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Today I read some serious words from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5 chapter where he describes the day of the Lord and it is so great. We who see this must pray for all people mostly for God's house and pray for Peace for Jesusalem. That this is our great need.
May God Himself, through the kingdom of the Holy Spirit, bless us all with the spirit of prayer and invocation so that we constantly do the Lord's will, by and by praying for all people. Now there is a difference in here on the web and all who pray daily in a way. Because this is where prayer topics come from people who see their impossible situation. May Jesus Christ make peace for us all. While our hearts sigh and long for Jesus' return, Amen. Stay strong and be happy always. Love u in Christ.
At the outset, I should state that I've never placed myself as a 'dispensationalist'. I do see broad outlines in the whole Word of God of dispensational Truth, but I think that comes naturally from study but not to be emphatic that this is essential for proper Bible teaching - helpful, but not required. But if you believe that from my views expressed here, that I show some ghastly symptoms of being under dispensational dominion, then please, I would like to know it & be corrected. Of Israel & the Church, I see them as separate until the believing Jew is joined together with the believing Gentile into One Body - then "there is no difference" - same applies to all.
Till then, what the Bible declares of Israel in the OT is purely about & for Israel. The Gentiles were never brought under any of God's Commands, Laws, & Sacrifices. The Gentiles were godless idol worshipers, to be destroyed where destruction was necessary, or enslaved as given in the Word. But God had a plan for the Gentiles then (as with Abraham) & leading up to the coming of Jesus. The Cross then "hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby" ( Ephesians 2:14-16).
I agree that the OT & NT are equally important to both Jew & Gentile - but to the point you make: I would add, 'how do we interpret the Bible when using OT Scripture with the NT?' And to Revelation 22:19: the addition & subtraction from THIS Book brings on tragic results. The Church's Rapture, as understood by 'pre-tribs', is nowhere to be found after the last message to the Churches in Revelation chapter 3. Does this constitute as being 'dispensationalist'? I don't know.
Reading what you wrote specifically in the second half of your comment page, I would state that I do fully agree with you. All your observances from the Letter to the Hebrews can be supported or learned from the texts. And yet, there are many other divisions within the Book itself that can be highlighted which articulates what the Hebrews writer was trying to convey in his letter. When we understand who the main readership was & the message that the writer was trying to get across to them (a little bit of hermeneutics here!), then not only what you have stated here, but other important Truths bear out to guide them & of course, us, as we study it.
So, it is true that the Church then & now would greatly benefit from the message of this letter, but we must always keep in the back of our minds that the primary reason for the letter was to believers who had come out of Judaism (as the Book title declares), showing & proving the great worth of Jesus their Savior, & to sternly admonish those who were not part of the Elect, professing but not possessing Christ in them, the Hope of Glory. I realize that what I've just written may not be what you were considering when you recently twice read this epistle, but I just add it (in few words), to complement what you had written about your observances.
I also want to speak to the concept promoted by the dispensationalists that the pre-trib rapture will be a secret event known only to believers. But aside from Scripture explicitly and actually stating that Christ's return will be after the Tribulation, it is stated in Scripture plainly that it will be a visible return that ALL people will see, not invisible or secret. ( Matt. 24:26) He will return with brightness ( 2Thess. 2:8) with thunder and lightning and fire Coming on the clouds ( Matt. 24:27,30; 2 Peter 3:10) with great power and glory. The mountains will be moved out of place and flattened ( Rev. 6:14; 16:20)
There will be signs in the heavens (moon and sun go dark, stars fall from heaven, the powers of the universe will be shaken) ( Mk. 13:24-25) He will bring His angels with Him ( Mk. 13:27, Mt. 24:31)
So, clearly His coming to resurrect the dead and change the bodies of those alive will be a worldwide clearly seen and experienced event. The unrighteous will call out to the mountains to fall on them when they see Jesus coming on His throne.
Nope, no "secret, invisible rapture" will occur according the the explicit teaching of the Bible that says His Coming will be AFTER the Tribulation.
There is no Scripture in the Bible that tells He will come in stages or two comings. This is adding to the Scriptures.
But this gathering or being caught up will happen after the Tribulation. That is the only 'rapture" taught explicitly in Scripture. It will be a visible glorious coming. All eyes will see it, not just believers. It will not be secret. it is not imminent but is explicitly stated as coming after the falling away, appearance of the son of perdition, after the Tribulation. so if it is openly and actually stated this way, we should believe what the Scriptures say and not try to "read into" Scripture by inference what is not clearly taught.
Dear Heavenly Father, Daniel is so concerned about his father and his father is very ill, as You know. We come to you in the name of Jesus and bring salvation to Eric within the time he has left in this life. Give him comfort and peace in this time. Help Daniel to walk through this time with Your peace and comfort, too. Help him attend to his dad's needs without becoming too overwhelmed. Allow the opportunity for his dad to be lucid enough for Eric to tell him about salvation in Jesus once again and to pray with and for him. Amen.
Daniel, You can pray over him when he is awake or asleep. you can sig over him, also. You can sit close to him so he can hear you read the Scriptures to him. All of these things are used of God to bring your dad to a place to receive the salvation from God through Christ by His mercy. Please know that none of these actions will be a wasted effort. God will use them for the benefit of Your dad.
I've been in your shoes, and I am feeling for you tonight.
Cont...
..doctrine of the pre-trib rapture. This allowed him to teach that the coming for the church in the rapture is a different event than the Second Coming. He also began to taught an imminent return of Christ at any time, contrary to what Paul says in 2 Thess. 2:3 and what Jesus warns in Lk 21:8 that we are to not be deceived by those who teach that the Lord's return is imminent. We are to withdraw from such people.
"Take heed that ye be not deceived; for many shall come in my name. saying, 'I am the Christ; and the time draweth near; go ye not therefore with them."
Darby was obviously a highly intelligent man, but he was very young when he came up with this "new doctrine" of the rapture. (Yes, he called it "new" or "newly discovered") There obviously many people who were persuaded by him despite being very young (27) and not having many years in the Word. He had charisma and good oratory skills. he began traveling shortly after this revelation to Europe, America, and Australia to ply his doctrines. Many accepted what he said without question.
He died in 1882, but not until after he had caused multiple schisms among the very "Brethren" he began with, eventually pulling many away into a sub-sect known as the Exclusive Brethren , which was quite Separatist and refused to fellowship with any outside of this sub-sect. The members could not even fellowship with those of this sub-sect that were from another group of Exclusive Brethren. This behavior of isolating to himself a select group of people who approved of him and his doctrines, would not dare cross him for fear of reprisal, and allowing him to be the leader of this sect even though the Brethren as practice would not have any church leaders, pastors, or and select position in their meetings. Everyone served in the same capacities in their group. Yet, these people allowed Darby to rise to to the lead of this group. He was the one who ran the show.
These behaviors are very similar to cult leaders.
All throughout time, we can see how we have been slowly conditioned coming to this point where we are on the verge of a cashless society. Did you know that Jesus foretold of this event almost 2,000 years ago?
In Revelation 13:16-18, we read,
"He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles-- Revelation 19:20) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."
Speaking to the last generation, this could only be speaking of a cashless society. Why's that? Revelation 13:17 states that we cannot buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast. If physical money was still in use, we could buy or sell with one another without receiving the mark. This would contradict scripture that states we need the mark to buy or sell!
These verses could not be referring to something purely spiritual as scripture references two physical locations (our right hand or forehead) stating the mark will be on one "OR" the other. If this mark was purely spiritual, it would indicate both places, or one--not one OR the other!
This is where it comes together. It is shocking how accurate the Bible is concerning the implantable RFID microchip. These are notes from a man named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this RFID chip:
"Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about this one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identifying and controlling the peoples of the world-a
I do think as you do that by breaking up Scritpures into those that are directly to the Jews and those that are directly to the church is a doctrine that not only adds to Scripture, but also takes away wide portions of the Bible from applying to Christians.
Was just reading on Darby. He was from an affluent family in London. Went to the best schools. Graduated from Trinity College at 22 with a law degree (with very high honors). After working in law for 4 years, he became a priest, served for 2 years and became disillusioned concerning the Anglican church and its high ecclesiology and connection to the state. Wished to start his own church, so gathered with like-minded people who called themselves "brethren".)This was a new sect and has always been quite small with multiple schisms during Darby's lifetime. Darby excommunicated many who disagreed with him. he refused to fellowship with Brethren who did not agree with him.
After leaving the priesthood at 26, he joined this small group. At 27 in 1827 he "discovered" the pre-trib rapture doctrine in the Bible. He was immediately criticized by people in his group over this new idea. Many colleagues pointed out to him that this doctrine proves problematic by other Scriptures. So, then he invented the separation of Israel and the Church and designated some Scriptures are directed to Jews and others are directed to the Church. He then dissected the Bible up into sections called dispensations. None of these doctrines are explicitly taught in Scripture, but inserted as a way to "interpret" Scripture and to bolster up his original....
At death, there is a separation that takes place. The physical body will lay in the grave and wait to be resurrected, but the spirit will separate from the body and will go to be with the Lord. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
As believers, when we're here, the Lord's with us but we're not with Him in heaven. But as soon as you are absent from the body, as soon as you experience death (which means separation), as soon as your spirit leaves your body, you're in the presence of the Lord.
There's no "soul sleep." There's no in between phases. Paul says I'd rather be out of this body and present with the Lord, but in the meantime while we're here, we live by faith. We live by the Spirit of God!
Paul then gives the cause in 2 Corinthians 5:9. He says, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."
The motivation of Paul is to do what is well pleasing to the Lord. He says whether I'm here, or whether I'm up with Him, I only have one thing that I shoot for as a goal, and it is to be well pleasing to him, which is what that phrase means.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;"
That is what is called the Bema seat. This is not the Great White Throne Judgment. The judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat) is for believers only. This is not a judgment to determine salvation because Christ already paid the penalty and all who have received Him have been declared not guilty. This judgement is to determine our reward/s. This judgement is described for us in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3.
There will be a separate judgement for all who have rejected Christ. This judgement is called the Great White Throne judgment. No believe will stand before that judgment.
I think your understanding of Rev 22:18, ed19 is too narrow. We must first remember that God is the author of the whole Bible. And that in the larger sense, all scripture is prophecy. To be a prophet is to declare the Word of God. There is a reason that God placed these verses at the very end of the Bible.
What God is teaching here is that once the Book of Revelation was complete the whole Bible was completed. God's articulated Word to mankind was completed and we are not to ADD TO nor TAKE AWAY from it. Never again will God speak to mankind in a dream, or a vision, or a voice or a tongue. And we are not to look for any other writings as being part of the Word of God.
Similarly we are never to understand that certain parts of the Bible are not the Word of God.
I'm not saying, dogmatically, that dispensationalism falls into this latter category. But some of the tenants certainly give me pause in that respect.
If we misunderstand certain passages in the Bible, i.e. have a wrong doctrine, that is not a violation of these verses as long as we approach the Bible alone and in its entirety as the Word of God.
What I am concerned about is the idea that only certain parts of the Bible are for us today or that certain parts of the Bible are for one segment of mankind but not for others. That to me is coming dangerously close to taking away from the Bible.
Man is God's INSTRUMENTS, he does all the WORK'S of God through man.
Man just does not have the KNOWLEDGE to believe God is doing EVERYTHING, through man.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God that worketh IN YOU both TO WILL and TO DO his good pleasure.
Jeremiah 51:20 Thou (man) are MY (God's) weapons of WAR ......
Isaiah 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod (weapon) of MY (God) anger, and the staff (weapon) in thy hand is MY (GOD) indignation ...
Isaiah 45:1 ...to Cyrus, whose right hand I (God) have holden, to SUBDUE NATIONS .....
Daniel 4:34 ..... and MY UNDERSTANDING RETURNED .....
Daniel 4:35 ....and he (God) doeth according to HIS (God) WILL ..... among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
God had a purpose for Aaron, also a purpose for those that perished, Aaron also DIED, just a differennt APPOINTED time.
God knows what he is doing and EVIL always works to GOOD.
Genesis 50:20 ....you thought EVIL against me, but God meant it for GOOD ..... to keep many people ALIVE .....
Judas betrayed Christ; EVIL, the Father meant that betrayal for GOOD: to keep all people ALIVE in Christ Jesus ....
Hosea 4:6 My people perish FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE .....
God Bless YOU!
Last part.
whether or not one has right doctrine or not, but values sensationalism and felt beliefs based on emotions or spiritual experience to form their beliefs.
We are to use our minds, as Paul suggests, to come to understand truth, not our emotions or experiences. It is sad what now passes as true spiritual expression in many churches. Many of these expressions are so similar to what is experienced in those who follow New Age practices or pagan practices. What a deception. All because people have turned of their minds to correct teaching and understanding, been groomed by false teachers, and put a premium of 'feeling the presence of God sensually" rather than in a manner that truly aligns with God's Spirit and instructions for decency and soberness in worship.
I am not saying we need to return to dry formality. But saying that we should look at worship practices with a critical eye and align our practices up with the teaching of Paul in the word.
Anyway. I've said enough on this for now. Have a blessed day, and always have a questioning heart about what is said by others and done by others who claim to be "in Christ", yet be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit in all righteousness and truth.
cont.
Therefore anyone who continues to hold this dispensational viewpoint into the Tribulation will receive upon themselves all of the plagues of the book of Revelation. It seems that faithful believers who do not add to Scripture will not be recipients of the plagues in this book of prophecy, as Rev. 21:19 seems to imply that this is the case. If those who add to the prophecy receive the plagues, then those who do not add to the prophecy will not.
The church has been groomed by the dispensational error for almost 200 years now. It has become ingrained into the mind and fabric of so many believers and churches/seminaries/universities. So, coming to the topic with a critical eye in order to see if what is taught in dispensationalism aligns with Scripture is very difficult for those who hold to it.
Satan is very cunning and smart. He is just as happy to use false teachings within the church as without to deceive Christians. It is wise for us to seek the wisdom from the Holy Spirit to check to see if one's beliefs align with Scripture AND be willing to forsake and repent of those that do not align.
There is a BIG sense in the church today to avoid what is referred to as doctrine. Many churches even profess to be non-doctrinaire. The letters of Paul speak in many places about teaching and receiving sound doctrine. Believers do need to change their negative attitude about doctrine since the word simply means right teaching that is supported by Scriptures.
We also need to resist running after whatever seems to be the "new" new thing that circulates among believers and churches. We should always be wary of what seems to be "taking Christians by storm". We need to learn lessons from the past concerning following after false teachers and ideas so readily.
Some don't value having right doctrinal beliefs, thinking it is "leftover" from the "traditions of men". But the Scriptures speak differently that this attitude. Some don't think that it matter
Everything I mentioned on my list of Dispensational beliefs I have heard on this site by posters and also from some research on this theory. I am not implying that ALL dispensationalists believe ALL of these things, but it is true that there are pastors and teachers and writers that are teaching each of these beliefs.
When Revelation 22:19 speaks of adding to or taking away from the prophecy of this book, it is specifically referring to the Book John wrote of the Revelation he received about the how history will pan out.
There curses associated with these actions are very BIG: the adding onto the one who adds to the prophecy all the plagues listed in this book and the removal from the Book of life of those who take away. Both are very serious curses. We should be very sober minded about this topic.
So, the question is: Does Dispensationalism add to or take away from what is recorded in Revelation? I think certainly it adds to the prophecy in such ways as:
--- the pre-tribulation rapture that Paul warned about in 2 Thessalonians 2:3
---the setting up of the OT sacrificial and priestly system along with strict adherence to the OT laws and celebration of the feast days in the Millennium. I don't read of that in Revelation.
---that Jesus will resurrect people in three batches years apart.
---the nation of Israel will inherit the earth and the Church will inherit heaven.
---that the raptured saints will have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven during the 3.5 years of Tribulation without ALL of the redeemed.
---that the raptured saints will return from heaven with Jesus when He comes again to destroy the Anti-christ, etc. The truth is that there will not be any raptured saints in heaven to come with Him when He returns. The ones that come from heaven with Jesus are the angels, as Jesus said in Matt. 24 and elsewhere.
This just a handful of ways Dispensationalism adds to Scripture. ...continued
Throughout history, we can see how we have been strategically conditioned coming to this point where we are on the verge of a cashless society. Did you know that the Bible foretold of this event almost 2,000 years ago?
In the book of Revelation 13:16-18, we will read,
"He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles-- Revelation 19:20) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."
Speaking to the last generation, this could only be speaking of a cashless society. Why so? Revelation 13:17 states that we cannot buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast. If physical money was still in use, we could buy or sell with one another without receiving the mark. This would contradict scripture that states we need the mark to buy or sell!
These verses could not be referring to something purely spiritual as scripture references two physical locations (our right hand or forehead) stating the mark will be on one "OR" the other. If this mark was purely spiritual, it would indicate both places, or one--not one OR the other!
This is where it comes together. It is amazing how accurate the Bible is concerning the implantable RFID microchip. Here are notes from someone named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this RFID chip:
"Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about this one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identifying and controlling the peoples of
All throughout time, we can see how we have been slowly conditioned coming to this point where we are on the verge of a cashless society. Did you know that the Bible foretold of this event almost 2,000 years ago?
In Revelation 13:16-18, it states,
"He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles-- Revelation 19:20) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."
Speaking to the last generation, this could only be speaking of a cashless society. Why so? Revelation 13:17 tells us that we cannot buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast. If physical money was still in use, we could buy or sell with one another without receiving the mark. This would contradict scripture that states we need the mark to buy or sell!
These verses could not be referring to something purely spiritual as scripture references two physical locations (our right hand or forehead) stating the mark will be on one "OR" the other. If this mark was purely spiritual, it would indicate both places, or one--not one OR the other!
This is where it comes together. It is shocking how accurate the Bible is concerning the implantable RFID microchip. These are notes from a man named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this RFID chip:
"Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about this one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identifying and controlling the peoples of the w
All throughout time, we can see how we have been strategically conditioned coming to this point where we are on the verge of a cashless society. Did you know that Jesus foretold of this event almost 2,000 years ago?
In the book of Revelation 13:16-18, we will read,
"He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles-- Revelation 19:20) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."
Speaking to the last generation, this could only be speaking of a cashless society. Why so? Revelation 13:17 states that we cannot buy or sell unless we receive the mark of the beast. If physical money was still in use, we could buy or sell with one another without receiving the mark. This would contradict scripture that states we need the mark to buy or sell!
These verses could not be referring to something purely spiritual as scripture references two physical locations (our right hand or forehead) stating the mark will be on one "OR" the other. If this mark was purely spiritual, it would indicate both places, or one--not one OR the other!
This is where it really starts to come together. It is incredible how accurate the Bible is concerning the implantable RFID microchip. Here is information from a man named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this RFID chip:
"Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about this one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identi