Esther4:14

If Jonah was not a real historical person, then Christ would not have said that He was greater than Jonah. So why don't you read and meditate on what is actually stated? One does not compare oneself to fictitious characters. Are you sure that's always true? Some fictional characters are so well-known that they can be used for comparison. We can say that someone is "richer than Midas" or "meaner than Scrooge", for example. A fictional character is not a sign. Only what actually exists or has existed can be a sign. Actually, after some further consideration, I am fairly convinced that the whole story of Jonah was intended to be the sign that Jesus was referring to in Matthew 16:4 "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.' So he left them and departed." Jesus doesn't specify that only the part about Jonah in the belly of the whale for three days was the sign is what He is referring to in this verse. That has been our interpretation of what He said. . However, Jonah's resistance to bring the message to the Ninevites could very well be part of the sign demonstrated by the conflict that was created among the Jews over the objective of bringing the Gospel to the gentiles many times. "Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen." When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves" (Acts 28:28-29) The repentance of the Gentiles could be part of the sign that we have not considered before. Therefore, the story of Jonah was intended to be the only sign given, which was fulfilled according to Acts 13:45-48 "But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy (like Jonah) and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord (like the Ninevites turned to repent without hesitation), and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed,"(emphasis' added). Maybe what we have been doing is limited our understanding of scripture all along, and creating a stumbling block for nonbelievers to come to Christ by suggesting that this story is literal.

I don't know whether I agree with the rationale for considering that Jonah could very well be a parable; however, considering Jonah to be a parable actually makes a lot more sense to me. It gives a greater purpose to the story than it had before especially since there is such a moral lesson given to Jonah illustrating the capacity for Yahweh to bring salvation to the Gentiles, along with including that Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days, along with including the resistance Jonah had to the Gentiles repentance representing the Jews resistance to the conversion of the gentiles illustrated when they tried to encourage them to get circumcised too (Galatians 5:10-12). It actually makes a lot more sense to not see the story of Jonah literally, as the eye witness account of a prophet, but as a piece of wisdom literature like the book of Proverbs. The book of Job is another example that I have considered to not be literal for a while now because there are too many instances where the book of Proverbs seems to write the book of Job. Therefore, I have long considered the book of Job to have been written by King Solomon rather than the actual translation of something that happened in antiquity. There are debates over this, but I think that it is interesting how in both instances, there are all the markings of a story with beginning, climax, and conclusion that isn't a component of the historical writings of scripture. I think the parable of the Good Samaritan is another good example that shows that if the book of Jonah were not literal, this does not take away from the truth of scripture.

Thank you for the encouragement. I personally would never have even considered "this generation" to represent race. That seems a little off track, but then again there are many cultural differences in our use of language that can make some words difficult to understand sometimes. We also have so many more words than ancient languages. I think that makes it difficult for us to all agree sometimes because a word can sometimes be translated into many word in the English language with only slight changes to context. I am also looking forward to checking out the links when I get some time.

That really makes a lot of sense to me. It reminded me of Matthew 24:38 "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark," which suggests that things will look the same. Almost like a consistent thread in "this generation;" or, in other words, that "this generation" will not change in order to indicate the coming of the Son of Man. Almost like the New Covenant is a New Generation compared to the old, or Generation 2.0; and, all of us born after the resurrection of Christ represent "this generation," who will witness all of these things happening before He returns. Thanks!

I am interested in hearing other opinions about this crucial verses in Matthew 24. "So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24:33-34). I never really had an opinion about this verse before I realized how significant it was in separating opinions concerning prophecy within the body of Christ. Since then, I think that it is important to gain more clarity on this verse as we move forward in the times that we are living. I found from a basic Google search that according to Genesis 15:14-16, God defines a generation as 100 years because He tells Abraham that his descendants will be oppressed for 400 years. Then, He tells Abraham that in the fourth generation they will return to the land He promised Abraham. So, that would equal 100 years per generation, which would equal 400 years of oppression in a foreign land. Although, I wonder if that includes the time they spent wandering in the wilderness. So, I don't know how long I would consider a generation to begin with. But, I would conclude that Jesus is not referring to the disciples as "this generation." He is saying that "this generation" will witness all the things He has just described in Matthew 24. Thank you in advance for your thoughts on the subject.

The law of gravity and the suggestion that because of gravity everything is created are two separate things. Personally, I think that gravity is the ether that Einstein refers to; or, the medium through which solid matter is suspended in, as opposed to existing in a space of nothing. Gravity is nothing. Therefore, gravity is ether. But, the suggestion that because of the law of gravity everything is created contradicts scripture as well. Scripture says that God said, "let there be light," (Genesis 1:3), which I think means that there is some sort of mathematical reduction in the properties of sounds that produces matter as the remainder of the equation. Like a chemistry equation where the properties of sound cancel with the properties of something else. The cancelled out component would equal zero; or, gravity. The remainder would equal the created object. But, there is something missing to this that I can't understand. I don't know what the sound is interacting with or bouncing itself off of. Maybe the other medium is probably a separate frequency, which is why we translate this with four words because multiple frequencies create a complex mathematical equation that is reduced to the object and the byproduct gravity because matter cannot be created or destroyed; however, our language can't produce the same frequencies required for spontaneous creation. Anyways, it is hobby of mine to study these things. There is a really good book on the history of the discovery of law of gravity called Hidden Attraction The Mystery and History of Magnetism. Take care.

The four horses set the stage for the Antichrist. They are preparing the way to reveal the son of perdition. I did not suggest this started in prehistoric times? The first does not represent the victory of Christ. They are all servants of the beast. You are speaking of them with no actual application of them. This is just directly pulling them from the prophecy. Although, the third speaks of oppression. There is a class division. So, how long do you suppose this all will take? Seven years? I don't know how proponents of this seven-year theory actually expect all of the book of Revelation to take place in seven years like some sort of action movie with the Rock. I don't even think an action movie could fit everything into it. Like the only thing Obama was able to do in seven years, was create Obama care. The seven years will more than likely only represent the time of the beast and the witnesses characterized by sackcloth (Revelation 6:12; Revelation 11:3); and the reference to 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; Revelation 13:5) places all of this taking place at the same time when the sixth seal is opened. But, the seals will have already been opened. Take care.

Well, I don't think anyone becomes an atheist reading Richard Dawkins. That man is very blunt in his consideration of the Lord being infanticidle and genocidal and anyone with a basic understanding and belief in scripture knows those things aren't true. If Richard Dawkins is persuasive, there was already a problem. " As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away," (Matthew 13:20-21).

So you believe our world has endured all of the tragedies of the first three horses? The first has come already. It is the mystery of lawlessness. The second horse was released around the time of printing press and it relates to media or propaganda. Media has power to take peace from the earth and cause people to kill one another (Revelation 6:4). For example, yellow journalism and the Spanish American war. The third horse representing scales represents a fiat currency system we have. According to Adam Smith in the Wealth of Nations "Land, however improved, will yield no revenue without a circulating capital. This is how you do not damage the oil and wine, but cause two pounds of wheat to equal a day's wages (Revelation 6:6) by controlling who has more currency circulating. The area that has more circulating currency will protect the oil and wine. The fourth horse can be understood in the context of Zechariah 6. The fourth horse goes south where a fourth of world will be killed by sword, famine, plague, and wild beasts (Revelation 6:8). The clearest illustration of this would be the circumstances in Africa, or the southern part of the world. The fifth seal is where we are now. We are the generation someone is saying "how much longer Lord," about(Revelation 6:10). The next part that will happen is the witnesses will emerge wearing sackcloth, which either represents the sun turning to sackcloth (Revelation 6:12), or could indicate a eclipse as well the presence of the witnesses before an earthquake. Then, the day and hour of the Lord return we do not know will be. Rapture theory teaches us to be afraid that will things will get worse just like Preterism teaches peace, peace because prophecy has already been fulfilled. The Antichrist will emerge from the north, which is where the white horse (mystery of lawlessness) goes with the black horse (fiat economy) according to Zechariah 6:6, which is how the mark of the beast will emerge.

A peacemaker is someone who submits to another out of reverance to Christ (Ephesians 5:21).

Yes, the white horse is the mystery of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7) that follows the strong horses (or the witnesses of the Gospel) into the north country where His Spirit will rest according the book of Zechariah. Therefore, essentially, the lawless one is most concerned with taking peace from the saints than with the rest of the world. It is like a first priority. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way" (2 Thessalonians 2:7). "The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.” (Zechariah 6:6-8). I believe that this is the foundation for the coming lawless one who will be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:8), to eventually wage war against the saints according to Revelation 13:7. "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming," (2 Thessalonians 2:8). "It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation" (Revelation 13:7). Peace.