The Last Time

I was at church and my paster was talking about this being the last time and us being the last genaration and that christ is coming soon. he quoted the bible pointing to the huricanes, earth quakes, and wars as signs of the time before jesuses return.
Even though I go to church I am not totaly on the same page with its principles and beliefs, I was wandering what you guys think about this?

Wow. I don't usually hear about Pasters talking about end times and bible prophecy. Most pastor's when confronted with questions refering to end times and bible prophecy choke and totally avoid talking about it.

What bible quotes did he use?
What religion is the church you attend?

I don't know the exact reference in the Bible but I know that some who study prophecy believe that a certain passage talking about the final generation refers to the generation of people when Jews would return to the "Promised Land" i.e. Israel.

Therefore some think that the end times must occur before everyone who was alive in 1948 (maybe '49, I'm not a history professor.) when Jews were once again in charge of that area, has died. Say the oldest person to make it would be 120, that would mean the end times would have to occur sometime between 1948 and 2068.

Of course the disciples thought he was refering to their generation, which obviously was not the case.

It is quite tricky to take only the 5th-7th verses of the 24th Chapter of the Book of St. Matthew and build an endtime argument with it. There have been wars and rumours of wars, false Christs, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes throughout the ages. And specialists will quickly point out that natural disasters like hurricanes follow patterns.

It is better to look at the BIG picture and diligently compare ALL Bible verses that pertain to the endtimes to get a better vision.

For example, compare 2nd Thessalonians 3-12 with Matthew 24:15, and then go to Daniel 11:31.

Other choice Bible verses dealing with endtimes are I Timothy 4:1-3, II Timothy 3:1-17, and II Peter 3:3-10. Of course, there are SO many others scattered throughout both the Old and New Testaments!

I neither marvel at nor fear the coming collapse of this world system anymore, for the avarice and greed of the illuminated few that now control it must be brought to naught before their King has his day and is finally judged.

From one who truly understood spiritual wickedness in high places, I'll leave these choice words:

"And the law of Satan is this:-That we seek all our pleasures in, and fix all our heartfelt hopes upon, this present age over which he presides; and that we use our best endeavors-by means of various sensuous and intellectual occupations and delights, and countless ways of killing time which he has provided-to keep our thoughts from ever wandering into that age to come, which will SEE HIM AS A FETTERED CAPTIVE INSTEAD OF A PRINCE AND A GOD." (CAPS mine)

"And terrible are the consequences of their condition to the earth which groans beneath their sway. All its foundations are tottering: it is filled with flagrant abuses and crimes, the cry of which ascends to heaven: there is an anarchy of injustice and oppression. They must, then, be deposed: their power must be taken away: a fearful retribution must vindicate the justice of Him Who is King over all."

Quotes from George Hawkins Pember's "Earth's Earliest Ages" written in 1876. A MUST read for people who thirst for knowledge of the origins of evil and false religions in this dispensation.

.:E s, c, L J:.

Yes I think God's Spirit in believers is revealing that Christ's return is near. The Pastor and Youth Pastor at my church have begun to add notes of this into there general conversations as well as some congregation members and I also believe it.

Also if your a mature christian you are learning all the areas of the Bible, and there are some verses in the Bible that place Christ's return at 2000 years from His first coming. More than one place. I'll put down one for now.

I put this in another thread awhile back. Alot of people take the "this generation that sees all these signs" spoken of in Matthew 24 and use it when speaking of Christ's return. The problem is how long is a generation. The Bible uses 40 years and it also spoke of 100 years as a generation in Abraham's time. So it could be from 40 to 100. Now do you use Israel's becoming a nation in 1948 as the starting point or when Jerusalem came under Israel's control in 1967. So lets do this, add the shortest generation length(40) to 1948 and add the longest generation length(100) to 1967. If we do that it appears that Jesus will return sometime between 1988 and 2067.

[edit on 4-11-2005 by dbrandt]

I'm curious do you not think he walks among us now?
Also is anyone really sure of the year of birth and death of him? I have seen so many different dates and edits to things who really knows?

Originally posted by dbrandt
Yes I think God's Spirit in believers is revealing that Christ's return is near. The Pastor and Youth Pastor at my church have begun to add notes of this into there general conversations as well as some congregation members and I also believe it.

Also if your a mature christian you are learning all the areas of the Bible, and there are some verses in the Bible that place Christ's return at 2000 years from His first coming. More than one place. I'll put down one for now.

I put this in another thread awhile back. Alot of people take the "this generation that sees all these signs" spoken of in Matthew 24 and use it when speaking of Christ's return. The problem is how long is a generation. The Bible uses 40 years and it also spoke of 100 years as a generation in Abraham's time. So it could be from 40 to 100. Now do you use Israel's becoming a nation in 1948 as the starting point or when Jerusalem came under Israel's control in 1967. So lets do this, add the shortest generation length(40) to 1948 and add the longest generation length(100) to 1967. If we do that it appears that Jesus will return sometime between 1988 and 2067.

[edit on 4-11-2005 by dbrandt]

Originally posted by japike
I'm curious do you not think he walks among us now?
Also is anyone really sure of the year of birth and death of him? I have seen so many different dates and edits to things who really knows?

Jesus isn't physically on the earth right now. The Holy Spirit dwells in believers who are on the earth. 4 BC to 1 BCis the date I usually see for His birth and 29 AD to 33 AD for His death and resurrection.

Has anyone else had a premonition about this stuff?

I have had one for Nov. 11 something will start it feels like.
I don't know it won't go away I continue to look trying to figure it out.


Also so many ppl are split about end of times do any of you think it will happen? It has been talked about so much over years but never has happened. Also I am very curious as to Jesus versus the Legend of Orion? Also before Jesus in Egypyt there was a story of a Jesus like person same dates and all. Is it just a metaphor? If it is will end times be by negative energy ie asteroid,etc? Maybe if souls can't come back in human form and they turn to a negative energy in a chaotic like way? I don't know really, I know I should read more into this but I am very curious since I have had strange feelings.

Originally posted by japike

Also so many ppl are split about end of times do any of you think it will happen?

Yes it will happen because God said it will happen. Remember the end times isn't about the world ending, it's about this present world system ending. Sin and wickedness will end and be replaced by righteousness from Jesus Christ ruling and reigning.

I am a seventh day adventist but not a hard core christian, i question a lot of thing that are said in the bible, to me this doesn't look loke the end of times, i bet many people thought that it was the end when black plague was killing people in europe, my grand parents though are all into it, it is primarily because they aren't educated and all the history they know is coming from the bible, so they take it as fact.

Originally posted by belorus
I was at church and my paster was talking about this being the last time and us being the last genaration ... I was wandering what you guys think about this?

It's BS. People have been saying this crap for 2000 years or more now. What makes you think this generation is so special? The natural disasters we're seeing now do not even begin to compare to the dark ages or to the black plague, yet Jesus never showed during those times.

I'm willing to bet my children's estate against one of comparable size that Jesus will not return before our mutual deaths. Any takers?

Originally posted by dbrandt
Yes it will happen because God said it will happen. Remember the end times isn't about the world ending, it's about this present world system ending. Sin and wickedness will end and be replaced by righteousness from Jesus Christ ruling and reigning.

For once you and I are in agreement dbrandt! I think this will be the end of the age of self gratification and enter the new age of enlightenment with the mesiah comming about. Just like the ages before, the mesiah comes about every couple of thousand years. The age of aquarious the new age will be the age of enlightenment.

See the part I feel confused about is this. I to felt like oh it will never happen but in recent times I have had a lot of feelings,prmonititions what have you and I have been searching out what is true. It is so difficult to know really I mean I read so much about Christ was just a Jew than again Christ has so many followers. Than I see Christ never intended for himself to start a new religion. So I am left hear scratching my head. Well what is true what is not? Is end of days a literal thing? Was it just wrote to strike fear in the hearts of man kind so they don't fall off the path of good?

I for one have a very hard time of knowing what to belive when you have so many people,books etc. I try to just find answers within which seems to work but still there are many things I don't know. One of the biggest things as you have seen in my other post is about sin and hell. Who knows what it is and if its true and if I have faith should I belive that Jesus will forgive me? If Jesus was just a Jew than the old testament I hear God was pretty pissed off! So than maybe I would be screwed no matter what. Than I try to compare myself thinking God made me in his own image so there for I mock him in many ways so just doing what feels right to me maybe right..or maybe as so many people say that is fooling myself.

Anyway its like chaos running in my head. Sorry to go way off topic but I just think end of times or not I should learn these things as I would not feel good if end of times came s and I jumped on the bus and said ok I belive in God now but you had to kill a million people for me to belive in you.
Know what I am saying?

Originally posted by japike
Christ has so many followers. Than I see Christ never intended for himself to start a new religion.

One of the biggest things as you have seen in my other post is about sin and hell. Who knows what it is and if its true and if I have faith should I belive that Jesus will forgive me?

I guess I would need to know what you define religion as? Christ came to die for our sins and then have us place our faith in Him for the forgiveness of our sins. He did this on purpose, it wasn't an accident, some last minute idea. He is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If you are concerned about sin and hell, good, you are thinking about stuff that matters. Alot of people will ignore it.

The Holy Spirit convicts the hearts and minds of men and women about sin and it's consequences. You are paying attention and wondering what is the next step. The next step is to believe what God is doing with this conviction of sin, He's giving and strengthening your faith that you might believe in His Son for the forgiveness of sin. This is a choice only you can make, that Jesus is who He said He is and that He did come to die for your sin, believe that now and ask Him to forgive you.

Originally posted by spamandham

Originally posted by belorus
I was at church and my paster was talking about this being the last time and us being the last genaration ... I was wandering what you guys think about this?

It's BS. People have been saying this crap for 2000 years or more now. What makes you think this generation is so special? The natural disasters we're seeing now do not even begin to compare to the dark ages or to the black plague, yet Jesus never showed during those times.

I'm willing to bet my children's estate against one of comparable size that Jesus will not return before our mutual deaths. Any takers?

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Why, as far back as anyone can remember, everything has remained exactly the same since the world was first created.

They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of His command, and He brought the earth up from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to detroy the world with a flood.

And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgement, when ungodly people will perish.

But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousands years is like a day. THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME MEN COUNT SLACKNESS; BUT IS LONGSUFFERING TO US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. (2nd Peter: 3-9)

And since wagering was brought up, I won't wager a thin dime on unbelief, but what we're talking about here is a person's ETERNAL DESTINY. Look up Pascal's wager and see who wins and who loses!

As far as the Plague and the period that went along with it goes, yes it was indeed a dark time, but, did that period in time have the ability to fulfill all that is written in the Revelation of Jesus Christ? In a word...NO.

And that is what we're talking about....that THIS generation IS the one that can fulfill ALL of the things that are prophesied in the many prophecies concerning the endtimes.

.:Fear is the BEGINNING OF WISDOM:.

Originally posted by D_Emissary56
And since wagering was brought up, I won't wager a thin dime on unbelief, but what we're talking about here is a person's ETERNAL DESTINY. Look up Pascal's wager and see who wins and who loses!

Pascal's wager is apologetic nonsense. I can craft any number of similar "wagers" where you end up on the losing end.

Originally posted by D_Emissary56
As far as the Plague and the period that went along with it goes, yes it was indeed a dark time, but, did that period in time have the ability to fulfill all that is written in the Revelation of Jesus Christ? In a word...NO.

In a word, YES. They simply interpreted scriptures differently.

Originally posted by D_Emissary56
.:Fear is the BEGINNING OF WISDOM:.

Fear is the beginning of mental slavery. Wisdom comes from reason.

Originally posted by spamandham
Fear is the beginning of mental slavery.

Amen.

Love is the beginning of wisdom.

Greetings Spamandham,

Touche!

I have to agree that the use of Pascal's Wager and other such trivia, cannot prove nor disprove the existence of "higher things." Just food for thought. Faith then, cannot be proven to any person by mere words or sleight of hand.

You say "it's BS"....I say "it's not." We'll agree to disagree on that one

However, you said that "In a word...YES" to the fact that the middle ages or dark ages could have fulfilled all that is written in the Book of Revelation. Did they have the ability then to incorporate a one world money system where no one would be able to buy or sell unless they took "the mark?"

I see that my use of the term "fear" got quite a response! OK...how about "awe and reverence" to a power far far greater than we is the beginning of wisdom

Oh well...faith is such a personal thing. Sorry if I offended anyone.

.:For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:.

Originally posted by D_Emissary56
However, you said that "In a word...YES" to the fact that the middle ages or dark ages could have fulfilled all that is written in the Book of Revelation. Did they have the ability then to incorporate a one world money system where no one would be able to buy or sell unless they took "the mark?"

The Bible doesn't say anything about a one world money system.

During the Roman empire, it was conceivable for the emperor to proclaim such an edict.

The Bible uses phrases such as "no one" in an imprecise way. It does not mean literally not a single person could buy or sell without the mark, it just means most would not be able to.

Even today, we could not conceive of any way for someone to prevent all purchases and sales without a mark, since rebels could still buy and sell with eachother covertly on a black market.