johnquark wrote:
truthdefender wrote:
This is the 2nd time that you have made this statement. Did you know that the Holy Scriptures as found in the Old and New Testaments of God's word are made up of 30% prophecy. That's almost 1/3 of the Bible. Now if God thought it so important to foretell the future for His people, and filled His word with 30% prophetic verses, eschatology and arming His servants with that knowledge must be very important to Him. Ignore them at your own peril. He also states that if He has spoken it and it is recorded in His Word, it will come to pass. You can stake your life upon it. And the Apostle Paul also tells us that there are special crowns for believers who love His appearing. Meaning those who watch and wait in obedience and faith. Jesus Himself also commanded us to watch! But you do have a point that the Christian walk needs to be well rounded and grounded in love for God and man, with obedience and faith.
P.S. Nero was not the antichrist. He may be a model or type of antichrist as was Antiochus Epiphanes and others, but not THE MAN OF SIN. As a matter of fact there is no one spoken of or foretold as much in the Bible as the antichrist who will soon come to power; except of course Jesus and God the Father.
My point is clear. There is no way for you to justify the mass hysteria, uncertainty, anxiety and pure delusion that eschatology creates. Regarding how many times I have said "eschatology is useless - or whatever" that is because the subject is poison, and it is all over this forum. The main reason I joined this forum is to confront these ideas. I like to come to this site for an 'underground' chance to catch some really interesting news. But, it seems more like the forum (and MANY people), even on the larger scale of America in general, are being polluted by all the false prophecy, false ministries, and ridiculous amount of attention on eschatology.
If the prophecies are so important then why is the book of revelation filled with an esoteric language no one can interpret. How come we can interpret this book today, and the people at the time of the writings could not? Why are the modern interpretations of the book of revelation all failures but yours (or the source for your interpretation)? How times has the book of revelations been translated?
How can a person EVEN begin to analyze the book of revelation without first analyzing the history, languages, and the cultures that brought this to us? Imagine having the audacity to arrogantly claim that ALL people before you (millions of people - over thousands of years) got it wrong and you got it right. Rather, the chance of accuracy regarding an interpretation of the book of revelation decreases with time. How many of you here are actual scholars in Bible history, theology and eschatology?
You make extremely valid points in regard to the rampant false predictions going on, i.e. Camping. And I have no private interpretations of any prophecies and do not espouse anything in particular. I have speculated on the ways some of the prophecies may find fulfillment as it is obvious to most that we are witnessing the last preparations of the set stage. I only adhere to literalism. The prophecies in the Old Testament were all literally fulfilled; and by this I mean Medo-Persia, Greece, Alexander the Great, Cyrus the Persian, Assyria and their conquest Northern Israel, the Babylonian captivity. And of course the greatest of them all, the Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, I believe that the other unfulfilled prophecies like the Apostasy, the rise of the antichrist and false prophet, the one world religion and government, the judgements on the earth, the fallen angels being cast to the earth, and the return in power and great glory of Jesus Christ will all also happen VERY literally. And one key you need to remember is that Daniel was told that his vision would be sealed up to the time of the end when only the wise would understand and the rest of the world (wicked) would not. For example, using Revelation, how would it have been possible up until the advent of satellite television for the entire world to observe the bodies of the Two Witnesses to lie in the streets for three days and then come to life?
My main point is this, God obviously felt it quite important to lay out a timeline for that generation that would be alive during the worst time in history. Either for instruction or to help them recognize the signs of the times, and to build their faith. Jesus said He tells us the events of the end, so that when they begin to come to pass we will know that He is the Messiah. The question you should be asking yourself is why Almighty God wanted you to be born in this time, if this time happens to be the generation that will see all things fulfilled.
God bless.