vagrants and subdue the rest. Once they are removed, you and your lovely and gracious bride move into the shack. It’s hardship, no doubt about it. There’s little room, the roof leaks when it rains, the floor is half dirt and half old boards, and the wind comes through the walls. It’s too hot in summer and cold in the winter.

    A year passes, construction of your dream house is complete, and you move out of the shack and into your new home. The shack is dismantled and the pieces hauled off to be burned.

    Regarding the trespassers on your land, no effort is legally required to be made to allow them to stay. They got wrath – as much as necessary and exactly what justice required. The Sheriff first gave them notice, which is what the “everlasting gospel” recorded in Revelation 14:7 is all about:

    “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.“

    The idea that God is going to make another appeal for faith, repentance or obedience after the rapture is a false hope. It may be that people will cry out to God in remorse, but His response is in Proverbs 1:24-32. God will “laugh at [their] calamity” and will “mock when [their] terror comes.” NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) If people want to ignore God today, when salvation is offered and is freely available, then God will ignore them in the day of disaster. By the way, remorse is not repentance.

    Getting back to the story, you and your lovely bride endure hardship while the dream house is being built. Life in the shack is unpleasant, but it is not punitive. No one is mad at you and you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s just the nature of the situation and, truth be told, you brought it on yourself by your free and willing choices. Instead of paying rent for a year and taking longer to finish the house, you opted for a year in the shack.

    Christianity – true Christianity – is like that. “In this world you will have tribulation” is one of those precious promises we ignore. Acts 14:22 is another. “Take up your cross daily and follow Me” is not an invitation to a life of ease.

    It’s truly a shame that so many prophecy teachers see Daniel’s 70th week as “the tribulation period” and construct such an unbiblical model. Some also seem to think that Abraham, Noah and others were saved by works (or were saved by a different gospel), but in this “church dispensation” all that’s necessary is faith. NO! Abraham was saved by faith, and it issued in obedience; his willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Noah was saved by faith, and it issued in obedience in building the ark. Just read Hebrews 11; you will see that they were all saved by faith that produced obedience. Faith or trust is not stand-alone. The other side of the coin is always obedience to God. That is also the gospel of the “church dispensation” according to James chapter 2.

    “Faith and works are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith.” – Charles Spurgeon

    The “everlasting gospel” cited above is not a last-chance, “open the door of your heart” appeal for lost sinners to repent. Rather, lost, defiant and blaspheming sinners are simply being put on notice. The “tribulation period” for the church has lasted 2000 years and is almost over. Wrath for unbelieving Gentiles will soon follow. There are no “second chances” or “make-up classes” and, truth be told, the God-haters who remain after the rapture won’t want any.

    For the Jews, there will be a “time of Jacob’s trouble” or, if you prefer, the “tribulation period” cited in Deuteronomy 4:30 that will be short and intense. Once again, it will separate the obedient from the rest (IMHO) and will refine the Jews. Regardless of race, “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and God-pleasing faith always issues in obedience.

    It appears to me from scripture that God’s redemptive efforts return to the Jews after the rapture. It may be, of course, that a Gentile could become a Jewish proselyte. It is also entirely possible that a “Gentile” may be predominantly Gentile but have Jewish blood – and how much is necessary to “qualify” as a Jew is up to God – once again, even in wrath He may allow mercy.

    I think the preaching of lavish grace and “second chances” during the “tribulation period” when suddenly people will “get it” and “accept Christ” is extremely irresponsible. That’s the main dragon I’m trying to slay. People who teach that one can survive God’s wrath with dried food and a water filter will be seriously disappointed.

    The Sign of the Son alignment will be in place on September 23rd. Please – if you haven’t already: get your priorities in order. Now is the appointed time.

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The Pre-Tribulation Equivocation

    I call it an equivocation because the folks who toss the term “pre-tribulation” around never define “tribulation.”  So we don’t know what they’re talking about.  Maybe they don’t either.  My purpose in this post is to explore “tribulation” and “great tribulation” as these terms are used in the scriptures, and hopefully bring some clarity to the discussion.

    “Pop-eschatology” (which seemed to begin with Hal Lindsey in about 1969) says that there are seven final years on the prophetic timeclock during which those on earth will experience tribulation.  Some assert with great confidence that the first 3 1/2 years will be less intense, but the last years will be “great tribulation.”  They also often assert that there will be a huge number of people saved during the “great tribulation.”

    I find this problematic, partly because people discussing the end-times often make up their own definitions of key terms – in this case “great tribulation” – instead of using the phrase as it is defined by Biblical usage.

    “Tribulation” comes from the Latin word “tribulum” which was an agricultural implement used to remove husks from wheat kernels.  Tribulation makes the wheat fit for use.  Similarly, God uses tribulation on those He has chosen, to make them fit for His use.  We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).

    And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
    – Romans 5:3 – James 1:4

    Tribulation is also separation.  It separates the useful from the useless.  It separates the kernel from the husk.  It separates what will be kept and enjoyed from what will be discarded and destroyed.

    In the lives of believers, tribulation is the often unpleasant burdens and challenges of life, but it is managed by God and it leads to hope, patience, and completeness.  It includes harassment and persecution (see Acts 14:22).  For the elect, tribulation is essentially and intentionally redemptive.  When a child is spanked by a loving parent, it’s punishment with a goal of changed behavior.  When a criminal is executed, it’s the wrath of the State and the END of behavior.  The distinction between tribulation and wrath, especially in the eschatological context, needs to be clear.

    This is “tribulation” in general.  But does the Bible require some other understanding of “tribulation” in the context of the end times?   And what about “great” tribulation?

    The phrase “great tribulation” only appears three times in the New Testament:

    Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
    Revelation 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
    Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

    The parallel passage to Matthew 24:21 is Luke 21:22 where this period of time is identified as “the days of vengeance” (see Matt. 23:35-36).  Mark chapter 13 also sheds some light on this time:

    For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
    – Mark 13:19-20, NKJV (emphasis added)

    “So which is it?” you may ask.  I would have to suggest that it could be both.  As we see in the text, Jesus clearly warned the people concerning what was coming.  For those who heard Him and obeyed His direction, there was escape to safety.  Those who refused got vengeance, the wrath of God.

    I have tentatively concluded that the “great tribulation” of Matthew 24:21 is a localized type or pattern of the “great tribulation” at the end of the church age.  Jesus offered an escape, by believing His words and leaving the city.  Those who believe and obeyed lived.  For the sake of the elect, the carnage in Jerusalem was curtailed.  These “elect” were Jews (and the progeny still in their loins) who were still the recipients of God’s promises, NOT because of their worthiness but because of God’s faithfulness.  In AD 70, God showed us what “great tribulation” looks like.  So now we know.

    The second use of “great tribulation” is in Revelation 2:22.  This is a warning to the church to repent of spiritual adultery.  The alternative to repentance was displayed in Jerusalem when the Romans showed up.  Sadly, it appears that lots of folks we know will ignore Jesus’ invitation to escape, and will experience “great tribulation” in the very near future.  If they consummate their adultery by accepting the Mark of the Beast, they will preserve their physical life for a short season.  If they repent and refuse the Mark, they will lose their physical life but will gain eternal life.  They will also rule with Christ in the Millennium.  God is so gracious!

    In Revelation 7:9-14 we see this “great multitude which no one could number … who come out of the great tribulation…”   My loosely-held conjecture is that this “great tribulation” is the church age.   Clearly, it is NOT people who died as a result of the “great tribulation” of Matthew 24:21 as those who died did so as a result of disobedience and were not “of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues.”  Those who die in the “great tribulation” of Revelation 2:22 appear in Rev. 15:2 and 20:4.

    One popular theory (that enjoys practically no Biblical support) is that after the rapture, the Two Witnesses and the 144,000 evangelize the world during this “great tribulation” period and win the Rev.. 9:7 “great multitude” to Christ.  There is not one shred of evidence that the Two Witnesses evangelize anyone; likewise, the 144,000 simply accompany Christ and don’t go out on “missionary journeys” or any such thing.  The consistent testimony of Revelation is that people harden their hearts and blaspheme God.  There is no indication in the text that the judgments of God during the Trumpet and Bowl judgments ever lead to repentance. In fact, the text says just the opposite in Rev. 9:20-21 and Rev. 16:9-11.

    So now we can address the questions:  “Do you believe in a pre-trib rapture?”  Well, what do you mean by “pre-trib”? “You know, the Great Tribulation before Jesus returns.”  Which ‘great tribulation’ are you referring to?  “Daniel’s 70th week.  The last seven years.”

    Oh, dear.

    You see what I mean.  Let’s hope your questioner is patient and teachable.  The first “great tribulation” occurred in 70 AD in Jerusalem.  The second “great tribulation” began about 2,000 years ago and will end at the rapture.  The final “great tribulation” begins after the rapture and ends when the third-to-the-last martyr dies and Satan is given 42 months of complete authority over the earth (Rev. 13:5-7).

    My tentative conclusion, is that “great tribulation” is used as a descriptive phrase but refers to separate events. The “great tribulation” of Matthew 24 appears to be “great” because it is intense, but it was a short and local event. The “great tribulation” of Revelation 7:14 appears to be “great” because it is global and has lasted a long time. It is connected to “tribulation” as it is used in Matthew 24:9, Romans 5:3, and Acts 14:22. We ALL get tribulation; it’s part of being a Christian. It’s good for us in that it develops character, and it’s connected to the cleansing blood of Christ.  The third “great tribulation” is yet future.  It will be of short duration.  Those who seek to save their lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake will preserve them. My hope is that there will be a VERY small number of Christians who will experience it.

    Another conclusion is that using the term “great tribulation” has been a serious and foolish equivocation in eschatology, especially when used as a time-marker for the harpazo. Because eschatologists make up their own definitions and contexts, the “pre-trib rapture debate” has generated strife for many, many years in the eschatological community (the “eschatosphere”). Using the term “tribulation” (or “tribulation period”) to refer to Daniel’s 70th week is Biblically inconsistent and demonstrates poor scholarship. Similarly, using the term “great tribulation” to refer to the last half of the final seven years before the Millennial reign of Christ is the source of much confusion, as well as bizarre and unsupportable time lines. The “dispute” between the pre-trib and post-trib positions would probably not exist if we insisted on Biblically accurate and precise terminology.

    A final thought:  When Jesus counseled His contemporaries concerning the great tribulation that would soon overwhelm Jerusalem, He told them to ESCAPE.  He did not say, “get some survival supplies and a water filter, hunker down and try to survive.”  Repentance and obedience were the orders of the day.  This has not changed.  Those folks who think they can withstand and survive the vengeance of God against this planet are seriously deceived.  I don’t want to be here for the “great tribulation” that is coming, and God doesn’t want any of His children here for it.

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The End of Common Grace

    The basic ambiance of the universe is one of reconciliation, and it has been for 6000 years. That is about to change. When the Lord gathers His people, then His attitude toward those who remain (except for a small preserved remnant) will not be reconciliation, but wrath.

    Today, things generally go well. Murphy’s law “what can go wrong will go wrong” is humorous because it really doesn’t square with reality. Even among unbelievers and God-haters and Christ-rejecters, common grace remains both operative and lavish. A lot of things that could go wrong don’t: Near-misses that could have been serious accidents; unexpected grace from an employer (“you screwed up but I’ll give you one more chance”); a sick loved one who suddenly recovers after the doctors have told you “it’s incurable and irreversible.” This is God being gracious, and this is “common”; that is, available to all. As the scripture says, it rains on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

    The new normal will be a world without common grace, and it will be truly frightening. After the rapture, Murphy’s law will be business as usual. Those who aren’t interested in God when He is proactively gracious will get a taste of life without His grace. Some think this may lead to remorse or even repentance. If so, there’s no hint of it in Revelation. Rather, because sinful men have enjoyed God’s goodness so consistently and for so long, they have come to think that they DESERVE His compassion.

    The absence of common grace is just one part of the horror that awaits. The trumpet and bowl judgments are God’s positive response to the wickedness in men who refuse to repent. I would expect that if the wrath of God were redemptive, we would see evidence of a huge revival during these judgments. However, John tells us that “…the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands… and they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.” (Rev. 9:20-21 – more of the same at Rev. 15:9) The work of God is that we believe in Jesus (John 6:29) and Jesus told us that “the night is coming when no man can work.” (John 9:4)

    God’s wrath is not intended to lead to the redemption of the wicked. Rather, we see in Romans 2:4 that “… the goodness of God leads you to repentance” – that His divine forbearance and longsuffering are for our ultimate salvation; that “whosoever will” has ample time to turn from his wicked ways, and that all can “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

    What is about to come upon the earth is not the sort of thing that a prudent man can either endure or avoid by stocking up dried food and having a secret bunker in the country. There is only one safe place, and that is IN CHRIST. If your trust is in anything or anyone besides Jesus Christ when the trumpet sounds, you will face a future that is a whole lot worse than you could imagine, and contrary to what some believe and teach, there will be no “second chance.”

    My concern is for two types of people (and I hope you will forward the link to this post to anyone you know who may qualify). First: those who are lost. Some may not have heard; many have heard and have not believed. Second: those I call the “Matthew 7:21 crowd” – those who are practicing a religion but lack the relationship with Christ. Paul says we should examine ourselves (2 Cor. 3:5). Do you love Jesus? Do you hate sin? Do you regularly hunger for the scriptures? Do you love other believers? Is your faith transforming your life?

    If you truly believe that all God expects from you is an hour on Sunday morning, a life sanitized from gross sin, and regular financial contributions, then you are distant from the Savior. If you pay lip-service to the commands of Christ and spend more time in front of the TV than in the scriptures, you need to seriously consider whether you are truly saved, because you probably are not. Perhaps you just had an emotional experience once in a church, said a prayer, maybe got baptized, and now you think you’re safe.

    You will see Jesus Christ face-to-face. You will be required to give an account to Him if you are His. If you are self-deceived, He will look at you and say, “Depart from Me. I NEVER knew you.” If that frightens you, it should.

    This is not intended to be gloom-and-doom. But it is intended to be a sober warning. Please don’t be deceived by any of the following beliefs: 1) that the end times are probably a long way off (even if true, your death and judgment could happen at any time), 2) that if one is prepared, he can survive God’s wrath, or 3) if one is left behind when the rapture happens, he can then “get saved” during the period of wrath that follows, or 4) if someone is involved in some form of “Christian religion” then he will be saved.

    Remember Lot’s wife?

  • Anakypto Afterthoughts

    The Revelation 12 Sign

    (In response to the suggestion by “Informed Christian” Daniel Valles, and a few others, that the Revelation 12 sign is NOT connected to the rapture of the church, I have a guest blogger, Professor Al-Henk Rekers, Ph.D., Dr.Theol.)

    Dr. Rekers:  Biblical scholars who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture who have studied Revelation 12 in the original Greek language, using scholarly methods of exegesis and comparing Revelation 12 to other Bible passages have drawn a distinction between two different Greek words for “child” in Revelation 12.

    Theology Professor Dr. Michael Svigel from Dallas Theological Seminary demonstrates with Biblical exegesis that the sentence, “And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne” in Revelation 12:1-5 refers to the Rapture of the church. 
    In his article The Apocalypse Of John And The Rapture Of The Church: A Reevaluation Professor Svigel explores various interpretations of the timing of the Rapture in the book of Revelation, and he concludes:

    If the male child represents not simply the individual, Jesus Christ, but the unio mystica, the believers of every generation of the Church who are ἐν Χριστῷ, then Revelation 12:5 is the only explicit mention of the rapture of the Church in the Book of Revelation.  While other passages may, in fact, imply a rapture (i.e. Rev 3:10) the event itself is not described.  Revelation 12:5, which stands at the heart of the Apocalypse and which brings together the two allusions to Psalm 2:9 found at the extremes of the Book, seems an appropriate place for the rapture of the Church in a book that was written to “show his servants what must happen very soon.”

    A summary of why Revelation 12:5 teaches a pre-tribulation Rapture is this PDF of Professor Michael Svigel’s PowerPoint presentation:
    Rapture-Revisited-FINAL-PART-2.pdf

    The following interview of Professor Svigel is a summary of Scriptures on the pre-tribulation Rapture, including Revelation 12:1-5: 
    PRE-TRIBULATIONAL RAPTURE: AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL SVIGEL

    Revelation 12 – Birth Before Labor?
    This short article by Daniel W. Matson (who has a masters degree from Multnomah Seminary) concludes: “Clearly then, Revelation 12:5 is the description of the Rapture of the Body of Christ to the throne of God.  With the Sign of the Woman this September 23, 2017, it is time to be Rapture ready. ”

    This same author wrote a brief update entitled, “Revelation 12 – The Sign for Israel” at http://watchfortheday.org/signofisrael.html. In this article, he concludes,

    The Sign of the Woman on September 23, 2017 is therefore a sign to Israel. This means the birth of the Male-Child (Body of Christ) and its harpazo to heaven must come before this time as the Church and Israel are separate dispensations. With the Feast of Trumpets two days before the Sign of the Woman, it would seem appropriate timing for the Rapture of the Church at this time of the Last Trump. Therefore, Israel gave birth to the Body of Christ and then the Body of Christ departs to heaven with the resumption of Israel and her tribulation yielding more offspring (Gentiles)–they both will be saved except for those who have sided with the Dragon.

    http://philologos.org/bpr/files/word_studies/rev-1-f.htm
    Here is a short article entitled, Man-Child vs Child: A Word Study of Rev. 12:5 that begins and concludes as follows, that concludes that “he child was caught unto God” in Revelation 12:5 uses a Greek word for child that is not applied to the adult Jesus Christ, and is a term for a group of people—namely the true church:

    Rev 12:5 (KJV) “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”

    The translation “man-child” in Rev 12:5 is from the Greek “arsen huios” while the word “child” in the same verse has been translated from “teknon.” Thus we have two different Greek words that have both been translated as “child.”

    man-child = arsen huois

    child = teknon
    …..
    No Bible writer, including John, ever refers to Jesus as ‘teknon.’ If Rev 12:5 is referring to the ascension of Jesus Christ to God’s throne, then it is the only time in the scriptures that ‘teknon’ was used in reference to Jesus.

    ‘Teknon,’ when not speaking in general terms, is most commonly used to refer to the church or believers of God.

    The word ‘harpazo’ refers to a snatching away, and is especially used when referring to the rapture.

    Looking up,

    Al

    In refuting Mr. Valles’ conjecture, I also offer the following comments.

    First, Jesus was not raptured. He simply wasn’t. This isn’t conjecture; it’s a simple reading of the text and believing what’s there. Rapture or harpazo means snatching away, carrying away by force, kidnapping, sudden removal. The term harpazo is not used. Jesus was not in danger or being threatened, and He was not being “acted upon” and hurried to safety, or snatched out of harm’s way.

    “Bride of Christ” is one designation of many for the ekklesia. Ephesians 4 goes into detail in explaining how we are also members of the body of Christ. This does not make him some sort of trans-gendered physical-spiritual creature – half man/half woman, or half spirit/half flesh. The fact that we “corporately” are in a role as the Bride of Christ (feminine) does not in any way negate the reality that we are also the BODY of Christ (masculine).

    Yes, as King of Kings, Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron. But according to Rev. 2:26, so will overcomers. The distinction attempted between Jesus’ ruling ALL the nations, and us as His underlings ruling just some, is rebutted by the text. He will rule over the nations with a rod of iron, and He gives that exact same promise to overcomers. Again, just read the text. Jesus was given power and He gives what He received – “…as I also have received from My Father.” He gives us exactly what the Father gave Him.

    Daniel asserts that the Rapture of the Church will occur “way before” (his phrase) the Revelation 12 sign. I don’t know what is meant by “way before” but there’s less than six months left. There’s lots of confusion regarding the correct understanding of “tribulation” in Matthew 24 because the term is used in at least two contexts. Matthew 24:9 speaks of tribulation for believers, and Matthew 24:21 speaks of “great tribulation” that is apparently local to Judea. Regardless of when they begin or where they are located, it’s fairly obvious that they both have ended before the events of verses 29-31. If the Revelation 12 sign in Virgo is the sign of the Son of Man, and Jesus is sending His angels to gather some other “elect” group, you might want to explain who that group might be.

    Daniel also says the sign won’t be visible. A sign that can’t be seen isn’t a sign. Again: common sense. John said the sign would “appear”. That means it’s visible.

    http://www.rogershermansociety.org.sign.htm may have some conclusions Daniel does not like, but the scripture says on many occasions that the sun will be darkened. Again, nothing fancy here – just read the text.

    There are several other points I could challenge, but the bottom line is this: we should be expecting deception, war, famine, persecution, and a face-to-face meeting with Jesus Christ in the VERY near future. Those who presume to teach will be judged strictly, especially on those matters that impact the faith, growth and obedience of other believers. Offering to the Body of Christ unsupported and unbiblical conjectures concerning matters of spiritual importance is extremely dangerous.