I reread Revelation not too long ago when I was in the adoration chapel at my church and a strange thing occurred to me. The words written in the book are becoming far less symbolic and are starting to read almost like the headlines in the paper.
Read Chapter 8 below and see what I mean. The first angel sounds his trumpet and we get destruction from storms and fires and drought. I think it's hard to read the papers or watch the news without thinking that all of the flooding and hurricanes and earthquakes of recent years and how I never remember quite this many all packed into the same time frame. I could be wrong and this is just purely subjective. The thing is, I'm not alone. Nearly everyone I talk to says the same thing. And as far as the fire and scorched earth goes, Iran and Israel are getting really close to war and it will go nuclear.
"And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood:
And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed."
Obviously, this sounds like the blowout in the Gulf. I can't count the times I've seen the blowout described as an underwater volcano, or mountain. I always wondered how an ecosystem as vast as the worlds oceans could be destroyed. I think we have our answer. And have you noticed in many of the aerial photos of the slick that it's red and blood like?
"And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters:
And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter."
These events are yet to come, but if the others are accurate then I'd expect this to come along soon.
There is a lot of talk out there about a tenth planet that is nearing the sun (go here to see and hear one mans presentation of this argument). It's supposed to have an orbit of 3600 years or so and it supposedly causes cataclysmic events on earth, the severity of these events dependent on how close it comes. Is this Wormwood? If it's true, are we hearing echoes from the people of the past in the Book of Revelation, warning us of a wholly predictable natural event? God uses nature all the time in the Bible, and why not? He created it. He controls it and could very possibly change the direction of this planet, if it exists, to lessen or increase the severity of our coming chastisement.
"And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner."
Many mystics have spoken over the centuries about the "Three Days of Darkness". You can go here to read what some of them have had to say.
Look, you can believe the Bible or not; that's a choice for you to make. The thing that you want to keep in mind is just how uncannily accurate it has proven to be over time. If nothing else, read what it says about the events of the future leading to a new era of existence for mankind and judge the events surrounding us by these words. If it's all superstitious gibberish then what have you wasted? A small amount of your time? But, if it's right, if the Bible is warning us of what is right around the corner, wouldn't it be nice to know what's coming so you can prepare both spiritually and physically?
Revelation 8
1And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour.
2And I saw seven angels standing in the presence of God; and there were given to them seven trumpets.
3And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God.
4And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.
5And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it on the earth, and there were thunders and voices and lightnings, and a great earthquake.
6And the seven angels, who had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound the trumpet.
7And the first angel sounded the trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and it was cast on the earth, and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood:
9And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed.
10And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters:
11And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner.
13And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the three angels, who are yet to sound the trumpet.
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[just saw this on the net - Alfred]
ReplyDeletePRETRIB RAPTURE POLITICS
Many are still unaware of the eccentric, 180-year-old British theory underlying the politics of American evangelicals and Christian Zionists.
Journalist and historian Dave MacPherson has spent more than 40 years focusing on the origin and spread of what is known as the apocalyptic "pretribulation rapture" - the inspiration behind Hal Lindsey's bestsellers of the 1970s and Tim LaHaye's today.
Although promoters of this endtime evacuation from earth constantly repeat their slogan that "it's imminent and always has been" (which critics view more as a sales pitch than a scriptural statement), it was unknown in all official theology and organized religion before 1830.
And MacPherson's research also reveals how hostile the pretrib rapture view has been to other faiths:
It is anti-Islam. TV preacher John Hagee has been advocating "a pre-emptive military strike against Iran." (Google "Roots of Warlike Christian Zionism.")
It is anti-Jewish. MacPherson's book "The Rapture Plot" (see Armageddon Books etc.) exposes hypocritical anti-Jewishness in even the theory's foundation.
It is anti-Catholic. Lindsey and C. I. Scofield are two of many leaders who claim that the final Antichrist will be a Roman Catholic. (Google "Pretrib Hypocrisy.")
It is anti-Protestant. For this reason no major Protestant denomination has ever adopted this escapist view.
It even has some anti-evangelical aspects. The first publication promoting this novel endtime view spoke degradingly of "the name by which the mixed multitude of modern Moabites love to be distinguished, - the Evangelical World." (MacPherson's "Plot," p. 85)
Despite the above, MacPherson proves that the "glue" that holds constantly in-fighting evangelicals together long enough to be victorious voting blocs in elections is the same "fly away" view. He notes that Jerry Falwell, when giving political speeches just before an election, would unfailingly state: "We believe in the pretribulational rapture!"
In addition to "The Rapture Plot," MacPherson's many internet articles include "Famous Rapture Watchers," "Pretrib Rapture Diehards," "Edward Irving is Unnerving," "America's Pretrib Rapture Traffickers," "Thomas Ice (Bloopers)," "Pretrib Rapture Secrecy" and "Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty" (massive plagiarism, phony doctorates, changing of early "rapture" documents in order to falsely credit John Darby with this view, etc.!).
Because of his devastating discoveries, MacPherson is now No. 1 on the "hate" list of pretrib rapture leaders who love to ban or muddy up his uber-accurate findings in sources like Wikipedia - which they've almost turned into Wicked-pedia!
There's no question that the leading promoters of this bizarre 19th century end-of-the-world doctrine are solidly pro-Israel and necessarily anti-Palestinian. In light of recently uncovered facts about this fringe-British-invented belief which has always been riddled with dishonesty, many are wondering why it should ever have any influence on Middle East affairs.
This Johnny-come-lately view raises millions of dollars for political agendas. Only when scholars of all faiths begin to look deeply at it and widely air its "dirty linen" will it cease to be a power. It is the one theological view no one needs!
With apologies to Winston Churchill - never has so much deception been foisted on so many by so few!
[I agree with the above. And pretribulation raptiles hate MacPherson's "The Rapture Plot" - which I bought at Armageddon Books online - more than any other book! Into 2012ism? Google "The Newest Pretrib Calendar."]
The "rapture" denies a basic truth of Christianity; our salvation comes through suffering.
ReplyDeleteMost Christians today, Catholic and Protestant alike, have this distorted view of God. They believe in the love and forgiveness, all the kumbaya hand holding and song singing. Yet, somehow they miss the wrath and suffering and the just payment for debt accrued.
I believe that this is most evident in the rise of false belief in the "rapture" while the sound doctrine of purgatory is cast aside.
If we are in the times described in the Bible as the End Times we must brace ourselves for what's coming. The children of God will suffer along with the children of the world. Our suffering will bring many to repentance and conversion. This doesn't mean we won't be protected because we will. We will understand that our suffering has meaning and thus we will find joy and purpose in it. We will be given words of power when the times come and we'll speak them joyfully, much to the amazement of our destroyers. This is what happened when the Church was begun and it will happen in the time of new beginnings, too.
The false doctrine of the "rapture" is Satan's final act for many. When Christians that have been taught this lie as fact see that it isn't true, they will lose their faith, right at the most critical time. Many souls will be lost forever because of this lie.