Ask Me Anything About Christianity

[Jedi4Yahweh]

2 hours ago, Starise said:

I believe in a taking up as stated in the bible. The restraining in 2 Thess. is , I believe, the force behind the man of sin presently restrained which could be referring to Rome and the apostasy to come from it. Whatever it is, it's the power behind the man of sin, an evil. It's a NEGATIVE EVIL force just waiting to be let go.

In the Rev 7 passage four angels are involved. These angels are doing God's work, so they are not evil or negative in that sense. These would be angels dispensing judgement. The same angel who has the authority to stay the four angels ready to dispense judgement also has the authority from God to stay them until the 144,000 are protected.

So yes, I see this as also a restraint but a DIFFERENT situation and a temporary different restraint.

One restraint is staying the power behind the man of sin

The other restraint is staying the wrath or judgement on the world until the 144,000 are sealed. The 144,000 is specific to the tribes of Israel.

There are 2 Beast spoken of in the Book of Revelation:  The first beast is a world government.  The second beast is the False Prophet "aka Anti-Christ" that performs signs and wonders and forces all to worship the first beast (world government) and to take a mark in allegiance to the world government. 

[Dan Knight]

2 hours ago, Starise said:

I believe in a taking up as stated in the bible. The restraining in 2 Thess. is , I believe, the force behind the man of sin presently restrained which could be referring to Rome and the apostasy to come from it. Whatever it is, it's the power behind the man of sin, an evil. It's a NEGATIVE EVIL force just waiting to be let go.

In the Rev 7 passage four angels are involved. These angels are doing God's work, so they are not evil or negative in that sense. These would be angels dispensing judgement. The same angel who has the authority to stay the four angels ready to dispense judgement also has the authority from God to stay them until the 144,000 are protected.

So yes, I see this as also a restraint but a DIFFERENT situation and a temporary different restraint.

One restraint is staying the power behind the man of sin

The other restraint is staying the wrath or judgement on the world until the 144,000 are sealed. The 144,000 is specific to the tribes of Israel.

Another example of restraining:

Revelation 20:3

 

“And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

[com7fy8]

On 10/9/2022 at 4:58 AM, JohannPretorius said:

Is there such a thing as a Rapture @Starise?

In 2 Timothy 2:18 Paul refers to "the resurrection" which certain wrong people say is "already past". I see how this resurrection is the "first reaurrection" > in Revelation 20:5&6. This is the resurrection of Jesus Christ's church.

In this first resurrection, God will raise the dead Christians "first", and then also resurrect whoever in Jesus is still alive on this earth > 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

And this is the basic meaning of the word "Rapture" > it means the resurrection of Jesus Christ's people > the raising of the dead and then raising the living. So, with this scriptural meaning it is a Biblical word. 

But ones are taught to assume the Rapture will take place before the greatest tribulation (Matthew 24:21). But because of what I have discovered in Matthew 24:29-31, I don't assume the Rapture will happen before the greatest tribulation.

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by com7fy8

[Dan Knight]

2 hours ago, Starise said:

I believe in a taking up as stated in the bible. The restraining in 2 Thess. is , I believe, the force behind the man of sin presently restrained which could be referring to Rome and the apostasy to come from it. Whatever it is, it's the power behind the man of sin, an evil. It's a NEGATIVE EVIL force just waiting to be let go.

In the Rev 7 passage four angels are involved. These angels are doing God's work, so they are not evil or negative in that sense. These would be angels dispensing judgement. The same angel who has the authority to stay the four angels ready to dispense judgement also has the authority from God to stay them until the 144,000 are protected.

So yes, I see this as also a restraint but a DIFFERENT situation and a temporary different restraint.

One restraint is staying the power behind the man of sin

The other restraint is staying the wrath or judgement on the world until the 144,000 are sealed. The 144,000 is specific to the tribes of Israel.

And , con permiso, one last example. Probably the most important example of restraining for us humans today:

 

^{Gen 9:13} I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

¹⁴ And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

¹⁵ And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

¹⁶ And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

¹⁷ And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

God restraining Himself for our sakes.  

[Dan Knight]

9 hours ago, NCAP said:

Right! Flip a coin or roll the dice. It is totally and completely impartial. They had to decide which one out of two (Joseph and Matthias) was going to replace Judas.

"Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents." (Proverbs 18:18 BSB)

There is a difference between the lots cast by the people who did so for the garments of Jesus,  and the casting of lots to decide who would be next apostle. 

The results for lots cast for the garments were flip of a coin, or roll of the dice and indeed were completely impartial.  BUT, the act of doing so was not happenstance.  They were fulfilling prophecy.  

Matthew 27:35

 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots."

   It is prophecy fulfilled. It is another way that we can identify the True Messiah.  Through  prophecy fulfilled. 

 

As for the difference of the lots cast for the choice of the man to replace Judas..it most certainly did not fall into the same category as the above mentioned event because the apostles asked God to make the decision. 

Acts 1:23-26 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."

  And they accepted His decision on the spot. So the difference between the 2 is evident. 

not a roll of the dice, or coin toss when we inquire of the Lord,  it is absolute. 

[NCAP]

2 minutes ago, Dan Knight said:

There is a difference between the lots cast by the people who did so for the garments of Jesus,  and the casting of lots to decide who would be next apostle. 

The results for lots cast for the garments were flip of a coin, or roll of the dice and indeed were completely impartial.  BUT, the act of doing so was not happenstance.  They were fulfilling prophecy.  

Matthew 27:35

 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots."

   It is prophecy fulfilled. It is another way that we can identify the True Messiah.  Through  prophecy fulfilled. 

 

As for the difference of the lots cast for the choice of the man to replace Judas..it most certainly did not fall into the same category as the above mentioned event because the apostles asked God to make the decision. 

Acts 1:23-26 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."

  And they accepted His decision on the spot. So the difference between the 2 is evident. 

not a roll of the dice, or coin toss when we inquire of the Lord,  it is absolute.

What was the purpose of casting lots? And who told them to cast lots?

[Dan Knight]

1 minute ago, NCAP said:

What was the purpose of casting lots? And who told them to cast lots?

In which instance 

[NCAP]

Just now, Dan Knight said:

In which instance 

Acts 1:26. Who told them to cast lots?

[Dan Knight]

2 minutes ago, NCAP said:

What was the purpose of casting lots? And who told them to cast lots?

In the casting of lots for Jesus garments,  it was prophesied to happen,  so who is the one who can bring prophesy about? God brought it about.

2nd instance,  the casting of lots, God allowed the Israelites to cast lots in order to determine His will for a given situation (Joshua 18:6-10; 1 Chronicles 24:5,31). Various offices and functions in the temple were also determined by lot (1 Chronicles 24:5, 31; 25:8-9; 26:13-14). The sailors on Jonah’s ship (Jonah 1:7) also cast lots to determine who had brought God’s wrath upon their ship. The eleven apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas (Acts 1:26)

2nd instance ...God.

[Dan Knight]

8 minutes ago, NCAP said:

Acts 1:26. Who told them to cast lots?

In the event of casting lots for Jesus clothing,  who won is of no consequence.  There is zero evidence depicting a winner. The importance of the event is that it was prophesied to happen many years prior.

However,  in the casting of lots to decide the replacement of Judas the result is consequential.  To important to be left to humans, so God decided..through the lots casted down.