Prophecy: Last Things And The Return Of Christ, Fourth Edition-Properly Understanding Bible Prophecy
October 5, 2010, Updated August 26, 2017

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TODAY'S WORD SECTION 1: RAPTURE AND ANTICHRIST CONFUSION INTRODUCTION: I DON’T’ BELIEVE WHAT “LEFT BEHIND” TEACHES The passing of the years has brought new issues before us. As I have pondered and prayed about new things, I have been led to reconsider other angles, arguments and viewpoints that I need to deal with in such an exhaustive article as this one. Hence, there continually arises a need for revision of it, and so, I now bring forth the fourth. I was ministering in Medellin, Colombia in 2005 for forty days. During that time, I preached ten times at a Church there. In my last session of preaching, I was teaching on the last things, and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. When I finished preaching, the Pastora of the Church there disagreed with what I had taught, and said what she believed about these things. I sat, listening intently, as she was expressing her agreement with pre-tribulation rapture teaching, the idea of a single person antichrist and the whole scenario that is set forth in the movie “Left Behind”. I resolved, after a few minutes of polite discourse with the Pastora, to set to writing my beliefs with respect to these things. I try never to argue with people about these things, but I am rarely successful. Such an explanatory work as this needs to be short, to the point, and clear. So much of what is written today is not. Many extrapolations, and leaps of interpretation are made when people teach about the return of Christ. People who disagree with me regarding such things usually desire to classify me and when they do, they make errors. They say, for example, that "he doesn't believe in the rapture", but that is not true. I simply believe in the rapture and the second coming and I cannot find clear biblical evidence to separate the two in terms of timing. Some want to call me a historicist, when I find that in some respects, I am a futurist who also believes in the historical fulfillment of many bible prophecies. Sometimes, it can be tricky to pin labels on people. PROLOGUE: IT IS NOT A TRAGEDY TO SAY WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND-SOME THINGS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD Daniel was a man who was told several times by angels that he was a man highly favored and highly esteemed of the Lord. More than any other man in scripture, Daniel was shown things and plainly admitted that he did not understand them. He kept crying out to God for understanding, and finally was told, “Go thy way, Daniel”. Those things he sought were sealed up, until the time of the end. In short, no one was to know them until it was time for them to be known. Today, we see many who know it all. Many have their charts and their books, with everything sorted into a neat little order. Every scripture has its’ place and is understood. The only problem is that there are at least nine different ways that men have interpreted all of this, and it is obvious that a minimum of eight of their methods must be wrong, and perhaps all are wrong. It is much better to echo Daniel, and say, “Lord, I do not understand.” I will do so where I do not have a clear understanding of what is to come. 1: ANTICHRIST CONFUSION In my many years, I have seen many possible identities for this “future antichrist”: supposedly PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. You should not assume that you have been taught correctly. Have you been taught, or has it been more like programming? Will there be "an antichrist"? This is what we have all been taught. What does the scripture say? I read one book where it was convincingly PROVEN FROM THE SCRIPTURE that the antichrist would be a resurrected Adolph Hitler. Those who have read Robert Van Kampen’s “The Sign”…….you know I’m not joking or making this up. I have seen it proven, supposedly FROM SCRIPTURE, that the “future antichrist” will be a Jew. I have heard it presented, PROVEN FROM SCRIPTURE, that Bill Clinton, as head of a powerful United Nations, will be the “future antichrist”. After all, his name adds up to 666 in Hebrew and in Greek. I recall, from a book I read in the late 1990’s, written by a long time messianic missionary, that he was quite certain that Yasser Arafat was the antichrist. Well, his death, on November 11, 2004, has disqualified him from the position, if it exists. I have heard prophecy that he, the “future antichrist” will be a future American president. I have also read a book that identified the former Russian President Gorbachev as the one. I have read it and heard it many times that this “future antichrist” will be a charismatic political leader of a revived Holy Roman Empire. I read another one where it was proven that the “future antichrist” had to be Prince Charles of Wales, or from his line. I have even read an argument that our antichrist will be an Arab terrorist like Osama Bin Laden….maybe even Bin Laden himself. This is getting more and more difficult. Now, Jon Van Koevering is telling me on his television program to look for an Arab. Whew! Saddam Hussein is out of power, but, alas, not proven dead yet! I am remembering that Van Koevering is not the first to come up with this Arab leader scenario. I remember something about this, foretold by that famous necromancer Nostradamus, who saw an Arab leader of the future, who would cause a great war, wearing a many colored robe. Finally, most pastors say he will come out of Rome. Are not the pastors and teachers of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ being made to look exceedingly foolish and reckless by this continual crystal ball gazing? Might the flock be getting just a little bit confused? Now, a little bit later in the game, a contender is surging to the front: Islam and a more reasonable origin spot for any antichrist: Syria. 2: WHAT IS SATAN'S OBJECTIVE IN ALL OF THIS CONFUSION AND PROMISES OF EASE AND COMFORT FOR THE CHRISTIAN? THE STORY OF CORRIE TEN BOOM. We can already look to places on the Earth where pre- tribulation rapture doctrine has been taught, and see what the results were when trouble and tribulation reached there. This letter was written by Ms. Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi Concentration Camp survivor, and lifelong missionary, to many countries, in 1974. I have included excerpts from it: "My sister, Betsy, and I were in the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbruck because we committed the crime of loving Jews. Seven hundred of us from Holland, France, Russia, Poland and Belgium were herded into a room built for two hundred. As far as I knew, Betsy and I were the only two representatives of Heaven in that room. We may have been the Lord's only representatives in that place of hatred, yet because of our presence there, things changed. Jesus said, "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We too, are to be overcomers – bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with darkness and hate." "Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true." "Betsy and I, in the concentration camp, prayed that God would heal Betsy who was so weak and sick. "Yes, the Lord will heal me,", Betsy said with confidence. She died the next day and I could not understand it. They laid her thin body on the concrete floor along with all the other corpses of the women who died that day." "It was hard for me to understand, to believe that God had a purpose for all that. Yet because of Betsy's death, today I am traveling all over the world telling people about Jesus." "There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China, the Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated – raptured." Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians (20 million estimated martyrs) were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, "We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes – to stand and not faint." "I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to escape it. We are next." "Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus' sake, and since I met the Bishop in China, now every time I read a good Bible text I think, "Hey, I can use that in the time of tribulation." Then I write it down and learn it by heart." "When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty percent of the women came out alive, we tried to cheer each other up by saying, "Nothing could be any worse than today." But we would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible verse that I had committed to memory gave me great hope and joy. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part evil is spoken of, but on your part He is glorified." (I Peter 3:14) I found myself saying, "Hallelujah! Because I am suffering, Jesus is glorified!" "In America, the churches sing, "Let the congregation escape tribulation", but in China and Africa the tribulation has already arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations. But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners. Many, many members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation." "Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new government had come into power. The first night I was there some of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians in the district were being systematically murdered." "The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came, but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, "Will this one I am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?" "When I was a little girl, " I said, "I went to my father and said, "Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ." "Tell me," said Father, "When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?" "No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train." "That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need – just in time…" My African friends were nodding and smiling. Suddenly a spirit of joy descended upon that church and the people began singing, " In the sweet, by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore." Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed. I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago." "But I must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life." "How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives." "Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God." "We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it." "In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other. But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christian's life." "Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to run. I, too, am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years, including the horrible nazi concentration camp, that I might have to go through the tribulation also. But then I read the Bible and I am glad." "When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and I were prisoners for the Lord, we were so weak, but we got power because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not be strong in yourself when the tribulation comes. Rather, you will be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has He ever left me, or let me down. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, for I know that to all who overcome, He shall give the crown of life. Hallelujah!" -Corrie Ten Boom-1974 Liberty To The Captives Home Page got this letter from the "Not Deceived Message Board". This is an excellent site that is well worth visiting. Nate Krupp, who runs Preparing the Way Publishers, in Salem, Oregon, relates that in 1976, Corrie ten Boom personally shared with him that the Chinese Christians had been taught a pre-tribulation rapture. When the Communist take-over came in 1949-50, many believers fell away. Some of the Christian leaders of China later confessed to Corrie ten Boom that they had taught their Congregations wrongly, and repented of their teaching. This testimony is an indication that the pre-tribulation teaching has been evaluated in one of the world's largest harvest-fields, where there are and have been more Christians than there are in all the other nations of the world aggregated as one. The doctrine has been found lacking. It does not witness to reality during times of persecution, and becomes a stumbling stone to the saints who believe it. It does not prepare them for certain trouble. John Mathew Thekkel M.A.,Ph.D. (Dr .Sunny Ezhumattoor) writes: "Today 100% of Pentecostals, 98% of Plymouth Brethren, and 95% of Southern Baptists accept the doctrine of pre-tribulation rapture." Are you one of the millions being deceived? 3: WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE PAST MUCH BETTER THAN THE FUTURE The pre-tribulation rapture theory is the necessary outgrowth of the futurist interpretation of all bible prophecy. The assumption is made that bible prophecy all is future, and has not yet been fulfilled, and many writers have written book upon book to that effect. Ah, but there is not much money to be made in understanding the past. Books written about it don’t sell very well. And so, a trip to any bible bookstore, and a visit to the prophecy section will yield the discovery that many authors have written a great many things about what they believe is about to happen on Planet Earth. Are any correct? The bible does not show forth many examples where men have attempted to take prophecy, study it, and make sense out of it. There are really only a few. Daniel saw that his country was nearing the point of Jeremiah’s 70 year prophecy. What was Daniel’s response? Did he study and write a book? No, he prayed, and had visions, and was visited by angels. Still, he lacked understanding about the future events he was being shown. There are many examples where New Testament writers quoted an old testament prophetic passage and noted that it was now fulfilled with what they were seeing in their day, or had just seen in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Still, anointed men and women of God tell me that I should not study history. Everywhere I look, I find that all Christian people are ignorant of their history: the history of their church, the martyrs, antichrists and the biblical empires and kingdoms that must be understood before the bible may be understood. 4: THE ERROR OF PRESUMPTION THAT ALL IS FUTURE Yes, there is an error today, and it springs from a root of pride. It believes that everything written in prophecy is for us, and refers to our near future. This is so arrogant: as if God wrote nothing to believers in the last 1,900 years, and only cared to speak to us about the future we would live in our lives. More than 1900 years have passed since John, the last new testament author, laid down his quill. Much history has happened in those years, but modern authors ignore it. Modern pastors don’t want to hear about it. SECTION 2: PERVERTING THE SCRIPTURE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF MANY 5: WHERE DID THIS IDEA OF EVERYTHING FUTURE COME FROM? Most people know of the Scofield Reference Bible, published in 1917. This study bible, published in America, probably did the most to popularize the “futurist method” of interpreting bible prophecy. This study bible popularized the pre-tribulation rapture teaching. Most people do not know who the first was to advance this proposition. His name was Francisco Ribera. He advanced it in 1583. Origin Of Rapture Doctrine He was a Jesuit Priest: A Roman Catholic. He had a very obvious motive for advancing his proposition. Martin Luther and the other reformers had made great headway against Roman Catholicism with their own proposition: that the Pope in any age was antichrist, and the Roman Catholic Church was the fulfillment of what the bible called Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17. 6: ADDING TO THE WORD OF GOD There is a chilling postscript to the writing of the Revelation, or the Apocalypse. This book contains the vision of John, and the details of his visit from Jesus. We are warned in Revelation 22 as follows: 22:18 For I testify to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. To those who believe in “Left Behind” as scriptural, I issue this challenge: Show me where a “seven year tribulation period” is found in “the prophecy of this book”. Take your pick of books. Look in the book of Revelation, or in the whole book. You will not find it. It has been added to prophecy, extrapolated from some wording in Daniel 9 that refers to actions of one who will “confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” The action of confirming, or strengthening means most directly that a covenant already exists, and this person is confirming it. It does not, and probably does not refer to the execution of a new treaty, and it cannot be stretched to imply the existence of a seven year tribulation period in scripture without any supporting scripture to that end, and there is no such thing in the word of God. The Hebrew phrase for "to cut a covenant" was not used. Biblical support for this "seven year tribulation" rests upon this one scripture alone. A custom of a "seven day marriage feast" is also used to buttress the argument, in that the groom rejoices with his bride for seven days. Since this custom is not biblical, even if it is true, it's weight in the determination of any prophesied length of time should be correspondingly lighter than scripture would be. It may signify what it actually portends: seven days rather than seven years. Arguments for extending the 70 weeks of years past 70 AD, as spoken of by the prophet Daniel, are very weak. No other biblically prophesied period is treated in a manner that would split up times of fulfillment and leave large gaps in the time of fulfillment. The so called "seventieth week", as spoken of in Daniel 9:27, is said by some to refer to "the prince who will come", and by others to refer to "the Messiah Jesus". Jesus caused sacrifice and oblation to come to an end in terms of it's approval by God as a sacrificial system. The sacrifice of the animals continued until Titus came to Jerusalem and destroyed it in 70 AD. Whichever stoppage of sacrifice and offering is regarded as the fulfillment of this passage, it does not continue beyond 74 AD. Advocates of the pre-tribulational theory conveniently ignore these events, and the cessation of sacrifice that already occurred in history, and look forward to a mythical future temple with a mythical restarted animal sacrifice system. We do find references to a period of 1260 days in the Revelation, or 42 months, or 3 1/2 years. Should we believe, as the Jesuits taught, that it refers to some future 1260 day great tribulation period? Or do we agree with the Protestant reformers, who taught that it spoke of 1260 years of temporal and political rule by the Roman Catholic Church? I choose to believe the greater evidence that supports the latter conclusion. So, reason number one why I do not believe in “Left Behind” is that pre-tribulational rapture doctrine adds a seven year tribulation to the bible that is not in the bible. It is an extrapolation, and not a very convincing one at that. It is likely that my friend, the Pastora in Colombia, would have no pre-tribulation rapture doctrine in her mind were it not for American teachers and pastors who willfully spread the Jesuit inspired doctrine. Last year, the Lord spoke a frightening word to me. He said that he had added a seven year tribulation period to America, because American believers have added this to his word. There will be no rapture from this period of great tribulation that will come upon America. 7: THE FIRST RESURRECTION-ONE GATHERING NOT TWO Pre-tribulation rapture doctrine asserts that the rapture is a secret event, that is not pre-announced by any signs. It is then followed by seven years of tribulation. At the end of that period, Christ returns on the clouds, with his holy ones. At that time, those who were “left behind” at the time of the rapture of Christ are gathered to the Lord. That speaks of two gatherings of believers. One gathering early, followed in seven years by another gathering later. In both gatherings, these believers receive glorified bodies. That clearly constitutes two resurrections according to Pre-tribulational theory. This is not in agreement with the bible. Revelation Chapter 20 reads as follows: 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. This clearly describes those who refuse to take the mark of the beast, and who are beheaded for the testimony of Jesus. Clearly these are part of the body of Christ, and they will return with the Lord with the dead who will rise first return on the clouds with Jesus, as Pauls first letter to the Thessalonians describes the event. Yet, they have been gathered to the Lord at this point. Their gathering to him is called THE FIRST RESURRECTION. I have written three articles in 2014 that bring a fresh view to some of these things. You may find them at these links: 08/01/2014 PROPHECY: The 1,260 Day Prophecy of Revelation-The Great Tribulation 07/29/2014 PROPHECY: The 2,300 Day Prophecy of Daniel-Times Of The Gentiles 07/24/2014 PROPHECY: The Seven Year Tribulation How can there be any gathering to him prior to this first resurrection? How can a rapture, which is the resurrection of all the dead in Christ happen prior to this point and be scriptural? This first resurrection cannot occur until the mark of the beast is revealed and the son of perdition is ruling in full view. 8: JESUS DOES NOT AGREE WITH “LEFT BEHIND” EITHER It is incredible to report it, but the very clear and orderly words of Jesus in Matthew 24 do not say anything about a secret unannounced rapture. Look at these verses carefully: 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. First, there is a tribulation that we must come to the end of. Then, Jesus says that AFTER THE TRIBULATION, a celestial show begins. Then, the Lord is seen, on the clouds. This is the testimony of Jesus Christ, and nowhere does he insert a discussion about another, secret coming to take away the church, prior to tribulation. The gathering of the elect, as Jesus describes it, comes “after the tribulation of those days.” This is simple and quite clear. And look at John chapter 6. FOUR times Jesus says he will raise us up AT the LAST day. The LAST day is defined in John 12:48. Look at 1 Thessalonians 1:6-9 where Paul says that WE WILL GET RELIEF – not tribulation saints – but we, the church (if 1 Thess 5:9 applies, so does 2 Thess 1:6-9) and he says THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN – Jesus is revealed from Heaven visibly and to punish unbelievers – and those who do not obey the gospel. SECTION 3: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMING OF OUR LORD 9: WHEN IS THIS COMING? AT THE SOUNDING OF THE LAST TRUMPET Then, the Lord will send his angels to gather his elect. It is done at the sound of a great trumpet. 1 Corinthians 15 tells what trump it is: 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. So, it happens at the last trumpet. The simplest place to find a last trumpet is in the book of Revelation, where seven trumpets are referred to. Let us see what is said there about the seventh trumpet. In Revelation 11, we find: 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he will reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, who sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them who destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. Now, it is clear here that the wrath of God begins at the point of the sounding of the seventh trump. That is clearly testified to in verse 18. God’s wrath is not spoken of prior to this point, and scripture requires that the church must leave prior to the outpouring of God’s wrath. 1 Thess 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. So, it is clear that here, at the sounding of this seventh, last trump, is where the rapture of the church and the gathering together with our Lord appears. Following this, the vials are poured out. These are found in Revelation 15. 1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. This is the wrath we are spared from. It occurs at the right time, just following the sounding of the last trumpet. This is when Jesus said it would happen. Another possibility is that the vials and the trumpets coincide. The trumpets are 1/3’s..... the vials are total. But look at the vials carefully. Not one of them will hurt a believer (Rev 16:2 – only those who have the mark; 16:9 – God has total control; 16:10 – beast’s kingdom plunged into darkness; 16:18 – 7th vial is like 11:19 – the 7th trumpet). This protection does not necessarily require the removal of the believer from Earth. 10: SOME ARGUE THAT THE LAST TRUMPET OF 1 CORINTHIANS 15 IS NOT THE LAST TRUMPET OF REVELATION 11: The argument is advanced that since Revelation 11 was written about 40 years after 1 Corinthians 11, that Paul could not have been referring to Revelation 11 with his phrase "last trumpet" because that scripture had not been written yet. The conclusion is therefore reached that it must refer to a trumpet referred to earlier, which they use to buttress their arguments for the application of this scripture to the trumpets that are blown during the Feast of Trumpets. There are three sets of nine trumpet blasts each during that feast. I do not believe this is a convincing argument. I believe it is permissible for Paul to refer to a last trumpet, and for that reference to be explained in further detail, forty years later, by the Revelation to John. He is hearing the Lord talking about it. The truth of the Book of Revelation was already known to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God has done this in other places. Daniel saw the ancient of days, coming on the clouds, and reported it in Chapter 7, verse 13-14. This receives further explanation in Revelation 1:7, where it is explained by Jesus, speaking to John, that also those who pierced him will see him, and the kindreds of the Earth will wail because of him. It is common for later passages of the bible to amplify an earlier passage. 11: BUT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE CHURCH WILL BE KEPT FROM THE HOUR OF TESTING? That scripture, Revelation 3:10, was written to one of seven churches: Philadelphia. Additionally, it was written to that church, referring to things that were presently occurring, and soon to occur in that church. Jesus told John in Revelation 1:19 that he was to "write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." We must first consider that this speaks about the way things were in Philadelphia. If there are principles that may be broadly applied, we may do so. To say that all future believers will be kept from testing is not true or accurate. To also imply that any protection that will accrue to believers must involve their removal by rapture from the Earth is not true or accurate either. God is able to protect us, as he protected Noah in the Ark and the Israelites in Goshen. Following this, seven existing churches are addressed. I take this to be things present are being talked about. Then, in Revelation 4:1, after the seven churches discourse is finished, John is told, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter." One thing is clear: Revelation must have some "things which are" in the book, because that is what Jesus told John in 1:19. Those things after 4:1 are called "things which must be hereafter". 12: DOESN'T LUKE 17 SPEAK ABOUT THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE? This passage from Luke 17 is thought by many to refer to the rapture of the entire Christian church. Is this so? 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. I have the following observations: Eight persons escaped in the ARK, to a place, on the Earth. They were not whisked away to heaven. The probable populaton of Earth at that time was probably in the multiple millions. EIGHT is a very small number. Noah was closed into the ARK by the Lord. Four persons escaped from Sodom. Lot's wife looked back, and was salted. So that left three who were saved. Once again, they were not whisked way to heaven, but they were escorted to a place on the Earth, with guidance by angels. I believe it is possible that this allegory may be fulfilled when Revelation 12 is fulfilled, and the woman, with the man-child, is hidden in the wilderness. It is possible that a small segment of the church may be prepared for valiant service, and may be hidden for a time, and then released to do great exploits. I do not see how this two part allegory of Noah and Lot can have anything to do with a pre-tribulation rapture of the whole church. I do see how it could possibly refer to the sheltering of a remnant, by God, in the wilderness. SECTION 4: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEMPLE, ANTICHRIST, THE ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE AND THE MARRIAGE SUPPER 13: WILL A TEMPLE BE BUILT? “Pre-Tribulational” theory has advanced this notion. New Testament theology declares that the human body, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, is now the temple of God. 1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defileth the temple of God, him will God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. There is one other body, and it is a many membered one: Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. And so, it seems reasonable to me to conclude that the many membered body of Christ is also a temple of the Lord in our time. The Book of Hebrews clearly lays out a convincing case in confirming the new covenant in the blood of Christ Jesus, and in demonstrating its’ superiority over the old covenant, that was implemented with the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats. Construction of such a temple again, on the temple mount, will not be a holy place in my estimation, but an abomination. Jerusalem was already desolated once in 70 AD for missing the time of their visitation, and continuing on with the system of animal sacrifice and temple worship. 14: WILL THERE BE AN ANTICHRIST? There have always been antichrists. The book of 1 John , Chapter 2, says it this way: 18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. This epistle, written around the year 90, is quite clear. There had already been antichrists at that time, and there will be more. Furthermore, John tells us that he was living in the last time. Clearly then, the last 1900 years must have also been “the last time”. 15: BUT WON’T AN ANTICHRIST SIT IN THE TEMPLE? 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2 says it this way: 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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 is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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 who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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: 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. Many writers have interpreted this section of scripture in many different ways. Again, I echo Daniel. It is perfectly permissible to say that we do not know for sure. I have doubts that an actual temple will be built, because this scripture calls for a “temple of God” where a man will sit. Any temple, built on the temple mount in Jerusalem, will not be a temple of God, but will conduct restarted animal sacrifices, which will be an abomination in the sight of the Lord. God never told us in this New Testament passage that He was referring to the temple in Jerusalem. God’s glory will not dwell in it if it is rebuilt: it will not be a Holy Place. A man sitting in something that is already an abomination would not increase or change the transgression, and would not fulfill the prophecy of Jesus regarding the abomination in Matthew 24 and Mark 13, as I see it. Looking backwards in history, I am convinced that this scripture has been fulfilled once by the Papacy. Popes began giving orders to Kings in the year 606 that eventually led to the slaughter of 50 million Christians. This continued for 42 months of years…1260 years, until 1866. It certainly was a great tribulation for those who endured it. I leave the door of uncertainty open with respect verse 9 of 2 Thessalonians 2. Perhaps there will be a great one, a very deceptive type of antichrist, performing lying signs and wonders, who will appear, still in the future. Certainly, the Catholic Priest Dominic is credited with raising a man from the dead in the year 1221. That may qualify, or we may wait for one still future. Those who argue exclusively from the historicist perspective always say this scripture is totally fulfilled, and that “the one who letteth” that is referred to in verse seven is the Pagan Roman empire. Again, I believe the Popes have fulfilled this scripture once, but that does not rule out a secondary, echo fulfillment of it at the time of the return of Christ. Perhaps it will be fulfilled by the expected Islamic Mahdi or the Dajjal. Muslims have a prophecy that their "Anti" figure will be a Levite, whom the Jews will regard as their messiah and that he, "The Dajjal", will rebuild the temple. So, it might look like the prophecy is being fulfilled, but is it really an abomination that will cause desolation? Will that thing built there be a holy thing? I for one, am not sure about it, because it does not look like it and I, like Daniel, am not ashamed to say so. 16: BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION? Jesus is speaking in Matthew 24:15-20: 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: Jesus is also speaking in the comparable passage in Mark 13: 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Finally, we reprint the words of Jesus, from Luke 21: 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. Please, take the time to carefully study these three passages above. Note the following: Luke 21:20 refers to armies, as they compass Jerusalem. This is the sign that desolation is close at hand. This clearly speaks of the desolation of Jerusalem in the year 70. Mark 13:14 speaks of an abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not. Matthew 24:15 speaks of an abomination of desolation, standing in the holy place. We are told in these last two passages to "let the reader understand". That admonition warns us that in order to understand what this speaks of, you will need to be not merely seeing, but perceiving. It is the same explanation that Jesus gave to his disciples concerning the parables he taught them. Would such an admonition have been given to understand if the meaning that was implied was a clear reference to a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem? I think not. This knowledge is for those who walk closely with him. As such, the images in parables utilize representative language to symbolize what is actually meant. So, we are warned that this repeat of "Daniel's abomination" will not be literal, but a parable, and with a symbolic fulfillment. What follows next is the same in all three scriptures. Those in Judea are directed to flee to the mountains. Prophecy teachers have been telling us that these events are still future, yet Jerusalem was compassed by armies in the year 70, forty years after Jesus spoke these words. Popes clearly sat in the temple of God and proclaimed themselves to be the infallible vicars of Christ on Earth, wearing the triple Tiara crown. Should these prophecies extend forward to some additional, still future event, their most likely fulfillment will be some spiritual occurrence or abominable practice in the Church. 17: BEING SURE ABOUT THE RETURN OF CHRIST. Jesus Christ is clearly coming to the Earth, and we know what will happen when he comes. There is a place in scripture where the return of Christ is clearly talked about. It is in Zechariah 14. We are told that once again, in the future, Jerusalem is going to be surrounded by armies. We are also told that the people of Judea will flee. 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. Please note that the saints in Jerusalem will flee TO THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS. The flight in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is TO THE MOUNTAINS. My conclusion is that these passages in the gospels refer to the 70 AD desolation of Jerusalem. They are already fulfilled once. Could there be a future abomination also? 18: SO, IN THE FUTURE, WHAT IS THE ABOMINATION, AND WHAT IS DESOLATED? It seems clear to me that the abomination in the future, that causes the wrath of God to come, is that all the nations of the Earth will surround Jerusalem with their armies. This should be the event we are looking for, and not a rebuilt temple, with someone sitting in it, claiming to be God. Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Zechariah 12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. This passage from Zechariah is still future. It did not occur in the year 70 when Jerusalem was last surrounded by the armies of the world. So, the armies surrounding Jerusalem cause the desolation, and it is those armies, and the world they represent, that will be desolated. Jerusalem will not be desolated at the time of the return of the Lord. Scripture is quite clear in Zechariah that there will be a remnant in Jerusalem at the time of the return of the Lord that no one will be able to remove. Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 19: WHAT ABOUT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB? Those who teach the pre-tribulational rapture theory as doctrine always bring this up. They point to a Jewish wedding, and contend that it is seven days long, and then, assert that we must be at the wedding feast for seven years. Is this in the bible? Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. We know this event will happen. Scripture places it after the destruction of Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18. We do not know for certain just how long this supper will be. Perhaps it will be for seven days in length. Certainly, it will fall after the return of Christ We do not know for certain just exactly when it will happen. It is perfectly alright not to know, and to say so. 20: ARE YOU SURE? We are talking about interpreting prophecies of the future here. With respect to sealed things, only God knows for sure. It appears to me that there is room for the possibility that Revelation 13:11-18 are yet to be fulfilled again in the future. That would mean that there could be the coming forth of what that scripture calls a second beast. SECTION 5: THE TEACHING OF THE REFORMATION FATHERS REGARDING THE ANTICHRIST AND THE LAST THINGS 21: PROVE TO ME FROM THE SCRIPTURE THAT THE POPE IS THE FIRST BEAST OF REVELATION 13:1-10, REVELATION 17 AND DANIEL 7. First of all, this view was the view of all of the reformers: Luther, Tyndale, Melanchton, Calvin, Isaac Newton, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and others. They were unanimous in this belief. Early opposition came only from Catholic circles, for obvious reasons. Daniel saw four empires in his visions. The fourth was deemed by the reformers to be the Roman Empire. Some of them gave opinions that Islam might also be a possible fulfillment. The little horn that came up out of one of the ten horns that Daniel saw on that fourth beast is regarded by the reformers as most certainly the Pope. The Holy Roman Empire is the most significant religious/political entity of the last 2000 years. The only real, possible rival is Islam. It dwarfs in size other empires of that time period and certainly is on a par with any of the other four great empires of antiquity that Daniel saw: Babylon, Media Persia, Greece or Rome. It is folly to suggest that the prophetic canon of the bible simply did not see the Holy Roman Empire and it’s head, the Pope. This is just what is done by modern futurist interpreters of the scripture. They do not see the Pope, or more than 1400 years of Catholic rule, anywhere in the scripture. They ignore Islam as well. An in depth study of this issue involves almost 2000 years of historical record, and is beyond the scope of this article. For in depth study of this issue, the website, Historicist.com has three of the four volumes of the Horae Apocalypticae, by E.B. Elliot available for review there. Also, the online bible is available for free, on the internet. The added modules for the 1599 Geneva Study Bible Notes (John Calvin) and the Peoples New Testament Commentary are available for free download as well. Both of these are excellent free resources for in depth study of these issues. The download is available at: The Online Bible With this tool, you can study, scripture by scripture, and see where historical events fulfilled the passages. Then, make your own decisions. Do the work of a Berean. Another excellent, exhaustive work on this subject is “The History of the Papacy”, by J. A. Wylie. Another do not miss work is "The Rise And Fall Of The Papacy, by Robert Fleming. For those of you who receive this article, but who have no ability to connect to the internet, I recommend the book entitled “The Present Reign Of Jesus Christ” by Robert Caringola. ISBN-0-9649189-0-0 It is issued by Abundant Life Ministries Reformed Press, 157 Park Central Square, Springfield, Missouri 65806. While I cannot give an in depth presentation here, I feel that I must tantalize you with some scriptural highlights. Daniel, in his first vision, saw a statue. That statue represented four empires. The first empire, represented by the head of gold, was Babylon. Scripture tells us this. Daniel 2:38 And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. Following the Babylonian Empire, the Empire of Media-Persia arose in 538 BC. Then, in 331 BC, the Empire of Greece arose. Then, in 63 BC, Roman rule began. Daniel first saw this fourth empire and described it like this: 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with the miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. So here, Daniel as a young man, saw a fourth empire form, with it’s ten heads, or kings. The pope or any sign of him is not in view, except to say that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is set forth clearly here. What is this fourth empire? The reformers firmly argued that it was Rome. Perhaps, there are stronger arguments in support of Islam as the fourth empire. Many years later, as an old man, in the year 539, just prior to the fall of Babylon, Daniel received another vision, where he received more information about these empires, and our focus will be on the fourth empire. Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. He was then given further information in short order about the coming of that fourth empire: 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 22: The 1260 Year Prophecy; The Pope And The Harlot Church We can see added information in verse 20 (above) about another horn that comes up, and before whom three fell. The reformers argue that this is the picture of the Pope. In the year 533, Justinian, the Roman emperor, began warring with three nations: the Vandals, the Ostrogoths and the Lombards. They were rooted up by 752 AD. Exactly as predicted, this great prophecy was fulfilled. If you are ignorant of the year-day principal, and the fulfillments of prophecy that have already happened, you are very far behind the curve, and there are spirits in control in this age that desire to hold you in the chains of ignorance. Please consider that we have seen the fulfillment of three major 1,260 year prophetic periods already. Furthermore, because the prophetic symbol of the forty two months, 1260 days or "time, times and half a time" is given four times in the Book of Revelation (11:2, 11:3, 12:14 and 13:5), I believe that we have an indication that we are to expect four major cycles of fulfillment of this prophecy. The term "three days and a half" is used twice, and may indicate two further periods that need to be identified but at this time, I am the only writer I know who is speaking about them. Of These first three periods, there is substantial agreement among Reformation writers: First 1260 Year Cycle: 533 to 1793 The first time period ran from the decree of the Roman emperor Justinian in 529-531. At this time, the bishop at Rome was declared to be preeminent above all other bishops of the church. This first 1,260 year period reached its' expiration time during the French Revolution of 1789-93. Second 1260 Year Prophetic Cycle: 538 to 1798 The second time period of interest began in 538, when the Roman bishop was left in control of Rome, and Canon law was enforced for 1,260 years in Rome until Napoleon entered Rome in 1798, arrested the Pope, and instituted the Napoleonic code as the rule of law. Third 1260 Year Prophetic Cycle: 606 to 1866 The third time period of prophetic interest began in 606, when the Pope first declared himself to be the "vicar of Christ", God on the Earth, and the doctrine of Papal infallibility began to be published. It was at this time that Popes began issuing extermination orders regarding heretics. 1,260 years later, the Spanish empire became the last empire to obey such orders from the Pope in 1866. I have previously known about each of these prophetic fulfillments for some time, but I discovered the existence of a fourth time period this week that had been hidden from my eyes until now. This one has not yet reached its' terminus. So far as I am aware, I do not believe any other writer has written about it in terms of a focus on the date of terminus. Reformation writers differ on how many periods are important and which ones we should consider. There is the 254 to 1514 time period to consider, which is called the period of Roman Catholic doctrinal supremacy. It stretched from the Edict of Stephen, which proclaimed Roman Pontiff primacy to the Lateran council, near unto the Reformation. It may also be that the prophecy concerning the witnesses and their lying in state in Jerusalem for the three and one half days in Revelation 12 points to a fifth and sixth, 1260 year period. And so, this method of concluding and summarizing on these things is much debated. What I am sure is that a minimum of one more 1260 year time period remains for future fulfillment, and that one is now just coming due. There may be another future one set to run from 800 AD (Inauguration of Holy Roman Empire) to 2060 AD. Fourth 1260 Year Prophetic Cycle: 752-758 to 2012-2018 The expansion of Roman Catholic power to control large areas of land holdings did not occur until 752, when the area from Rome, north to Ravenna, was placed into the Pope's hands for political rule by the French emperor Pepin the short. Pepin granted Pope Stephen II the right to rule over those 16,000 square miles of land. This became the first of the Papal lands. The 1,260 year period that commenced with the start of the processes that led to that transaction in 752-758 and will begin to reach its' terminus in the year 2012 through 2018 and beyond. I discussed this more fully in my article entitled "2012", written on October 3, 2010. The direct link to this page is: 2012 The identification of biblical prophetic symbols is essential for us to have any kind of understanding as to the meaning of what we are to face shortly. The fourth beast of Daniel is very clearly the Roman empire, and includes the 10 nation "Holy" Roman empire. It stretches forth even until today as the old Kings of the Earth rule by use of their vast fortunes and through their hidden secret societies and organizations. This political financial beast has been married with the Papacy since that time of 529 and the strength of their union of cooperation has increased and held sway until the time of the reformation. The scriptures tell us, however, that the political-financial-religious fourth beast of Daniel will receive a fatal head wound that was healed. (1798 capture by Napoleon). This beast, with the healed head wound, is now portrayed at the time of the end, as being ridden by a harlot. The writers of the reformation, and most particularly the most excellent of them all, E.B. Elliott, were not able to successfully identify the harlot church. They thought that it was the Roman Catholic church. They could see no other false apostate church on the Earth apart from the Roman Catholic church, and so they struggled with their attempts to identify it. Today, we can see that a huge harlot church, independent of the Roman Catholic church has arisen from the church that had been hidden away in the wilderness as portrayed by Revelation 12. That woman of Revelation 12 had or will have two offspring. One is a fully empowered manchild, and the other is the harlot church of today. We watch today as that harlot church takes a ride on the back of political-financial-religious beast of Daniel's vision. She rides confidently before us. That harlot church teaches all manner of false teachings that promote the love of money and the desire to be rich. The repetitive mantra of the harlot church is "GODLINESS IS GAIN, GODLINESS IS GAIN". The harlot church of today has spawned such World organizations that have united all churches and government together. God showed John an incredible image at the end of Revelation 17. At the time of the end, God will put it into the hearts of the ten horned political-financial-religious beast and it will begin to hate the harlot church. Then, he will turn on it and desolate it, make her naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (verse 16). I take this to mean that at some point, the finances, and then later, the armies of the ten kinged empire will be used to attack and bring down this present day harlot church. Make no mistake about it: the beast at the head of this fourth beast is led by Satan, and he will seek to tread down true believer and apostate believer alike. We will note here, that verse 24 of Daniel 7 clearly tells us that the ten horns are ten kings that shall arise. It is clear to the reformation historian that various Popes have sought to change times, war against and wear out the saints, and commit blasphemy. John received even more information on this beast empire in Revelation 17 in the year 90 when he was visited by Jesus. 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. So, we see this ten horned (ten kinged) empire now has seven heads. John is told what these seven heads represent: 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth John is even told the identity of this harlot woman. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Rome is known as the city built on seven hills from antiquity. John received more details 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. There reformer sees that Yes, this is Daniel’s beast. It murders the saints. It has seven heads and ten horns. We are also told here that it ascends out of the bottomless pit. This is the same beast we see ascending out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 11:7 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. This is the same beast we see pictured in Revelation 13:1-10, which also has seven heads and ten horns. 1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. This is clearly the same beast as that seen by Daniel. The reformation view is that it is clearly fulfilled by the various Pope’s as head of the "Holy" Roman Catholic empire, especially during their reign of death from the year 606 to 1866, where they killed more than 50 million believers in Jesus Christ. There is another view: that Islam and Mohammed fulfill all of this in the past, present and future. 23: A CASE FOR ISLAM AS THE BEAST Prophecy is to be unsealed at the end time. Most Prophetic interpretations of scripture today range anywhere in age of from 40 to 500 years old. It is time to re-examine and see if today's events are not actually much more significant than we credit them with being. Perhaps prophetic interpreters have had it wrong for hundreds of years. Perhaps it could only have all made sense just now. Perhaps the iron/clay feet of Daniel's statue image do not point only to Rome, but also to Islam. After all, a good historical case may be made that Mohamed had initial backing from the Pope and that the Jesuits backed the growth of Islam for many years. As such, Islam may be considered to be a daughter of Mystery Babylon. Constantinople is also a city set on seven hills. Recent political discussions seem to be heading in the direction of an Islamic Caliphate, centered at Constantinople and having ten nations in the Confederacy. That would comprise seven heads and ten horns, thus also matching Rome in at least a surface look, visual fulfillment of Daniel and Revelation. I have put this analysis together with assistance from many sources, including E.B Elliot's "Horae" and others and blended in with my own additional points. Elliot, writing from 1845-1862, in his "Horae Apocalypticae", gave considerable effort to many proofs regarding Islam. The reader who wants to do a quick study to judge the merits of this should look at Eliots chapter where he considers Islam as the fulfillment of Revelation 9 and the first woe. There are hypotheticals included here, for analysis purposes. I) Prophecy showing history from 600 BC to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ The start for the consideration of Islam as the fourth empire of Daniel, or the kingdom of Iron, is to historically evaluate Daniel 2:40--- 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. The question is: Did Rome fulfill this verse fully, or just in part? Let us carefully examine something that has been assumed as a given for many hundreds of years. A) Daniel chapter 2 - let us consider the significance of Islam as the iron legs, instead of Rome - the key is to study and rightly understand history, in order to understand future events. Certainly, Rome never had much success at all with subdueing the land of Parthia, but then again, Macedonia and Media-Persia did not crush Parthia either, as it was part and parcel of Media-Persia. As for Media-Persia, it was thoroughly broken and smashed by Alexander and the Macedonians. So much so that nothing called “Persia” continues on, even to this day, where we see modern day Iran in its' place. It was not extant at the day of the rise of Rome, so, there was no need for the Romans to break and smash the Persians and the Medes: Alexander and the Macedonians (Greeks) had done it already. They were no separate world force in the time of Rome: they were now, at that time, a part of the Parthians. So, this is really the strongest argument for the Islamic identity of the fourth empire, and that is VERY KEY. Parthia-Media-Persia was perhaps the problem for Rome in their early days of sauntering forth to conquer. Macedonia, as the third, or bronze empire, smashed and crushed Persia. For Rome to be the Iron Empire, or fourth empire, it must smash and crush all that Macedonia had conquered. Most commentators take it as a given that Rome did all of that. But we find that Rome did not do so with Parthia, which included Persia. Try to visualize this picture first before I give some detail - the statue of the vision stood in Babylone, and so, it is right to consider it as if it is from Babylon's persepctive. Under Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar, the city of Babylon was very properly likened to gold - the premier business and political capital the world had ever seen. Under Persia, it was likened unto silver - a secondary precious metal. The first two capitals of Persia were Persepolis and Susa. Under Greece and also, under Rome, Babylon was not a political capital, but was still a business and trading center - a city of bronze, a metal of commerce. But under Islam, Babylon was crushed, abandoned and forgotten. Babylon was allowed to fall into ruin, and the Islamic Empire built and established Baghdad, 60 miles to the north as the new chief city in the region. The Abbasids, ruling much of Islam in the Middle East from AD 751 to the 1000's when the Seljuk Turks took over, made Baghdad their capital. Babylon was all but forgotten. This did not happen under the hand of Rome. Islam changed all places of worship from churches into mosques. Place names were also changed. In Egypt, Islam replaced Alexandria as the premier city, with the new capital at Cairo, under the Fatamids. The ancient Egyptian and Bablyonian languages, as well as Aramaic, were all supplanted by Arabic. Persia managed to keep its language, but was forced to change its alphabet to Arabic characters, and its religion, zoroastrianism, was all but eradicated. When the Ottoman Turks took to themselves the title of Caliphate, they removed the Greek influence from Turkey, took Constantinople, and changed the famous church, the Hagia Sophia, into a mosque. Persia conquered Babylon - the silver empire replaced the gold empire. Alexander conquered the Persian Empire thoroughly - the bronze replaced the silver. Rome, it can be argued did not replace the bronze but became a huge part of the bronze. The taxes were simply redirected to Rome. Yes, Rome took all 4 of the Greek kingdoms - Greece, Thrace, Egypt, and Syria. But Greek culture and language swallowed up Rome in the east. Then Constantine moved the official capital to Byzantium (a city built on 7 hills, just like Rome). Islam, under the Ottomans, took Greece and took Constantinople. Under Islam, the iron empire truely replaced the bronze and swallowed it up in a way the Romans never accomplished. The bronze encompassed the belly and thighs of the statue of the vision. Western theologians say that the two legs stood for East and West Rome. Ah, but there are also two thighs of that statue to be reckoned. As two thighs emerge from one belly, that the north and south kingdoms emerged from Greece. Out of all 4 kingdoms the only two that became dominant and important to both Israel and Babylon were Syria and Egypt. We might consider that the two thighs are Egypt and Syria, if one must assign such a thing. But the iron legs - also two of them - took both the north and south. The south was the seat of the Fatamids, and the north was the seat of the Abbasids, after they divided the empire following the demise of the Ummayids in AD 751. After Mohammed arose the 4 caliphs who conquered Palestine, Babylon, and Egypt. Then the Ummayids took over from 650 to 750, and conquered all the West to Spain, and went East - they conquered the entire Persian Empire's land, and even conquered central Asia. The Turkic peoples were converted in the 900's. After the conquests in the 700's, the people were converted to Islam over 200 years or so, so that by AD 1000, 98% of the people were Muslim. The ancient languages and religions of Egypt and Babylon and Persia survived intact under Greece and Rome, but were eradicated except the Persian language, under Islam. After the statue, we will explore more regarding Rome and Islam. Its a matter of seeing the best fit on the statue. What qualifies best in terms of crushing "all the others"? It cannot be Rome as it did not crush Parthia. It cannot be Greece as it had to be the bronze empire and not the iron. Islam might just be the best candidate for "crusher" of all the others. B) Revelation chapter 12 - the 7-headed dragon, each head with a crown, are the seven kingdoms surrounding Israel who throughout history have tried to eradicate the jews (1 Egypt, 2 Assyria, 3 Babylon, 4 Persia, 5 Greece. (under Seleucids), 6 Rome, 7 Islam) II) The Emergence of the Beast A) Revelation chapter 13 and 17 - the seven headed Beast with ten horns; a union of all past biblical kingdoms. The seven headed-beast out of the sea is the final incarnation of the seven headed dragon. B) The emergence of the Beast is a four-step process. This is a hypothetical emergence if he is going to arise in our time. 1) Called out in Daniel 7, Daniel 8, and Revelation 6 (the horsemen) - all cover the same events but from different angles. Daniel 7 are the principality players, Daniel 8 are the actual geo-political moves, and Revelation 6 are the conditions. 2) Step 1 - Iraq and Saddam Hussein, as the rider of the white horse. 3) Step 2 - Iran and Ahmadinejad, as the rider of the red horse, and also as the ram free to strike out north, south and west. 4) Step 3 - the power from the west - Turkey - the black horse. I feel very strong about Turkey, as the Lord has told me to watch Turkey for many years. 5) Step 4 - the dividing of the conquered area (Turkey to Iran and south to Yemen) into 4 realms, where the Beast comes out of the realm containing Syria. III) The Beast A) Where does he come from - Syria. (Daniel 9:26, and the Antiochus pre-shadowing of Daniel 8) That which has been before is that which shall be again. B) What are his traits or characteristics - Daniel 11 speaks of the god he serves, and his description in the bible of his reign matches the Islamic description of the mahdi (7 year covenant with Israel, eliminate Christianity and Judaism, and bring Islam to the world), but he may even turn on Islam and create his own religion. (Daniel 9 and 11) C) What seems to be a likely scenario at this point, in speaking of the false prophet - Revelation 13, he will have 2 horns like a lamb (Jesus), but speak like the devil. Islamic writing says Isa (Jesus) will appear, say Christianity and Judaism is wrong, pay homage to the Mahdi, and do miracles. Already, we see that radical Islam has reinstituted beheading for the infidels. The mirror inverted sign, in the manner of a stamp to imprint an image on paper, of the exclamation "allah akbar", looks almost identical to the three Greek letter characters that comprise the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:18. This is a strong biblical sign that argues the case for Islamic identity as the beast. D) Beast's Kingdom 1) These will be Islamic nations - the four realms (likely the area of Turkey to Iran and south to Yemen) created in the aftermath of the wars, plus six more - likely Sudan (Cush), Libya (Phut), and central Asian nations. (Togarmah - the turkic people) 2) The nations of Ezekiel 38 (Gog chapter) are all presently Islamic. Egypt, Syria and Iraq specifically not mentioned - they are part of Beast's realm. Cush, Phut, Persia, and Togarmah are with him. Ezekiel 38 is NOT the russian 'magog' war. Ezekiel 38 is the final attack of the Beast and his armies on Israel for eradication, i.e. the battle of Armageddon itself. Russia will most likely never be part of an invasion of Israel. (Ez 38 not 'uttermost' but 'recesses', and rosh here is not pointing to 'russia' but 'premier' or 'first' as it is used to designate the Jewish holiday of 'rosh' hashanah) 3) Miscellany - Why the name 'Gog'? Heres a possibility - Gog, or Gok, was in fact the name of the ancient Turkic god of the sky, the chief god before Islam. The symbol of the moon and star was a turkic symbol not islamic one. Today, all islamic flags that have the crescent are turkic. The Bible is exact - . Ezekiel 38:2-3 - ""Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." - the land is of Magog (today's turkey), the prince of the people of Meshech and Tubal (who now also live in the country of Turkey - Tubal is Tbilisi, capital of Georgia) - the turkic people with their old god Gog, moved in to the land of Magog, and intermarried with the people of eastern Turkey - Tubal and Meshech. 24: WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? I have three questions here to discuss about which I have no certainty. Will there be a revival in the power of the Holy Roman empire, so as to fulfill these passages a second time, just prior to the return of Christ? Will Islam continue to arise to fulfill these things in the last days? Islam has a custom of beheading, and may better fit the last days fulfillment. I am not certain about that, but I suspect that the fatal wound to the head of the first beast will be fulfilled by just such a restoration of power. My third question relates to this passage of scripture in Revelation 13:11-18. It may still refer to the future. 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. This second beast leads and directs everyone to worship the first beast. Since my conclusion is that the first beast is either the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the empire that he presides over in any age, or Islam, a frightening scenario opens up for me as I imagine what the future might hold. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Daniel 9:27 says it will happen where a man stands in the Temple. If we don’t get too stumbled on “Temple of God”, we might realize that any church, though full of tares, is called a “house of God” or a “church of God” – seemingly funny and maybe blasphemous but true nonetheless. Also, 2 Thessalonians 2 says he will “exalt himself over everything called God or is worshipped” which can mean Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and even pagan religions – are they not called “God” by their own religions? Matthew 24:24 seems to talk about him: 24 For false Christs will arise, and false prophets, and will show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. Revelation 13 from verse 11 onward also seems to be talking about this man, who could still be in the future: 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. He is described as having horns like a lamb, but he speaks like a dragon. This implies to me that he will look like a Christian, like a lamb. Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Could we be looking at this scenario? I put this forward as conjecture, and not as prophecy: I am not now speaking about anyone whom I know to be alive. Could this be speaking about a well known, purportedly Christian evangelist of the future, who begins to do great signs and wonders. He then calls fire down from heaven in the sight of men. Then, this man could give a word, purportedly from the Lord, that all Christians are to unify with the Roman Catholic Church, and worship it’s Pope as God’s infallible vicar and representative on the Earth. As a great sign that this should be done, this supposedly Christian healing evangelist might cause a statue of the Pope to be erected in one of the great Cathedrals. Then, life might come into that statue. At some point, worship of the Pope and His Statue, or Mohammed/The Mahdi and his statue would become compulsory, if this fantasy were ever to enter the realm of reality. In some fashion, worship of this Pope and Statue might be made the condition for receiving a mark, IN the hand, or IN the forehead, which will be necessary for one to buy or sell anything in that day. It is possible that events like this are still future. It may, on the other hand, be something radically different. It is possible that the false prophet, described as a single man, is symbolic for the apostate church that has gathered together in these last days in a movement known as ecumenialism. Since the first beast is described in scripture as a man by use of symbolic, representative language, it is possible, even likely that it is also the case with the false prophet. He is likely to be seen a fulfilled in history as a world system. And so today, we see prominent evangelicals, charismatics and protestants who are gathering together, forming unions and covenants with the Roman Catholic Church. All that remains to be seen is the healing of the fatal wound to Roman Catholic political power that was suffered from 1789 to 1866. Or, perhaps the restoration of unity to the 52 nations of Islam. Let us consider that for a minute: the subject of astonishment. Mark Deveny has helped me with the Case For Islam, and he writes: Revelation says the world will be astonished at the rise of this Beast empire. Clearly, very few would be astonished at the revived Roman Empire. Everyone in the West is half expecting it. Doesn't our theology say so? (I ask this with a bit of mockery of the church and the west.) But a revived Islamic Empire would be astonishing to the rest of the world. Rev 13:3 - One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. The NAS uses "amazed". The greek word is "thaumazo". Its used 43 times in the NT and always means wonder, amazement, astonishment, etc. Like at the wonder or amzement of Christ's miracles and teachings. The head that was wounded could be very well Islam. After the defeat of the Ottomans in WW1, the entire (and I do mean entire) Islamic realm was carved up by the European powers. Russia took central Asia as the USSR. France took Algeria, Morocco, Syria and Iraq. Italy took Libya. Britain took everything else. Persia was divided between Britain and Russia. Islamic power was dead. Then oil came along in the 1950s............... Heres part of the speech of a noted Islamic cleric- note the cleric's words - You –The Mujahidin- :The hypocrites will say: “Do you think that the Islamic State will comeback again? That is nearer to be magic then to be real!” . If they say that you should remember what Allah said in his Holy Quran : (When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: “These people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion.” But whoever puts his trust in Allah, then surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) 49, AlAnfal. And say to them “Allah will give us the victory in our war against the Romans and their final capital Rome and his Prophet Mohammed said that in the right Hadith and as we were the victorous when we attacked Istanbul. Please note the referrence to the Romans again. Even Muslims are aware that everyone thinks Islam coming back as a power is unreal - astonishing. And it doesnt matter if "allah's" words arent the truth. The point is, a billion muslims do believe it. This is certainly unlike any “Left Behind” movie you or I have ever seen, but it certainly seems much more plausible to me than what we have all been taught. 25: IS THIS PLAUSIBLE? Today, we have already seen that many Christian leaders have signed their names on the document known as ECT-Evangelicals And Catholics Working Together. Others work with the Catholics in their evangelical crusades. Some are teaching that Catholics are brothers in Christ. Some are teaching that there is salvation in Catholic doctrine, and that it is permissible to take the mass. How far will this diabolical evolution progress? Only God knows for sure. I have heard the arguments for this ecumenical unification progress. They are many, and those who defend these actions shift in their manners of defense of these actions. Perhaps the most slippery argument of them all is that agreements are being made with Catholics, and Christian evangelists are using these agreements to slip into the Catholic Church, win converts and get them saved. And so, it is a case that the end now justifies the means. Those who argue this way advance the proposition that we may rightly do this in order to gain the ability to present a gospel to them. But what gospel is being presented? Such a gospel is always deficient where these compromises have been made. The gospel that Jesus preached was preceded by a strong message of repentance. Such crusades where Catholics are courted, where Catholic priests are among the counselors of those accepting Christ, lack any hard preaching against Catholic idolatry, praying to Mary, dead saints and dead loved ones. All these things that Catholics must repent of are left unsaid, and the issue of repentance from these things is never mentioned. Then, they are turned over to the Catholic ministers who certainly will not counsel them to repent of these matters. We are commanded in scripture to be not unequally yoked with unbelievers. We counsel our daughters that they should not marry unbelieving men. Some do marry them, and they do sometimes come to Christ, yet the commandment remains. Do we then justify and direct our believing daughters to marry unbelieving men with the objective being that we will save some of them? God forbid! Some Catholics undoubtedly come to Christ through this yoking together of Christians with Catholics, but it still violates the commandment, and there will be some future cost and consequence for those who willfully violate the command of God. Indeed, the gospel, as it is presented today, is extremely light on repentance and just as light on obedience. In an environment that tells people that they can be saved for all time by the utterance of a few words in a stadium, the problem is much bigger than the Catholic church and those who are doing whatever they can and making whatever covenants with death they can make to get access to those people. It exists wherever people are indoctrinated under a load of religion. It exists where people are taught a lie. It exists where there is no fear of God in the land. Does this result in salvation? You decide. I already have. Here I Stand! CONCLUSION: I know prophets in the Church. I know very few of them who teach or believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. The prophets are telling the church that trouble is coming. Pastors and Teachers are another matter. Pastors and Teachers, who are normally very conservative in what they preach often leave this conservatism behind when they teach pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. They teach their congregations a doctrine that will fall like a house of cards if ONE SCRIPTURE: Daniel 9:27, is not interpreted in such a way that it predicts a future event. If this one scripture is fulfilled already, this whole doctrine is a total sham. Pastors, why are you engaging in this recklessness. Do you preach baptism for the dead, simply because 1 Corinthians 15:29 talks about it? Is there any other doctrine that you preach that will fall if one scripture is taken out of the way? Please consider this. Pastors, I encourage you to listen to this prophet, and the other prophetic voices of our age, who are urging you to prepare your congregations for tribulation and trouble that is surely soon to reach your country, if it has not done so already. Prepare your people for trouble, and please rethink your position with respect to this doctrine. Commit the matter to the Lord in prayer, I beseech you, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Finally, I wonder about all of us and the Lord is speaking to me that I must give this alert to the prophetic brethren, for it is KEY. There are some who have come through many of the tests. We have recognized many of the false prophets and apostles. We have separated ourselves from the harlot church. We have even demonstrated discernment and gained much understanding. We have some deeds. With that, I know the Lord is well pleased. We have done all of these things, but in doing so, have we begun to be lifted up and puffed up? Are we still small in our own own eyes? Situations have arisen where I have watched as little lambs were being ripped and torn up in the name of the defense of some doctrine or belief. A few of my prophetic brethren have even participated in the tearing. Others have blithely looked on, and continue to gather with those who tear the flock. I have recently seen this happen in prophetic circles; among people who have gained some knowledge and understanding. I have seen a little lamb, who had been less than one year in the things of the Spirit, and older, mature men and women of God just ripped this little one to shreds: publicly, while the little one made no defense and went away to heal in solitude. What I wonder is this: do we have any love left? After obtaining all knowledge, wisdom, discernment and ability to prophesy, do we have any love left for the brethren and for those who cannot see, who have gone astray or are lost? Are we so secure in our rightness that we publicly and mercilessly rip anyone who disagrees with us? Are we proclaiming curses on those who leave our fellowship? Do we flippantly turn those who take issue with what we do over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh? Give careful thought to it! Have we gained all of this wisdom and understandin only to be totally and utterly lost ourselves? Examine yourselves and repent, for I come quickly, says the Lord! Blessings, Stephen L. Bening A prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ Make a gift to me personally, using PAYPAL. This gift is NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE. If, however, you need to contribute to a 501 c 3 approved organization, please make your checks payable to World Salt Foundation, Inc., which is my evangelistic charitable organization. All money received will be used to support missionary efforts and to help the poor in foreign lands and to pay my personal expenses for the time period that I am away from the United States on missionary trips. When I am in the United States, I WORK for a living. I take no salary from the mission. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ overflow to all who give, and pray for this ministry. Oh Lord, may the apostolic signs, miracles and wonders that I see you do in the nations be done, one day soon, here in my country, the United States, and may you use these faithful ones here who have given to and prayed for your work Lord.. In Jesus name, Amen. Those of you to whom the Lord was speaking, please go to this link, and you will find instructions about what you need to do next. How To Become A Saved Christian Believer Want To Read More Prophecy? CLICK HERE! Stephen L. Bening A servant and prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ This Is NEWCOMER'S TOUR-Stop #5 Next stop on the NEWCOMER'S Tour is Stop #6 SEVEN YEAR AMERICAN TRIBULATION Or, visit the NEWCOMER'S TOUR 201 page at NEWCOMER'S TOUR 201 PAGE		INTERACTIVE MAP Point Your Mouse Cursor On The Map And Open A Page Link HUNDREDS OF CONFIRMING PROPHETIC VOICES ORGANIZED BY SUBJECT AND GEOGRAPHY Troubled by a dream? You can compare it with the things that others have seen and heard, right here. (For example: Position your mouse cursor over California on the map, and click to see a page of California Earthquake Prophecies) TWITTER, FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE Tweets by usa_prophet "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" Matt 4:4 "Stephen Bening" on youtube ----Find us at "usaprophet" on Facebook

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