"AND I WILL WORK A WORK ......" Habakkuk 1:5
There were signs at the FIRST coming of the Lord Jesus to this
earth.
His birth was announced to Joseph and Mary. Shepherds in the fields
were told about it from angels. Wise men from the East came to
worship Him. The birth of John the baptist was told to his parents;
he would lead the way (Luke 1:67-80).
Those people would have shared all that news with at least some
others; certainly the shepherds would have told others what they
had seen and been told.
From the New Testament we know that some of John the baptist
followers were from the evidence around them, looking for the ONE
whom the prophets had spoken about - the Messiah. Some of John's
followers became Jesus' disciples.
John himself gave witness that Jesus was the Lamb of God (John
1:35-36).
When Jesus called Philip he went to Nathanael and said, "We have
found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write,
Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph (John 1:43-45). Jesus told
Nathanael he had seen him under a fig tree.....Nathanael said,
"Rabbi, You are the Son of God..." (John 1:47-49).
So from many things a number of people KNEW it was TIME for the
Messiah to appear in Israel and do God's work.
Oh yes, most of them had a number of things mixed up and not clear
in their minds. They knew the Messiah would restore Israel to a
world power and influence. They had most of the prophecies of the
coming of the Messiah in POWER and GLORY, mixed in with the coming
that was now in front of them. Many things, they did not have
straight about the coming of the Messiah that was at that time.
The Scribes and Pharisees taught something about a coming of Elijah
at the Messiah's coming. But they did not fully understand that
truth. The idea about it came out when Jesus was transfigured in
front of Peter, James and John his brother on the mount (Matthew
17). Moses and Elijah appeared in that VISION with Jesus (v.3,9).
Jesus told them to tell no one what they had seen. They answered,
"Why then say the Scribes that Elijah must first come?" (v.10).
Oh it was correct what the Scribes taught. Jesus went on to say
Elijah would come, and RESTORE all things. Yet Jesus further added
that Elijah HAD COME, and he suffered from persecution. The masses
of the "religious" people did NOT recognize the prophecy about
Elijah was fulfilled. The none religious.....well they certainly
did not know or even care or take any notice of this "strange" guy
in their midst telling people to REPENT, for the Messiah was near
at hand (v.11-12).
Ah then it came clear in the minds of Peter, James and John, that
Jesus was talking about John the baptist as the fulfilling of the
promised Elijah (v.13).
Now this prophecy about the Elijah to come is found in Malachi 4:4-
6.
So we should now be able to see that this prophecy of the Elijah
has TWO FULFILMENTS - one at the first coming of Christ and one at
the second coming, or to be specifically correct BEFORE the DAY OF
THE LORD. In end time prophecy that is the last year (day for a
year principle in prophecy) before the literal return of Jesus to
earth in glory and power. Sometime BEFORE - not given as to how
much before the day of the Lord, this prophecy will have its
reality.
Now if you are putting all this correctly in your mind; from
Matthew 17 and Malachi 4. You now know there will come a work of
Elijah (you should have seen already it's not the literal Elijah of
the Old Testament) that will RESTORE things and it will all happen
sometime BEFORE "the day of the Lord" at the end time. I've covered
and proved for you in other studies that the END TIME of the book
of Revelation is about 1260 days or 42 months. The "day of the
Lord" being about the last 12 months of the 42 months.
The religious world at Jesus' first coming basically knew there had
to be an "Elijah" before the Messiah came, BUT THEY SURE COULD NOT
RECOGNIZE THAT PROPHECY WHEN IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM!
A lot of prophecy is DUAL in application, BUT the second fulfilment
does not have to follow EXACTLY like the first fulfilment.
But there will be a very SIMILAR "not recognize" application, even
as it was in the first fulfilment.
The SECOND fulfilment as Jesus said will "RESTORE ALL THINGS"
(Matthew 17).
Yet with the world of the Internet you can go on there and find
MANY people or organizations that will tell you, THEY have the
truth of the word of God. Now we not only have the Internat but
also YOUTUBE, with all kinds of "preachers" of God's word on there
- probably a few hundred at least that "preach and teach" in a
somewhat large way (we'll count out the many on there who only
preach and teach just a little). For to do as Jesus said "restore
all things" I think you'd have to be pretty large in your teaching
and preaching, for MANY truths would have to be taught I think to
qualify for "restore all things." And if you are still thinking
logically, it would also mean, many FALSE "Christian" teachings
would need to be exposed as false teachings. So again thinking
logically the "run of the mill" the "popular" Christianity that has
been around for centuries, would not qualify as "restore all
things." For why at the end time would you restore all things if
all things have been restored for centuries of even for one or two
hundred years already?
Yes common logic should tell you MANY of God's truths HAVE BEEN
PERVERTED by the end time, and certainly need to be restored before
the day of the Lord comes on this earth.
Logic would tell you that they need to be restored so a people at
the end time can BE PREPARED to WITNESS FOR TRUTH before the day of
the Lord and also witness for that truth during the day of the
Lord, right up to the coming of the Messiah in glory and power.
There is something very important, important in a sad way really,
to this end time Elijah prophecy.
It's what is the heading of this little study. It is found in
Habakkuk chapter one. For starters how many people read the book of
Habakkuk? If I was a betting man I'd say very very few Christians
indeed read the book of Habakkuk today.
The book of Habakkuk is an end time book, yes it is. It will have
an end time fulfilment. Look at chapter 2 and verse 14 -- "For the
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea." Now tell me if that has EVER been fulfilled since
the days of Adam and Eve. I've expounded for you the book of
Habakkuk FOR TODAY on this website.
Before all that will take place in the book of Habakkuk right up to
the knowledge of God covering this earth like the waters cover the
seas ...... well notice what God says, "BEHOLD YOU AMONG THE
HEATHEN AND REGARD, and wonder marvellously: FOR I WILL WORK A WORK
IN YOUR DAYS, ***WHICH YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE, THOUGH IT BE TOLD
YOU*** (V.5).
Only a very FEW, relatively speaking, AT THE TIME OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST, recognized the prophecy of Malachi was in fulfilment, and
it was then the age of looking for the Messiah to come. And most
important it was a time as never before to GET IN HARMONY WITH GOD
AND HIS TRUTHS AND TURNING THE HEART OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN
AND HEART OF THE CHILDREN TO THE FATHERS.....WHICH WAS A WAY OF
SAYING HUMBLE YOURSELF AND COME TO REPENTANCE.....FOR INDEED THAT
WAS WHAT JOHN WAS DOING.....BRINGING PEOPLE TO TRUTH AND
REPENTANCE.
SO NOW YOU KNOW A WORK WILL BE DONE BEFORE THE MESSIAH COMES AGAIN,
A WORK THAT WILL RESTORE THE TRUTHS OF GOD, BRING PEOPLE TO HUMBLE
REPENTANCE, PREPARE A PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST RESURRECTION AT THE
COMING OF THE MESSIAH IN POWER AND GLORY.
MOST AT CHRIST'S FIRST COMING DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT
HEART, THE RIGHT MIND, THEY COULD NOT COME TO THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. THEY COULD NOT SEE THE TRUTH WAS
BEING GIVEN TO THEM, THE WORK OF GOD WAS BEING DONE BUT
IT WAS NOT BELIEVED, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS TOLD TO THEM.
SO WHERE ARE YOU FRIENDS? DO ***YOU*** HUNGER AND THIRST
AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH? DO YOU DESIRE THE TRUTH OF
GOD'S WORD MORE THAT ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD? DO YOU
DESIRE IT MORE THAN GOLD OR SILVER, MORE THAN ANY PERSON,
MORE THAN ANY JOB OR HOBBY? ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEND
TIME SEARCHING FOR THAT TRUTH, SOMETIMES MANY HOURS OF
BIBLE STUDY MIXED WITH PRAYER AND MEDITATION, EVEN ADDING
SOME FASTING NOW AND AGAIN?
I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING GOD'S TRUTHS IN HIS WORD CAN
BE FOUND.
DO NOT BE ONE OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE IT THOUGH
IT BE TOLD YOU.
Keith Hunt - May 2012
4. Preterism - is it all finished?
Some claim it is!
PRETERISM
The preterist (Latin for "PAST") believes that most if not all
prophecy was fulfilled by the time of the destruction of
Jerusalem in A.D.70. The historicist equates much of the current
church age with the Tribulation period. Thus, prophecy has been
and will be fulfilled during the current church age. Futurists
usually believe that almost no prophetic events are occurring in
the current church age but will take place in the following
future events: the Tribulation period, the second coming, the
millennium, and the eternal state. The idealist believes that the
Bible does not indicate the timing of prophetic events and that
we cannot determine their timing in advance. Therefore, idealists
see prophetic passages as teaching great truths about God to be
applied to our present lives.
WHAT IS PRETERISM?
Preterists believe that major prophetic portions of Scripture,
such as the Olivet Discourse and the book of Revelation, were
fulfilled in the A.D.70 destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.
Preterists take such a view because Matthew 24:34 and its
parallel passages say, "This generation will not pass away until
all these things take place" (NASB). They interpret this to say
the prophecies had to be fulfilled in the first century.
Revelation, according to preterists, says something similar in
the passages that state Christ is coming "quickly" or that His
return is "at hand." If these prophecies had to take place in the
first century, then the rest of the prophetic language must apply
to a local fulfillment in Jerusalem instead of a worldwide
fulfillment. Most Preterists believe that we are currently living
in a new heavens and new earth because they interpret the entire
book of Revelation to have a first-century fulfillment.
THREE KINDS OF PRETERISM
There are at least three kinds of preterism. Mild preterism
teaches that the book of Revelation was fulfilled during the
first three centuries as God waged war on the two early enemies
of the church: Israel and Rome. The first half of Revelation (up
to chapter 11) teaches that Israel was defeated in A.D.70, while
the last half of Revelation (chapters 12-19) is about God's
conquest of Rome in the fourth century, when Constantine declared
the Roman Empire Christian. Thus, this earliest form of preterism
teaches that Revelation was fulfilled in the first 300 years of
the church's history.
Moderate preterists believe that Revelation 4-19 refers to the
destruction of Jerusalem in A.D.70. However, they believe that a
few passages still teach a yet future second coming (Acts 1:9-11;
1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-t7) and resurrection
of believers at Christ's bodily return.
Extreme, full, or consistent preterists, as they prefer to be
known, hold that all Bible prophecy was fulfilled in the
destruction of Jerusalem in A.D.70. The second coming occurred in
A.D.70. If there is a future second coming, they say, the Bible
does not talk about it. Extreme preterists deny a future, bodily
return of Christ and a future bodily resurrection. This places
them outside the realm of Christian orthodoxy.
THREE PRETERIST PROOF TEXTS
Preterists believe three major passages in Matthew demand a
first-century fulfillment: 10:23; 16:27-28; and 24:34.
Matthew 10:23.
Matthew 10:23 says, "Whenever they persecute you in one city,
flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish
going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes."
"Again, if we are correct in concluding that the coming referred
to in this text is the parousia of Christ, then the primary time-
frame for the parousia must be restricted to a forty-year period.
It surely did not take the disciples much more than forty years
to cover the boundaries of Palestine with the gospel message"
(Sprout, "Last Days According to Jesus," p.56). Thus, preterists
view this passage as promising the return of Christ in the
lifetime of the disciples.
Is this what Jesus had in mind? Even J.Stuart Russell (p.28)
believes that there is "abundant warrant for assigning the
important prediction contained in Matthew 10:23 to the discourse
delivered on the Mount of Olives." Thus, to a large extent, a
discussion of the time when Matthew 10:23 is to be fulfilled must
be determined in light of Matthew 24.
Second, the vocabulary in Matthew 10:16-23 parallels the synoptic
Gospels' versions of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25; Mark
13; Luke 17; 21). In fact, the New Geneva Study Bible (p.1521),
of which Sproul is the general editor, says of this passage, "The
'coming' is the Second Coming of Christ to judge the earth. This
view fits most of the other occurrences of the phrase (24:30;
25:31; 26:64; but see 16:28)."
This information supports the conclusion from the previous point
that the timing of the fulfillment of this passage is tied to the
Olivet Discourse.
Third, all agree that Scripture never indicates that the
disciples experienced the kind of persecution mentioned in this
passage before the crucifixion of Christ. J.Stuart Russell (p.
27) admits, "There is no evidence that the disciples met with
such treatment on their evangelistic tour." This indicates that
our Lord has a future time in mind when He speaks the words of
this passage.
How should this passage be explained? Stanley Toussaint (pp.
141-42) states:
"The Messiah was simply looking past His death to the time of
tribulation following. At the time the disciples would have the
same message and possibly the same power. The narrow road leading
to the kingdom leads through the tribulation (Matthew 10:16), and
this persecution is to be of a religious and political nature....
The Lord made no error and clearly had 'the coming' for judgment
in mind. However, the coming is contingent upon Israel's
acceptance of its King. Because even after His resurrection, that
nation refused Him, it became impossible to establish the kingdom
(cf. Acts 3:18-26). In fact, the tribulation period did not come;
if it had, the promise of the soon coming of the Son of Man would
have been of great comfort to the apostles."
Matthew 10:23 does not support the preterist contention that the
coming of the Son Man occurred in A.D.70 through the Roman Army.
Instead, Christ was looking ahead to another time, the
Tribulation leading up to the glorious second advent.
Matthew 16:27-28
"The Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with
His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.
Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here
who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in
His kingdom."
Preterists believe that Matthew 16:28 and parallel passages (Mark
9:1; Luke 9:27) predict the destruction of Jerusalem accomplished
through the Roman army in A.D.70. Many non-preterists believe
Matthew 16:28 was fulfilled on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Matthew 16:27 is speaking of the future second coming, while
verse z8 refers to the impending transfiguration. Why are these
verses positioned in this way? Consider the line of thinking in
this passage, beginning at verse 21. Christ reveals clearly His
impending death to His disciples. Peter reacts to this suffering
phase of Jesus' career, and Jesus responds to Peter with His
famous "Get behind Me, Satan!" statement. Then Jesus provides a
lesson to His disciples on denial of self: Christ is teaching
that for Him and His followers to enter His kingdom, they must
embrace the cross before the crown. Suffering precedes glory! But
the glory will one day come at Christ's second advent, when each
individual will be required to give an account of his actions
during the time of suffering.
In order to encourage His followers, who would have to suffer the
bitter pill of His impending death and their own suffering and
eventual deaths for His sake, Christ provides a word of the
promised future glory in 16:28 About some who will "see the Son
of Man coming in His kingdom." "After Jesus predicted His own
death, Peter and the other disciples needed reassurance that
Jesus would ultimately triumph. His prediction that some of them
would see the kingdom of God present with power must have
alleviated their fears" (Nelson Study Bible, p.1659.) Thus,
"verse twenty-seven looks at the establishment of the kingdom in
the future, while a promise of seeing the Messiah in His glory is
the thought of verse twenty-eight. They are two separate
predictions separated by the words 'truly I say to you'"
(Toussaint, p.209).
All three instances of this parallel passage are immediately
followed by the account of the transfiguration. This contextual
relationship by itself is a strong reason to favor the
pretribulational interpretation. In other words, Jesus made a
prediction about a future event, and Matthew, Mark, and Luke each
record the fulfillment of that prediction in the passage that
follows. These passages are also connected grammatically. The
conjunction with which Matthew 17 begins clearly establishes the
unbroken continuity of thought between 16:28 and 17:1. The same
is true in Mark and Luke, where no chapter division occurs.
Matthew's prediction of the actual, physical appearance of the
Son of Man is clearly fulfilled in the transfiguration because
Jesus was personally and visibly present. Matthew says, "He was
transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and
His garments became as white as light" (17:2). The prcterist
interpretation does not meet Matthew's criteria because Jesus was
not personally present in the later destruction of Jerusalem.
Mark's emphasis upon a display of the kingdom with power was
certainly fulfilled by the transfiguration. No one could doubt
that the transfiguration certainly fit the definition of a "power
encounter" for the disciples. That Jesus appears dressed in the
shekinah glory of God upon the mount (Mark 9:3) is further
evidence to the disciples that He was God and acted with His
power.
Luke's simple statement about some who will "see the kingdom of
God" is vindicated also by his account (9:28-36). Twice Luke
records our Lord describing the transfiguration with the term
"glory" (9:;1-32). Darrell Bock (pp.859-60) asks, "Why exclude
the reference to Jerusalem's destruction? Because Luke does not
associate the kingdom's power with this event .... Also, Jesus is
not associated with Jerusalem's destruction directly, so it is
not in view."
The transfiguration made such an impression upon John and Peter
that both provided a description of the glorified Christ in later
writings (Revelation 1:12-20; 2 Peter 1:16-21). Both describe the
risen and glorified Christ in relation to His second advent
(Revelation t:7; 2 Peter 1:16). No one doubts that Peter has in
mind the transfiguration in 2 Peter 1:16-18. Peter is encouraging
believers to remain faithful when, as does Jesus, he looks to
"the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Peter follows
Jesus' pattern of supporting the future second advent by citing
the past transfiguration. In this way, Peter's second epistle
supports the futurist understanding of Matthew 16:28.
Matthew 24:34.
Matthew 24:34 is the verse preterists most commonly use to
support their position. The much-debated passage says, "Truly I
say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these
things take place" (see also Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32).
R.C.Sproul (Last Days According to Jesus, p.158) says, "I am
convinced that the substance of the Olivet Discourse was
fulfilled in A.D.70." Those who apply a consistently literal
interpretation to the entire Olivet Discourse do not agree with
Sproul's interpretation of "this generation." Christ is saying
that the generation that sees "all these things" occur will not
cease to exist until all the events of the future tribulation are
literally fulfilled. Christ is not speaking to His contemporaries
but to the generation that sees the signs of Matthew 24. Darrell
Bock (pp.1691-92), in commenting on the parallel passage to
Matthew 24 in Luke's Gospel, Concurs: "What Jesus is saying is
that the generation that sees the beginning of the end, also sees
its end. When the signs come, they will proceed quickly; they
will not drag on for many generations. It will happen within a
generation."
The context of a word determines the nuance of its meaning. It is
true that every other use of "this generation" in Matthew
(11:6; 12:41-42,45; 23:36) refers to Christ's contemporaries, but
that is clear because of the context, not because of the phrase
itself. The Context of Matthew 24 does not point to A.D.70, so
the text must point to the future.
In fact, the Jews were not rescued in A.D.70. Rather, the Jewish
Christian community fled Jerusalem before the final siege. But
Matthew 24 speaks of a divine rescue of those who arc under siege
(24:29-31). This could not have been fulfilled in the first
century because no such rescue took place then.
THE PRETERIST VIEW OF REVELATION
Ken Gentry writes: "Preterism' holds that the bulk of John's
prophecies occurred in the first century, soon after his writing
of them. Though the prophecies were in the future when John wrote
and when his original audience read them, they are now in our
past." In his commentary on Revelation (p.43), the late David
Chilton, also a preterist, said, "The Book of Revelation is not
about the Second Coming of Christ. It is about the destruction of
Israel and Christ's victory over His enemies in the establishment
of the New Covenant Temple. In fact ... the word coming as used
in the Book of Revelation never refers to the Second Coming." The
preterist view does not view Bible prophecy as "things to come"
but rather as "things that came."
Preterists propose a first-century fulfillment of Revelation
because they interpret it to say it will be fulfilled soon (just
as they interpret the Olivet Discourse to say it will be
fulfilled soon).
Preterist Gary DeMar (pp.344-45) has collected what he calls the
"time texts" in Revelation, which lead him to believe that the
fulfillment of the Apocalypse had to occur during the first
century.
1) The events "must soon [tachos] take place" (1:1).
2) "For the time is near" (eggus) (1:3).
3) "I am coming to you quickly [tachus]" (2:16).
4) "I am coming quickly [tachus]" (3:u).
5) "The third woe is coming quickly [tachus]" (11:14).
6) "The things which must soon [tachos] take place" (22:6).
7) "Behold, I am coming quickly [tachus]" (22:7).
8) "For the time is near" (eggus) (22:10).
9) "Behold, I am coming quickly [tachus]" (22:12).
to) "Yes, I am coming quickly [tachus)" (22:20).
In reality, these terms are more properly interpreted as
QUALITATIVE indicators (not thronological indicators) describing
how Christ will return, not WHEN He will return. How will He
return? He will come "quickly" or "suddenly."
Tachos and its family of related words can be used to mean "soon"
or "shortly" as preterists believe (relating to time), or they
can be used to mean "quickly" or "suddenly" as futurists contend.
The tachos family is attested in the Bible as referring to both
possibilities. The "timing interpretation" of the preterists
teaches that the tachos-word family used in Revelation means that
Christ came in judgment upon Israel through the Roman army in
events surrounding the A.D.70 destruction of Jerusalem. How would
the futurist understand the use of the tachos family in
Revelation? Futurist John Walvoord (p.35) explains:
"That which Daniel declared would occur 'in the latter days' is
here described as 'shortly' (Gr., en tachet), that is, 'quickly
or suddenly coming to pass,' indicating rapidity of execution
after the beginning takes place. The idea is not that the event
may occur soon, but that when it does, it will be sudden."
It is significant to note that the Septuagint (the Greek
translation of the Old Testament) uses tachos in passages that
even by the most conservative estimations could not have occurred
for hundreds, even thousands of years. For example, Isaiah 13:22
says, "Her [Israel's] fateful time also will soon come." This was
written around 700 B.C., foretelling the destruction of Babylon,
which occurred in 539 B.C. Similarly, Isaiah 5:26 speaks of the
manner, not the time frame, by which the Assyrian invasion of
Israel 'will come with speed swiftly.' Isaiah 51:5 says, 'My
righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, and My arms
will judge the peoples; the coastlands will wait for Me, and for
My arm they will wait expectantly.' This passage probably will be
fulfilled in the millennium, but no interpreter would place it
sooner than Christ's first coming - at least 700 years after it
was given. Isaiah 58:8 says Israel's recovery will 'speedily
spring forth.' If it is a 'timing passage,' then the earliest it
could have happened is 700 years later, but most likely it has
yet to occur.
One important issue relating to the preterist interpretation is
the date of the writing of the book of Revelation. Preterists
admit that if Revelation were written 25 years after the fall of
Jerusalem, their entire labor would go up in smoke. Thus, if
Revelation was given after the destruction of the Temple in A.D.
70, it could not have been a prophecy about that event as
preterists contend. In reality, it was written around A.D.95,
thus rendering the preterist interpretation impossible.
PRETERIST IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT
Preterists such as Kenneth Gentry (pp. 86-89) believe that
current history is identified as the new heavens and new earth of
Revelation 21-22 and 2 Peter 3:10-13. It stretches credulity to
think of the implications of such a conclusion. If we are
currently living in the new heavens and new earth, then there is
no Satan (Revelation 20:10), no death, crying, or pain
(Revelation 21:4), no unclean persons, nor those practicing
abomination and lying (Revelation 21:27), and no curse
(Revelation 22:3).
The clear implication for preterists would be that Titus 2:12 no
longer relates directly to the current age in which we live.
Instead, it applied for three or four years, since Paul wrote
Titus around A.D 65. Preterists cannot logically use this or
similar passages as doctrine, reproof, correction, and training
in righteousness for believers, who are living in the new heavens
and new earth. However, preterists regularly use and apply these
passages in this way.
For preterists, the instruction of the New Testament on the issue
of suffering only directly applied to believers until A.D.70
because we would now be in the time of peace, not "the sufferings
of this present time" Paul speaks of (Romans 8:18).
If preterists arc correct, then most of the prophesied events in
history are over. The current church age will then become
increasingly successful, concluding with conversion of the world
to Christ. By contrast, pretribulationalists believe the world
will get worse as time goes on. For the preterist, the great
apostasy happened in the first century. But Paul warns in 2
Timothy 3:1 that "in the last days difficult times will come." If
"the last days" have already come and gone, we should expect that
the persecution of the godly should be absent and "evil men and
impostors" should not "proceed from bad to worse."
THE RESPONSE TO PRETERISM
Because of the current spread of preterism, pastors and teachers
need to be prepared to defend orthodox eschatology from this
attack. Those who believe that Christ came in A.D.70 will
certainly not be found looking for our Lord's any-moment return
when He does rapture (resurrect the dead saints and/or change
living saints to immortality - Keith Hunt) the church without any
signs or warning. They can hardly obey our Lord's command to keep
watching until He comes (Matthew 24:42).
THOMAS ICE
.................
NOTE:
MOST prophecy is YET to come to pass, as Jesus said about the end
of this age and His coming again, in Luke 21:20-24.
All the prophets of the Bible I have expounded for you on this
Website.
Much indeed is yet to take place on this earth and among the
nations of this earth before Christ can return, to establish the
Kingdom of God on earth.
Keith Hunt
5. The Arab World in Prophecy
They will trigger the End of this Age
The basic truth of this article written long ago (I have no date
on the copy I have) is still very relevant for today - Keith Hunt
THE ARAB WORLD IN PROPHECY
by Keith W. Stump
The Arab peoples are destined to play a significant role in
the development of future world events. They will be at the very
center of a series of crises which will plunge the Middle East
into a major war - ultimately drawing in all the nations of the
earth!
What is an Arab?
But first - just what is an Arab? This question has plagued
scholars for centuries. Peoples of many different ethnic groups,
often exhibiting widely differing physical characteristics,
consider themselves or are considered by others to be "Arabs."
Experts place the number of "Arabs" in the world today at well
over 100,000.000.
The Arabic term "al-Arab" originally referred only to the
wandering Bedouins (Badawis) of the Arabian Desert. The Bedouins
consider themselves to be the original Arabs and the only true
Arabs remaining today. Scattered from Morocco to Iran - but
concentrated in the Arabian Peninsula - the Bedouins maintain a
lifestyle which has changed little since the time of the Old
Testament.
But the meaning of the term "Arab" has changed over the
centuries. During the Moslem military conquests of the seventh
and eighth centuries A.D., widespread Bedouin intermarriage with
the indigenous peoples of conquered North Africa and other areas
of the Middle East served to blur earlier ethnic distinctions.
To this day, no standard or "official" definition of an Arab
has yet been agreed upon, or is likely to be. The best criterion
of who is an Arab is probably language. Therefore many use the
term "Arabic-speaking peoples" instead of "Arabs" to designate a
linguistic group composed of many diverse peoples.
Where Did the Arabs Come From?
Nations are merely families grown big. In general, the Arab
peoples are descended from one man - Ishmael (called "Ismail" by
Arabs), the son of the biblical patriarch Abraham (or Ibrahim).
The Arabs themselves acknowledge this. the story found in the
book of Genesis, beginning in chapter 16.
Abraham's wife Sarah was unable to have children. Sarah
suggested that Abraham take Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, and
obtain an heir by her. Abraham agreed, and Hagar conceived a
child.
As could be expected, friction soon developed between Sarah
and Hagar. Sarah began to treat Hagar harshly. When she could
take it no longer, Hagar fled into the desert. There an angel
appeared to her, telling her to return to Sarah. The angel
declared: "Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and
shalt call his name Ishmael [meaning 'God will hear']: because
the Lord hath heard thy affliction" (Genesis 16:11). The angel
also revealed that her progeny would be multiplied exceedingly,
that it would "not be numbered for multitude." So Hagar returned
and soon afterwards presented Abraham with a son.
Thirteen years passed. God then appeared to Abraham and
announced that Sarah - then age 90 would soon bear Abraham a son!
Abraham was incredulous. Moreover, he had grown to love Ishmael
greatly and desired that he be his heir and receive the
birthright blessings. "O that Ishmael might live before thee!"
Abraham entreated God.
But God replied: "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son
indeed; and thou shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish
my covenant with him..." (Genesis 17:19). But God understood
Abraham's concern for Ishmael's future, and assured him: "And as
for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and
will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve
princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation"
(verse 20).
After the birth of Isaac, Hagar and Ishmael were cast forth
into the desert at the insistence of Sarah. There God
miraculously preserved them and re-affirmed His promise to make
of Ishmael a great nation (Genesis 21:18). "And God was with the
lad," the account continues, "and he grew and dwelt in the
wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness
of Paean (the modern Negev Desert]: and his mother look him a
wife out of the land of Egypt" (verses 20-21). One or two
additional wives were later added.
As God had prophesied, Ishmael became the father of 12 sons,
whose names are recorded in Genesis 25:13-16: Nebajoth, Kedar,
Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish
and Kedemah. Ishmael also had one daughter, called Mahalath or
Bashemath (Genesis 28:9; 36:3), who married Esau, the son of the
patriarch Isaac.
A Great Nation
Ishmael died at the age of 137 (Genesis 25:17). As God had
promised, his twelve sons grew into a "great nation" - today
numbering scores of millions!
The specific genealogies of each of the modern-day Arab
tribes, sub-tribes, families and clans are virtually impossible
to trace back in every case to their ultimate biblical origins.
But some of the major lines of descent are known. For
example: From Ishmael's son Kedar (Cadre in Arabic) - dated
approximately 1840 B.C. - can be traced a line of descent to
Adrian (or Caisse)-122 B.C. - and from him (I generations further
on) to Mohammed (A.D.570-632) of the Caroche tribe, the founder
and prophet of the Islamic faith.
Though Ishmael is considered to have been the progenitor of
the majority of the Arab world, there are indications of some
intermingling of Ishmaelites with other related peoples -
specifically the Joktanites and Keturahites.
Joktan (called Qahtan or Kahtan by the Arabs) was the son of
the patriarch Eber (Genesis 10:25), who lived many generations
before Abraham and Ishmael. This Joktan whom authorities consider
to have been the ultimate father of all southern Arabs - had 13
sons, named in Genesis 10:26-29. One of them, Jerah (Yarab to the
Arabs), is believed to have founded the kingdom of Yemen in the
southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. some authorities believe
his name was the origin of the word "Arab," the meaning of which
is thought to be "arid."
Yarab's brother Hadoram ("Jorham" to the Arabs) is believed
to have founded the Hejaz, an important kingdom along the western
coast of Arabia, containing the cities of Mecca and Medina.
According to Arab history, the daughter of Modad, a descendant of
this Jorham, became one of the wives of Ishmael. It is from that
union that Ishmael's illustrious son Kedar is said to have come.
Another of Joktan's sons, Hazarmaveth, is claimed by the
present day tribesmen of the Hadhramaut (a region in the southern
part of the Arabian Peninsula) as their ancestor.
The other line with which the Ishmaelites are said to have
intermarried is that of the Keturahites. The Keturahites were
descendants of Keturah, whom Abraham married after the death of
Sarah. Abraham and Keturah had six sons (Genesis 25:2), whose
progeny, like that of Joktan, gradually became incorporated into
the house of Ishmael.
Thus, after making due allowance for mixture with Joktanites
and Keturahites, the Arabs may be regarded as essentially an
Ishmaelite race.
In Bible usage, the name Kedar is often employed as the
collective name of all the nomadic Arab tribes generally, as
Kedar apparently had been the largest and most conspicuous of all
the Ishmaelite tribes. The tribe's importance can be inferred
from the mention of the rich "princes of Kedar" in Ezekiel 27:21
and elsewhere.
The prophet Isaiah, in his "burden (or denunciation) upon
Arabia" (Isaiah 21:13-17) prophesied the demise of the "glory of
Kedar" - a reference to the invasion of Arabia by Sargon in 716
B.C., during the wars between Egypt and Assyria. The glory of
Kedar did fail, and the Arabs slipped for many centuries into
obscurity.
The Conquests or Islam
Through the period of the Medo-Persian kingdom and on into
Roman times, the Arab tribes lived in semi-isolation from the
rest of the world, breeding camels, goats and sheep in the
deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Their principal interest
appears to have been fighting wars among themselves - an activity
designed not so much with the intent of eradicating or enslaving
rival tribes but rather to break the wearisome monotony of
watching animals graze in the vast emptiness of the desert.
When it came to religion, the Arabs were idol worshippers.
The great temple of Mecca - overseen by the influential Korceish
tribe - was said to have contained 365 idols.
Ironically, it was from the Caroche tribe that Mohammed
arose early in the 7th century A.D. - six centuries after Christ.
He succeeded in abolishing the idolatry long prevalent in Arabia
and bringing his fellow Arabs a new faith, Islam ("Submission to
God"), based on belief in one god, Allah. Moreover, Mohammed's
teachings forged the divided Arab tribes into a socially and
culturally united people. Islam provided them for the first time
with a powerful unifying force, making it possible for them to
aspire to greatness as a nation.
A little history will be useful here to show how the stage
has been set over the centuries for the prophetic events which
lie just ahead.
Following Mohammed's death in 632, the leadership of the
Moslem nation passed to a succession of "caliphs" ("successors"),
ruling initially from Medina. They completed the unification of
the Arabian Peninsula and began to push outward, eventually
bringing the entirety of the Middle East under their rule.
In the early 7th century, the Near and Middle East were
divided between two great rival powers: the Eastern Roman
(Byzantine) Empire (called "Rum" by the Arabs) centered at
Constantinople, and the Sassanid Empire of Persia. These two
adversaries had exhausted each other by long and destructive
wars, and thus were "sitting ducks" for the vigorous new Islamic
power sweeping out of Arabia.
To the frenzied cries of "Allah Akbar"! ("God is Great!"),
camel-mounted Arab tribesmen swept with lightning speed into
neighboring territories, taking Syria in 635, Iraq in 637,
Palestine in 640, Egypt and Persia in 641. Jerusalem was taken in
638. Not since the days of Alexander the Great had such swift and
far-reaching conquests been seen. "The Believers smote and
slaughtered till the going down of the sun," recorded one
contemporary Arab historian, "and the fear of the Arabs fell upon
all kings."
The supreme office of "caliph," originally elective, soon
was made hereditary - first in the Omayyad family (from A.D.661
to 750) and then in the Abbasid family (750 to 1258). The Omayyad
dynasty, ruling from Damascus, was responsible for the conquest
of the remainder of North Africa and most of the Iberian
Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). In the East, Omayyad armies swept
over Central Asia toward India and China.
**In less than 100 years, the Omayyads had built an empire larger
than that of Rome at its height.** Millions were added into the
fold of the Moslem faith.
It was the great Omayyad caliph Abdul Malik, incidentally,
who constructed the great Dome of the Rock Mosque in Jerusalem in
691-692 on Mount Moriah, the former site of the illustrious
Temple of Solomon.
The Abbasid dynasty, ruling from Baghdad, consisted of 37
caliphs, among them the famous Harm al-Rashid (786-809) of
"Arabian Nights" fame. The first two or three centuries of
Abbasid rule marked the "Golden Age of Islamic culture and
literature." While Europe lay engulfed by the "Dark Ages," the
Arabs kept the torch of knowledge burning throughout their
far-flung domains.
Increasingly, however, the Abbasid caliphs grew soft, succumbing
to the ease of sedentary palace life and losing their martial
vigor. Internal weaknesses resulted in a gradual breakdown of the
political solidarity of the Moslem Empire and its disintegration
into autonomous or semi-autonomous states. Eventually Baghdad
itself was conquered by invaders, and the Abbasid caliphs became
mere figure-head or "puppet" rulers.
In addition, the Islamic faith itself became split and
fragmented into dozens of sects, sub-sects and offshoots, as it
remains to this day. In fact, modern Islam is as divided as
modern Christianity!
War and Independence
Early in the 16th century, the majority of Arab lands came
under the sway of the Ottoman Turks, ruling from Istanbul. For
the following four centuries there was no independent Arab state.
The Arabs bristled under the corrupt and despotic rule of the
Ottomans.
During World War 1 the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) sided with
the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary against
Britain. An opportunity thus presented itself to Britain. The
British believed that a rebellion of Arabs against their Turkish
overlords would enable britain, while fighting Germany,
simultaneously to defeat Germany's ally Turkey. Britain
consequently encouraged and gave assistance to a rebellion of the
Arab tribes.
The rebellion was proclaimed in June 1916 by Hussein ibn
Ali, the illustrious Sherif of Mecca (a descendant of Mohammed)
and self-proclaimed "King of the Arabs." In exchange for his
revolt against the Turks, Hussein received a promise from Britain
to recognize the independence of the Arab countries after the
war.
Assisted by the legendary T.E.Lawrence ("Lawrence of
Arabia") in the field, the "Revolt in the Desert" was successful.
With Turkey's defeat, Ottoman rule in Arab lands came to an end.
But the free and united Middle Eastern Arab empire promised by
Britain did not materialize. The majority of Arab lands were
instead given to Britain and France to rule as mandates. The
Arabs felt betrayed, claiming Britain had duped them, had made
false promises and had shown bad faith. After centuries of
Ottoman rule, they were now to be ruled by Europeans!
Eventually, however, various independent Arab states did at
last emerge. Iraq became independent in 1932; Syria and Lebanon
in 1941; Transjordan in 1946; Egypt in 1951. In Arabia, King Ibn
Saud of Nejd (central Arabia) succeeded in conquering the Hejaz
in 1925, and in 1932 - after uniting other areas under his
control - formed the soon-to-be oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Calls soon began to issue forth from various quarters for
these newly independent Arab states to unite into one giant Arab
Nation. Many Arabs began to look back with a sort of nostalgia to
the first few centuries after Mohammed, when Islam was
politically united as a single world empire, extending from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River. Why not, they asked, seek to
re-create the political and theological unity of the early
Islamic caliphate - beginning with the unification of the Arab
world? The possibilities would be tremendous, they suggested.
Elusive Dream
This idea (called "Pan-Arabism") of a single united Arab
Nation with one flag and one capital was not new. Throughout the
centuries, the goal of a single political entity embracing all
Arabic-speaking peoples has been a widely held dream among Arabs.
But it has proved to be as elusive as the mirages of the desert.
Indeed, the pages of Arab history brim with stories of tribal
feuds, national conflicts and personal rivalry among Arab
leaders.
The common historical origin, common faith, language and
culture of the Arab peoples - factors that would seem at first
glance to provide an excellent basis for Arab solidarity - prove
to be a mere facade of unity. In actuality, the Arab peoples are
deeply divided by often fierce political, ideological, economic,
theological and territorial rivalries. Though the desire for
unity is strongly felt, there are wide and almost irreconcilable
differences among Arab nations over the manner in which that goal
is to be achieved.
Even more hopeless has been the centuries-old quest for the
wider-scope ideal of Islamic unity. Multiple millions of
non-Arabic-speaking peoples also follow the Moslem faith,
including those of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey,
Indonesia, and parts of India and Africa. **In fact, one person
in six in the world today is a Moslem.** The concept of the unity
of the entire Islamic world - both Arab and non-Arab - is called
"Pan-Islam." Though all Moslems recognize the tremendous
possibilities that might be realized through greater cooperation,
such ideals often clash with the pragmatic interests of
individual Moslem nations. Like the lesser-scope concept of
Pan-Arabism, Pan-Islam's chances for success - in the estimation
of most observers are small.
Religious upheaval
What hope remains, then? Will the long-sought unity of the
Arab and Moslem worlds ever be realized? If so, most observers
feel, it will probably have to come through swift and possibly
violent change - in the wake of tumultuous political or religious
upheaval.
The Moslem world today is ripe for something new. After
centuries of divisive religious and political infighting and
frustrated ambitions, Moslem sentiments are coming to a head.
Moslems are ready for a new concept to provide the catalyst
toward realizing their long-thwarted dreams. They want to again
become a powerful force in world affairs, in a role befitting
their size and glorious past.
Increasing numbers of Moslems - Arab and non-Arab alike -
believe it is time for a rekindling of the fires of their faith,
time for a wide-scale religious and spiritual revival in the face
of growing secularization, materialism and Westernization
(witness recent events in Iran, for example). From Morocco to
Indonesia, "back-to-the-Koran" sentiments are growing, along with
calls for a united, fundamentalist Islam.
The lacking vital ingredient is leadership. "There have been
many attempts at a pan-Islamic policy, none of which has made
much progress," observes Bernard Lewis, a British scholar of the
Middle East. "One reason for this lack of success is that those
who have made the attempt have been so unconvincing.
This still leaves the possibility of a more convincing
leadership, and there is ample evidence in virtually all Muslim
countries of the deep yearning for such a leadership and a
readiness to respond to it."
Moslems in general and Arabs in particular have historically
responded like no other people to the charismatic personality.
Since the founding of Islam, men have periodically arisen in
various parts of the Moslem world claiming to be the long-awaited
Mabdi, the expected end-time messiah who is to cleanse and
restore the Islamic faith to its original purity, unify the
Moslem world and usher in a seven-year golden age just before the
end of the world.
Many of these individuals - often men of considerable
eloquence and extraordinary personal magnetism gathered great
armies and attempted to unify the Moslem world by religious wars.
Some gained thrones; others - the majority - died bloody deaths
on the field of battle. But none were to be ignored.
One of the most recent Mahdis was Mohammed Ahmed. the
"Sudanese Mahdi," who united numerous tribes against British and
Egyptian control of the Sudan and succeeded in capturing the
strategic Nile city of Khartoum from General Charles George
Gordon in 1885. His goal of a single united Moslem nation,
however went unfulfilled.
A Thing of the Past?
Nearly a century has passed since the Sudanese Mahdi's
victory at Khartoum. To many observers, militant Mahdism is a
thing of the past. A major flare-up of radical messianism is
deemed unlikely - by some, even impossible. But is it really?
The expectation of a coming Mahdi (in Arabic, "the divinely
guided one") is prevalent among virtually all Moslem sects,
though they often differ in the specifics of the concept. Moslems
today yearn for a guide, a teacher, a deliverer - one who
embodies their innermost hopes and dreams, who will breathe new
life into Islam, give new direction, and set about healing the
schisms which divide the Moslem world.
There has always been magic in the name "Mahdi." Were a
revolutionary new religious figure to suddenly appear in the
Moslem world - a dynamic, charismatic leader who could capture
the imagination of Moslems everywhere and effectively capitalize
on their hunger for greatness - the Middle East picture could be
transformed overnight!
The appearance of a 20th century Mahdi - as fantastic as the
prospect might appear to Western minds cannot be quickly
dismissed. In Islam, politics and religion are inextricably
mixed. There is a close relationship between the spiritual and
civil power.
Islam waits to be united. The role of Mahdi - the Great
Unifier of Islam - awaits a player. Mahdis have marched in their
dozens and scores through the pages of Moslem history. There is
no reason to believe the days of Mahdism are past. Indeed,
circumstances in the Moslem world appear riper than ever for a
Mahdist flare-up. Even now a Mahdi may be waiting in the wings
for the opportune moment.
Prophesied In the Bible?
As the Bible so clearly demonstrates, it is God who makes
and unmakes nations. The prophet Daniel declared that God
"removes kings and sets up kings" (Daniel 2:21, RSV). And it is
God who declares "the end from the beginning, and from ancient
times the things that are not yet done" (Isaiah 46:10). God
reveals the future before it happens!
The Bible is not silent about the Arab world. Among other
prophecies for the region, it strongly suggests the emergence or
a coming Arab-Moslem Confederation, possibly under the overall
leadership of one powerful individual!
In chapter 11 of the book of Daniel is found the longest
prophecy in the Bible. The prelude is found in the tenth chapter.
There, the archangel Gabriel appears to Daniel: "Now I am come to
make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter
days, for yet the vision is for many days" (verse 14).
The prophecy of Daniel 11 details events - at that time, still
future - from the remaining days of the Medo-Persian empire,
through the reign of Alexander the Great and his successors in
Syria and Egypt, and on through to the second coming of Christ!
The Time of the End
Beginning in verse 40 we read of a conflict between two
great powers. "And at the time of the end shall the king of the
south push at him, and the king of the north shall come against
him like a whirlwind ...."
This is an important "end-lime" prophecy. Following the
chronological progression of the chapter, it becomes apparent
that the phrase "king of the north" had at first referred to
Syria under the Seleucid dynasty, and later, in the New Testament
times, to the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Thus, in its final
end-time application, the "king of the north" is the prophesied
strong man who will lead a coming union of ten European nations -
the seventh and final revival of the ancient Roman Empire
prophesied by Daniel and in the book of Revelation (see
Revelation 17:12-13).
But who is the "king of the south"? In the earlier portions
of Daniel 11, the phrase refers without question to ancient Egypt
under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty, later including Ethiopia
which was annexed to Egypt. But in verse 40 we skip to "the time
of the end" - this present century. The verse undoubtedly found
at least partial fulfilment in the offensive in 1896 of Emperor
Menelik II of Ethiopia ("king of the south") against the Italian
armies of King Humbert I ("king of the north") - and in the air,
land and sea invasion of Ethiopia 40 years later by Mussolini's
forces.
But Mussolini did not finish the prophecy. He did not, for
example, enter into the "glorious land" or Palestine (verse 41).
Its greater fulfilment is yet fulure!
Just as there is yet to be a final "king of the north" - called
in Bible symbolism "the beast" - who will arise as super-dictator
over an end-time European confederation, there may very well
emerge in the same manner a final "king of the south" an overall
leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly even bearing the
very title "Mahdi!" And these two individuals will eventually
find themselves in a head-to-head confrontation - possibly over
oil - which will ultimately lead to devastating war in the Middle
East!
Crisis In Palestine
What does prophecy reveal, then, about the succession of
events in the Middle East in the coming months and years? And
what part will the Arab world play in them?
The Bible does not give an exact sequence of coming events. We
must watch world events to discover how and when the prophecies
will happen (Luke 21:36). But in piecing together prophecies
scattered throughout the Old and New Testaments, a general
picture becomes clear......
End of quote from Keith Stump's article
NOTE:
Some fascinating history of the Arab peoples.
As Keith Stump stated ONE IS SIX people on earth today claim
Islam as their religion! And the "fundamental" sect of Islam
fully believe they are to conquer the world, rule the world,
bring the world peace Islam style! Then we have ONE IN SIX people
on earth today who claim Roman Catholicism for their religion.
And the hard core lines of that religion (though kept quiet at
present) also believe they are to conquer the world, and bring
the world peace, Roman Catholic style!
I have gone into some detail with the prophetic truth of Daniel
11 in the study called "Key to the Future" under the prophetic
studies on this Website.
Roman Catholicism and Islamism are one day, GOING TO CLASH!!
The King of the North in Daniel 11:40-45 is the last resurrection
of the Holy Roman Empire, being formed in Europe today. In time
it will be a WORLD POWER as like not seen for centuries.
Depending on the Lord's will, that could develop in the next 10
to 20 years, then again God may decide to give much longer for
that Roman Empire to emerge on the world scene as the final Great
BEAST power for the Woman Babylon Mystery religion to ride, as
given in the book of Revelation. "Time" with God is not the same
as time with humans. For us 50 years is a long time, with God it
is a millionth of the blinking of an eye.
The King of the South in Daniel 11 never really changes per se -
it is Egypt with her confederate Islam nations. Ezekiel chapters
30 to 32, give the rise and fall of Egypt and her Islamic
confederation of nations, as also told in Daniel 11:40-45. UNTIL
Egypt rises AGAIN to world prominence, and becomes the LEADING
nation IN AN ARAB ISLAM grouping of nations, to form the "King of
the South" - prophecy in one sense, stands still.
Egypt today (a few weeks away from 2008 as I write) is NOT a
nation "in the news" - she is a background nation on the world
scene at present. Hence, depending again on the Lord's will ...
who knows HOW LONG IT WILL BE BEFORE EGYPT takes THE LEAD in the
Islam Arab world?
We just continue to WATCH as Jesus said we should.
BUT ONE DAY, YES IT WILL COME TO PASS, AS SURE AS THE RISING OF
THE SUN, THE TWO MIGHTY POWERS OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY AND
THE ISLAM RELIGION WILL MEET IN BATTLE.
What the King of the South will use to "push at" the King of the
North, is not told to us, in Daniel 11:40-45; but whatever it is,
the Roman Catholic Beast power of Europe, will finally say enough
is enough, and will sweep down with force of arms and do battle
with much of the Islam/Arab world. The mighty Holy Roman Empire
of the last days will WIN the fight, and she will MARCH INTO
PALESTINE AND JERUSALEM. She will surround the city of Jerusalem,
and will make it "desolate" and claim it for HERSELF! The man
"beast" and the "false prophet" of Revelation will establish
their head-quarters in the Holy City!
Then Jesus said will come a time of trouble on this earth, as
NEVER SEEN BEFORE, AND NEVER WILL BE AGAIN!
The LAST THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS, THE LAST 42 MONTHS of this age
will commence. Most - MAJORITY part - of the book of Revelation
will come to pass. ALL the book of EZEKIEL shall unfold. Jesus
said in Luke 21, that it would be the time that ALL THAT IS
WRITTEN will come to pass!
And in saying ALL, there is much indeed to expound in God's
prophetic books of the Old Testament, that lay out in some
details at times, what is yet to take place on this earth. I pray
the Father in heaven will give me the months, if not years, to
expound all of those books to you, so you, and those yet to come,
will KNOW THE UNFOLDING OF THE EVENTS YET TO BE.
GOD WILL NOT LEAVE THIS WORLD WITHOUT A FULL DETAILED ACCOUNT AND
WARNING TO THE NATIONS ON IT, AS TO WHAT THEY FACE IF THEY WILL
NOT FREELY TURN TO HIM IN HUMBLE REPENTANCE.
THERE IS ALREADY A LARGE COLLECTION OF PROPHETIC STUDIES ON THIS
WEBSITE. YOU NEED TO COME TO UNDERSTAND THEM.
AS GOD PERMITS I WILL ENDEAVOR TO BRING YOU THE FULL SERIES OF
STUDIES ON ALL THE MAJOR AND MINOE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD
TESTAMENT BIBLE.
Keith Hunt
6. The PLACE of SAFETY?
Singular but not in Actuality!
by
Keith Hunt
Many know that Bible prophecy predicts a yet to come, end
time, GREAT TRIBULATION, on the peoples of this earth, that has
NEVER been the like in man's history. Jesus did indeed say that
such a time would come on this earth (Matthew 24; Mark 13: Luke
21). The book of Revelation also confirms this end time trouble.
Jesus and the book of Revelation clearly tell us that part of
this end time tribulation will be upon the very true Church of
God - a mighty PERSECUTION of the saints, many of which will have
to give up their lives for THE faith once delivered to the
saints. I have in other studies on this Website given you the
nitty-gritty details of it all, as well as in the New Testament
Bible Story, as we covered the book of Revelation.
Now it does not take much research to find that all during
the last 2,000 years since the formation of the NT Church of God,
there has from time to time, always been persecutions on the
saints of God. Secular and Church history attest to this fact.
And it is also true that during those tribulations of God's
people, there has been the death of saints, and there has been
the protection of saints. Not ALL ever had to give up their lives
for the truths of God, some always were spared, and some were
always killed.
It should be quite easy then to see that in the end time
tribulation, before Jesus returns, SOME will be SPARED from
death, and given safety.
Jesus talked about it as we see in Luke 21:36.
It will not be any different in the end time tribulation -
some true Christians will die and some will escape death. It has
been this way from the BEGINNING of human time on this earth.
Because this is the truth of the matter, some have come up with
some pretty "fancy" ideas about those who will escape death in
the end time tribulation. We have some fundamental Churches who
teach the "rapture of the saints" - Jesus coming invisibly and
having a close encounters with the earth, but catches the saints
off to heaven with Him for 7 or 3 and 1/2 years, before returning
visibly with the saints to this earth. Depending on what part of
fundamental theology you explore on this subject, will depend on
exactly how they teach the "safety" of saints at the end of this
age. I have shown and given you in other studies that this
teaching is in gross error! There will be NO invisible
disappearance of the saints, by an invisible Jesus Christ, only
to come again in power and glory. The NT teaches ONLY ONE "second
coming of Christ" and that coming is VISIBLE. There is no such
thing as a TWO PHASED second coming of Christ.
Then, we have had, and there is still, a teaching by some of
the Churches of God, that the place of safety for the saints who
will not suffer death, at the end time tribulation, is ONE PLACE,
one central location, on this earth.
Somehow, which they have never really figured out, or
explained, is HOW the saints get to this location, and how they
know WHERE it is. Oh, some "off the wall" preachers try to tell
you they have figured it out, because they have some secret
Internet line with God.
The MAIN proof some give for this idea is from the 12th
chapter of Revelation. From verse 9 it is indeed talking about
Satan having one last great persecution on the saints of God. In
verse 14 it talks about the woman (representing the church)
flying (some may take this literally, so they figure they will
have a bunch of aircraft ready to take them to safety - which
their "inspired" leader will have revealed to him) on eagles wings
into THE PLACE - or HER PLACE.
They say the SINGULAR word is used here for "place" - hence
it must be just ONE location somwhere on this earth.
There is ONE HUGE problem with this teaching, and this is
where false teachers fall down, and take you with them, if YOU
are not reading your Bible, and not reading the CONTEXT.
Back in verses 4 we find Satan taking one third of the
angels with him in a revolt against God. And this
dragon/serpent/Devil then tries to KILL the man child (the Son of
God) when He was just yet a baby. The woman/true church brings
forth a man child that is to rule all nations, and this child was
eventually caught up to heaven and to God. This is un-mistakenly
talking about Jesus being born on earth, and then finally going
back to be with God the Father in heaven.
We are now after the return of Christ to heaven. Satan goes
forth and for a most important period of 1260 days, or 1260 years
(a day for a year as most Bible students of prophecy know), the
woman - true Church of God, is PERSECUTED! It's all in secular
and church history. Satan did go forth and many true Christians
were persecuted and some even killed, during a period of 1260
years when the Devil had his false woman church in mighty power
over the Western world. All this is covered in various studies on
this Website.
BUT NOTICE verse 6. The true woman Church of God is told or
led to FLEE into the WILDERNESS! Here she is PROTECTED for and
during that 1260 year period. And she has a PLACE prepared for
her! It is in the SINGULAR! A PLACE! Just as it is in verse 14.
And THE FACT OF HISTORY IS THAT DURING THE 1260 YEARS SHE
WAS IN HER PLACE, WAS **NOT** ONE CENTRAL LOCATION, BUT THE TRUE
CHURCH WAS IN THE WILDERNESS IN **MANY** PLACES OF THE WORLD,
WHEN THE MIGHTY BEAST POWER RIDDEN BY THE WOMAN WHORE CHURCH WAS
PERSECUTING THE SAINTS!
As it was in the middle ages so it shall be again at the end
of this age. Safety for God's people is with the Lord in the
hills, forsets, valley, mountains, as it has always been.
People will fall into many false ideas and teachings when
they take ONLY one verse, and ignore the rest of the CONTEXT, and
be willing to let God show them that "singular" words do NOT
always mean or teach "singularity" per se in actuality.
Also some common human LOGIC IS GOOD TO HAVE! Many,
so-called educated "people" or so-called "theological" experts,
are really illogical in their thinking and reasoning.
Do you know what an "expert" is?
Well "ex" is an unknown quantity, and "spert" is a drip
under pressure!
The fundamentalist "rapturists" are WRONG in their teaching,
and the Church of God "one central place of safety" teachers are
WRONG in their teaching. They are BOTH WRONG!
But YOU can find the truth of the matter, if you look and
study, and use some logic.
..............
Written February 2008
7. Abomination of Desolation?Jesus and Daniel talk about it! It has been a common Fundamental Christian teaching for a
hundred years or more, now adopted by many Church of God people,
that near the end of this age, within about 7 years before the
coming of Christ the Messiah, that a Jewish Temple of some
type will be constructed in Jerusalem, and Jews will once more
perform animal sacrifices.
The teaching continues to say that a great religious leader, the
false prophet of the book of Revelation, will head a mighty world
power. It is said that he will come into Jerusalem, overcome the
Jews, walk into the Temple they have constructed, and establish
himself and his religion within its walls. This event is said by
these Fundamental Protestants to be what the NT (New Testament)
and Jesus were meaning to convey to us when they talk about "the
abomination of desolation."
I openly and frankly disagree with this theological idea of
some of those who so interpret this phrase of Jesus in Matthew
24. I believe it is in total error and using the NT to interpret
itself, I believe the truth of the matter is plain to see. I have
not been the only one to see how the NT explains and interprets
itself on this "abomination of desolation" phrase. Ralph Woodrow
wrote a book on certain prophecies of the Bible, way back in
1971, called "Great Prophecies of the Bible." I do not agree
with all that Woodrow has written on prophecy. But I do think he
has written and come to some very good insights on parts of Bible
prophecy, this being one of them.
I present here, as the truth on this matter, what Ralph
Woodrow has in part to say on what is the "Abomination of
Desolation" (Keith Hunt).
Quote:
"Concerning our Lord's statement about the destruction of
the Temple, the disciples asked: 'WHEN shall these things be? and
WHAT SIGN will there be when these things shall come to pass?'
(Luke 21: 7). As we have seen, Jesus mentioned things of a
general nature that would come to pass first. Now he gives THE
sign - a specific sign that would let them know that Jerusalem
was about to be destroyed. He said that they would see 'the
abomination of desolation' and when they saw this, they were to
quickly flee, for the desolation of the city would be nigh.
Matthew: 'When you shall SEE the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
reads, let him understand), then let them that be in Judea FLEE
into the mountains' (24: 15, 16).
Mark: 'When you shall SEE the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him
that reads understand), then let them that be in Judea FLEE to
the mountains' (13: 14).
Luke: 'When you shall SEE Jerusalem compassed with ARMIES, then
know that the DESOLATION thereof is nigh. Then let them which are
in Jerusalem FLEE to the mountains....Jerusalem shall be trodden
down of the GENTILES' (21: 20, 21, 24).
Now, step by step, let us notice what we are told in these
parallel accounts:
1. We notice where Matthew and Mark record: 'When you shall
see the abomination of DESOLATION.....then let them which be in
Judea flee into the mountains,' Luke, in speaking of exactly the
SAME thing, says: 'When you see JERUSALEM compassed with armies,
then know that the DESOLATION thereof is nigh. Then let them
which are in Judea flee to the mountains.' We see, then, that it
was JERUSALEM that would become a DESOLATION.
We notice also that this 'desolation' was that 'which was
spoken by Daniel the prophet.' ............(Daniel spoke about
this in Daniel 12:11 in which the context is only certain number
of days before Daniel would be resurrected at the end of the
days, verse 13. Jesus in Matthew 24 is talking about the same
time frame as the disciples asked Him what would be the signs of
His coming and the end of the age, Mat.24:3. Keith Hunt).
.....it is evident that what was to become a 'desolation'
was JERUSALEM. There is no room for any misunderstanding here.
2. Looking again at the parallel accounts, we see that what
Matthew and Mark refer to as the 'abomination' that would make
Jerusalem DESOLATE, Luke (using plain language) shows that such
would be ARMIES - Gentile armies: 'And when you shall see
Jerusalem COMPASSED with ARMIES, then know that the DESOLATION
thereof is nigh....JERUSALEM shall be TRODDEN DOWN of the
Gentiles' (Luke 21:20-24).
The word 'abomination' is a word that refers to anything
that is especially loathsome or detestable. Certainly this fits
the feelings the inhabitants of Jerusalem would have towards an
idol-worshipping Gentile army advancing to destroy their city! In
fact, an army (coming to destroy) is an abomination to any people
or nation. And, as history has repeatedly recorded, the work of
armies so often results in desolation - destruction!
3. Matthew's account says that the abomination (Gentile
army) would 'stand in the holy place' and adds the words: 'Whoso
reads, let him understand.' Mark's account, because it too is
given in somewhat veiled language, includes the words: 'Let him
that reads understand.' BUT, looking at Luke's account of the
SAME passage which is given in PLAIN language, we read: 'When you
see JERUSALEM compassed with armies....' And because he gives the
EXPLANATION, he does not include the phrase: 'Let him that
reads understand.'
By letting the Bible be its own INTERPRETER, then, we see
that the term 'holy place' (Mat.24:15), is a reference to
JERUSALEM. Jerusalem is commonly referred to as the HOLY CITY
(Mat.27:53; Dan.9:16 etc.). According to the prophecy, Gentile
armies were to compass it and finally bring it to desolation.
The word translated 'place' in the expression 'holy place'
in Matthew's account is TOPOS (see any Greek dictionary or Bible
Concordance such as Strong's, Young's, etc.). The word TOPOS
means simply a locality. Such words as TOPICAL and TOPOGRAPHY
are derived from it. It is used in such scriptural expressions as
'a desert place,' 'dry place,' etc. (It is NOT the same term as
that which is used in describing the holy of holies in the
temple).
What is called the holy place is EXPLAINED by Luke as the
area that would be occupied by armies surrounding Jerusalem. The
MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY has well put it: 'Jerusalem was the holy
city, Canaan the holy land, the Mt.Moriah which lay about
Jerusalem, for its nearness to the temple was, they thought, in a
particular manner holy ground; on the country lying round about
Jerusalem the Roman army was encamped, THAT was the abomination
that made desolate' (Henry, Commentary on the whole Bible, vol.5
p.352). "
The 70 A.D. captivity of Jerusalem by the Roman armies of
Titus and then the desolation and destruction of that city was a
forerunner of what once more will take place in the last few
years before the close of this age and the return of Christ
(Keith Hunt).
Continuing with Woodrow:
" These pagan armies were to 'compass' the city (Luke); they
would take a 'stand' there (Matthew) - the word STAND indicating
rebellion or hostility. Examples of the word used in this way may
be seen in the following:
'A king of fierce countenance...shall stand up' (Dan.8:23,
25). 'A mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great
dominion...and when he shall stand up...'(11:3,4). Another will
'stand up in his estate, and shall come with an army' (verse 7).
'Then shall stand up...a raiser of taxes...and in his estate
shall stand up a vile person' (verses 20, 21). A king 'shall be
stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he
shall not stand...' (verse 25). Concerning persecution against
the cause of Christ, we read in Acts 4:26: 'The kings of the
earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord...'
We cite these references to show how the word 'stand' is
used of those who assume a place of leadership or authority to
rebel or fight. And in the same sense, the 'abomination' - the
pagan armies - were to take a stand against Jerusalem and compass
it about to destroy it!.....Any way we look at it, according to
the words of Christ, Jerusalem was marked for destruction by the
hands of her enemies......."
From recorded history we know that in the 70 A.D. forerunner
and type of what will take place at the end time, not one single
Christian was killed in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman
armies of Titus. They saw Jerusalem being compassed with armies,
waited for the opportune time (which God gave them) and fled the
city. They fled when they saw Jerusalem compassed about with
Gentile armies, NOT when something was done inside the Temple.
The prophecy has nothing to do with the a Temple in Jerusalem. It
has nothing to do with a person doing anything outside or inside
a physical building, that some could want to call a Temple. The
prophecy has to do with Gentile ARMIES compassing about the city
of Jerusalem, and getting ready to capture and desolate and
destroy it (Keith Hunt).
Woodrow explains correctly:
" We see, then, that in the place where Matthew and Mark use
the somewhat veiled expression 'abomination of desolation,' Luke
(using PLAIN language) shows that such was to be Gentile armies
compassing Jerusalem to bring it to desolation. All three of the
Gospel accounts before mentioning this sign begin with the words:
'When you see...' and follow this with the words: 'Then let them
that be in Judea flee to the mountains,' etc. There can be no
mistaking that these are PARALLEL accounts. By simply letting the
Bible EXPLAIN ITSELF, we have seen that the 'desolation' was to
be the destruction of Jerusalem.....the 'abomination of
desolation' referred to the heathen armies that would bring about
the desolation; and then these armies would be seen compassing
Jerusalem, the disciples were to flee.
This interpretation is solidly built on the Bible. With it,
the Gospel accounts are COMPLIMENTARY, not CONTRADICTORY......
Having set forth what we sincerely believe to be the exact
and only fulfillment of our Lord's words, we must now consider an
interpretation which has become widely believed, especially in
this century (20th century). We have reference to the teaching
that the 'abomination of desolation' is an IDOL to be placed in
the holy of holies of a REBUILT Jewish Temple - possibly an idol
of the Anti-christ or the Anti-christ HIMSELF.....
An example....is seen in the following: 'The Jews - who will
have....restored Herod's Temple, and be in LEAGUE with the
Antichrist - will have a visit by the False Prophet who shall
bring an image of the Antichrist into Jerusalem and wheel it into
the Temple....When this image of the Antichrist is taken into the
Jewish Temple, that will be the sign Jesus mentioned in Matthew
24, the Abomination of desolation' (Roberts, how to be Personally
Prepared for the Second coming of Christ, p. 38).
Another futurist says: 'This image will be placed in the
Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and is the abomination of desolation
to which the Lord made reference in his Olivet discourse'
(DeHaan, The Antichrist and Armageddon, p. 13)......
The setting up of an idol in the sanctuary is something the
enemy could not do UNTIL such a time as the Temple would be in
the enemies' possession. Since the magnificent Temple would no
doubt be the LAST thing to be yielded to the enemy in battle, by
this time the city would have ALREADY BEEN CAPTURED and it would
be TOO LATE for the disciples to FLEE! Obviously then, this could
NOT be the SIGN to flee. In order for something to be a WARNING
for the disciples to ESCAPE, it would have to come BEFORE the
capture of the city - not something to take place AFTERWARDS!
In view of this, an idol in the holy of holies could not be
the sign Jesus referred to. But the presence of heathen armies
compassing Jerusalem could be - and was the sign, such happening
BEFORE (in 70 A.D. Keith Hunt) the overthrow of the city (as we
have seen)......
The 'abomination' that would make desolate was to be
something that could be SEEN by the inhabitants of Judea and
Jerusalem. 'When you SEE the abomination,' that is, 'When you SEE
Jerusalem compassed with ARMIES,' then, 'let them that are in
Judea flee into the mountains.' It is evident that Jesus was not
talking about an idol in the holy of holies, for such could NOT
be SEEN by the population of Jerusalem and Judea. Only the high
priest entered the holy of holies. None of the ordinary Jews
would dare enter there.....
On the other hand, it was pagan armies that destroyed the
city....It was armies that were seen by the people, and it was
the compassing of Jerusalem by the armies that warned the
disciples to flee! (in the first 70 A.D. fulfillment when
Jerusalem was desolated by the Roman armies of Titus - Keith
Hunt).....
'And as He (Jesus) went out of the TEMPLE, one of His
disciples said unto Him: Master, see what manner of stones and
what buildings are HERE! And Jesus answering said unto him, See
you THESE great buildings? There shall not be left ONE STONE
UPON ANOTHER, that shall not be thrown down......' "
With this last quote from Matthew 24 by Woodrow I leave off
quoting from him and his chapter in his book on this subject, and
continue with my own further expounding on this matter and topic.
The context of Matthew 24 from where this quote by Jesus is
taken must be read very carefully. The disciples asked Jesus
when these things would be AND, "what shall be the SIGN of YOUR
COMING, and of the END of the world (age, as the Greek should
be understood), verse 3.
Matthew 24 is clearly a prophecy for the END TIME, not for
70 A.D. There may have been a type fulfillment in 70 A.D. but the
prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24 is for the END of the age, for a
time just SHORTLY BEFORE His return. This we can see from the
mention of the resurrection of the saints as they are gathered by
the angels to meet the returning Christ (verses 25-31).
The fact is that in 70 A.D. NOT ALL the stones from the
Temple and the buildings were cast down, so that there was not
one left upon another. Such as that NEVER happened in 70 A.D. Nor
has it happened to this very day. For the now famous WAILING
WALL in Jerusalem which still stands with stones one upon
another, was a PART OF THE TEMPLE of Jesus' day! In the future
fulfillment of Matthew 24, when the Gentile armies of the Beast
power of the book of Revelation comes to compass about Jerusalem,
to take the city and to destroy it in battle (see Rev.11:2) then
this prophecy of Jesus will finally be fulfilled and all the
stones of the Temple of Jesus' day will come down, so not
one will be left upon another.
In passing, you may have questions regarding Revelation
11:1-2 as it talks about a Temple and altar (but notice it says,
"temple of God" not "temple of the Jews." A Jewish Temple, built
by those who have rejected the Christ and the NT, who are
worshipping God not under the NT but under the OT, who do not
worship God in "spirit and in truth" could hardly be said to be a
"temple of God'). For the contextual truth of these verses
I refer you to the excellent comments by Albert Barnes in his
Bible Commentary.
Animal Sacrifices by Jews at the End Time?
Many have and do feel very confident that a Jewish temple
will yet be built in Jerusalem, and that the Jews will once more
offer animal sacrifices in that Temple before the coming of the
Messiah in glory.
First, it is often either not known or is forgotten by most.
The State and Government of Israel is a "secular" Government.
They are NOT interested in "religious matters" on the whole. The
secular government of Israel could really care less about
building a "religious" Temple for a certain relatively small
religious sect of Judaism.
Secondly, the main body of "orthodox" Judaism clearly and
strongly is opposed to any Temple being built BEFORE the coming
of the Messiah. They actual teach that ONLY the Messiah can build
the NEXT temple in Jerusalem. This main body orthodox religious
Jews would be totally AGAINST the building of a Jewish temple in
which an animal sacrificial system would once more be practiced.
Thirdly, of those religious Jews who do want to build a
Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (and some Christian sects backing
them), those Jewish groups teach that a Temple CANNOT be built
just ANYWHERE in Jerusalem. They teach that a Temple can ONLY be
built where the Dome of the Rock now stands. They claim and teach
that the Arab Dome must GO, and that the Jewish Temple must be
built where it now stands.
They have their clear theology for so teaching, and nothing, no
other place or area of land in the city of Jerusalem can be used
to build a temple upon, in which the old Levitical priesthood and
sacrifices could be reinstated. They have then limited themselves
between a rock and a hard place as they say. The religious Arabs
would never allow their Dome to be destroyed by the Jews, not
without creating a full scale war of death unto the end. Such an
attempt by the Jews or by Christians would bring sure Nuclear war
between a united Arab world and the Jews of the State of Israel.
But, even with all this, some still say the Bible prophecies
of the OT, especially in the book of Daniel, teach that animal
sacrifices will be performed in Jerusalem before the Messiah
returns. Hence to them a Temple, a Jewish Temple, in Jerusalem
must yet be built before the end of this age. To them this is so
critical that the Messiah cannot come until such a Temple and
animal sacrifices are once more functioning in Jerusalem, hence
they believe the sooner all this comes about the sooner the Lord
Messiah can return, and so they live and breath (some sects) and
push and pull and shout and move, to bring all this to pass,
thinking they are then being a part of fulfilling the Lord's
prophecies of the end time.
Their mistake is two fold. First, they do not read the
prophecies of Daniel very carefully. They do not see that in
those end time prophecies the Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is NOT
THERE!! Yes, that is correct, the Hebrew word for "sacrifice" is
not there in those prophecies! Oh, to be sure, something is
going to be STOPPED by the end time Beast power that comes into
the city of Jerusalem as foretold by Daniel and by the book of
Revelation. But the word for "sacrifice" is not found in those
passages of Daniel that have reference to the end time, the final
world power and to the city of Jerusalem. Yes, as they say, be my
guest. Look up those passages in Daniel, go to the Hebrew/English
Interlinears.
Many things can be stopped as to not allowed to function by
a people who are taken in captivity by another army of another
power. Many of their daily practices as to religious practices
can be stopped by a conquering power that may differ in its
religious beliefs and practices from those it has conquered.
Certain religious sects within Jerusalem have certain daily
religious practices today. The orthodox sect of Judaism have
their daily religious devotions at the Wailing Wall. This would
certainly come to a stop when the Gentile Beast power takes
captive and destroys much of the city of Jerusalem at the time of
the end, when not one stone of that wall (once a part of the
Temple of Jesus' day) will remain upon another, but when all will
be cast down.
Secondly, they miss the mark by not understanding some of
the principles of Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy is not all cut
and dry, there are many pros and cons, many slights of the hand,
and within a context it may not always be easy to pin down
certain phrases and how they may be played out in actual reality.
A study of all the prophecies that were fulfilled at the
first coming of Christ will show this to be all so true.
There are some prophecies that will only take place ONCE,
and others that will take place more that once, a duality to
those if you will. I have given some of the keys to understand
Bible prophecy in another study.
Some have seen that in the book of Daniel there are a few
passages that have ALREADY been fulfilled, recorded history
making this very clear. And with a few of those passages the
words "daily" is used but the word in Hebrew for "sacrifice" is
NOT used. Yet, it was indeed the daily sacrificial system that
did come to a stop by the power of certain kings and armies of
certain nations that came against Judah or the Jews. Hence,
the reasoning goes because of this that those passages of like
manner that are to do with end time or end of the age prophecies,
must also mean animal sacrifices by be stopped. So the reasoning
continues that for physical sacrifices to stop they must begin
again, and to begin again a Temple will need to be built. The
reasoning feeds on itself, so is one (people coming to a
dogmatic, close of the mind, stance on a verse) and so must be
the other.
What they fail to see and understand about Bible prophecy is
that just because one verse with certain words was fulfilled in a
certain way, DOES NOT MEAN another verse with the same words,
regarding a prophecy for much later (at the end of the age) must
also be fulfilled the exact same way as the one fulfilled
thousands of years earlier.
Not understanding this "un-sameness" in Bible prophecy, even
when the words used are identical, has led many to run off
shouting as they go, on wild goose chases, which have often left
all kinds of egg on people's faces, or a face full of the smashed
cream pie dripping all over it.
As before stated the passages in Daniel to do with end of
the age prophecies that use the word "daily" but not the word
"sacrifice" CAN be understood in a way that has nothing to do
with daily animal sacrifices being stopped by some Beast power
that captures Jerusalem and takes the Jews captive. There are
many "daily" practices (some religious in nature) that the Jews
would be prevented from practicing and continuing, should they be
conquered by a religious force such as that mentioned in the book
of Revelation, a religious force that would not be at all
sympathetic to the Jews and their OT religion. I have mentioned
ONE very important daily practice done by the orthodox Jews
that would surely come to and end, be stopped, by the Beast power
and its false Prophet, and that is the prayers and religious
worship done daily by Jews at the Wailing Wall.
More interesting Words and Verses=20
Now we shall look at two Hebrew words used in the OT for our
English KJV translation - the words are TEMPLE and SANCTUARY. The
Hebrew word translated "temple" in dozens of passages, such as in
Mal.4:1 and Zech.6:12,13, is number 1964 in Strong's Concordance.
It is used for the tent tabernacle built under the leadership of
Moses, also called "the sanctuary" as well as the "temple" that
Solomon built.
The Hebrew word translated "sanctuary" in dozens of OT
passages is number 4720 in Strong's Concordance. This word is
used in Ex.25:8,9.
Sometimes the physical structure that God dwelt in when
among Israel was called "sanctuary" and sometimes it was called
"temple." BOTH WORDS ARE USED TO DENOTE THE SAME PHYSICAL
STRUCTURE that God dwelt in when among Israel.
Now notice this!
Talking about the tribes of Israel, Moses prophesied, "You
shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine
inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which you have made for thee
to dwell in, in the SANCTUARY, O Lord, which they hands have
established" (Ex. 15:17).
This is BEFORE God instructed Moses to build a physical
tabernacle or tent sanctuary. The Hebrew word used here in
Ex.15:17 is the SAME WORD used for the physical sanctuary - #4720
in Strong's.=20
Ex.15:17 is plainly talking about the LAND OF PALESTINE or
the PROMISED LAND!
Now, turn to Psalm 78 and read verse 54. Talking about how
God brought Israel out of Egypt, verse 53, AND, "And He brought
them to the border of His SANCTUARY, even to this MOUNTAIN......"
verse 54.
The whole context makes it clear that the "sanctuary" here
spoken about is the PROMISED LAND - PALESTINE!!
So, as the words "sanctuary" and "temple" as used for the
physical structure, as the literal building that God dwelt in
when among the people of Israel could be called EITHER
"sanctuary" or "temple," COULD IT BE POSSIBLE (without being
dogmatic), could it be that when the prophet said the Messiah
would "suddenly come to His temple" he had in mind the PROMISED
LAND, and not a physical building at all?
Again, when another prophet said that the BRANCH (Messiah)
would "build the temple of the Lord" was he telling us that the
Messiah would RESTORE and REPLENISH the land of PALESTINE from
the destruction it had received (during the last few years of
this age) prior to the Messiah's coming in power and glory to
bring the Kingdom of God on earth for a thousand years? It could
well be that this is what the prophet had in mind, as well as
overseeing the building of the millennium Temple of Ezekiel, that
will be built when the Messiah comes again.
Once more we see that passages of the Bible, especially
prophetic passages, can be understood in different ways. We have
seen (if you have studied the Hebrew in the book of Daniel, or
noticed the italic words in the KJV, which mean those words are
not in the Hebrew) that the word "sacrifice" is not in the
end-time passages in the book of Daniel, and something "daily"
that is stopped by the end time Beast power in Jerusalem and
Judea, could be something other than the sacrifice of animals on
an altar in a physical temple. I have one Bible Commentary that
says it seems more than just a slip of the writer to leave out
the word for "sacrifice." It seemed to be a deliberate plan, as
it to tell us something. And it does tell me that whatever this
"daily" is that is going to be taken away, it could be something
OTHER THAN ANIMAL SACRIFICES!
It is interesting that in Daniel 9:27 the Hebrew words for
"sacrifice" and "oblation" ARE NOT IN ITALICS! This prophecy
was, as we have seen in other studies, not an end time prophecy
at all, but one for the first century A.D. It was fulfilled in 70
A.D. by Titus and his armies when they took Jerusalem and
destroyed most of the city, including the physical Temple. It was
at that time that animal sacrifices in a Jewish temple did come
to a complete and utter stop.
Turn to Daniel chapter 9. Here you will find a revealing and
interesting passage concerning the city of Jerusalem. Verse 16
shows God had turned away from the city of Jerusalem, His HOLY
MOUNTAIN. He had desolated it and the people thereof. They had
become a reproach to all people around about them.
Daniel cries out to God that He would stop this reproach in
verse 17. And that God's face would once more shine upon....."THY
SANCTUARY that is DESOLATE...."
He further goes on in verse 18 to tell us about the Jews
"desolations" which includes the CITY. The context is the
desolation of JERUSALEM. Yes, of course, in Daniel's day the
Temple in Jerusalem was desolated also, being a part of the city.
But the physical temple is not specifically THE desolation, but
the whole CITY is.
The Hebrew for "sanctuary" in verse 17 is number 4720 in
Strong's. And some translations render it as "holy place."
Jerusalem is called by God's NAME (verse 18). God is
HOLY....Jerusalem is a holy location that God had chosen and will
yet choose to dwell in when God the Messiah comes to reign on
earth. Jerusalem and the land of Palestine is God's holy place,
God's holy mountain, the Lord's "sanctuary" or "temple."
What about 2 Thessalonians 2 ?
Here we have this famous passage of the man of sin sitting
in the Temple of God, a passage much used and I will add much
mutilated by the end time "Jewish physical temple and animal
sacrifice" teachers.
The Greek word for "temple" here is NAOS. Vine's Expository
Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says, "a shrine or
SANCTUARY....." Is used both in a literal way and also
metaphorically in the NT.
With all I have expounded on this, Paul could well have seen
exactly what I have shown you from the OT. He was then simply
telling us and the church at Thessalonia what was written in the
OT. At the end time, the faith once delivered would be in
decline, hard to find (as Jesus said, "When the Son of man comes,
shall He find THE (definite article is in the Greek) faith on
earth?"), and a false prophet, a great religious leader, would
arise (John in Revelation was given the same vision and more
concerning this False Prophet at the end of the age), who would
plant his seat between the seas in God's holy MOUNTAIN, in the
city of Jerusalem, in the holy city, in the holy sanctuary/temple
LAND of Palestine and Jerusalem (see Daniel 11:40-45).
This great end time false prophet will live up to the coming
of the Lord in power and glory, and shall be cast into the lake
of fire, shall be consumed with the spirit of God's mouth, and
destroyed with the brightness of His coming (2 Thes.2:8 with Rev.
19:11-21).
There is another way to understand 2 Thes. 2:1-12 which sees
the office of a one man Pope church leader as coming from within
and out of the very NT CHURCH TEMPLE of God, way back in the
first centuries of the NT age. This one man leader office came
eventually from out of the very NT true Church of God and
continues today in the form of a great religious organization
that will continue until the Christ Messiah comes again. Many do
not realize, but it is there in the NT, that many false leaders
of Christian religion came from within the very true Church of
God, in the first century A.D. who eventually formed another
organization with its headquarters in the city of Rome. For
a few centuries there were debates and dialogue over certain
theological issues with the churches of Asian Minor (founded by
the apostles of Jesus) and the leader of the new Christian
organization in Rome.
All the details of that aspect of understanding 2 Thes.2 I
will present in another full and in-depth study in the future.
The "abomination of desolation" is the end time Beast power
of Revelation, with the False Prophet, coming with their armies
and conquering the land of Palestine, desolating the city of
Jerusalem, setting up their seat in the city, destroying much of
the city and the Wailing Wall (where not one stone will be left
upon another that is not thrown down), and scattering the power
of the holy people (Jews and Christians). Who when they see
Jerusalem compassed about with the armies of the Beast, will flee
to the hills.
As Jesus told us, let us pray that our flight will not be on
the Sabbath or in the winter.
.............................
Written first in 1990 and re-written/edited in August 2000
All studies and articles by Keith Hunt may be copied, published,
e-mailed, and distributed as led by the Spirit. Mr. Hunt trusts
nothing will be changed (except for spelling and punctuation
errors) without his consent.
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