what needs to happen for the end times to arrive ?

[Sparks]

31 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

Shabbat shalom, Sparks.

That's what I'm trying to tell you! It is NOT speaking of the "antichrist" or rather the "beast" or "the man against the Torah"; it is about the MESSIAH! Now, hear me out:

The first words were ...

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:

Here's the DAVIDIC Covenant:

2 Samuel 7:4-17 (KJV)

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 

5 "Go and tell my servant David,

"'Thus saith the LORD,

"'"Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, 'Why build ye not me an house of cedar?"'

8 "Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David,

"'Thus saith the LORD of hosts,

"'"I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies."' 

"'Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 

12 "'"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."'" 

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

YESHUA` the Messiah is the one who "strenthened the covenant with many" - the DAVIDIC Covenant! Ironically, it was the same Gavri'eel ("Gabriel") who spoke to Miryam ("Mary"):

Luke 1:30-33 (KJV)

30 And the angel said unto her,

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

The second set of words were ...

and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,

Here is how these words were fulfilled:

After three and a half years (1/2 Week), the Messiah was rejected, and His offer of the Kingdom was repealed for a future generation. Then, the Messiah = the Anointed to be King was crucified, buried, rose again, and left the earth. In the process of being crucified, His death accomplished much:

Matthew 27:45-54 (KJV)

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"

that is to say,

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said,

"This man calleth for Elias!"

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said,

"Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him!"

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying,

"Truly this was the Son of God!"

This is fulfilled according to the author of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:1-22 (KJV)

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, THERE IS NO MORE OFFERING FOR SIN.

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The third set of words were ...

and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation

This was fulfilled in Matthew 23:1-39. The first 36 verses were a diatribe against the scribes and the Pharisees, and then we read,

Matthew 23:37-39 (KJV)

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.'"

The last set of words have been being fulfilled since the First Century, and will continue to be fulfilled UNTIL the Messiah returns!

that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The children of Israel, particularly the Jews (the children of Judah), have been persecuted in the persecutions of Rome, the Inquisitions, the Crusades, the Pogroms, the Holocaust, the Islamic terrorism, the missile attacks from the Gaza Strip and from Syria and Lebanon, etc., etc., etc.

So, one does NOT get "the antichrist" from Daniel 9!

Respectfully, I disagree.  I glanced at your reply, but it was TL;DR.

Do you believe Jesus was/is the messiah who showed up and died on the cross?  If so, know he will show up again after the anti-christ reveals himself and is on the scene, at the Third Temple. 

 

[Sparks]

9 hours ago, Alive said:

We could also recall that Herod's temple was a restoration and expansion of the second temple. He expanded it to meet similar footprint of Solomon's.

Sacrifices never ended during this expansion. 

[Retrobyter]

8 hours ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

Interesting. There are a group of " ultra conservative" Jews that are totally against Israel being a nation at this time. They argue that GOD Himself will tell the Jews when to return to Israel. And as a chosen in Christ non-jew, I agree with them, as  I am waiting to return to the land of Israel.... spiritually speaking of course....( new Jerusalem). 

Shalom, Walter Goraj jr.

Well, these "ultra conservative" Jews are "kicking against the ox-goads," because Israel IS a nation today, whether they like it or not. And, GOD HIMSELF got them there!

They're like the guy who was hit by a hurricane and climbed to the roof of a sinking house: A rowboat came by and the man asked if he needed help. He said, "No thanks; God will save me." A yacht sailed by and the captain asked if he needed help. He said, "No, thank you; God will save me." Lastly, a helicopter came by and the pilot asked if he needed some help. "Hey! That house is going under!" He replied, "No, thanks; God will save me." The helicopter flew on to help others, the house sank, and the man died.

In God's presence, he asked God, "Why didn't you save me?" God said, "I TRIED! I sent you a rowboat, a yacht, and a helicopter! What more do you want?!"

It's good that you're waiting to return to the Land of Israel, but if you're waiting on the New Jerusalem, you've got a LONG, LONG, LONG WAIT! There's a THOUSAND YEARS on this earth in the PRESENT Jerusalem in which the Messiah will reign before the New Jerusalem will descend to a renewed Earth and Sky! Furthermore, that city is not a "spiritual" one! It's PHYSICAL, CONCRETE, and FULL OF REALITY!

[Retrobyter]

16 minutes ago, Sparks said:

Respectfully, I disagree.  I glanced at your reply, but it was TL;DR.

If it was "TOO LONG" for you to read, then I respectfully say that you are TOO IMPATIENT and TOO IMMATURE to understand! It's worth more than a glance because what MADE it "TOO LONG" are the SCRIPTURES quoted! Take the time to READ THEM!

16 minutes ago, Sparks said:

Do you believe Jesus was/is the messiah who showed up and died on the cross?  If so, know he will show up again after the anti-christ reveals himself and is on the scene, at the Third Temple. 

I not only believe that Yeshua` is the Maashiyach ben Yosef (Messiah son of Joseph, the suffering and dying Messiah) who "showed up and died on the cross," but I KNOW that He will be the same Maashiyach ben Daviyd (Messiah son of David, the victorious and reigning Messiah) who returns in His Second Coming, and claims His Land again, driving out all who would oppose Him with the "sword of His mouth!" He will rule and reign upon this earth, and through the first 1,000 years of His reign, He will subdue all of His enemies who oppose Him, and build a true Worldwide Empire! If He can speak and raise the dead to life, then He can speak and take away that life!

At the end of the 1,000 years, He will deliver up the Worldwide Empire to His Father, and continue to reign over the house of Israel FOREVER from His throne in the New Jerusalem upon a RENEWED Earth and Sky!

[Retrobyter]

29 minutes ago, Sparks said:

Sacrifices never ended during this expansion. 

Shalom, Sparks.

True, but they DID end for a season while the Abomination of Desolation was set up by Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" before Herod the Great came along.

[Sparks]

4 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

If it was "TOO LONG" for you to read, then I respectfully say that you are TOO IMPATIENT and TOO IMMATURE to understand! It's worth more than a glance because what MADE it "TOO LONG" are the SCRIPTURES quoted! Take the time to READ THEM!

It's not that I am impatient, and definitely not immature.  The truth is, you had already added parentheses to scripture, changing it and adding your own text, so what else would I have to research to see if it had changed?  Answer: All of it.  I am too busy to do that for that lengthy post.  Someone invented the expression TL;DR when posts ramble on, and yours did.  I don't know what all the colors represent, either. 

8 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

I not only believe that Yeshua` is the Maashiyach ben Yosef (Messiah son of Joseph, the suffering and dying Messiah) who "showed up and died on the cross," but I KNOW that He will be the same Maashiyach ben Daviyd (Messiah son of David, the victorious and reigning Messiah) who returns in His Second Coming, and claims His Land again, driving out all who would oppose Him with the "sword of His mouth!" He will rule and reign upon this earth, and through the first 1,000 years of His reign, He will subdue all of His enemies who oppose Him, and build a true Worldwide Empire! If He can speak and raise the dead to life, then He can speak and take away that life!

At the end of the 1,000 years, He will deliver up the Worldwide Empire to His Father, and continue to reign over the house of Israel FOREVER from His throne in the New Jerusalem upon a RENEWED Earth and Sky!

I am delighted to know that you believe Jesus is the messiah.  He is also God the Son.  Jesus will show up and take out the anti-Christ who will sit in the Third Temple, and claim to be God. 

[Sparks]

13 minutes ago, Retrobyter said:

Shalom, Sparks.

True, but they DID end for a season while the Abomination of Desolation was set up by Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" before Herod the Great came along.

There have been two temples already, and when they stood, sacrificing didn't stop.

[Retrobyter]

1 hour ago, Sparks said:

It's not that I am impatient, and definitely not immature.  The truth is, you had already added parentheses to scripture, changing it and adding your own text, so what else would I have to research to see if it had changed?  Answer: All of it.  I am too busy to do that for that lengthy post.  Someone invented the expression TL;DR when posts ramble on, and yours did.  I don't know what all the colors represent, either. 

Shalom, Sparks.

I LEAD you all in the study! All one has to do is FOLLOW ALONG! It's not that difficult. I'm 64 almost 65, and about to draw Medicare. I'm already retired, but it is my PASSION to read the Scriptures! Yesterday, just for fun, I read through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah again, and I study them in Hebrew and Aramaic. I don't "ramble on"; if you'd follow what I wrote, it is an in-depth, logical argument for what I propose.

The colors are simple:
Green is for narration.
Red is for the words of the Messiah.
Purple is for the words of YHWH God.
Blue is for the words of human beings and angels (since many times an "angel" is a HUMAN "messenger," which is what the words "mal'aakh" and "aggelos" mean).

1 hour ago, Sparks said:

I am delighted to know that you believe Jesus is the messiah.  He is also God the Son.  Jesus will show up and take out the anti-Christ who will sit in the Third Temple, and claim to be God. 

Actually, "God the Son" is a FABRICATED title. He is really the Son of God! I truly do believe that He was God the Word. We're told that much in John 1. But, He has NOT always been the SON! He BECAME the Son! Instead, we read ...

John 1:14 (KJV)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Most of the time, He claimed to be the Son of man (a true human being), but there were some occasions when He also claimed to be the Son of God, but never did He nor anyone claim Him to be "God the Son!"

In Hebrews, we're told ...

Hebrews 2:6-9 (KJV)

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying,

"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet." (Psalm 8:4-6). 

For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

and ...

Hebrews 5:5-10 (KJV)

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,

"Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee." (Psalm 2:7).

6 As he saith also in another place,

"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (Psalm 110:4).

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect (mature), he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

And ...

1 John 4:1-15 (KJV)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Finally, Paul said to the Philippians,

Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (in the Messiah Yeshua`): 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

So, while Yeshua` was indeed the Word who was God, He became flesh, thus LIMITING Him to that flesh, and no longer having the full attributes of God. Even in the Resurrection, Yeshua` said,

Luke 24:39 (KJV)

 39 "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Thus, He could GO AWAY from the earth, when He was taken up into the sky! And, He must RETURN in the Second Coming!

I do not hesitate to call Him "the Son of God"; but, I do not recognize Him as "God the Son." He wouldn't WANT me to so recognize Him! That's just a fiction from the Dark Ages.

What did He say to the rich young man?

Matthew 19:17 (KJV)

17 And he said unto him,

"Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

When He was teaching His disciples how to pray, what did He say?

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)

9 "After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

They were told,

John 16:23-28 (KJV)

23 "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name (on my authority), he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name (on my authority): and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father."

He was saying here that they didn't need Him to speak on their behalf; they could go directly to the Father in prayer on Yeshua`s authority!

I hope you can understand this.

[Retrobyter]

2 hours ago, Walter Goraj jr said:

My hope is for a new heavens and a new earth, not an illogical, unBiblical thousand year land of glory on an earth still cursed with sin. 

Well, sir, you've left out a HUGE part of the Messiah's future! His earthly Kingdom most certainly IS bibical! Consider:

The Davidic Covenant:

2 Samuel 7:12-17 (KJV)

12 "'"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity (If he is twisted into "iniquity"), I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."'" 

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

David's "seed" here CANNOT be Solomon; Solomon was made king BEFORE David died!

Gabriel REPEATED these words to Mary in Luke 1:30-33!

Luke 1:30-33 (KJV)

30 And the angel said unto her,

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Notice that His Kingdom shall be ETERNAL! It will last FOREVER, and THERE SHALL BE NO END!

With that in mind, then the 1,000-year reign of the Messiah is merely the FIRST 1,000 years of His reign, and we are given details about that reign! 

First, the "one thousand years" is given to us in Revelation 20:4-6, but we are also given this information in 2 Peter 3:

2 Peter 3:7-10 (KJV)

7 But the heavens (Greek: hoi ouranoi = "the skies") and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (This is the Great White Throne Judgment and the fire from the sky that precedes it. See Revelation 20:9-15.)

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (This is specifically talking about the SAME 1,000-YEAR PERIOD - a period in which any may come to repentance!)

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens (Greek: hoi ouranoi = "the skies") shall pass away (Greek: pareleusontai = literally "shall pass by and away") with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (See Revelation 20:9-15 again.)

We are also given information by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 within the "Resurrection chapter": (Now, I'm going to enumerate the Resurrections mentioned because most get tripped up by the verse numbers.)

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (KJV)

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ (Greek: en too Christoo = "in the Messiah") shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order:

(0) Christ the firstfruits;
(1) afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 
24 (2) Then cometh the end, when he (the Messiah) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 

25 For he (the Messiah) must reign [between (1) and (2)], till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (See Revelation 20:14.) 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. [But when he saith, "all things are put under him," it is manifest that he (God the Father) is excepted, which did put all things under him (the Messiah).] 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him (the Messiah, the Son), then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (God the Father) that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

So, the order of events here is ...

1. The Second Coming of the Messiah
2. His reign in which He ...
2.a. Is subduing all of His enemies (building His Kingdom in the process)
2.b. Destroys death as His last enemy
3. When He has put down all rule and all authority and power, He shall deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father
4. The Son, the Messiah of God, shall be subject to God the Father
5. God the Father is "all in all."

And, these all correspond to the events in Revelation 20:4-21:8. Note, however, that the Second Coming has already happened before 20:4 in the book of Revelation.

There's also MUCH in the Tanakh (the OT) that talks about this Kingdom period. Ezekiel 40-48 all speaks to the PRESENT measurements of the Holy Land for the dividing of the Land to the twelve (thirteen) tribes of Israel and to the reign of the King. Isaiah 60-65 all speak about the Kingdom of the Messiah BEFORE the New Skies and the New Earth. Zechariah 14 is all about the Kingdom of the Messiah. Some things SOUND like the New Earth, but the measurements suggest that this is a time period PRIOR to the New Earth. Many of the psalms give us additional information of the Messiah's Kingdom, particularly Psalm 2:

Psalm 2:1-12 (KJV)

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his Anointed, saying,

3 "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us!"

4 He that sitteth in the heavens (YHWH God) shall laugh: the Lord (the Messiah) shall have them in derision (make fun of them). 5 Then shall he (God) speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion! 7 I will declare the decree:

"'the LORD hath said unto me,

"'"Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."'

10 "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth! 11 Serve the LORD WITH FEAR, and rejoice WITH TREMBLING. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little! Blessed are all they that put their trust in him!"

There's just TOO MUCH to ignore, IMO! You can choose to ignore it, if you wish, but you will end up having too much to catch up on when He comes!

[Retrobyter]

3 hours ago, Sparks said:

There have been two temples already, and when they stood, sacrificing didn't stop.

Shalom, Sparks.

Just check out the history of the Chanukkah account. There's a REASON why they light the candles for eight days! There's a REASON why they started playing with dreidels!

King Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" was doing his dead-level best to turn the Jews away from their worship of the One True God and Helenize their nation! He made it ILLEGAL to own a scroll of the Tanakh! He made it ILLEGAL to circumcize their sons! He forced them to worship Zeus, and he sacrificed a pig upon God's Altar, polluting it!

A Jew disobeyed these rules on pain of DEATH!