Signs in the heavens, the earth, and the sea?

[other one]

1 minute ago, luigi said:

Yeah, I've been hearing about how the North pole is picking up speed, moving about 34 miles annually I think.

It's actually much worse than that.   The magnetosphere is breaking down at times and letting the sun's high energy protons to get all the way to the surface for short periods of time.  All in the upper latitudes so far.  Lost track of it a year or so ago when they took the place we were checking off the internet.

[lovethelord]

34 minutes ago, luigi said:

You are contradicting your earlier statement where you say people will not recognize the signs to be from God.

Hi Luigi,

I'm not contradicting my statement. I stand by what I said earlier. It will be clearly apparent that people will recognize that it is God's hand causing the cosmic chaos & NOT by man's hand. Please check out original reply to you.

[missmuffet]

We do not know the timing of the rapture of the Church. There has been some incorrect dating and prediction of the rapture and the Bible tells us that is something we should not do. 

[JTC]

2 hours ago, luigi said:

In the Olivets, the Lord describes signs in the heavens, the earth, and the seas occurring during the end of the current age (Luke 21:25).

Hi Luigi,

   Do you realize this has been a hot button topic for 2000 yrs. I'm not saying it isn't going to happen because the Bible says it will and I believe it will. When, is another question, and since Jesus said that time can't be known I take that as fact too.  If we were discussing this 20 to 40 yrs ago I'd also be saying I think it's soon. But now, after many years of expecting the Lord any day, and always being disappointed I take a different attitude. Now, maybe I'm just tired of feeling disappointment or maybe I'm being told. I'd be happiest if Jesus gets back today. But I feel like the Father sees the earth as, the longer it goes on the better.

A popular new idea is that God wants the nations, all nations, to come back to Him. That would require that at least half of the people in every nation accept Jesus. The rationale for this is what's known as "the great commission". I have always felt confused by Jesus saying that and I thought of it as another ideal Jesus told us to do. But if it isn't an ideal, but something that must occur before the Father can send Jesus back, then His 2nd coming isn't very close. This also explains why no matter how bad thing look at any given time in history Jesus has not yet returned. Moreover, looking at how bad things are and how many disastrous signs have been fulfilled never proves worthwhile. We keep looking at how bad things are but God is waiting for a majority in each nation. I'm not totally on-board with this view yet, but I think it may be correct. Btw, it comes from a Dr. Michael Heiser who's a scholar in ancient languages. I was also given something similar, about 10 yrs ago I was asking God questions concerning His plan for the earth and I think He told me He wants more souls won for Jesus and until He gets His quota filled He can't let earth proceed to the next stage of His plan. Now I've learned of Michael Heiser and this idea. Dr. Heiser certainly backs it up with scripture because he is, as he says, a text man. I've never stated my idea online before because it was a personal revelation and maybe just something in my mind. It's interesting that a Bible scholar who translates Greek, Hebrew, Cuneiform & other ancient languages is now saying something very similar. The main difference is Dr. Heiser is emphasizing the nations while I thought it was just how many are saved. I admit I never understood the focus on nations, a word used over & over in the OT.

    I'm just putting this out there for you to consider and maybe I can prevent you feeling disappointment many years as I did.

God Bless

[luigi]

7 minutes ago, JTC said:

Hi Luigi,

   Do you realize this has been a hot button topic for 2000 yrs. I'm not saying it isn't going to happen because the Bible says it will and I believe it will. When, is another question, and since Jesus said that time can't be known I take that as fact too.  If we were discussing this 20 to 40 yrs ago I'd also be saying I think it's soon. But now, after many years of expecting the Lord any day, and always being disappointed I take a different attitude. Now, maybe I'm just tired of feeling disappointment or maybe I'm being told. I'd be happiest if Jesus gets back today. But I feel like the Father sees the earth as, the longer it goes on the better.

A popular new idea is that God wants the nations, all nations, to come back to Him. That would require that at least half of the people in every nation accept Jesus. The rationale for this is what's known as "the great commission". I have always felt confused by Jesus saying that and I thought of it as another ideal Jesus told us to do. But if it isn't an ideal, but something that must occur before the Father can send Jesus back, then His 2nd coming isn't very close. This also explains why no matter how bad thing look at any given time in history Jesus has not yet returned. Moreover, looking at how bad things are and how many disastrous signs have been fulfilled never proves worthwhile. We keep looking at how bad things are but God is waiting for a majority in each nation. I'm not totally on-board with this view yet, but I think it may be correct. Btw, it comes from a Dr. Michael Heiser who's a scholar in ancient languages. I was also given something similar, about 10 yrs ago I was asking God questions concerning His plan for the earth and I think He told me He wants more souls won for Jesus and until He gets His quota filled He can't let earth proceed to the next stage of His plan. Now I've learned of Michael Heiser and this idea. Dr. Heiser certainly backs it up with scripture because he is, as he says, a text man. I've never stated my idea online before because it was a personal revelation and maybe just something in my mind. It's interesting that a Bible scholar who translates Greek, Hebrew, Cuneiform & other ancient languages is now saying something very similar. The main difference is Dr. Heiser is emphasizing the nations while I thought it was just how many are saved. I admit I never understood the focus on nations, a word used over & over in the OT.

    I'm just putting this out there for you to consider and maybe I can prevent you feeling disappointment many years as I did.

God Bless

Hello Diamond Member,

It's true that we cannot know the time of the end as the Lord states; nevertheless, the events during the end times we are suppose to recognize as Daniel 12:4 & 9 state these data will be unsealed and understood by many.

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 

[unworthyservant]

3 hours ago, ayin jade said:

Which translation is this? Because thats not what my bibles say. That doesnt even fit what my bibles say. 

 

My KJV says, "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken".

[Still Alive]

1 hour ago, luigi said:

Stillalive,

The data presented to Daniel about the end times is to be unsealed at these end times, with our understanding their meaning increasing (Daniel 12:4 & 9).

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 

I agree with you, except I would replace your use of the word, "these" with the word, "the". 

I believe knowledge is increasing and has been ever since Jesus walked the earth. And it will be exponential in the end. 

[Justin Adams]

2 minutes ago, Still Alive said:

I agree with you, except I would replace your use of the word, "these" with the word, "the". 

I believe knowledge is increasing and has been ever since Jesus walked the earth. And it will be exponential in the end. 

I agree. Suddenly we could grow crystals... then the semiconductor age... amazing progress.

[unworthyservant]

4 hours ago, luigi said:

So here is the question: If the current distress of nations with perplexity is due to increase as the environment continues to deteriorate as the scientific consensus claims; how then will we know the difference between any supposed supernatural signs in the heavens, the earth, and the sea, from those the scientific consensus already recognizes will occur due to mankind's destruction of the environment?

My answer can also be found in the same Olivette Discourse. The chapter begins with the story of the widows mites! After that the disciples asked Christ about the end times " ⁷ And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?" and what follows is Christ beginning His end time discourse this way, "

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Notice that the first thing He said is "take heed that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them." Before He even began the discourse He warned of those who would say that the time draweth near and warned us not to follow them.

Only with that disclaimer did Christ embark on the discussion which you reference out of context. from Verse 9 on, the rest of the Chapter references many things that will be interspersed with admonitions not to take too much from the happenings as God is in charge and will keep you in those days. Then in Verse 36 is the important teaching.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

So, point is that I agree, we are probably setting up some sort of future apocalypse with our misuse of the environment, we are probably setting off some similar catastrophe with Nuclear Proliferation, Ditto over fishing our oceans and destroying the rain forests over greed. As throughout history, we live in a world full of natural disasters, wars, terrorism, hatred and divisive rhetoric. The only difference is with modern communication technology everyone sees and hears everything that happens. But Christ taught us on many occasions that we are to busy ourselves with doing His work and spreading the Gospel and let God handle those things which will come upon the Earth. Now I do believe that we should do everything in our power to keep this Earth as livable for many future generations as possible just in case God's plan will leave them here but I don't worry because just before Christ spoke the words in Verse 36 he said:

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

So I don't know if that snare will be environmental or Nuclear or maybe something we aren't even able to imagine ( a meteor, a BIG sun flare, the reversal of the magnetic poles or the eruption of the super volcano that's said to be bubbling under Yellowstone which triggers an earthquake so large that it causes half of California to fall into the ocean causing tidal waves so large that they destroy a big part of Asia and then the energy that comes from all the upheaval triggers Nuclear meltdowns around the world while the remaining people die a slow and agonizing death due to the famine caused by the ash cloud created by the Volcano and disease from the Nuclear meltdown) but I know that the only thing that matters is that Christ said to take heed so that the day doesn't come upon us unawares. He told us what to take heed of (false teachers) and what to do in the meantime (see the lesson of the widow's mite at the beginning of the Chapter) so whatever happens, I believe that we as Christians are better served DOING what Christ taught than trying to figure out His perspective on the current environmental crisis. 

[unworthyservant]

41 minutes ago, maryjayne said:

One of the problems with KJV is how the use of language has changed the meaning of words over the centuries.

I quote it only because it's well known and you are correct in order to understand some of it requires a little knowledge of how the Royals spoke in 17th Century England. BTW, it is written in the King's English or the way that it was spoken in the Palace and not in common vernacular even of that day.