JESUS ON THE END TIMES-Part Five-All Those Fallen Stones


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6xcY5IqU


A matter of perspective.

The disciples  saw that magnificent manmade temple and were in awe.  Humans see great heights and pause in admiration.

Jesus tore down the  temple in their minds.   It lay in  rubble.

They thought Jerusalem was the eternal Jewish city.  He destroyed it in narrative.

All their hopes: that they would be involved in the revolution against Rome: win and throw them out, establish the kingdom of God right then.  That dream of Jewish supremacy was a false temple that had to crash even as the actual temple would crash. Really crash because it was a false hope for redemption after His sacrifice on the cross. They didn't see a bigger picture of a larger Earth, of tribes and nations they didn't know existed,  of a much bigger world of man than they could even comprehend. They thought the mission would be done in Asia, Europe and Africa.  They didn't realize the size of China or Russia.  Two whole American continents were out there waiting to be "discovered."  The Arctic and Antarctic unimagined.

Even after this lecture, they would not grasp the patterns He revealed until the Spirit arrived and still they would  not see the enormity of the mission.

But we do know of that bigger world, of a whole universe and His  voice speaks to us in these verses   today of a world shattered and in  ruins with some saved and others forever lost.  We know of viruses that kill in a few moments, of nuclear weapons, of ships alone with more power than the Roman army could ever comprehend.  And  of a leader so evil he will bring all the world to the brink of  destruction.  Of this special world shattered.

He told a truth of world's end to everyone, all our temples will crash.  Nothing in this world lasts.  Earthquakes can fell all those marvelous monuments.  Terrorists in civilian airplanes can bring down Twin Towers.  Soviet Unions can fall to pieces.  Marriages can end.  Lovers can wander.  Children can get stung by bees and die in  shock.  Refuges can die of thirsty and starvation even after rescue missions.  If the scientists are right, there is a timer of four million years on the sun before it winks out. Did you think God created this marvelous intricate universe thing for human pleasure and amusement only?  Did you ever think his motive was also to always remind us of just how small we are? Did you ever think  that all the death and disaster was to remind us of our sin and to remind us also that the source of life itself was not here in a random puddle where life formed from amino acids but in a creator who founded the universe and our life in it for a purpose, for the glory of himself by the fact of kind creation, for the love of the humans he would create?

Do you begin to understand the blasphemy of those saying they can speak reality into existence because God lives in them?  Do you understand the draw of it better though?  That somehow we can be like him and that the rich can be more like him because they can make things their way because they have money?

And Matthew 24 is about the loss of money, power, the temple, which was a political and religious powerhouse, the house of money changers,  falling, about those who want it for themselves, and finally about the one who manages that dream of total Earthly power for himself.



Mt 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
 25 Behold, I have told you before.

Again Jesus separates the false christs from the false prophets, the political power and then the voodoo priest who praises him.

But this should truly terrify us:  insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Have a care.  Anyone, even I, can be deceiving you.  Please don't trust me. See that what I say is correct without me putting spin on it.


 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Certain sects offered desert places to meet messiahs.  Some have even offered visits to your living room. Dark meetings late at night to discover secret sayings and chants and incantations and mantras and...None of this is real or worth the time of day let alone donations.

 27 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.
 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
 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 shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. {with...: or, with a trumpet, and a great voice}


This is the apparent conclusion to the Earthly minded.  Jesus arrives in full glory, bringing his already delivered and harvesting those of the "left behind" who have found salvation at the cost of their lives and those who are saved and still living, that few, to join the ones already there.



 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. {it: or, he}


https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/larkin/dt/29.cfm

These three trees are particularly fit symbols of Israel, for in Palestine the "Vine," the "Fig-tree," and the "Olive," stand for the fruitfulness of the land. And the "Vine" and "Fig-tree" prefigure the Millennial days when every man shall sit under his own "Vine" and "Fig-tree." Micah 4:3-4. When Jacob (Israel) was about to die he summoned his sons, and prophesied their future. Of Judah he said that his portion of Canaan should be so full of vineyards that asses should be tethered to the vines, and that the juice should be so plentiful that they would wash their clothes in it as in water. Gen. 49:9-12.

THE VINE is a symbol of Israel's Spiritual privileges.

THE FIG-TREE is a symbol of Israel's National privileges.


THE OLIVE TREE is a symbol of Israel's Religious privileges.

...


The "Fig-tree" is a New Testament symbol or figure of Israel and was used by Jesus Himself. As Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, on the 'Tuesday evening preceding His Crucifixion, His Disciples came to Him and asked a threefold question-"Tell us, when shall these things be (the destruction of the Temple)? and what shall be the SIGN of Thy Coming, and of the end of the world (Age)?" Matt. 24:3. These three questions Jesus answered in His "Olivet Discourse" which followed. In His answer to the question-"What shall be the SIGN of Thy Coming?" Jesus mentioned three signs.

The appearance of the "ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION" (the "DESOLATOR"-Antichrist), spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Dan. 9:27) in the Holy Place of the rebuilt Temple at Jerusalem, as foretold by Paul in his Second Letter to the Thessalonians. 2 Thess. 2:1-4.

(Note that this is the role of the High Priest of the Jewish religion a "cohan"  so likely someone named Cohen will be actual high priest at the time the Antichrist moves into the role as jesus moved into the role on his Crucifixion. W.)

The "SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN," which is a "CLOUD," such as He disappeared in when He ascended. Acts. 1:9. Matt. 24:30.



The "FIG-TREE SIGN," or the re-gathering of the Jews back to their own land. In connection with this "Sign" Jesus said-"Now learn a Parable of the 'FIG-TREE.' When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth LEAVES, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it (He, R.V.), is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This GENERATION (the word means 'Race'-JEWISH RACE) shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matt. 24:32-35.

The "Fig-tree" is a fit emblem of Israel. Its peculiarity is that the blossoms of the fruit appear before the leaves. Naturally, therefore, we should look for fruit on a tree in full leaf. This accounts for why Jesus cursed the Fig-tree that had on it nothing but leaves. Matt. 21:18-20. The presence of the leaves led Him to expect fruit, and when He found none He cursed the tree for its fruitlessness. Mark gives us another version of the incident. Mark 11:12-14. He says that Jesus found nothing but leaves, "for the time of figs was NOT YET." Why then curse the tree? This is easily explained. The early fruit, or blossoms, appear in spring before the leaves open, on branches of the last year's growth, and the first ripe fruit is ready in June or earlier. The late figs grow on the new wood, keep appearing during the season, and are ripe from August onward. The unripe fruit of autumn often survives the winter and ripens when vegetation revives in the spring. Now it was about the first of April that Jesus cursed the Fig-tree, and the time of figs was not yet, because they did not ripen before June. But fig-trees which have retained their leaves through the winter usually have some of the last year's figs also, and as April was too early for new leaves or fruit, Jesus knowing this, and seeing leaves on the tree, naturally expected to find some of last year's fruit, and when He found none He cursed the tree because of its deceptive character.

The application of this incident to Israel is simple. Naturally Jesus from their "leafy profession" would expect to find fruit on the tree of their National life, and when He found none He cursed them for their HYPOCRISY. Matt. 23:1-33.

In the Parable of the "Barren Fig-tree" (Luke 13:6-9) we have another picture of Israel. The "Fig-tree" is the Jewish nation. The "Fig-tree" was planted in a "Vineyard," which we have seen stands for the land of Palestine. The owner of the Vineyard and of the Fig-tree was God. He came in the person of His Son Jesus, and for three years of Jesus' ministry He had sought for fruit from the Jewish nation and found none. He therefore decided to cut down the tree, that is, remove the nation from the Vineyard.

But the tree was not destroyed immediately, for intercession was made for it, and the day of grace was lengthened out for forty years, and then the "axe-man" Titus, at the head of the Roman Army besieged Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and Israel, the Fig-tree, was cut down and cast out of the Vineyard into the field of the world.

But while the "Fig-tree" (Israel) was cut down and cast out of the "Vineyard" (Palestine), its root was not destroyed, the axe was only laid at the root of the "Tree" (Luke 3:7-9), the root itself was not killed or removed from the soil. It is clear then from the "Parable of the Fig-tree," (Matt. 24:32-34), that a new tree will spring from the root, that is, the nation of Israel will revive, and when it shall reach the point where it shall "put forth leaves" then we shall have the "FIG-TREE SIGN" that Christ's return is not far away. In this case the "Fig-tree" will bear leaves before it bears fruit, for Israel is to be revived nationally before she is converted. 

The "Signs of the Times" clearly point to the revival of the "Fig-tree;" and in "ZIONISM" and "ANTI-SEMITISM" we see the "putting forth of leaves." "ZIONISM" is the longing of the Jews to return to their own land and the establishment of a "Jewish State" there. There are three phases of it, "Religious," "Economic," and "Political" Zionism. The "Religious" phase is the revival of faith in the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies of the restoration of Jewish worship in a rebuilt Temple in the Holy Land. The "Economic" phase is the desire of Israel to escape from their condition of servitude in Russia, and other lands where they are persecuted, and by colonization in Palestine secure a home in the land associated with the most sacred memories of their race, where they can dwell safely under their own vine and fig-tree. The "Political" phase is the revival of their "national Hope" of a restored nation under the leadership of the promised and long-hoped-for Messiah.

"ANTI-SEMITISM" is the desire on the part of the nations to drive the Jews out of the countries where their number and habits have become a menace. It is a revival of Egyptian Bondage. Pharaoh did not want to part with Israel, he needed their service in the construction of public works and in the raising of cattle. All he purposed to do was by hard bondage to prevent their increase. Ex. 1:7-22. Israel's experience in Egypt is a type of the time that the Prophet Jeremiah speaks of as the time of "JACOB'S TROUBLE," when God will break the "YOKE" from off their neck, and burst their "BONDS," and strangers shall no more serve themselves of them. Jer. 30:4-9.

These two "Signs," Zionism and Anti-Semitism, which are becoming more and more marked, are evidence, like the budding of a tree in the springtime that it is about to send forth leaves, that "SUMMER IS NIGH," and that the return of the Lord is not far off. Matt. 24:33-35. The "Fig-tree" then is a symbol of Israel's NATIONAL Privileges.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Do not miss what Jesus is saying here because it influences the very next sentence and the way it is interpreted in context.

He lectures in the olive gardens.  The gardens  are the symbol of the gathered  religious privilege of Israel as the tree itself.  Now he speaks to tie the religious with the earthly country.  That the false will come forward and reach their point of power as the tree is just growing into political power.  Israel had no such hopes under the Romans.

 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

This has become the deadliest passage in Scripture.  Deadly because it's misinterpretation has led to the idea He came back spiritually the Temple fell and this led to the notion that He somehow came back in reality then which founds much of the mistaken teaching of postmillennialism.  Some people today believe in a false Christ because of it.

The notion that He meant the current generation of the Apostles, that He would be back "soon" by human standards emphasizes the way we humans see things, from the temporal perspective.  We go all the way back to Genesis insisting "day" must mean a twenty-four hour day and roll all the way into making Jesus return in the lifetime of  His generation when the other meaning as stated above in               clearly applies.  

 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

And yet Jehovah's Witnesses  are founded on the teaching that Jesus  would return more than a century ago (http://christinprophecy.org/articles/the-jehovahs-witnesses/) and still went on despite the obvious false prophecy.  A radio minister predicted Jesus return a few years ago, and when it failed, he said he did the math wrong and predicted again a wrong date.  How do we found any sect on the teaching of the Lord's certain return on this day or another  when we are told only God knows?  We keep forgetting He said not to trust anyone who contradicts what He says here.  We want so much to have that stone of special knowledge.  WE WANT TO BE THE MASTERS OF SECRETS, OF DESTINY, THE SPECIAL ONES WHO WILL RULE!  We all want to be the AC and never want to admit it.  We all step into the role of being the high priests of our own lives, replacing Jesus in the holy place, in the temple of our bodies with our own designs and desires.


 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Hit the "pause."  Step back and see the history as a CGI epic in a modern film.  Most of those massive scenes exist to sell us some form of Antichrist so it is an appropriate symbol here.  Look closely and what do you see?

Yes, every story the Bible related inevitably concerned  someone's end times.  Eden, awash in light and love, gone in an end time brought on by sin.  Over and Over.  And Every scene has the ending of one culture or country and the arrival of another, filled with bright hope only to be destroyed by the Antichrist as leader, by the false priest or priestess seeking power.  Every time.

Jesus picked the last time god wiped out humanity.

But what else did Jesus say to the false prophet leaders of His moment on Earth about the temple?

Joh 2:18 The Jews therefore answered and said to him, What sign shewest thou to us, that thou doest these things?
 19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
 20 The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple building, and thou wilt raise it up in three days?
 21 But *he* spoke of the temple of his body.
 (DBY)


And Paul said something:

1Co 6:19 Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own?
 20 for ye have been bought with a price: glorify now then God in your body.
 (DBY)

And all the disciples would one day die, their own fleshly temples destroyed by the false worshipers.  One. Stephen,  even stoned to death, falling under the pelting of false temple rocks.

And every time the lost ones meant to die did not listen to the sound of their temples falling because...their personal temple was corrupted.

 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Now we have what might be called a summation of His first coming AFTER His second. 

The reason for this: He began prophesying about the Jewish portion of God's blessing to his current Jewish disciples.  But the disciples will be transformed into the apostles and found the church. Hde now deals with the promise to their "nation" founded AFTER Israel.   His arrival will fulfill the promise to Israel even as the Rapture will fulfill the promise to His church.  The Church will be Enoch.  And the Israel/delivered  who survive of the Tribulation will be Noe and his Ark. The ones killed for Jesus sake during the Tribulation have a special blessing reserved in their resurrection post Tribulation (I'm getting ahead here so I will leave it there, but I want you to ponder what happened after Noah left the Ark and keep it well kin  the back of your mind for when we get out of the Tribulation discussion.)

Think now of Revelation.  I waited to discuss the Olivet Discourse until we had touched on the middle of the Tribulation because it is then that the Mark will be placed by tattoo or branding.  Now consider what Jesus is saying in light of the predictions for the end of the Tribulation before His return to Earth in a blinding flash.

Nobody would be working fields or grinding bread with someone without the Mark.  No one would dare do that in the open and not suffer retaliation.  No one without the Mark could purchase seed or grain to grind anyone would be killed if they tried to farm openly.

The verse  passage from verse 35 on now clearly applies to the Church and to his followers. They are to be aware because he will come like "a thief in the night" and they will be gone, but that they also must be prepared, steeped in their knowledge and love of Him over the world.

It is the story of the rapture, of temples cleansed by His blood, of false temples of stone taken down by the hand of Christ and of temples of flesh erected by His Spirit.


The true Hope.  Beyond false prophecies and the empty dreams of Earthly kings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKyhGyTW_TM

            JESUS ON THE END TIMES: Part Four- Is ANYONE Paying attention??!


So I'm waiting in line for the automated check out at a national chain  grocer.  I'm in the "quick" lane behind a couple and a single person.  I look over at the next checkout lane which is for larger grocery carts and has it's OPEN light on.  A woman with a full cart stands in the line but right before the line is a shelf of candy bard and mints and beef jerky.  She shops around for something on the shelves, bent down, searching, moving items around.

The lady who supervises the lanes is standing at the front of my row and motions and yells back to me:  "You can use that lane."   She motions toward the lane with the woman bent down out of  sight from her angle.

I point toward that line and yell back, "There's someone there."  The shopping women remains bent over, apparently enraptured by candy bars.

The lady supervisor motions back: "You can  use that line!"

Another lady shopper ahead of me, apparently thinking I missed it the second time, pointedly says to me:  "You can use that line."  Her husband keeps his eyes faced forward.  He's not getting involved. He has seen something like this before and he values what's left of his time on this planet being peaceful.

I reply to them both loudly because I am beginning to lose my patience: "There Is SOMEONE there!"

The supervisor then walks over toward the lane, finally sees the woman bent there and her very full cart, and walks back to her place.

No apology needed.  It is almost as if she discovered this all by herself and now understands that I couldn't get over there.  An expression on her face like it's really too bad I never told her. As the couple ahead of me leaves, that woman also checks the lane.

Is anyone paying attention to conversations or was the assumption that a man in a grocery store is somehow out of his element and can't possibly know what he is doing the way prejudiced folks once thought women had no place in the work environment and some still assume they can't use a hammer?

Is it easier to let our prejudices rule than to pay attention?

Perspective.  Can you and I see the same thing or am I in the wrong spot to see what you see?

I was touchy that day because I had chest congestion, had been losing sleep nd had an earache. I kept postponing seeing the doctor because I had a physical scheduled.  At the physical, the chest congestion and earache were explained as pneumonia and a bacterial infection in my eardrum.  No wonder I wasn't feeling well. Fortunately drugs exist to handle the problem and I'm healing after a month of buying OTC medicine.

I thought I was a little sick.  from my Doc's perspective, I was a step away from a hospital bed and an IV.

Sometimes we are too close to see.  We need to take the step BACK.

One of  my leaders at work  told me a story.  He was walking with one of his workers talking about something, hurrying because they were worried about a furnace, He was intent on talking and walked right into one of the thin steel posts that run to the ceiling in various sections of our factory.  His safety glasses protected him from a black eye.  Sometimes we are hurrying, talking, rushing to do the job and don't see the poles in our way.

Sometimes we are famous and blinded by prejudice. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x899fR1WnII



Since the exact opposite happened in Syria and since the former President of the USA has not been revealed at the AC, this would make the former congressperson  who was speaking as a Christian representative and taking money for it at the time something of a  a false prophet. 

Yet:

http://www.skylineun.com/


The question in my mind remains: Is anyone paying attention to what the Bible says?



President Trump has an 80% favorable rating in the Republican party polls.  Any news of his obvious failures, of his bigotry, of his capitulation to anything Russia wants gets shoveled under whatever throw rug is available. And the anger of US citizens rises on both sides threatening a civil war, which could also cripple the US and serve Russia's purposes.






Putin has an 80% favorable rating in his country which he feels needs to be bolstered.  This can at least be blamed on his control of the media.  Also that Russians are doing relatively well in their lives as opposed to the times when the USSR was broken up.  His siding with Islam has nothing to do with belief in their correctness and everything to do with taking Russia to a new peak of power.  And God will take the idolatry of country and crash the country Putin loves on the fallen rocks of his dreams if he continues.

What some people perceive as either evil or as monsters others perceive as heroes.  The dreams that kill are still the dreams that comfort the fallen part of us.

It occurs to me that, in reviewing Revelation,  I am writing about monsters, the ones the Bible says will be there at the destruction of the Earth, the ones who will be in power as the end comes. But also men and women who think their leader's dreams are the things the world needs, who want the dream of unity and peace at any cost and, like the false prophets, are seduced by the power and money and glory of the accomplishment of the dream.  Monsters can think nightmares are beautiful  dreams.

It also occurs to me that the monsters would not be in power if there were not monsters in us all wanting them to succeed.

In His Word, God reveals the monsters and reveals the monsters in us and tells us where those monsters will lead us if we follow.  The destruction of the Earth in the End Times reveals what happens to every individual who follows the monster in them, destruction of the highest order.  And we will feed that monster if we are not careful.  On all the hate in the internet.  On all the lies coming from news feeds on both sides of issues.  On the issues themselves.  Our anger, what Jesus warns us about, can overshadow the best intentions ans swamp our love with all that rage, accumulated even as the Holy Spirit comforts and holds it at bay.  We can wrap our arms around the cold comfort and blaze with fury or we can give the rage to Christ and let it be righteous and powered by the sadness that some will not be saved.

And our current concern is the monster called Antichrist and the "abomination of desolation."

Mt 24:15 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:
 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
 (KJV)



https://www.gotquestions.org/abomination-desolation.html

Answer: The phrase “abomination of desolation” refers to Matthew 24:15 (KJV): “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.” This is referring to Daniel 9:27, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” In 167 B.C. a Greek ruler by the name of Antiochus Epiphanies set up an altar to Zeus over the altar of burnt offerings in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. He also sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is known as the abomination of desolation.

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus was speaking some 200 years after the abomination of desolation described above had already occurred. So, Jesus must have been prophesying that some time in the future another abomination of desolation would occur in a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Most Bible prophecy interpreters believe that Jesus was referring to the Antichrist who will do something very similar to what Antiochus Epiphanies did. This is confirmed by the fact that some of what Daniel prophesied in Daniel 9:27 did not occur in 167 B.C. with Antiochus Epiphanies. Antiochus did not confirm a covenant with Israel for seven years. It is the Antichrist who, in the end times, will establish a covenant with Israel for seven years and then break it by doing something similar to the abomination of desolation in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

Whatever the future abomination of desolation is, it will leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the one perpetrating it is the person known as the Antichrist. Revelation 13:14 describes him making some kind of image which all are forced to worship. Turning the temple of the living God into a place of worship for the Antichrist is truly an “abomination.” Those who are alive and remain during the tribulation should be watchful and recognize that this event is the beginning of 3 1/2 years of the worst of the tribulation period and that the return of the Lord Jesus is imminent. “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

                                                                                                                                                                   


Keep in mind that Jesus talks from the Jewish perspective here.  The Abomination has to do with false sacrifice, but more.  The pig is unclean, so not only is the sacrifice false, but it is the filthiest sacrifice possible and desecrates the altar.  It symbolizes that false death and resurrection of the Antichrist against the truth of Jesus' resurrection.  It testifies to the complete falsehood of the AC and tells everyone around him and who witnesses the event, likely on some form of mass media or on all of them, that this IS the Bad Guy.

But from the monster perspective, this event christens the true leader.  The monster will rush to take the tattoo on the forehead or the hand.  Just as the Christian is sealed for Christ, the tattoo will symbolize that the followers of the AC are sealed for eternity in Hell.

Perspective.  We see heroes or monsters depending  on our perspective.

But Jesus also referred to 70 AD:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-28/ad-70-titus-destroys-jerusalem.html

Gessius Florus loved money and hated Jews. As Roman procurator, he ruled Judea, caring little for their religious sensibilities. When tax revenues were low, he seized silver from the temple. As the uproar against him grew, in A.D. 66, he sent troops into Jerusalem who massacred 3,600 citizens. Florus’s action touched off an explosive rebellion—the First Jewish Revolt—that had been sizzling for some time.

Launching the Revolt
The Jewish Revolt began—and met its bitter end—at Masada, a hunk of rock overlooking the Dead Sea. The Romans had built a virtually impregnable fortress there. Yet the atrocities of Florus inspired some crazy Zealots to attack Masada. Amazingly, they won, slaughtering the Roman army there.

In Jerusalem, the temple captain signified solidarity with the revolt by stopping the daily sacrifices to Caesar. Soon all Jerusalem was in an uproar, expelling or killing the Roman troops. Then all Judea was in revolt; then Galilee.

Cestius Callus, the Roman governor of the region, marched from Syria with twenty thousand soldiers. He besieged Jerusalem for six months, yet failed. He left six thousand dead Roman soldiers, not to mention weaponry that the Jewish defenders picked up and used.

Emperor Nero then sent Vespasian, a decorated general, to quell the Judean rebellion. Vespasian put down the opposition in Galilee, then in Transjordan, then in Idumea. He circled in on Jerusalem. But before the coup de grace, Nero died. Vespasian became embroiled in a leadership struggle that concluded with the eastern armies calling for him to be emperor. One of his first imperial acts was to appoint his son Titus to conduct the Jewish War.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Jerusalem-70


Siege of Jerusalem, (70 CE). The fall of Jerusalem was a pivotal moment in the first Jewish-Roman war. It resulted in the destruction of the ancient temple of Solomon and much of the surrounding city by a fire started by the Roman army under the command of the future emperor Titus.

The Jewish-Roman war of 66 to 73 CE was the first of three rebellions by Jews against Roman rule in Judaea and is referred to as "The Great Revolt." The revolt started in 66 CE, following religious tensions between Greeks and Jews, but soon involved protests against taxation and attacks on Roman citizens. Shocked by the defeat of a legion under the command of Gallus, Emperor Nero sent military commander Vespasian, with a force of 60,000, to ensure that order was restored.

Despite victories elsewhere, Jerusalem proved difficult to take. Vespasian’s son, Titus, surrounded the city with a wall and a trench, and anyone caught trying to escape was crucified. Titus then put pressure on the food and water supply by allowing pilgrims to enter the city in order to celebrate Passover but not letting them out.

After a number of failed attempts to attack the city, the Romans set about the destruction of Jerusalem’s formidable defenses with a battering ram. Having breached these defenses, the Romans fought their way from street to street. Many Zealots sought sanctuary in the ancient temple of Solomon and in the fortress of Antonia. The Romans finally overwhelmed the fortress, and the ancient temple was destroyed by fire in the ensuing battle, reputedly against the wishes of Titus. The destruction of the temple is still mourned by Jews in the annual fast of Tisha be-Av, and the fall of Jerusalem is celebrated in Rome’s Arch of Titus.

Losses: According to Jewish historian Josephus, Jewish, 1.1 million dead and 97,000 enslaved; Roman, unknown.

Tony Bunting

                                                                                                                                                                  

We know that Christians right before the Roman invasion, based on the idea the Temple would be violated in the invasion, ran for the hills.   We suspect they will also flee from Jerusalem when the AC appears in the Temple, healed and proclaiming himself the god humanity is to worship, will flee, perhaps the start of their return to Petra,  taking Jewish followers and Jews who are enlightened by the "sacrifice" with them.  And opening the gateway for Muslims to flee as well, since they will be repulsed by someone claiming Allah is a fraud.  Lead to research of their Quran and the discovery it has only good things to say about the Savior.  Perhaps at last coming to the God they thought they were worshiping all along.

An act of ultimate evil can lead others to salvation. 

I want to conclude on the notion of perspective by discussing something i discovered doing my due diligence for this blog.  I was checking the sources of hits for the posts and discovered some of them are "unsavory"  by Christian definition.  In fact, several are.   From a self righteous Christian perspective, it would seem best to  notify Blogger and have them stop that contact.  However, I also have this realization there are likely three reasons for this activity, 1) There are Christians at those sites for whatever reason who have to use them as contact with the outside world.  In which case I definitely want the contact to continue. 2) They are actually Christian sites who disguise themselves this way to exist in countries that ate less than accepting and I really don't want to "out" them. 3) There are curious folks at these sites who want to know more about "this Christ person" and come here to find things out.  In which case,  I am  blessed by God to explain His  plans to those who don't yet know Him. And truly, this may be the first case of these folks secretly visiting a Christian site instead of a Christian secretly visiting them. 

Perspective is also a matter of perspective after all.

               JESUS ON THE END TIMES: Part 3: Things Do Not Get Better

In Memory of Billy Graham whose message led to my salvation 
 God took His great 20th Century Messenger Home


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BgIUU2gzVc


Mt 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
 9 Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake.
 10 And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.
 11 And many false prophets will rise and deceive many.
 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold.
 13 But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe.
 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.

 (MKJV)


Mt 24:8 But all these things are the first of the troubles.
 9 Then they will be cruel to you, and will put you to death: and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.
 10 And numbers of people will be turned from the right way, and will give one another up and have hate for one another.
 11 And a number of false prophets will come, causing error.
 12 And because wrongdoing will be increased, the love of most people will become cold.
 13 But he who goes through to the end will get salvation.
 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be given through all the world for a witness to all nations; and then the end will come.

 (BBE)



First, Jesus  talked about all those exterior stones.  Everything the disciples have come to hold dear in their lifetimes.  The Temple will fall. Jerusalem was the center of their universe and the Temple its' center.  The way away from sin would be gone; sacrifices impossible. Wars will abound.  Others will come claiming to be the Jesus they know and the disciples may even be tricked by them.  The way of freedom from sin copied by fake duplicates even as the Temple had been duplicated by frauds.  Earthquakes and starvation!

And this is only the beginning!

Much of  this part  would happen  in their lifetimes related in one way or another to the destruction of the Temple.   He will expand on it later.

But it is the beginning of the cycle of false leader, war, starvation, plague and obliteration of the country or tribe following the leader.  God gives warning after warning.  Country after country will follow the pattern.

But the message is about their lives.  Losing them.  Losing face.

Now comes the largest stone of all:

9 Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oynEWY1Lxug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnKMj5usQa8

Here again He links their now with the future.  "You will lose your life for me and you (the future disciples) will be hated by all nations, hated as Christians."  Hated for following the true Way.  His vision stretches across the small space we occupy in eternity to the end of time.  He knows the names of the ones destroyed for His cause. Knows the people, the persons even to the hair on  their heads.

10 And numbers of people will be turned from the right way, and will give one another up and have hate for one another

First, we know this is future because there is almost no one following Him at this moment as he has alienated the Jewish leadership and all the "Hosanna" shouts have faded.   While his Way was a movement later on,   still not a lot of numbers in the time of the Temple's destruction. So this sets the prediction as  future events. And as ongoing ones.

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {unto him: or, around 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;
 (KJV)

Paul predicts the fruition of this event, begun by Judas' act of betrayal during the end times.  It seems to become complete during the Great Tribulation era.

The great Falling Away.   Though Paul, John and Peter all says it was going on in their lifetimes. it gathered power  with the passing of the Disciples, the ones who knew Him well.  It crept into every institution and into every place churches were founded.  We discussed this more fully in our study on John's gospel: https://mythmisunderstanding.blogspot.com/   In a way, it is really the face of human history.  Nations built on beliefs that were not Christian, aiming to destroy anyone who believed differently.   Nations built on values for the nation and then wrapped in religious suits like the wolf in sheep's clothing.  The 20th  Century saw the nations become larger.  Hitler's Germany claimed to be for the people as it herded Jews and others into concentration camps for slaughter and the value of melted gold teeth. The USSR and Red China were built on concentrated atheism.  In their own camps, the communists slaughtered believers by the millions since they were seen as dissidents.  The government was not God to the Christians  so they had to die along with any others who disagreed with some part or other of the government's plan.  The US which was founded on a belief in God, while being the home of  many great movements for Jesus and keeping the faith alive in pockets of rural life or in the backstreets of cities,  became lost in its other prejudices and in it's European royal traditions.  Wherever there was wealth it seemed, men or women rose to don cloaks of priesthood and used those cloaks to enrich and empower themselves.  Or Men with money and land were seen as God's only leaders.    The idea remains alive today that  churches are places for the well-to-do.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7JbM0qooRg  The idea was fostered by misled churches through \US history and now we see it come to full fruition in teachings about the buying of miracles by giving to a TV ministry and in men in political power saying money and more power must be given to the rich  and then money will trickle down to the poor out of the kindness of the human heart of the rich.  Even as those hearts grow colder.

One example:

https://shaynelooper.com/

Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide?

Posted on February 3, 2018by salooper57

The U.S. Department of the Treasury maintains three gift funds, one of which is known as the “Conscience Fund,” established in 1811. The name stuck after the Civil War when a former Army quartermaster who had misappropriated funds sent a check along with a note that read: “Suppose we call this a contribution to the conscience fund and get it announced in the newspapers, and perhaps we will get some more.”

Most contributions to the fund have come through people who cheated on their taxes. The interesting thing is that gifts to the fund have been declining rapidly. In 2014, people gave over a million dollars to the fund. In 2015, that amount was cut by more than half. In 2016, just $23,000 was given. According to Business Insider, halfway through 2017, only one gift of $1,600 had been given.

What is behind this sharp decline? Some have speculated that people believe it is no longer possible to hide their identities from Big Brother. A darker explanation is that the decline in giving to the Conscience Fund follows a decline in efficiently operating consciences.

The poet Ogden Nash wrote: “There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all.” One can only hope the reduction in giving to the Conscience Fund is due to the former possibility, and not the latter.

Conscience is not a static system. It can evolve or devolve in the lives of individuals and societies, become more sensitive or less sensitive. It can respond vigorously to certain stimuli in one period, and not at all in another because conscience must be informed if it is to work. There needs to be, as it were, software as well as hardware.

The software running the conscience regularly receives updates. This happens, when we are children, through interaction with parents, teachers, pastors, friends, and a host of other sources. As adults, the sources may change, but the conscience continues to update. It runs on the psychological equivalent of continuously modified open source software.

One suspects that the conscience code is now being generated by different sources than it was thirty or forty years ago. Parents and teachers have been largely replaced by media. Pastors have been discarded and not replaced. Books are less influential than movies and television. And it must be remembered that parents and teachers and pastors are also continuously receiving conscience code updates from all these sources as well.

                                                                                                                                                   

And the source of all that misinformation in the media, both liberal and conservative, lies in John's discussion related to the next part of Jesus' prophecy.

Now notice that Jesus separates the false prophets from the antichrists.  One seeks the open power and prestige of kingship, like almost every king seen throughout history.  He wants to be the tribal chief.  The other always seeks the religious route, the medicine man, the shaman.  He wants power as  the sycophant.  He sees that the chief may be overthrown, but that he, like the Pharisees who outlasted the Herods, may go on for a long time as the power behind the throne. Some commentators have  said the Antichrist and the False Prophet are the same beast. Throughout the Bible says  differently.  The king and his advisor.


Who better than the apostles to deal with false prophets and their way:

1Jo 4:1 My loved ones, do not put your faith in every spirit, but put them to the test, to see if they are from God: because a great number of false prophets have gone out into the world.


One thing I noticed as I began this post, something that eluded me before: John says to test "spirits".  That's plural and it gave me a realization.  God's Holy Spirit is everywhere, can be in many people at once and lead them in a unified effort for God, but what is one thing that is apparent from our studies on Satan and on the texts related to Judas.  Satan can only enter into people one person at a time.  Multiple demons can occupy one person as with Legion.  But when Jesus threw them out he sent them into multiple pigs, THEM, one per pig.  When one is thrown out he may bring others back with him to the "unoccupied house."  But notice none of them has the power to enter more than one person.  There is no one spirit that can be THE Antichrist Spirit.  It takes multiple spirits to inhabit more than one being.  All of them imitating the Holy Spirit.  An able to influence even believers with deceptive spiritual leadings. So when we have an event as discussed below, it can be either the leader of the group encouraging the misuse of a gift or multiple spirits influencing multiple believers  to misuse their gifts, or a crowd frenzy of those caught up in the moment to speak perhaps blasphemies against God in "angelic" tongues (Please don't forget that demons  ARE fallen angels.) because it feels good.

The spirits must be tested. For example, if Paul tells us not to run about in the aisles of our churches spouting  off in tongues that are not translated, this is the Word of the Holy Spirit.  And if someone preaches otherwise, he or she is speaking in the spirit of antichrist.  Speaking for a misleading false spirit.  This is one simple way to test for false prophets.  And those who obey are equally misdirected by other spirits or by that fallen "old man" inside us all who is always there and ready to do something worldly.  These teachings lead to the further powering of these false spirits and, by the power of media,  they are allowed into millions of homes to be presented as true to people who have not been taught to test them. Is it any wonder the ones preaching them reveal themselves to be about money?  Is it any wonder the people they present on their programs are so often exposed as frauds?  Is it any wonder, since they are part of the spirit of the world, that they succeed?  

Now I have problems with a certain level of this myself in that some of the musical performers  I have presented singing here seem to share some of those beliefs.  I try to be sure that any song comes from actual Gospel message but I can be fooled, too.  If you see something I missed, please tell me.  We all have levels of discernment and the power of deception grows every second at the end times swell for the rebirth. 


 2 By this you may have knowledge of the Spirit of God: every spirit which says that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God:
 3 And every spirit which does not say this is not from God: this is the spirit of Antichrist, of which you have had word; and it is in the world even now.

Now be aware: the spirit that misleads cannot say that of Jesus, but those human beings following it can say so because they have been misled to say it and genuinely believe what they say is of God.  On TV, we can see someone preaching something entirely against the Gospel and the sign "Jesus is Lord" hanging behind them on an altar.  It is true He is Lord.  Just not of those possessed of that false spirit.  And be aware also:  declaring Him Lord does not mean that they honor the resurrection.


 4 You are of God, my little children, and you have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
 5 They are of the world, so their talk is the world's talk, and the world gives ear to them.
 6 We are of God: he who has the knowledge of God gives ear to us; he who is not of God does not give ear to us. By this we may see which is the true spirit, and which is the spirit of error.
(BBE)

Those of the world will not listen to the Word but we are to preach it anyway as we shall see.  If someone preaches off and is warned and they find ways to disobey, as many in modern misdirected  ministers have been warned and have continued to disobey, then we know they are of the world and misled and may be among those Jesus will discuss later.  



But first, for this post, Peter who himself failed a test or two talks to us of being tested:

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it.
 2 And a great number will go with them in their evil ways, through whom the true way will have a bad name.
 3 And in their desire for profit they will come to you with words of deceit, like traders doing business in souls: whose punishment has been ready for a long time and their destruction is watching for them.

Pause a moment for a time in Acts when Peter met someone intent on using the Gospel for gain:

Acts 8:9-24 New International Version (NIV)

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”


24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

Captive of  sin! 

 "Here's money, show me how to do that!  Can I buy the gift of God from you?  Can I buy and sell salvation? Can I get glory for doing it?" 

Now realize, Simon Peter had fallen into Satan's traps, telling Christ He didn't have to die, telling the Priests that Jesus paid His taxes, betraying the Lord three times that terrible night.  He was familiar with the lures.  Now back to his letter.


 1 Peter 2:4 For if God did not have pity for the angels who did evil, but sent them down into hell, to be kept in chains of eternal night till they were judged;
 5 And did not have mercy on the world which then was, but only kept safe Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when he let loose the waters over the world of the evil-doer 6 And sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah, burning them up with fire as an example to those whose way of life might in the future be unpleasing to him;
 7 And kept safe Lot, the upright man, who was deeply troubled by the unclean life of the evil-doers
 8 (Because the soul of that upright man living among them was pained from day to day by seeing and hearing their crimes):

In the past year this blog touched on all these topics and events.  Pete gives us a brief personal  summary of their aim and purpose in Scripture.




 9 The Lord is able to keep the upright safe in the time of testing, and to keep evil-doers under punishment till the day of judging;
 10 But specially those who go after the unclean desires of the flesh, and make sport of authority. Ready to take chances, uncontrolled, they have no fear of saying evil of those in high places:
 11 Though the angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not make use of violent language against them before the Lord.
 12 But these men, like beasts without reason, whose natural use is to be taken and put to death, crying out against things of which they have no knowledge, will undergo that same destruction which they are designing for others;
 13 For the evil which overtakes them is the reward of their evil-doing: such men take their pleasure in the delights of the flesh even in the daytime; they are like the marks of a disease, like poisoned wounds among you, feasting together with you in joy;

Don't miss that.  The sin has its rewards for the flesh for the moment on this earth and in  this reality.  Being in sin, we cannot see beyond that moment's reward.  We are bound by the cycle of temptation and reward not able to see the end result of death and destruction.  That cycle empowers all the evil of the End Times even more because the Holy Spirit is not so deeply  holding it back.  Imagine every temptation of today multiplied several fold and being about for everyone. It was so in every age and will be worse inthe End Times.  Imagine the strength of our brothers and sisters who will endure the time and still be saved.  No wonder there is a special reward awaiting them.


 14 Having eyes full of evil desire, never having enough of sin; turning feeble souls out of the true way; they are children of cursing, whose hearts are well used to bitter envy;
 15 Turning out of the true way, they have gone wandering in error, after the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was pleased to take payment for wrongdoing;
 16 But his wrongdoing was pointed out to him: an ass, talking with a man's voice, put a stop to the error of the prophet.

Recall we studied Balaam, the false prophet.  Recall, too,  he still was at the side of the evil king when destruction came upon them.  Apparently such people cannot resist the lure of riches. A picture of the Antichrist king and the False Prophet dying together and going to the fire at the same time.

 17 These are fountains without water, and mists before a driving storm; for whom the eternal night is kept in store.
 18 For with high-sounding false words, making use of the attraction of unclean desires of the flesh, they get into their power those newly made free from those who are living in error;
 19 Saying that they will be free, while they themselves are the servants of destruction; because whatever gets the better of a man makes a servant of him.
 20 For if, after they have got free from the unclean things of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again taken in the net and overcome, their last condition is worse than their first.
 21 For it would have been better for them to have had no knowledge of the way of righteousness, than to go back again from the holy law which was given to them, after having knowledge of it.
 22 They are an example of that true saying, The dog has gone back to the food it had put out, and the pig which had been washed to its rolling in the dirty earth.
 (BBE)

We have discussed those who cling to the Bible for it's "values" and social reform yet deny the power of the Gospel as the only way to salvation.  We can be smart and be deceived.  knowledgeable but not wise.  When we fall, as we all do, we must rush back to God.  Find the way back to be in the Spirit.  Flee temptation.


2Pe 3:1 My loved ones, this is now my second letter to you, and in this as in the first, I am attempting to keep your true minds awake;
 2 So that you may keep in mind the words of the holy prophets in the past, and the law of the Lord and Saviour which was given to you by his Apostles.
 3 Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things,
 4 Saying, Where is the hope of his coming? From the death of the fathers till now everything has gone on as it was from the making of the world.
 5 But in taking this view they put out of their minds the memory that in the old days there was a heaven, and an earth lifted out of the water and circled by water, by the word of God;
 6 And that the world which then was came to an end through the overflowing of the waters.

Our sin leads always to destruction,  Our failings always to more failing.  We began this blog with a discussion of Creation.  We mentioned how the atheist scientist now needs to find a "god particle" to justify all the scientific beliefs that should instead lead to the conclusion there is an actual God. 

 7 But the present heaven and the present earth have been kept for destruction by fire, which is waiting for them on the day of the judging and destruction of evil men.
 8 But, my loved ones, keep in mind this one thing, that with the Lord one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years are no more than one day.
 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his word, as he seems to some, but he is waiting in mercy for you, not desiring the destruction of any, but that all may be turned from their evil ways.

Now Peter goes into his "right living" evangelical mode.  He sees only the end of things after the Rapture and we might well put a gap where I have placed it below.

 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; (      ) and in that day the heavens will be rolled up with a great noise, and the substance of the earth will be changed by violent heat, and the world and everything in it will be burned up.
 11 Seeing then that all these things are coming to such an end, what sort of persons is it right for you to be, in all holy behaviour and righteousness,
 12 Looking for and truly desiring the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will come to an end through fire, and the substance of the earth will be changed by the great heat?

 13 But having faith in his word, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the resting-place of righteousness.

Here we have John's revelation confirmed.  The era of the Millennium is missing but the final vision lies as truth.

 14 For this reason, my loved ones, as you are looking for these things, take great care that when he comes you may be in peace before him, free from sin and every evil thing.

 (BBE)

And there lies the message of hope. That the evil world  none of us was meant for from the very beginning in Eden, that we have struggled with since our births into sinful nature, will be gone and replaced by a new Heaven that never saw a Satanic rebellion and a New Earth that never saw a Fall.


14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.

A passage often misunderstood.  Yes, we are given the commission to preach the Word and raise up disciples in every country.  The late Dr. Graham did it better than anyone, using the gift of God as it was designed to be used. Meanwhile, some people give the TV ministries money to accomplish that goal and as we have mentioned the money can sometimes go to the hosts' BMW or personal air force or the rescue of mining equipment.  We carry out the good work by backing ministries in foreign lands.  The Bible was the first book printed in an effort to spread the Word and it has accomplished much.  Some even believe we are to do that  mission and then Jesus will come.  But, as we saw four posts ago, the mission, if we have placed it properly, will be completed Mid-Tribulation by the angels given that duty.  THEN the end comes roughly 3 1/2 years later since we don't know the exact spot that the preaching occurs.

Next time we will discuss the dual nature of this prophecy seen in the Abomination of Desolation.

Until then consider again the faithful martyrs that have been about  that mission, the anti-false.  Recall that there a many out there in many lands and occupations carrying out faithfully the Call. The antithesis  of the money hungry and unfaithful prophets.  That the faithful  will  be martyred  until the end.  The ones like the disciples. sent to give their lives to bring to the world the only true hope of the Gospel.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csJ-RTrNjGM

                            JESUS ON THE END TIMES-Part 2:The Song Remains the Same

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7XR2yzGX2E

That theme of the stones, of the false temples of our lives runs through the rest of the threads of this tapestry of prophesy.

Again imagine the enormity of what He already told them.  The Temple was the absolute center of Jewish life, of their lives.  One had to go to the Temple to make a sacrifice for ones son.  The priests used the threat of not being able to make that sacrifice to get their way often.  They would use that pressure to get false testimonies against Jesus. People swore an oath on  the Temple as an equivalent to an oath on God.  When Jesus said not to make any oath, He likely had that blasphemous act at least a little on His mind. 

For the Temple to be torn down, Jerusalem itself had to be violated and Jews destroyed because they would give their lives to protect it. 

He just said, "Your world will end soon."

Rather casually and off the cuff.  Like it didn't mean to world to them all.

So asking about the end of the world was more natural than we would think today.

Mt 24:3 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?
 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
 5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.
 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet.
 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 (MKJV)


Now place this next to the story of the Four Horsemen


Re 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures like a sound of thunder, saying, Come and see.
 2 And I saw. And behold a white horse! And he sitting on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.
 3 And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come and see.
 4 And another, a red horse, went out. And power was given to him sitting on it, to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. And there was given to him a great sword.
 5 And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come and see. And I looked, and lo, a black horse. And he sitting on it had a balance in his hand.
 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenixes of barley for a denarius. And do not hurt the oil and the wine.
 7 And when He had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come and see.
 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him sitting on it was Death, and Hell followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword and with hunger and with death and by the beasts of the earth.
 (MKJV)


Our Lord gives us a prophecy that will confirm the later Revelation. We can also look at Revelation as confirming Christ if we wish.

Prophecy.  It is a matter of perspective.


Remember God creating the world in six days from HIS perspective.  Human perspective sees it done in millenia.

Recall all the words of all the prophets.

"I will go before you.  The victory is yours"

And an army of multiple tribes brought against Israel wiped itself out before the Israeli army even got there.

Jesus and the Antichrist predicted in one Old Testament passage related to this study and especially to this post:

Da 9:24 Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
 26 And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
 27 And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.
 (MKJV)

In one passage.  From God's perspective. The birth and death of Jesus.  The birth and destruction of Antichrist.  If one took human perspective one would see the AC as popping up immediately after Jesus death.  And many have seen it that way.

But God sees George Washington standing in the boat on the Potomac River on a blistering cold winter's night as :Lincoln is signing the Emancipation Proclamation as Kennedy is being assassinated as Wilson's campaign cries "He kept us out of war!" As Ptolomey orders slaves executed as you rush to your job and get a call in the phone and reach for the button on your steering column to get the answer you seek on another job offer as a small child dies of starvation in  camp of immigrates that have no home as Trump dines on  sumptuous feast and Benjamin Franklin enjoys his one bowl of gruel for breakfast as a soldier dies in Rome, in Israel in Chile fighting Aztecs who are shooting AK-47s at Sherman tanks that burst into flame next to protesters in Hungary while Zulu tribesman ster a space capsule toward the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean...

In Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut had his hero Billy Pilgrim "unstuck in time"  trying to sort his own life out and failing as would we all do without God's perspective.  DC comics had the character Doctor Manhattan in an alternate universe with powers very like God and had him driven mad by the perspective, trying to figure out what his godhood meant.  Meanwhile, the real God has known all along who He is.

If God were to put HIS VISION of things into a human mind that notion of us being like God gets the proper perspective.  We couldn't hold any of it long.

We see it in all the prophecies, spilling out just like my little passage, spilling out just like Daniel's passage.

Even if we could understand, where are the words?  Human language remains flawed, a divided and hopeless thing.  I write this now with it translated into another language by BLOGGER's good graces but someone in another place never gets to read it even if the Spirit might prompt them to read it.

We are broken and can understand things only a bit.  Our assumptions work otherwise though.

We seek control of everything.  We want to control our homes, the bigger the better.  Our environment:  fire to furnace, fan to air conditioner,  size of family to actions of the family.  The struggle we seem to live always is for control.  Many of us seek to control a business and even a country.  The richer we are the more we seek that control.  Even to the point of war so even more people will do our will.  Behind that is the simple: "If I had my way things would be different."

But Jesus, the one speaking here of of the future, the one seated in  the grove of olives, smelling the rich earth and the fertilizing manure  and seeing the sunlight between the leaves overhead, lived an entirely different life.  He kept God's perspective always.  He was the servant:

Php 2:1 If there is therefore any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tendernesses and mercies,
 2 then fulfill my joy, that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind.
 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.
 4 Do not let each man look upon his own things, but each man also on the things of others.
 5 For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
 7 but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
 8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
 9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and has given Him a name which is above every name,
 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly ones, and of earthly ones, and of ones under the earth;
 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, cultivate your own salvation with fear and trembling.
 13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
 (MKJV)

I place this here because this remains the key to God's perspective.  The more we serve, the more we begin to understand how He sees things.  The depth of our service increases that perspective.  Acting in love.

On my varioius jobs, I have found many people I have not liked and a few I deeply disliked and, in every case, my dislike has led to my either leaving a job or being fired from it for actions that were triggered by my actual hatred of someone.  I was seeking control of this one small sector of my life and someone kept rubbing against it the "wrong"way.    They were taking my control and I was losing my self control and, worse, my Spirit-controlled life. After one misadventure after another,  my understanding had to get to this point: I could lose my job because of my anger and my distaste for that person, but far worse, I could lose my contact with God, my relationship for a moment or for a long time, just because I wanted control of that one moment.  I wanted to make that one thing, the small, unimportant job "stone" the monument of my life. when my perspective should have been that my life itself is meant to be a tree grown with deep roots for the Lord.  All those monuments, mine and others,  end up in graveyards of the soul with our names carved in their stone. And they turn to dust at the breath of God.  Do we want our monuments?  Do we love them?  Can we see them from God's perspective?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXRzjlbbng

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRkntoHkIE

I say that because it IS a matter of prophecy, that we will live this small, hopelessly tragic life with the Lord giving us chance after chance to see things from his perspective for an instant, to cling to it and be taken home, to see ourselves as we are.

For instance, the disciples came to ask about His coming not as a return from the dead as he had said  MUST happen but too ask when he was coming back in power.  If the Temple was being destroyed, was it because He would rule?  So often we ask God questions based on our limited view and look foolish after we get the answer. 

Now Christ gives them and us  this further gift of prediction, of things that will happen to the Temple in the lifetime of those listening and things that will happen in just a few moments to the rest of us from God's perspective.

And he starts with those monuments that we have built outside ourselves.

The Leader.  The hero.  The big man.  The first horseman.  The Saul.  The Saul who tried to dstroy David.  The public will always demand its' Saul.  It's Barabas, the one it wants while it seeks the death of the One everyone should want.

From God's perspective, those false leaders  are really all the same person, Satan in snake's clothing.  Supple, sly, working their way in anyway they can.  Always deceiving.  Some with ministries that place a plaque saying "Jesus is Lord" and then asking for money for miracles that the true God gives for free.  Some with political parties that espouse love of children by the hatred of abortion then don't pass any laws to stop it despite holding all the offices of the country in their hands and then cutting laws supplying food to hungry children of their own land.  Some espousing love of all life then propounding abortion as a solution for a woman's advancement in the workplace. All subtly distorting God's message.  All deceiving one way or another.  All happening at once.  Destruction of the Temple by the Romans the same as the Antichrist declaring himself god with a false sacrifice because both are the destruction of the Temple, one of the hard temporary stones, the other of the living thing of Godly worship.

Jesus sees them as wearing parts of the same face, just one that we learn will be distilled to one complete form at the End.

One stone monument still standing waiting to fall, that will fall, has always fallen, from the Pharaoh  to Hitler to Stalin to Amin,  on and on.  There's always a Papa Doc out there.

To the nation.

Jesus understood that we deceive ourselves,  Our fallen nature gives rise to rebellion against God and Satan gives rise to the idea of a leader who can lead that rebellion.  Someone we can pin our hopes on INSTEAD OF Jesus.  Stone idols for God, flesh idols for Jesus, the God man.  From our Chieftains to our kings and presidents.  We often create minor gods.  In England, the "peerage" gets to referred to as "Milord."  Catholicism has erected a ladder of sainthood worshipers can choose to pray to for their needs.  The priest becomes the emissary to God.  In our search for some kond of control in lives that clearly have no power, we pursue those in power to help us when we have no power of our own.  this is always the source of deceits.  The monument of self, the first stone Jesus told us to lose.

Lu 9:21 And He strictly charged them and commanded to tell no one this,
 22 saying, The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
 23 And He said to all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
 24 For whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for My sake, he shall save it.
 25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses himself, or is cast away?
 (MKJV)


Meanwhile, several passages about the capstone of the Temple actually circle back to thus:

An architectural term denoting the top stone in a building or wall. If it caps an arch it is called a keystone. The expression is used twice in the Old Testament ( Psalm 118:22 ; Zech 4:7 ). In Zechariah 4:7 it is clearly the capstone of the temple that is in view. The meaning in Psalm 118:22 is less clear ("keystone" JB; "capstone" NIV; "cornerstone" NRSV). The Hebrew is translated by the Septuagint as kephalen gonias, literally, "the head of the corner." This term has made its way into the New Testament five times ( Matt 21:42 ; Mark 12:10 ; Luke 20:17 ; Acts 4:11 ; 1 Peter 2:7 ). Psalm 118:22 evidently refers to the king who was disallowed, but then acknowledged to be the rightful ruler. Jesus makes use of this psalm in a parable referring to Israel and its rejection of him as Messiah ( Matt 21:33-44, ; and parallels). In Acts 4:11 Peter makes use of Psalm 118:22 to defend himself against his Jewish detractors.

In all these passages it must be acknowledged that "capstone" or "cornerstone" would make an equally good translation. It is 1pe 2:7 that tips the scales toward "cornerstone." These three passages ( Psalm 118:22 ; Isa 8:14 ; 28:16 ) are used together to make the point that Christ is supreme, and two of these passages ( Isa 28:16 ; 8:14 ) clearly refer to a cornerstone.

So the Zechariah 4:7 passage is clearly "capstone" but the remainder are probably best taken as "cornerstone, " with the point being that Jesus was rejected by the ones who ought to have known him (builders = Jewish leadership), but God has exalted him to be the chief stone above all, the very head of the corner, on which all else depends.

                                                                                                                                                                 

When the Temple falls, the Capstone falls the farthest and comes down to rest on Earth.  The true capstone lands in His feet and walks frever the leader,  the false capstone merely crashes to Earth, broken and destroyed.

While, as Christ continues, the turning over of power to Earthly beings leads to the famines and the pestilence and the end of all things.

The stones are actually dominoes.  The love of self above everything else leads to giving others power to empower us and leads to human evil corrupting everything, the lesson of Eden, one human's desire for being like God took humans who were already like God in the way He intended and ruined all human hope, showed that even we today, with all our knowledge, just looking back on everything covered in this long blog, with all that knowledge, would still seek after our own good over others, our own way, because this Antichrist thing HAS been going on in one small melodrama after anther since the beginning of time and has accelerated since the arrival of Jesus.

He wants us to look at it as God does, just for an instant.  The same old story, replayed over and over, with the fact that God wants us to make the right choice in our lifetimes.  He wants our bravery to stand against the falling stones of self and nation and good meals and a life free of illness.  He gives us the failed leaders, the starving immigrants, the Joni Erickson Tada's in their wheelchairs to remind us that those stones are already fallen, that, yes, some wildflowers can grown on those stones even as the New Ager Neil Diamond says in that song that begins this post. He begins by telling us that this is the pattern , has been the pattern if we pay attention, will be the pattern until the end because many of us WON'T pay attention.

For those who do, he wants us to resist and not be deceived.  To be brave:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4


Unlike that song, though, He understands that bravery has a cost.  In the US, we think bravery means risking our jobs and livelihood while for so many others in other lands it means the risk of life and limb, our  modern Pauls, beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, left for dead, turned from being Sauls who sought to kill David, to kill his son Jesus, to kill the messenger, even as they slew the prophets, was blinded by the Godly light and turned to love Him and walk with Him.  To preach His name and truth against all the stones erected by all the false governments of self, nation and Satan.

Once blind and stumbling, reaching for the light.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMJUbZrNnA8


Our message must be that the stones in our life have fallen, that we have allowed the Savior to turn them into the dust they are meant to become.  Allow Him to do it in our lives now before we face the crash that is coming for the entire universe.