SDAinFLA

The word spirit and soul are sometimes interchanged in scripture...this is why it says "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." 1Peter 3:19 He actually preached to people. But then it says " Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." Acts 2:41 3000 people were baptized. Word, we have to look at the context of each application...but it should be in the realm of what we are created from..."dust and breath of God." These are the only two ingredients that we have to work from.

Hi Robert, After looking at this scripture, I believe you are talking about Acts 2:24. Which talks about Christs death. Notice what happened after Christs death: "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:46 Now Christ's spirit went to His Father, so are you saying God put Jesus in agony? Did Christ continue suffering in death after suffering on the cross? When Christ said, "it is finished"...was it really finished? Also notice what the scripture said, "the agony of death." If God freed Christ from the agony of death this doesn't mean that Christ faced that agony. If America didn't get any medals in the olympics...but lance armstrong came in and won a gold metal for us...he freed us from the agonyof defeat. We never got that agony, but he saved us from it. I believe Paul talks about what agony God freed Christ from in 1Corinthians 15:42-43: "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power..." Thanks for reading. P.S. Also, you never addressed my last response.

This is possible...maybe Jacob was alive at the time, but what about Abraham? How could he be ignorant of his children if he were still living at that time? I don't know about soul sleep, but I do believe in unconsciousness at death. Like yourself, I do believe in the resurrection, so I think we agree on this point. But whether Abraham is alive or not doesn't really effect our salvation...but I was just curious what you think. Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

Robert, you don't have to slip into something flame retardant...I leave that for some of the other people that love the heat. I believe the point that we are trying to make here is that there is no consciousness at death. Jesus understood this when He said "For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Matt. 13:17 The prophets didn't hear them because there is no consciousness at death. Neither Abraham nor Jacob were alive at the time of Isaiah "Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." Isaiah 63:16 When we die, we wait in the ground for the resurrection. There is a big difference in a resurrection vs. dying and going straight to heaven. The spirit goes to be with Him, but this is not a resurected person. So if Abraham is alive now...he would have been resurrected after his death. God Bless, SDA

I have a couple more thoughts to interject: The subject of the millinium is one of the hardest subjects to prove...either way. The Bible doesn't literally come right out and say, "We are in heaven/ earth for 1000 yrs." So from both sides it is hard to say either way. Here's what I see: What happens to the saints when Jesus comes back? "I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left." Luke 17:34. The logical question would be...where are the saints taken to? Now they could be just taken into the air to see the fire destroy the earth, but I believe we immediately go to heaven. Let me explain: Everyone knows that there is no temple in the earth made new. "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Revelation 21:22 But where are the multitude which no man can number at? "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." Revelation 7:15 They are in heaven How does the Bible describe those that live and reign with Christ for 1000 yrs? "...and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Revelation 20:4 Where do those that got the victory over the beast stand? "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." Revelation. 15:2 Where is the sea of glass located? "And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne...And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind." Revelation. 4:2,6 I believe John saw a vision of when Jesus takes us back to heaven and He saw God's people standing on the sea of glass before his throne...in heaven. I hope this sheds a little light on the subject. Thanks

I believe like some of the previous post lead to... Jesus wept, not for Lazarus, but for those that were there. If I die today...God knows whether I will be saved or not. I believe Jesus cried not for Lazarus, but for those that were around him, I believe He knew that they were not ready for death. That's my opinion. thanks

Yes, I agree with OT. Most events in this chapter have already been fulfilled (I am going by what most comentaries say) It is also believed that from around 40-45 has not been fulfilled yet. I tried to study this years ago, but the Lord never revealed it to me. Look for a commentary on this and mix this with prayer...it's a very interesting chapter. God bless!

I love any song that Brooklyn Tabernacle sings!!!! http://www2.brooklyntabernacle.org/home.cfm

Blood, I'm with you on that one. I sometimes don't like to watch the news because we all hear about people dying little girls getting kidnapped, people dying in the middle east...etc. I know Christ said these things would happen but it can sometimes be depressing. In these last days its imperative that we have our hope in Christ!

I guess I would be a believer in Post-Trib (I'm not so sure what the term means) But I differ somewhat as I believe that Christ will come back and take the righteous living to heaven with Him...also the dead in Christ will rise and reign with Christ in heaven for 1000 years. Also when Christ comes back the wicked living at that time will see Him but will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. During this time...I believe that Satan is alone on the earth by himself for 1000 years. Then Christ comes back with all his saints and sets his kingdom up on the earth. In which the wicked dead are brought back to life to see the kingdom...I believe they actually try to attack the city but God destroys them with fire from heaven... He makes all things new and we reign with Christ on earth forever.

Hi Dime, When the sunsets, that is actually the beginning of the next day. ("And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Genesis 1:5) The Sabbath is considered to be the 24 hour period from sunset friday until sunset saturday. I hope this answers your question.

Thanks Rolling Thunder!

I don't believe it is closed for Israel, I just believe that by accepting Christ we become Gods chosen. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" Galatians 3:7 I also believe the door is open to both Gentiles and Jews. So no one is rejected. That's my opinion.

Thanks for the answer thunder. You are right this is a deep subject that I have been looking more and more into within the last couple of days. I never heard of this gap in the time prophecy...so I am not trying to be debative here but its an interesting subject... Another question I have is...how do we determine what the gap of time is? I have probably read Daniel 9 more in the last couple of days than ever, and God says "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city..." Daniel 9:24. Now if there is a gap in time then the 70 weeks is not actually 70 weeks, because the last week has not been accomplished yet. This prophecy running today would net about 352 weeks and running. I just cant see why God would give a prophetic time period in which He gives us the time period of the prophecy...and then throws a gap of time in there so that no one knows when this prophecy will be fufilled. Thanks

I see what you're saying, but what about Jonah? "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Jonah 3:4 and then"...God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." Jonah 3:10 I believe it's a possiblity. I don't really think the gospel moved on, but I just think that the Gentiles are now Israel in God's eyes.

Are there any scriptures that refers to this gap? Also, please give a couple of scriptures that shows that Israel will be saved. Thanks

The way I am interpreting this is that all 69 weeks were successive, but there is an unknown gap in time between the 69th week and the 70 week. Is this correct? If this is then how do you account for the time period between the 69th and 70th week? Also in reading Daniel 9, I don't see how its believed that the nation of Israel will accept Jesus Christ. Thanks

Let me make sure I understand... I think we both agree that the cutting off of the Messiah was the crucifixion of Christ which was the 69th week (let me know this is not in agreement) But according to your view...the 69th week is still happening or we are currently in the 70th week...am I understanding this?

Hi Rolling! You are correct...I stated that it was roughly because no one really knows the dates that Jesus ministry lasted. But because today we don't know the exact date doesn't necessarily mean that God was being vague. I hope I didn't sound like I was guessing if the prophecy has been fufilled, I do believe it has.

Oh...His covenant is eternal. I agree with you, but I am not disputting that...I was just saying that He confirmed it with the Jews for 7 years. This is why he told His disciples "...Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matthew 10:5-6 This was still within the 7 years... The 7 years ended with the death of Stephen...this is why Paul says "And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." Acts 22:20-21 Jesus ministry lasted roughly about 3 1/2 years...for the other 3 1/2 years the covenant was still being confirmed but after the death of Stephen it went to the Gentiles thus completing the 7 years. Thanks for reading.

You are correct. What happens is that that man of sin is set apart from the normal anti-christ (which are many) as The Anti-Christ...not because he is the only Anti-Christ, but because he is seems to be the focal point in the last days.

Can't argue with that!