Gog and Magog invasion.

It is interesting looking at the various theories on Bible interpretation, that everyone has their opinion.  An opinion is great to have but I am looking at world events and looking at what various authors have written and asking, who is right?

In the case of Ezekiel 38 and 39 we have the Magog invasion.  Depending on who you talk to will depend on whose opinion you get as to the timing of the event.  Of the preterits bend you have two opinions.  First one is that some event happened in the past and that event was this invasion.   The prominent one put out by Gary Demar is that it occurred in the Book of Easter.  He has some interesting research and I am looking for a copy of his book to investigate further.  I do have several concerns about it though.  First is that the cleanup of the battle doesn't match.  Second the size of the army doesn't match.  In Esther, the Jews were allowed to have swords and in Shushan, the capital of Pursian 500 were killed.  First of all, the battle takes place in the Hills of Israel, so shushan can't be the battle field.  Second where are the bodies and where is the seven months of barials?  Also in looking at the Hebrew text, the word for Hamon is different.  Not much but in the Strong's concordance it is words 1995 in Ezekiel and 2001 in Esther.  Different last characters.  So I am not putting much stock on it.  Gary has asked me to come on his show and debate these points.  It is a temptation.

The Second view that would be from a preterits point of view lines up a bit more Biblically.  That is Gog and Magog is the next event on God's calendar.  Revelation chapter 20 says that Satan is bound for a thousand years and then is loosed for a season to deceive the nations bringing them against the city of the saints,  Gog and Magog.  Since most preterits also allegorize most of the Bible, they also allegorize this.  So there are questions as to what and where this is going to be based on someones interpretation.

Since I am futurist in my interpretation of the events, we have to look at the various views.  First is pre Rapture.  This is the view promoted in the books by Tim LaHaye(Left Behind) and Joel Rosenberg(The Ezekiel Option).  It will happen sometime before the tribulaiton.  The next view is the one promoted by Hal Lindsey, and many prominent prophecy speakers of the first part of the twentieth century.  That is it is part of the battle of Armageddon.  The third one has two divisions.  That is it is right after the rapture.  Many have tried to make this the second horsemen of the seal judgments.  The biggest problem with that is that the seven years to the return of Jesus has already begun.  The second option is that is after the rapture but before the tribulation.  J.R. Church has a new series called the pre, pre trib rapture which puts a gap between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation.  This makes sense and this would be the time for this historic battle.

My personal belief is that the event is pre-rapture.  Based on events currently going on in the U.S., Iran, Turkey, Russia and Israel right now.  I believe we are prime for the event.  My wife thinks I ought to write a fictional book based on the current situation that would show how the event could go down.  I thought Joel Rosenberg did an excellent job but it left a few things out that could take place. 

Two of the biggest challenges to what is going on is the fact that the armies line up with horses and the weapons are of wood, Yet the cleanup is of Army regulations for how to clean up a nuclear battle field.    I may have a solution to why that is in which I would explore.  Also why are there not a lot of aircraft in the picture?  I think I know the answer.  If you think of how evil Iran's president is, you can think of the answer too if you understand nuclear weapons. 

Stay tuned.  If I can get the writing keyboard going, I'll write the book and let you judge for yourself if I am right.  Otherwise stay tuned and I'll post it here. 

Why Preterism is Dangerous

After reading an article, "Why Dispensationalist want to wipe out the Jews"  on the American Vision web site, I had to chuckle.  When I responded to the post on Facebook, things got belligerent.  The idea is that since we in the premil camp see most of revelation and much of the minor prophets as future events, then we are working to make it happen.  That couldn't be farther from the truth.

As premillenialist, we believe that that there will be a tribulation in the future.  Of course the preterist see the tribulation as happening between AD 66 and AD 73 during the times of the Roman Jewish Wars.  This was a turbulent time, but this was not the great tribulation.  The great tribulation is followed by the literal return to Earth of Jesus.  Of course this is where Post Mill or A mill comes in.  The Kingdom was set up in heaven.

With a futurist perspective on the scripture we look at passages such as Zechariah 13:8 is still a future event.  This passage indicates that two thirds of the people will die in the great tribulation.  13:9 indicated that the third that remain will be tried in fire and purified.   What the preterist have accused us of is wanting to see this happen to the Jews by trying to get them to Jerusalem.  This couldn't be farther from the truth.  The truth is we want them in Jerusualm and we want to see them turn to God without this happening.

The problem is that only a third will turn to God before the "Great tribulation", second half of the final 7 years begins.   Jeremiah 30:7 calls it a time of Jacobs trouble.  It is a period not unlike a woman bearing children.  Micah chapter 7 is almost an Allegory of these times.  Where there is no one that is righteous left on the earth.  When the true Christians are raptured, there will be no one left to defend Israel.  They won't have a friend.  This will open up the country for an attack.

If you have read "The Islamic Antichrist", by Joel Richardson, you will know that the Mahdi will come into the land and set himself up as God.  At that time he will break his covenent with Israel, and will start killing Jews.  At this time Jesus said flee to the mountains.  Daniel says that the land of Edom, Ammon and Moab will escape control of the prince.  This of course is Jordon.  These two passages have left most scholars to believe that the only place of refuge for the Jew will be at Petra.  Futurist have been stockpiling Petra for just such a day.  Isaiah says that the messiah will come from Edom with blood stained robes.

This is a horrific time.  What gets me is, where does prophesying an event meant wishing it to happen?  Why do the preterist want to vilify us for even suggesting it is still future?  If anything, I see the preterist as being anti Semitic because they won't warn the Jew of this event. 

Of course we both agree on the solution,  even though both sides won't admit they agree.  The solution is to see the Jew come to accept Jesus as the Messiah.  The preterist wants them saved because he thinks that the promises to Israel are now for the church, therefore he must be saved in order to claim the inheritance.  The futurist wants him saved so he will miss this time of tribulation.

The futurist will point out that there will be a large turning to Jesus after the rapture.  Revelation 7 talks about 144 thousand Jews being sealed of God.  12 thousand from each of the twelve tribes.  This I know has been a debate that has spilled over into the cults.  Who is this 144 thousand?  Since there is a list of the twelve tribes that follow the description, the list must be literal Israelis who know what tribe they belong to.  The end of the chapter talks about the large number of converts that die.]

Daniel 12:1 says that Michael will stand up in that day and fight.  The ones that survive will be the ones written in the Book.  The assumption is written in the book of Life.  The problem I have with the preterist is how much do you trust God?  They have all these nice little things that they feel like they have to do to save society.  Do you trust God?  Do you trust his word?  Do you think that anything that is happening is catching God by surprise?

Matthew 24:24 says that there is coming a delusion that is so strong if it could, it would deceive the very elect.   I don't think there was a deception that strong in AD 70.  This has to be future.  According the "The Islamic Antichrist", there is a man coming named Isa.  He will call himself Jesus.  He will have great power and will perform many signs and wonders.  Many will turn from other faiths and become Muslim because of him.  If this is really what happens then I can see many a Preterist turning to Islam because their messiah came to set up his kingdom. 

First let me say, Trust Jesus.  Get a personal relationship with him and get to know him.  Second, study the scriptures.  All of them not just the ones that fit your doctrine.  Find out what he says and come to your own conclusions. Then love your brother.  Just because he has a different conclusion then you do don't pigeon hole him into a corner where you want to accuse him of something he is not. Love all people.  Whether Jew or Muslim,  Buddhist or Hindu,  all need Jesus.  Finally Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Until the prince of peace comes, there will be no peace.

Haiti Earthquake

Last night I listened to a radio show talking about what is happening to various missions groups in Haiti since the earthquake occurred last Tuesday.  It is a sad day for all since the earthquake was very devastating.  The 7.0 earthquake was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, many getting into 5 and 6 range.  Most of the capital city of Port Au Prince has collapsed including the presidential palace, legislature and the UN building.  Many are dead and missing and the rescue effort has been relentless.

The great news for the Christian community is the fact we were already there.  One of the first reports I got was from a local missions group called Youth with a Mission.  They had thirty people in Haiti and all were accounted for.  That was a great praise the Lord.  Then the CBS story of a Missionary lady who was able to call her husband on a cell phone and he drove 100 miles to dig his wife out of the rubble.  Of course we lost a lot of our missionaries.  Our prayers are with them in this time.

The big story is now the relief effort.  With so many building collapsed there are many who are on the street.  Relief aircraft are flying into the International airport but it has a space problem.  Like many third world airports, it has only one runway and it has limited parking.  I am curious of the fuel situation.  I am sure that pilots are being told to fuel up enough to return home with what is on board.  I am sure if they need to a short hop to the Dominican Republic or to Puerto Rico would be a solution.

Leading the christian relief effort as always is Franklin Graham  and Samaritans Purse.  Mercies Ships as a hospital ship steaming to the area.  The doctors and Nurses on the ground have had to use any and all of their third world training to set splints and do amputations with little or no medicine for the pain.  I heard Bill Clinton on the first night say that even a $5 donation is useful in that it could pay for a bottle of Aspirin. 

Speaking of Bill Clinton, I believe he is leading the UN effort in Haiti.  George W Bush has been tapped by President Obama to lead the US effort there.  Nice to see he is keeping one legacy from GW.  The use of former presidents, no matter what party they were to lead US efforts in a disaster situations.

Much has been made about President Obama's response versus George W Bush's in Katrina.  Apples and Oranges.  Katrina took place in a state not in a foregn country.  In a state, the state has to ask the federal government for help.  The state of Louisiana was slow in asking and therefore the help did not get there quick enough when it was needed.  The federal effort in New Orleans is still ongoing.  We need to compare this to Indonesia and China where our relief effort was as swift as can be expected being that we did not have a lot of our own people already on the ground at the time of disaster and anyone coming from the US was thousands of miles away.  We had a lot of US nationals already in Haiti ready to go to work for this disaster.  Haiti is only 600 miles from Miami.

Since this is a Blog about eschatology and end time events.  How does this event play in?  Matthew 24:7 mentions that Earthquakes in diverse places are a sign that the end is near.  Not that it is here. It is a sign that we are to start paying attention.  In Haiti tonight they are. 

Someone on the facebook page for ABC news said that God wouldn't kill 50 thousand innocent people for no good reason.  And in a way he is right.  But he doesn't know our God.  There is always a good reason.  Haiti has been one of the darkest countries in the Caribbean.  It has practiced a form of Voodoo for centuries.  It is a mixture of African paganism with Catholic symbolism.  It is more paganism then Catholic let me say.  The report I heard last night said that missionaries have gone to bed with the sound of Voodoo drums ever since he could remember.  The last few nights they have been silent.  What he is hearing is people on the streets singing christian hymns and choruses.  I think we can safely say that tonight, Haiti is listening to the voice of God.

I cannot say how the end will play out for this island nation not too far from Guantanamo Bay.  I will say that we need to keep them and all the workers there in our prayers.  If you have something to give, I recommend Mercy Ships or Samaritans Purse.  If you already support a missionary in Haiti, give a little extra this month.  If you sponsor a child there, ask your organization how you can help out.  Of course check on the condition of your sponsored child. Check the links below and get involved. 

Mercy Ships
Samaritans Purse
Compassion International
Mission Aviation Fellowship
World Vision
A complete list of good sources to give to is at EFCA.

Merry Christmas

Much is made of the fact that Christmas was originally a pagan holiday.  Much is made that Jesus' birthday was probably in September.  So what We own the holiday now.  So as a result it is our time to defend it.  I do say Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish Friends.  I have no idea what Kwanzaa is.  But happy Kwanzaa if that is what you celebrate. But since this is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem in Judea.  We celebrate the visits of shepherds and wise men.  We celebrate the the fleeing of Joseph and family to Egypt because Hared was jealous.  We celebrate all the prophecies regarding is advent.  We celebrate all that Matthew and Luke who recorded of the story.

So on this blessed and holy day.  Merry Christmas.

Answering Gary DeMar

Gary DeMar is an outspoken critic of Pre Trib Pre Mill theology.  He is a preterist, Post Mill.  He ask these questions in his latest blog.

1. How do Christian date-setters compare with their secular and New Age counterparts?
Not very well.  Jesus told us not to set dates so if you want to know when he comes, don't expect him to come on the date you set.

2. Is Israel’s 1948 nationhood biblically significant?
Yes.  Many predictions of end times revolve around Israel being in the Land. 1948, 1967 are both significant dates.  In fact, Ezekiel 36, Micah 4:5 require Israel to return before the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.

3. Is Russia the end-time bad guy in Ezekiel 38 and 39?
Probably 90% certainty.  Everything I read leads to Russia or a Former Soviet State that is Muslem being the end time bad guy.  See my article on this prophecy.

4. Is there any biblical evidence that the temple needs to be rebuilt?
The temple will be in existance for the Great Tribulation.   Matthew 24:15,  Revelation many references,   Ezekiel 40-44.

5. Was Jesus really predicting the end of the world in the Olivet Discourse?
Three things he was talking about.  The destruction of the Temple, sign of his coming, and End of the world.  He answers all three questions in the discourse.  If you only think he is answering one of those three questions then you haven't studied the passage correctly. 

6. Should we expect an end-time antichrist?
No.  2 Thesselonians 2:7, he won't be revealed until him who restrained is removed.  Most people believe that is the holy spirit at the rapture.

7. Is the European Union a fulfillment of Bible prophecy?
Good question.  Probably a prelude to the final government.  Not necessarily.  I know a lot of teachers are excited about it.  The antichrist leads a world government.  The European union is just one government to give authority to the beast.

8. Is modern-day technology making the “mark of the beast” a reality?
Not necessarily.  Makes for good press.  Could be some reality in it.  The Mark however could be a reference to something Islamic.  I heard someone say that if you take the greek word for 666 and turn it upside down then it looks like what the Jehadist wear into battle. Stay tuned.

9. Are an “increase in earthquakes” and environmental changes signs of the end?
Yes.  Matthew 24, Luke 21. Remember it follows it with the end is not yet.  And then gives other signs that follow the earthquakes.

10. Is prophetic speculation really prophetic inevitability?
No.  Just because we speculate on what a prophet saw doesn't make it so.  It is one thing to say thus saith the Lord and another thing to say that John saw this or that.  I wish he had a movie of what he saw but we can only go with the words he wrote.

11. Why are non-Christians worried about prophetic speculation?
Ok, do I need to go into a lesson in risk management.  We all have to worry about what could hurt us.  Is it better to think that the storm is coming and prepare and the storm miss us or is it better to think the storm will miss us not prepare and then get hit by the storm?  All risk management does is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  Preterism just hopes for the best thinking the worst happened 1900 years ago.

12. And probably some other topics once I begin to research and write.
Glad I can help.

Israel God's People.

What is the commotion going on in the Middle East?  There is a group of people there that seem to be hated by all it's neighbors.  They seem to have stirred up a lot of ire among the world leaders speaking this week at the United Nations.  What is the problem and why is it such a big deal?

Some four thousand years ago, God found a man in Ur of the Chaldees.  He was the son of an Idol maker and priest.  God called him and told him to go to a land that you do not know and I will make from you a great people.  The promise to everyone else is "I will bless those who bless thee and will curse those who curse thee." Genesis 12:3.  God made numerous promises to Abraham then transferred these promises to Isaac and to Jacob.  When Jacob was given the promises, God changed his name to Israel.  Thus the name of the country.

The promises given to Abraham was also repeated many times and in many ways throughout the scriptures.  Abraham's promises were unconditional.  Moses received some conditional promises.  The promises given to Moses had to do with following the Law that he had transcribed from God.  The condition would be how long they lived in the land. Deuteronomy 28.  He said that if you don't obey this law then I will scatter you amoung the Nations.  That has happened twice.

David was given a covenant 2 Samual 23.  God said that the throne of Israel would not leave the house of David.  That he would not cease to have a king on the throne.

The prophets picked up on the theme.  Isaiah, Ezekial, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Zechariah, etc, all had promised that Israel would one day rule the world.

Then came Jesus.  When Jesus appeared on the scene he showed up at the right time for Daniel's prophecy's to be fulfilled.  It was so precise that Maggi from the East who had followed the writings and teachings of Daniel in the East for many years, saw the signs and showed up in Jerusalem at the right time to meet this new Messiah.   Jesus entered the gates of Jerusalem on a Donkey at the exact right time that Daniel had predicted.

The problem was Jesus wasn't coming to fulfill the parts of the prophecy the Jewish leaders wanted fulfilled.  The leaders wanted Jesus to overthrow the civilian government of Rome.  Jesus overthrew the moneychangers in the temple.  Jesus, instead of changing government, changed the way people thought about God.

Jesus fulfilled roughly 1/3rd of the prophecies coming the first time.  He left a lot of them out.  Then he said, "I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you will be also."  John 14:2,3.  The promise of a return.  A promise to finish the job.

Jesus said that the temple would be destroyed and the Jews scattered.  He wept over the city in Matthew 23:37 saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"  The whole of the scripture could be summarized in that one verse.  The desire of Israel to unit under it's messiah.  

Now we as Christians are looking at this verse and at the situation with the destruction of Jerusalem and wondering what is God's plan?  Is God finished with the Jew or is there still a plan for it?  The situation was debated for centuries.  Orthodox Jews even believed that Israel could not be it's own people until the messiah came.  In May of 1947, that issue was laid to rest.   Israel would be a country again.  Israel would claim it's rightful land.  Israel had not been forgotten.  As God had promised, he gathered them from around the earth.

Jeremiah 23:3
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

Now the Idea of the Jewish state is under attack again.  Iran has spilled out threats in the United Nations.  Israel has been scolded by the Security Counsel for defending itself.  The church has claimed that it has now inherited the promises given to the Jews and spritualized the kingdom of heaven. Romans 11 goes into great detail to say that Israel was only set aside until the fullness of the gentiles has come in.  The Jewish messiah is coming.  Jesus of the new testament is coming back.  Zechariah 13:6 states that when the Jews see the piercings in Jesus' hands they will ask where did he get it and he will answer.  "In the House of my Friends"

The Jew has not been forgotten.  The Jew has not been replaced as the apple of God's eyes.  Satan is well aware of this and he is on the warpath to destroy the Jew.  He knows that if he can destroy the Jew then he will nullify the promises of God.   He will make God to be a liar.  God is not a liar and God has a plan for Satan.

America today is going down hill and quickly.  The problem is the U.S. foreign policy towards Israel is to force them to give up land.  Every time they have done so it has been at the peril of the Jewish state.  It has given the enemy a closer point to attack from.  When Jesus returns it will be with a blood stained garment  from his war with the neighboring Muslim nations who have attacked Israel. If we don't stand on the side of Israel and side against them, then we are in danger of falling into the curse.  We could easily be destroyed with the fall of Magog in Ezekiel 39. 

This is not a Democrat and Republican issue.  Truman, a Democrat recognized Israel. Nixon worked out a peace after the Yom Kipper war. Carter worked for the peace of Jerusalem with a treaty with Egypt.  Reagan defended Israel by placing troops in Beirut.  Even Clinton got the PLO to sign a peace treaty with Israel.  Though not all these actions are perfect.  These actions were taken on behalf of Israel, trying to secure the peace.  Now we have a president who wants to tell Israel how to conduct internal affairs.  He is in direct violation of common sense much less invoking the wrath of God. 

Beyond the politics,  we need to recognize that God said that all the nations of the world would rise against Israel in the final battle of Armageddon in Rev 19.  For now it is the U.S. that is stopping the world from going to war with Israel.  One day that won't be true.  Let's pray that it is not today.  Let's pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Let's pray for the people called of God to be his people.

Why is Eschatology important

Eschatology is the study of end time events.  It is a study that a lot of people refuse to do.  I am running across more and more people including preachers that are Pan millennialist.  "It will all pan out."

In I Thessalonians 4:13.  Paul starts the part on prophecy by saying. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,"  That means he intended for us to know what is going to happen.  He wanted us to be aware of end time events.  He wanted for us to be ready.

There are two main camps right now in Christianity as to the end time events.  Futurist sometimes mislabled dispensationalist are those who say that Jesus is coming back and he is coming back soon.  The tribulation is still a future event.   Then there is the Preterist camp who say that most if not all prophecies in the scripture  were fulfilled in AD 70 or before 500AD.

The Preterist camp is a dangerous camp to belong to.  As I make this statement, they are saying that the futurist camp is a dangerous one to belong to.  I am going to make my point and leave it at that.  There is always a problem when you make an assumption and it is wrong,  There are rarely problems when your assumption is right.  The only problem is that your solution on how to handle the assumption is wrong.

The Preterst says that we are now in the Kingdom of God and that the tribulation and all the trials took place in A.D. 70.  They usually look to Matthew 24 for this but they also point out that the book of Revelation was written in AD 63.  That the Anti Christ was Nero.

Both Bibliclly and historically it is hard to to defend those many scholars do with all their might.  The Persecutions of Nero were only in Rome.  The city was never destroyed.  When Titus finally conquered Jerusalem,  there were no Christians to kill.  The temple was destroyed.  There was never a pagan God set up in the Holy of Holies.  The pagan God's were set up at the gate to the temple area by the solders.  The final problem is that Nero actually died before the siege could be set up.  This allowed Christians to escape. 

In Matthew 24 it says when you see the Abomination that causes Desolation ... standing in the Holy place.  It never appeared in A.D. 70.  Luke 21 however says that when you see the armies encamped about the city of Jerusalem flee.  The Christians of that day did.  What do we know about the two passages?  They were both given in the last week before Jesus died.  Matthew however wrote his book to Jews.  It is a handbook for the Jewish remnant.  Luke wrote his to Christians.  It doesn't say much about tribulation just the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and signs of the second coming. 

When you look at Revelation, you are looking at a time still in the future.  If you want to look at it as a past event, the everything from chapter four on has to be put in a symbolic sense.  You have to name a person to be the star Wormwood for instance in Revelation 8.  I will be writing later on it.  But I believe there will be a literal star, not an evil world ruler as Matthew Henry likes to point out.

So why is all this important?  The importance is that God doesn't want you ignorant.  There is more said about the end times in the Bible than any other subject.  The importance is that you have  a road to walk and you know where it is going.  The importance is that as you see things getting worse and worse and when it seems like God is not answering your prayers.  Know that he is.  He has a plan.

The Post and the A Millenialist will look at the situation and say that God will bring the efforts of the current administration to naught.  When that doesn't happen, what are they going to do?  There is no hope for them.  We know that when things are at their worst, there is still hope.  Luke 21:28 "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

There is a hope.  We do not put our hope in government or in people.  We put our hope in the Lord who made heaven and earth.  We put our hope in the one that will eventually bring it all down and Make the kingdoms of this world the kingdoms of his Christ.

If it was all fulfilled in AD 70, why are the prophecies in the Bible starting to come together.  They say it is time to dump dispensationalism.   I say it is time to dump Preterism and move into the real world.

I want to know what Preterist is preaching the entire council of God, cover to cover, verse by verse.  J. Vernon McGee,  and Chuck Messler  are the only radio broadcaste I know doing it.  Both dispensationalist. Most preachers do a hit and miss approach on scripture.  Only preaching on those passages that they want to preach.  I know Hank Hanagraf and Gary DeMar are Preterist but they only do talk show format.  They do not teach verse by verse.

It is time to take the entire council of God.  If you want to hold a Preterist view that is fine.  Make sure you have studied your entire Bible to come to that conclusion.  As for me I will take the entire council of God and say Jesus is coming and he is coming soon.  Maranatha.

J Vernon McGee,  True the Bible Radio ttb.org
Chuck Missler, 66/40 Radio, khouse.org
Hank Hanagraf, Bible Answer man, equip.org
Gary DeMar, Gary DeMar show americanvision.org