Bookends, last evening i read (x2) your work here.
by the Grace of Our Good Lord i've been blessed over the years to read many studies on this subject; have done my own studies and even penned a few.
But i have never seen one quite like this, with so many bases covered (for lack of a better term).
i know the diligence and care involved here in what is clearly a small portion of your very good work.
you are to be commended and listened to, you've faithfully studied and presented the word of the Lord.
amen.
Thank you Cenallen, I give God all the credit. Rightly dividing the word of God is no easy task and I ask God daily to give me discernment to understand His word. It's very important to understand the most of bible wasn't written to us, but written for us. What I mean is for example the Book of Hebrews of Matthew and was directly toward the ethnic Jews, The Corinthians letters were written to them, addressing their issue in their epic of time and same with many old and new testament books. And I believe Revelations was primarily written to 1st Century Christians, for they experienced the birth pains of a new covenant. BUT, we can draw application, light, direction, salvation, correction, teaching from all of them. The letters to the seven churches is a great example of this in Revelations 2 and 3, which should be preached in churches regularly (I feel the universal church has ignored this).
Revelations is an on going work, by no means do I have it all figured out. Sorry to disappoint you.
looking forward to seeing more of what you have been given, as you freely give it.
i have a friend i would like to show this to. do you have a website where this is offered?
if not, may I copy and paste this into an email, linking back here to your user name (my friend will likely wish to see anything else you've written)?
Anything I write you may freely use in anyway you see fit, even those out there who disagree.
I have a free forum site that I use basically to store my work, however much needs to be edited for grammar, spelling, and just plainly leaving out words. May God's be shown through my weakness! I will send you a link in a personal email to you. Not all of my work is my work, however, like everyone else, I do use commentators and other gifted men. The issue is the gift or better put,
skill, of discerning what is good what is not. For all of us are capable of error. 1 Thessalonians 5:21,
"Test all things; hold fast what is good."
One of my sources is
Ed Budd, The end times according to the Bible. This is where I got the 15 reasons why Ancient Jerusalem is the Mystery Babylon the great harlot, although he had 14, I added one. He is hard core Calvinist and attacks dispensationalism with vengeance and many people may not be able to take it. But I love him anyway. I don't agree or should I say comply 100% with everything he says, but even the things I'm up in the air with are worth listening too.
Another source I read and listen too is
Hank Hanegraaff president of the Christian Research Institute, many people don't like him and accuse him of wrong doing but I say
"He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone..." (John 8:7, NASB). I simply love this guy and listen to his broadcasts over the internet. "The Apocalypse Code" by Hank is a good read.
Other sources include
Dr. Gary Demar at American Vision,
Kenneth Gentry,
R.C. Sproul founder of Ligonier Ministries,
http://www.preteristsite.com/ (has a lot of sources), and
PreteristArchive.com, The Internet's Only Balanced Look at Preterism and Preterist Eschatology. I don't agree or hold fast too every single non-essential issue with all these sources listed (for instance infant baptism, postmillennialism).
though these theological school labels we are forced to attach to our understanding of the scriptures (i.e: partial preterist, amillennial, etc) are useful to some degree, they are surely insufficient when we speak as individuals.
agreed.
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with that said - i have some questions i'm hoping you may have already addressed (i haven't been reading yet today) or will have the time to address, just to fill in some of the blanks we end up with after having established the parameters of, say, the PP position as you've done so very well. [/quote]
Ok, but I do have family, a job and I'm going through some #^%* right now, so be patient, I'll try to answer your questions and ask you questions myself.
- what remains to play out, where do you see it written
The second coming of Christ to end all things (the old creation). If you asking what are the events leading up to the 2nd coming? I don't see any future events laid out in Scripture. You can take a position that Revelation as a double prophecy component to it, but you can't prove it. I think I see the world being the new Babylon the great harlot, and we as Christians are to come out of the world (meaning don't make the world your love). But this more of an application I draw from Revelations and other NT passages. All I see is the Glorification of the saints and the unbelievers getting what they want, eternal separation from God.
Revelation 20 --> is all future I think. There may be some snap shots of future events that refer to the victory of Christ and the victory we have in Him. Overall, I see the world continuing on the same way in the last 2000 years until Christ comes, some eras we experience peace, some war, some persecution; Ecclesiastes 3,
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:..."
Matthew 24:36-44 I think gives a clear picture of the future: ( I think verse 35 is the transition verse from what has already happened in the past, to yet future the 2nd Coming. Some PP and FP say Matthew is all past events):
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. For all those dispensationalist, I want to be left behind. For those who remain will inherit the new heavens and earth. This matches up well with the parable of the Wise and foolish virgins (but in the case the foolish virgins are those in the church who have a false faith, a spurious believer). And also the parable of the weeds.
- exactly what scriptures are being fulfilled by the deception of those in the outer court today (the broader covenant professors) and more specifically as it relates to the setting up of what's called the nation of Israel in Palestine today.
I am not sure what you mean by "by the deception of those in the out court today (the broader covenant professors)." You'll have to explain that question.
As for as the nation of Israel, isn't it actually a state? Not sure what the difference would be. They have every right to exist as any other secular nation. But they are not the "chosen" people anymore, Christians are. Any natural Jew who becomes a Christian is then grafted into the cultivated olive tree and this is the only way in which all Israel will be saved, by accepting the message of the gospel (because all Israel, true Israel, are those who are in Christ). The condition lead to our being saved is repentance and a circumcised heart and Leviticus makes this clear about the nation of Israel:
Leviticus 26:40-42
40 ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,
41 and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;
if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—
42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;
I will remember the land. (NKJV)
The State of Israel as a whole, has never repented. I don't think they will because all nations are secular. How does a nation repent? Only individuals can repent.
The very fact that there are some Christian Zionist out there saddens me. Can you imagine, supporting the gathering of a Jewish people to Israel just to have 2rds of them killed in an armageddon end times scenario? This disturbs me. We should only be about preaching the gospel to them as well as the rest of the world.
i have my own studies and research for comparison, so i'm excited today! your work has been a blessing.
Plan to share them some day? I praise God that he used me to bless you!!! You are a blessing to me as well, and those brothers and sisters who argue against me, for they and you sharpen me.
i do believe the Spirit is very much at work conforming God's people to Christ and His doctrine in these days, as He always has.
There is a lot of false teaching out there tho! Word of faith teachers in particular, JWs, Mormons, Oneness holiness groups, etc etc. I pray that the Lord will bring people out of dispensationalism too.
Lord, cause us all to hear Thee, follow Thee, and bow to Thy Will alone.
in Christ's Holy Name, amen.
Amen!
thank you Bookends
cenallen[/quote]