End Times Prophecies

[Loftin]

OK, I am taking a current news story and relating it to Bible prophecies. I am in no way an expert on this, but there are some interesting connections to discuss.

Iran President Lashes Out At Israel (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060415/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_israel)


President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel a "permanent threat" to the Middle East that will "soon" be liberated. He also appeared to again question whether the Holocaust really happened.
"Like it or not, the Zionist regime is heading toward annihilation," Ahmadinejad said at the opening of a conference in support of the Palestinians. "The Zionist regime is a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm."


On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully enriched uranium using a battery of 164 centrifuges, a significant step toward the large-scale production of enriched uranium required for either fueling nuclear reactors or making nuclear weapons.


Obviously, this is a question that no one truly knows the right or wrong answer to, but should make for some interesting theological discussion: Are we nearing the end times?

Most prophecies lie in the book of Revelation, but some are also found in Daniel and Ezekiel. Ezekiel in particular(chapters 38 and 39) fortells a grand alliance of armies like the world has never seen attacking Israel with everything they've got.

The armies will be lead by a descendant of Gog. The army with be of Persia(Iran), Cush(Libya), Put(Sudan), "the uttermost parts of the North" (Russia), Beth Tomargah(Iraq), and Meshech and Tubal(Turkey).

What do all of these countries have in common? They are all opposed to the Western countries. Also, all of them but Russia are Islamic-dominated governments.

These countries will attack with the deadliest of weapons in a massive force, and do so by suprise. God will strike down these enemies with His power rather than Israel defending itself.

So could this "annhilation" of Israel that is too be eliminated "soon" and in "one storm" be a warning of the war prophesied in the Bible?

The tribulation times will end shortly after there will be the battle of Armageddon, which will be lead by "Kings from the East." These could mean Iraq and Afghanistan(easternmost known lands in Ezekiel's time) or literally mean current rising powers China and North Korea.

[Gravy]

Gonna have to go brush up on my revelations and get back to you.....interesting discussion to me though.

[hmiles619]

interesting

[Loftin]

Gonna have to go brush up on my revelations and get back to you.....interesting discussion to me though.

Yeah, I remembered the stories, but I had to look up the Scripture before I posted somthing and looked like an idiot. Obviously, no human knows the time("like a thief in the night") of the Rapture, but it can be interesting to speculate. People interpret the prophecies in so many different ways that discussions of it can really enlighten your understanding. Besides, the religion board on this site is seriously lacking any deep conversation.

[polish]

Your drawing way too many connections. Nobody in there right mind would attack Israel. Those are crazy mf'ers and have a very large and very good gun industry and nukes. I seriously think they would strike first and ask questions later

[macduff93]

Your drawing way too many connections.
Nobody in there right mind would attack Israel. Those are crazy mf'ers and have a very large and very good gun industry and nukes. I seriously think they would strike first and ask questions later



Uhmmm......do you realize what you posted there? Ahmadinejad is a wack job in my book. How many times has he threatened Israel and called for the death of all Jews?
I believe if he had access to the nuclear solution, he'd use it without hesitation.

[phatbc]

its pretty scary to me that iran has nuclear capabilities now. during the cold war, we could count on MAD (mutually assured destruction) and knew that russia would not fire at us because we would make them into an ocean as well, and it would be useless. Some of these extreme muslims though have no value for life. They may fire off nukes not caring whether their coutry and all their people are completely destroyed in retaliation, because it would be a "sacrifice" for allah. SCARY.

[texag005]

What's scary is that if we start dropping bombs everywhere it could cause the end of the earth regardless of what we think. If I'm thinking clearly, it could cause a nuclear holocaust like nothing we've ever seen before if too many nukes get exploded. I don't remember the details, but it'll do something to the atmosphere and hell bad stuff will happen

[Vlyrock]

How much do we really know about the result of a bunch of nuclear weapons going off? A lot of it is just theory. I'm not saying that what's predicted isn't right -- but right now, nobody really has an idea what kind of impact nuclear weapons (or a nuclear war) in one part of the world would have on the rest of the world.

[polish]

Uhmmm......do you realize what you posted there? Ahmadinejad is a wack job in my book. How many times has he threatened Israel and called for the death of all Jews?
I believe if he had access to the nuclear solution, he'd use it without hesitation.
talk to keep his power is one thing. Everybody knows if your ruling a mostly uneducated society and you can't solve problems, the best solution is to blame it on the jews.

Problem is I'd rather fight russia in the winter than Israel anytime. Russia wouldn't have the will (like 99% of countries) to use nukes. Israel would. If an arab country used nukes on Israel (or any country) they know they have to fight the entire world because of the danger of them using nukes again. Talk is nothing.

Now i do agree Iran having nukes scares me because I honestly think a stupid country with nukes could set off WWIII

[polish]

but right now, nobody really has an idea what kind of impact nuclear weapons (or a nuclear war) in one part of the world would have on the rest of the world.

Japan?

nukes are bigger now but I think its a safe assumption the effect would very very similiar

[Loftin]

The US and Russia alone have enough nukes to detonate over the entire surface of the Earth 20 times. I don't think a nuclear holocaust would ever happen on a worldwide scale. The world is basically ruled by the "superpowers" (United States, Russia, UK, China). These countries are going to be constantly using their military against terrorism and less significant countries, but if any of these four went to war directly with each other it would mean WWIII.

Israel right now can take care of herself better than anyone. They are a defensive military, but very elite. Also, if nukes became involved, you better believe that the US and the UK would quickly come to fight at Israel's side. The fact that Israel is so small and surrounded by hate-filled enemys 1000 miles in every direction is a testament to their power.

Back to the prophecies (which is at best a longshot of this being it), if the alliance that includes Iran attacked Israel, the Bible says God himself would strike their army down without a single Jew having to fight.

Also intersting, it appears that the well publicized "friendship" between Bush and Putin is pretty much gone. According to THIS ARTICLE (http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20060417/wl_csm/ocoldwar_1), we are drifting toward Cold War II. John McCain, who I believe will be the next President, seems to be the harshest on Russia.

[CaliHornia]

John McCain, who I believe will be the next President,

I hope you're as wrong about that as you were the Rose Bowl.

McCain is an egomaniac that would be a disaster for this country. He and Russ Feingold have done more to destroy free speech in this country than any two politicians ever have.

We're getting close to the point where political speech in this country is going to be controlled almost exclusively by big media and the uber-rich like George Soros.

Guys like McCain don't want the little guy saying anything bad about them, so they're slowly phasing out the ability for the little guy to have a say.

I'm off on a tangent here, but if you value your freedom of speech and you won't vote for McCain.

[KCAggie]

Is this for real?????

http://www.walken2008.com/

[CaliHornia]

Is this for real?????

http://www.walken2008.com/

No.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/walken.asp

[Loftin]

Is this for real?????

http://www.walken2008.com/

kjk, please tell me you didn't seriously think he was running.

[KCAggie]

No it didn't which is why I had all the question marks at the end of the statement, but at the same time, do not really keep up with the news so if it was true, i easliy could have missed it.

[Slotback]

Obviously, no human knows the time("like a thief in the night") of the Rapture, but it can be interesting to speculate.

Assume for a moment that there is no pre-tribulation rapture....and I think it is going to get really exciting very, very, very soon.

[macduff93]

Assume for a moment that there is no pre-tribulation rapture....and I think it is going to get really exciting very, very, very soon.


Actually pretribulation theory accounts for the rapture to happen this millennium.


2000 years x 360 days (in a Hebrew Year) = 720,000 days
720,000 days / 364.2425 solar-year days* = 1971.29 solar years
*365.2425 days is the same as our modern Gregorian calendar.
If Christ was born around 4 B.C. then it would have been around 30 A.D. when he died at on the cross and rose from the grave at the age of 33.
Note: (30 A.D., not 29 A.D. because there was no such thing as Year Zero)
So, 2 days or 2000 years from Christ's resurrection and ascension would be approximately 1971.29 + 30 = 2001
Now don't misunderstand me, this is not a date-setting false prophecy, its just an illustration using scripture and simple math to point out why I believe Jesus is coming back VERY SOON. Obviously I am not saying that Jesus was to come in 2001 (which has come and gone) but it could be anytime now, the Lord will not tarry.
================ ><> =======================
Hosea 6:1-2
Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
0-1000 A.D.
1001-2000 A.D.
2001-3000 A.D.
The 1st Day
The 2nd Day
The 3rd Day

Its interesting to note that Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year is in September. We all know what happened in September 2001. Remember Y2K? Remember how many people mistakenly believed that the year 2000 was the beginning of the new millennium when in fact it is the year 2001? Is it too much for coincidence that the math outlined above coincides with the awful events of September 11th 2001? When I think about the photos of Satan's face appearing in the cloud of smoke emanating from the Twin Towers it doesn't seem so surprising.


http://www.pretribulation.com/index.html


I sense that the push of the likes of the ACLU to remove any trace of God from our society and Holi(y)days is more than a little displeasing to the Big Guy and I doubt He'll tolerate mankind's flouting of His laws indefinitely.

We all know it's coming, so not a big deal really. The worry is the suffering that will precede it, but that's what happens when the lessons of the past are not heeded. We are destined to repeat them exactly as foretold.


Is there still a Bible study elective at A&M?

[CaliHornia]

2000 years x 360 days (in a Hebrew Year) = 720,000 days

I agree with the math, but so what? On what basis do you derive this as a starting point for anything?

[/quote]720,000 days / 364.2425 solar-year days* = 1971.29 solar years[/quote]

Again, huh?

If Christ was born around 4 B.C. then it would have been around 30 A.D. when he died at on the cross and rose from the grave at the age of 33.

Do we have some kind of proof Christ was 33 when he was crucified?

So, 2 days or 2000 years from Christ's resurrection and ascension would be approximately 1971.29 + 30 = 2001
Now don't misunderstand me, this is not a date-setting false prophecy, its just an illustration using scripture and simple math to point out why I believe Jesus is coming back VERY SOON. Obviously I am not saying that Jesus was to come in 2001 (which has come and gone) but it could be anytime now, the Lord will not tarry.

What scripture? Where in the Bible do you derive these formulas as some kind of legitimate way of figuring out anything? Why isn't the number of disciples relevant to anything?

Maybe it's just me, but I truly don't believe the Lord is into numerology. If He were, wouldn't the end times have come and gone?

Or is it like horseshoes?

Here's how insane this can get: http://ad2004.com/prophecytruths/Articles/Prophecy/2kyrs.html

What did happen in 2003? Nothing.

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Nothing in that scripture speaks to it forming the basis of an equation for the end times. Simply stating the Lord has all the time in the world for you to come to him doesn't necessarily mean anything more than that.

When I think about the photos of Satan's face appearing in the cloud of smoke emanating from the Twin Towers it doesn't seem so surprising.

Now I've got to see those photos.

[polish]

What Cali said and I was too lazy to type

[Dustin00whoop]

Thats what happens when you kill the Easter Bunny. ;)

[macduff93]

Hey. It's not my theory. I personally think it's a waste of time to try to precisely decipher Scripture mathematically. You either believe its message or you don't.

It pretty much digusts me to witness Christians with opposing timeline theories go at one another because I believe that those are some of the details that we're not meant know, mostly because they're simply not that important in the grand scheme of things, now are they.

There's a word for that.....FAITH. Yep. That's it!

[Loftin]

Hey. It's not my theory. I personally think it's a waste of time to try to precisely decipher Scripture mathematically. You either believe its message or you don't.

It pretty much digusts me to witness Christians with opposing timeline theories go at one another because I believe that those are some of the details that we're not meant know, mostly because they're simply not that important in the grand scheme of things, now are they.

There's a word for that.....FAITH. Yep. That's it!

No one knows when the tribulation will occur, it will suprise everyone when it happens. However, I think it's interesting to analyze current events and determine whether they are fulfilling prophecies.

[hmiles619]

i agree with loftin