The End Of The Age, And Beyond
by Jack Kelley
(Note: This narrative is a summary of dozens of end times prophecies
from both the Old and New Testaments. Its objective is to present a
readable overview of the times ahead from a Biblical perspective. )
One day soon when many are not expecting it, there will be a sudden
attack against Israel. Even the Israelis will be caught by surprise,
carelessly thinking themselves to be at peace. Israel will have recently
defeated its next door neighbors as foretold in Psalm 83, and destroyed Damascus, ending its reign as the world’s oldest continuously populated city (Isaiah 17:1).
Iran’s proxy Hezbollah and Egypt’s stand-in Hamas will have also been
defeated putting an end to the Palestinian issue for good. In a kinder,
gentler world the Jews would have had a little time to catch their
breath and enjoy a period of peace.
But without warning a coalition of Moslem nations, armed by Russia and
led by Iran, will attack Israel with overwhelming force. Were it not for
one unforeseen factor this force would have easily been sufficient to
totally destroy its target. But long ago the God of Israel chose just
this time to reveal Himself through Israel to the nations. With the
considerable force at His command He’ll intervene to decimate the Moslem
armies. As He does the conflict will go nuclear and warheads will fall
on the Middle East, Russia, Europe and perhaps even the USA.
As the battle comes to an end, the Israelis will recognize the Author
of their supernaturally wrought victory and joyously petition the Lord
to renew their covenant relationship with Him. Jews from all over the
world will begin coming to Israel as the reality of their reunion with
the Lord begins to sink in. Indeed not a single Jewish person in the
world will be left behind in this historic return to the Promised Land (Ezekiel 38-39).
The Missing People and The Man Of Peace
Two other astonishing events will accompany this battle. Just prior to
its beginning untold numbers of Gentile Christians and Messianic Jews
will suddenly disappear with out a trace (1 Thes. 4:16-17),
and just following it a rising leader will offer the world a plan he
says will finally bring peace to the Middle East and prevent anything
like this battle from ever happening again (Daniel 8:25, 9:27). It’s a good thing the church will be gone because they would have recognized him immediately as the anti-Christ.
The disappearance of the Church will bring the
Age of Grace to a close, allowing the last seven years of the
interrupted Age of Law to play out (Daniel 9:27, Romans 11:25).
In seeming to put an end to the hostilities, this rising leader will
help the Jews rebuild their temple so they can return to their ancient
worship system as their covenant requires. He’ll do this, not because
he has any love for the Jewish people or the God they worship, but
because the unseen power behind him has plans to appropriate the Temple
for his own use.
Following directions from the book of Ezekiel, the Israelis will
construct their new temple in an area the Lord had him designate some
2600 years ago. It’s about 20 miles north of the present Temple mount in
a place called Shiloh, where the tabernacle sat for 400 years (Ezekiel 48:1-10).
In following Ezekiel’s instructions instead of trying to share the
Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock, they will avoid the peace
shattering problems they would otherwise have had with the recently
defeated Moslem nations.
Peace, Peace, When There Is No Peace
Unbeknown to most of the world’s remaining inhabitants, who will think
the Utopian Age has finally arrived, the authorization to build the
Temple will begin a seven-year count down to the 2nd Coming (Daniel 9:27).
At first, this man of sin will have most of the world convinced he’s a
real peace maker, even though he commits his forces to war after war,
and causes enormous hardship on Earth (Rev. 6).
Half way through the last seven years he’ll implement Satan’s nefarious
plan for the Temple. He’ll stand in the Holy Place and exalt himself
above everything that is called god or worshiped, declaring himself to
be God (2 Thes. 2:4).
With this declaration, the full force of God’s wrath will be unleashed
on Earth, beginning a period of time known as the Great Tribulation
(Matt. 24:15). Satan will be expelled from heaven and will personally
in-dwell the anti-Christ as the final contest for Planet Earth begins in
earnest (Rev. 12:9, 13:2).
For 3 1/2 years warfare and persecution on Earth will be augmented with
catastrophic judgments from Heaven making it the worst time the human
race has ever had to endure (Matt. 24:21, Rev. 13:5).
Following the rapture of the Church, multitudes will give their hearts
to the Lord and be martyred for their faith as the anti-Christ seeks to
wipe out all opposition to his rule (Rev. 7:13-14).
If the Lord didn’t return when He promised to put an end to it, not a
single person would be left alive (Matt. 24:22). But believing His
promise to return, hordes of post-rapture believers will flee from
Israel into the mountains of southern Jordan, where they’ll be
supernaturally protected, to await His Glorious Appearing (Matt. 24:16, Rev. 12:6).
The War To End All Wars
For his part the anti-Christ will amass huge forces for the coming
battle of Armageddon, with a wary eye on a great army from the East that
will try to sneak in and steal away his victory (Daniel 11:44, Rev. 16:12).
By some estimates several hundred million combatants will be gathered
in and around Israel for this battle, said to be the climax of the War
for Planet Earth (Rev. 16:16).
But suddenly the skies will open and the Lord will appear with all His
holy ones to reclaim that which He’s bought and paid for with His own
blood, shed on the cross (Rev. 19:11-16).
In hardly any time at all the battle will be over, the enemy
vanquished, and the Lord will be established as King of the whole Earth (Zechariah 14:9).
The moment the Lord’s feet touch the Mount of Olives, a great
earthquake will occur. It will split the Mount of Olives in half from
East to West (Zechariah 14:4)
and the old Temple Mount, located directly in its path, will crumble
into the earth to disappear forever. Suddenly a gushing spring will
bubble up massive amounts of clear fresh water from under the New
Temple, just 20 miles to the north (Zechariah 14:8).
The water will emerge from under the south end of the Temple and flow
southward into the ravine created by the earthquake. Soon the water
will become a mighty river, branching west to the Mediterranean and east
to the Dead Sea, filling the ravine. Fruit trees, bearing a different
fruit each month, and whose leaves are for healing, will line its banks.
The inflow of so much fresh water will cause the Dead Sea to come
alive, teeming with fish. Only the southern tip, where Sodom and
Gomorrah once stood, will remain a salt marsh (Ezekiel 47:1-12, Rev. 22:1-2).
Judgment Day 1 … The Tribulation Survivors
One of the Lord’s first official acts after assuming His role as King
of the whole Earth will be to have Satan bound in chains for the
duration of His 1000 year reign (Rev. 20:1-3). At that time the martyrs from Daniel’s 70th week will join Old Testament believers in receiving their resurrection bodies (Daniel 12:1-2, Rev. 20:4)
The Lord will summon the tribulation survivors from all over the world to the Kidron Valley for a series of judgments (Joel 3:1-2).
Using their actions as evidence of their faith, He will separate the
believers from the unbelievers. He’ll welcome the believers into His
Kingdom while consigning unbelievers to the outer darkness (Matt.
24:45-25:46). These believers, still in their natural human state, will
repopulate Earth during the Kingdom Age.
A time of absolute peace and tranquility will ensue, with Satan bound
and all unbelievers taken away, and the Earth will flourish in a way not
seen since the creation (Isaiah 35). Having finally recognized Jesus as the true Messiah (Zechariah 12:10) Israel will arise and shine, once again the pre-eminent nation on Earth (Isaiah 60).
In the skies above, the New Jerusalem, eternal home of the Church,
will circle the Earth in a low orbit and serve as the source of light
for the world (Rev. 21:9-27).
Its unfathomable riches and spacious accommodations will allow members
of the Church to dwell, in a level of luxury and comfort to be envied
even by royalty, with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ forever.
The inhabitants of Earth will soon discover that the final judgments of
the Great Tribulation have served to correct the ancient errors
introduced into the Earth’s axis and orbit. As a result a luscious
sub-tropical climate will again bless the whole Earth. The water-vapor
canopy that collapsed during the Great Flood will be restored to prevent
life shortening ultra violet rays from entering the atmosphere and
Earth dwellers will once again see life spans nearly 1000 years in
length. Earth will be the Garden Paradise it was always intended to be (Isaiah 65:17-25. Rev. 21:1).
Judgment Day 2… The Great White Throne
During the Kingdom Age, the offspring of
Earth’s natural inhabitants will have the same opportunity to accept
the pardon purchased for them at the cross as people born in the past
have had. As the Kingdom Age comes to an end, those who’ve refused His
pardon will rise up to rebel against the Lord, and upon Satan’s release
will be drawn into his final attempt to unseat the Lord and re-capture
the planet. In just a few moments the rebellion will be quashed, the
rebels destroyed, and Satan will be thrown into the eternal fires to
suffer forever with those who sided with him (Rev. 20:7-10).
All the unsaved dead from the beginning of time will be resurrected to
stand before the Great White Throne in judgment. As their lives pass in
review it will be obvious that they failed to do the one thing God
required of them, and that’s to believe in the one He sent. They too
will be consigned to the eternal fires (Rev. 20:11-15).
The Bible, being the handbook for the Age of Man, does not address
Eternity except to say that there is one, where the saved will dwell in
bliss in the presence of the Lord forever (life) while the unsaved
suffer never-ending punishment (death). You see, everyone ever conceived
exists forever. We all inhabit eternity, the only question being where
we’ll spend it. There are just two destinations, life or death, and we
all have to choose for ourselves. If you haven’t decided yet, there’s
still time but you’d better hurry, because one day soon the final bell
will ring, and remember, the default choice is death. But for those who
choose life, the greatest victory in the history of mankind is just over
the horizon, and if you miss out you’ll literally regret it forever. If
you listen carefully you can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.
posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ikvot-hamashiach/the-end-of-the-age-and-beyond/
Bible Studies, Friends and Fellowship
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
when Jesus talks about the evil spirits coming back
You know when Jesus talks about evil spirits coming back to an empty house?
Matthew 12:43–45, “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
I've heard so many different ideas about what this passage means but when you really study it in context with what Jesus was teaching, it's more amazing then any of the other theories you hear. Instead of telling it in my own words though I'd rather share how it's explained by various commentaries as they do a really good job of it:
Finally, Jesus warned these leaders that rejecting Him would be followed by further crimes against Him, for that was the purport of the illustration of the cleansed house. This illustration portrays Israel’s national history. The original unclean spirit is the spirit of idolatry which plagued Israel from the Exodus to the Exile, for only when they were in exile (in the dry places) did the nation eventually exclude idolatry from their national life. They cleaned house, but did not fill the space vacated by idolatry with true religion—as was evident when they rejected God’s Son. Jesus warned them that this empty space would be filled by a system seven times worse than idolatry—and that this would definitely happen. The indication, too, in this illustration is that their hate for and opposition to Jesus will become seven times more vehement.
The evil of any false religious system is that it causes men to lose their souls. Idolatry does this, as does Judaism by rejecting Christ (Acts 4:10–12). The emptiness of idolatry is evident, but Judaism is so close to the true religion by which man is saved that it easily lulls its followers into a false sense of security; so ‘the last state of that man is worse than the first.’ The full horror of Jesus’ declamation that day in Galilee is that Judaism was to become a seven-fold more effective system than idolatry in keeping souls out of the Kingdom.
Please consider this carefully. Fault my reasoning if you can; otherwise, prayerfully consider how you can win Christ’s brethren in the flesh to Him.
The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record
Matthew 12:43–45 Jesus gives a striking parable of the precarious spiritual condition of the nation. The parable is that of a house well swept but unoccupied. The demon having been driven out, but finding no place to rest, returns with seven other spirits, resulting in an even greater degeneration. In using this illustration Jesus clearly indicated that though the Jews had been cleansed from their idolatry by the severity of the Babylonian exile, their unbelief and hardness of heart was in danger of producing an even worse moral condition than when they were idolaters. The moral reformation that had taken place after the captivity should have prepared Israel for the ministries of John and Jesus. Unfortunately, in most cases it fell short in that Israel’s spiritual house was empty. Only by inviting Christ to occupy the position of Honored Guest and Head of the Home could Israel know the full blessing of God. KJV Bible commentary.
The parable in Matthew 12:43–45 might be termed “reformation without inward regeneration.” The Jews came back from captivity purged from their sin of idolatry. The “house” had been swept clean, but it was still empty. They had religion and outward morality, but their hearts were empty and their religion was vain. Consequently, Satan was able to reenter the house with other sins, and the latter end of the nation was worse than the first! In the OT, the Jews worshiped idols, but in the Gospels they killed their own Messiah!
This same thing happens to individuals. How easy it is to “reform,” join a church, and live respectably, without Jesus Christ dwelling in the heart. This “false righteousness” will last only for a time; then Satan will get hold of that empty life and ruin it. Religion means cleaning up the outside; salvation means new life and holiness on the inside. See 2 Peter 2:20–22. Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament
This generation of sign-seekers stood condemned in the final judgment. To show what their condition on earth would be if they persisted in unbelief, Jesus compared them to a man who had found deliverance from a demon (an evil spirit), perhaps through a Jewish exorcist (cf. Matt. 12:27). After the man was delivered, he tried by every natural means to clean up his life and set things in order. But mere “religion” is never effective so the man lacked a supernatural conversion. Consequently he was subject to possession again with more serious ramifications. Instead of one demon possessing him, he became possessed by seven other spirits. His latter condition was worse than his former. The Pharisees and other religious leaders were in danger of that happening to them for their attempts at reformation, without the power of God, were sterile. They clearly did not understand God’s power, for they had just confused the power of the Spirit with the power of Satan (Matthew 12:24–28). Thus they were wide-open targets for Satan. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Mt 12:43–45).
Maybe it's just me lol, but to me this was just fascinating! Lately I've been reading the Gospels in a "different way" I guess you'd say. I've been reading them with an eye toward how/when Jesus presented Himself as Messiah to Israel and how/when they rejected Him "officially" (which they did in the portion just prior to this). I've been doing this because it all relates to the end times and how God will be judging Israel because of this during the Tribulation and then saving the remnant to enter the Millennium to keep His promise. Anyway, reading them this way really gives you a different perspective of everything. But I figure that sometimes like now, I should post the commentaries rather then explain it myself so that you guys know it's not just my imagination lol
Matthew 12:43–45, “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
I've heard so many different ideas about what this passage means but when you really study it in context with what Jesus was teaching, it's more amazing then any of the other theories you hear. Instead of telling it in my own words though I'd rather share how it's explained by various commentaries as they do a really good job of it:
Finally, Jesus warned these leaders that rejecting Him would be followed by further crimes against Him, for that was the purport of the illustration of the cleansed house. This illustration portrays Israel’s national history. The original unclean spirit is the spirit of idolatry which plagued Israel from the Exodus to the Exile, for only when they were in exile (in the dry places) did the nation eventually exclude idolatry from their national life. They cleaned house, but did not fill the space vacated by idolatry with true religion—as was evident when they rejected God’s Son. Jesus warned them that this empty space would be filled by a system seven times worse than idolatry—and that this would definitely happen. The indication, too, in this illustration is that their hate for and opposition to Jesus will become seven times more vehement.
The evil of any false religious system is that it causes men to lose their souls. Idolatry does this, as does Judaism by rejecting Christ (Acts 4:10–12). The emptiness of idolatry is evident, but Judaism is so close to the true religion by which man is saved that it easily lulls its followers into a false sense of security; so ‘the last state of that man is worse than the first.’ The full horror of Jesus’ declamation that day in Galilee is that Judaism was to become a seven-fold more effective system than idolatry in keeping souls out of the Kingdom.
Please consider this carefully. Fault my reasoning if you can; otherwise, prayerfully consider how you can win Christ’s brethren in the flesh to Him.
The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record
Matthew 12:43–45 Jesus gives a striking parable of the precarious spiritual condition of the nation. The parable is that of a house well swept but unoccupied. The demon having been driven out, but finding no place to rest, returns with seven other spirits, resulting in an even greater degeneration. In using this illustration Jesus clearly indicated that though the Jews had been cleansed from their idolatry by the severity of the Babylonian exile, their unbelief and hardness of heart was in danger of producing an even worse moral condition than when they were idolaters. The moral reformation that had taken place after the captivity should have prepared Israel for the ministries of John and Jesus. Unfortunately, in most cases it fell short in that Israel’s spiritual house was empty. Only by inviting Christ to occupy the position of Honored Guest and Head of the Home could Israel know the full blessing of God. KJV Bible commentary.
The parable in Matthew 12:43–45 might be termed “reformation without inward regeneration.” The Jews came back from captivity purged from their sin of idolatry. The “house” had been swept clean, but it was still empty. They had religion and outward morality, but their hearts were empty and their religion was vain. Consequently, Satan was able to reenter the house with other sins, and the latter end of the nation was worse than the first! In the OT, the Jews worshiped idols, but in the Gospels they killed their own Messiah!
This same thing happens to individuals. How easy it is to “reform,” join a church, and live respectably, without Jesus Christ dwelling in the heart. This “false righteousness” will last only for a time; then Satan will get hold of that empty life and ruin it. Religion means cleaning up the outside; salvation means new life and holiness on the inside. See 2 Peter 2:20–22. Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament
This generation of sign-seekers stood condemned in the final judgment. To show what their condition on earth would be if they persisted in unbelief, Jesus compared them to a man who had found deliverance from a demon (an evil spirit), perhaps through a Jewish exorcist (cf. Matt. 12:27). After the man was delivered, he tried by every natural means to clean up his life and set things in order. But mere “religion” is never effective so the man lacked a supernatural conversion. Consequently he was subject to possession again with more serious ramifications. Instead of one demon possessing him, he became possessed by seven other spirits. His latter condition was worse than his former. The Pharisees and other religious leaders were in danger of that happening to them for their attempts at reformation, without the power of God, were sterile. They clearly did not understand God’s power, for they had just confused the power of the Spirit with the power of Satan (Matthew 12:24–28). Thus they were wide-open targets for Satan. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Mt 12:43–45).
Maybe it's just me lol, but to me this was just fascinating! Lately I've been reading the Gospels in a "different way" I guess you'd say. I've been reading them with an eye toward how/when Jesus presented Himself as Messiah to Israel and how/when they rejected Him "officially" (which they did in the portion just prior to this). I've been doing this because it all relates to the end times and how God will be judging Israel because of this during the Tribulation and then saving the remnant to enter the Millennium to keep His promise. Anyway, reading them this way really gives you a different perspective of everything. But I figure that sometimes like now, I should post the commentaries rather then explain it myself so that you guys know it's not just my imagination lol
Petra and Bozrah
We recently had a couple
of different threads that led to the start of a conversation about Petra
and Bozrah and how God will protect the people in those two places
during the last three years of the tribulation, which is referred to as
the "great tribulation". I've always been fascinated by that topic so I
thought I'd post the relevant information here again so we could
discuss it further.
Why Will Jordan Escape The Anti-Christ?
Q. I have learned so much from your teaching since finding your site about a year ago. I have a question about Jordan being one of the only places that elude the Anti-Christ’s control during the Great Tribulation. Why do you think that Jordan is exempt from Anti-Christ’s control (maybe other scriptures in addition to Dan. 11:41), and are there other places that also will be exempt? It seems to me at the present time Jordan is going against Israel in wanting Israel to give back land to the Palestinians.
A. Daniel 11:41 says that Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from His (anti-Christ’s) hand. Edom and Moab occupied lands that belong to Jordan today, and the leaders of Ammon are the Hashemite family, with King Abdullah II as its head. This family has ruled Jordan, whose capital is Ahman (after Ammon), since its inception.
There are several references that when combined lead scholars to conclude that at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, believing Jews will flee to Petra in southern Jordan, where they’ll be supernaturally protected by the Lord. In Matt. 24:16 the Lord warned those in Judea (Israel) to flee to the mountains when they see the Abomination of Desolation. The closest mountains are to the east in southern Jordan where Petra is located. Rev. 12:14 tells of Satan pursuing them across the desert as they flee to a place prepared for them. This desert lies between Israel and the mountains of southern Jordan around the northern and eastern shores of the Dead Sea. And in Isaiah 63: 1-6 there’s a description of the Lord coming from Bozrah in Edom after single handedly defeating His enemies there. Bozrah is the region of Edom where Petra is located. This indicates that when the time comes the Lord will declare Jordan off limits to the anti-Christ and give His people refuge there.
Those who believe Islam will be the end times religion take note of the fact that King Abdullah II is the prophet Mohammed’s closest living relative. This gives him incredible influence in the world of Islam and makes him the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. If the anti-Christ is also Islamic it seems logical that he would spare Jordan’s leaders as members of Mohammed’s family.
No other country is mentioned in the Bible as being excluded from the anti-Christ’s control.
posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bibl...e-anti-christ/
Tribulation Children
Q. I am concerned about the little children who are conceived after the Rapture. I know Jesus will return before they reach an age of accountability, so their salvation is assured. But I worry about what their lives will be like during the 70th week, and especially during the Great Tribulation.
Is there anything in scripture to suggest that those innocent little ones will receive some form of divine protection/consolation to minimize their suffering during that period? Will the merciful and loving God “see to their well-being” in some way; even if it is by removing them quickly to His presence?
A. Speaking of the time when the Great Tribulation begins, Jesus said it would be dreadful for pregnant women and nursing mothers (Matt. 24:19). This tells me no special provision will be made for Tribulation children. Through out the Age of Man children have always been the most vulnerable of all in times of judgment. And even in peaceful times multiple thousands die every day of preventable causes. So-called Guardian Angels seem to be more tasked with reporting abusers to God than protecting children from abuse. The one consolation is that little ones always go straight into the arms of the Lord upon dying.
posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/tribulation-children-2/
Why Will Jordan Escape The Anti-Christ?
Q. I have learned so much from your teaching since finding your site about a year ago. I have a question about Jordan being one of the only places that elude the Anti-Christ’s control during the Great Tribulation. Why do you think that Jordan is exempt from Anti-Christ’s control (maybe other scriptures in addition to Dan. 11:41), and are there other places that also will be exempt? It seems to me at the present time Jordan is going against Israel in wanting Israel to give back land to the Palestinians.
A. Daniel 11:41 says that Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from His (anti-Christ’s) hand. Edom and Moab occupied lands that belong to Jordan today, and the leaders of Ammon are the Hashemite family, with King Abdullah II as its head. This family has ruled Jordan, whose capital is Ahman (after Ammon), since its inception.
There are several references that when combined lead scholars to conclude that at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, believing Jews will flee to Petra in southern Jordan, where they’ll be supernaturally protected by the Lord. In Matt. 24:16 the Lord warned those in Judea (Israel) to flee to the mountains when they see the Abomination of Desolation. The closest mountains are to the east in southern Jordan where Petra is located. Rev. 12:14 tells of Satan pursuing them across the desert as they flee to a place prepared for them. This desert lies between Israel and the mountains of southern Jordan around the northern and eastern shores of the Dead Sea. And in Isaiah 63: 1-6 there’s a description of the Lord coming from Bozrah in Edom after single handedly defeating His enemies there. Bozrah is the region of Edom where Petra is located. This indicates that when the time comes the Lord will declare Jordan off limits to the anti-Christ and give His people refuge there.
Those who believe Islam will be the end times religion take note of the fact that King Abdullah II is the prophet Mohammed’s closest living relative. This gives him incredible influence in the world of Islam and makes him the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. If the anti-Christ is also Islamic it seems logical that he would spare Jordan’s leaders as members of Mohammed’s family.
No other country is mentioned in the Bible as being excluded from the anti-Christ’s control.
posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bibl...e-anti-christ/
Tribulation Children
Q. I am concerned about the little children who are conceived after the Rapture. I know Jesus will return before they reach an age of accountability, so their salvation is assured. But I worry about what their lives will be like during the 70th week, and especially during the Great Tribulation.
Is there anything in scripture to suggest that those innocent little ones will receive some form of divine protection/consolation to minimize their suffering during that period? Will the merciful and loving God “see to their well-being” in some way; even if it is by removing them quickly to His presence?
A. Speaking of the time when the Great Tribulation begins, Jesus said it would be dreadful for pregnant women and nursing mothers (Matt. 24:19). This tells me no special provision will be made for Tribulation children. Through out the Age of Man children have always been the most vulnerable of all in times of judgment. And even in peaceful times multiple thousands die every day of preventable causes. So-called Guardian Angels seem to be more tasked with reporting abusers to God than protecting children from abuse. The one consolation is that little ones always go straight into the arms of the Lord upon dying.
posted with permission
http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/tribulation-children-2/
Matthew 24:12-25
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all
nations, and then the end will come. “So when you
see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’
spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then
let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof
of his house go down to take anything out of the house.Let no one in
the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in
those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight
will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the
sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone
says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not
believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform
great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were
possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.
These verses are referring to "the great tribulation" which is the last 3 and a half years of the trib and not the rapture. It's instructions for the Jew's who are present when the AC defiles the Temple because it's at that point that they had better run for their lives to Petra or Bozrah for God's protection. Those are the only two places on this earth where believers (and children) will be safe because God will protect everyone there supernaturally.
When the AC defiles the Temple with the abomination that is what will turn the Jew's to their real Messiah, Jesus, and He tells them in this verse to run for their lives for their lives will be in grave danger just as the lives of the Christians are at this time.
He says it will be especially hard for those who are pregnant and nursing for obvious reasons--it's difficult to run for your life that way, and if it's the sabbath they're in big trouble for they will have to once and for all decide to follow Jesus and not the law.
It will be a big test for them because remember they will have gone back to following the law during the first 3 and half years of the trib and doing their sacrifices and all.
(remember the Left Behind books? It talks about this in those books too) (Yes, I know the LB books aren't theology books lol, but I know many have read those as have I and this portion is correct about what happens at this point in time)
These verses are referring to "the great tribulation" which is the last 3 and a half years of the trib and not the rapture. It's instructions for the Jew's who are present when the AC defiles the Temple because it's at that point that they had better run for their lives to Petra or Bozrah for God's protection. Those are the only two places on this earth where believers (and children) will be safe because God will protect everyone there supernaturally.
When the AC defiles the Temple with the abomination that is what will turn the Jew's to their real Messiah, Jesus, and He tells them in this verse to run for their lives for their lives will be in grave danger just as the lives of the Christians are at this time.
He says it will be especially hard for those who are pregnant and nursing for obvious reasons--it's difficult to run for your life that way, and if it's the sabbath they're in big trouble for they will have to once and for all decide to follow Jesus and not the law.
It will be a big test for them because remember they will have gone back to following the law during the first 3 and half years of the trib and doing their sacrifices and all.
(remember the Left Behind books? It talks about this in those books too) (Yes, I know the LB books aren't theology books lol, but I know many have read those as have I and this portion is correct about what happens at this point in time)
Quote: Originally Posted by jtheb
Excuse my ignorance Why Petra?
Petra is
one of the two places where God will protect His people during the
tribulation. My understanding is that they're near each other and also
near Jerusalem and Armageddon. They will still be able to die from
disease or an accident or things like that, but the antichrist and his
forces won't be able to lay a hand on anyone in those two places. Here are the main passages that this is discussed in God's Word:
Revelation 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
Daniel 11:41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.
Isaiah 63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Isaiah 26:20-21 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer.
Zechariah 14:2-3 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.
It's also in Joel 2 but it's pretty much the whole chapter so I don't want to post all of that.
Revelation 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
Daniel 11:41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.
Isaiah 63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Isaiah 26:20-21 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer.
Zechariah 14:2-3 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.
It's also in Joel 2 but it's pretty much the whole chapter so I don't want to post all of that.
Originally Posted by Pathwalker
I am one of those people Cindy is
talking about that has read the entire Series of Left Behind. To me,
Jerry Jenkens and Tim LaHaye are pretty accurate to what the Bible says
about Children during the Trib. Cindy, I always thought that Petra was
the only place that God would protect His people, during the
Tribulation. It didn't dawn on me to even think about Bozrah til you
showed us Isaiah 63:1. ( Interesting )
I think they're fairly close together Mark. Here's some info on them both:
Bozrah — enclosure; fortress. (1.) The city of Jobab, one of the early Edomite kings (Gen. 36:33). This place is mentioned by the prophets in later times (Isa. 34:6; Jer. 49:13; Amos 1:12; Micah 2:12). Its modern representative is el-Busseireh. It lies in the mountain district of Petra, 20 miles to the south-east of the Dead Sea.
Easton's Bible dictionary.
I did a quick search to see if I could find a map and came across these pictures you might like to see. I did NOT read what is written here so I have no idea if it's correct or not, I'm only posting the link for the photos:
http://www.yeshuatyisrael.com/bozrah.htm
here's some more:
http://www.bibleplaces.com/edom.htm
but I can't find a map that shows the distance between them...
PETRA [PET ruh] (rock)
— the capital of Nabatea, situated about 275 kilometers (170 miles)
southwest of modern Amman and about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of
the Dead Sea. Petra is not mentioned by name in the Bible, but many
scholars believe it was the same place as Sela (Judg. 1:36; 2 Kin. 14:7).
Petra
is one of the most spectacular archaeological ruins in the Near East
and is a popular attraction on Holy Land tours. Most of the buildings
and tombs of Petra are cut into the rose-red rock cliffs of the area.
Petra’s
ruins consist of about 750 monuments, most of them dating from the
second half of the first century b.c. to the second century after
Christ. In a.d. 131 the Roman emperor Hadrian (ruled a.d. 117–38)
visited the city and ordered construction to begin on the so-called
treasury, which has been called “Petra’s gem”—a temple to Isis.
Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary
Many ruins of Roman construction may be seen at
Petra: a triumphal arch, an amphitheater, remains of baths, temples,
tombs, and sections of a road. Above the city is the great high place,
containing sacrificial altars hewn from the solid rock. Such open-air
sanctuaries have thrown light on the High Places mentioned in the Old
Testament.
Petra is reached from the west
by ascending the Wadi Musa and passing through a narrow, high-walled
gorge, known as the Siq. Over a mile in length, this gorge provided
Petra with excellent defense. The city is situated in a basin that is
about 900 meters (3,000 feet) wide and about 1,600 meters (one mile)
long. The city is surrounded by massive sandstone cliffs of a dark red
color.
BOZRAH [BAHZ ruh] — the name of two cities in the Old Testament:
1. The royal city of Edom (see Map 4, B–5), on which several of the prophets pronounced divine judgment (Jer. 49:13, 22).
The Lord is represented as coming from Bozrah, wearing blood-sprinkled
garments, having trodden the winepress of His wrath upon the Gentile
nations (Is. 63:1–6).
2. A city in the tableland of Moab, which also received prophecy of coming divine judgment (Jer. 48:24).
Bozrah — enclosure; fortress. (1.) The city of Jobab, one of the early Edomite kings (Gen. 36:33). This place is mentioned by the prophets in later times (Isa. 34:6; Jer. 49:13; Amos 1:12; Micah 2:12). Its modern representative is el-Busseireh. It lies in the mountain district of Petra, 20 miles to the south-east of the Dead Sea.
Easton's Bible dictionary.
I did a quick search to see if I could find a map and came across these pictures you might like to see. I did NOT read what is written here so I have no idea if it's correct or not, I'm only posting the link for the photos:
http://www.yeshuatyisrael.com/bozrah.htm
here's some more:
http://www.bibleplaces.com/edom.htm
but I can't find a map that shows the distance between them...
In Matt. 24:16 the Lord warned those in Judea (Israel) to flee to the mountains when they see the Abomination of Desolation. The closest mountains are to the east in southern Jordan where Petra is located. Rev. 12:14
tells of Satan pursuing them across the desert as they flee to a place
prepared for them. This desert lies between Israel and the mountains of
southern Jordan around the northern and eastern shores of the Dead Sea.
And in Isaiah 63: 1-6 there’s a description of the Lord coming from Bozrah in Edom after single handedly defeating His enemies there. Bozrah is the region of Edom where Petra is located.
This indicates that when the time comes the Lord will declare Jordan
off limits to the anti-Christ and give His people refuge there.
I would say then that it's this "region" that
God will protect, and that the two main "cities" (they're only ruins
now) there are Petra and Bozrah, and those are the most likely places
for humans to seek shelter in that region.
A lot of the scholars think that the first part of this verse
Revelation 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
Is actually the one and only possible reference to the USA in the Bible. They think it could mean that someone or some group (probably underground Christians just like in Left Behind) sends a plane to take groups of people to Petra and Bozrah. I can't see the official government doing it since at that point the official government of the AC will be out to kill the Jews not rescue them.
While it is possible that the 2 wings of an Eagle is a reference to US aircraft, it's also possible it's simply a reference to aircraft in general. Another very big possibility is that it's simply again referring to God supernaturally helping them escape so it's really hard to tell. That figure of speech is used by God several times in the old testament to speak about His divine help:
Exodus 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Deuteronomy 32:9-11 For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.It will be interesting to see from Heaven just how the Lord carries this out!
Revelation 12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
Is actually the one and only possible reference to the USA in the Bible. They think it could mean that someone or some group (probably underground Christians just like in Left Behind) sends a plane to take groups of people to Petra and Bozrah. I can't see the official government doing it since at that point the official government of the AC will be out to kill the Jews not rescue them.
While it is possible that the 2 wings of an Eagle is a reference to US aircraft, it's also possible it's simply a reference to aircraft in general. Another very big possibility is that it's simply again referring to God supernaturally helping them escape so it's really hard to tell. That figure of speech is used by God several times in the old testament to speak about His divine help:
Exodus 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
Deuteronomy 32:9-11 For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.It will be interesting to see from Heaven just how the Lord carries this out!
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