CONTENTS
-ARMAGEDDON IS PAST, SAYS THE BIBLE, by L.K. -
-DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF JESUS & END TIMES -
-MESSIANIC ESCHATOLOGY -
-BETTER NEWS ON END TIMES - Vine and Fig Tree -
-THE END OF THE WORLD - MAYBE, by Bob Wallace
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End Times Past
ARMAGEDDON IS PAST, SAYS THE BIBLE
Review © 2005 Lloyd Kinder
Armageddon was only used in the book of Revelation as a symbol of hope to Jesus' followers during their early persecutions, because several important historic events had occurred there. It's where Deborah and Barak had defeated the Canaanites (Jdg. 5:19), where Gideon had defeated the Midianites (Judges 7), and where Ahaziah and Josiah died in battle (2 Kin. 9:27; 23:29; Zec. 12:11). Revelation was not showing Christians things that would occur in the distant future, such as now in the 21st Century, but "things which must shortly come to pass" in their day and "things which must shortly be done" in the First Century (Rev. 1:1 & 22:6). Thanks to an Apologetics Press website article, Will There be an Armageddon?, by Dave Miller, Ph.D., for this observation. And Miller cited Henry Swete's 1911 book, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION, reprinted in 1977.
See also www.bible.ca/pre-false-end-times-charts.htm.
"Remember, the Heaven's Gate Cult had a Rapture Theory!" - Lloyd Kinder, 2005
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DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF JESUS & END TIMES
In the next five passages from the book of Daniel it is prophesied what Gentile kingdoms would dominate Israel and much of the world until the time of the Messiah.
Dan. 2:39-40 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee , and another third kingdom of brass , which shall bear rule over all the earth. [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.
Dan. 2:44-45 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. [45] Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Dan. 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. [14] And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Dan. 7:17-18 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. [18] But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Dan. 8:20-21 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. [21] And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king .
So these prophecies accurately predicted that after Babylon there would be successive empires centered in Media-Persia, Greece and Rome, followed by Jesus' reign with his followers, called saints. Then Daniel specified how long it would be until Jesus would come and be crucified, or "cut off."
Dan. 9:24-26 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.... [25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven <7> weeks ... and threescore <3 x 20 = 60> and two <+2> weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. [26] And after threescore and two <62> weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
In the article, Why Daniel 9:27 is Essential to Understanding Prophecy, at jesus-is-the-way.com/Endtimes927.html, the author said, "The reason we know that 'week' lasts 7 years is that the 7 'weeks' and 62 'weeks' (a total of 69 'weeks') ... lasted exactly 483 years 69 weeks X 7 years week." The author then dates the beginning of the 483 years from the call of Artaxerxes to rebuild the Temple, but Del Washburn points out in his book, THEOMATICS II, that Daniel says to date it from the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem, not the Temple. He says the Jewish Encyclopedia says the building of the wall of Jerusalem began in 458 BC.
The Jesus-is-the-way author added, "Here is the ONE 'WEEK' that Remained: Daniel 9:27 'And he shall 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 article says the following passages all refer to half of the final "Week" of Daniel 9:27, as 42 months, 1260 days, or 3.5 years or times: Rev 11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, & 13:5. "In the MIDST of the WEEK" is when the abomination takes place. That is, it occurs at EXACTLY the MIDDLE of the SEVEN year period. Each Jewish month 30 days, giving a 360-day year. Three and one half years is FORTY and TWO (42) months. Forty two months is 30 x 42 = 1260 (a thousand two hundred and threescore days.) Three and one half years is further represented as times (2), time (1), and half a time. ... Without Daniel 9:27 referring to Daniel's 70th week, we would have NO week and NO with Revelation.... There is NO other verse in the Bible showing the FULL 70th week of 84 months. It is also true that NO other verse defines the MIDDLE of the WEEK directly. only USE the information provided by Daniel 9:27 - 'week' and it has a midpoint. ... We have already agreed that Daniel 12 and Daniel 9:27 refer to the same event. Jesus' reference in Mathew 24 is to Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12."
Dan. 9:27 And he shall 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.
Dan. 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen ... sware ... that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. ... [11] And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. [12] Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
I'll try now to clarify the timeline of this prophecy of Daniel.
1. 538 B.C. Daniel's prophecy,
2. 458 B.C. Order to rebuild Jerusalem [80 years after the prophecy],
3. 409 B.C. Finish building Jerusalem after 49 years [7 "weeks"],
4. 25 A.D. Jesus' ministry began after another 434 years [62 "weeks"],
5. 28 A.D. Jesus' crucifixion in the midst of the 70th week, after 3.5 years of ministry,
6. 32 A.D. Peter went to Cornelius 3.5 years after Jesus' crucifixion.
The 70th week appears to refer both to the 25-32 A.D. period and to the 63-70 A.D. period. In both cases the sacrifice ceased, where in the first case the sacrifice was of Jesus and in the second it was the end of animal sacrifices in the Jewish Temple, since it was destroyed. I believe the author of the book, THE LAST DAYS ACCORDING TO JESUS, said the first century Jewish writer, Josephus, reported that Nero had ordered Roman idols to be placed in all temples, including the Jewish temple. This is what the Jews called an abomination of desolation. That book showed that Nero was possibly the antichrist whose number was 666 and 616, according to the Hebrew spelling of his name and title. Nero's order to desecrate the temple occurred a few years before Titus' destruction of the temple. THE LAST DAYS also mentioned that the book of Revelation was finished in 65 or 66 A.D., before the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D., which it predicted. And furthermore it stated that Josephus had reported that, at the time of the destruction of the temple, most, if not all, of the signs and wonders described in Revelation and elsewhere, such as earthquakes, pestilence, famine, wars and rumors of war, signs in the heavens, false prophets, ungodliness etc, occurred in the final years leading up to the destruction.
Washburn notes in THEOMATICS II that the present state of Israel is not of the literal seed of Abraham, but of the Ashkenazic Khazar Jews who came from the Black Sea region and migrated to Europe in later centuries and then to Palestine after WW2. Ashkenaz was descended from Noah's son, Japheth, whereas Abraham and the Israelites were descended from Noah's son Shem. He says Dispensational beliefs about End Times etc were started by a Jesuit priest in 1812 and popularized by John Darby, Scoffield's bible, Hal Lindsey and now many tv evangelists. But this doctrine teaches that salvation for Gentiles through Christ was an afterthought by God after the Jews rejected Jesus' physical rule in the first century. Jesus warned that false doctrines would fool even the very elect, if they weren't careful.
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MESSIANIC ESCHATOLOGY, from www.nettally.com/septuagint/messianic.html
End Times
The country of Israel allows any Jewish person to return and become a citizen, but as of late has decided that any Jewish person professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is . They had an Israeli Supreme Court decision and a subsequent appeal on this point. Mind you a person can go there claiming Jewish lineage and profess Hinduism or membership in any cult, ... be an atheist, etc. and have no trouble and obtaining citizenship. ... The so-called church seems to be very comfortable with Israel keeping Jewish believers from returning to live in Israel. Hmmmmmm.
You better believe the stage is getting set for an unfolding of prophecy.... I will ... briefly discuss some of the false teachings being propagated by many and point out the scriptures that directly refute these teachings, ... using direct straightforward passages leaving little room for any interpretive error. Then I will give a synopsis of what the Bible tells us will happen, again using clearly understood scriptures the whole way through. The Bible including end times doctrines is meant to be understood. The exact timing, and the fine details are for the Lord to reveal, but the general overview of the events is easily gleaned from the scriptures. Just let the scriptures speak.
Those that hold themselves out to be the church of the Lord Jesus Christ basically promote three or four end times doctrines, all of which are wrong. ... They directly contradict the sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ contained in the New Testament.
... The more popular end times position ... is a pre-trib rapture, says that Jesus will return and take all the believers to heaven for seven years during which time a tribulation occurs and then returns to earth with them and sits in the temple in Jerusalem for 1000 years. So in this theory the believers are removed from the earth before the trouble starts. The mid-trib and post-trib theories are similar, but have the rapture timed during the middle or at the end, of the tribulation. These theories have a restoration of Israel in them. They also have Jesus on earth in the temple for 1000 years. ... Let's see how Jesus and the Apostles taught end times doctrine according to your Bible.
The Rapture
Let's start with Mat. 13: 24-30 & 37-43 & 47-50. Vs. 24-30 follow. "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
36-43 follow. ... "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. ... Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
47-50 follow. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire:" ...
Any end times doctrine must line up with the teachings of ... Jesus to be correct.
Let's start with Mat. 13:39. In this verse we see the Lord tells us the harvest is the end of the world age.... It is in this world that the children of the devil dwell with the children of the kingdom. In the next world (or age), the children of the devil don't dwell with the children of the kingdom, they are in the lake of fire.
Now in Mat. 13:30 we see that the tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest. In vs. 39 we see that the harvest is the end of the world (or age). How can you have a rapture that takes all of the righteous away from the unrighteous before the end of the world (age) and still agree with the doctrine of Jesus. You can't. The tares and the wheat stay together until the end of the world (age), which does not occur before or during the tribulation. A teaching, that separates the righteous from the children of the devil before the end of the world (age), is false....
Now of course there is a resurrection and it is on the last day [See John 6:39-40]. "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. ... And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." When will he raise them up? - on the last day. John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." Again, on the last day. John 6:54 " Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." On the last day. So we have when the resurrection occurs: on the last day.
Note he "appointed a day" , not several different days for different judgments [See John 12:48; 2 Pet. 3:7; 2 Tim. 4:1].
Mat. 16:28 "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." We clearly see Jesus depicted as coming in his kingdom which agrees with 2 Pet. 3:12-13. It is a fairly dramatic event to say the least, with things like the earth and the heavens burning up ..., not a secret slipping in and out. The coming as a thief pertains to The Lord returning when you may not be looking for him to return. This is also found in the parable of the virgins with their lamps ... in Mat. 25:1-13.
In Mat. 24:23-27 Jesus warns us about people deceiving us regarding his return: "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chamber; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." is a dramatic event, not a secret, .
Christians are being set up to accept the Man of Sin
Now, I need to explain who it is that is going to be walking through the Eastern Gate in Jerusalem and goes into the Temple at the onset of the millennium, because we know from these scriptures this isn't Jesus, although many teach that it is and build their false doctrines on this false presumption. So who is it? Well why not let the scriptures speak for themselves? We'll go to Eze. 43:1,4 " And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory." Now to vs. 4 " And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east." ...
more about the Glory of God in the New Testament.... Now the Glory of God wasn't a Mosaic concept to be forgotten about, although some would like you to think so. They would also have us believe Jesus is what the scriptures is referencing, when the term the Glory of God is used, but the scriptures contradict such a theory. Rom. 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." So we read that the Glory of the Father raised up Jesus. Doesn't sound like the scriptures treat Jesus and the Glory as the same.
2 Thes. 2:1-4 "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; 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." One point I'd like to make is that this man of sin sits in what the scriptures call the Temple of God. This I take to mean as a legitimate Temple of the Lord on the right spot in Jerusalem . ...
You see, the teaching, having Jesus on earth for 1000 years in the Temple in Jerusalem, is to set the people up for the man of sin, who does sit in Temple holding himself out to be God, but of course he is not God. The true Lord Jesus Christ is not going to be on earth for 1000 years in the Temple in Jerusalem, but the Glory of the God of Israel will be in the temple during this period of time, just as he was with the Israelites in the past (Eze. 43-48). Satan does not want you looking for what is ordained in the scriptures, and of course the scriptures will come to pass.
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BETTER NEWS ON END TIMES - JESUS ALREADY REIGNSVine & Fig Tree [VFT] at www.members.aol.com/vftinc/home/indexheretic.htm, review by L.K.
Luke 19:11-15 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. [12] He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. [13] And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. [14] But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. [15] And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
As with a number of other parables, the one above was about Jesus going to heaven to receive the Kingdom of God and then returning to rule, in spirit.
Micah 4:3-4 ... Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. [4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
VFT says the End Times are long past and Christ has been reigning in an everlasting "millennium" ever since, but not of this world, except spiritually. To prove it they say the Old Testament prophecies foretold three events that would take place to inaugurate Christ's reign.
Three Prerequisites for Beginning Christ's Kingdom:
1. The Crowning of the King (Rev. 12:5);
2. The Binding of Satan (Ps. 2:2-9; 110:1);
3. The Anointing of God's Priests-Ministers (Isa. 61:6; 66:21; Rev. 5:10).
Since all of those prophecies were fulfilled shortly after Jesus' resurrection, Jesus is already reigning, so we need not wait for his second coming. He's returned long ago and is waiting for us to be anointed as his ministers to the world. Following are biblical proofs of the fulfillment of the three prerequisites above.
1. The Enthronement of Christ the King
The New Testament frequently refers to Jesus as King (Mat. 2:2; 21:5; 25:34,40; 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 1:32,69; 2:11; 19:38; 22:69; John 1:49; 12:13; 18:37; Mark 11:10; Acts 17:7; 1 Cor. 15:25; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15; Heb. 7:2,22; 8:1; Rev. 15:3).
But his Kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, was and is unlike those of the Gentiles (Mat. 20:25-28; John 18:35-36)
People didn't understand the kind of kingdom Jesus had (Mat. 12:23; 15:23; 20:30-31; 21:15-16; 22:45-46; Mark 10:47-48; 11:10; Luke 18:38-39; John 7:41-44; Acts 13:27-28).
After the resurrection, Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the anointed king, which is the meaning of Christ and Messiah.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Church tradition continues to deny that Jesus is King and waits for his second coming for his worldly reign to begin, but his kingdom is not of this world, and his spiritual reign already began at his resurrection (Mat. 26:64; Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:55-56; Rom. 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Heb. 1:3-13; 8:1; 10:21; 12:2).
Christ means the "Anointed King" and it was upsetting to the "Loyalist" Jews and authorities to hear his disciples calling him that (Acts 17:7).
2. The Binding of Satan
Ps. 2:6-9 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. [7] I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. [8] Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. [9] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Rev. 20:2 And He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
The term "thousand years" in this case means a very long time, as thousand is often used to mean a great amount (Ps. 84:10; 90:4; 105:8; 1 Corinthians 14:19 Rev. 5:11)
God promised that the Messiah would crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15). During Jesus' physical life Satan tried to persuade him that Jesus wasn't giving Satan enough time to continue his evil designs.
Mat. 8:29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
After Jesus told the Pharisees that their accusations of him casting out demons by demonic power was unreasonable, since Satan would be destroying himself, he plainly implied that his kingdom had already arrived and Satan was being bound.
Mat. 12:28-29 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
While Jesus was still living in the flesh, he said Satan was being cast out.
John 12:31-33 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. [32] And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
By his resurrection Jesus was destroying Satan.
Heb. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are of flesh and blood, also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Col. 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them.
3. The Anointing of the Lay Priests-Ministers
Receiving the Holy Spirit, was called receiving the holy waters or rivers of life, and was called anointing for prophets, priests and kings. So anointing symbolized receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38; 1 John 2:20,27).
2 Cor. 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Rev. 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father,
1 Pet. 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit enables us to walk in God's path, which means to keep his Law (Micah 4:2; Rom. 8:1-4).
Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-21 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy
With the sword, called the Scriptures, (Ephesians 6:17; Heb. 4:12), the faithful reign with Christ to call all people to repentance, making his enemies to become his friends (Ps. 47:3; 118:10; 149:4-9; Isa. 11:1-5; 14:2; 49:2; 61:1-3; Hos. 6:5; Luke 4:18-22; John 15:14; 1 Cor. 15:25; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 2 The. 2:8; Rev. 19:15). Our weapons are spiritual, not carnal (2 Cor. 10:4). "The battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15-16) is more than just a battle between the Person of Christ and the person of Satan." It's also a battle between the heirs of Christ and Satan's heirs.
Gal. 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Rom. 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions , and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
1 John 4:4 ... Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Rev. 3:20-21 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [21] To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Therefore, let us reign with Christ as his ministers.
Rev. 11:15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
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THE END OF THE WORLD ... MAYBE
by Bob Wallace - www.lewrockwell.com - April 29, 2002
I decided many years ago I'm not excessively endowed with brainpower. I can't sing or dance, either, unless you want to count my imitation of Peter Boyle's Monster performing "Puttin' on the Ritz" in Young Frankenstein. My lack of genius is why I envy The Brain (of Pinky and the Brain fame). Although, I'm proud to admit, my head, as a child, was shaped like a lightbulb, just like The Brain's.
Being simple-minded, I seek simple rules. After putting in my time in public schools and college, I realized I had mostly been miseducated (except for a few classes, all of which I can count on one hand, excluding my thumb), and decided I had better find some basics. What I found is that the ancient rules, the ones that have been around for thousands of years, are the ones that work the best. The Ten Commandments, for example, are ten, easy-to-remember bits of eternal wisdom.
"Commandments" is an incorrect translation; "Utterances" or "Words" is much more accurate. I prefer "Laws," as in "Natural Laws." If you break them, bad things automatically happen. No cops are needed. The 20th century was a time of worshipping the false idols of Man and State, in violation of the First Law ("have no other gods but the one true God"). It doesn't matter to me if people believe in any sort of God or not; these Ten Laws still exist, and violation of their practical wisdom brings unhappiness, destruction and death. You can say, "As you sow, you reap," or "What goes around, comes around," or karma ("the moral law of cause and effect") or kismet, or the Tao, or whatever name you want to give it. Those laws are part of human nature. Steal, murder, commit adultery, and give false testimony ... and watch what happens to people and society.
And if people can't do it, it's doubly forbidden for governments (which in a sense don't really exist, since they are composed of people). The big difference is that governments try to claim a monopoly on force, which makes them unimaginably destructive. I've read estimates that up to 200 million people died in the 20th century at the hands of various governments. And all because of the violation of "You shall not murder."
Of all the wars the U.S. was involved in in the 20th century, not one was any of our business. W.W.I was a European war; we should have stayed out of it. Woodrow Wilson (about whom H.L. Mencken wrote, "He thought he was Jesus Christ") got us into it to "make the world safe for democracy." It led directly to W.W.II. The Communist FDR manipulated the Japanese into attacking us so that Russia would not have to fight a two-front war against the Germans and Japanese. FDR also gave Eastern Europe to the USSR. W.W.II led to Korea and Vietnam. Panama, Kuwait, and Serbia were also none of our business. Kuwait led to 9/11 and Oklahoma City. Every one of these wars has led to unintended consequences and more war. As will our current war. And before 9/11, the U.S. government was trying to start a war with China (I wonder if the Chinese are stupid enough to attack Taiwan? Or do they want their citizens to be "collateral damage" from having their water and waste treatment facilities war-crimed into oblivion, as we did in Serbia and Iraq?)
Right now there are a number of people who believe the world - as we now know it - might come to an end soon because of the events in the Middle East. They are entitled to their beliefs. I know a woman who believes aliens kidnapped her and took her eggs. She's entitled to her beliefs, too. Unfortunately, a number of these people are - in the name of God - actively working to achieve Armageddon. And they are trying to do it in some truly strange ways.
This raises the question: how can they reconcile "You shall not murder" with their attempts to bring the world to an end? They can't have it both ways. What a Catch-22! If you follow the prohibition against murder, you can't attempt to end the world. But if you don't attempt to end the world ... no Rapture, no Great Tribulation, no Jesus returning to sit on a throne.
Quite a few fundamentalists today unswervingly support Israel, the reason being they believe the restoration of that country in 1948 fulfills the Biblical prophecies in Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Revelations, and in Matthew and Luke. Therefore, Israel must be supported at all costs, so that the End Times may soon come.
This is why I believe we are involved in a religious war, one that King Dubya ... doesn't really understand. If he did, our policy in the Middle East wouldn't be as it is. This religious war is why there is so much support for Israel among fundamentalists, and such silence on the slaughter over there. (What's that old saying? "Kill them all and let God sort them out"?) To these people, it's all part of God's plan before Jesus returns and gives a whuppin' to the Anti-Christ.
If I was King, I would take all the Christians and Jews who support Israel (and send money there) and deport them all over there. I would do the same with Muslims here who support the Islamic countries. As it stands right now, the U.S. government is involved in 4,000-year-old tribal warfare, and is in fact supporting both sides in the conflict. The right hand knows not what the left hand is doing. When people move here, they are supposed to give up their ancient hatreds. If they don't, we end up being drawn into them. What good can possibly come from that?
One of my friends is half-Polish and half-Russian. I'm Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish, German, and Cherokee. We've decided we should not only hate each other, but also ourselves.
Joel Miller points out there is more evidence in the Bible against this current version of Israel being the Israel of the End Times than there is for it. Modern-day Israel was founded by a bunch of atheists and socialists . Does this sound like it fulfills the Covenant between God and Israel? It might, but I doubt it. If it doesn't, the Final Days are not just around the corner, no matter how much people try to kick-start it.
The Book of Revelations is so vague and symbolic it can be interpreted any way you want to interpret it. There was such bitter fighting over its being in the Bible it was barely included. I've seen people claim it proves flying saucers exist. It would be different if it read, "On 9/11/2001...." On the other hand, "You shall not murder" is so clear no one can argue about it.
There are people in the U.S. and Israel who are on purpose trying to start W.W.III in their hopes to bring the world to an end. If their attempts are not a violation of "You shall not murder," then what is? These people are not working for peace, but destruction. They may think they are following God's plan, but are they?
Lest anyone think I'm speaking against Israel, I'm not. But is not working for peace over there better than working for destruction ("Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God")? Arabs and Muslims don't have the ability to start W.W.III; they are reduced to flying planes into buildings and using their own kids as bombs. But some Christians can.
[Cont. in Ch. 4 end]