When Darkness Will REALLY Be Emboldened

[not an echo]

Hello all,

Ten days ago, in the General Discussion category of the forum, I started a thread that I entitled The Emboldening of Darkness.  I have cut & pasted the original post of that thread below.  A couple of days later, while on my tractor mowing my field, I began to contemplate further concerning the emboldening of darkness.  At that time, I began to think on some of the things that I have now included beyond my original post, things that I believe fit well in this Eschatology category.

Original Post...

THE EMBOLDENING OF DARKNESS

In this world, since spiritual darkness entered in, it has always made a push against light.  Its success has sometimes been stronger, sometimes weaker, but it is ever unrelenting.  The extent of its success has always, however, been dependent on the push back from whatever light it has faced.

Of late, I submit that the push of darkness has not been more ably illustrated than by what we have seen in the past week with what has happened in Afghanistan.  Darkness, now personified by the Taliban, has swooped in, as a result of light---our presence having been there---a help to what little light was there---being suddenly removed.  This move, on our part, has emboldened darkness.  Suddenly, it's not hard to envision things over there getting pitch black---even to the extent of causing the rest of the world to become noticeably overcast.

We are now living in a day when this kind of thing can be observed on multiplied fronts.  Illegal immigrants are emboldened as a result of slackened resistance at our borders.  Those that are deceived (as I once was) into thinking that what they (and all of us) really need is another toke off a joint or hit off a bong are emboldened because of the legalization of marijuana.  Those that are deceived (as I once was) into thinking that what they (and all of us) really need is another drink, are emboldened each time our country gets a little wetter.  The "special interests" are emboldened by their special interest in lifestyles, practices, and expectations that are in conflict with the principles that we find in the Bible, God's Word on it all.  God's Word reads in part, "There are many devices in a man's heart;  nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand" (Pro. 19:21)  Those who have not learned concerning the sanctity of life are emboldened by the legalization of abortion to regard more the sanctity of their choice in the matter, coupled with their unchaste lifestyles.  Even the glimpse of someone resisting arrest and getting away with it---even the perception of sympathy from another---even a whisper of defunding the law---emboldens the lawless.  And those without strong work ethics, who savor the thought of a socialistic form of government, are emboldened to push for any semblance of that, in the face of warnings that such has always spiraled out of control because of the inability of so many to see that when less are willing to work for what they have, less will, till there are less and less, and finally none.  And then nothing, but perhaps---hopefully---a renewed realization that the counsel of God, that shall stand.  "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that...

God is Light,

and in Him is no darkness at all" (I Jn. 1:5).

 

What do we do as children of God, as children of the Light?  We were taught it in a little song as children, inspired by this from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  From Matthew 5:

 14  Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

 15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;  and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

My encouragement to all in the family of God would be to let your light shine, in your little corner of the world, wherever that may be.  And together, if we all do this, maybe we can still help some in this world that we are pilgrims in find their way, either again, or for the first time---till God calls us home.

====================

New Post...

The last five words of my above post read, "till God calls us home."  According to my interpretations of Scripture, one day all who are a part of the Church are going to be gathered out of this world at the event that has come to be called the rapture.  This could happen even today.  As I indicated in the first paragraph of this thread, as I was later on my tractor mowing and thinking about all the foregoing, the following came to my mind...

WHEN DARKNESS WILL REALLY BE EMBOLDENED

There is coming a day when darkness will be emboldened like it has never been before.  This will happen when the influence of the Holy Spirit, through the Church, is "taken out of the way" at the time of the rapture.  After this, there will be "a falling away" and "the son of perdition" (or Antichrist) will be "revealed."  These quotes are from the following passage, in II Thessalonians 2 (with some of my explanatory notes in parenthesis):

  1   Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (for the rapture), and by our gathering together unto Him (at the rapture),

  2   That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ (His Second Advent) is as hand.

  3   Let no man deceive you by any means:  for that day (Christ's Second Advent) shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostasia, G646) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (the Antichrist);

  4   Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;  so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

  5   Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

  6   And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

  7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:  only He (the Holy Spirit) who now letteth (old English, which used to mean hinder/katecho, G2722;  means "to hold down") will let (G2722), until He be taken out of the way (when the Church is removed).

  8   And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming (His Second Advent):

  9   Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.

 10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;  because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

 11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

 12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Concerning the "falling away" (vs. 3), I believe this has to do with the utter departure from every semblance of truth that will take place in this world when the influence of the Holy Spirit (through the Church) is taken out of the way.

Concerning Paul's statement that some will "believe a lie" (vs. 11), I wouldn't argue about it, but there is a relevant concern connected with all of this for any who are spurning present opportunities they have to be saved.  Some, who presently reject Christ, have a mentality that if a lot of people end up missing one day---indicating that the much ballyhooed (in their mind) rapture has indeed occurred---they will still have a chance to be saved, as long as they don't take the mark of the beast.  I believe this is one example of believing a lie.  As I see things, evidences support that the day the rapture happens, those who had this mentality will not even survive what all will happen long enough to be faced with that chance.  I am inclined to believe that only those left who had not knowingly rejected Christ will have this chance.  Sadly, all the others will be damned, "who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."  I think of Jesus' words, "And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and...

men loved darkness

rather than Light, because their deeds were evil" (Jn. 3:19).

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world:  he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life" (Jn. 8:12).  "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the Light with you.  Walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness come upon you:  for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth.  While ye have the Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be children of Light" (Jn. 12:35-36).

These thoughts go hand in hand with A Totally Different Pre-Daniel's 70th Week Rapture Interpretation that I have.  Following is a link to my master thread by that title, where I have included (in my second post there) all the other threads that I have started so far, which relate to this different interpretation:

(https://www.worthychristianforums.com/topic/253935-a-totally-different-pre-daniels-70th-week-rapture-interpretation/)

Edited February 3, 2023 by not an echo

[not an echo]

Hello all,

Was just watching some of the news on FOX, and the headline read, "U.S. adversaries emboldened as Putin wages war."  The news was then focused on developments related to China, Iran, and North Korea.  Anyone could have guessed that such developments would soon be making the headlines.  No surprise.

My mind went to what I posted above some time back, especially the first half of it, which related to what was then happening in Afghanistan and how America's sudden removal was emboldening the Taliban.  What is happening presently is just another reinforcement of what I said in the second half of my post and how darkness will REALLY be emboldened when the Church is gathered out of this world.

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, not an echo said:

Hello all,

Was just watching some of the news on FOX, and the headline read, "U.S. adversaries emboldened as Putin wages war."  The news was then focused on developments related to China, Iran, and North Korea.  Anyone could have guessed that such developments would soon be making the headlines.  No surprise.

My mind went to what I posted above some time back, especially the first half of it, which related to what was then happening in Afghanistan and how America's sudden removal was emboldening the Taliban.  What is happening presently is just another reinforcement of what I said in the second half of my post and how darkness will REALLY be emboldened when the Church is gathered out of this world.

Obviously a subject that you are invested in @not an echo

The kingdom of the beast is always in the news and I am always aware of God's Judgment on it. 

Rev 16:10-11  Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.  (11)  They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.